Chemo Day #2

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Let's get the day started!

Once again all vitals are taken (weight, temperature, BP, pulse, respiration) and then off to the infusion room. Plop into a chair that faces the windows to get a different view today. Although windows are on the east the sun is up far enough it's not a problem, but is too bright for others who sit in the other east facing chair for a moment and then move to an opposite side chair. Thought I'd be able to watch the freeway traffic but when I sat down my view was too low and saw only the tops of semi-trailers. Note to self: maybe there's not so much to see after all.

View from my chair today:

Again, my port is prepared for the IV.

At home, about 30 minutes before leaving, I put on a deadening creme over the port area and then use a 3" or 4" piece of Press n Seal to keep the creme in place. When the nurse is ready she wipes off the creme and then does the antiseptic before inserting the needle into the port. I think the deadening creme works a little but it's still a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes.

Today I only get one of the chemo, which I was told yesterday would take about an hour to infuse, but there are also two different pre-meds which will add another hour to my time today. First pre-med is the Benedryl again, but today it didn't make me nearly as drowsy as it did yesterday. Second pre-med is the 'dex' which is completed in about 20 minutes and then I move on to the Bendamustine which takes another hour.

With the shorter infusion time today I only brought the book I'd started yesterday to read and time went quickly.

I also had lots of birthday wishes today from nearly all the office staff and from other infusion patients as they heard too. Kinda fun. Well, not the reason I was there but it certainly made it a memorable birthday at a time in life when it's just as easy, or preferred, to forget them!

In at 9:20am, out at 12:15pm.

On to home where I catch up on emails, internet surfing and then change tasks to getting overly long lawn mowed and mess around with sprinklers and dry lawns.

Have to remind some family members I'm not an invalid, I feel good (so far) and when if and when I do need help with something I'll be asking.

Two more Senna-S tablets tonight since the one last night didn't do its job. Yuk.

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Chemo Day #1

To review some stuff learned during Chemo Class:
>> My personalized treatment plan has two days of infusions: Monday & Tuesday, repeated every 28 days
>> First day of infusions is very long, at least 6 hours, maybe more.
>> A chauffeur driver is not needed.
>> If a driver does come they can stay the entire time (boring!) or until blood work is done (sometimes blood stuff is low enough that Infusion may be delayed) so patient is not stranded, and if okay then leave and return after infusion is completed.
>> Side effects of Chemo accumulate (not during infusion but in subsequent cycles) and can progressively get worse as treatment, well...progresses. So 1st cycle, and sometimes 2nd cycle seem to be a breeze but by third cycle post-infusion side effects may be more significant.
>> Each cancer patient responds to chemotherapy (even the same treatment) differently.

First stop was visit with my C-Dr. He said since my last appt he'd spoken with the scope-Doc (we call him by his correct name but here on the blog...I don't) and reviewed their conversation about results of the endoscopy ultrasound and biopsy. I liked going over this again because I didn't get it recorded during the previous visit when it was first discussed. Oddly, I didn't record this session either!  Anyway, to continue...Scope-Doc did see an irritated esophagus and the narrowed esophagus and then did the ultrasound to find the mass and subsequently the reason he took a sample for biopsy. The biopsy results confirmed the mass is composed of same type lymphoma cells that were found in the lymph node from my jaw/neck. From their conversation, apparently both Dr's are amazed I don't have severe problems swallowing. My esophagus lymphoma (it is NOT esophageal cancer) is not an unknown type of cancer but unusual. Rare. I won't be written up in any medical journals but this is an unusual location for my type of lymphoma. And also the reason (even though I'm Stage II) for starting treatment rather than 'watchful waiting' strategy usually done for Stage I or Stage II lymphomas.

C-Dr then feels around my neck, jaw, shoulder, and armpits to see if there any new lumps = none. Listens to heart and lungs and says all sounds well. Prescribes two anti-nausea medications so I them in case it should be needed; one he's able to email in, the other requires paper prescription signed by C-Dr (and when finally walked in to pharmacy by me tonight I was required to show photo ID and then the head pharmacist had to sign off on this one too!). After C-Dr paperwork completed and no further questions, I'm cleared for advancement into the infusion room and invited to take chair of my choice. There were a lot of empty chairs so I plopped myself into one. After I sat down I thought maybe I'd made a poor choice but I figure over next several months it's possible to try out almost all of them.

