Not Today

 Today is the day I usually post something random and something happy... but...  

Many of you know my mom has had various health issues including breaking her hip and loss of cognitive functioning requiring a move to an assisted living facility.  What you may not know is she has survived so much already!  My father's sudden death, lung cancer, breast cancer, auto-immune disorders, and a whole list of other ailments.  

My beautiful mom and sister.
Photobooth fun at my daughter's wedding.

A few days ago, I learned my sister has been diagnosed with endometrial Clear Cell AdenoCarcinoma.  I will save all the details leading up to the diagnosis, but suffice it to say they should have done her surgery as soon as she began having symptoms, but they did not treat it urgently.

Clear Cell Carcinoma is rare (less than 5% of all endometrial cancers), and it is aggressive. And it scares the *bleep* out of me!  I have looked at the 5 year prognosis (68% is the general consensus).  I can't imagine not having my sister in that short amount of time! I know I need to be positive, but it's dang hard right now! She will have at least six months of chemo and radiation.

About a year ago, my doctor suggested I have genetic testing due to my mom's history.  At the time, I decided I didn't want to know if I carried certain genes.  I've since changed my mind.  I don't have the appointment set yet, and I don't know if insurance covers any part of it, but I am going to have it regardless. I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through genetic testing.

So I can't bring you any random or happy in this post.  Nope.  Not today.

It's Thursday Already!

Link up and play along with Thursday Thirteen!

I am so tired of being sick, and it's only been three days.

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1. Itchy eyes.
2. Fluid in my ears
3. Tinnitus
4. Sore throat
5. Cough
6. Chest pain
7. Can't sleep
8. Blowing my nose every few minutes
9.  Nose is getting raw
10. People asking if I'm okay
11. People telling me I look terrible
12. No energy
13. Scratchy voice




Sorry this was not a very exciting Thursday 13.  But I will leave this for you to cheer you:

It's Tuesday

I'll be linking up with Stacy for some random thoughts.

It's been a heckuva six days for me!

First, the good stuff!

My daughter's boyfriend came to stay with us for a couple of days.  He took her out to a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day, even made reservations.  He's a great kid!  (age 23, yes, he's a kid!  She's 21.)

And then...

Thursday night, I had wished my sister happy birthday and visited a friend who just got out of the hospital, took my twins out to dinner, and got home.  At the top of our stairs, we have a landing, then there are 3 stairs going up to the left and 4 stairs on the right. Kind of like this:

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Well, I went up the stairs on the left to feed the cat.  I picked my stuff back up and went to go down the 3 stairs and up the 4 stairs to my room.  My hands were full, no handrail anyway.  I slipped and fell.

Causes of Concussion

My face broke my fall.  Yes, my face.  And partially my shoulder. My face hit one of the stairs on the other side before the rest of me hit the landing.  Didn't help that I was wearing boots with heels.  Hurt my foot, too, but the biggest problem?  Concussion.

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Headache, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light, fatigue, confusion., occasional blurry vision.
And ugly bruises on my chin and shoulder!

I have been off work since it happened, and I am supposed to be resting.  And I am.  Lots of resting.   They used to teach us that concussion patients shouldn't sleep much, if at all.  It's the opposite now. Can't look at the computer for too long in a row.  Or the TV.  Or a book.  Sleep.  Rest.  I'm starting to do household chores a little at a time to build up stamina and practice using my cognitive abilities.  It's really scary when the doctor tells you  that you have a mild traumatic brain injury, especially knowing that my father died of a brain injury.   You can read about that here. Scary stuff!  I'm scheduled to go back to work Thursday where I will be teaching 130 sixth graders and dealing with almost a thousand kids in the hallways.  Any advice?

And to lighten the mood a little...

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That's all, folks!

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13 Fun Facts about the Common Cold

We've been experiencing the common cold around my house for a little while now.  It has to run its course, and the over-the-counter medicines we tried either didn't help or caused some side effects.  Living in a region where the February weather has bipolar disorder (78 one day, 57 the next, for an example), the common cold is... well, common!  It's just a fact of life!

