Not how I'd planned to spend the week

Things were going along nicely.  The Christmas novella was written and saved.  I'd even started printing it out.  I had the week to get everything done--not a problem.  Monday evening, I had my dinner and went off to a 7 PM PNC meeting.  During the meeting, my abdomen started started to cramp.  Fortunately, is was pretty much just a check-in meeting and it didn't last long.  I was really uncomfortable by the time I got home.  Great, I thought, things were starting over like last month.  Knowing I would have to be back on clear fluids for a few days, I made a big bowl of jello.  And hurt more.  I got into my nightgown because I just couldn't stand to have anything around my waist.  My abdomen and stomach thanked me by popping out and getting really hard.  And the pain got worse.  Just as I was about to do some research on the Internet, I got that warning feeling and lost most of my dinner.  I don't do that.  It isn't ladylike.  I continued to heave for a bit.  Please, just let me sleep this off.  I know I'll feel better in the morning.  The voice of reason told me to call my insurance company's nurse line.  It took a while getting through the automated receptionist (the economy started going to hell in a hand basket when all the telephone receptionists were replaced by "Press one for..." or even yet, voice response systems).  Finally, though, I got through to an RN.  I told her what was going on and what I'd tried.  She asked me what else I had in mind to do and I said "die."  She said that wasn't an option and said I should go to the hospital.  It was now about 11:30 and Glenn was unwinding from work (overtime on his day off).  I knocked on his door and asked him for a ride to emergency.  I grabbed my book and enough yarn to keep me busy and we were off. 

There was no one in the waiting room when we got there and no ambulances outside--a very good sigh.  They registered me right away, giving me an ingenious blue bucket device when I said I was going to be sick.  Triage took me right away and we were whisked off to a room.  I think it was about 2 when I saw the doctor--really cute and really nice.  He asked what he could do for me.  I said "Get a turkey baster with a large needle, stick it in my gut, and release the gas."  Without blinking an eye, he turned to the nurse and said, "Get me one turkey baster--sterile"  He listened to my symptoms, said he suspected a bowel obstruction and ordered a CT scan.  At that point, I told Glenn to go home and get some sleep, because I knew it would be a long time.  Glenn is such a prince.  It took some talking to get him to go home.

I had the usual--an IV line was started and blood was sucked,  It was around 3 when they took me in for the scan--no contrast this time, either oral or injected.  Back to the room to wait for results.  Yea, verily, it was a small bowel obstruction and they were going to admit me.  What?  Not on my agenda--I had things to do, fudge to make.  Around 5, the nurse came it and told me that they had a bed for me upstairs, but I couldn't be transported until shift change at 7 because they didn't have enough nurses.  I wasn't going anywhere else, so I knit, read, watched the clock, hurt, and waited..

7 o'clock finally came and I was taken up to a room on the 7th floor and settled in.  The staff was wonderful, from doctors and nurses to housekeeping.  They are amazingly hardworking and always kind.  I met the Hospitalist, a Dr. Liu, who was charming, and explained treatment options to me.  The most effective, though not necessarily the most pleasant, was to insert an NG tube to suck out the backed up fluids and gas and decompress my gut.  Second option was to keep me on IV fluids and give everything a chance to rest.  It was my choice.  Not happily, I opted for the NG tube, there being a shortage of sterile turkey basters.  It was not fun getting it put in, and once inserted, I felt like I had a baseball bat down my throat, but it did start working right away.  I was also given pain meds and connected to a bag of potassium chloride.  I was in a two bed room with an older woman who wasn't chatty, but was going home.  I knit and read and finally dozed.