Here's the view I had in front of me:
(chips & candy on table, fruit juices & soft drinks in fridge)

Left of the fridge was door to hall and restrooms. A lot of fluids went into me...3 trips across the hall...so maybe the correct chair was chosen after all.









my IV pole and view to the right:

With the Port that was installed in me last Friday, the nurse is able to get blood work through the port once she has made access into it with a specialized needle. Interesting. First vial is thrown away to avoid contamination with the antiseptic that was used to sanitize skin around port, then 2nd vial is used for CBC. Once my blood is 'good' (shouldn't be a problem with 1st chemo session) the first pre-med is given. This is the Benedryl used in the event of any allergic reaction to follow up meds and chemo. Of all side effects possible for today it was the Benedryl that affected me...drowsiness. Never really fell asleep but had to put down the crossword puzzle a few times and rest my eyes. Next two pre-meds were an anti-nausea that's effective for 3-5 days, and a 'dex' with multiple purposes, and sailed through those just fine. Then...the Rituxan which took the longest time to infuse.  It was started with a very slow drip so they can monitor for reactions. If, after 30 minutes there are no problems then the drip rate is increased and again monitored for any adverse reactions. After the next 30 minutes, so far so good, the drip rate is again increased, and so on. I think it was about 3 or 3-1/2  hours for this bag to get emptied. Then the Bendamustine, the final bag of chemo for the day.

My 'things-to-do-to-keep-busy-bag' had in it a book to read, the puzzle page (Suduko, CryptoQuote, and 2 crosswords) from yesterday newspaper, my Nook, and smartphone (check email, websites, Pipes & Angry Birds games), and lunch to munch on. At about about 3pm or so I was looking for something different to do, so played around with the camera on my phone.

me, my port, and IV  (not the name of a Jim Carey movie)

Here's the rest of the room after everyone had left for the day:
(so I don't have to have people sign release forms?! LOL):

I suppose if family or friends want to come during my infusions they can, but guest chairs are limited and don't expect me to entertain you--this is my best excuse to get some guilty pleasure reading done. Today got started on an Anita Stansfield book that's been sitting on my bookshelf for over 3 years.





Nurses were very attentive but each had many patients to care for during the day. When they hang an IV bag with either the pre-meds or the chemo they set a timer for the approximate time it takes to empty and when the alarm goes off they check the bag and if it's not empty they reset the timer. Sometimes they guessed correctly, sometimes not. Interesting. When the IV bag is empty then an IV 'flush' is given with regular saline solution so that none of the pre-meds or chemo's mix in the IV or port. That scenario reminds me of those people who don't like to mix their foods during a meal and eat all their meat and then all their vegetables and then all their rice, but it all ends up in the stomach mushed together anyway. So, don't all these IV things end up together in the blood?  Hey, if it works I'm not gonna question medical authority. However, if you see me not alternating foods eaten on my dinner plate anymore...

About 4pm I was the only one left in the infusion room, and my last IV bag was started. They said it would be about an hour. By the time it was complete, my port cleaned and covered, appointment for infusion set at 9:20am tomorrow, and I was cleared to leave it was about 5:20pm. Eight hours, almost like a day of work!

Feeling great, so I made a stop at a grocery store for some items needed. Then to a car wash and get a months worth of dirty rain cleaned off the car, then a stop at post office to mail bills, then the pharmacy to pick up the anti-nausea meds. Then home...where my mother asks as I walk in with grocery bags, "Looks like you're feeling better since you've been to the store." Hey, her perception, not mine -- who said I was feeling bad? Not me! Maybe some day in the future, but not today.

One Senna-S tablet tonight (on nurse recommendation) as proactive approach to expected constipation from one of the chemo drugs. Here we go. Hopefull pun intended.


note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

"Wizard of ID you can relate to"...

...was subject line of email my sister sent me tonight.  I'd agree with ID.

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Port-a-cath Placement

It's like a well-rehearsed dance now.
Except some dances are better than others.
Port Placement Polka?

This is what's going inside me, right side of chest below clavicle:

