Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The eve of
my great adventure. I leave in the morning for Salt Lake City. I'm very antsy. I've been postponing several things, but can't postpone some of them any longer. Like pre-registering at St. Mark's Hospital. I don't know who, if any one, reads my blog, but I've set up a private page on Facebook for Don to post updates. The insurance company authorized a 3-day stay. The letter said 5/27 which is Sunday.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The beginning
One of my favorite movies is The Sound of Music. Maria begins teaching the children to sing & finally starts singing:
I have been bleeding vaginally since before Christmas. I waited for the new plan year to start on January 1 & then waited another 4 weeks to make an appointment.for Jan. 29 with my nurse practitioner (Nurse Practitioners of Preston or NPP) for a physical.
To be continued...
Let's start at the very beginningFive years after my breast cancer diagnosis, we were finally getting out from under the financial burden (I thought), only to trudge back into the tunnel, still with thousands of dollars of bills outstanding. I haven't had a mammogram for almost 2 years.We have to spend $3,500 per person or $8,000 per family before our insurance kicks in to pay anything. Cache Valley Specialty Hospital is still pursuing us. I have 4 new summons from a law firm in Cache County.
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with A-B-C
When you sing you begin with do-re-mi
I have been bleeding vaginally since before Christmas. I waited for the new plan year to start on January 1 & then waited another 4 weeks to make an appointment.for Jan. 29 with my nurse practitioner (Nurse Practitioners of Preston or NPP) for a physical.
To be continued...
Saturday, May 19, 2012
More cancer
The title of my last entry was quite appropriate, Blog for Sale. I have been trying to decide whether to start a new blog, horn in on Mother's Caring Bridge blog, use this blog or one of my other blogs. Another option is not to make a record of my latest cancer diagnosis at all.
I have stage 2 ovarian cancer. Now, I can hear the groans, "Cancer!!" Read the statement again. I have STAGE 2 ovarian cancer. STAGE 2! Stage 2 is still ovarian cancer, but it's not late Stage 3 or early Stage 4 when it is too late. There is a better chance at Stage 2.
I called all of my mother's sisters & told them. I told the last aunt I called that was the last personal phone call I was making. I didn't care who she told. My family & my mother knew. My employer knows.
Nick was in the car when I hung up & said with a laugh in his voice, "What? You're not going to announce it on Facebook?" He was being cheeky. I said, "No. I'm going to face it, not Facebook it." I've been struggling with going public with this. Public as in blogging about it.But then, if it is all in one place, I won't have to keep repeating myself.
I took Don out to the Preston Cemetery to break the news to him. It was the day I found out for sure I had more cancer, April 10, 2012. We didn't know much more than that at the time. I decided, with the wedding coming up, I was not going to actively pursue treatment. Don said, "I think we've discussed this before." I replied we certainly had discussed it before, I was just refreshing his memory.
I no longer want the epitaph, "I told you I was sick." Back in 2001, when I went in to have the acoustic neuroma removed, I told him I wanted "I told you I was sick." on my headstone. I had said for years I had a brain tumor & no one believed me. Of course, it wasn't a "brain" tumor, but it was a tumor & it had popped out of the ear canal & was pressing on the brain stem.
So, what color of awareness ribbon stands for ovarian cancer? According to Wikipedia, it shares the teal ribbon with a dozen other diseases & causes. It's definitely not as well known as breast cancer's pink ribbon.
I have stage 2 ovarian cancer. Now, I can hear the groans, "Cancer!!" Read the statement again. I have STAGE 2 ovarian cancer. STAGE 2! Stage 2 is still ovarian cancer, but it's not late Stage 3 or early Stage 4 when it is too late. There is a better chance at Stage 2.
I called all of my mother's sisters & told them. I told the last aunt I called that was the last personal phone call I was making. I didn't care who she told. My family & my mother knew. My employer knows.
Nick was in the car when I hung up & said with a laugh in his voice, "What? You're not going to announce it on Facebook?" He was being cheeky. I said, "No. I'm going to face it, not Facebook it." I've been struggling with going public with this. Public as in blogging about it.But then, if it is all in one place, I won't have to keep repeating myself.
I took Don out to the Preston Cemetery to break the news to him. It was the day I found out for sure I had more cancer, April 10, 2012. We didn't know much more than that at the time. I decided, with the wedding coming up, I was not going to actively pursue treatment. Don said, "I think we've discussed this before." I replied we certainly had discussed it before, I was just refreshing his memory.