Shortly after the afternoon shift change, I was waked by a patient across the hall screaming and yelling and carrying on like his home was up in a tree.  I didn't hear the whole shouting match--I must have missed something in the beginning, but I did hear him say something about there being no place for him to smoke in the hospital so he'd had to go outside with his friends and that was his right--in the winter, in a hospital gown and socks.  After a bit of this entertainment, my nurse came in and said they were going to move me to a different room.  I was only moved next door, so I could still hear much of the yelling--which went on for hours--including "My wife is a lawyer and she's going to sue you" and the calling of security and the cops.  I got the window bed of a two bed room.  The other bed was occupied by Moaning Myrtle.  I never found out exactly what her problem was, but HIPPA be damned, there is no privacy in hospitals, especially not for those of us blessed with good hearing.  The whole time I was there, she slept, screamed, moaned, asked for pain meds, or complained about the food.  When she did talk, she had no concept of the term "inside voice."  Neither did her sisters when they came to visit.  I don't think she ever learned a nurse or CNA's name, or even where her call light was.  When she wanted the nurse, she would holler out "Nurse!  Nurse!"

Meanwhile, back in my window view bed, I continued to get infused and sucked out.  By Tuesday afternoon, my IV started to infiltrate.  I suggested that they just use my port--a suggestion I'd made in emergency that wasn't acted on.  What a good idea, everyone thought.  Of course, they had to wait till they got hold of the doctor to get an order for lidecain to make accessing the port more comfortable, but they got the job done, and it was much better.

I'd called Glenn in the morning, with a list of things to bring me--my CPAP, bight splint, phone charger,  laptop, and Leroy, the Lavender Pig.  Did I say Glenn was a prince?  Glenn's a prince.  I made a few other calls, people who would have shot me if I hadn't let them know.

Tuesday night it was very interesting getting the CPAP mask over the NG tube.  I know I'd done it before, because I had an NG for days after my surgery in 08.  The tube already hurt my poor little already sore nose--the mask only exacerbated things.  Thank goodness for pain meds.  Even with Moaning Myrtle, I managed to get some sleep.

Wednesday morning, I was passing gas--nothing you discuss in polite society, but a happy topic on conversation in a hospital.  Dr. Liu decided to cap off the NG tube and see how I did for four hours.  If I did ok, they could start me on clear liquids.  It went a little longer, but sometime in the afternoon, after I'd had a lovely visit with Elaine, I got beef broth, lemon tea, cranberry juice, jello, and an orange Popsicle.  It stayed down.  Just before dinner, I got a real treat--the removal of the NG tube!  Dinner was virtually the same as lunch, with a change in flavors--chicken for beef, apple cinnamon tea, orange instead of red jello, and a cherry Popsicle.  It didn't matter.  I downed every drop.

My oncologist came to see me on Wednesday.  She was wearing a mask, coughing, and looked terrible.  She asked me how I was doing, and I said better than she was.  She said that the bowel obstruction was always a possibility, considering my abdominal surgeries and radiation treatments.  At least no one (outside of the ER doctor) was talking about surgeons this round.  It is always a possibility for the future.  The good thing was that the latest scan didn't show any cancer, so we'll continue to monitor things there.

Thursday, I was walking the halls, bypassed full liquids and went straight to a soft diet, which I also tolerated well.  I'd been off blood pressure meds and pumped full of fluid since Monday, so by Thursday afternoon, my legs and feet were swelling to the point that I started to feel like an Oompa Lumpa--relayed that to my nurse, who called Dr. Liu, and got an order to start me back on torsemide.  It worked very well indeed.

Friday was go home day.  Dr. Liu advised em to follow up with my PCP and advised me on what to eat and how to eat--small meals, slowly.  I told him about  the menu for Christmas--prime rib--and gave me a look and told me to take it really easy or I'd be back.  I called and made the PCP appointment, also called my Cancer Center and postponed my appointment for a port flush after Christmas, on the flimsy grounds that the port had just gotten a good workout.  I continued walking the halls and waited for Glenn to get off work and ferry me home.  I came to the hospital in my nightgown, robe, and slippers, and that's the way I went home.  It was in a driving rainstorm and the slippers were somewhat less than adequate footwear, but we got the job done.  I had jello and tomato soup for dinner and then Glenn drove me to church for knitting circle, so my hospital visit was nicely bracketed by church activities.

