I had a ride arranged for church (thank you, Deacon Donna), so I got up, had breakfast, figured out how to get into clothes--pantyhose didn't happen, but I had my compression hose on. The God I believe in didn't care if I had on pantyhose or not. I have to select clothes carefully, since I can't raise my left arm above my shoulder. I'm used to throwing my dresses over my head and pulling them down--take them off the same way. Not going to happen for the next few weeks.
Just noticed this didn't get finished (started on Sunday, it's now 11:30 Monday night). I'll try to remember what I wrote last night. Ally helped me get dressed for church. I got a little nervous--did the incision look red? Was it hot? I've been through wound infections before and I don't want to do that again. Donna picked me up on time. She said I was shaking--wondered if I wanted to go to the hospital. No, I did not. We got to church and Donna did her Head Usher duties. I took deep breaths, practicing what Laura taught me. I did have one of the church nurses check my pulse, which she declared fine. She got me seated and asked Roxane to sit next to me and keep an eye on me. Bless her, Rox took care of me like a mother hen. In retrospect, I think it was just anxiety over the first outing. I made it through most of the service. Our custom is to wait and listen to the postlude--HAD to use the restroom, so that's when we left early. I was pretty calm by the end of the service. Had outing number two today, to the dentist to pick up my new bite splint--not a problem. Of course, that meant that I had to get dressed. I don't have anything scheduled till Thursday--think I'll stay in my jammies till then.
I'm still a little anxious, but from everything I've read and heard, that is completely normal. The incision still hurts, but the rest of me feels pretty good. I'm breathing easier than I have in a long time. One day at a time, as they say, one day at a time--or even one minute at a time.
There, I think I'm caught up--probably not as good as what I wrote last night, but there you are.
xxooxx
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
That's Something I Didn't Expect
I will be very happy to go back to my boring little life, thank you. I've had an overly exciting few days and my life has changed again.
So here's the story. I had a transfusion a few weeks ago. Transfusions usually give me more energy, but this one didn't. My numbers were good when I had chemo, but I was still terribly tired. This last Tuesday, I was tireder than usual, and short of breath in a different way than usual. But it was a Mark day, so I got dressed, drove to the BART station, and went downtown. When I got off the train at Montgomery, the escalator looked like it was miles away. I got there, but it took a while, and I had to stop and lean on a few pillars. Walked the half block to Mark's office, sometimes leaning on the buildings for support. When Mark came out to get me, he said "What are you doing here?" I said it was a Mark day. When I got settled in the office, he asked if I wanted to go home--"not for 50 minutes," I said. He asked how I was going to get home, and I said BART. He said that wasn't a really good idea--was there anyone who could pick me up? I caved and called Glenn, who said of course. So we talked, which is what we do. At the end of our session, I collected my hug. Mark asked if I would be all right going downstairs--of course I would--then proceeded to gasp in a whole new way. Glenn and I took a little time finding each other, but we did and he drove home. I started gasping again, and he asked if he should just take me to emergency. I really, really had to use the bathroom, so I had him call the Cancer center--it was a chemo afternoon. They told him to get me to the hospital. Now the fun begins. I got into my coat and started out. At the top of the stairs, I knew that wasn't going to happen, and dropped to my knees--at least that was the plan. Ally will have to tell you what happened next--she was right behind me. I passed out. I came to with her telling me she needed me to take some deep breaths while I heard Glenn on the phone calling 911. I heard him say dire emergency. He hung up and we heard the sirens--they being two blocks away. There followed a house full of paramedics, eventually getting me out of the house and into the ambulance. It seemed a long and involved process. I thought I could get myself out of the house, and they said "not with what your heart is doing." Did I mention I was scared.
Anyway, they got me to emergency, trying their darnedest to get an IV going. I have tiny veins and they roll. I now have several bruises from the tourniquets and attempts to start the IV. I think they finally succeeded. I don't honestly remember too much of the time in emergency. I met a new cardiologist (for me, that is) and a new Hospitalist. I was admitted and taken to the ICU. I think this whole process took two hours--but as I said, I really don't remember. Glenn, Ally, and Dory were there. The reason for admission, according to my discharge papers, was "3 degree AV Block." My heart rate was jumping all over the map, but mostly in the 30's. They put me on a medicine that was supposed to speed up my heart rate. I didn't like it. It made me nauseous and made my heart pound. I kept hearing people say "pacemaker."
