Melanie's Journey Through Cancer

Oct. 8, 9 Photos.

I tried to update the blog with these photos but evidently, it didn’t work.

Here is the first memory quilt I made yesterday:

Here is the cute little tree frog after he jumped from the wall to a stack of books:

Here is the second memory quilt – the one I made today.

Sunday, Oct 8 and Monday, October 9, 2017

I forgot all about writing the blog last night – I didn’t even think about it until someone fussed at me for it!!  Actually, a few people missed it and were concerned about why I didn’t write it.  Sorry about that, I just plain forgot.  I also forgot to take the trashcan out to the street, but I remembered that after I got in bed, so I went and took it out!!

I had a nice day yesterday and even did some sewing.  I sewed about all day long and finished a fairly small quilt.  That was the first time I’ve sewed in several weeks. This quilt is a memory quilt made from a friend’s dad’s shirts.

You’ve have thought that I’d have been really tired, maybe that’s why I forgot things last night, but I couldn’t go to sleep until after 3:00 am. I just remembered what else happened yesterday – Hurricane Nate went through here.  I really enjoyed the wind and rain all day long, so much that I had opened up the sliding door to the outside so I could hear and see the weather even better.  I kept worrying that either a squirrel or a bird would come into the house through the open door because they were very active in the back yard.  Guess they were enjoying the wet weather also.  Late in the evening, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye on the living room wall.  It was a tree frog!!!!  First thing I did was to take a photo of course and they try to catch it.  It took me several tries and I just couldn’t stand the feeling of the frog on my hands, so I finally caught him in a basket and then put him outside.  That was fun!!  He was cute.  Later I went to take my shower and found another frog in my master bathroom.  I quickly caught him in a box and put him outside.  He was not cute!!  Yuck.  I have not yet found any other critters and I hope I don’t.

Even though I went to sleep later, I had a horrible night trying to sleep.  I kept being so hot even though the ac was set low and I had a fan on.  It was such a bad night that I was glad to get up fairly early this morning.  That’s a switch!  I had a nice breakfast of eggs and then started another memory quilt for another friend.  I was able to finish this one tonight. It’s a good thing I finished both quilts because I can give them to the quilt lady tomorrow!!

I have felt quite good all day long today until after dinner with the girls tonight.  After I got home, I had diarrhea.  It was terrible and painful.  I am SO tired of that (and I expect you are tired of reading about it!) but I expect I am going to have to alter my eating patterns – maybe that would help.  Maybe if I only ate a little at a time I may be able to avoid the diarrhea.  It only seems to happen in the evening and lately it’s only happened after I ate out at a restaurant.  If you know what might be causing this, send me an email and let me know!!!!  I have been taking a probiotic each morning.  I wonder if that might be causing the problem – I doubt it but it’s worth thinking about some.

By the way, my hair is really growing.  I have a severe resemblance to a minion – a few hairs on my head.  If the sun is shining behind me, my hairs really show up – looks like a halo!!  Soon, I will be a real cotton-top – all this white hair that’s coming in.  I’ll include a photo when it is a little longer.  I am definitely ready for my eye brows to grow back in – they look pretty strange.

I have been having lots of back pain.  It’s different to the pain I had a few weeks ago but it really hurts when I get tired.  Think I’ll get that checked out in a few weeks.

Morning weight – it’s been hovering about 220-221.

October 7, 2017 Saturday

I slept well last night and woke up feeling fine this morning.  Strangely, getting into and out of bed are the only times I feel any pain at all at my surgery sites and that is lessening as time goes on.  Otherwise, I don’t even feel like I’ve had surgery.  I wasn’t expecting too much pain but it’s been even better than I expected.

I had a nice breakfast then went to Kroger since it’s supposed to rain for a few days.  I didn’t get much so I was in and out quite quickly.  Then I came home and I’ve had a really lazy day.  I think tomorrow I will start doing some sewing.  Paula also brought me the latest Agatha Raisin book so I’ll be doing some reading on that too.

