April 15, 2007

My, I have been a naughty girl. I haven't posted anything for two weeks. The week of April 1-8 was hectic not to any medical reasons, but my Living Stations of the Cross play that I have been co-director of for 9 years was performed 3 times that week. My co-director this year was Michael, whom the 7th and 8th graders rather enjoyed more than me. While I was a little tired from the chemo, he was able to direct the students how to fall, placement on the stage, and to carry Jesus at the end of the play. I did have an assistant mother to help with other things. All went well and we had over 200 people on Good Friday to see the play.

The week of April 9-13 did got go so well. Michael and I went to Phila. for 1 day of chemo on Monday, but my hemoglobins (red blood cells) were way down (too anemic). We waited around for them to decide what to do. No chemo that day. Told me I have to have a blood transfusion on Friday. The doctor also said since the nurses were having trouble accessing my port, that a new one would have to be put in. That was scheduled for Tuesday. Went home, made lunch for Mike and I (he was on Easter vacation), he got a movie for us, and we settled in for the afternoon.

Tuesday Mike and I headed over to PA Hosp. for the port replacement operation. What was suppose to be 1.5 hours turned into 3. And I was supposed to be asleep for the operation, turns out I was awake, only numbed on my right side. Before the operation I asked the nurses, "I'm going to be asleep for this again, right?" "Of course, we're just waiting for the doctor." Well, the doctor came in with a resident or student and started talking. I thought OK any minute now I'm going to sleep. Then I kept hearing him telling the resident what he was doing, but I wasn't in pain. Part way through, I yelled "ouch" and then the doctor said, "Give her 20 cc's more of something" and continued on with the operation. I did feel some of the stitches at the end as he described them to his resident. The nurses in the recovery room were amazed how soon I was awake after the operation. I told them I never went to sleep.

When we came home from the port operation, the message on the machine said I was scheduled for a CAT scan on Wednesday at 4:00. Again Mike and I traveled over the Ben Franklin Bridge to yet another test. Mike laughed at me when I had to drink that chalky barium tasting like bananas, so the nurse let him try it. "That's nasty" was his reply. This test, as some of you know isn't that long; you just have to wait for the barium to stay in your body for an hour. But the bad part about this test, was the three times the nurse tried to put an IV in my arm so she could deliver the "contrast" for the test. Finally, another nurse got it on the 4th try. My veins are bad due to genetics, they tell me. Mike and I were on our way home by 5:45 p.m.

Thursday was a good day. No tests but Paul, Michael and I travelled to Phila. for Michael to accept an award from the prestigious Union League of Philadelphia for an essay contest in which he was one of 2 winners. There was supposed to be a copy of his essay on the podium, but someone forgot, and he had to recite it from memory. Thank heavens I asked him to read it minutes before at home so I could see how fast he was going to read it. When we were in the car, he said he forgot his copy but we didn't go back because the gentleman said it would be on the podium. Well, he got more compliments from students and adults on how well he kept his cool and did it off the cuff. This award came with $250 cash. It was worth the trip.

Friday Lauren and I arose early to get my MRI test at 7:15 a.m. in the morning at PA Hospital. That was an easy test just to lie there and this loud machine do its thing. No problem with the contrast. The technologist got it right the first time.

After this test, I met with the radiation onocologist. Seems the chemo doctor and the orthopedic onocologist feel its the right time to start radiation. So after the prelims are taken care of on Monday after my full day of chemo, I will be starting radiation for 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 5-6 weeks. Thank heaven for our hi-speedline mode of transportation from NJ to PA. This train will drop me off 1 block from the hospital for the radiation, and only costs $4.25 round trip. This last week when I've had to park each time, the parking fees were $10-15 each time. I look at this radiation as being closer to the end, which I am trying to find out when that will be.

After this consultation, Lauren and I were off to the 4th floor for the blood transfusion. Again a nurse tried 3 times to get some blood to take it to the lab to find my blood type for transfusion. A nurse tried my port, but it was too swollen. They called interventional radiation (the port people) to see if they could access it. They throught it was too bruised to even go there. So finally another nurse was able to get an IV in my hand for the blood sample and the transfusion. After 2 pints of blood, Lauren and I left the hospital at 5:15 p.m. I was just glad the week was over.

This upcoming week I will be getting chemo everyday plus the radiation. I will be speaking to the doctor to determine my upcoming schedule. There is good news, however, to this week. I had told the family that if I have to go through all of this for 6 months, then we're going to have a good family vacation. So, on Wednesday before the CAT scan, I booked a 5 day cruise out of Cape Liberty to Bermuda. Paul and I haven't been there since 1976. So that's something good to look forward to.

Thanks for your cards. Thanks to my neighbor Pat for the beautiful Easter egg cake. It was delicious. Take care everyone and be safe.