Decadron Insomnia

I'm happily adding this post via my Motorola Xoom, which is the reason for reverting back to a regular Blogger template.  Plus, I missed my gadgets and widgets and the ability to go wild with colors. :)

So I saw Dr. Fastenberg today and he was concerned about the pain in my leg from the DVT.  He says that sometimes, in the presence of malignancies, blood clots require more than coumadin.  He gave me orders to have a D-dimer test done along with my normal CBC and platelets with differentials.  In the meantime he wants me to be hyper aware of my breathing, and to check my O2 saturation and my heart rates.  You just know that the Queen of Neuroses is chomping on the bit to be released from my non-existent basement!

I'll be seeing Dr. Ramaswamy, my primary care doctor, on Thursday, so I'll be sure to discuss the pain issue with him.  He knows that I don't do painkillers very well.  I think I may discuss other options with him.  Acupuncture is being used for cancer-related pain, and I believe my insurance would cover it.  And believe me, any fear I used to have when it comes to needles is long gone!

Now, I'll try to at least get some rest, as I know how the dreaded decadron insomnia will screw with me. :)

Love and hugs to all!

Perfect Weekend

The weather this weekend was awesome!  Warm, but with a cool breeze; sunny, bright... perfect. :)  But those triple digits are on the horizon.  Alas, that's summer in the desert, at least this desert.

I'm charging up the batteries in the digital camera so that I can take some pictures of my 'farmland.' Sadly, I didn't mark which squash is where.  We don't actually care; we'll just eat what grows.  I did see signs of life on the second furrow, which is one squash and several chili pepper plants.

Happily, still no word on that PET Scan.  This is a VERY good sign!  Of course, it could also be that Dr. Fastenberg only works on Tuesday and Thursday, and hasn't seen the report yet.  I'll go with the first thought.  Besides, he probably had it before he went home last Thursday.  I did the darned thing early enough.

Anyway, not much to report on the health front, but on the FUN front, my Xoom came today, and I LOVE IT!  Got my Kindle app loaded, got signed into HBO GO, so infusions should just FLY by, now. :)

Good health and long life to all!

A Trifle of Bananas

All of the squash plants have sprouted.  We are looking forward to being very creative with this year's crop of produce.  Since the tiller I bought has done such a stellar job, we're thinking of going for carrots and parsnips, too.  We still have plenty of room to grow, so to speak.

We just made a banana trifle with praline crumble within the layers.  It's in the 'fridge and won't be touched until tomorrow.  Too bad we can't grow bananas here, for we already have the tarantulas!  In fact, just yesterday, Jane found a tarantula in the back yard.  Peachy.  You KNOW how I feel about hairy-legged spiders.

Someone asked me today if I had the results of the PET Scan yet.  Well, *I* don't have it, but I'm sure Dr. Fastenberg has seen it.  I would think that if there is no problem, we won't even discuss it until May 5th, when I see him before my infusion.  So, if someone from Ironwood were to call before that, I'd surmise it was because something 'problematic' was found, and we'd have to go back to the toxic chemos.  Gods forbid.

Wendy's been doing clinicals in a palliative care ward at her local hospital.  I know it's hard on her, because I think she's equating a lot of what she is seeing with what will be my future.  In fact, she asked me today if her talking about her time there was bothering me.  Actually, it's not.  And the reason is that I understand what's probably in my future, and though I'm not looking forward to it, it's simply another part of this 'adventure,' as my mom would call it.  I can't project myself there; each of us will deal with what's presented to us in our lives in our own way.  When the time comes, I will deal with it.  Just make sure I get lots of pain-killers, please. :)

Oh, and I bought myself a birthday present today, although my birthday isn't until the 6th of May.  But I got myself a Xoom.  I'm so excited about it!  It will be such fun to have during infusions, and waiting on doctors, etc.  I have to wait until Tuesday for it, though.  I am SO impatient. :D

So, this coming week, I'm going in to work on Tuesday and Thursday.  Wednesday I have to go have some bloodwork.  I always look forward to seeing my local Phlebotamist!  Ahh, I shall take my Xoom with me, for although I have an appointment, there might be a bit of a wait, and besides, I tend to arrive for my appointments with obsessive earliness.  That's a trait I inherited from my father; punctuality to the nth degree.

For those of you that celebrate, Happy Easter!  I remember one year Wendy and I, not being one of those that celebrate this holiday, went bowling.  We had all the lanes at our disposal. :)

Love to all!