I have had lots of chicken and rice today and will have more tomorrow.  I also bought some boneless pork chops so I’ll cook them tomorrow with some black eyed peas!!!  Yum.

I have felt good all day today – no signs of the diarrhea that almost killed me last night!!  Thank goodness.  Sounds like a pretty boring day but boring is often much better than being too exciting, especially if the excitement is caused by negative events.  I’ll be happy with boring.

Morning weight – 222.0

October 6, 2017 Friday

I slept fairly well last night and woke up nicely rested.  I was in no hurry but finally got up and dressed.  I ate a nice breakfast and then called some insurance people – my favorite entertainment!!  hahaha  I do have to pay a copay from several months ago so I arranged that on WF Bill Pay.  My surgeon does not yet have the results from the surgery tests or at least he has not signed off on them so that his PA can access it.  She said she will call me when she has them and she said it will be long before our meeting next Thursday.

Then I got in my truck, took the list I had made and started checking things off.  I won’t bore you with the whole list.  I did get the dent from the shopping cart removed ($100) and I did pay my house insurance and my car insurance ($$$$$).  I did buy new sheets and get them washed and I just finished making up my bed with them.  I’m looking forward to getting into bed.

I met the girls at a small restaurant and we all had a nice meal.  When I got home, I noticed I was quite tired.  And then the diarrhea started.  It was sooooo painful and long lasting but I feel better now that it appears to have ended and I’ve taken two showers to help with the pain.  Now, I’m exhausted.   It reminded me of the good old bad old day of chemo!!!

I don’t have many plans for tomorrow but I am looking forward to getting some rain at some point.  I certainly hope that the hurricane Nate doesn’t do much more damage but we certainly do need some rain – four days of it are supposed to be coming our way!!  I’m sure I’ll be tired of it by the time it ends!!

Morning weight – 221.2 I think.  The batteries in my scales are dying but I think that’s right.  I would expect the weight to be higher tomorrow because of that slice of coconut cake I had at dinner but with the diarrhea, tomorrow’s weight might be less.  Who knows?!?!?!?!?!

 

October 5, 2017 Thursday

Last night I took another benedryl to counter the itching and I also found an anti-itch prescription cream so I put that on the worse itchy spots after my shower.  Together, I had almost no itching last night and most of today.  I am sort of itching again this evening, but I’ll use the cream again tonight and hopefully, that’ll be the end of the itch.  I slept late and had a very lazy morning.  I did not have much pain in the surgery sites again unless I do a long stretch for something and I’ve learned not to do those.

I did put on real clothes today for the first time since surgery and it felt pretty good to look normal again.  I did some calling about insurance today and found that my cancer policy company did not receive the bill for the 4th chemo treatment so I went to Office Depot and faxed it to them.  While I was still in my car, a cart came rolling down the hill and right into my front door!  A man tried to stop it but he couldn’t get there fast enough but it was nice of him to try. It didn’t bother the paint but left a dent.  I’m going to see if I can get something done about that tomorrow.

I also went to the oncologist’s office for lab work and my numbers were very good.  All within the normal spectrum!!!  So that was good news.  Things are looking up.

I did call the surgeon’s office to see if they had results from the lymph nodes and tumor margins they sent in from surgery but they didn’t have them.  They lied to me about that last time cause they didn’t want to give me bad news from anyone but the doctor so maybe they are doing that again.  The surgeon was in the operating room all day today but that he will be in the office tomorrow.  Maybe he will call me tomorrow.  Chances are that I will call him if he doesn’t call me.  Proactive is my middle name!!!  Sometimes.

I didn’t go anywhere else today but I felt good that I got out and about again.  I am quite tired this evening and expect all that activity after no activity for a few days has worn me out.  I expect I’ll be feeling better tomorrow.  Hope all that truck door opening and closing today didn’t “pull” anything and make me more sore.  We shall see.

