CRAZY TOWN WAITING ROOM - TESTS coming up? All Stages Welcome.
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I would have been so tempted to say "My problem is that you're parked too close to my van." and then swung my (front) door open just hard enough to ding her car. Never mind the fact that YEAH that's clearly not a parking space......
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Yeah, they don’t paint those yellow stripes next to the handicap spaces just because they contrast so nicely with the blue-and-white wheelchair symbols. Some people are just selfish idiots.
Today was a challenge. Bob got home too late last night and left too early this morning for me to shower and have him change the dressing over my punch-biopsy sutures. I couldn’t reach it to peel off the Tegaderm, and I’m not even supposed to stretch my arms or reach for stuff till the sutures are out, lest my scar heal big & ugly. I had to shower, so I used the hand sprayer and a long-handled bath sponge to wash around the dressing without getting it wet (It’s okay to get it wet and then to replace it.....but as I said, I can’t do it). Gordy was still asleep--and not only would he be grossed out by seeing my naked back, but he lacks the basic fine motor skills to properly change the dressing. (His handwriting--even printing--is barely legible despite his verbal writing and typing skills, and he has to tie his ties before putting them on). So I decided to call the clinics inside CVS (Minute) and Walgreen’s (Take Care). Neither of them was willing to change a bandage! The guy at CVS said to try an Urgent Care Center, so I called Physicians’ Immediate Care around the block from me and asked what they’d charge--they said they’d just bill Medicare and take it from there. I drove over (it was raining hard and I had more shopping to do) and the nurse changed the dressing and put my triamcinolone ointment around the perimeter, where the derm noticed I’d developed an adhesive rash. But the clinic didn’t have any Tegaderm dressings, so they used a raft of paper tape over a Telfa pad, warning me it might not hold. She didn’t charge me, because I didn’t need to see the P.A. or doctor. Now, tomorrow Bob can do the dressing change after he gets back from church (I’ll sleep in). Monday, I have an appt. with the LE specialist, so I figure his nurse can change it--and maybe one of the OTs downstairs might have a DIY workaround for me. Tuesday, if my housekeeper can’t do the change, the nurse at the clinic said to come in and bring my own Tegaderm. Next weekend, they’re my only hope.
And I just canceled a quasi-gig for tomorrow--a friend is celebrating his 50th anniv. in music and I was supposed to do one original and sing backup on two of his songs. But it’s an all-day thing--he goes on at 2pm and my slot was to be after the 5 pm dinner buffet (lasagna, which I can’t eat anyway). It’s out in Addison, and Bob doesn’t want to go. And my lift-reach-and-stretch restrictions make playing and hauling my guitar an iffy proposition. Anyway, he’s got at least 20 other performers in the lineup (many of whom said they’d sing harmony on anything he needed them to), so I’m not exactly leaving him in the lurch. And I’m sort of tired anyway. But I’m bummed out about not being able to hang out with pals I haven’t seen in months, maybe even a couple of years. I am supposed to play Fri. night at Gordy’s comedy theater (I will be their muse--sing a couple of songs and then they’ll improv-riff off them, repeat twice more). Gordy is willing to carry the guitar....he’s also running sound & lights that night. I hope I’ll be able to play by then. (And on the 25th, my singing partner & I have an outdoor festival gig--I hope & pray there’s an awning over the stage.
Speaking of playing out in the sun, I had to buy still more sunscreen today. The stuff (Coola, both unscented and Mango) I bought at the spa in San Antonio was made with linseed oil and STANK. Probably at least a year or two old, to boot. So I went to CVS and bought what they claimed was their store-brand version of the pricier LaRoche-Posay Anthelios, which I’d always used, but threw away after I’d had it a year. But this morning I found out that the CVS and LaRoche-Posay versions are chock-full of endocrine disruptors and are on EWG’s fecal scroll. The BB and CC creams and moisturizers I have with SPFs score even worse. So I got some CeraVe AM Moisture SPF 30 for my face and Alba Botanica 45 mineral for my body. (I put some on from a tube someone had already opened and walked around the store and shopped for 15 min. to make sure it was truly unscented--the Coola was so awful I couldn’t finish my fro-yo last week because the smell of my hands (despite washing) made me gag).
I’m gonna get an earful from the LE doc both for gaining (much less failing to lose) weight and not doing my anti-cording stretches....which the derm says are verboten till she removes the sutures.
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Sandy, so glad that you are able to figure out how to make stuff work for you! I hear you on the weight gain/loss...it is one of the reasons I have been anxious about my MO apt. tomorrow. I feel like just saying, 'no lectures. My life is hard enough right now.' Maybe I will. If I end up making the apt.
