I don't have anything to report about the ultrasound. No news is...? I did realize that I've left out the results of the pathology report they did of the tissues they removed. NO CANCER. Wow. I get to type "No cancer". You may find me repetitive, but, please understand, this is a joy and a hope and faith realized. God is Good. La, la, la No Cancer, No Cancer, la, la, la!
So, instead of test results, I have a story:
When I was in the hospital, the second day after surgery, it was determined that I should get up and walk around. I was ready to oblige and carefully maneuvered my feet to the floor, sat up, stood (a bit wobbly, but pretty sound), and with Claire and all my tubes and hoses attached, stepped away from the bed and stopped. I was about to join the unenviable club of people who flashed people while wearing a hospital gown! The nurse started to laugh and said something to the effect of, "Oh, people will start sticking dollars back there!" To which, Claire and I, simultaneously responded with, "No, we wouldn't do any of that for less than a 20!" Now, that's funny!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Everything Came Out Alright...
I suppose I've left this unwritten long enough, but I've been pritnear useless and somewhat "distracted" until just recently. I had surgery on August 4. Decided if I was on pain meds I might as well be on them for more than one issue (irradiated intestines and stomach were one, surgery the additional). I was fortunate to have one of the five top Oncological surgeons, Dr. Pierre Greeff, as my doctor. He gave me the prettiest smiley face scar you would ever want to see (horizontal, thank you) and laughed when my body started spitting out the staples. He was happy to see my body "rejecting" them as he put it, took the remaining 18 out, and just taped me shut. He'll tell you I didn't like him much at first, but I certainly adore him, now!
One big concern that was handled by pushing the date was that Claire and Holly could be here. Claire used a massive wad of her flex time and Holly, bless her heart, used her vacation time to come to Tulsa to meet my increasing need. Claire spent every night but one of the six sleeping on a pull out chair bed contraption while I was in hospital and I will always be in awe of her generosity and good-natured constant care for me. The nurses were in love with her, too, for the same reason, and allowed her free access to the Special Care Unit facilities, including the Sonic ice on steroids machine and the Oh So Fabulous heated blanket closet. (Claire and I both had fun with our nurses. CTCA picks winners.) Somehow, my daughter knew what I wanted before I wanted it and way before I asked for it. I'm not sure she slept more than 15 minutes at a time because, if I was awake, she was awake. She was such a God-send! She says I raised her right. She's an accelerated learner, I say. She would be the most incredible personal assistant. She'd be the most incredible anything-she-wants-to-be.
Miss Holly arrived the same day I was allowed to come home. That she used her only multi-day vacation in over a year to be with me will ALWAYS impress me. She gave up R and R for the "opportunity" to watch me in, probably, the worst, most unrelenting pain of my life. I had some trouble with my kidneys and had to go back and have tests done. The surgery was pretty extensive and there was a lot of additional scar tissue removed from surrounding organs so it's not a surprise there was extra pain. We think that time is all that's necessary, but I'll go back, soon, for another ultrasound to make sure the obstruction and the stasis has reconciled. I'm much improved, no doubt because Holly's hugs are healing and I am, as a direct result, healing. I just wish could have taken some of them on account...
Howard has been doing his best to fill in after the girls' departure. Not that he doesn't already have a full plate, but, he comes home when he can during the day and makes sure I eat whatever I want every night. I've been heavily into hamburgers (I pitch half the bun, of course) and Taco Bueno Muchacos and Indian food. I know! And McCalesters' pot roast potato. They are all comfort food, I suppose. Even when I couldn't manage anything else hot, I could eat a pot roast potato and I think it's because it is something like what my mother has made on a regular basis my whole life which, I guess, is the definition of comfort food. The Curry? I don't know what makes that comfort food but it just IS. And, yes, I'm allowing myself more foods, now. The compulsion to eat only certified healthy foods has abated, somewhat. I'm just following His lead.
A couple days ago while sitting on my bed, pretending I wasn't in pain, I had an epiphany. There I was, sitting on my bed, eating an organic peanut butter and jelly on Spelt english muffin, listening to my dog breathe and watching an actress over act in a Lifetime movie. There I was. I AM! I'm here! I'm here! I get to Stay and Play! Grace and Mercy are mine. Thank you, God, forevermore. I walked through the valley of the shadow of death and GOD IS WITH ME. He continues to comfort me. My cup runneth over!
Speaking of Comfort, thank you all for checking in on me. Thank you for the flowers, food, and the rides to appointments, and the phone and FB messages. And, especially, your prayers! You comfort me as God is taking care of me. My cup runneth over.
One big concern that was handled by pushing the date was that Claire and Holly could be here. Claire used a massive wad of her flex time and Holly, bless her heart, used her vacation time to come to Tulsa to meet my increasing need. Claire spent every night but one of the six sleeping on a pull out chair bed contraption while I was in hospital and I will always be in awe of her generosity and good-natured constant care for me. The nurses were in love with her, too, for the same reason, and allowed her free access to the Special Care Unit facilities, including the Sonic ice on steroids machine and the Oh So Fabulous heated blanket closet. (Claire and I both had fun with our nurses. CTCA picks winners.) Somehow, my daughter knew what I wanted before I wanted it and way before I asked for it. I'm not sure she slept more than 15 minutes at a time because, if I was awake, she was awake. She was such a God-send! She says I raised her right. She's an accelerated learner, I say. She would be the most incredible personal assistant. She'd be the most incredible anything-she-wants-to-be.