I'm feeling better--things are moving around.  I'm being very careful about what goes in.  I'm more conscious of the need to stay hydrated.  Most of all, I know the warning signs and what to do if/when this happens again.  I usually mail my Christmas cards on the 18th--that's not happening this year.  Glenn and I did but a tree today and Elaine and the kids will be over to decorate it tomorrow or Monday.  I have to seriously get cracking on the cards.  If they arrive after Christmas, well, it is a twelve day feast, after all.

How not to overeat during the holidays.  Get a small bower obstruction.  Works like magic.  I'm feeling better. 
xxooxx

Status Update

CT scan was clear, so I'm still in remission.  I had some minor problems, but after two days of clear liquids and magnesium citrate, I'm feeling better and prepared for a drive by colonoscopy, should one be available.  Your teeth get lonely on clear fluids.  I'm back to real food and hoping not to have to do THAT again.
Thanksgiving was a perfectly lovely day.  The family, plus my friend Dory, were here for dinner.  Everything was perfect.  It was a peaceful visit, good food, good company.  It was the best.  I was concerned about CT scan results, but things are good there, too.
It's time to work on the Christmas novella, which shouldn't be as long this year because there was no big trip.  I bought Christmas cards and 2011 calendars.  I'm ready for new adventures.
Not much else to report.  After a few days of autumn, we've moved to sweater weather.  Good thing, because I have a lot of them.
xxooxx

8:15 PM and in my Jammies

Still hurting.  I saw my oncologist on Monday.  She thinks it could be scar tissue issues, so has been having me watch what I ate--spent most of the week on clear fluids and starving--but my CA-125 is up, for me, so I have a CT scan scheduled for Tuesday.  Fantasy Follies have been busy.  I don't really think what I eat or don't eat is going to make much difference.  I know jumping to conclusions isn't even good exercise, but I'm back on MS contin and still hurting.  I didn't let a little pain stand in the way of my obligations, though.  Mike, my worthy Patron, and I attended four installations this week.  Bless his heart, Mike picked me up for each one--even the one where I wasn't on his way.  It was a real treat.  I thought about just sleeping in my light blue formal, since i wore it four nights in a row.  In the end, I decided it is too scratchy to sleep in.  I haven't worn make up every day in years.  Now, I'm letting my face take a break.  It was sort of fun to paint each evening.
Today was big time cooking day.  I got to church at 9, made cranberry sauce, stuffing, prepared six birds and got them into the ovens before coming home to watch Cal lose.  I had help.  The best part about making the stuffing at church is that the bread, onions, and celery have already been chopped for me.  I got back at 4:30 to get the birds out of the ovens, unstuff them, and make gravy.  The church was full.  We were expecting 150--don't know what the final count was.  Thank you, Mother, for teaching me to make the best turkey in the world.  I was hurting a lot, so I left after desert.  The talent show is usually good, but the band wasn't playing and I really didn't feel up to being charming any longer.  So here I am, in my jammies, contemplating going to bed early.  We had a wonderful rain storm while I was at church--lightening, thunder, hail.  I love weather--more so when I'm inside looking out and don't have to go anywhere.
That's it for now.  My but it does feel good to be out of a formal.
xxooxx

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Installation is over!  It has been a huge mountain in front of me since we got back.  The trouble with procrastination is that it always gets you.  Somehow, everything got done.  I cut a lot of corners with things that didn't really matter.  The installation itself was lovely.  The Jr. Past Worthy Matron, Margaret Foley, is a truly amazing ritualist and did most of the installing.  There aren't words enough to tell how well she did.  We didn't have flowers and we didn't have carrying pieces for the officers to worry about when they got home, but we did have a lovely ceremony, and for that, I am very pleased.
I've been in pain, on and off for the last week--mostly on.  I've been telling myself it was the stress of the installation.  I just haven't had time for anything to go wrong.  I still have the obligation of the church Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday--after that, I can fall apart.  I see my oncologist the end of the month.  If I don't start feeling better, once the pressure is off, I might move up the appointment.  Or not.  I have several installations to go to this week--but I don't have to do any work.  Just show up, look cute, and eat refreshments.  I can handle that.
I'm glad it's Autumn.  Even on warm days, there's a bight to the air that says "It's Fall!"  Our season changes are so subtle that we have to take advantage of what we get.
My Cal Bears have a huge game today.  I have bad feelings, but I'll cheer for them, because that is what I do.  Go Bears!  It will be a moral victory if there are players standing at the end of the game.
xxooxx

Yosemite October 2010

It was glorious.  I was saddened by health problems of two of my favorite staff.  They are firmly in my prayers.  But it was glorious.
This is a view of the falls from the Ahwahnee Monday morning.

