It's Fall You'All

Wow just realized how long it had been since I have posted on my blog, I guess I just haven't had much to say. I love this time of year, the nice weather, the trees turning beautiful shades of color, now the wind is a little much though. Seems like it always does this, when we have a pretty fall with the beautiful leaves then the wind blows real hard for about 2 weeks and all the leaves fall on the ground. So if you aren't mowing you are raking leaves. 

Everything has been going pretty good with me lately, except the stomach bug caught up with me somehow.

It's been a couple of weeks now but I sure didn't feel good, I couldn't eat anything & I wasn't even hungry for several days, I just tried to keep drinking. My counts went crazy, my sodium got messed up and I was dehydrated, I had to get fluids to help me get back up & running you might say. I drank an awful lot of Gatorade, not a big fan but I did it, seems like it lasted quite awhile too. It hung on a good week, I was definitely glad to see it go that's for sure. I just can't believe how fast this year has gone by, we have babies coming soon, Thanksgiving & then Christmas is just around the corner. I actually wrapped a couple of presents today that I had already bought, but that's about the extent of it.

Get out and enjoy this beautiful weather, because it sounds like it is going to be COLD this weekend.

Could Fall Be Near

I'm loving the weather lately, the nice cool mornings are great, even though the afternoon warms up, it's not miserable at all. I prefer 80 degree days much more than 100 degree days that for sure. Seems like when football season arrives so does fall, especially when we have had a hot summer, we are so ready for fall. Just when we think everything has dried up, crunchy grass and all, we get a little rain and like magic everything starts to look green again, you hear lawnmowers everywhere. Most everyone got a little break from mowing for awhile but back to it now. It has been perfect weather to drive our little convertible, we have had it out a few times lately.

The day after my last post I mentioned my steri strips were still very much attached, when I went in for treatment on Thursday my nurse looked at them. She said they should come off, she would clean the incision area and re bandage it. She thought it was healing nicely though, that was good news, the strips just wanted to stay with me I guess. I have had this awful cough for about three weeks, the nurse did ask me about it, I figured it was just allergies, like everyone else. She prescribed me some cough syrup, I take it mostly at night, It may be some better, but just hanging on.

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas, around some places that is, I want to enjoy the Fall first. The stores have had their Christmas stuff up for quite awhile now, even putting it on sale already. It does get you a little excited though, seeing all the wrapping paper, ribbon and all the trimmings. This year seems to have flown by, I really don't know where it has gone.

Our little mother to be's seem to be doing just fine, these two blessed events will be here before you know it, I can hardly wait, two little boys. One by Christmas for sure hopefully both, alot of fighting if there is only one baby to pass around but if there are two it makes things go alot smoother. Doesn't everyone just love babies. I know I do.!!!

I made some Pumpkin Bread today, sure did smell like Fall in my house. I love baking things that call for spices, I just love how it leaves your kitchen smelling. Who needs candles???

I'm going to go pick up Jonah in a little bit so he can hang out with us a while tonight.

Get out this weekend to enjoy this beautiful weather.

Fair Week

You know when we were kids we loved the Washington County Fair, loading up our animals, taking them in and showing them on show day. The fair was the highlight of our hard work in the summer, leading, feeding, grooming. You would hope that you would come away with the Grand Champion, of whatever you were showing. Then when we had our kids they too wanted to show, be involved in either 4-H or FFA, so here we would go again. You know now I really have no interest at all in the fair, I did take my mom yesterday to watch the goat show, my great niece, her great granddaughter was showing. She did a real good job, she actually placed Reserve Champion. But after setting on those bleachers and walking around it was just all I could do to get back to the car, my body just can not do those things. I am suppose to help in the women's building awhile on Friday, but that won't be too bad, then that's all the fair I need for another year.

Well I do hope that we get some of the rain due to the hurricane, not wising for high winds or storms, just some nice rain. I love the mornings we have had lately, as long as we can keep the temperature down below 100 we are OK. We are coming up on a holiday weekend, Labor Day always means the Clothesline Fair at Prairie Grove. I don't think I have been in a few years, it's always fun to see the crafts and everything else they have to offer. I like to find the good peanut brittle, it seems like it is either very hot and dusty or it rains. It's just a good place to run into old friends, there is always quite a crowd.

As far as for me I'm doing pretty good, my steri strips are still just as attached as the day he put them on.

Everyone enjoy the weekend and whatever you do be safe.

Healing

I'm still pretty sore from my little surgery last week, Clay reminded me last night that it hadn't quite been a week yet. Well today is a week and I'm still sore. Ha!!! So there. My hand is really sore where she wasn't able to get the IV in, but she did hit a gusher, she had to apply pressure awhile to get it to stop bleeding. That is probably why it is so sore. The area where the port was is still pretty sore as well. It will get better though, in a few days I won't even know I had it done. The steri strips are still very much attached, Dr. Park said just let them fall off, I have had them several other times, but it seems like they come off fairly quick, but these seem like they are going to stay awhile.

