The Expected, The Unexpected, And The Eternal

Good morning! Here's a happy little update: Last Friday I had the usual radiation and they added a PICC line flushing. Well, it played a role in or coincided with me getting some blood clots in my shoulder area. Unaware of this, I went home to resume my new normalcy... by dinner time I couldn't move my arm without discomfort. As the night went on, I tried to sleep. My arm throbbed and I was not sleeping at all. By 3 a.m. I was up pacing and exercising my arm to see if I had simply laid on it wrong, but no relief came. At 4 a.m. I Skyped with my Turkish Delights and loved the mood lift! I laughed so hard that JoJo woke up and eventually I sent him to wake Jeff too. I had called my on call oncologist and he said to get to the ER immediately. We left just before 6 a.m. and it still took til 1 p.m. for them to diagnose my problem of blood clots from the PICC. I was taught how to give myself shots, which is a real challenge for someone like me who HATES needles! Oh I can give blood all day long, but receiving has always been a terrifying roadblock for me. Well, I cow-girled up and gave myself the damn shot. The needle went into my belly like a not knife into butter haha but the medicine really burned going in. Fast forward a five days, after blood tests were run I got the order for NO MORE SHOTS! It appears my blood levels are at 2.5 and they are tickled pink for me. I am all bruised up on my stomach where I had to do the injections so it will be nice to stop that nonsense. I will still have to take the blood thinner Warfarin and get checked often, but on the bright side, I got the OK to fly to MI in May! Hopefully Spain in June too! Oh and I accidentally missed my sinus scraping appointment today, DARN IT ALL, and it was a blessing in disguise since I had no business getting that done now or for quite some time since I am on blood thinners and could bleed out. Someone was watching over me! That is a lot of medical stuff in a short stack but really, just know the effects are about the same... mouth sores and food all tastes like wet cardboard, nose bleeds and very sore nose from being dry and cracked inside. I still have some nausea but mostly wicked heartburn which is better controlled now from the generic medicine my postmistress gave me. Kay is a lifesaver!

On a different note, I was not ready to read all the inspirational devotionals or "Cancer" books people had sent me. In fact, I began to regret the ones I had sent to my friends who were going through a tough time last year and what did I do? I sent them a book to read! I do hope they were comforted by the books I sent, but I also understand now just how hard it is to pick those up and actually read with a purpose. I thumbed through a few and just hadn't felt ready for them. Just this week however; I read the book Cancer on $5 a Day that my son Zach got me for Christmas. I read it aloud and Jeff and I laughed and cried together. It is a great book and I am donating it to the Infusion Clinic where I get my chemo for others to enjoy as well.

That's it for now. I'm not sure what this day holds, but I know who holds this day. Thank you God for each and every day! Thank you friends and family for listening to my bloggy rants and updates. Love you.

Getting started in the morning with thyroid med, anti nausea meds, vitamins and Arbonne Metabolism Booster, blood clot stabilizer shot, numbing mouth rinse (also great in nasal passages now), and neti pot sinus rinse not pictured. Later in the day it's more of the same plus re-flux med, lasix, and blood thinners. At dinner time it's more anti nausea and before bed another set to help me sleep, which doesn't really help much as I'm still not sleeping 50% of the nights. 

FINALLY I'M ORGANIZED FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK! 

Some additions to my regimen. Yeah for stool softners! My other favorites not pictured are my Arbonne Seasource Detox Essentials and Gelee'.

My Jeeves... My honey Jeff

Nice to know my best travel points card is paying me back. They have donated a very nice waiting room. 

Though we never wait too long, there is a puzzle table I may add one or two pieces a week';and on the other side of the room is a bevrage station with hot and cold drinks, another couch and good magazines. There are also donated seat-belt pillows for mastectomy patients and hats, angels, etc. 

My Green Mask Radiation Team. They are kind, efficient, and hate the mask too!