  1) Pick up (today it's 9am) by chauffeur sister for drive to hospital. Since this procedure is done by radiology group it's at the hospital and not separate surgical center building, and because mild sedation is involved it again requires the chauffeur thing.
  2) Enter through Outpatient Surgery doors.
  3) Register my name at kiosk.
  4) Wait to be called by Admitting.
  5) Verify who I am and pay the copay.
  6) Get wristband.
  7) Wait in different waiting room.
  8) Gal nurse calls me back to get prepped.
  9) Change into lovely ^snark^ hospital gown.
10) Phlebotomist draws blood vial. He found vein in left arm, first stick, but came up with a dry well.  How do you find a vein that has no blood? Second stick in right arm was a strike!
11) Wait...different gal nurse comes in with paperwork but can't find the 'permission' one. Goes looking for it.
12) Wait...and more wait.
13) Different gal nurse comes in to do vitals and says she'll also be inserting the IV. Doesn't like the set of equipment in my curtained off area so goes to find another.
14) Get hooked up to BP, temperature taken, finger hooked to pulse/oxygen, IV inserted on first stick and connected to IV solution and 8 heart monitor patches stuck to me - 4 down left leg and 2 each front and back of shoulders.
15) Wait...and more wait.
16) Nurse comes back in to see how I'm doing and tell her my bag of clothes needs to go to sister in waiting room...who usually comes in to wait with me but not sure why today she didn't. Asks if I mind if she comes back, "of course not, she's welcome to."
17) Guy nurse comes in and says he'll be assisting in procedure, verifies who I am and what is being done, then leaves.
18) Sis comes in and two of us wait.
19) Vitals nurse comes back and asks if anyone has come to explain the procedure. Uh, no. She leaves.
20) Wait.
21) Another guy nurse comes in and says P.A. (Physicians Assistant) will be in shortly to talk with me.
22) Wait.
23) A gal I swear that looks about 20 years old comes in and says she'll be doing my port placement. Asks if anyone has explained the procedure to me and I tell her 'kinda, but only in a brief summary type of way.' However, before she starts she does admit, and apologizes for my wait because no one notified her she was doing a port placement today. WHAT?! She continues and says she does this all the time and provides a lot of step-by-step detail in what they'll be doing. Also mentions how the drape they use works so they have access to chest site. All her info was good, BUT something about having a catheter inserted into your jugular vein is slightly unsettling. She leaves.
24) Paperwork and permissions signed. Puffy blue cap put on my head.
25) I'm finally wheeled to the procedure room where it's cold. Well, everyone else does have more clothes on than me.
26) Hooked up to new set of vitals monitors and then I move to skinny little table for procedure. It feels like my head is about 2 inches lower than my feet. Maybe it's just the missing pillow. Warm blanket put on and feels good. Can feel solution going into my IV which must be the super antibiotic they told me about to prevent infection.
27) Look around as gal nurse explains why she's taping up parts of me so they don't interfere with port placement procedure. She's funny and very pleasant. That's nice. She asks what type of cancer I have and how I found it. Then I'm told to turn my head to the left (where it will remain during procedure) and the cold antiseptic is slathered over my neck and chest and shoulder and runs all over. Brrr.
28) Numbing injection is given and then they put the drape on/over me. I chuckled to myself thinking about the CT and PET scans when I was asked repeatedly if I was claustrophobic, but for this no one ever asks although the drape is literally completely covering my face and all I can see is a few square inches of floor; and even when they put up a metal support for it there is only about 2" between me and the drape. Okay, it's official. I'm not claustrophobic.
29) Supposedly there is to be some sedation but as I listen to them talk about where the best schools for P.A. are and who is interested in training and as they explain this or that I don't recall the room going fuzzy like in other 'mild sedation's' I've had done. Did hear something about catheter being too short...don't want to hear stuff like that...but apparently they got it worked out.
30) Then it's over I guess. They remove the drape and I can see the 50 or 60" x-ray monitor with the port clearly distinct on it. The x-ray is used to guide, and verify, the placement of catheter. Looked a bit like this internet-lifted image...

...except there's more of me. Asked nurse if that was me on monitor and answered in the affirmative. It really was quite fascinating. My neck is really sore and tender and feels like skin is being pulled. Funny gal nurse tells me my blood pressure went down so they backed off on the sedation a bit. Oops, forgot to tell her (like I have others) that 144/86 and similar BP's pre-procedure are not my normal BP and when they see it 'drop' (as others have) not to panic.
31) Move back to the wheeled bed, but wow my neck still hurts and the place they inserted port is miserable with skin feeling very taut.

here's diagram of Port and Catheter placement.

32) P.A. gal says everything went okay and is as it should be. I wanted to ask about that 'too short' comment but decided to let it go.
33) Wheeled to a curtained recovery room where sister is waiting. Hooked back up to vitals monitor again I'm told if all goes well I'll be there another hour. Nurse asks if I want something to drink. Cranberry juice sounds refreshing.
34) Wait.
35) Frequent nurse visits to check on me and vitals.
36) Yay! Hour is up and with post-procedure instructions given and release form signed we are outta there.

And that's the 36-step Port Placement Polka.

On the way home my sister pulls down the passenger sun visor so I can see incisions. What I also see is the orange colored antiseptic solution still covering my cheek, jaw, neck and chest. How embarrassing to be out in public with that all over. Good thing I didn't know!

