May 26th, 2006
Fred had another upper GI this morning, and the nurse asked him who was going to drive him home. He answered, "My wife." "Well, where IS she?" "Out there in the waiting room." "There's no woman in the waiting room....Just a man." "That's my wife." "You mean the guy in the baseball cap?" "Yeah, the lady in the baseball cap." Guess I need to make sure I wear some dangling earrings when we go out next time. Or was the nurse thinking Fred and I had something to do with "Brokeback Mountain?" Well, Fred insisted I wear the Mariners' cap this time. At least the sparkling ones that Karen sent me leave no doubt that I'm female.
I really shouldn't be driving yet, but someone had to bring him home. Besides, I had an appointment w/my surgeon's PA 2 hours after Fred's procedure, and that was just across the street. So, I hadn't had any pain killers since before going to bed last night.
I was hoping that they'd take out my drain tubes, but no such luck. My next appointment with them is June 7th, so I guess I'll be messing with these bothersome thingy's until then, at least. These "saddle bags" surely aren't attractive, so I literally "put a sock on it!" by using black footie socks to hold the bulbs, pinning the socks inside my shirt, and away I go. Problem is that the tubes are quite long and tend to grab the knobs on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Talk about a battleground!
We've noticed that my eyebrows keep getting thinner, but there does seem to be a teensy white fuzz on my scalp.
Oh, yes, I'm still getting arenesp shots every week to help build up my red cells. That was yesterday.
I didn't get much sleep during the days until yesterday, because it's very difficult for me to both lie down and get up out of bed by myself without feeling acute pain or thinking I'm ripping open the stitches.
The pathologist reported that there was still a .5 cm. tumor at the site, and that I had clear wide margins this time. The right side had some hyperplasia, but nothing cancerous....yet. I believe I did the right thing, after all.
Oh, and they removed my port. It seems I won't be having any more chemo. It was also in their sterile field, so Friday they had to again try to find a vein for IV. I think they tried about 5 times downstairs, then took me upstairs to pre-op where they tried a couple MORE times. My poor right arm still has 2 bright purple bruises a week later. It seems that chemo can cause scar tissue on the veins, so they can get the NEEDLE in, but not the bigger plastic sleeve. I forgot to ask if that's a forever condition or what?
The PA said I could gently sponge bathe my stitch area with disinfectant soap, but still no showers. I just never imagined how much I CAN'T do for awhile since the other three surgeries (albeit minor) were so EASY and fast healing. I'm hoping to participate in the "RELAY FOR LIFE" June 2-3, at Spokane Falls Community College, since I missed the pink ribbon tea, and other events for cancer survivors. I made a list of relatives of mine and Fred's who've fought a cancer battle and got 25! I made luminaries for each of them, too. Well, maybe I can make an appearance, do the dinner and survivors walk, watch them light the luminaries, and then leave and not camp there. That's simply out of the question right now. I HATE this disease! And yes, I finally figured out who the HTLC people were! I didn't want to miss that, either!
We got our third and last baby calf a couple nights ago. It's pretty active and stands out much more than the other two totally black ones. The new guy has the whitest shade of white for a face. He does look puny compared to the other two who were born 4 and 6 weeks ago. Watching the calves with my binoculars while they cavort out in the pasture below does give me quiet pleasure while I have to stay home.
I really shouldn't be driving yet, but someone had to bring him home. Besides, I had an appointment w/my surgeon's PA 2 hours after Fred's procedure, and that was just across the street. So, I hadn't had any pain killers since before going to bed last night.
I was hoping that they'd take out my drain tubes, but no such luck. My next appointment with them is June 7th, so I guess I'll be messing with these bothersome thingy's until then, at least. These "saddle bags" surely aren't attractive, so I literally "put a sock on it!" by using black footie socks to hold the bulbs, pinning the socks inside my shirt, and away I go. Problem is that the tubes are quite long and tend to grab the knobs on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Talk about a battleground!
We've noticed that my eyebrows keep getting thinner, but there does seem to be a teensy white fuzz on my scalp.
Oh, yes, I'm still getting arenesp shots every week to help build up my red cells. That was yesterday.
I didn't get much sleep during the days until yesterday, because it's very difficult for me to both lie down and get up out of bed by myself without feeling acute pain or thinking I'm ripping open the stitches.
The pathologist reported that there was still a .5 cm. tumor at the site, and that I had clear wide margins this time. The right side had some hyperplasia, but nothing cancerous....yet. I believe I did the right thing, after all.
Oh, and they removed my port. It seems I won't be having any more chemo. It was also in their sterile field, so Friday they had to again try to find a vein for IV. I think they tried about 5 times downstairs, then took me upstairs to pre-op where they tried a couple MORE times. My poor right arm still has 2 bright purple bruises a week later. It seems that chemo can cause scar tissue on the veins, so they can get the NEEDLE in, but not the bigger plastic sleeve. I forgot to ask if that's a forever condition or what?
The PA said I could gently sponge bathe my stitch area with disinfectant soap, but still no showers. I just never imagined how much I CAN'T do for awhile since the other three surgeries (albeit minor) were so EASY and fast healing. I'm hoping to participate in the "RELAY FOR LIFE" June 2-3, at Spokane Falls Community College, since I missed the pink ribbon tea, and other events for cancer survivors. I made a list of relatives of mine and Fred's who've fought a cancer battle and got 25! I made luminaries for each of them, too. Well, maybe I can make an appearance, do the dinner and survivors walk, watch them light the luminaries, and then leave and not camp there. That's simply out of the question right now. I HATE this disease! And yes, I finally figured out who the HTLC people were! I didn't want to miss that, either!
We got our third and last baby calf a couple nights ago. It's pretty active and stands out much more than the other two totally black ones. The new guy has the whitest shade of white for a face. He does look puny compared to the other two who were born 4 and 6 weeks ago. Watching the calves with my binoculars while they cavort out in the pasture below does give me quiet pleasure while I have to stay home.
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