Yesterday Doctor Day

Today is Thursday, March 31, 2011. The weather this week has been very wet. Thunderstorms have been here every day. Which is a good thing, the plants and trees are really needing it. Everything is so green and clean!

Yesterday was Doctor day, ugh...... It was a good doctor day though. Didn't have anything bad to say. He removed the stitches around my stoma, which I think should have come out earlier than yesterday. There were two that felt like there was flesh attached to them. It looks really good, the swelling has gone down lots too, a little more to go. By him messing with this area, it make me go into a coughing fit, geesh I truly hate to cough.

Next came the removal of that wonderful feeding tube. The stitches holding it in had to come out, the inside of my nose is still sore. That is the nastiest feeling, a tube traveling through your body. I am NOT one to have anything mess with my nose to start with. But it is out! No more tape on my nose or on the side of my face! However, what I didn't know that he was going to put that scope up my nose to check things out. Dang it man, I don't know how people put drugs up their nose! He told me that he would be doing it often to keep an eye on things. How often is often?

Then he took the dressing off of my arm. He said that it looked really good and was time to do the skin graft! This makes me very happy! Let me clear that up, I am very happy that very soon I will have two hands to work with again, I am NOT happy that my thigh is going to have road rash! I am really thinking that this is going to be very painful! I e-mailed Patty she has a shop "A Company of Angels", to see if she had any skirts. Bless her heart she did, so I got two, one for washing and one for wearing. I am hoping I can get one of the kids to take me to the shop, I haven't been there in so long. Her shop is so tranquil, I used to love to go and just sit and soak up all of the goodness. If you are ever in Lake City, stop in and enjoy her shop, your mind, body and spirit will thank you!

He was thrilled with the stoma covers, not as thrilled as I am to be making them. I am going to try to cut the fabric for Allie's quilt today. Have to make George's mom some mints, they are not doing so well. Then to finish up the laundry and get the ironing done.

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today. ~Brightest Blessings~

It's Been A Wonderful Week

Today is Saturday, March 26, 2011. The weather has been just beautiful. Starts out with lots of fog in the morning and then the sun comes out warms everything up and in the afternoon, a gentle breeze to keep things nice.

Have been working on the stoma covers the last couple of days. I think I have gotten the pattern down the way that I would like to do them. When I checked out of the hospital, although they told me that I needed to keep my stoma covered, offered nothing to cover it. What ever you use to cover it, it has to be breathable. Anything to heavy makes it hot and very hard to breath.

So I have decided that when I make one, I will make two of the same, one for the hospital and one for me. I am going to donate them so that when folks are discharged from the hospital then will have a stoma cover to wear. The day that I got out it was very breezy out and I used a bandanna folded in half, it was hot and very hard to breathe.

They can also be given to the folks that need a little help with getting a few to wear. You have to remember that our necks have become our nose with a direct link to our lungs. So keeping our stomas from getting anything in them is very important to keep us healthy.

#5 son has moved back home. I have to say I am delighted! I knew that he wasn't ready to face this world, not yet any way, but he had to find out for himself. It will be so nice that he can do a lot of the driving that George has had to do. The great thing is he is still at the age he likes to drive. He mowed the lawn yesterday and made a trip to town for me. He also helps in the the kitchen, he is a wonderful cook. It is a real pleasure to have him home.

I am having a real problem with my skin. It is so very oily and yet just peeling like it is very dry. The only thing I can think of is it has something to do with being in the hospital for 2 weeks. If anyone has had this skin issue, please let me know what caused it and how to fix it. It is very irritating, it itches so bad and at the same time it is very tender, I try to keep my hands off of it.



Need to get going the washer has stopped and I need to get more stoma covers made along with a few other things. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, productive day!

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today. ~Brightest Blessings~

I Passed!

Today is Thursday, March 24, 2011. The weather has been just gorgeous! In the low eighties with a little breeze. Everything is green and either budding or blooming. I couldn't believe on the drive home from the hospital, how much color had bloomed all over, just beautiful.

I am so truly blessed! A couple of nights ago George had come home with a package. I didn't think much of it, he had stopped at the parts house on the way home. I poured him a cup of coffee, we were getting ready to change the dressing on my arm. (Has to be done every 3 days) So after changing the dressing George asked what was in the box, I have no idea, thought it was something from the parts house. He grabbed a knife and said let's find out.

My heart just soared as tears of joy fell. Members of the group Magical Holiday Artists had sent a box of love. They had made everything you see in the picture! Even chocolate covered pretzels, a favorite of mine and green tea, puzzle books, gorgeous drawings and trinkets I get tears thinking about all of the love that went into putting that box together! George was just in awe that these ladies had done this!