We stop at a drive-thru and pick up lunch then on home to enjoy it. Okay, here's a pic of my old, wattled and wrinkled neck with it's new scars. I'm told (either by nurse or PA, not sure now) the white area around incisions is from the numbing solution because it prevents blood from going there. Once numbing wears off then the blood flows again. Oh, also warned there will be large area of bruising but 2 days later, while there is some bruising it's quite minimal. Whew.

Ow. Ouch. Owie!


Top incision is for catheter access into jugular vein, and then other end of cath feeds into the Port. Yup.




Bottom incision is what Port was placed through; it now sits just below that scar.


(Ignore farmer-tan freckles please.)

Tonight is my scrapping night with Mom and sisters. We got to our usual 11:00pm stopping point and I'm glad to have had something to occupy my mind because the areas where this Port stuff was worked on is really miserably uncomfortable.  Two Tylenol at bedtime don't help much for the pain but I'm so tired that by 2:00am exhaustion eventually takes over. Fortunately once I get to sleep I stay asleep until morning. Then, two more Tylenol in the afternoon. By Saturday night the pain is less and it's a better night's sleep.





note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

9 Down and 32 Down

Our newspaper on Sunday includes the New York Times crossword puzzle, and it usually takes me the better part of the week to get most of it completed. Today was the first day I'd worked on it but there were two clues that seemed very timely.

9-Down (5 letters):  Patient's liability.  That was too easy.  COPAY.

I think for all of last year (2012) I paid a total of three medical related copay's. This year?!! Since May my checkbook register is lopsided with checks written to doctor's, clinics, surgical centers, outpatient centers, medical centers, radiologists, various other ____ologists, imaging specialists, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. Ya, I could go on. However, as a cancer patient I know I'm not alone in dealing with the medical costs associated with my disease. I feel very blessed to have insurance and, many years ago, a wise father who encouraged me to set aside money in savings.

On a related side note I got a call from my oncologist's office this week asking if I'd be interested in a program that assists patients for costs associated with one of my chemo drugs. Well, YES! Apparently the only qualifying factor is to earn less than $100,000 a year. No problem! Okay, I didn't dare ask what the cost per treatment was because if they offer a program subsidizing costs you know it ain't a cheap drug.
Maybe instead of counting the number of copay checks I should count total $$$'s. Um. No.

32-Down (5 letters):  "Not a peep!".  With a start letter of 'z' this also was easy.  ZIPIT.

And...that's what I've asked of my immediate family (the only ones to know of my NHL so far), and they have been good about doing this - whether they've liked the request or not. Word will soon get out and their vow of silence will be lifted.

Tomorrow? the Port placement, and another check to a hospital for my copay responsibility: only $300.00 -- and that includes a 25% discount for paying up front.



note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Chemo Class

Yup, this list (lifted from the internet) about covers what was discussed in more detail during my Chemo Class. I'm guessing this is pretty standard stuff for all chemotherapy patients. It's a personalized class just for me. My two sisters and mother attended. Mom won't remember much of what was said, but she might remember being there, and does need to feel she's included.

Chemotherapy Classes

Our chemotherapy classes are designed for patients beginning chemotherapy and their caregivers. Our goal is to provide the information necessary to understand how chemotherapy affects the body and to assist in understanding how to manage the side effects that can accompany chemotherapy treatment.

 Chemotherapy classes are taught by [...].  These classes are general teaching sessions that are designed to help patients and support persons learn about chemotherapy treatment and how to manage potential side effects that can be associated with chemotherapy treatment.  Topics that will be covered in class include:

•  Preparing for your treatment day

•  Blood counts

•  Infection

•  Anemia

•  Bleeding

•  Fatigue

•  Nutrition during treatment

•  Appetite changes

•  Nausea and vomiting

•  Mouth and throat changes

•  Constipation

•  Diarrhea

•  Hair loss

•  Skin and nail changes

•  Reproductive and sexual changes

•  Nervous system changes

Although I met nurse Lisa yesterday, it is nurse Debbie conducting my class today. The 'class' lasted about 90 minutes and was chock full of information. On our way to the conference room the nurse showed us the infusion room. Lot's of uncomfortable looking chairs with IV poles next to them. A wall of windows was facing the freeway and mountains to the east, however it looked to me that most of the chairs were facing a wall to the west. What's up with that? I'll find out. Anyway, as to the class, like I said there was a lot of information, some of which was included on handouts specific to my treatment and other stuff that came up as part of the discussion. Won't go into all details of side effects as you my be hearing about them later down the road. I hope not, but let's be realistic here! So, I'm very glad this got recorded; won't post a transcript but recording will be good for me to review later. Also glad for excellent questions from sisters to the nurse. Started off with some general information and then more specifics of my personalized treatment plan. Oh, one of the last side effects discussed is what's more commonly referred to (by those it affects) as "chemo brain" and I'd first read something about it the last few weeks. My first thought was something akin to 'Oh great, now there will be two of us in the house' with cognitive issues. My sisters, upon hearing about this, had a similar reaction. Think I'll be researching ways to lessen this side effect!