Even the Royal Arches had water trickling down.

The two obligatory pictures of Half Dome

Random shot

The falls on Wednesday

More random shots

Off Tioga Pass Road on Thursday

Really glorious.  We didn't do much, but we were there and it was wonderful.  Since Tioga Road was open, we went to Reno for our last two play days.  We had a blast-especially the morning we left when I played $20 and came away with $80.  It's always more fun when you win.

We made great time coming home on Saturday--got home before Glenn left for work, so he did the heavy lifting, God bless him.  Saturday was not a good sports day--my Cal Bears lost badly and even my Giants lost.  I guess somebody has to.

Sunday was church.  The 49ers won(!) in London.  I won too--I didn't have to buy Halloween candy because I spent the night with my friend Sue in her new apartment.  We watched the Giants win.  Monday, I was supposed to go to a meeting, but we all wanted to watch the game, so we postponed it to Tuesday--which gets me back to my previous post--GO GIANTS!

I am now more or less current.

xxooxx

Where to Start?

It's been a month. I guess I should start with GO GIANTS!  Who ever would have imagined?  Hoped and prayed, yes, but imagined?  Which is why I had an appointment to have my hair cut in downtown San Francisco today at eleven in the morning.  I don't do crowds.  I got on BART in san Bruno, so I had a seat, but it was wall to wall bodies by the time I got off--at Powell, rather than my usual Montgomery, since they weren't even stopping there.  Getting to Maiden Lane and back home was challenging, but I got it done.  The crowd was joyous and reasonably well behaved.  I got confetti in my newly cut hair.  I was perfectly happy to watch the festivities on television when I got home.  You couldn't have paid me Meg Whitman's campaign budget to be part of the crowd at Civic Center.  I'm very happy for the Giants and very proud of them, but as I said, I don't do crowds--even happy reasonably well behaved ones.
So, what have I been doing when I haven't been watching baseball?  I'll backtrack a little and show you my room at Sonoma.  I don't usually take pictures of hotel rooms, but this was lovely.
Here's the name of my suite:

The bar

Part of the living room

The fireplace and the telly

The bed

The comfy chair where I sat and knit

Moving right along, we get to October 20, when Dory and I left for Grand Chapter and suburban Visalia.  It was an interesting Grand Chapter.  You'll have to ask me for more information. I don't feel like putting it out on the web.  Installation was another matter.  Kim and Don said they wanted to bring it in at 2 1/2 hours, and they just about made it.  They cut lots of time consuming stuff and both spoke well and briefly.  I was very proud of them.  Of course, we missed the end of the game where the Giants won the pennent, but the news quickly spread through our section, and I imagine the rest of the convention center.  Dory and I stopped for desert on the way back to Outer Visalia and vowed to sleep till we woke up.  No alarm for Sunday.  We got out before check-out time, and that was all that mattered.  We didn't have that far to go.  North on 99 to Fresno, then northeast on 41.  It started to sprinkle in Fresno.  By the time we got to Yosemite, it was raining heavily.  Not a problem.  We just stayed in the hotel.  We had a light supper in the bar that was just enough for me--soup and sandwich.  Dory took half her sandwich t the room.  We had sunshine in the morning and for the rest of our stay.  The real prize for all that rain was water in the falls and rivers.  I'm used to the falls being completely dry in October.   This looked like spring. 

