Well well, Now it's wednesday 11/12/08 and Dolly is growing by the hour. The right side of my chest (aka Dollyworld) is now huge. I feel like if I don't hurry up and split at the seams I will burst. I didn't have the best luck getting blood taken today, by a newbie and a trainee. I kinda lost it after they blew the 3rd vein looking for blood and didn't have any luck. I believe in trainees, I just don't believe I'll have another one anytime soon!
Dr. Yee came into my room around 700am, basically suprised to see my 'Dolly" and concerned about the slight pink color and temp around the area, thought that infection had set in, just in the area that she voided out on 11/5. So heavy duty antibiotics get put into the ole IV, morphine, percocet and a regular diet of hospital food keep me feeling healthy wealthy and wise! The day actually was a blur, so I'll skip to Thursday 11/13. So in a nut shell, I'm scheduled for emergency surgery. They're going to go in and basically suck the crud out of me. Keep me on a high dose of antibiotics and pain meds.
So Im about to eat my breakfast (hard pancakes, oatmeal, OJ and toast) when the nurse comes in tells me Im due into surgery in 6 hours and now I can't eat anything. It was a scene outta a movie , those hospital people, wheeling my food laden tray into the dying sunset as I sat there in my designer gown and manly sports bra. Ok...time to brush my tooth..
They came and got me around 2pm. I met with my team of Dr's again, and reaquated myself with the surgical nurses and recovery team nurses that I had just seen last thursday. Call it a mini-James reunion. They were/are very positive and sending me good vibes for this hopefully last surgery. Ok everyone...say goodbye to Dolly..........off to surgery we go.
I got "put under" very well from my Dr. Xia (his chinese humor is the pits, he best stick with his day job) .Dr. Yee told Dan that she was very suprised at the size of my blood clot, and had no idea that it was that big. (I guess we're talking baseball) They re-cauterized the open area and sewed me back up.I came out of surgery a few hours later then recovery (pending a bloody nose) and from what I could feel I felt great. I felt so alert as if someone just flipped the light switch for me to wake up. I went back to my room, where Dan and my sister in law Marianne were waiting for me. I wasn't walking around like a hunchback from Notre Dame, nor look like I was standing in the employement line for the freak of from Wringling Bros. and Bailey's Circus.
Everyone left me in peace around 800pm, and I said good nite to all............Good nite!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Not the plan!
Well, it's now Tuesday later afternoon, I'm so happy that Taylor is flying home from Montana today, I cant wait to see him. He didn't get on the first non-stop outta Denver, but he got on the second one. I pretty much slept all afternoon, got up and took a shower, washed my hair. My mother always said, "if you look better, you'll feel better"...and yup, I looked better, hey, I could even qualifiy to enter Walmart thats how good I felt. So I go down to the basement, turn on the heater lay on the couch and watch the news.
Taylor's plane touched down around 445pm and he just sent me a text saying he was getting picked up from his buddy and would be home around 530pm. Mallori was at the mall, doing what teenagers do at the mall, and would be home around 530pm. Great, Dan should be getting off work at 600pm so the whole tribe would be together in the next hour or so.
So I'm laying on the couch watching the 530pm news, I had this odd sensation, can't quite describe. I looked at Dolly and bam., blood all over the place. I go upstairs just as Mal is walking in the door, and she manages to help me disrobe and see what the problem is. Dolly is so huge and I mean soooooooooooooooooo huge, the discomfort level is at an all time high and now I'm literally bursting at the seams.
Where my 5 inch incision is looked like a small spot where I assumed maybe a stitch that ripped open, ok, stay calm, I called my Dr, they paged her and she called me back. I was instructed to put an ace wrap around my chest tight for pressure, should stop the bleeding. Ok..fine, no big whoop. This was 6pm.....Dan comes in and we have dinner down in the familyroom as a family. Which totally made my day. We left it as "no news is good news".....well, long story short, ..........