Monday's treatment will last about 6 hours, or more, as there are a variety of preliminary drugs with a variety of purposes to be administered prior to the chemo drugs and each (prelim's & chemo) will be done v-e-r-y  s-l-o-w-l-y in order to monitor for allergic reactions, adverse reactions, side effects, etc. so they can turn off or slow down the chemo if needed. How comforting is that?! There's also a list of OTC items to buy for use with some of the side effects that may happen, and prescriptions to pick up from pharmacy. Oh, and I need to bring a lunch. What, they don't provide meals? LOL.

Now to pack a bag with things 'to do' making 6+ hours pass by.
And a lunch.



note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Finally

Today was appointment with C-Dr.
And...another procedure to be done. Oh great. More on that later.

This appt was review of results from endoscopy and, I hoped, a treatment plan. However, first thing noticed was new beard growth he was sporting and told him it looked like he enjoyed his vacation to which he answered: "Just got lazy."

Then, straight to business. Funny guy, he asked me if I remembered what the scope-Doc (not what he called him of course) told me after the procedure was done. After an awkward silence, as I desperately tried to go back to that morning, I finally chuckled. Told him I have the pictures (showing a narrowed esophagus and 'normal' label on everything else) but in my opinion he came in too soon and my foggy head hadn't really cleared and so that is still fuzzy but what I do remember is it seems like he didn't find horrendous bad stuff; that he did pull a biopsy sample and that result would come later. C-Dr smiled, said that was okay if I didn't remember everything. He then reviewed the information he had and verified what I'd thought and that is after he'd seen the PET scan and due to the "intense cancer cell activity" in the esophagus area he needed the endoscopy to rule out a possibility of esophageal cancer and that, in fact, has been ruled out. Which, of course, is a good thing. And as weird as it may sound, if there's a choice between the two cancers, better to be dealing with what I do have and not that. C-Dr continued on for another minute or two at which point I realized I hadn't started the recorder on my phone and pulled it out to do just that. He backed up and restarted again but at the point after scope-Doc report.

In very brief summary, as I emailed some family that day: "I'm a Stage II (2) which usually would be a 'watchful waiting/do nothing scenario' but because the lymphoma mass is around my esophagus, which is already slightly narrowed and a concerned possibility of it eventually closing, C-Dr believes it best to move forward now. Chemo starts 7/29." There will be two consecutive days of infusion [2 difference chemo drugs, both on day#1 and only one on day#2], done every 28 days [1 cycle] for at least four cycles at which point he usually has another PET scan done to see how I'm (my cancer) is responding with perhaps two additional cycles after that. Then, as maintenance, one treatment with one of the chemo drugs every other month for two years. Some to many side effects with the chemo drugs being used on me, but no hair loss. Also he went through an assessment of my outcome based on a scale they use and I do show as a Low Risk with a 10 year survival rate of about 70%. I hesitate to even mention that as there are some of you out there going ONLY 70% HOW AWFUL! BTW, that's not how I look at it. Take note:

C-Dr also is recommending a Port Placement be done. This is the 'procedure' I mentioned earlier. C-Dr is hoping it can be done this week and his office will call me once they've cleared everything through my insurance and have me scheduled at one of the hospitals. I was disappointed for a bit about another procedure needing to be done. Okay, GET OVER IT. It's for the best and my overall best health. The port will keep my veins from getting 'blown out' by repeated needle sticks over and over and over again during the next few years of frequent blood draws and the chemo infusions.
Also, prior to the first infusion they have a "Chemo Class" which family can also attend that is done by one of the nurses. From information, and other cancer blogs I've read this is standard. Another good thing. Before I leave their office, the class is scheduled for tomorrow at 4pm. Wow. For all those times it seemed to me everything was moving along much too slowly...this is not one of those times!

On my way to the front desk to get Chemo Class scheduled, one of the C-Dr nurses is in the hall and C-Dr introduces me to Lisa. It just struck me funny: "Lisa, this is Marilynn; Bendamustine and Rituxan" at which point I said it was nice to meet her and we shook hands. My new identification? Think I'll shorten it to: "Marilynn, B&R"

After my appointment, and since I'm dressed for public (that is, no shorts or old and dirty yardwork jeans and t-shirts like I wear around home!) there were several errands to do. By the time I got home there was a message from the C-Dr office and they had the Port Placement scheduled for 11am this Friday. That seems to me awful close time frame to Monday infusion when they'll use the port but they're the medical folks who know, not me. Next is emails to family inviting them to the Chemo Class but not much I can do about short notice. Also an email to chauffeur sister as I'll need a driver after Friday's procedure.

