For Older People with Sense
Comments
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No the problem with veins and the nurses/lad techs won't listen. I know exactly where the vein in my elbow is ( if it is at home that day) and if the use my hand it has to be a butterfly. I am sure they don't like being told where the veins are. Took four goes last time and then she got it where I said, saying I should have listened to you, grrr.
Saw the onc at the hospital on Tuesday. He is sure the problem of swelling in my chest is radiation damage. He said with a grin that it might soften over time and I commented yes just like the neuropathy in my feet would be gone after 18 months. He laughed. I really like this Dr so don't worry when he says things like this. That's doctors visits over until January when I see the BS and its mammo time then.
Having the family over for dinner tonight and here it is 3.30pm and all I have to do is make a salad. At least I can be honest with MiL when she asks what she can do - there is nothing to do. Will go and clear the table of things, put a cloth on then go and get DD and the children as SiL has the car today. He will come after work.. Dh is picking his mother up quite early which is why I am organised. It's lasagna again tonight Chrissy but won't be the same as we had cause I can't make ot he same twice, this one has pumpkin in it.
Hope you have all had a good day.
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I too hate the needles and use my port as often as I can. What gets me is I tell them that the only good vein left is in my foot and when going in for surgery I tell them if they need to get an IV in quickly to use my foot and they inveribly try to use the vein in my neck which is impossible to find on me. Only to find out after the surgery they tried a minimum of 3 times to put it in the neck and wound up putting it in my foot! Why don't they ever listen to us, as many times and we get stuck, poked, pricked, bruised and blown veins you would think they would believe what we tell them. UGH. I have already had this discussion with the new PS and he wrote in big red letters to use the foot vein for any additional IVs.
(reposted from another thread with same subject of conversation tonight)
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amyjo,
I'm glad your PS listened to you. I hope the rest of your/his team read the note!
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oh, i am sooo there, when its time to draw blood.. they still want to argue with me about using the le arm.. and, i might add, they always lose mhahaha..
i spoke to the head nurse where i insist the drs send me to; i don't let their nurses gain experience onme , anymore.. so, i asked this nurse, who worked for NIH for years.. why???? do onco's use their patients as guniuea pigs?? mine has all thr new vampires taking blood!!!sthis nurse told me NIH trains on chemo pts only.. to teach their nurses to FEEL for the vein, not just look, or assume... so, i asked her: but what about the pts?? she smiled, laughtd, and said the smart ones like you.. tell them they're going to the blood banks, and THEN, tell the nurses where to look.!! we had a good laugh, she got it 1st try, cause she listened to me. I have what they call "rolling" veins.. this is what i do.. first, you have to start with a butterfly.. then, when it starts slowing down, they withdraw the needle, just a little, then back in.. it hurts a little, but its good for 3 viaals, which is a lotta tests.. i'll be asking for that nurse from NOW ON , thats for sure..... love to all of you. ive missed beomg here, everyday.
marybe; the legs doing fine, since the mohs surgery. the dr won't hear for awhile, i think 10 days. they're souping up the pathology this time hahaha............3jays
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Marybe I took your advice and called my insurance co. and I can get a very nice wig for free. Like you said I decided to take advantage of what the insurance offers. They also have a program where you can talk to a nurse 24 hrs. a day. I'm going to call and talk to a nurse aout the chemo I'm going to get. I will need 4 sessions.
I love living. Going outside and gardening gives me peace. My Mom died last year from pancreatic cancer. She also loved to garden and I transplanted some of her plants to my gardens. So this year has been a wondorous surprise with her flowers. However I feel with getting this disease took away some of my time to greive for her.
Marthah like you I made the decisions about the end of my Mother's life. It's very hard making those decisions. I did my best. I can hear her saying to me now 'Lynne everything is going to be alright'. And I believe her.
Like your Dragon since I've been on Zoloft for a year, I can see things a lot more clearly in my life. I've gained clarity in my life and am a lot more calmer. I wish I would have been on this drug years a go. Life would have better for me.
Here's a quote about what we have been talking about. I've included a link for the rest of the article.