By 730pm I was completly soaked thru all guaze, ace bandage and shirt. I called my Dr, as we headed out the door, on our way to OSU E/R. She called the e/r to advise them I was coming and she would be on call for me. (I didn't want anyone messing up the wonderfull job she did on me) Get to E/R and wait and wait and wait.......good thing I wasn't 'bleeding to death" or anything!!!! Long story short, they look at me, the size the temp and before I know it I'm admitted! whoa.............didn't expect this to happen. It's now 200am and Im getting my room at the James hospital and sending Dan home for some sleep.
This wasnt part of the plan. Then what really is? I'll blog more in a bit. This story only gets better! ciao for now, Trace
Taylor's plane touched down around 445pm and he just sent me a text saying he was getting picked up from his buddy and would be home around 530pm. Mallori was at the mall, doing what teenagers do at the mall, and would be home around 530pm. Great, Dan should be getting off work at 600pm so the whole tribe would be together in the next hour or so.
So I'm laying on the couch watching the 530pm news, I had this odd sensation, can't quite describe. I looked at Dolly and bam., blood all over the place. I go upstairs just as Mal is walking in the door, and she manages to help me disrobe and see what the problem is. Dolly is so huge and I mean soooooooooooooooooo huge, the discomfort level is at an all time high and now I'm literally bursting at the seams.
Where my 5 inch incision is looked like a small spot where I assumed maybe a stitch that ripped open, ok, stay calm, I called my Dr, they paged her and she called me back. I was instructed to put an ace wrap around my chest tight for pressure, should stop the bleeding. Ok..fine, no big whoop. This was 6pm.....Dan comes in and we have dinner down in the familyroom as a family. Which totally made my day. We left it as "no news is good news".....well, long story short, ..........
By 730pm I was completly soaked thru all guaze, ace bandage and shirt. I called my Dr, as we headed out the door, on our way to OSU E/R. She called the e/r to advise them I was coming and she would be on call for me. (I didn't want anyone messing up the wonderfull job she did on me) Get to E/R and wait and wait and wait.......good thing I wasn't 'bleeding to death" or anything!!!! Long story short, they look at me, the size the temp and before I know it I'm admitted! whoa.............didn't expect this to happen. It's now 200am and Im getting my room at the James hospital and sending Dan home for some sleep.
This wasnt part of the plan. Then what really is? I'll blog more in a bit. This story only gets better! ciao for now, Trace
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Dolly Parton
Good Morning everyone, beautiful day here. Great night too. Almost a full moon. I would know that because of me being up every hour with my 'girl'.......My girl...let's call her "Dolly" is so swollen, she looks like a tick about to pop. I have some bruises all around my right rib cage and on my sternum. With symptoms like these....who else would I call at 700am in the morning but my dear ole friend "Marsha".
I needed her to get a visual on my symptoms and do some explaining to me about the so called war in the O/R that I presumably lost!! OOOOOOOOOOoh Marsha, what cold hands you have. But hey, it was all good. I felt bad calling her at the crack of dawn with my semi-transgendered manly voice, but darn it, I couldn't take it any more.She really was a lot of help and hey, the price was right! (wink)
I can't wait for this cancer chapter in my life to be ended so I can move on. When it is done folks, I am having a huge bbq for all my friends and family. A little thank you from the bottom of my steak tar tar!!!!!!
I go see Dr. Yee tomorrow at 730am and there are 2 words I plan on hearing...."CLEAR MARGIN" I'm sending positive vibes to you all!!!
Thanks again Marsh,
Trace
p.s. Taylor flys home from Montana today. Should be landing around 2:30pm and will be here till December 3rd!! whooo hoooooooo Oh and anyone plz stop by. I would love the company. Frankly I'm sick of the cat!!!
I needed her to get a visual on my symptoms and do some explaining to me about the so called war in the O/R that I presumably lost!! OOOOOOOOOOoh Marsha, what cold hands you have. But hey, it was all good. I felt bad calling her at the crack of dawn with my semi-transgendered manly voice, but darn it, I couldn't take it any more.She really was a lot of help and hey, the price was right! (wink)
I can't wait for this cancer chapter in my life to be ended so I can move on. When it is done folks, I am having a huge bbq for all my friends and family. A little thank you from the bottom of my steak tar tar!!!!!!