Fast forward to Wednesday. I had a nurse who wasn't a regular ICU nurse. I didn't realize that was a problem. I needed to use the restroom, once again. She got a bedside camode, because that was all the further my wires and tubes would let me go. I proceeded to take care of business then tried to pass out again. There were suddenly about 10 regular ICU nurses in the room. I got back into bed myself (for which I'm sure they were all grateful), then went in and out of consciousness. I DID hear someone say "We're losing her!" and hear them talking about crash carts and paddles. Fortunately, I converted to a sinus rhythm on my own. The cardiologist has now been summoned. He determines that it was a bad reaction to the medication, which they stopped, and put me on an external pacemaker. We then had a discussion about how much I needed one, immediately. Fortunately, it was already scheduled--for 10 o'clock and it was by now about 9:15. I figured I could wait that long, but not much longer.
It was actually 12:15 when they took me to the Cath Lab for the procedure. By then I had talked to the doctor who was going to do the procedure and one of the oncologists from my group--and my Pastor.
Getting ready for the procedure took forever. It was done with a local and light sedation--which because of the meds I take for the cancer--meant I was awake for the whole thing. I could feel pushing and pulling as the wires were fed through my vein into my heart. It was uncomfortable, but the worst was my back. I was lying on a frozen slab with my legs and back flat against it. The procedure took about two hours and my back was screaming. I was taken to a room in the TCU, or ICU Step-Down. Now here's the miracle. Except for my back, which took a long time to calm down, I felt better. Much better. I spent Wednesday night and most of Thursday in the TCU. Elaine badgered all my doctors to keep me another night. I was transferred to a regular Medsurg room. and came home after Glenn got off work this afternoon. I am feeling much better. I have some restrictions while the incision heals, like not using my left arm--it's in a sling to keep my from doing anything foolish.
That's the gist of it, and it is past my bedtime, but I wanted to get this done while it is fresh in my mind. I am grateful to have survived. God has blessed me with amazing friends and excellent health care providers. It was not how I'd planned on spending the week, but there you are. I'm good for a while longer, and I'm glad.
xxooxx
So here's the story. I had a transfusion a few weeks ago. Transfusions usually give me more energy, but this one didn't. My numbers were good when I had chemo, but I was still terribly tired. This last Tuesday, I was tireder than usual, and short of breath in a different way than usual. But it was a Mark day, so I got dressed, drove to the BART station, and went downtown. When I got off the train at Montgomery, the escalator looked like it was miles away. I got there, but it took a while, and I had to stop and lean on a few pillars. Walked the half block to Mark's office, sometimes leaning on the buildings for support. When Mark came out to get me, he said "What are you doing here?" I said it was a Mark day. When I got settled in the office, he asked if I wanted to go home--"not for 50 minutes," I said. He asked how I was going to get home, and I said BART. He said that wasn't a really good idea--was there anyone who could pick me up? I caved and called Glenn, who said of course. So we talked, which is what we do. At the end of our session, I collected my hug. Mark asked if I would be all right going downstairs--of course I would--then proceeded to gasp in a whole new way. Glenn and I took a little time finding each other, but we did and he drove home. I started gasping again, and he asked if he should just take me to emergency. I really, really had to use the bathroom, so I had him call the Cancer center--it was a chemo afternoon. They told him to get me to the hospital. Now the fun begins. I got into my coat and started out. At the top of the stairs, I knew that wasn't going to happen, and dropped to my knees--at least that was the plan. Ally will have to tell you what happened next--she was right behind me. I passed out. I came to with her telling me she needed me to take some deep breaths while I heard Glenn on the phone calling 911. I heard him say dire emergency. He hung up and we heard the sirens--they being two blocks away. There followed a house full of paramedics, eventually getting me out of the house and into the ambulance. It seemed a long and involved process. I thought I could get myself out of the house, and they said "not with what your heart is doing." Did I mention I was scared.
Anyway, they got me to emergency, trying their darnedest to get an IV going. I have tiny veins and they roll. I now have several bruises from the tourniquets and attempts to start the IV. I think they finally succeeded. I don't honestly remember too much of the time in emergency. I met a new cardiologist (for me, that is) and a new Hospitalist. I was admitted and taken to the ICU. I think this whole process took two hours--but as I said, I really don't remember. Glenn, Ally, and Dory were there. The reason for admission, according to my discharge papers, was "3 degree AV Block." My heart rate was jumping all over the map, but mostly in the 30's. They put me on a medicine that was supposed to speed up my heart rate. I didn't like it. It made me nauseous and made my heart pound. I kept hearing people say "pacemaker."