1.  Over 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and sinus congestion.  200!
2.  In the United States alone, there are over 1 billion cases of a cold each year.  BILLION!
3.  The most common virus (out of the 200) is also more common in the spring, summer, and early fall.
4.  Cold-causing germs can live for two days outside the human body.
5.  Coughing, sneezing, or even talking can release respiratory droplets into the air (you probably knew that).  The droplets can travel up to six feet.  That's a safe distance to be if you must be near someone who is sick.

6.  This also explains why we get colds more near the Gulf coast:  High humidity propels droplets more quickly than low humidity.
7.  Vitamin C has NOT been proven to help a cold in any way.
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8.The common cold received its name is the 1500's because the symptoms of the virus were similar to symptoms people would get when they were out in cold weather.
9.  In the United States, doctor visits for the common cold number 75-100 million per year.
10. Parents miss about 126 million days of work to take care of their children.
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11. Feed a cold and starve a fever, an old saying, is actually poor advice.
12. Studies on whether Zinc helps a cold have been inconclusive.
13. Scientists have been able to sequence the entire genome of the major rhinoviruses, so there may someday be a cold vaccine!

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I'll Be Back Soon

I have been under the weather, but I will be back soon.  Promise!

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Thursday Thirteen

I found out my sister has shingles, so I am going to get the shingles vaccine.  I used to say, "I'll take my chances," because the cost is so high and is often not covered by insurance.  Now it's hit close to home, and I am willing to pay to prevent this condition. Consider this a public service announcement.

1.  Shingles is a virus  that is already in your body if you have ever had chicken pox.  It lies dormant in your body and will reemerge in 1 out of 3 people causing shingles.  Not good odds.
2.  The reason it resurfaces is unclear, but it may have something to do with age and/or a weakened immune system.
3.  A person with shingles is contagious to anyone who is not immune to the chicken pox virus until the shingles sores begin to crust over.  If the virus is passed to anyone who hasn't had chicken pox, they would get chicken pox, not shingles.
4.  The virus can only be spread by direct contact with open sores.

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5.  The symptoms include pain,  a red rash that turns into fluid-filled blisters that eventually dry up and crust over, and itching.
6. Other symptoms can include sensitivity to touch, burning, numbness, tingling, fever, headache, sensitivity to light, and fatigue.
7.  The rash often develops as a path of blisters that wraps around the torso.
8.  It often occurs on the face, neck, and hands as well.

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9.  Anyone who has had chicken pox can get shingles, but it is more common and more serious in people over age 50.  People who have HIV or cancer, are receiving cancer treatments, or people who are taking anti-rejection drugs are at increased risk.
10. One of the complications is postherpetic neuralgia, damage to nerve fibers with severe pain long after the sores are gone.
11. Shingles can also cause eye infections which may lead to vision loss and bacterial skin infections.
12. In extreme cases, shingles can lead to encephalitis, facial paralysis, or hearing and balance problems.
13.  There is no cure, but there are treatments available to speed recovery and prevent complications.  There are anti-viral drugs that can be prescribed, pain relievers, and topical creams that can help ease the symptoms.

Vaccine Finder

I am going to get vaccinated because I would much rather prevent the virus from attacking me than have to deal with the rash, pain, and possible complications.  Thank you to the Mayo Clinic for providing so much information.

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Friday Confessional

Friday Confessional is sponsored by High-Heeled Love.  Won't you join us?

I confess...
One  of my groups of students is causing me exhaustion every day!  Don't get me wrong, I love this group of kids, but the boys outnumber the girls 5 to 1.  Yes, for every 1 girl in that class, I have 5 boys!