I go see Dr. Yee tomorrow at 730am and there are 2 words I plan on hearing...."CLEAR MARGIN" I'm sending positive vibes to you all!!!
Thanks again Marsh,
Trace
p.s. Taylor flys home from Montana today. Should be landing around 2:30pm and will be here till December 3rd!! whooo hoooooooo Oh and anyone plz stop by. I would love the company. Frankly I'm sick of the cat!!!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
International or Peterbuilt?
Well 'they' say day 3 is the tough one. And sure enough yesterday was day 3. I took the pain meds as directed but never seemed to come out of the fog that was constantly with me throughout the entire day. I can''t sleep on my left hip anymore, can't sleep on my tummy, can't sleep on my right side, ok...guess that leaves the back. I must say that a lazy boy chair sounds darn good right now.
I had trouble all day getting out of bed. Dan walked in last night and asked me .."OMG what happened to you?"....not in a mean way but out of concern. He asked me where I got my bruises?. I said "what bruises?" so he proceeded to take me into the bathroom and show me what I hadn't seen before. The fact that it hurt so much getting up out of bed may be from the bruises on my ribs on the right side. Now we're talking that lovely color of Magenta right there on the right side of the rib cage....this is turning into a treasure hunt now, as we locate one dead center of my chest, on my sternum.
I'm starting to wonder what the heck happened in that O/R? I always try to be the good patient, not a trouble maker. Ok more bruises up under my armpit. So far thats it for now. Frankly, I don't want to find anymore. I feel like I got hit by a truck as it is. Im just not sure if it was a Peterbuilt or an International!!!.
Thank you to all that call, email and comment here at blog central! I found that putting my thoughts/adventures in writing can cause laughter for some! education for others, not to mention it saves me a slew of phone calls with Pete and Re-pete! It's just nice to know I have so many family and friends here in Columbus, in Y-Town and surrounding cities, not to mention the folks I work with! Once again, thank you for calling and checking on me and calling just to chat. I appreciate it more than you know!! For those of you who haven't called me, i/m'd me, or shot me an email, just remember you can't taste visine when it's in your coffee!!!!! LMAO. Yeah _________ you know who you are!
I'll blog when I get outta my fog. Good day for Lifetime movie network.!!! I'll chat later!!! T
I had trouble all day getting out of bed. Dan walked in last night and asked me .."OMG what happened to you?"....not in a mean way but out of concern. He asked me where I got my bruises?. I said "what bruises?" so he proceeded to take me into the bathroom and show me what I hadn't seen before. The fact that it hurt so much getting up out of bed may be from the bruises on my ribs on the right side. Now we're talking that lovely color of Magenta right there on the right side of the rib cage....this is turning into a treasure hunt now, as we locate one dead center of my chest, on my sternum.
I'm starting to wonder what the heck happened in that O/R? I always try to be the good patient, not a trouble maker. Ok more bruises up under my armpit. So far thats it for now. Frankly, I don't want to find anymore. I feel like I got hit by a truck as it is. Im just not sure if it was a Peterbuilt or an International!!!.
Thank you to all that call, email and comment here at blog central! I found that putting my thoughts/adventures in writing can cause laughter for some! education for others, not to mention it saves me a slew of phone calls with Pete and Re-pete! It's just nice to know I have so many family and friends here in Columbus, in Y-Town and surrounding cities, not to mention the folks I work with! Once again, thank you for calling and checking on me and calling just to chat. I appreciate it more than you know!! For those of you who haven't called me, i/m'd me, or shot me an email, just remember you can't taste visine when it's in your coffee!!!!! LMAO. Yeah _________ you know who you are!
I'll blog when I get outta my fog. Good day for Lifetime movie network.!!! I'll chat later!!! T
Friday, November 7, 2008
Atilla the hun
Hello all, the way i feel right now it could be raining cats and dogs and frankly I don't care. Yesterday , Thursday 11/6 was .....let's say....not one of my more memorable days of my life. It was a gorgeous day don't get me wrong. Got to the James at 12:30 for admissions . The hospitals tend to run like the airlines, uh.....not on time. No worries, where was I going? So we sat and sat and sat. I started to get a really bad headache since it was about 1:30 and I hadn't eaten since 6:30pm the night before. Of course reading magazines with recipes in them didn't help!
