Nose is Shrinking!

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I swear my nose, although still pretty red, is not as puffy as it was.  I've been putting lotion on it, as it looks like I was out skiing and forgot my nose sun cream.


Happily, I haven't even taken a nap today; that's a good sign! :D  I am taking it easy, listening to Cinemagic and playing some solitaire.  Yes, still have leg pains, but very sporadic and the twitching is definitely toning down.  It's weird to watch. :)


I just heard that Cinemagic is coming off XM Radio, but you can still hear it on-line.  I'd be more perturbed, but I don't spend a lot of time in my car these days, and I do spend a lot of time listening to it on-line.  What a bummer, though.  


Tonight we're going to have Squash Soup with Pork and Green chilies.  Yum.  Imagine that, squash.  Jane took a bunch over to Sunshine Acres Children's home last week, and looks like they'll be getting another bunch this week.  The chef was reportedly very excited to get such a variety of squashes. :)


Well, all things considered, I'm feeling much better and much happier.  I can see the lessening of the pain and hopefully, the return to normal of my poor nose.  And tomorrow I have season four's premier of "True Blood," to watch; a guilty pleasure, but definitely a pleasure. ;)


Be well, all, and have a fantastic Sunday tomorrow!

Nose is Still Hideous

But I am almost starting to feel a little more human.  I'm still wobbly on my feet, due to the debilitating effects of the chemo, but I did have a little bit of an appetite this evening.


I couldn't work again today, but thankfully, I did have enough sick time saved up that I could use two days of it.  It's kind of scary that every round of chemo, I get sick with SOMETHING.  I hope to heavens this regimen is making a difference.  This is hard, and now I'm starting to have anxiety about each round.


Hopefully, the CT will show some improvements in my tumors and if it does, I will continue on, and just deal with it.  If not, I don't know.  Yes, I am terrified of this disease running its course.  


I have to stop typing, now.  The pain in my arms is annoying.  Have sweet dreams, all. :)

A Visit to the ER

I'd had some nasal congestion for a few days; the air is dry, and I use oxygen at night, so your sinus passages can really dry out.  It was 9pm and I was ready for bed, so I walked into my bathroom and saw WC Fields staring back at me from the mirror.


I've always had a pretty small nose, not this virulent red bulbous thing there in the mirror.  I got dressed quickly, and Jane and I drove to the ER.  We got there about 9:25PM.  My face was really starting to hurt, and it hurt if I bent my head over.  The nurse came and accessed my port in hopes of getting blood flow back so they could get some bloodwork done.  But no, it wouldn't cooperate and so, she proceeded to try to tap a vein to get what she needed.  After two tries, she got someone else.  He went into my hand, blew out THAT vein, but got enough blood to fill the two vials.  Today, I am sporting the black hand of death.


Doc says it looks like cellulitis and they start me on IVF's and Vancomycin.  Meanwhile, it becomes Thursday and as we all know, the Thursday after Chemo is my day from hell.  The bone pains start up, and I didn't have time to get the Naprosyn, nor the benadryl on board.  Oh well, I think, that's the least of my problems right now.


Nurse comes in with two HUGE tablets and water.  Bloodwork said I was low on Potassium.  I tell her about the tumor in my esophagus, and could she cut those puppies in half?  She's great, and comes back quickly with four bits of potassium pills.  I got 'em down.  Doc comes by to tell me he's talked to my oncologist and I'm going to get to go home, but we have to watch my face like a hawk, take my temps every hour and down some more antibiotics for the next 10 days.  I can do that.


Everyone at Banner Baywood was so kind, and really, the process they have developed for the Emergency Room is amazing.  You never felt like you were left anywhere to rot.  And boy do I love my port. :)


So we got home just a little after 2AM, and I knew there was no way I could use my CPAP, so I just propped myself up with pillows, took the Naprosyn and I was out like a light until 7AM.  Then I sent my manager an e-mail and told him I was taking a sick day.  And now I am going to go rest for a bit.  Jane just came home with my antibiotics, so I took my morning dose.


Be well, all.

It's Taxol Time

Another exciting round of chemo here today at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center.  I took a vacation day, because for me, it's almost impossible to try to flex around a six hour infusion.  I have oncolgy nurse Julie this day.  I've gotten past the four premeds:  Aloxi, Decadron, Benadryl and famotidine.  The Taxol is not even half way through and it's 12:04.  Ai carumba.

I talked to Dr. Fastenberg this morning, and he said my white counts are coming up fine enough that we still won't do the Neulasta.  So tomorrow evening, I'll start on the Naprosyn and try to mitigate the pain a bit.  Also, he said that taking the Benadryl would be fine, so I'll have my sisters get me some and start taking it on Wednesday night.

I told him about the ocular migraines and he said if they started up again, we'd have to do a brain scan.  Not that he thinks this could be a cancer problem, but we would still have to check it out.  Esophageal cancer does Metastasize into the brain.

Dr. F does have me scheduled for another round of this chemo on the 12th of July, but some time before that I am supposed to have my CT, chest and abdomen.  We need to have some good news.  I really need to have some good news.