Because yesterday life threw me and my family a completely unexpected curve ball. Got a call at about ten am: my older sister had suffered a brain aneurysm and was at Stanford Hospital about to undergo emergency brain surgery. It is fortunate that she lives close enough to Stanford that her local hospital realized they couldn't deal with it and transferred her, because Stanford is one of the world's top spots for this surgery.
Anyway, I packed up a small bag and drove over (about three hours from where I live). She didn't get out of surgery until after six in the evening, and is now in the ICU. Saw her briefly last night, though I am not sure if she realized we were there or not, so will hang and visit today and try and support her hubby and help try and keep him calm (obviously he is very, very worried and scared. And of course I am very scared also.) She will likely be there at least a week even if everything goes very well. The surgery did go very well, she is stable, resting as much as possible given the drugs and testing they do (one of the big concerns of course is brain damage, so the first night they basically run tests of functioning every hour or so). Fortunately, I got a hotel room nearby and I managed to sleep. Not sure her hubby did.
And CrazyTown came into play: she is a bc survivor, so of course one of the first questions I asked the doc: 'could there be any connection? This wasn't caused by a brain met, was it? 'Or could it have been?' He said they did a very thorough scanning process and there is absolutely no evidence of either mets or other aneurysms, and aneurysms are not associated with brain mets ordinarily anyway. They are sometimes associated with a rare form of kidney disease, and also can be genetic and can run in families (Yikes) but they don't recommend screening of family members unless at least two people in a family have had one, or there is history of some types of kidney disease, neither of which has ever happened in our family, that we know of. Ok then. It is apparently just a case of a time bomb shit happens type of thing and we are just grateful it went off when she was with her hubby and close to an ER (of a hospital that saw the need to immediately send her in ambulance to nearby Stanford) rather on one of her fairly frequent hiking trips to remote areas. I am glad I asked the doc about bc because I know my sister and she would have asked the same thing, in fact she probably already did in the ER (she was lucid right up until they put her under for the surgery, which is in and of itself a good sign)...it is probably the first thing any of us would think if our first symptom was a debilitating headache...
Another sister who lives fairly close by is driving over today and we will hang out at the hospital all day, along with her hubby. I am going to play by ear whether I hang out a few days longer or go home and come back later in the week. Just depends on how she is doing today, how her husband is doing and how the day goes.
So, please keep her and our family in your thoughts and prayers. This is a very scary and worrisome time for us and it would really help me to know the crazies are keeping me from going even more crazy than I feel already.
And hug your family members and tell them you love them. My sis was so good to me after my dx (and of course she was the only one in the family who had been there and 'got it' at the time, though sadly another sis was dx'd since then..) We have a camping trip planned with her and hubby and other family in August, that I have so been looking forward to, I can't bear the thought that she might not be well and able to join us! I will just keep focusing on being there at our favorite campground with sis and the rest of the 'gang'.
Love to all
Octogirl
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Octogirl, hugs and much love, and healing thoughts for your sister.
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Octogirl: sweet bleep. That's one hell of a curveball. I'll be keeping you (family) in my thoughts.
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Octo- How terribly frightening for you and your family. Positive thoughts going up for healing and dealing. Although random and unfair, so glad she was transferred immediately to the right place and was not in fact hiking in a remote area. Thinking of you and sending hugs. 🙏🏻
Slow- thinking of you every day and hoping you are enjoying planning for your trip! Sometimes that's almost as fun as the trip itself! Happy daydreaming and planning. 💗🙏🏻💗
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Sorry to hear about your sister Octogirl! She and all of your Family are in my thoughts and prayers. Sending healing vibes your way!
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octo, sorry about your sis, surely hope things get resolved
Took it easy at the gym, tootsies feeling better today and even the back is sort of ok
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Octogirl, oh my goodness how frightening! Your family is definitely in my prayers. I hope all goes well for your precious sister.
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Octo.. So sorry... Hugs.. Thinking of you, your sister, and the family ..
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Hugs Octo. Sending love and light to your sister and those who care for her.
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Octo.....sending hope for you and your entire family and restored health for your sister.......blessing to you all.
Hugs,
Di
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Thanks so much for all the good thoughts and prayers....I am most definitely not a religious person but they all definitely help! And I mean that: my sister is out of the ICU ahead of schedule, and is doing very, very well: she is off extra oxygen, on a low level of pain meds and not uncomfortable, she knows where she is, she recognizes all of the family (including pics I showed her of my grandkids) and is doing very well, all things considered. She can't seem to grasp that she has really had brain surgery (she seems to think she has just has had tests and keeps asking why she can't just go home today!). However, that confusion is hopefully very temporary, since she is improving and of course is still on some serious drugs.....the nurse says per the current plans she may be released as early as Thursday! (though I find that hard to believe...still we shall see).
