June 9, 2011

• Time to Post Again

  It’s been such a long time since I last wrote anything, here!

  I’m okay (for real!) ~   

  just very busy and

  still not completely over the fatigue from radiation therapy.

  My friend, Lori K, called me, this week, and as I ran down the list of what has gone on for the past 2 months, I was better able to see what has occupied so much of my time! 

  MY LIST (NOT in chronological order):

  *   My cousin (in California) died of cancer very soon after Hospice was brought in 
  *   We had an impromptu (nice) overnight visit from Jesse’s half brother (and family) from Amarillo
  *   The girls and I have had a number of doctor visits – mainly healthy visits and one case of hives (2 girls)
  *   My NEW oven quit working.  Repairman coming tomorrow, a second attempt to fix it.  (we DO have coverage)
  *   Our fish suddenly started having multitudes of babies, adorable, BUT what to do with them all???!!! 
  *   Had to put out fires with social security, Netflix, our cable TV supplier, my medical insurance coverage, prescription denials, and, I’m sure, much more 
  *  Shopped for several birthday gifts, still have graduation gifts to purchase – then, the wrapping of gifts . . .
  *   Finishing up the last homeschool material (science, health, social studies) 
  *   Am planning and purchasing next years books
  *   I’ve fallen a couple of times (black outs, still bothering me), so nothing like baths or climbing w/o Jesse home
  *   Mammogram & breast ultra sound – the physician pronounced me a miracle
  *   Visit to surgeon who discharged me (she STILL calls me her miracle patient) 
  *   HOWEVER, have been having headaches (combined with blacking out) and yesterday’s visit to the oncologist has resulted in her ordering a brain MRI, along with my routine summer MRI’s of my back.  She wants to be SURE and thinks black outs and headaches might be from dehydration and the fact that my neck spasm is still present (from the doctor who did the epidurals in my neck last October) 
  *   Because I’ve felt better (STRONGER), we’ve started going to the library, spending time at favorite places like our Christian book store, Barnes & Noble, etc. (even went to the mall with Jesse!)
  *   Started attending Sunday morning church services again (2 weeks ago).  Feels good to be back in fellowship!
  *   My step mother died.  My bio-father died years ago and this was his wife.  Her son (my step-brother) was nice to call me with the news, & said he found a few of my dad’s things, so he’s been mailing them to me
  *   Jesse sold his extra truck – had a few things to do to get it ready to sell – yay! 
  *   We dodged, and were spared from, several news making tornadoes.  The biggest one was bearing down on us and shifted about 2 miles away from our neighborhood.  VERY scary!!!  A couple of times, we packed and spent some time sitting in our “centrally located hallway,” listening to sirens and the news reports of the location and severity of the tornadoes.  

  I’ve also done mending, cleaned my closet to make more room, moved some furniture and nick nacks around the house, cleaned out my books to give away, cleaned and organized our two HUGE pantries, and rearranged my desk area.  All of the reorganizing was done in hopes of making the areas more efficient.

  Today, the girls are culling out the old & used homeschool books and we’re going grocery shopping in a little bit.  Not a bunch of money this trip (thank you, Lord). 

  As you can see, that’s quite a bit of activity and I’ve only had half (or less) of my usual spunk and energy.

  The biggest medical news is that I’ve had a rare (but marginally possible) reaction to the bone medicine IV I’ve been receiving each month, since fall 2009.  My bottom, left molar has loosened, rocks back & forth, and causes great pain when chewing (even on the other side, because my teeth don’t meet correctly on the left), and then, UNDER that tooth (on the inside), my bone has started to cut through the skin.     The amount of bone, that is protruding, has gotten bigger and the oncologist confirmed, yesterday, that is was a reaction to the Zometa IVs. 

  Now, get a load of these statistics!!!!  ~

  Out of the 300,000 users of Zometa, only 1,000 cases of bone protrusions (osteonecrosis) have been reported WORLDWIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!       And (like always) I’m one of those rare few. 

  I have to find a dentist that knows about this condition and the medicine that caused the problem (we have NO dental insurance). 

  The IV’s will be stopped, maybe for a year.  After that, we can schedule them 3 or 4 times a year; OR, start another kind of medication.  I need something to protect my bones from recurring cancer.  Meanwhile, they say stopping the medication, possibly some antibiotics, and, as a last resort, hypobaric treatments are the round of procedures in the future.  It’s always something, isn’t it?!  

  Again, if I’m going to be in that “rare percentage” of rare complications, at least God has also placed me in the “rare percentage” of good stuff that happens (my cancer healing)  – and I AM grateful for that. 

  This post has become TOO long, and I need to get dressed, so we can go to the store before it’s 100 degrees!

  May God bless you ALL  ~
   

  • 12:24 pm
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