Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Albuterol, dear Albuterol

I am SO tired of coughing... quite literally.  I finished working (at home) and went right to bed for a nap.  I fell asleep yesterday before 9PM, and slept through to a little after 6AM.


Yes, I did go into the plant yesterday, but that was a huge mistake.  I didn't realize how hard that trek from my car to my desk was going to be.  My utmost gratitude to our company's paramedics for getting me stabilized enough to go home; driven by Hope.  My friend Michelle followed her to take her back to work.  


I have to stop pushing myself to try to be normal.  But I want that so badly.  Yet, yesterday gave me a pretty severe wake up call; I am sick.  I am not 'normal.'  I told my friend Paul that I was scared that what I am today is my new 'normal.'  


Well, I will go see my PC doc tomorrow and hopefully, he can figure out a way to make me a bit more comfortable.  I am cold; I've had a low-grade fever, but not high enough to call the oncologist's office.  The goop I'm coughing up is clear and slowly lessening in volume.  And I have a weird pain in my left shoulder.


As for the Albuterol, I'm sucking on my nebulizer even as I type.  Thank the deities for this med and this medical equipment; it keeps me out of the big house, and after a treatment I can get more goop out.  I posted on Facebook the other day that I needed a phlegm exorcism.  Maybe my PC can get me fixed up with a really good expectorant.  I like to try to go naturally; hot beverages, soup, garlic, chilies, onions, but that's not doing enough.


Happily, though, it's warmed up beautifully!  It was 83 while I was watching the evening news.  Tomorrow will hit 90 they say.  While some folks may cower in terror at those numbers, we Arizonans find it very, very comfortable.  


That's not to say I enjoy anything beyond 110, though.  And that, sadly, does happen quite a bit in summer here.... but remember, it's a dry heat, until the monsoon hits, then you feel like you've entered a sauna that doesn't quit.  But I'll take it over the hellaciously cold winter we've had.  


This picture is one I took years ago right after a monsoon blew through.  


Sadly, our saguaro fell one year.  Luckily, it only took out my eaves, not the room in which my mother was sleeping that morning.


It had rained hard and the cactus had absorbed so much water, it could  no longer hold its own weight.  The neighbors who heard it thought our house had exploded.  The removal squad estimated it weighed more than 2000 lbs.


They cut it into slices with a chainsaw, but still could not lift the slices.  After quartering each slice, they finally got it removed.  Oh they also said it was over 27 feet high.  I loved that saguaro, but its time had come.


The main thing is that no one was hurt; Mom didn't even wake up, but then she was quite hard of hearing by that time.
And thank heavens for homeowner's insurance. :)

4 comments:

  1. Hey Sweetie
    Sorry you are having such a rough go of it. Surely sucks when you do not feel up to par, especially when you just want your old life back. I know how you feel, the "new normal" sure takes a lot of getting used to. I keep hoping mine is just a dip down then will come back up again, geeze, who am I kidding. Like you say though, thank goodness for the meds we have to keep us going.

    Please take it easy with the fever thingy going on with you. I know when my sis was going thru chemo etc, she was told the slightest little thing to contact them.

    Wow, that saguaro reminds me of the one right outside the front of my home in AZ. It is on a corner like that too. When we left it had just reached the roof, sure hope if it comes down it falls forward into the front yard. It is amazing how much water they can hold. We had a bunch of cactus in the back yard and right before monsoon they usually looked so old and dried out. Come that rain, boy they sucked it up so hard you could almost hear them.

    Anyway girlie, feel better soon, I know you will as soon as that cough etc clears up. I am right at the beginning of that this week. Off to see an allergist today to see what she has to say for herself.
    You take it easy and stay away from the ranch. Being home rules, at least for now, give it time.
    Fay in the family room in very wet and gray Philly, never thought I would say this, but can you please send us some sun :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, be very careful; they are not checking me for pneumonia. Back on Pred, another antibiotic and an additional glucose controller med. :P

    My sats are HORRIBLE.

    ReplyDelete
  3. OH carp... that should be they are NOW checking me for Pneunomia.... alas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh dear that does not sound so good. Have you had a pneumonia shot, I am sure you have? We folks all seem to be pretty pro-active with these illnesses. Please take it easy, I am thinking only good things for you
    Fay in the family room