All right, the program is being annouying.  I'll post this one and start a new one for the Yosemite pictures.

xxooxx

Taking the Waters--again

September was a rough month for me before the explosion and fire.  My sister's anniversary is the 13th, mine is the 30th,  Our mother died on the 21st and now the fire was on the 9th.  Things didn't get done.  It was hard to focus,  It took almost two weeks for the coroner to certify that Lavonne, Greg and Will (and the three legged dog named Lucky) were, indeed, incinerated at the point of the blast.  There was a lovely memorial service for the three of them, at First Pres Burlingame.  There were nearly 1000 people there.  Our little church couldn't have held that many people.  Our church did the work for the service.  All of our living former pastors took part, because they all knew the family.  Pretty much anyone who had ever sung in the choir sang for the service.  I didn't--I've had a scratchy throat since the fire--but it was a big, beautiful, well trained choir.  The Praz group sang, the quartet sang, and Todd (Milam) played a cello piece with piano that he'd written.  It was lovely.  The service was long--longer still because we got there an hour early to park-and then got one of the last spots.  It was during one of our few hot spells, compounded by the heat if all those bodies.
I was REALLY glad I had mu Sonoma stay coming up.  Got there Tuesday, the 28, around 3:30.  Plenty of time to check out my suite and get over to the spa for the Bathing Ritual before Watsu number one.  When I got to the Spa Concierge station, there was a sign up, saying "Welcome Back, Anne."  It made me smile for the rest of the week.  It was 105 degrees F. when I got there.  For the first time in dozens of Watsus, the Watsu pool actually felt cool.  I had Soledad for my first Watsu.  I was lucky to get her, at least once, she was taking the rest of the week off to celebrate her husband's birthday.  I've talked abut Soledad before.  She is warm and nurturing.  I was her last appointment of the day--I think I had a two hour Watsu--and my body was at peace for the rest of the week.
Wednesday morning at 9 I had a massage--not sure how I let that slip through--I usually get my massages with a body treatment or a stone massage.  But this time, I has just a massage, with Samantha.  At 10:15, I had another Watsu with Loni.  I don't know Loni as well, though she seems perfectly nice.  Her Watsu was more of a stretching experience.  I had the first of three spinach salads for lunch (hold the blue cheese), then had a Body Coffee Wrap (smells heavenly). concluding with a Signature Facial,  Then it was time for dinner at the Big 3 and rest up for another full day.
On the 30th, my wedding anniversary, I started off the day with the Bathing Ritual, then at 11:30, a Wild Berry Vanilla Scrub and Massage---quite nice and quite fragrant,  12:45 was my Tandem Massage with Diane and David, two of my favorites.  The only thing to say about a Tandem Massage is that it's probably illegal in 47 states, it feels that good.
When I was thoroughly relaxed, I met Elaine, who had been having a Watsu, for lunch.  Spinach Salad #2.  It was really nice to see her on my anniversary.  After lunch, I had Reflexology with Reiki.  I call that my own personal CAT scan.  It's almost scary how intuitive my Reiki Master is.  She met Elaine for two minutes and had her sized up--knew what was going on with the grandchildren, too.  Diane said it was the clearest she's ever seen my body.  But she knew in January that I was in remission before I heard it from my doctor.  I finished the day off with a Spirulina Body Wrap.  Not at all glamorous, but great for your skin.
And suddenly, it was Friday.  Don't know how we got there so fast?  I did a mini bathing ritual so that I would be ready for my 10:15 Watsu with Laura.  Laura is as gentle as Soledad, but gives great stretches.
This  is was followed by a Rejuvenating Kur which felt so good.
After the obligatory spinach salad and a shower to wash the Rejuvenating oils out of my hair, I had a Thai Massage with Bill--great stretches, a nap on the loggia, and Chakra Reading and Balancing.  That was intense.  Dinner, ball game, Go Giants!, packing and bed completed the day.
Up early Saturday morning so that I could have my bags collected before breakfast.  Since it was get away day, I had my fingers and toes done, then a Hair and Scalp Revitalizer while fingers and toes dried.  I left around 2--happy for the wonderful time I'd had, but sad to be leaving.
So now I'm home, and doing mundane things like paying the bills and visiting doctors.  I haven't really looked out at the war zone since I've been home.  That will take a very long time to heal--wish I could take all of them to the Spa for a little r&r.
xxooxx