Finally, hear my name paged and up to the 4th floor pre-op we go. Got into my designer gown, my ghetto hair net and sexy booties. Next comes the IV.I met with my anesthesiologist, and since I had some problems getting the tube down my throat from some previous surgeries, I wanted to make sure he was advised of my throat/breathing problems. Nice guy, took the time to check my mouth out and hear what I had to say. I heard him on the phone ordering a few pieces of some equipment apparently in a different size to suit my needs.
It's now past 3pm and I was originally supposed to have surgery at 1:30pm , the nurse comes in and introduces herself to me, I kiss Dan goodbye and away we go to the O/R.
I slip over onto the popsicle stick of a table. They prop me upwards instead of laying down. I'm thinking, "ok, this is new". The anesthesiologist comes over with this huge needle (now mind you I am fully awake, no happy juice of any kind) he first squirts a lidocaine up my nose, then puts this needle up my nostril and out gushes this gel which is a lidocaine type glob. He tells me to snort it up so it can run down my throat and numb me. I ask why is this being done and he tells me he wants to see how I handle this like laproscopic like breathing tube he's about to put down my throat.
I get this oxygen type like mask put on me next about 1 inch from my face with is spitting clear liquid, which I'm told I need to inhale so my esophagus goes numb. (it was kinda like breathing in the shower under the shower head while it's running....not fun!) Ok!, I'm thinking ok mind over matter I can handle this (again...no happy juice I was fully alert) he puts in a 4 inch tube into my mouth, "great" I'm thinking this is a breeze!...then comes the 'good part'.....the ole laproscopic tube. This thing was about the size of a TV cable and about 10 inches long. I shot him a 'George' look, like..."you're not gonna put this where I think you're gonna put this"...sure enough....down the hatch. In any event, I learned that my gag reflex was NOT numb. I gagged so hard and was gasping for air, I thought I was a gonner, as if I were to be breathing thru a coffee stir stick. They must have inserted the anesthesia at that point because I don't even remember going under.
The surgery went well, it took about 90 min for surgery, I had alot of drugs in me when I was in post op/recovery, so I was in there for 2 1/2 hours give or take a few. I could tell coming 'out' that I was going to be in some pain. I am so swollen on my right side, which, hey,is fine, as long as she got all the cancer cells and I come back with a clear margin. I have some percocet here to help me.
We got home from the hospital last night around 9pm. I slept good till 2am and I have been tossing and turning ever since. But thats ok.....as long as Dr. Yee got all the cells. I can deal with the 'other stuff". Since it's cold and rainy today, I've labeled myself as Atilla, and will soon be going back up to my cave. I would love to write more but I feel the percocet is kicking in. Figaro is taking care of me today. He doesn't understand that he can't take a nap on 'Mom's chest" for a while .Anyhow, I'm feeling drowsier, gotta go. Have a nice weekend. I'll write when I can. T
Finally, hear my name paged and up to the 4th floor pre-op we go. Got into my designer gown, my ghetto hair net and sexy booties. Next comes the IV.I met with my anesthesiologist, and since I had some problems getting the tube down my throat from some previous surgeries, I wanted to make sure he was advised of my throat/breathing problems. Nice guy, took the time to check my mouth out and hear what I had to say. I heard him on the phone ordering a few pieces of some equipment apparently in a different size to suit my needs.
It's now past 3pm and I was originally supposed to have surgery at 1:30pm , the nurse comes in and introduces herself to me, I kiss Dan goodbye and away we go to the O/R.
I slip over onto the popsicle stick of a table. They prop me upwards instead of laying down. I'm thinking, "ok, this is new". The anesthesiologist comes over with this huge needle (now mind you I am fully awake, no happy juice of any kind) he first squirts a lidocaine up my nose, then puts this needle up my nostril and out gushes this gel which is a lidocaine type glob. He tells me to snort it up so it can run down my throat and numb me. I ask why is this being done and he tells me he wants to see how I handle this like laproscopic like breathing tube he's about to put down my throat.