So, spent a good day hanging out with her, my BIL and my other sis, before she was transferred to her regular room. I drove back home, so I could make my MO appointment tomorrow. My tentative plan is to stay home long enough to vote Tuesday morning in the first presidential primary in California to even arguably matter (on the Democratic side) in most of my voting lifetime, and then probably head back over to Stanford for another day or two. My BIL will be there every day, but in addition we are very lucky to have another close relative on the staff there, he is a chief resident, so he has promised to see her at least twice a day, to keep checking in with her docs and treatment staff, and to let me know immediately if there is any reason to head back over before Tuesday afternoon....
so keep thinking those good thoughts and keeping her in your prayers all; I really appreciate it!!
For now, off to nap. I am exhausted. Love to all
Octogirl
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Beppy...I'm hoping to see you real soon and so happy you have set your priorities straight.
Katy...Think about you a lot. Hope everything is ok. Thanks again for sharing Jack with me. I'm leveling off very nicely...still and hope to be done with them by the end of the month. There have been days I've forgotten to take them. Even seen a pound or two disappear👏🏽👏🏽
Octogirl...Sending you best wishes on the recovery of your sister.
Proud...so happy you are getting some relief.
Tomboy...hey...hoping all is well with you
It's been two weeks since surgery and I'm feeling wonderful. Haven't felt like this for so long. Those awful lumps are gone...fat necrosis. My BS was so sweet the morning of the surgery. Then my PS made the dog ear flatter and lifted my left breast so it would be symmetrical. He removed the implant and put in another...didn't know he was going to do that. I finally have feeling back under the armpit on my right side. Maybe it has something to do with the dog ear repair?
It's the middle of the night...2:50am. Hoping I can go back to sleep. Maybe I'll continue to binge watch house of cards. Sorry for the rambling.
Ladies take care.
Sheri
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Shorfi, I'm glad to hear you are feeling so much better. I hope you feel even better with each passing day.
Octogirl, So sorry to hear about your sister. It sounds like she has an excellent team working on her. I wiinclude your sister, you and the entire family in my prayers.
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Octo - so so sorry to hear about your sister, but your update sounds promising. Thinking of you and your family.
Shortfi - very happy to hear that you are healing well and feeling well post-surgery!
Sandy - I, too, can't tolerate scented products, and I'm having good luck with the CeraVe SPF 50 sunscreen for the body.
Happy Monday, Crazies!!
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Octo.....prayers going out..........
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octo, so good to hear your sister has some good support
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Octo, glad your sister is on the mend! Bob says most brain aneurysms and other brain arterio-venous malformations are congenital and not always hereditary. So you may not have anything to worry about for yourself.
Went for my LE followup today. The doc is pleased with my measurements (circumference unchanged, water displacement only 2 tsp. more than last time) and management and because it is still intermittent, is still classifying it as Stage 0, for me to follow up in Dec. He approves of my using the LympheDivas gauntlets instead of the Mediven Harmony glove he prescribed (which is too clunkily uncomfortable). As for the trigger thumb on my LE hand, he says a cortisone shot would be fine and I would need to take no precautions other than to avoid infection; and gave me the name of the ortho who did his own trigger finger shots. He said that if the time comes that I need the tendon-release surgery, as long as tourniquet time is under 1/2 hr. I should be okay--his LE patients who had carpal-tunnel surgery (more complicated and longer) “did fine." And the breast seroma has shrunk dramatically (both breasts look nearly equal) and the radiation fibrosis is gone.
And he didn't chastise me for gaining weight--turns out it wasn't as much as I thought. The day I started on letrozole I was 192. A week later, at my first appt. with him, I was 195. After much cheating on my diet (especially on European and domestic trips and sometimes wine with every dinner), I was up to 205 (buck naked, post-bathroom, pre-breakfast) by last Thurs. I was horrified and went back on strict low-carb immediately (survivorship-meeting-dictated low-fat high-whole grain diet be damned--the only thing from that I'm obeying is limiting my wine to a pint per week and having one little square of very dark chocolate as a dessert if I even want it). Today, after breakfast and wearing light clothing, at the dr.’s office I weighed in at 200 lbs., 12 oz. At home later, buck naked, 198! So I'm confident that if I stay low-carb and supplement it with exercise, I will be down to my first goal of 180 when I see the MO in march.
Beppy, glad you're gonna take that trip! I took the next big step for Bob's & my trip to Italy next month: booked the round trip flights to Rome & back. Did some research and found that not only does Alitalia have nonstops from O'Hare, it has the nicest Premium Economy of any airline that flies between here and Europe. Next step is to book the flights between Rome & Pisa, the Rome Airport Hilton, and finally rent the car.
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Oh man - now my little pity party seems real small - Octogirl - your sister is in my prayers. Must be a rough week for many.