Yesterday was a seven hour day at the hospital. Dental day and the big day for my swallow test. I PASSED! So a week from today the feeding tube is to come out. I have no idea way they didn't take it out yesterday other than no coordinating on their part, doctor and speech department. But, that's okay they are NOT going to rain on my parade. Speech doctor, whom I truly adore, Brent told me that I need to make my first couple of meals liquid and then start working into the soft foods. He doesn't want me eating dense food until we see how things are going. I can live with that! George stopped on the way home to get me a vanilla milk shake, talk about a real treat! I felt so special riding home, in the front seat, eating my shake with a spoon. I bet it took 45 minutes to eat that shake!

Now to get back on the protein, need to gain back the weight I lost while on the feeding tube, 7 pounds. I can't afford to lose weight going into radiation. If I start losing weight during treatment, they will insert a feeding tube into my belly. I know the radiation isn't going to be a walk in the park, but I know that if given the chance I can eat and keep my weight stable.

This is a picture of my arm without dressing, so if you have a weak stomach, don't click the link. It is looking good, there is now thickness, or meat to it. Will find out about the graft next Thursday.

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today. ~Brightest Blessings~

Just Catching Up

Today is March 18, 2011. A beautiful spring more like summer day, of 83 degrees. The trees are budding and there are even flowers blooming.

While I was in the hospital, I gained a daughter, #4 son and now his wife were married! They wanted to push up the date and I told them NO, life continues to go on and you are going to get married as planned. And they did! They had someone to take a video and loads of pictures. I am so proud of them. They were married at Fallen Creek just gorgeous, am so looking forward to getting that video!

Went to two appointments on Wednesday. One to radiation and the other to the surgeons. They made my mask and did their CT scan, mapped out where they were going to target the radiation. I will have 6 weeks of radiation, one day each week I will have two doses, 6 hours apart. They are talking Chemo also, I'm not so sure about that. That would be 6 doses of radiation a week plus Chemo? Think I will do some thinking on this. This process took almost four hours.

Then to the surgeons office which took under 30 minutes! Have another swallow test next Wednesday. I have to pass this test! I am so damn hungry for food, I haven't eaten food since February 24, that's a very long time. Woke up the other morning thinking about food. Cottage cheese with fruit, cheese, swiss rolls, nachos oh and lets not forget a greasy burger! Within three weeks I Should have a skin graph on my right arm and then about one week should be able to remove all dressing and start working it again. The prosthesis is 6 months down the road. He wants to make sure everything is healed before doing it.

Today I actually felt pretty good. Got me a bath, did some laundry, ironing, balanced the check book geesh what a mess that was and of course dinner. Had to have some help tonight with peeling the potatoes for the french fries, a little hard to do with only your left hand. Son #5 was more than happy to help and together we made dinner.

Hoping tomorrow to make a couple stoma covers made of cotton for the summer. It will be a test, I have no pattern, so wish me luck. I also have to find a few, don't want just one to wear ever day, bracelet that says " I am a neck breather". I really like the hand stamped jewelry, so I am thinking like a cuff style and making one with chain with the tag in the middle, the designs are so endless.

I have ran on here long enough and still need to have George change the dressing on my arm. Thank all of you! You have been a real blessing to me and my family! I love all of you sweet friends!

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today. ~Brightest Blessings~

There Is No Place Like Home

Today is Thursday, March 10, 2011. A gorgeous Spring day it was today! Just beautiful!

We arrived home last night about 5 pm, it was a very long day, started with a doctor at 6:30 and finally finished with another one about 2 pm finished up with getting things set up for supplies and the home health nurse about 3 pm, got the liquid pain meds, you know the ones that have to go up your nose before they can get to your stomach. Got on the road about 4 and home about 5 along with the afternoon thunderstorms.

Marie the cancer was Squamous cell carcinomas stage 2. I made him write it down for you. He is positive they got it all and it is not in my chest! So a skin graph in a couple of weeks on my right arm (yes, I am typing one handed) and start radiation for 6 weeks. Oh and the most important my voice box replaced. But I do believe that all of these are the day surgeries. The radiation is about 10 minutes Monday thru Friday for six weeks.

I need to go do a feeding, Bless his heart George is taking a nap on the love seat, and lay down myself with my humidifier. No longer have a trach, I now have a stoma.

Thank everyone for all of the healing positive energy, prayers and cards! Christina I love my roosters!

Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today!~Brightest Blessing~