We were just having a fun conversation with some of the other chemo inmates.  Two of them were originally from Ohio, so we talked about snow.

Well, I'm really tired, and not feeling up to snuff, so I'm done for this post.

Be well, all... HUGS!

When Phlebotomy Goes Wrong...

Ok, it didn't go wrong, really.  And I had to keep telling the phlebotomist that the problem was ME, and not her, so try again.  First stick?  Into a little vein in my forearm, two inches below the crook of my elbow.  


This was my regular blood-letter, and this is where she got the blood three weeks ago.  But, it blew out.  Ok, second stick?  Just to the side of the crook of my elbow.  I've had good luck with that one.  But, it blew out.


Now the plebotomist has tears in her eyes and offers to go get someone else.  "Honey, it's not you.  You know I have crappy veins, and you aren't even hurting me.  Let's try one more."


Third stick's the charm!  Into the hand she goes.  This is NOT my favorite place, but it did the job, and we both felt much better.  But, I have to say, you should have seen the looks on peoples' faces as I slowly hobbled out of there with three bandages on my one arm.  I saw one guy just turn white as a sheet.  Hehehe, I feel bad that I enjoyed that. :D


The point is, the pain involved in a needle piercing your skin isn't worth worrying about.  It's inconsequential, in the general scheme of pain.  Oh yes, I know that very well.


But that's not to say that you can't experience real, ugly pain during a blood-letting.  Just hit a nerve.... oy VEY!  Anywho, all you future phlebotomists out there, yes, care about your patients and their comfort, but don't let one bad stick screw with your self-confidence.  You can do it!  Be strong, and always approach your patient as if YOU are the gold standard for phlebotomists.


I am SO tired right now.  I'm dreading the six hour chemo tomorrow; not the actual infusion because that's cake, but the week following it is more like ... well, I can't come up with a good food analogy, but it's bad. :D


I'll probably post during the infusion; I'm taking the BIG RED gaming laptop with me tomorrow.  May as well get in some World of Warcraft while the poisons seep into my body. ;)


Stay well, all.  Hugs to everyone!

I Miss You, Papa

That's my mom, Ruth and my dad, Jerry.  Mom's got her granddaughter Cee, and her own daughter Jane, and Daddy's got his grandson Bobby, and ME!  Look at that gleeful smile on my face; I loved my pop so much.


Daddy was born in 1906, in Los Angeles, California, a member of a very old Spanish Californiano family.  He was 34 when he married my mom, who was 18 at the time.  It seems strange, but it worked out well for all of us, even with that 16 year age difference.  I think it took Daddy many years of sowing those 'oats' to know when it was time to settle down.  He told me once that he'd better be the first to go, because he knew he could never live without my mom.

Here's a picture I think we took  before I moved out here to Arizona in 1985.  From Left to Right:  Cecilia Charlotte, Auntie leaning on ME, Pico, Jane, my oldest brother, Pete, then Daddy, who's corralling Wendy.  Jerry Edward, Mom and Sam (actually Martha Lorraine) round out this gang.  I'm cracking up because Dad's wearing a hockey T-shirt.  Dad didn't know hockey from Jai Alai.  I'm guessing he got that shirt from Nancy. :D


Dad died in November of 1991 at the ripe old age of 85.  I truly believe his children, and being involved in our lives are what kept him going.  Daddy was 52 when I was born; Jane came when he was 57, and Wendy arrived right after Dad's 60th birthday.  Most of our siblings were already off raising their own families, hence the top picture wherein Mom has a granddaughter and a daughter of the same age. :D  And they all did it again when Wendy was born.  


So, Daddy did get his wish and left the earth before Mom.  But Mom also made it, sixteen years later, to 85.  


I love you both, and miss you terribly, and Auntie, too.  

A Cornucopia of Squash

Well, in fact, it's not a cornucopia, it's a basket, but it's a BIG basket!  Today's haul had several types of squash, and it was distributed among the neighbors and Jane's friend, Lisa.

As you might imagine, tonight's dinner involved .... squash!  Oh, and several leaves of our collard greens, which, if cooked correctly, are SOOOO good!  I used Cumin, Garam Masala, ground Coriander and red chili flakes to spice them up.  I can't tell you how wonderful this meal was.  The freshness of the collards was so stunning; they were frankly luscious.  I added some chopped Anaheim chilies and a couple of serranos, so it had a bite to it as well.  Sauteed it all up in garlic infused olive oil.  We had it over brown rice.


I had to have Nancy run out and get me some Ayr Saline Nasal Mist.  My nose just is bleeding so much.  In the box was a sample of Ayr's Saline Nasal Gel, which is now my very best friend in the world. :D  There is a major problem having such low humidity here in the desert.  Our sinus passages pay a big price.


Tomorrow, I would really like to sleep later... maybe until 7AM?  Please?  Oh well, I'll just be happy to wake up, as usual. ;)


Have a blessed weekend, all.  Hugs to everyone!