'We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well.' ~Richard John Neuhaus
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2009/01/born-toward-dying0 -
LynnM, Hope you get a fabulous wig.....also hope you don't have to wear it for long....it is odd that many times the hair will start growing back while you are still getting treatments. I think that is wonderful that you have some of your mother's plants in your yard. Plants are a good thing...they represent growth and living.........my husband doesn't understand why I get upset when I come home from somewhere and everything is droopy and half-dead because he didn't water. My garden makes me happy. I always like to give friends starts from plants that I have and give them seeds from ones they have admired in the fall and I think that even when I am no longer around they will look at a flower and think Oh, that came from Marybe.
The problem with my veins is that they were always small.....when I had my port put in, I woke up with four bandaids on me and they said it was because they would find a vein, but then it would be too small go wire the line through.....so mine goes right up my neck into my jugular. You used to be able to see it right after they lst put it in, but it has settled down....can only see it now when I stretch my neck up and then of course the port itself looks like a doorbell. Mine is not a power port and ports don't last forever so for some things we don't use it for...like contrast dye since it goes in fast. I have had this port for 12 yrs now....would not get it the lst year because I did not want one, but now I am so happy I have it for chemo
Hmmm, pumpkin lasagna. Sounds interesting.
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Lynne, I was enjoying the essay until he linked dying with sex. Then he lost me, he was working too hard to trying to link the fear of one over the other.
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I just read a good book kinda on the topic called "East of the Mountains" by David Guterson who also wrote "Snow Falling on Cedars"
I don't recessarily agree with him, but it is a good read..
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My philosphy for a while now since the Zoloft (LOL) is that I try to take one day at a time like Barbara said. I try to enjoy each day. Years ago I was always in the past living with regret. And it's really true about the Zoloft and me. My family doctor who presribed the Zoloft for me said she was surprised at how well I was handling everything since my diagnosis. It's funny about doctors, she's a lot younger than me but I really trust her.
Well tomorrow I get my port for chemo. I didn't realize it was done in an operating room. Now I'll have 3 ports.
"Look at the mysterious beings called the sky and the trees. Listen to the birds singing with a language we don't understand.
You are just as blessed as they are, just as beautiful and fleeting. So love yourself for being instinctlvely temporary and vulnerable... Love yourself for being unloved. And enjoy what you have of life." ~Yoko Ono0 -
LynMichel,
I so agree on the Zoloft--wish I had been on this drug long before this. The Prozac really changed my life for the better. There are so many things to regret about the past and so many things to worry about in the future but ruining today won't solve any of them. It's one thing to know that but being able to live it is another. On that note, have the grandkids today for 3 hours and we're going to move some furniture. Amazing how busy that can keep kids! Some of it is their art supplies so they will get to organize the stuff.
LynMichel, you're in my prayers as your chemo starts. If you're comfortable, post a picture in your new wig! This is a stupid thing to say but it won't be the first one for me--some of the most beautiful women I've seen have been chemo patients. Maybe it's my own prejudice but to me the women in my cancer group looked beautiful in their scarves and caps. I'm going to start crocheting hats for the cancer center as soon as their supply goes down. Had a great conversation with a friend from the group and she's doing very well so it does end. She still wears her hat even though a lot of hair has come back.
Love to all,
Dragon
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Hi all!
I got home and was greeted by a garden full of flowers!!! DH had watered, weeded and pruned where necessary and even mowed the grass. The Irises, roses, seaside daisies, lavender, carnations and geraniums were either in full bloom or ready to burst into flower as the buds were profuse! It was so nice to see ............. I only wish he had seen what needed doing inside the house but I guess I got a good deal as I can manage the cleaning as long as I do it slowly....lol. The first thing on the list is laundry! I wonder who's that is? lol.
I have always lived one day at a time and enjoyed my life, both the good times and the bad as I think they balance one another. I don't fear dying just the process as we all do. Having almost died many years ago after a horrendous car accident, I know there is nothing to fear.
Love n hugs all. Chrissy
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So sorry about the dirty house, but is will keep until you can get around to it and in the meantime you have all those beautiful flowers and lovely garden to look at. I think your DH did a good thing by making sure you have the beauty around to look at. Just ignore the dirt until you are up to dealing with it later.
