Friday, July 16, 2010

And when you are down.......

Ah the dreaded fear of infection......I got hit hard on Tuesday this week when the wound took a turn for the worse...to gross to discuss but none the less required a late night trip to the Chandler Hospital ER, overnight tests, then an ambulance ride back to Good Sam where I spent a couple days once again. We hope we have this under control, things look better now and I am home again. I must say, if I did not have whip lash before the ambulance ride, I did after..lol. What a bumpy, uncomfortable ride to say the least. If I am ever in an accident I plan to call for limo transport and skip the whole ambulance idea....yikes. While in the hospital (for surgery) my roommate was a wonderful lady, also fighting cancer. She thought she was through the worst but no, new surgery for new tumors was required... I felt so bad for her and her disappointment with the new news. She underwent surgery after I was released and I found out this evening, died in surgery the day I arrived back with my infection. While so sad to have lost a new found friend, I was blessed to have had the opportunity to meet her as her spirit, like mine, was so strong. I pray her family heals and holds dear her memory. Her name was Debbie....we joked at the confusion over having two namesakes in the same room. :) Rest in peace Deb, I will miss you. Thank you all, for your unending support as it is a source of strength for me each day. Thanks to our daughters for coming to help keep things afloat after surgery and thanks to my sister for lending support to Les and myself during surgery. My family is a gift like no other gift received and I am eternally grateful for their love and sacrifices made on my behalf. Be well, be happy and may we all continue to seek only Positive Pursuits.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Surgery Update

I learned, at an young age, that my list for Santa could be as long as I like, but I would only receive one or two gifts from him. I learned I would not always get what I want.

Such is the case here... the colon tumor was removed but the liver resection did not happen. Word on the ward is that it would have put me at a higher rate of risk than the surgeon wanted to take. So, this chance for a cure was unsuccessful.

That is not to say I am out of options, I am not. Next steps will be the Radiology Oncologist. It is here where tiny radioactive seeds are planted in the remaining tumors where they are subsequently blasted from within. This should work and is safer than the resection. In any event, I am recuperating at home, slowly but surely. Won't be back to normal for awhile, takes about 6 weeks or so and I am only one week into being home. I have been gutted, much the same as a fish ....lol hence my abs are of no value right now. I sleep in a recliner as I cannot get out of a bed yet. Eating is minimal however all internal parts are working, thank God.

I appreciate your prayers during my surgery and now, recovery. I ask you to keep me in your thoughts for awhile longer while I head back to chemotherapy and a longer road to recover. I will get there, apparently the hard way, but as long as I have options, I am good to go.

More to come...too tired to linger here.,... be well, be happy and remember to seek only Positive Pursuits. xoxoxo me.