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I had forgotten how PHYSICAL boys this age (11-12) can be when you get big groups of them together without enough femininity to offset their budding masculinity.  They're always pushing, shoving, tackling, chasing, jumping, or falling on the floor.  And not because they're being bad.  They're just so physical!  And today, one of the little buggers got me good.  He hid in a doorway as I was coming down the hall, and he jumped out and scared me, just like my son used to do, actually still does sometimes.  They're great fun, but I am exhausted when they leave my room after an hour and a half each day.

I confess...
I'm still feeling somewhat depressed.  It started when I was confined to my recliner for 5 1/2 weeks this summer after shoulder surgery.  Then I had a car accident.  And my body is going through changes I am sure are related to turning 50 very soon.  Not to mention the stress at work over added job duties and a complete change in curriculum and methodology that is requiring me to work harder and longer than I have in years.

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Have you ever heard of Project Semi-colon?  Our counselors at school sent us a link this week to read some inspiring stories in order to help students who suffer with mental illness or addiction.  According to the website, Project Semicolon is a faith-based non-profit that encourages and supports people with depression, addiction, and thoughts of self-injury or suicide.  If I were ever going to get a tattoo, and I'm too scared to ever do it, but if I were, it would be a semi-colon, and not just because I'm a grammar nerd!   "Writing [a] semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life.” Doesn't that just say it all?

I confess...
That's all for now!  Have a great weekend!

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Prison

Another typical, busy day,
          imprisoned in illusions,
Get the kids to school on time,
          locked behind the bars of my brain,
Make appointments with the dentist,
          imagining gray walls closing in
Sweep and mop the floor and scrub the tubs,
          feeling damp and groggy,
Meet Alice at the deli for ham and Swiss on rye,
          I hear them-committing their crimes, reading my mind,
Swing by the library to get Rob's books,
          bombarded with needles in my brain.
Home by 2 to meet the plumber,
          They get to me,
Pick the kids up from school,
          They warn me,
Home again to cook dinner, but what?
          They betray me,
Help with homework and projects,
          staring at the defective shapes in my head,
Baths, bedtime stories, and prayers,
          They control my bloody thoughts!
Just another day.
          Prison.

     

The topic for Sunday Scribblings was "prison.
i'm curious to see who "gets it."  I welcome your comments.
I've been reminded lately of the difficulty there is in getting adequate mental care for people in our country, and it saddens me.  Jolene, this is for you!

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Un-Productive

I'm not getting as much done in the last two days as I usually do.  The intermediate school kids' germs finally caught up with me.

I didn't call in sick today because I was thinking, "What if I feel worse tomorrow?"  Now, I'm thinking the same thing about tomorrow.  What if I feel worse the next day?

I know it's a virus, so I'm not going to bother going to the doctor.  I've had a lot of students out sick the past two weeks.  Anyone else got the bug?

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Not Just Prayers... but A Miracle

Is what we need now.  Poor Jenny. Some of the things she was doing for herself, she is not doing anymore.  It's as though her body is shutting down.  No reflexes or movement.  Her pupils are fixed and dilated.  Breathing tube is doing all the work. The Drs. aren't optimistic about meaningful brain activity.

I have cried so much today.  I'm so glad I took my daughter to see Jenny today and didn't wait, because there may not be a "later."  I have to be honest with myself about this.  My poor daughter is beside herself, yet she is still hoping for a miracle.  That is what we need.

If you're a praying person, please remember to ask for healing for Jenny and comfort and strength for her parents.  Please also ask that my daughter, one of her best friends for the past six years, will be able to deal with her grief should the miracle not happen.  These precious girls are only 14 years old!  I don't know God's plan, but I know he has one.  I just wish I understood it.

Send the Get Well Fairy

My regularly scheduled posting is interrupted...

I haven't been this sick in a long, long time. Low fever, aches, stuffy nose, chest congestion, cough, sore throat, headache, and no energy. If I didn't know better, I would think I had the flu, but I've had my flu shot this year just like I have every year for as long as I can remember.