I'm working on the transcript from this visit and will post it soon.




note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Link to "Transcript #1"

Click Here to view the blogpost with the transcript of my first appointment with C-Dr.

(Took me a while to get it completed, but that post page is closer to the actual time frame in the whole sequence of stuff!)




note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

"How Are You?"

"Fine"

Do you answer automatically 'Fine' or 'Okay' when someone asks that question? Me too. And I've continued to answer that way these past few months even though, technically, since I have cancer I'm not 'Fine' in the grander scheme of things. But I really don't physically feel any differently than I did 6 months or even a year ago so 'Fine' was a normal answer then and continues (so far) to be now.

However, after pondering on this for several days I thought with Sunday coming up, when I'm most often asked the 'How are you' question, that my response would be "Feeling Good" since I really do feel good and then once word gets out that people wouldn't think me a liar.
Guess what? Nobody asked! Really. Oh, maybe I didn't look so good?!

Perhaps there are 2 questions & responses to differentiate from--
Q:  "How are you feeling?"
A:  "I feel fine."
vs
Q:  "How are you?"
A:   "Awful, I have CANCER."

Think I'll stick with "Fine" and "Feeling good."

Except for Abysmally Tired (I'm not), this is probably closer to the truth

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

CHECKing In, CHECKing Out - Endoscopy

Set 4 alarms Monday night for 5:00, 5:15, 5:30, & 5:45am = CHECK

Go to bed early = CHECK

Toss and turn until 2:00am = CHECK

Hit shower at 5:50am = CHECK

Call driver, as promised, at 6:00am = CHECK
(she's dressed & ready, up since 5:00am stressed about sleeping in)

Leave for hospital at 6:30am = CHECK

Register and pay deposit for my copay of procedure costs = CHECK

7:10am - go to endoscopy section and check in = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

RN calls us to room, finds jumbo hospital gown for me = CHECK

RN does vitals; verifies paperwork forms; inserts IV = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

Wait some more = CHECK

Get escort about 8:00am to room where Endoscopy is done = CHECK
(looked very similar to this image lifted from internet)

Lay down on uncomfortable bed (above) & see the 'snake' = CHECK

Get hooked up: BP, heart, oxygen monitors...& nasal oxygen = CHECK

Tubes everywhere, try to avoid laying on them = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

Chat with 2 endoscopy nurses = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

Stare at ceiling = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

Look at clock, about 8:30am = CHECK

Dr arrives, Q&A, explains procedure, then leaves = CHECK

Wait = CHECK

Look at clock, about 8:40am = CHECK

Dr returns, lay on my left side, nurses insert mouthguard = CHECK

Watch room go fuzzy = CHECK

?? minutes of ???  =  CHECK

Wake up in recovery, keep eyes closed for a while = CHECK

Look at clock, about 9:25am = CHECK

Probably mumble dumb stuff until fog lifts from brain = CHECK

Nurse raises bed and me to sitting position, watch room spin = CHECK

Others turn to WAIT while I get head back in gear = CHECK

Dr comes in with scope pictures, try to be alert = CHECK

Recovery nurse seems in hurry to get me gone. Plueeez! = CHECK

Change back to street clothes = CHECK

Wheelchair arrives, wobble over and plop into seat = CHECK

Nurse offers a drink, I'll take a Sprite! = CHECK

NASCAR experienced orderly wheels me to pickup point = CHECK

10:00am, chauffeur sister pulls in and we're outta here = CHECK

Stop at gas station, me pay to fill up chauffeur sister's car = CHECK

'Since we're in the vicinity' craft store stop for chauffeur sister = CHECK

A.C. drive-thru:  caramel milkshake for me & lunch for sister = CHECK
(odds of finding picture on internet of our town's A.C.?!)

10:45am - Home!! = CHECK

The Price Is Right, Noon News, Internet surfing = CHECK

Toothpicks to hold eyes open = CHECK

1:30pm, to bed and give in to after-affects of sedation = CHECK
(and/or combination of sleep shorted night before?)

