not feeling so hot

I've been feeling more short of breath and sick and think the fluid may be back, so I'm going to contact my doctor tomorrow, and likely they'll send me to the ER again. I'm hoping they will just xray and drain it if needed, but I suspect they'll make me do the ER thing. It's so exhausting.

Jill and Jen will take me in if I"m directed to. I can barely make it from my room to the bathroom, and it's only about 5 feet. I get extremely out of breath and it is frightening when it happens.

I can't deny that I'm very tired of all this. I'm angry, frustrated, and going back to old feeling of the unfairness of it all.

I'll do my best to keep you posted, but just don't know what will be happening or when I'll be back online.

xxoo to all

LOTS OF CARE

Care-full.

I'm being taken very good care of by Jon and Jen, at their house. I've taken up residence for now in their spare bedroom. I have everything I need, they fix nice healthy meals and bring them to me. I have the TV, cable, my laptop, books and magazines, a comfy bed,, and my new necessity: oxygen. I have come to appreciate O2. Life-giving.

not so much fun

well, no place fun.

In UM Hospital for 5 days. I came home from TC, and on Monday I called my doctor to describe how short of breath I'd been, she sent me to the ER.

I had a plerual effusion (fluid between the lung and chest wall. They removed a full litre of fluid and my lung reinflated (it hadn't collapsed, really) and kept me till they did all the poking and proding they felt like doing.

I have had some vision changes in my right eye, and they assesed that by making sure I don't have any brain tumors (thankfully), but there is fluid beneath my retina which will be further evaluated. It could be the cancer. I will see some big-shot retina specialist in a couple weeks.

My oxygen level when I got there was low, and I've been on oxygen since, even now. Fun times, let me tell you.

No telling if and when the fluid will come back... but it probably will.

Can you tell I'm not too happy about these latest events?

I'll keep you posted.

not so much fun

well, no place fun.

In UM Hospital for 5 days. I came home from TC, and on Monday I called my doctor to describe how short of breath I'd been, she sent me to the ER.

I had a plerual effusion (fluid between the lung and chest wall. They removed a full litre of fluid and my lung reinflated (it hadn't collapsed, really) and kept me till they did all the poking and proding they felt like doing.

I have had some vision changes in my right eye, and they assesed that by making sure I don't have any brain tumors (thankfully), but there is fluid beneath my retina which will be further evaluated. It could be the cancer. I will see some big-shot retina specialist in a couple weeks.

My oxygen level when I got there was low, and I've been on oxygen since, even now. Fun times, let me tell you.

No telling if and when the fluid will come back... but it probably will.

Can you tell I'm not too happy about these latest events?

I'll keep you posted.

Home

from TC. I enjoyed seeing friends and being out in the real world, since all I've done lately is lay on the couch. It did wear me out completely, and I had some sick times. I've got some issues to take up with my doctor th is week, as I'm continuing to have a lot of nausea, and have developed some new issues I'll talk more about later. I suspect I'll have a round of miscellaneous tests this week.

for now, it's off to bed

zzzzzzzzzzzzz

TC or bust

heading up today to return mid-day Sunday


wish us luck

at this point

the trip to TC is still on. I'm struggling with medications, etc, but I feel no worse than I do today, I'm going! I might as well feel lousy there are here, and I can sleep in the car since someone else will be driving.

I'm close to Munson Medical Center, to my old doctors, and lots of beautiful things to see.

Still here.......

I've struggled with more nausea this week. It's been frustrating, but I'm doing ok. I just need to continue to rest and recuperate, while making sure I use some muscles. A fine balance to find, sometimes, but the chemo really does knock me out.

I have a long weekend in Traverse City planned for the first weekend in August, and I scheduled my chemo around it so I can enjoy it as much as possible. It will be 4 weeks out from a treatment, so I should feel pretty strong and healthy (barring any unforeseen problem) (positive thinking, here, I'm going to be fine that weekend!) My friend Hesper and her husband will be out of town, and offered me their home while they are gone. I'm going to go up with Jill, my sister Marsha, and her daughter. Marsha has never been to TC, and she and Chrissy (and Chrissy's dad) have lived in Houston for the last 25 years, and so this will be very new to Chrissy. She's not sure what to expect, I think, she is thinking: trees, a lake or two....not understanding how beautiful the area is. Of course I'm so prejudiced because it is my dream to have lived there, and I never wanted to leave. I find it so incredible. It is a soothing and calming area, for me. I love the farms, the orchards, the lakes, the forests... not the busy lake/home areas...not the built-up parts, (there aren't too many, thankfully) but the open beautiful parts.

I'm so excited.

If you are unfamiliar with northwestern lower Michigan, please check out these links. I highly recommend it as a vacation destination. Miles of sugarsand beaches, no crowding, completely preserved, and has the most incredible sunsets into Lake Michigan.

http://www.record-eagle.com/area_guide/
http://sleepingbeardunes.com/