Are you ready for this.... 3 weeks post revision, I blow a hole in my incision and I'm not leaking clear fluid this time (had seroma 5 surgeries ago) - I'm leaking bloody discharge. It was a surprise this morning. I msged my PS and told him what I was doing for it and he said that was exactly what he would do.. I then sent him a picture through email and am waiting to see if I am needing to come in (3.5 hour drive each way) or I just keep doing what I am doing..
After I bandaged things up and went to my computer to work all hell broke loose there too.. My tablet wouldn't do netflix or plex for noise while I work and they are putting a new voice system it at work and Have to do it.... grrrrr...
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My MRI results are in................................NO SUSPICIOUS FINDINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank God!
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Awesome Readytorock!!!!
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Awesome readytorock!
Wow, GmaFoley! You really need to catch a break! Praying for you!
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Surfacing briefly to say I'm enjoying reading through the back pages. Thinking of you all daily!
Octogirl, all my good wishes for your sister. You and she are both in my thoughts. I hope the surgery was a success, as it seems to have been.
Gmafoley, hang in--yikes! What a day.
Love and hugs to all....
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Gma big hugs! readytorock, Hooray!! Great news. My Wyatt had a really, really bad day yesterday. It always brings me down.
Hopefully today will be better. No news is good news from my nurses.0 -
ready- great news!!!! You can be readytoparty now!
Molly- so sorry Wyatt had a down day, and that you did too. Sending a hug.
GMA- hope things turn in a better direction soon!
Sher- so glad to hear you are healing and feeling well.
Hugs to all, waving 🙋🙋🙋 to the quiet ones.
Rainny- great to see you!
And ((((Beppy))))💕❤️🙋
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Doc wants to see me weds.
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I had lunch at a Chinese restaurant today, and had to share the fortune in my cookie:
"If you want to win anything: a race, your self, your life: you must first go a little berserk!"
There you have it. Words to live by. Hugs to all.
Octogirl
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Crazy Town fortune cookie! LOL
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Good Evening Crazies,
Smurf, It's great to see you. Welcome back! Thanks for sharing a bit of your story. I also have two adult children (daughter and son) but no grandchildren....yet!! Thank you so much for the good wishes. I'm glad you're here with us.
Molly, Giving you extra hugs. I hope Wyatt feels better soon. (((((((Molly))))))
Phoebe, Thank you for the good wishes and hugs!! Sending hugs to you too!!
Lori, Thanks for the pocket party and support!! Here is something you can print out and keep in your car. No speaking required. Just put this on their windshield
Poppy, Any news on the thyroid? They are sure taking their sweet time. No news is good news?! I'm in agreement about the F cancer. Dirty, rotten beast!!
QM, There ya go using those big words again....ABEYANCE. <getting my dictionary> I'm very happy to hear your nightmares have taken a vacation. I hope your future dreams are fun-filled, exciting and NOT scary!!
Iris, I will try to remember your mammo is at the end of the month so we can all be in your pocket. Please conk me over the head if I forget!!
Readytorock, I'm doing a special happy dance for you!!
That's awesome news. Now go do something fun and forget about this nonsense for awhile!! Opps....that is really big.
Bekah, I wish you didn't have to go through all this pain stuff. I was diagnosed with chemo induced fibromyalgia, but like you, I think it's just a name they give when they can't figure it out. The good news is most of that intense pain I was feeling has subsided. I hope that is the case for you as time goes by. I'm interested to hear what the Rheumatologist will say.
Octo, I hope your sister continues to improve. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. Sending healing messages to your foot!! I will make sure to buy some stamps and send post cards!! I'm glad the MO appointment went well. What better place to go berserk than in CT? You're in the right place!!
Twinnie, Love you too!! I wish I could visit you while on my trip. I hope the twins birthday was lovely!!
Jackbirdie, I've been trying to get some trip planning done, but I think I'm running out of time. So much to do...so little time! Yikes!! Hugs to you!! I can't wait to see you!
Jan, Waving!!
Sandy, Any news on your pathology? I hope your next trip goes smoothly.
Di, Good to see you! I hope all is going well with you.
Shorfi, It's so nice to hear that you're feeling better!! YAY for armpit feeling coming back!! I hope you continue to feel good....you're long overdue.
Pennsygal, Great to see you! Happy Monday to you too!!
Ducky, Did I see you poke your head in??
GMA, Oh no!!! I'm not liking that blowing a hole business. Please let us know how it goes on Wednesday. Sending healing thoughts your way!! We will all be in your pocket.
Rainy, So wonderful to see you posting!! Love and hugs right back at you!!
Ok Crazies.....any of you in New York or Pennsylvania that want to get together for a meet and greet, please send me a PM. I'm trying to plan a lunch in PA and if we can't do a lunch in NY, maybe we can all meet for coffee or tea. The lunch will be in the Philly area and maybe the Brooklyn area in New York? ONLY FOUR DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE!!! I'm just a wee bit excited!!
Love to all....quiet crazies too.
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