I'm so excited for Christmas this year, not for presents or decorations, but for two little baby boys. We will have babies to hold, love on, squeeze and just look at and watch them do nothing. Jeremy and Adrienne watch for the arrival of Jude the end of November. Andrew and Kara are expecting Cooper later in December. It is going to be hard on Jonah I'm afraid, he has had all the attention of everyone now for almost 4 years. Babies are wonderful but we just have to remember that this little guy was here first, babies can't play in the sand or climb on the fort or swing either. I don't think we will ever ignore him, Jonah is so special, he stole our heart a long time ago.

Minor Surgery

Yesterday was my port exit surgery, Clay & I were there at 8 am. It was a little on the funny side, my appointment was scheduled on 8-15 @ 8:15, now you couldn't have planned that any better if you would have tried. We actually went in the Walker Heart area of the hospital, that's where this type of surgery & testing are done. I went into my room pretty quick after getting there, all vitals were taken & the IV started, we were moving right along. Dr. John Park M.D. (Radiologist) came in to talk to Clay & I about what was going to take place. The plan was to just take my port out, because for some reason it had been giving me trouble, so why have a port in if you are not going to use it.  Soon after he left the room they wheeled me down to surgery, I was then prepped with everything sterile around me. You definitely don't want to get any germs in this open area he is working in, I have never picked up an infection from the hospital & I don't want to start now. I was then given some sleepy time juice in my IV and he started his work. I never completely went to sleep but so close that I did not feel the big needles with the numbing meds, so that just made my day. This was so different than the way it is done in Little Rock, and truly there is no reason to be so cruel to patients like that. If I have to have one put back in sometime down the road, I will have it done here in Fayetteville. After Dr. Park was finished sewing me up he showed me my old port, he had a rather large tear in it, that is the reason I could tell & feel the pain in my neck a few days after treatment. The only thing that hurt a little was him pushing in my chest/neck area to get it loose. The ports are just suppose to be dangling in there, but mine decided to adhere to me, so he had to work to get it to come out of there. He told me that I might have a little extra pain for that reason. I was just glad to get it taken out, if I would have left it in any longer there's no telling what he would have had to do to get it out of there. I stayed numb for a while after we got home, later I took something for pain. I slept pretty good last night, it's a little hard to get comfortable, that is the side I usually lay on. Having quite a bit of pain today, Dr. Park said that last night & today would probably be the worse. I hope he is right, the one bandage can come off today, the stitches I believe are on the inside, I have the steri strips which will stay on till they fall off. I called HOG this morning to cancel my treatment for today, just didn't think I felt like going. Candes said she could take me but I just wasn't up to it. I knew I couldn't drive being on pain medication, and my neck is just a little stiff anyway so I knew turning my head would be a little bit of a problem. Can't wait till this day is over, the 80's will be here for awhile sounds like anyway. I just love the temperatures to be lower than the 90's & 100's, I think I'm so ready for fall to be here. Hopefully we will get some rain this evening, we need it so bad, rain without storms that is.

Have a good weekend!!!

Be safe out there, remember there will be alot more traffic & kids out & about. Watch for those buses.

It is back to school time, I remember those days, always fun times getting the kids ready for a new school year. Not that they were ready but they just had to get in the swing of things, I guess you'd say.

Flying By

This year is truly flying by, I know some people have already been Christmas shopping, with 105* days it's really hard for me to get in the mood. Well it's August, time for school to start back soon and fall to arrive, we can only hope that is. I'm so ready for fall, everything is drying up so I don't know what kind of fall we will have, afraid there won't be alot of color though. A week ago tomorrow we did get some rain along with very high winds, we lost a large pin oak tree out front & it decided to put the gas grill out in the yard upside down & wrong side out. But we are thankful for the rain we received.

I finished taking my shots last week, can't say that I miss that at all, the blood clot appears to be gone, hopefully to stay. The plan is now to have my port taken out, due to it springing a leak or something to that nature, I'm scheduled to go in August 15th to WRMC. I will miss it in a way, it's just nice to have it so they can access it anytime they need to. Since my chemo changed to the sub-Q, I think the only time they would have to put an IV in is when I get the bone strengthening drug, but that is just every other month. Part of me thinks while they are taking this one out should I just let them put one back in, but Dr. Rosenfeld said that we will just leave it out. Hopefully I will never need it again. I have been having alot of trouble with leg pains & cramps lately, then when you can't hardly feel your feet because they are so numb & tingly, it's a little scary. It's pretty bad when you get in the pool but then can't get out, this is the way it was today, had to be helped out by Candes & my niece Catherine. Guess I will just have to check into one of those lifts you see easing someone down in the water, I could just stay on it, splash a little & feel like I had been in the pool. I know a long time ago (when I was a kid) really long, we had a cow or two that had calved but then couldn't get up, I'm visualizing that contraption we used to get them up several times a day. I'm thinking a pulley and maybe an inner tube, opened up. Anyway, I think that would work, although I hope it doesn't get that bad, I just can't get in the pool when no one else is here and that's sad. I did make a trip to Chick-fil-A this morning, it was yummy as usual. It's great that people can still stand up for what they believe, even though sometimes they get alot ridiculed.
Try to stay cool & continue to pray for rain.