I too try to live one day at a time and sometimes it is one minute at a time, depending on how my ADOB is doing. I really do get distracted and sidetracked easily. Sure make life a wonder. I wonder what I was doing all the time.
P.S. for those that don't know what ADOB is - it is (Attention Deficit OHHH Bubbles!!!!) and that is what my DD#2 says I have.
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Isabella,
Do you know the British TV show, Doc Martin? It has just begun to run on our local PBS station. We love the show. DH has some of Martin's personality quirks although he does not admit it. Anyway, is the show truly representative of the rural healthcare system in England? I know it is exaggerated for comedy affect but is it anything like real life?
Sunday night, two weeks ago, we were anxiously awaiting the program, dying to know what happened next. Just as the show started the electricity went off and stayed off the full hour the program ran. Then last week we were on a trip so missed it. But I learned Netflix has the episodes so ordered it to watch at our leisure.
Is it still running on British TV? Love it!0 -
Hello everybody---I think (hope) I am back. This has been the most frustrating experience with Timewarner Cable as our internet provider. Everything worked fine for 3 years until several days ago, then no internet. We have the "bundle" with them, cable/phone/internet, and 2 days ago I was on the phone with their tech support, got put on hold, and suddenly had no phone. I went to the local office yesterday (loaded for bear, too) and yesterday afternoon a woman from TWC spent 2 hours trying to get us reconnected to everything. At least we got the phone back and I had internet for a couple of hours. Been on the phone with them again today and right now everything's working, but I don't know for how long. DH has a wireless and I have a desktop, and as of today I'm connecting on his. He now has to enter 3 passwords to get on the internet (starting today) and is as frustrated as I am. DH will be fishing at the Outer Banks next week and I plan to look into other providers for all 3 services while he's gone.
LynMichel, I'm thinking of you and hoping your chemo won't be too bad. Good news about the wig and insurance, too. I didn't have chemo so can't offer any help on that, but you're certainly in my prayers.
Chrissy, glad you're home at last and enjoying the beautiful garden despite the messy house! Cleaning isn't my DH's strongest point either but he does a great job in the yard and he can cook, too. Even if you've had a wonderful adventure like you did, somehow it always seems good to get home, doesn't it?
Marybe, hope you know you're always in my prayers. I think of you (and your father, who's apparently a lot like mine was) so often.
And AmyJo, looks like winter time is finally coming to NC and I've turned on the heat!
I'm so excited tonight, as GS's other grandmother's visiting them for a week and will be keeping him all next week while DH is gone fishing! I get a week off!! No GS, no DH, and just maybe I can get some things done around the house that desperately need doing. Hope to do a lot of decluttering and actually donate or throw away things that need it! (DH is a packrat, but if something's gone, he'll never notice, now will he?)
Tomorrow I'll go back and catch up on all I've missed, but you all know what'll happen if I do it now.
Love to all of you,
Kathy
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I got my Medport today for chemo. My right shoulder really hurts. I'm glad I still have some of my prescrip. pain killers. My BS said they can take it out in 5 minutes. But it took 1/2 hr of surgery to put it in.
Chrissy what a wonderful way to return home seeing flowers in bloom. I have to lok up a picture of seaside daisies.
QCA sorry about your internet problems. I dislike talking to people over the phone about computer problems.
Dragon maybe I'll post a pic of myself in my wig. I don't feel so bad about losing my hair as I did. DH had a nice chat with my BS while I was in recovery today. My BS told DH I have a very good prognosis.
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good to see you all here tonight, ladies. its been crazy here, as usual, ad on top of everything, Mur was stopped at a light yesterday, and a yyoung girl rammed right into the back of the car.. took the truunk out, right to the back wheels...
thank goodness, altho he got shook all about, and has a wrenched back, Murs' ok. spent 6 hrs getting xrays, etc. today.. its really aggravated hi arthritic back
so, its a quiet wkend for us here, for sure.. not like our days are very hectic, anyway hahaha
LyMicheal' glad you're all ready for chemo now. i'll be watching here, and praying for you, gal...