Morning weight – 223.4  My right hand and arm are turning nice colors where they tried three times to stick me for the IV and they are still a little swollen with fluid.  I’m ready for that to go away and I bet it will soon.

October 3, 2017 Wednesday

I wrote last night’s blog fairly early but nothing interesting happened afterwards.  I didn’t take a shower but I did take two of the hydrocodone pills at bedtime.  I thought that would help with the pain I was having (it was not a lot of pain) and that it would help me sleep.  The pills did not help with either pain or sleep but after a while I started itching.  Then the itching got worse and worse!!  After 6:00 am I read on the internet that this happens to many people and that I should take Benedryl so I did.  That helped a little and I went back to sleep for a while.

The itching continued when I got up so I took a Claritan and then took a shower.  The shower felt really good on those red itchy spots but I have basically itched all day long.  I was more sore this morning than I have been at all so I took 2 Motrin.  Then I had a nice nap except for that strange dream I had.  I guess I was listening to Property Brothers as I napped and turned that show into my dream with massive changes.  When I woke up, I was surprised to find out that a couple was not buying an old gym to convert into a house!!!  Seemed reasonable to me during the dream.

I have eaten well today and have felt pretty good, except for the itching!!!  It’s horrible and just doesn’t seem to stop.  I did look in the mirror and discovered that I have a misshapen breast but considering that no one except me and my doctors will ever see it, I guess that’s okay.  As long as all the cancer is gone from it, I’ll be happy with it.  I think I’ll call the surgeon tomorrow and see if they have gotten the results from the tests back yet.  I do have to get out and got to lab in the afternoon.  I should be fine to drive since I won’t be taking anything other than Motrin or Aleve.  I know I’m not supposed to pick anything up for two weeks, but he did said I could drive as long as I was not on pain pills.

Morning weight – 224.2  It must be fluid from the IV bag.  My hands are still kind of swollen.  I guess my arthritic knee is also swollen because it is much worse than usual and I can’t think of a reason it should be.  I expect things will only continue to improve if I can just get the itching to quit.  My back has been slowly and steadily improving and it’s almost back to normal.

October 2, 2017 Monday and October 3, 2017 Tuesday

I’ll tell this the best I can but I’m sure I’ll get some details wrong.  And I’m writing this the day after.

I was still awake at 3:30 am – just didn’t want to go to sleep cause I didn’t want to wake up and have surgery, I guess.  I did get up about 9:15 or so and took a shower with that red surgery soap again.  It was a long shower.  Then I got dressed and went out to wait on Sue – certainly couldn’t spend any time on eating or drinking anything.  I wasn’t hungry but I was thirsty.  We got to the hospital in plenty of time and headed over to the surgery waiting room which was pretty full of people, I suppose they were waiting on a friend or family member in surgery.  Then they called me back and I got into my gown opening down the back – yay- and my special socks. It took three painful sticks to get the IV in and I was really glad then that was over!!  When Sue came back there, she commented on how cold it was in there.  I asked a nurse about it and she said it’s kept cold to keep  down bacteria and all.  I guess that’s good.  Sue said she was warmer in the waiting room and luckily that’s where she got to wait most of the time.  The surgeon was running a little late but when he showed up, things started happening.

I was wheeled back to the operating room through hallways filled with stuff.  Someone commented that they would be glad when construction was finished so I guess it’s a temporary problem.  The operating table sure was small.  My arms just fell down straight toward the floor until they pulled out some little arm holding tables – strange.  My nose started itching as soon as she put the oxygen mask on me but then she “scratched’ my nose with the mask when I complained about it.  She kept telling me that she would really take good care of me. I never really got worried about the surgery – I guess I trust them to do their jobs and to do a good job!!