Fast forward to Wednesday. I had a nurse who wasn't a regular ICU nurse. I didn't realize that was a problem. I needed to use the restroom, once again. She got a bedside camode, because that was all the further my wires and tubes would let me go. I proceeded to take care of business then tried to pass out again. There were suddenly about 10 regular ICU nurses in the room. I got back into bed myself (for which I'm sure they were all grateful), then went in and out of consciousness. I DID hear someone say "We're losing her!" and hear them talking about crash carts and paddles. Fortunately, I converted to a sinus rhythm on my own. The cardiologist has now been summoned. He determines that it was a bad reaction to the medication, which they stopped, and put me on an external pacemaker. We then had a discussion about how much I needed one, immediately. Fortunately, it was already scheduled--for 10 o'clock and it was by now about 9:15. I figured I could wait that long, but not much longer.
It was actually 12:15 when they took me to the Cath Lab for the procedure. By then I had talked to the doctor who was going to do the procedure and one of the oncologists from my group--and my Pastor.
Getting ready for the procedure took forever. It was done with a local and light sedation--which because of the meds I take for the cancer--meant I was awake for the whole thing. I could feel pushing and pulling as the wires were fed through my vein into my heart. It was uncomfortable, but the worst was my back. I was lying on a frozen slab with my legs and back flat against it. The procedure took about two hours and my back was screaming. I was taken to a room in the TCU, or ICU Step-Down. Now here's the miracle. Except for my back, which took a long time to calm down, I felt better. Much better. I spent Wednesday night and most of Thursday in the TCU. Elaine badgered all my doctors to keep me another night. I was transferred to a regular Medsurg room. and came home after Glenn got off work this afternoon. I am feeling much better. I have some restrictions while the incision heals, like not using my left arm--it's in a sling to keep my from doing anything foolish.
That's the gist of it, and it is past my bedtime, but I wanted to get this done while it is fresh in my mind. I am grateful to have survived. God has blessed me with amazing friends and excellent health care providers. It was not how I'd planned on spending the week, but there you are. I'm good for a while longer, and I'm glad.
xxooxx
Friday, April 20, 2012
Oops
Gretchen and Kris have both reminded me that I haven't blogged in a while. That usually means that nothing much has been going on. When I left off last month, Ally had just come home--from her first hospital visit--she had two more before Easter. She was one sick little girl, but is now, finally, on the mend. She has a job and things are looking up for her.
I'm doing all right. My legs were wrapped for about a month. My custom made compression stockings came in last week. I've been wearing them since Monday and they seem to be working--enough so that I ordered two more pair so that I can wash them and still have something to wear.
The cellulitis finally cleared up and I got back on my chemo schedule. I never seem to react to this one the same way, so it is always a surprise. I got a transfusion a week ago Wednesday--that would explain why I had been very tired. I didn't come out of this one as peppy as on previous times, but my blood count was good enough for my last chemo that I didn't need a Procrit shot. That was a good thing. They hurt.
So I really haven't done much the in the last month. I finished some knitting projects--good thing since one of Glenn's do-workers just became a grandfather and another one became an uncle. Two little girl gifts were delivered.
It is baseball season again, so my television viewing schedule once again includes as many Giants games as possible. They do like to keep my blood pressure jumping.
I told you things had been boring. I'm looking forward to a Yosemite trip next month--maybe I can squeeze in a paragraph or two before then. Otherwise, I'm still above ground and doing reasonably well--unless you count the not feeling too well after last Tuesday's chemo...
xxooxx
I'm doing all right. My legs were wrapped for about a month. My custom made compression stockings came in last week. I've been wearing them since Monday and they seem to be working--enough so that I ordered two more pair so that I can wash them and still have something to wear.
The cellulitis finally cleared up and I got back on my chemo schedule. I never seem to react to this one the same way, so it is always a surprise. I got a transfusion a week ago Wednesday--that would explain why I had been very tired. I didn't come out of this one as peppy as on previous times, but my blood count was good enough for my last chemo that I didn't need a Procrit shot. That was a good thing. They hurt.
So I really haven't done much the in the last month. I finished some knitting projects--good thing since one of Glenn's do-workers just became a grandfather and another one became an uncle. Two little girl gifts were delivered.
It is baseball season again, so my television viewing schedule once again includes as many Giants games as possible. They do like to keep my blood pressure jumping.
I told you things had been boring. I'm looking forward to a Yosemite trip next month--maybe I can squeeze in a paragraph or two before then. Otherwise, I'm still above ground and doing reasonably well--unless you count the not feeling too well after last Tuesday's chemo...
xxooxx
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