{{QCA}}}}}}}}}}}}3jays
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pj....yes we have Doc Martin running right now (new series)
If there ARE docs like that here in UK I would love to find one. There are just not doctors who run a surgery single handed, as he does ! Occasionally ( very occasionally !) there will be an article in the press about an old doctor, who is retiring, and his practice immediatly amalgamates with the big swish chrome and glass one in the nearest town !!!!
You'd never get a doctor come running if you were taken ill....fallen off a ladder in the next street, perhaps, but never do they jump in their cars and come flying in. The ambulance service is the one to call if you need a doctor quickly, they claim to be able to get to anyone within 15 minutes....no idea if they CAN do this....hope I never have to try it out in an emergency ! If I were to request a home visit from my Dr I'd have to start arguing with the receptionist as to was my request 'really necessary'. Then anything between a 4-10 hour wait. At 5 pm all Dr services are transferred to a central office in the nearest big town, and the wait then becomes terrible....as you are triaged. My DH was taken acutely ill with sciatica, he could not move. I rang the surgery for advice, was told a Dr would come....this was around 10am, and at 11pm, up rolls a locum Dr who had a thick German accent, and we had trouble understanding him.
I think the last time the sort of service Doc Martin is portraying as the norm would be the 50s and 60s.....yet the rest of the cast seem to be in the 'now'. There ARE loads of small villages just like the one on TV, but everyone would go to the nearest town now. Sometimes if the village is a bit isolated the Dr would hold a fortnightly/monthly surgery in the village hall...but again, that's quite outdated.
I think Doc Martin is a bit too gruff, if he'd soften a bit it would be a bit more believable to me. He is very rude to people, and would get a flood of complaints in the real world !! Still, its a good watch !!
Isabella.
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OH, 3jays, sending hugs to Mur! LynMichel, you can do it! Won't be much fun but you can do it!
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Hello, new to this site. Appreciate inspirational support along with pragmatic realization I may be experiencing PTSD with 2d CA diagnosis in 15 years! Thanks for everyone's insight. Colorado Morning Glory
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M2G - I would be having PTSD also! Hugs, pal!!
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Hi Miles2go and welcome. I can't say I blame you for the PTSD! Good luck with your treatments to come and feel free to gripe and throw tanties when you need to.
LynMichael, good luck with your chemos and I sure hope it treats you gently and the the cancer harshly.
3jays, so glad to hear that Mur is okay! What a bummer about the car! Sure hope she was insured!
Feeling a little more rested now and the knees are slowly returning to a more normal knee shape....lol.......although they never were a good shape, and I'm beginning to feel a little more like myself after a few days R & R. Thanks for all the good thoughts!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Chrissy, Welcome home and so glad you had such an adventure - and so appreciative of you sharing as you have!
Lyn, we'll be here for you. Hope it goes easy.
MTG, sorry you have to join us - I'm on my 2nd round as well. There are some great PTSD-type threads in this forum, lots of venting and tons of support. Here at bco, we "get it."
Marybe, always thinking of you...
QCA, enjoy your mini-vacay, but so sorry you have to deal with the hassle of "service providers" like phone, cable, internet... UGH!
3jays, I hope Mur is taking it easy and resting well. AND that the other gal had good insurance.
BarbA, how's your back? Mine's still spazzing, but some better...
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LynnMichael, I don't get it...this is your 3rd port but you didn't have the other two put in in an operating room? Did I read your post wrong?
Here's to knees that are the right shape!! Don't they look HILARIOUS when they're pissed off!!! Mine seem to dare each other on size and extreme shapes. I've had square knees...hehehehe
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Marybe,
Thanks for mentioning Five. I don't have cable so watched it on Lifetime.com and really enjoyed the show.
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3Jays. So sorry about Mur..is he feeling a bit better today ?
QCA sorry about your Internet mess up...hope now it is sorting itself out. I have been having probs for about 3 weeks, 4th time this year so far, got someone to come on Thursday, good, cheap, and sorted out my problems, but left me with a new set of probs now .... like I have to have the sound from the news rambling away in the background , over and over, same stories. I can't turn it off, so turn it down !! I was assured this young man was the very hottest of the hot....his filthy hands put me right off, before he got going....I had to clean my keyboard before I would use it ! One day I will go out and buy another pc and stop trying to get mine patched up by anyone and everyone !!