    ReplyDelete

Labels

"The Big C" (1) 120 degrees (1) accommodation (2) Adrenal Gland (2) Adult Day Care (1) Aetna (3) Ague (1) Ahi Tuna (1) air quality (2) albuterol (6) Aloxi (1) amazon parrot (1) Americans with Disabiliites Act (1) Andy Whitfield (1) Anger (1) Ankles (1) anti-seizure meds (1) antibiotics (3) anticoagulant (3) Anxiety (6) appetite (4) Aranesp (3) Arixtra (3) Arizona (1) artichokes (1) Asparagus (3) asthma (13) Ativan (1) Atropine (2) Auntie (2) B6 (3) Banner Baywood (6) Bard Power Port (2) Barium (3) Barley (1) Barry White (1) bats (2) Benadryl (6) beneficiaries (1) Bewitched (1) Biohazard (1) Blizzard (2) BlizzCon (2) Blogger (1) blood clots (5) blood pressure (1) blood transfusion (1) bone cancer (2) Bone Pain (6) Bookworm (1) bougainvillea (2) brain tumors (3) Bras (1) bread (1) breast cancer (1) Breathe Healthy Mask (1) breathing (2) breathing treatment (3) broccoli (1) bronchitis (5) bruising (1) brussels sprouts (1) Cabin Fever (1) Camptosar (18) Cancer (9) Carboplatin (5) care-givers (1) Casserole (1) Cat (1) Cataclysm (1) Catholic School (1) Cellulitis (2) Change (1) chemo brain (1) Chemo Side Effects (6) Chemotherapy (34) chicken breasts (1) chicken broth (1) Chihuahuas (8) children (1) chili (1) chili peppers (1) Chinese food (1) Chocolate (2) chocolate cake (1) choose hope (1) Christmas (3) Christopher Hitchens (1) Cinemagic (3) Cinnamon (1) Cisco (1) claustrophobia (1) clinical trials (3) cockatoo (1) Coffee (5) Cold (5) collard greens (1) Color (1) comments (1) communication (1) Compazine (3) compliance (1) Compression Stockings (1) Congenstive Heart Failure (1) constipation (1) conversation (1) cooking (2) Coolaroo (1) COPD (1) COPD International (1) cornbread (2) coughing (7) coumadin (9) Courtesy (1) CPAP (1) cravings (5) creativity (1) Crock Pot (1) CT Scan (16) Cumin (1) cupcakes (2) Curiosity (1) Daniel Sepulveda (1) death (1) Decadron (13) Deep Vein Thrombosis (2) Denial of Coverage (1) dental procedures (5) Depression (2) Desert (1) Diablo III (2) Diabo II (1) disabilities (1) Dizziness (1) Dorothy (1) Doubts (1) Doxycycline (5) Dr. Fastenberg (12) Dr. Ramaswamy (9) Dr.Ono (1) Dragon Age II (2) Dreams (1) Druid (2) dry mouth (2) Duchess of Dim-Wittedness (1) dungeon runs (1) Dust Storm (1) DVT (1) dying at home (1) Echocardiogram (3) edema (1) elderly neighbor (1) Elizabeth Edwards (1) emotional baggage (1) end of life discussion (1) Ensure (1) Equinox (1) ER (2) esophageal cancer (16) Evelyn Lyles (2) Evil Tumor (1) Excessive Heat Warning (1) Exhaustion (4) eyebrows (1) fajitas (1) Fall (2) family (6) Famotidine (1) Fatigue (6) FDA (1) fear (10) feeding tube (1) fire drill (1) FitFlops (1) fluids (1) flying cars (1) Fondaparinux Sodium (2) food (1) Food Network (1) fountain (1) Fried Esophagus (1) friends (2) Game of Thrones (1) Garam Masala (1) gardening (1) Genentech (1) General Motors (1) George Foreman Grill (1) glass of wine (1) glucerna (4) glucose numbers (5) Goblin (1) goopiness (4) Grace (1) grains (1) Gratitude (1) Great Horned Owl (3) grief (1) groggy (1) Hair changes (4) Hair loss (5) Halloween (3) Hand-Foot Syndrome (6) handicapped placard (1) happiness (4) Hawaii (1) Hazardous Materials (1) HBO (1) healer classes (2) Health Insurance (5) heart rate (1) heat (4) heating pad (1) Help Desk (1) Henna (1) heparin (2) Her2 (1) Herceptin (29) hibiscus (4) home (2) hominy (2) Horde (1) hospice care (3) Hospital (6) hot tea (1) Howard Shore (1) humidity (1) hummus (2) Hunter (1) Hydrangeas (1) Ice Cream (1) IKEA (1) incurable (1) India (1) Infection (1) Infusion (2) Infusion port (3) inoperable cancer (2) insomnia (4) Iodine (5) Ironwood Cancer and Research Center (12) Jake (1) Jane Sepulveda (2) Januvia (1) Jerry Sepulveda (1) Jetsons (1) joy (1) Julie (1) Jury Duty (1) Kashi (1) King Crab (1) kitchen (1) knitted hats (2) krill oil (1) Lasix (3) Laughter (1) leave of absence (1) leaves (1) leg swelling (1) Levaquin (6) LIFE (1) Lifespan (1) lightning (2) Living (1) Living Will (1) Lord of the Rings (1) Los Angeles (1) loss of appetite (1) love (3) Lumbar Support (1) Lunar Eclipse (2) lymph nodes (1) Maalox (1) Machaca Chicken (1) magnesium (1) Malm (1) mastectomy (1) Master Chef (1) Medco (1) Medical Oncologist (3) memories (1) mental health (2) menudo (1) Military Macaw (1) Millet (1) Minions (2) Miracle Mouthwash (1) MMORPG (1) monsoons (4) Moonstone (1) Mormon (1) Mornings (1) mortality (2) mouth sores (1) Movies (1) Muesli (4) Mufuletta (1) Naprosyn (4) nausea (5) nebulizer (4) Necklace (1) negativity (1) neighbors (1) nervous cough (1) nervous tic (1) Netbook (1) Neulasta (7) neuroses (2) neutropenia (1) New Orleans (1) Nintendo DS (1) normalcy (1) nose sores (1) NSAID (1) Nuns (2) nurses (4) Nursing Uniform (1) NuStep (6) nutrition (3) Nuts (1) ocular migraine (3) oncologist (1) Oncologists (4) Oncology Nurse (6) optimism (1) Orcs (2) Outback Steakhouse (1) oxygen saturation (2) Pac Man (1) pagan (1) Pain (22) painting (2) palliative care (1) pancakes (1) Panic attack (1) Parsnips (1) pearls (1) Percocet (2) Peridot (1) Pesto (1) PET Scan (15) Petunias (2) Phenergan (2) Phlebotomist (9) physiology (1) Pico Sepulveda (1) pills (2) pink fedora (1) Platelets (1) playing (1) Poang Chair (1) Point Loma (1) Polly (1) posole (1) Post-chemo insomnia (3) Power Outage (1) Prednisone (15) prescriptions (1) Procrit (1) prognostications (1) Project Runway (1) protein (1) PT/INR (9) Pulmonary embolism (4) pulmonologist (4) pulse oxymeter (1) Pumpkin (2) Purple Fedora (2) Queen of Neuroses (11) quilts (1) Quinoa (2) Quito (1) Radiation Oncologist (10) radiation pneumonitis (2) Radiation Therapy (20) Rain (3) ravioli (1) reading (1) red cabbage (1) red meat (1) red wine (2) remission (1) rest (1) Rib Eye Roast (2) Rice (2) Rice Pudding (2) risks (1) Roomba (1) Rozerem (1) Ruth Sepulveda (1) saguaro (1) salmon (1) Samhain (2) Sarcastic Bitch (1) scarlet macaw (1) scooter (5) See's Candy (1) shots (1) side effects (3) Sinus Infection (1) sisters (3) Skin changes (1) Skyrim (1) sleep (8) slug (1) slumgullion (1) snow (1) snow crab (1) Snowbirds (1) soil (1) soup (1) Southern Baptist Church (1) spinach (1) Spirituality (2) Spring (1) Sprouts (3) Squash (12) Stage IV (1) Stencil (1) Steroids (2) stew (1) stomach (1) Strep Throat (1) stroke (1) Stuffed Mushrooms (1) subconscious (1) summer (1) sundial (1) Sunlight (1) Support Group (1) support socks (1) Surgeon (1) surgery (1) Survival Rate (3) swallowing (2) syringes (1) Tassimo (1) Tauren (2) Taxol (7) Taxotere (1) tea (1) Teeth (1) telecommuting (3) Templates (1) Temporal Thermometer (1) TGIF (1) Thanksgiving (2) The Apothecary Shop (3) Therapist (1) thigh tumor (1) Thrift Stores (1) throat changes (2) thunder (1) Tibetan Monk (1) Tiller Joe (1) tiramisu (1) tomatoes (3) Torchwood (1) Tortellinis (1) Tortilla soup (3) Toxic (2) Trick or Treat (1) Tripe (1) Troll Druid (2) tumor pictures (1) tumor shrinkage (2) tumors (1) Turmeric (2) TV (2) Undead Rogue (1) US Navy (1) USS Nereus (1) vancomycin (1) vegetables (6) Veggie burrito (1) veggies (3) Veterans' Day (1) vicodin (9) vinnie the vampire (1) visitors (2) Walgreen's (1) Walker (5) water color crayons (1) Water Color Pencils (4) weakness (4) weather (1) Weekends (1) weight (1) Wendy (1) Wheat Berries (1) Whimpering (1) white blood cell counts (2) Winter Solstice (4) wit (1) wooziness (1) work (21) World of Warcraft (27) writing (1) Xanax (10) Xeloda (35) Xoom (3) Xopenex (1) Xylitol (3) Yogurt (1) YouTube (1) zofran (3) Zombie Tequila (1) zucchini (1)