I no longer want the epitaph, "I told you I was sick." Back in 2001, when I went in to have the acoustic neuroma removed, I told him I wanted "I told you I was sick." on my headstone. I had said for years I had a brain tumor & no one believed me. Of course, it wasn't a "brain" tumor, but it was a tumor & it had popped out of the ear canal & was pressing on the brain stem.
So, what color of awareness ribbon stands for ovarian cancer? According to Wikipedia, it shares the teal ribbon with a dozen other diseases & causes. It's definitely not as well known as breast cancer's pink ribbon.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
2007: The Year of the Big C
GG, also known as Gloria, my sister-in-law bought Don & I Dave Ramsey's book, Total Money Makeover. She said she believes in it enough to give us a book on money management! I picked it up when it came, but it's been sitting in the same envelope it came in. I did put it on Goodreads as "currently reading." Well, we have 2 pending law suits. I don't know what happened to the other 2. We are in quite a bit of debt due to 2007: The Year of the Big C -- and literally no savings.
One lawsuit requires us to be in court May 17 at 3 p.m., with 2009 taxes & our last pay check stubs. So, I'm feeling a little bit panicked.
One lawsuit requires us to be in court May 17 at 3 p.m., with 2009 taxes & our last pay check stubs. So, I'm feeling a little bit panicked.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Hypokalemia
I went to my oncologist, Dr. Broadbent, this afternoon. I had my normal blood check at Cache Valley Specialty Hospital. I called Nick & see if he wanted to meet us for lunch. He said he was already in Smithfield & how about eating at A&W. I said, fine. I wasn't feeling very good, so I thought I'd just bag the rest of my errands. Mother wanted to go Dollar Tree in Smithfield, so I thought we'd eat, then go to the dollar store & home.
Dr. Broadbent called me as soon as he got the results from my bloodwork. We were just getting in the car after our lunch. Scared the crap out of me. I thought my cancer markers had skyrocketed or something. Nick had already left to go back into Logan to get gas at Sam's Club. We were supposed to meet him there.
Dr. Broadbent told me my potassium level was critically low, I needed to take potassium pills STAT. He told me that a couple of times, then told me to go straight home & call my doctor ASAP. I go to a nurse practitioner. I asked him to call her. The oncologist told me I could drop over dead.
Scared me so bad. I was thinking that I've had low potassium levels before. Maybe I could just have a potassium infusion like I did last time. I decided I'd meet Nick, called Don to meet us at Sam's. I thought he could take Mother to the dollar store & I'd just drive myself home. If I was going to drop over dead, I wasn't going to have Mother in the car when I did.
Mother & I had talked about dying on the way down. I said that I had read a quote
Don met us at Sam's. Mother was crying. Nick had a "scathingly brilliant idea." Luckily he was thinking clearer than I was. He suggested his dad take Nana home. I could leave my car at ComputerWise in North Logan & ride home with him. Don agreed. Nick decided it would be easier for Nana to get into Don's car. Mother didn't want to shop anymore.
I called Roxanne (Froeher, Nurse Practioners of Preston) on the way home. She's so level headed. I love this lady. When she said my potassium level was 2.7. I laughed in relief. I told her that my potassium level had been a lot lower than that & I was still alive. She told me people could die at 2. I told her mine had been below 1 before. I'd had an infusion, but lived to tell about it.
When we got home, I took 40 meqs of potassium. Since we don't have a couch in the front room, I laid out on the swing on the porch. Nick pampered me. He got me a pillow, took my hearing aid & glasses. Don went to the store & bought bananas for me. I'm feeling much better. But I'd better not push it & go to bed early. I've been SOOO tired & feel like I'm going to pass out every time I stand up.
Other findings from my visit to the doctor today. My gall bladder is not going to get any better. I was told to check my calendar & find a week that I could take off & have it out. Don't wait until I'm full of infection. Dr. Broadbent checked the depression behind my left ear where the bone was taken out & stomach fat put in when I had the tumor removed. He told me to check with my ear, nose & throat doctor. It is noticeably sunken.
Mother's INR level was perfect for the 3rd time in a row, which is 6 weeks!!! It was 3.0!! How cool is that?