Miss Holly arrived the same day I was allowed to come home. That she used her only multi-day vacation in over a year to be with me will ALWAYS impress me. She gave up R and R for the "opportunity" to watch me in, probably, the worst, most unrelenting pain of my life. I had some trouble with my kidneys and had to go back and have tests done. The surgery was pretty extensive and there was a lot of additional scar tissue removed from surrounding organs so it's not a surprise there was extra pain. We think that time is all that's necessary, but I'll go back, soon, for another ultrasound to make sure the obstruction and the stasis has reconciled. I'm much improved, no doubt because Holly's hugs are healing and I am, as a direct result, healing. I just wish could have taken some of them on account...
Howard has been doing his best to fill in after the girls' departure. Not that he doesn't already have a full plate, but, he comes home when he can during the day and makes sure I eat whatever I want every night. I've been heavily into hamburgers (I pitch half the bun, of course) and Taco Bueno Muchacos and Indian food. I know! And McCalesters' pot roast potato. They are all comfort food, I suppose. Even when I couldn't manage anything else hot, I could eat a pot roast potato and I think it's because it is something like what my mother has made on a regular basis my whole life which, I guess, is the definition of comfort food. The Curry? I don't know what makes that comfort food but it just IS. And, yes, I'm allowing myself more foods, now. The compulsion to eat only certified healthy foods has abated, somewhat. I'm just following His lead.
A couple days ago while sitting on my bed, pretending I wasn't in pain, I had an epiphany. There I was, sitting on my bed, eating an organic peanut butter and jelly on Spelt english muffin, listening to my dog breathe and watching an actress over act in a Lifetime movie. There I was. I AM! I'm here! I'm here! I get to Stay and Play! Grace and Mercy are mine. Thank you, God, forevermore. I walked through the valley of the shadow of death and GOD IS WITH ME. He continues to comfort me. My cup runneth over!
Speaking of Comfort, thank you all for checking in on me. Thank you for the flowers, food, and the rides to appointments, and the phone and FB messages. And, especially, your prayers! You comfort me as God is taking care of me. My cup runneth over.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Mosquitos
By the way, I think the radiation is wearing off. The mosquitos have started biting me, again.
I can't believe I am looking forward to this next surgery...
If everything works as planned, my final surgery, the one where they do the "spring cleaning", is on Wednesday, August 4. I am ready... or as ready as I'll ever be for four days in a hospital with a seam down my front as a souvenir (bye bye bikinis). Gee, I hope my tattoos don't get messed up! (That's a joke. I have four green perma-targets on my abdomen and hips for the radiation. I'm not enamored of them in the least.) I got away with having three babies without a hospital involved. I've only stayed in the hospital to get my tonsils out in high school and they sent me home early because I was such a wrotten patient. I am NOT kidding. Ask my mom.
But, really, I'm ready to put this business behind me. I'm ready for my life to be about more than my frail corpus. I'm ready to build me up, buttercup. Be all I can be. Like that. Howard and I were wonderfully fortunate to have our world travelers, Ethan and wife Tiffany, to keep me company while I rested up this last month. They are off on another adventure, but I won't be alone. Claire and Holly are coming into town and taking shifts to take care of me. They'll be here to feed me and carry my purse and, most likely, listen to me whine.
Come see me. Better yet, pray for everything to come out alright. Literally. I will be convalescing at home by the end of this week. I'll be fine, no matter what, because, you know and I know, God is taking care of me.
But, really, I'm ready to put this business behind me. I'm ready for my life to be about more than my frail corpus. I'm ready to build me up, buttercup. Be all I can be. Like that. Howard and I were wonderfully fortunate to have our world travelers, Ethan and wife Tiffany, to keep me company while I rested up this last month. They are off on another adventure, but I won't be alone. Claire and Holly are coming into town and taking shifts to take care of me. They'll be here to feed me and carry my purse and, most likely, listen to me whine.
Come see me. Better yet, pray for everything to come out alright. Literally. I will be convalescing at home by the end of this week. I'll be fine, no matter what, because, you know and I know, God is taking care of me.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water...
My title is the catch phrase used for promoting the sequel to "Jaws". Music in a minor chord, threat from below, dark danger. My digestive system. Yep, just when we were all breathing a sigh of relief and I had gained enough energy to do two and, sometimes, three things in a day, I have developed some very frustrating painful issue in my stomach and intestines. Waiting didn't make it go away. Herbs, either. Acupuncture helps for awhile. Painkillers just make me even more useless than I already am. But, that's what I've devolved to. Crud. On Monday I go back to the hospital for appointments (the one to see if I'm ready for surgery will, no doubt, be a waste of time) and for making one appointment for a scope. Pretty soon there will be almost as many pictures of the inside of me as the outside. Ones you won't be seeing on Facebook.
Why, yes, this is disheartening. But God is taking care of me and this is all just clouds.
Why, yes, this is disheartening. But God is taking care of me and this is all just clouds.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Pretty Outrageously Wonderful News
This is VERY COOL: In January my Squamous cell Squamus cell? whatever--- the kind of cancer I have--- anyway the blood content count was 11. Normal is between 0 and 2.2.
As of last Tuesday, my count is.....1.3! NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL, NORMAL, NORMAL praise you, Jesus, NORMAL!
Another round of tears, please. God is loose in the World. Period.
As of last Tuesday, my count is.....1.3! NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL, NORMAL, NORMAL praise you, Jesus, NORMAL!
Another round of tears, please. God is loose in the World. Period.
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