I had big plans for this holiday week, and I got to do a few things I wanted to do, but it looks like the rest is cancelled, including plans I had with friends for tonight. I'm supposed to cook a turkey breast and homemade cornbread dressing for my mom, kids, and nephew. Not sure that's gonna happen now. I can't be around my mom while I'm sick. She had another chemo treatment today and can't risk getting what I have. Black Friday shopping is out of the question at this point, not to mention starting my Christmas decorating and doing some crafting.

Anyway, if you see the get well fairy, will you please send her my way? I'm going to go rest again.

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Prayer Works

Thank you, everyone who has prayed for my mom. It's nothing short of a miracle.

She has had so many difficulties since her surgery January 7. I can't even begin to name them all. She started coming around mentally Wednesday evening (a week after her lobectomy). She'd been in distress both physically and mentally for the whole week. We thought we were losing her.

The problem that remained until today was her heart rate, which had soared. There was an irregular rhythm, an atrial flutter, not something you can live with for very long. She was scheduled for a heart shock (not the medical term, obviously), but today, shortly before being taken for the procedure, her heart returned to normal! On its own. Even her cardiologist had no explanation for it except prayer.

The last 36 hours have been great. She is even being moved out of ICU to a regular room. If we can get her blood pressure to return to normal, she may come home soon. And - her doctor convinced her to have chemo (in a few weeks) which she had adamantly refused since this started.

If anyone tells you that miracles don't happen, or that prayer doesn't work, I'm here to tell them they're wrong. Please keep her in your prayers for continued healing. And THANK YOU! All of my blog friends are absolutely amazing!

P. S. Maybe I will have a chance to read some of your blogs this weekend.

Update

I want to thank everyone for their prayers, concern, and support. Please continue to pray for my mom.

Quick rundown:
Wednesday - surgery day - lobectomy - surgery was successful, she came off the breathing tube right away, vitals were stable, pain was the major issue.

Thursday - pretty good day - She was able to sit up, carry on a conversation, get up and walk a few steps twice, drink some water. Nausea was the major issue.

Friday - started off okay, but not a good day - They moved her from the surgical ICU to the medical ICU toward the end of the day because they close the SICU when there are three or fewer patients. Whatever. Her blood pressure was too high. She began to experience some "confusion" and hallucinations.

Saturday - perfectly awful day, which actually started during the night - Anemia (had to receive a unit of blood), breathing trouble (they are pushing Oxygen and pulling CO2), low sodium (big issue - I had no idea the effect of low sodium), low potassium, low pulse/ox rate, extreme agitation, hallucinations, disoriented, extremely low blood pressure (79/49), slight fever. They've had to consult the general practitioner, kidney doctor, cardiologist, pulmonary specialist, and finally, the surgeon. I was there from 2:30 until 9:15, and I'm exhausted.

I hated leaving her tonight. Of course, I will be going back tomorrow. Thank you for all of your prayers.

Thursday Thirteen #50

As many of you know, I was at the hospital almost all day today with my mom undergoing surgery to remove the bottom lobe of the right lung due to cancer. Here are 13 observations about my day.

1. Hospitals stink. I mean that literally. In the entry way, I was assaulted by the scent of grape couph syrup. The floors tend to smell like a combination of Pine Sol and dirt. One of the public restrooms smelled of urine. And oxygen has a pungent odor that reminds me of the smell of new vinyl.

2. My mom has many people who love and care about her. Four friends from church arrived this morning. Two of them sat with my sister and me all day. As soon as we got to mom's house, the neighbor was at the door. She is lucky to have people who care.

3. A thoracotomy is a long procedure when it entails a lobectomy, almost three hours in the operating room alone. The rib did not have to come out, but the ribs had to be separated to get to the lung.

4. The surgical intensive care unit will allow a ratio of one nurse for two patients.

5. The hospital is not a place to be if you want to sleep. With the constant beeping of machines, sounds of medicine pumps, drains, catheters, not to mention the nurse's station and the visitors of a hard-of-hearing patient in the next cubicle, it's not likely sleep is going to come. In addition to all that, the nurses come in frequently to check heart monitors, central lines, and so on.

