Monday, November 24, 2008
Feeling Thankful
Feeling extra thankful this year for a happy & active family and for my continued good health and growing hair. Check out the collages below of Tanner, Quinn and Me & John. We made them using a cool auto-collage tool from Microsoft. The tool is still in Beta but John found it and here are the results.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
2-Fer
I got a surprise moments before my colonoscopy was to begin yesterday. I was informed that I was also going to have a esophagogastroduodenoscopy! I initially said no, thinking it was a mistake. But the orders from my oncologist clearly stated that I was going to get scoped from both ends!
Backing up.... I should explain that prepping for the colonoscopy was not a big deal. Had to drink a gallon of slightly sweet, slightly salty solution the afternoon prior to my appointment. It made me feel a little naseous and really bloated until the solution did the trick and emptied me out. The hardest part was dealing with the hunger pangs. I had several eating dreams that night.
The next morning I took .5 mg of clonazepam (for anxiety) and checked in to the hospital at 11:30. By 1:30 the I.V. was in (on the first try yay!) and I was signing release forms and being wheeled in to the procedure room. Once again I was surprised by how cold they keep operating rooms.
I briefly met the doctor who asked me how I was feeling. I said fine and to please sedate me heavily. I did not want to know what was happening.
Shortly later I saw him insert a syringe into my I.V. and I began to feel dizzy and faint. He asked me to roll onto my left hand side. I remember nothing of the scope being put down my throat. However I do remember being told twice to breathe. A pharmacist that I work with, who spent some time as a tech for the procedure, said that sometimes a patient gets so relaxed they 'forget' to breathe and need to be reminded. I also remember complaining four times about pain during the colonoscopy. It felt kindof like labor pains and I think I yelled ow 4 times.
Next thing I knew I was in recovery waking up and wanting very badly to go back to sleep. I did close my eyes and try to go back to sleep a couple times but finally gave in to the nurse who kept bothering me by removing my I.V. Pretty soon John came in and I got myself dressed and rode the wheel chair up to the front door of the hospital.
John and I were really hungry (John fasted for a day in solidarity with me) so we headed to Johnny Carinos. I ordered some food but could only manage a few bites. I was just too wiped out and went out to the car to take a nap in the back seat while John hurriedly ate. We came home and I crashed for a good part of the night on the couch.
All & all it was a very relaxing day. And the preliminary report from the nurse in the recovery room is that both scopes found no problems. YAY! It sounded like one biopsy was taken but I'm not sure about that. I should hear from my oncologist about the final report within a week or so.
Not sure what, if anything, she'll want to do to look for another cause for my low iron level. I'll have another checkup with a CBC in January. Until then I'll continue to take an iron supplement daily.
Thanks for checking in on me.
Backing up.... I should explain that prepping for the colonoscopy was not a big deal. Had to drink a gallon of slightly sweet, slightly salty solution the afternoon prior to my appointment. It made me feel a little naseous and really bloated until the solution did the trick and emptied me out. The hardest part was dealing with the hunger pangs. I had several eating dreams that night.
The next morning I took .5 mg of clonazepam (for anxiety) and checked in to the hospital at 11:30. By 1:30 the I.V. was in (on the first try yay!) and I was signing release forms and being wheeled in to the procedure room. Once again I was surprised by how cold they keep operating rooms.
I briefly met the doctor who asked me how I was feeling. I said fine and to please sedate me heavily. I did not want to know what was happening.
Shortly later I saw him insert a syringe into my I.V. and I began to feel dizzy and faint. He asked me to roll onto my left hand side. I remember nothing of the scope being put down my throat. However I do remember being told twice to breathe. A pharmacist that I work with, who spent some time as a tech for the procedure, said that sometimes a patient gets so relaxed they 'forget' to breathe and need to be reminded. I also remember complaining four times about pain during the colonoscopy. It felt kindof like labor pains and I think I yelled ow 4 times.
Next thing I knew I was in recovery waking up and wanting very badly to go back to sleep. I did close my eyes and try to go back to sleep a couple times but finally gave in to the nurse who kept bothering me by removing my I.V. Pretty soon John came in and I got myself dressed and rode the wheel chair up to the front door of the hospital.
John and I were really hungry (John fasted for a day in solidarity with me) so we headed to Johnny Carinos. I ordered some food but could only manage a few bites. I was just too wiped out and went out to the car to take a nap in the back seat while John hurriedly ate. We came home and I crashed for a good part of the night on the couch.
All & all it was a very relaxing day. And the preliminary report from the nurse in the recovery room is that both scopes found no problems. YAY! It sounded like one biopsy was taken but I'm not sure about that. I should hear from my oncologist about the final report within a week or so.
Not sure what, if anything, she'll want to do to look for another cause for my low iron level. I'll have another checkup with a CBC in January. Until then I'll continue to take an iron supplement daily.
Thanks for checking in on me.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
One Year Since Cancer Took Over
One year ago I was petrified. Not really from the darn good chance that I had cancer. I had had a suspicious mammogram which called for a followup mammogram at the hospital. That second mammogram caused a stir. I was taken immediately for an ultrasound. Then scheduled for biopsies. One year ago today I was much more scared of the biopsies than of the thought that I might have cancer.
What I couldn't imagine then, after being diagnosed, was that FIVE months later I would be FINISHED with surgery and chemo. Those five months however were at times horrific and grueling. I'm referring to emotionally horrific and grueling. The physical suffering was secondary. Thats how I remember it now.
Whats on my mind now? I hate my hair.
I had my first post-chemo haircut a couple weeks ago. Not a whole lot she could do but trim the sides and back to make it look somewhat like a style someone might choose.
I should be damn happy to have hair. I need to be slapped back to April when I had no hair. What happened to my gratitude?
In many ways I've moved on.
What I couldn't imagine then, after being diagnosed, was that FIVE months later I would be FINISHED with surgery and chemo. Those five months however were at times horrific and grueling. I'm referring to emotionally horrific and grueling. The physical suffering was secondary. Thats how I remember it now.
Whats on my mind now? I hate my hair.
I had my first post-chemo haircut a couple weeks ago. Not a whole lot she could do but trim the sides and back to make it look somewhat like a style someone might choose.
I should be damn happy to have hair. I need to be slapped back to April when I had no hair. What happened to my gratitude?
In many ways I've moved on.
Monday, November 3, 2008
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