6:30pm, make casserole for dinner = CHECK

Survived another procedure = CHECK

pray for patience until C-Dr appt next Monday = CHECK



note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Of Course... x2

Of Course #1
I'm a night owl and should learn to never celebrate a late morning schedule for a medical procedure.* The office of the Dr doing my EUS called this morning to change the time for tomorrow. Seems odd, but first they asked if it would be okay, then needed to verify with the Dr, then called back to confirm. Suppose I could have said 'No' to their first question, but getting this done and over with trumped sleeping in. I may re-think that last sentence tomorrow. So, instead of being at the hospital at a nice leisurely 11:15am we (my driver and I) need to be there at 7:15AM! This might be more an issue for my driver than me (she just may stay up all night) but we're both the night owl type so it will be interesting. Now it means we leave here at 6:30am and for me, getting up at 5:30am. Early birds reading this are probably laughing their heads off, but hey, as the other half of the world we can say we greet the new day well before them (we're still up at 12:01am) as maybe we get the last laugh...but not tomorrow.

Of Course #2

Called the hospital today to do the pre-registration thing they requested.  Name, birth date, insurance info, yada yada yada, AND, of course, a request for my email so they can send me a medical history form to fill out, save online, and print out to take in with me tomorrow. Ugh, more forms. Sadly, my guess there are many more medical/history forms still to fill out in my near future. Yippee [snark].

*same thing happened for my surgery; a call the day before moved it from 11:30am to 10:00am and then the morning of surgery a really early morning call changing the time to 8:00am.

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

A Kind Thought

I resemble this FB post. From a niece.

For me, maybe?
If so, THANKS!

Asking my family to keep a confidential lid on this a bit longer must be hard for them too in many ways and while I'd really, really, really rather not be dealing with "the big C" at all, I am not alone in the fight and I'll go ahead and speak for the thousands of other cancer patients by saying the kind thought is greatly appreciated.  Now, if you haven't done it yet...go out and re-post it!!

Love,
Auntie M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stephanie      shared Jennifer Davis Ramer's photo.

July 10

For someone who is very near and dear to my heart. Hopefully she knows who she is.

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

A Tale of Two Snakes

Last Tuesday night, on my way to a church meeting, at the end of the driveway I realized a sprinkler needed to be moved and the water turned on. Stopped the car and as I changed the sprinkler to its new location I spotted a snake in the tall grass, about 3 feet long and 10 feet away, who had stopped in its slither probably the same time as I'd stopped in my tracks. I live in rattlesnake country. I hate snakes, of any kind. Maybe they hate people too. Anyway, once the sprinkler was positioned and adjusted (one eye on snake who gratefully remained motionless, other eye on sprinkler...I'm probably cross-eyed) one of us moved to the safety of a 3,000 pound enclosed vehicle and reversed up the driveway all the way back to the hose bib to turn on the water. Once again at the street I wondered what reaction the slitherer had to being watered and stopped the car to watch. Well, it had crawled up on the cement base (about 6" wide) under a chain link fence and was now near the sprinkler but appeared confused as what to do next. On the other side of the fence is about an eight foot drop off. Begged the snake to take a dive to the other side -- it wasn't listening. So I decided to see if I could tell if it was a rattler but by now I was probably 15 feet or so from it. Oh my. The head seemed very triangular, often a sure sign, and when the tail raised up a bit it sure looked to me like there were several rattles on the end. YIKES. A teenaged rattler? Why didn't he give me a warning? Or was he as scared as I was? Anyway, I hurried and left and sure wanted it to slither back to its home, hopefully far, far away. After I got around the corner there was a V-8 moment when the thought came to me that the camera on my smartphone would have been perfect since once a picture is taken it can be zoomed in with incredible clarity. Lost opportunity. As for the whole episode: >shudder<

The other Snake?  If you look at the medical device used for an Endoscopic Ultrasound, then it's the one going down my throat next Tuesday that has a light and camera at the 'business end'; and that procedure is being done in an effort to narrow down, or determine, the cause of the "intense cellular activity" around my esophagus shown by the PET scan.

Why do Dr's have evil smiles sometimes?



note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

And I Thought the Government Used a Lot of Acronyms

Got a call towards the end of last week from the office of the Dr who will be doing my Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), and, if needed the Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) for biopsy.  It's scheduled for July 16th but they didn't have a time yet and it would be included when they mail me instructions and some forms to fill out. Oh great. More Forms. A large packet was in my post office box when I picked up mail on Sunday. Procedure is scheduled for 12pm which is good news (for my driver anyway) so no early morning wakeup calls.

I suppose this information from Dr's office website is intended to be comforting.  My anxiety level is still high so let's hope the sedative makes me really relaxed and extremely drowsy!

During the Procedure

During the procedure, everything will be done to help you be as comfortable as possible. Your blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen level will be carefully monitored. Your gastroenterologist will give you a sedative to help make you relaxed and drowsy.