6. A 12 inch incision with a tube left in it to drain the area must be awfully painful, not to mention the unpleasant drainage that comes from it. It looks like she was shot in the back.

7. The nurse basically told my sister to stay away tomorrow. They will attempt to get mom up, have her cough as much as she can to prevent pneumonia, and just generally torture her with some necessary treatments. That won't keep either of us away, though. Why wouldn't they want us to be there?

8. Hospital food is inexpensive. The flipside, you get what you pay for.

9. She will be in surgical ICU as long as her doctor deems necessary, anywhere from 3 days to a week. Then she will go to a regular room to continue her recovery, which according to the doctor, is going to be difficult.

10. If I ever have to be in the ICU, I would like to have a competent, experienced nurse rather than one who is still learning the procedures.

11. There are so many germs in the hospital! I felt like I had cooties when I left.

12. We won't have any news of the prognosis until the pathology report comes back, probably two days.

13. My sister and I still get slap-happy when we are emotionally and physically exhausted, and we can make each other laugh to relieve stress. A paper surgical mask makes a great prop!

P. S. Does anyone know what happened to the Thursday Thirteen home page? I can't find it anymore!

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Thursday Thirteen

If you’re looking for something cheerful, you will want to click away right now. In light of the news about my mother yesterday, I’ve done a lot of reading about lung cancer today. I read some things I already knew, but I did learn a few things, too. Sorry, but it’s very depressing.

1. Because lung cancer metastasizes quickly, it is one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
2. Lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer deaths in both men and women throughout the world.
3. Almost 70% of people diagnosed with the condition are over 65 years of age, while less than 3% of cases occur in people under age 45. (My mom is exactly 65 years old.)
4. Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer in causing the most cancer-related deaths in women in the United States. (This surprised me.)
5. Ninety percent of lung cancers are a result of cigarette smoking.
6. Among people who smoke, 1 in 7 will die of lung cancer.
7. When a person quits smoking, his/her risk of cancer DECREASES each year as normal cells replace damaged cells in the lung. (I’m glad my mom quit – wish it had been sooner.)
8. Nonsmokers who live with smokers have a 24% higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who don’t live with smokers. (I grew up in a smoker’s home.)
9. Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer.
10. Radon gas, a decay product of Uranium that occurs at dangerous levels in 1 out of every 15 homes in the U. S., can also increase the risk of lung cancer.
11. One percent of lung cancer is attributed to pollution.
12. Twenty-five percent of lung cancer is first diagnosed from a routine chest x-ray or CT scan. (Like my mom.)
13. Persistent or chronic coughing and breathing difficulties are often the first symptom of lung cancer. (Like my mom.)

In addition to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, there are several experimental treatments being developed. I feel blessed to live near the best cancer hospital in the country, M. D. Anderson.

Information on lung cancer from Medicinet

Sad News

Last Monday, I drove my mom to the hospital for a lung biopsy. She had two suspicious masses. She had to be awake during the procedure to breathe in and out at the right moments to get the needle where it needed to be. Her skin was deadened on the surface, but I'm sure it was quite uncomfortable. It seemed to take forever (a couple of hours), and they had to hold her for observation and further chest x-rays for three hours after the test. We were at the hospital for eight hours that day.

She had been a smoker for years until, with God's help alone, she quit almost a year ago. I used to smoke years ago. My sister and I both did. And you know that ex-smokers hate smoking worse than anyone! But we couldn't influence her not to smoke. God did. And He and mom succeeded!

She had originally gone to the doctor for a persistent cough that felt like it gave her a lump in her throat, but nothing would come up. Most doctors simply dismissed her with an anti-biotic telling her she likely had pneumonia again. The pulmonary doctor performed x-rays and noticed something. He then sent her for several more tests culminating in the biopsy.