M2G welcome to you, and our group.
LynMichel...sorry about your port op, it can be worse than the BMX, painwise...well I found it was.
Have had a violent stomach bug, which left me living on the toilet for half a day, and very weak afterwards. DH called to see me last week, he had the bug...the idiot managed to use 2 of my toilets, not just one, and despite me flying round with the bleach as soon as he had gone I caught it. I feel very shaky today, and shall cancel my MRI tomorrow, and re schedule for next Sunday.....need another day to get myself back up and running. Today I stayed in bed 'til 11am, and have spent the rest of the day in my dressing gown feeling sorry for myself. DH told me he had lost 8lbs. in weight. I thought 'yeees'. Today I see I am 6 lbs. lighter, so he wasn't exaggerating ...but I expect I shall just put it back on again as I start to eat.
Right that's me for tonight...I don't aim to get up very early in the morning at all. I have given my puppies extra food, and put the dogs that live in the house in pens where they can get out into the garden should they need to. They don't like it, but needs must, it'll not kill them for once. There was much muttering at me when they realised they were going into different beds for the night !! They are very vocal dogs, mainly the sausage dogs, and make funny noises on and off all day. I can tell by the sounds they make what they want, or what they are up to. At least I don't feel as if I live alone when there's this racket going on most of the time.
Isabella.
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Thanks everyone for all your support about chemo.
Barbe1958 I should have said I have 2 ports for my breast reconstruction and now a new one for chemo making a total of 3.
Hugs 3jays to Mur. Car accidents are no fun. I've been in several where the vehicles were totaled.
Isabella I agrre with you about the port op. This is a sharper and burning type of pain. It is worse pain than my BMX. Sorry about your stomach bug. Hope you feel better soon.
Welcome M2G.
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good to see everyone tonight.. i don't know the tv show, at all..no help there...
i had internet problems on and off, for a loong while.. turned out, where i livre, the cable hadn't been updated since 79; as all my appliances are, also.. and the ealectric, its the house that Jack built.. Really, we ove the villa we live in, as well as thr community.. they just never updated a thing, till the day they died, and their kids didn't before they rented to us.. bit by bit, thy're replacing things as they break down.. last xmas i got a new notebook, and its enough for me, a really old pc sits in the fuest bedroom, and suite my DH Mur.it was in the bin at the college he works at, almost 10 yrs ago.. obvey, we are good at "making do" However; Isabella, no need for you to.. get yourself a new one, gitl.. your'e WAY out in the country, and need good internet.. maybe someone to teach you to post pictures, whike yer at it!!!
I;m so sorry you're sick, that ex hubs of yours always brings an ill wind......is the MRI to get update for back surgery? Gee, i hoe so. we all want to see you get started in getting better.. no one more than I.. i know what its like, when you can't get around as you used to.. and, for the life of me, i DON'T know how you do what you do, sweetie..
feel Better.. Tah......3jays
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sorrt for the spelling.. my LE is kicking up, and im just not up to fixing it tonight.........3jays
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Sorry, LynMichel, I hate to be picky, but I'm still confused. My question was, if this is your third port, but the first one to go in in an operating room, how did the other two go in? You're not mistaking port and drain.....right?
3jays, how is Mur today? It's usally worse the days following an accident. He was in my prayers yesterday...
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Barbe ,TEs have a port (i.e., place of access). It's part of the TE. So LynMichel has a port in each TE and now a port (seperate device) for chemo. It's not just any port in a storm....
3jays, I hope Mur is doing better. Sorry to hear the LE is flaring right now. I always suspect stressful situations can bring on a flare of LE.
LynMichel, when do you start chemo? I hope it goes easy for you. I also had more pain than I expected when I had my port put in but I was surprised when I found that ibuprofen was the best for it. I'd used something stronger but it didn't help. I don't remember why I decided to try the ibuprofen but when it helped I thought, "Oh, yes, of course. It's an anti-inflammatory and the pain is mostly from inflammation of the area."
When does Daylight Saving Time end for you guys? We already switched the clocks a few weeks ago and I have to keep reminding myself that the time difference is not what it usually is.
Leah
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