A supportive mouthpiece will be placed to help you keep your mouth open during the endoscopy. Once you are fully prepared, your gastroenterologist will gently maneuver the endoscope into position.

Your gastroenterologist will use the endoscope to look closely for any problems that may require evaluation, diagnosis or treatment.

In some cases, it may be necessary to take a sample of tissue, called a biopsy, for later examination under the microscope. This, too, is a painless procedure. 

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Choices

Independence Day

At our city fireworks show tonight, while trying to find the flash setting on my new camera I found it has a "Fireworks" setting. Sweeet! 

Here are a few of my favorites:

Hmmm. Better looking on PC than Blogger.

Results

So yesterday was the visit with the C-Dr for results of the PET scan and bone marrow biopsy, both of which are done as part of the 'staging' process to determine treatment.  I think I was expecting to hear what that treatment would be. Well, not so fast.

There was, let's say, an assortment of 'news' in those results.

The good news?  Says the doc: "Your bone marrow biopsy is fine. No cells for of lymphoma."  I can use some good news!

As for the PET scan. It did show activity at my left jaw/neck area where the lymph node was removed and that activity was expected as part of the body's healing process from the surgery. It also showed another swollen lymph node in that area with cancer cell activity, but C-Dr says it is small and not yet a size he worries about.

PET scan also showed 'intense activity' in the center part of my chest, an area I can't pronounce or spell, but it is where my esophagus is. Says the doc: "Now that could be lymphoma or it could be something totally unrelated that we've caught on a PET scan. So what I need to do is have someone look in there. This doesn't diagnose anything. It says there's something abnormal there. Check it out. So that's what we're gonna do." Oh great. Another procedure. As the discussion continues, and to shorten a long story, we discover the same Dr. who did my colonoscopy several years ago is his preferred choice for doing the Endoscopic Ultrasound as he is one of only a few in our state qualified to also do a specialized biopsy at the same time. So, while my C-Dr is on vacation the next 2 weeks (he deserves one!) it's hoped this can get scheduled with the gastroenterologist doc and have results by the time he returns.  If there's any good news to this it's that there's no 'prep' like is done for the colon scope thing, but that doesn't relieve my anxiety about the endoscopy itself.

So, the results appointment resulted in more results needing to be determined by another procedure. Ugh.

Still nothing really to report, so I'm asking that family continue to keep this within the family.

The remainder of the day was rescued by a yummy "Pizza Night" courtesy of Debbie, and all who were able to come up and enjoy it.



note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.

Now you see it -- now you don't

Today my brother was up here again, this time with his wife, their youngest daughter and her two daughters (3 years & 7 weeks). I guess after he left last week he decided there was one more thing he needed to do. Can you see what it is?

Before

After

Much better with the sprouts of the trash cherry tree removed! The daisies, which are just starting their bloom, really pop out now. Hopefully, after the weather cools down a bit and the wind stops blowing, some well-applied Roundup to the remaining shoots will encourage the stump to shut down production and not kill off the oak tree in the process.

As the green waste recycle can was already mostly full with weeds I'd pulled last week, it got overfilled with some of the tree sprouts and then the rest of them completely filled up the back of my little truck. To reduce the number of trips to the 'green waste' section of the landfill I've found it's more efficient to cut limbs and branches and such into smaller pieces so that more will fit into the truck. I declared that was my job this afternoon. Too bad it was 100+ degrees today.  

Due to a C-Dr appointment* this afternoon (more on that tomorrow) I wasn't able to complete the job but I understand it was soon finished. 

While I was gone preparations for dinner were started. Monday is "Pizza Night" at my brother's place so my sister-in-law brought up some of the fixins' and made the dough and cooked up our meal.  Their granddaughter is helping to put the ham on this pizza and she did a good job, even getting more on the pizza than in her mouth.

Other nearby family members were notified and showed up for a great meal of homemade pizza. One of my sisters supplied some freshly grilled asparagus and the other brought red potato salad. Yum Yum.

Thanks again to a good and great family for your support and caring.


*vitals were taken again this visit but when the information was sent to me I was at first alarmed to see my temperature, compared to previous visit, was up by 2 degrees!  Didn't take me long to remember I'd been outside in that 100+ misery for over 2 hours. A scary example and reminder of affect of heat on core body temperature and especially that even though you may feel cooler your body hasn't yet cooled down.  Of course it didn't help either that during the 15 minute trip to Dr office the A/C in my car (sits outside, not garaged) only got the interior cool just as I got to the parking lot...and snagged the only shady spot available.


note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.