The results - stage 1 lung cancer (3 to 5+ years). However, she is meeting with an oncologist Tuesday. The prognosis, at this point, is hopeful. The cancer seems to be on the outside of the base of the lung, so "surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor generally is indicated for disease that has not spread beyond the lung. " That may prolong her prognosis if the surgery is successful.

Please keep her in your prayers for healing. I've already lost my dad (at age 69, suddenly, from hemotosis of the brain). I need to keep my mom around for a while. And thanks for reading.

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Tennis Elbow

I don't play tennis, but I have "tennis elbow" in my right arm.

Back when I was participating in tae kwon do (which was a great workout and stress reliever), I developed Lateral Epicondylitis, commonly called tennis elbow, in my right arm. It's caused by repetitive and forceful movement of the forearm which is why many tennis and raquetball players develop it. Meatcutters often get it, too.

So what's my excuse since I'm not doing tae kwon do anymore? Why did it return? Probably from the everyday overuse that comes with sweeping, mopping, chopping vegetables, lifting heavy objects, and that type of activity. Sometimes there is no obvious cause. All I know is that it hurts.

The doctor diagnoses it by pressing on the bony part of the outside of the elbow. The patient also presses against resistance to determine the severity of the condition.

There isn't much that can be done. Last time I had it, it was so awful that the doctor did cortisone injections in my elbow, which hurt like crazy, but they helped with the pain and healing in the long run. Thank goodness it's not that severe this time. All I can do is use ice, over the counter pain relievers, and try to rest it. Thank goodness typing won't make it worse! At least, I hope.

Want to know more about tennis elbow?
Mayo Clinic
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Just Another Post

I have nothing to say.

You can quit reading now.

Just kidding. Well, sort of.

It's Friday, and that makes me happy on one hand, but on the other hand, I am still sick with the crud. I should buy stock in Kleenex! That's why I feel "blah" right now. For the last three weeks, someone in my household has been sick, including me. Sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, cough, earrache. Just when I get better for a couple of days, and think I have kicked it, it comes back with a vengeance! One of my daughters had an ear infection (she's better now), one of them has strep throat, and one of them has a sinus infection. My son has been the only one who (knock on wood) hasn't really been sick. Even my husband has had the crud. The gloomy weather of late doesn't help.

Here in Texas, we have strange weather. While some of you are dealing with snow, we are having 70 degree days and 45-50 degree nights. Every four or five days, the temperature during the day drops so our high is in the mid-50's . Two days later, it's mid-70's. Back and forth! Back and forth! We're getting quite a bit of rain, too. Which brings me to...

Someone left the sun-roof open in the 4-runner for two or three days and it STORMED Wednesday! I didn't discover it until this morning because I've been driving the truck. The inside of the car is a mess, the leather and the floor! And the smell! I can't begin to describe it. My husband didn't believe that the smell was so bad, until he drove it to Bubble Island tonight. It's supposed to feel good when your husband tells you you're right. How often does that happen? I had him wet-vac the carpet, but I think I'm going to have to take it to a detail shop. This incident led to a great writing topic for my sixth graders today.

Lest you think I'm just a complainer, on a positive note, I took my daughter to Mardel tonight, and the lady who was checking out in front of us had about 40 items in her cart - no exaggeration! Instead of getting frustrated, I waited patiently, which is huge for impatient-me. I offered to push one of her (extremely-full-of-merchandise) carts to her car. She actually allowed me to do this, a complete stranger, and it left me with a warm feeling - that I had done something kind for someone else instead of just thinking about myself and how miserable I've been feeling AND that I have modeled kindness for my daughter. I am no saint, to be certain, so this small thing made me feel good.

Let me end by mentioning small things again. Have you checked out Rachel Anne's blog and her Small Things Challenge at Home Sanctuary? It's not a contest. It's a way to help you bring peace, order, and/or beauty to your life by doing small things each day. Check it out!