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the first little room I had been in and the nurse was trying to dress me.  Sue said I had been awake some but I sure don’t remember it.  All I could do was move my foot a little – I thought it was hilarious that they thought I’d be able to walk to the wheelchair – one whole step away, to the car – about three steps away, or to the sofa from Sue’s car – about 20 steps!!  The nurse asked what I wanted to put on and I said my gown, so Sue went all the way to the car and got it for me!!  That was so nice.  It’s amazing how fast she went – even though I knew it was a long way there and back, she was back with my gown in about two seconds!!  Amazing!!  They finally got it on me – without my help, I expect.  I was in a lot of pain – as soon as they started moving me, I HURT under my breast – red hot searing pain!!  They gave me a pain pill – they had just given them to Sue – and from then on, I felt no pain.  Course, I was basically unconscious.  I did take the steps needed to get in the wheelchair, to the car and to the sofa and then I moved no more.  For hours!!  Four hours, Sue said.  I was sometimes aware that she was moving around her house or of her cat playing with my feet but basically I was out of it!!  When I woke up, I felt much better and ate some crackers and drank some Gatorade.  At least there was no pain unless I moved.  I didn’t move much!!!

Later, Sue helped me to bed and I slept well except for when I had to get up and go to the bathroom.  I thought I needed to go to the bathroom but since I had had so little fluids, I didn’t really need to go.  At one point, I jerked awake and continued to jerk for a while – I don’t know why but it quit after I went back to bed – that was strange.

I slept until about 9:15 or so and went back to the sofa.  Sue cooked us a good breakfast and I enjoyed it tremendously.  She took really good care of me.  About lunch time, we picked up my stuff and got in her car.  I stayed in the car while she went to Kroger to get me a few things that I didn’t get the other day.  Then we went to Choo Choo BBQ and got me lots of BBQ to do me a few days.  I’m now well stocked for food.  I might not leave the house for a week!!

I have mostly just laid around today – I took a nap for a while even.  I have not had a pain pill yet today because I’m not in a lot of pain, unless I move a good bit.  I may take one tonight right before bed or I may not.  It’s quite early – not even 6 pm yet – but I decided to go ahead and write the blog now.  If anything really interesting happens later tonight, I’ll tell you about it tomorrow night.  I did get on the scales a few minutes ago and it looks like I’ve gain 10 pounds – TEN!!!!!   I know part of that is the gown and socks, but I hope a lot of it is liquid from the hospital.  My hands are swollen so maybe it is.

As surgery recovery goes, this has not been too bad.  Could not have taken care of myself though so I’ve very thankful that Sue took such good care of me.  For sure!!!!

October 2, 2017 Monday

There is no way I can mentally or physically write the blog tonight so maybe I’ll be able to write it tomorrow at some point.

October 1, 2017 Sunday

I didn’t sleep very well last night – I kept waking up and having trouble going back to sleep.  When I got up, I didn’t rush to get anything done but I made myself a good breakfast.  I suppose I was a little nervous today about surgery tomorrow because I was experiencing a different attitude toward food than usual.  I kept wanting to eat and to eat things I don’t usually care about.  I went to Kroger to get food for several days of staying home and recovering and wanted to get bread and ice cream.  I passed the bread aisle okay and headed to the meat section.  I looked at all the kinds of meat I like but couldn’t bring myself to buy anything.  There was just nothing there I wanted – that’s unusual.  I kept walking the aisles and the only things I found to buy were peaches and watermelon.  I finally headed toward the ice cream section determined to get some – again an unusual thing for me.  I didn’t make it that far.  I found a coconut creme pie and some frozen peaches and Cool Whip.  I got those.

When I got home, I put away the groceries but then I decided to eat my treats!!  After a while, I was sick of pie and peaches, so I put what was left in the fridge and sat, my stomach entirely too full.  So naturally, I decided a nap was in order!!  I sat in my chair, turned the volume down on the tv and napped.  It was wonderful.  I had turned on my gas logs and covered up with an afghan – after all, frozen peaches, Cool Whip and frozen coconut creme pie are all COLD and my tummy was not only full but cold!!  I had a nice nap but I kept waking up with texts and phone calls, but I had no trouble getting back into nap mode each time.  Luckily I had set an alarm so I’d be awake for supper with the girls.  Just what I needed – more food!!!!!

