Not So Good and Good News

Dad "popped a few rivets" as he said to me. He had a Sternal re-wiring with a plate and is back in ICU, still intubated for a bit to get some good rest. They have to find that fine line of keeping his lungs clear but prevent further complications. He'll be 80 this year and has some other health issues. Say a prayer okay?

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

So I'm washing my hair the other day and it feels weird. I made a discovery.

I am growing a new crop of hair.

Shhhhhhhh ! Don't scare them. And they're curls ! Don't know how this will go, but it's cute as heck. Does this mean no more perms? Thing is, the old hairs are still straight. Will they continue to come in straight? This could be verrrrry innnnnteresting!

I got Bobby to get the camera and take some Macros. The two "sparse" pictures are near my incision which is where the radiation was focused. As you look farther away from there, more new hair is mixed in hair that held on for dear life. There is only straight tiny stuff in one area which I think was clipped before surgery (they don't shave anymore). Dr Grossman said it may not come back very well there.

Okay.

Have a look see - you have to blow them up to really appreciate their beauty.

Add My Dad

Now my Dad is having Coronary Bypass surgery. It started innocently enough. After being short of breath when walking the halls of Hopkins recently, he saw his cardiologist. One thing quickly led to another and he was in the hospital. It's been delayed twice already, once to add a left carotid endarterectomy and again (for reasons unknown) over the weekend. But they're keeping him admitted.

My family knows how to throw an O.R. party. When I got to my Dad's room today, nine assorted relatives greeted me, backed out into the hallway. I couldn't even get to him there was so much love in his room. As a former hospital worker, that made me wince. But I don't work there and nobody knows me so pthhhhhhhhdt ! It reminded me of my first Craniotomy. I had thirteen people in the waiting room. People just kept coming. I was so embarrassed. It was my hospital. I was making a spectacle of myself.

Later I realized it wasn't my show.

Not to be morbid, but it's kinda like funerals. People need to gather. They need to protect each other. And my Dad has twelve brothers and sisters plus their spouses, kids, and his wife's family who love him very much.

We're gonna need a bigger room.

So add my Dad to your list tonight. He and his wife will have to cancel the cruise in May and he may have to re-think that cross-country drive in June, but with a gathering of the clan and a few prayers from you guys ~ he'll get by alright.

Legs

My legs may be weak, but they are smoother than a baby's butt. They have absolutely no hair on them. I don't know why. I have hair on my arms and weird steroid hair on my face, but not one on my legs.

Just thought I'd share this for those ladies who shaved this morning.

:-P

Oral Chemo

I'm so blessed to be taking Temodar by mouth once a day at night for just five days a month. Likewise the Anzemet for nausea works like a charm and I sleep like a hibernating bear in spite of the higher dose.

I have a young friend at PeaceandLove who isn't so lucky and is feeling very sick right now. She doesn't even have cancer but is taking some nasty treatment drugs for severe aplastic anemia. At twelve years old I think she's pretty brave and I admire her. I've been trying to think of the perfect gift for her but I'm so out of touch with what twelve year old girls like these days. I think I've got it but need to explore all the options it has . . . and check with her Mom.

Got my two month MRI last week. I got to ride in the Cadillac which has a large bore. Comfy! The results were way better than acceptable. Blah blah blah stable blah blah blah no midline shift blah blah no abnormal enhancement blah blah blah essentially stable. So . . . I'm good to go. And my Oncologist (grinning from his little ear to little ear) and I made a plan for decreasing the steroid once again after this round of Chemo. Steroid every other day. This should kick start my adrenal glands into working on their own again he says. Hey, I gotta go with the Hopkins guy - I pay him the big bucks. He says I'll fell lousy on the off days. We'll see.

I'm not your average cancer patient. :)

My body continues to maintain strength this week. Even balance is a bit better I think. Yaaaay PT. I haven't experienced the big Whump! of fatigue that last month's chemo hit me with. I think the further away from my radiation I am helps that part. Plus I have to eat right, drink fluids and get enough sleep. I work out most mornings and sometimes in the middle of the night I limber up a bit too. Weekends are when I become a slacker sometimes. Sleeping late has it's drawbacks when Bobby makes French Toast for breakfast occasionally and I just have skip exercise to go out and eat it while it's hot . . .

Did I say that was a drawback?