I get this oxygen type like mask put on me next about 1 inch from my face with is spitting clear liquid, which I'm told I need to inhale so my esophagus goes numb. (it was kinda like breathing in the shower under the shower head while it's running....not fun!) Ok!, I'm thinking ok mind over matter I can handle this (again...no happy juice I was fully alert) he puts in a 4 inch tube into my mouth, "great" I'm thinking this is a breeze!...then comes the 'good part'.....the ole laproscopic tube. This thing was about the size of a TV cable and about 10 inches long. I shot him a 'George' look, like..."you're not gonna put this where I think you're gonna put this"...sure enough....down the hatch. In any event, I learned that my gag reflex was NOT numb. I gagged so hard and was gasping for air, I thought I was a gonner, as if I were to be breathing thru a coffee stir stick. They must have inserted the anesthesia at that point because I don't even remember going under.
The surgery went well, it took about 90 min for surgery, I had alot of drugs in me when I was in post op/recovery, so I was in there for 2 1/2 hours give or take a few. I could tell coming 'out' that I was going to be in some pain. I am so swollen on my right side, which, hey,is fine, as long as she got all the cancer cells and I come back with a clear margin. I have some percocet here to help me.
We got home from the hospital last night around 9pm. I slept good till 2am and I have been tossing and turning ever since. But thats ok.....as long as Dr. Yee got all the cells. I can deal with the 'other stuff". Since it's cold and rainy today, I've labeled myself as Atilla, and will soon be going back up to my cave. I would love to write more but I feel the percocet is kicking in. Figaro is taking care of me today. He doesn't understand that he can't take a nap on 'Mom's chest" for a while .Anyhow, I'm feeling drowsier, gotta go. Have a nice weekend. I'll write when I can. T
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Round 2
Good morning everyone, another beautiful day. I actually got a great night sleep last night. The parents called me from JFK prior to leaving for Malaga, Spain and the word is 'no news is good news'. I hope their flight went well and they got some sleep. Malaga is a beautiful city and I'm sure they will enjoy it. In the mean time back here in Columbus, Ohio its indian summer and I think everyone is enjoying it to the fullest. I have to be at the James hospital at 12:30 today then up to O/R at 1:30pm. It's supposed to be a 90 min. to 2 hour surgery. So I'm crossing my fingers that the Doc will snag it all. Positive vibes......nothing but positive vibes. Well since I can't eat or drink anything, I think I'll go up and brush my tooth again and gargle. I'll get dressed and take a walk around the block. It's too nice to stay inside, considering its November!!!! Anyhow, cross your fingers everyone. I'll blog when I'm outta the fog!!! Ciao for now! Trace
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
No time like now!
Good day everyone, another beautiful day here! I had my apt. with Dr. Yee moved up to 12:30pm today and got my hair chopped. I will look like Kris Kardashian Jenner if it's the last thing I do!!! The swelling is down and my incisions are healing very well. They just called me to advise me that there is an opening in the old Operating Room tomorrow 11/6/08 at 1:30pm. I have to be at admissions at 12:30pm. I really wanted this surgery tomorrow, because I had been tentatively scheduled for next Thursday. Taylor comes home on vacation from Montana on Tuesday 11/11!!!! I cant wait to see him. I really didn't want my surgery to be done while he is here, so it worked out. I'm being very optomistic that the Dr. will get the 2 additional cancerous spots out of me tomorrow. And I will have a "clear/clean margin". I have to think overdrive on the positive thoughts that this will be "IT"!. I asked the nurse today what the odds were of having a 3rd lumpectomy and she said 'none'. There fore if the surgery doesn't turn out good tomorrow, then my only option is to have a masectomy. I want to exhaust all my lumpectomy avenues before driving onto the masectomy highway.I am only thinking positive thoughts again. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, wish me luck. I'll post as soon as I can!!! Get out and enjoy the next few days, this weekend it's supposed to be cold!!!!! ciao for now! Trace
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