Phyllis fixed us a very nice dinner and I really enjoyed my salad and ham and cheese toasty!!!  It was very good.  The others also had vegetarian lasagna and butternut squash but those are just not interesting to me!!  We had good conversation and it was just a nice evening.  Then we had dessert!!!! Strawberry shortcake and it was delicious.

When I got home, the first thing I did was pack my bag for Monday night at Sue’s house. It just occurred to me that I did not pack my toothbrush – I’ll have to make sure I remember that!!!  The next thing I did was to remove my diamond necklace I love so much – I never take it off – and my earrings – that was an experience because I had had them on so long, the little plastic piece on the back would not come off of the second earring so I had to get wire cutters and cut the earring off.  I hate that because I really liked those earrings.  I hope Paula can find me another pair of them. Then I started clearing up the kitchen – I nibbled on the peaches and coconut pie and then threw them away, filled and ran the dishwasher, and took out the trash.  I think things are about ready for me to be gone for a day and then come back to stay for a few days.  Sue and I may have to stop on the way to my house Tuesday so I can get some meat since I couldn’t today.  Oooohhhh – maybe I should get the makings for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches!!!  Yum.  Maybe,  maybe not.  I can guarantee that I will not be getting coconut pie or frozen peaches and Cool Whip.  I am SO FULL that I feel terrible.

It is now past midnight and I am in the no food or drink phase of the day.  I’m thirsty!!!  I expect it’s all in my mind, but that counts for something!!  I don’t really want to go to sleep because I’m not really looking forward to the events on Monday.  I just want it done but I don’t want to have to do it!!!  Strange, I know.

I have felt pretty strange all day today but I think it’s just nerves about the surgery.  Physically, I’ve been fine.  I did have a really intense bout of diarrhea late last night but that finally ended and hasn’t happened today.

I suppose it’s about time for me to take my double shower and use that slimy red surgery soap and let it soak in for a while.  Last night’s shower was really strange and I’m sure tonight and tomorrow mornings’ showers will also be strange.  Then the fun begins!!

Morning weight – 217.0

September 30, 2017 Saturday

It was an interesting night in mine and Zoe’s room last night.  She kept waking up because of her stopped up nose and then she would crawl into bed with me.  I’d have to get up and change beds in a little while because she is such a heater and makes me too warm to sleep.  Then she’d wake up and want into my new bed.  We changed beds several times during the night – it was the only time we’ve ever done that!!  Overall, I had a good night’s sleep and we didn’t get up til 8:30 which is really late for us!

I had a nice day with the kids – I love playing with them and watching them play.  It wears me out but it’s always interesting. Today was an inside day – we didn’t go outside much at all.  It was just a really nice day.  After Frank got home, I gave him a haircut – always an interesting and challenging experience.  Then he gave Coen a haircut – Coen has always stayed really still while Frank cuts his hair with the clippers and has never been afraid of the clippers.  Today he kept saying that it tickled and he laughed as he got his haircut.  Then we had dinner and I left to return to Dalton.

It was a nice fast drive back home and now that I’m home, I’m tired.  I forgot about writing the blog until I had started my shower!!  I had to do my first of three showers with the surgery soap and that was a strange experience.  I had to do a regular shower with regular soap and shampoo and then use the surgery soap from my neck down and let it sit on me for three minutes before rinsing it off.  That is strange, slippery thin liquid soap.  I suppose that as long as it does its job of killing bacteria, it’ll be worth it.

Then I came back to my computer to do the blog.  And I’m having a hot flash.  I haven’t had near as many lately and that’s been nice.  The diarrhea has been a little less intense today and that’s always good.  My hair and nails are continuing to grow so that’s good.  Things are definitely looking up.

Tomorrow I will spend time getting ready for the day of surgery on Monday and getting groceries so that I can stay fairly home bound for several days if I need to take the pain pills and not drive anywhere.  It’s going to be an interesting experience!!