Dr. Broadbent called me as soon as he got the results from my bloodwork. We were just getting in the car after our lunch. Scared the crap out of me. I thought my cancer markers had skyrocketed or something. Nick had already left to go back into Logan to get gas at Sam's Club. We were supposed to meet him there.
Dr. Broadbent told me my potassium level was critically low, I needed to take potassium pills STAT. He told me that a couple of times, then told me to go straight home & call my doctor ASAP. I go to a nurse practitioner. I asked him to call her. The oncologist told me I could drop over dead.
Scared me so bad. I was thinking that I've had low potassium levels before. Maybe I could just have a potassium infusion like I did last time. I decided I'd meet Nick, called Don to meet us at Sam's. I thought he could take Mother to the dollar store & I'd just drive myself home. If I was going to drop over dead, I wasn't going to have Mother in the car when I did.
Mother & I had talked about dying on the way down. I said that I had read a quote
"I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want to be there when it happens."Mother said her dad, Grandpa Porter, always said he wasn't afraid to die, he just didn't want to have to go through what it took to die. Grandma Porter died of pancreatic cancer & suffered a lot. Most of our family have died lingering deaths.— Woody Allen
Don met us at Sam's. Mother was crying. Nick had a "scathingly brilliant idea." Luckily he was thinking clearer than I was. He suggested his dad take Nana home. I could leave my car at ComputerWise in North Logan & ride home with him. Don agreed. Nick decided it would be easier for Nana to get into Don's car. Mother didn't want to shop anymore.
I called Roxanne (Froeher, Nurse Practioners of Preston) on the way home. She's so level headed. I love this lady. When she said my potassium level was 2.7. I laughed in relief. I told her that my potassium level had been a lot lower than that & I was still alive. She told me people could die at 2. I told her mine had been below 1 before. I'd had an infusion, but lived to tell about it.
When we got home, I took 40 meqs of potassium. Since we don't have a couch in the front room, I laid out on the swing on the porch. Nick pampered me. He got me a pillow, took my hearing aid & glasses. Don went to the store & bought bananas for me. I'm feeling much better. But I'd better not push it & go to bed early. I've been SOOO tired & feel like I'm going to pass out every time I stand up.
Other findings from my visit to the doctor today. My gall bladder is not going to get any better. I was told to check my calendar & find a week that I could take off & have it out. Don't wait until I'm full of infection. Dr. Broadbent checked the depression behind my left ear where the bone was taken out & stomach fat put in when I had the tumor removed. He told me to check with my ear, nose & throat doctor. It is noticeably sunken.
Mother's INR level was perfect for the 3rd time in a row, which is 6 weeks!!! It was 3.0!! How cool is that?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Good news & bad news
Good news first, results of the MRI show that the lesion on my spine has not metastasised. It is NOT cancer. It is a "bone window." In other words, the bone is much thinner than the bones around it. I actually have 2 bone windows on L1.
I'm still not going to have the endoscopy nor am I going to have gall bladder surgery right now. I will not go under general anesthetic willingly. I realize I'm playing Russian roulette, but ... isn't general anesthetic a form of Russian roulette too? You go into surgery feeling fine & come out sick. One can die of complications from surgery. Seven surgeries in one year is enough to bankrupt a person financially & emotionally. My surgeries were actually within an 8 month period, that's an average of one surgery a month. I will take prilosec daily for my stomach problems before I'll go under general anesthetic again. I'm just starting to feel better.
Now, for the bad news. This isn't really my news, but I'm just sick. Eddie is on his way to detention. They were going to make him walk to Pocatello! Walk!! Who do they think we are & who do we talk to about protection from parole officers?
I'm still not going to have the endoscopy nor am I going to have gall bladder surgery right now. I will not go under general anesthetic willingly. I realize I'm playing Russian roulette, but ... isn't general anesthetic a form of Russian roulette too? You go into surgery feeling fine & come out sick. One can die of complications from surgery. Seven surgeries in one year is enough to bankrupt a person financially & emotionally. My surgeries were actually within an 8 month period, that's an average of one surgery a month. I will take prilosec daily for my stomach problems before I'll go under general anesthetic again. I'm just starting to feel better.
Now, for the bad news. This isn't really my news, but I'm just sick. Eddie is on his way to detention. They were going to make him walk to Pocatello! Walk!! Who do they think we are & who do we talk to about protection from parole officers?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Lent, Day 39
Lent is almost over & I really didn't meet my goal of giving up late nights, although I did make a valiant effort. Up at 6:45 again this morning, but this morning I went back to bed. I think it was midnight again last night when I made it to bed.
Today would have been Don's moms 80th birthday. I didn't even make the connection that today was Bertha's birthday, much less her 80th. Don thought of it as we came out of Matthews Mortuary in Montpelier tonight after going to his Uncle Clyde's viewing. So we drove up to the cemetery to visit her grave.
Clyde is Bertha's brother just younger than her. He is 75 & has had cancer the last 4 years. I guess he really suffered the last few days. I didn't recognize a lot of the family, but Don said the only one he didn't recognize was Clyde. I didn't think it looked like Clyde either.
I didn't recognize his Aunt Merlyn (not Merlin, but Mer-Lynn). OMG, she looked like an old lady! I thought she looked like she was in her late 80s. I know she's only in her early 70s, so I guess that isn't very nice. I don't think she's very well either. When asked how she is doing, she just fluttered her hand, like so-so. I know it's not nice to "keep track." But she didn't make it to Bertha's funeral. She lives in the Vernal, Utah, area. She had just been up for the 4th of July & had not recuperated from her trip when Bertha died on Aug. 10. I remembered what Jessi, my supervisor, said you never know if you're going to offend by ommission or whether you're going to offend by saying something. She has decided it is better to offend by saying something. So, anyway, I said we missed her, Merlyn, at Bertha's funeral.
Don may have to work tomorrow & since he won't know til morning, it was better to go to the viewing tonight.
Today would have been Don's moms 80th birthday. I didn't even make the connection that today was Bertha's birthday, much less her 80th. Don thought of it as we came out of Matthews Mortuary in Montpelier tonight after going to his Uncle Clyde's viewing. So we drove up to the cemetery to visit her grave.
Clyde is Bertha's brother just younger than her. He is 75 & has had cancer the last 4 years. I guess he really suffered the last few days. I didn't recognize a lot of the family, but Don said the only one he didn't recognize was Clyde. I didn't think it looked like Clyde either.
I didn't recognize his Aunt Merlyn (not Merlin, but Mer-Lynn). OMG, she looked like an old lady! I thought she looked like she was in her late 80s. I know she's only in her early 70s, so I guess that isn't very nice. I don't think she's very well either. When asked how she is doing, she just fluttered her hand, like so-so. I know it's not nice to "keep track." But she didn't make it to Bertha's funeral. She lives in the Vernal, Utah, area. She had just been up for the 4th of July & had not recuperated from her trip when Bertha died on Aug. 10. I remembered what Jessi, my supervisor, said you never know if you're going to offend by ommission or whether you're going to offend by saying something. She has decided it is better to offend by saying something. So, anyway, I said we missed her, Merlyn, at Bertha's funeral.
Don may have to work tomorrow & since he won't know til morning, it was better to go to the viewing tonight.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Lent, Day 38
Bedtime last night was 12:30. I turned off the computer at 11:30, but didn't make it to bed until 12:30. But, I was up at 6:45 to get Don to help me put the drops in Prissy's eye.
I got a phone call today from Instacare. Blood work came back from LRH as "good." However, the doctor found a lesion on my spine that he wants me to follow up on ASAP. Of course, my first thoughts are "cancer." I did stop at Nurse Practitioners on my way home from work. I'm not sure when I can make the time to get in & see them. I thought maybe Roxanne might want to see the x-ray before she sees me.
I also wanted to see if there were a possibility of getting a box of samples of Topamax. Medicaid did give Nick the Prior Authorization (PA) but the pharmacy has given us 10 days of Topamax, so we're always going to be behind on getting his refills. I thought by getting some samples, we could maybe catch up & be on time or a little ahead.
I got a phone call today from Instacare. Blood work came back from LRH as "good." However, the doctor found a lesion on my spine that he wants me to follow up on ASAP. Of course, my first thoughts are "cancer." I did stop at Nurse Practitioners on my way home from work. I'm not sure when I can make the time to get in & see them. I thought maybe Roxanne might want to see the x-ray before she sees me.
I also wanted to see if there were a possibility of getting a box of samples of Topamax. Medicaid did give Nick the Prior Authorization (PA) but the pharmacy has given us 10 days of Topamax, so we're always going to be behind on getting his refills. I thought by getting some samples, we could maybe catch up & be on time or a little ahead.
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