Hot Weather

Well not much has changed since last post, weather wise that is, still not much rain relief. A few areas have seen the rain but most of us have not. It's really sad to look out in the yards and pastures to see only brown crunchy grass or weeds. We have watered so much, as well as everyone else, sometimes you think about just letting it all die, but you have kept it alive this far you might as well keep going.  We may change our mind when we get our water bill. 

Just thought I would mention that by Christmas our family would be a little larger. Yes, we have two babies that will arrive by then. We are very excited for both of them, Jeremy and Adrienne are expecting a boy November 25th. Andrew and Kara are looking at an arrival date of December 20th, they will find out in August whether they are having a boy or girl. Fun, fun, fun we will have with these little ones running around in years to come.

Oh as far as me, I think the blood clot is on the most part gone, but I have 10 more shots to go just to be safe. Hope everyone has a good week!!!!

Try to stay cool if you can.  

Progress

Very thankful for the rain we have gotten over the past couple of days, we would sure like a little more. I know some people got quite a bit of rain where others received very little, its funny how that happens even in the same town. There was some storm damage as well, on a day the wind didn't even blow at our house it tore barns & structures up not too far from here.

Things are improving with the bloodclot, still there but I can tell the pain is much less now. So its 14 down & only 16 shots to go. I did see Dr. Rosenfeld on Thursday, he of course wants me to continue the shots (blood thinner) the full 30 days. He also thought that Dr. Barlogie was on the right track with changing my treatment somewhat. Unless a problem arises I will not get the liter of fluid each week & I will go to the Sub-Q chemo shot, so just 1 more shot each week, also in the stomach.  This will cut my treatment time way down unless they are real busy then there will be some wait time. So for the Portagram we will just hold off for awhile, probably a week or two after I finish the shots they will schedule it with WRMC.

Everyone continue to pray for rain!!!!!

Have a good week.

Good Report

Nothing has really changed from the last post, it's still hot, hot, hot as far as that's goes. Oh my goodness we sure do need some rain, the parts of Florida that has been flooded from the results of Hurricane Donna I believe would probably like to share with anyone. We would gladly take a few inches off their hands, but more likely the good people in Colorado & Colorado Springs need it so bad to put out some of these fires.

Clay & I made the trip to Little Rock on Monday, we left at 6:45 and got back home about 8 that night, sure makes for a long day, then with this heat it just takes everything out of you. It was 112* in Little Rock that day, way, way too hot. I did get a good report from Dr. Barlogie though so I guess it was worth the trip. All the test  that I had done the week before came back good, clean I guess you would say, seems like he usually rushes you through but we had alot of questions this time & he was very good to spend the time with us to answer all of our questions & concerns. As I had talked about in the last post about my port line having a leak or hole in the tubing, Dr. Barlogie said it wouldn't be a problem having the porta gram done to find out whats going on with it. The contrast they put in is a very small amount & therefore it wouldn't harm my kidneys. We also discussed the Sub-Q chemo method, this wouldn't have to go thru my line it would be a shot instead, so another thing not needing my port for. Dr. B also thought I could do without the liter of fluid I get each week along with the chemo, so again no port needed there. I do take a bone strengthening drug that is through my port but it is only every two months, I think I could stand an IV every other month. So I will talk to Dr. Rosenfeld next week when I see him, when I go to WRMC to have the Portagram done if it has a leak or tear, hole or whatever they will probably take it out, either replace it or maybe not. I'm thinking not, but then I think while I am out maybe they should just replace it because what if I need it down the road aways, it would be much easier to do it now that to have to go back in. You know usually when you get good news, there's alot of times you get a little bad news to go along with it. So I have talked alot about my left leg, foot with the swelling and all, it has been pretty bad lately, I actually rode in the back seat most of the way to Little Rock & back so I could keep my foot up trying to keep the swelling down. I think it was Saturday my leg started hurting some then Sunday afternoon & evening it got alot worse, a clot had crossed my mind but not so much. By the time we got home Monday night I told Clay I think I may have a blood clot, I was hurting so bad. Tuesday morning I was scheduled for a massage at 9, well I knew if there was even a thought of a clot that wasn't going to happen, so I went in & I had a nurse eval, saw the APN, had and ultrasound done & waited for the results. Indeed I do have a clot in my groin area, on Tuesday there was really alot of pain involved. My leg felt like I had weights strapped to it, not to mention the pain with it. I got a shot in the stomach & pick up the prescription for 30 more shots to be given each day. So this being said I have put the portagram on the back burner for now, when you go in the hospital for surgery no matter how big or small you try to prevent blood clots so you sure don't want to go in with one. So like I said you always get a little bad with the good or a little good with the bad. I think on the most part we did get good news, these 2 little things are again just a couple of bumps in the road, hey and living in NW Arkansas there are always bumps in the road or at least construction going on. But the best news of all is that when I go back in 4 months Dr. Barlogie said he wasn't ordering a bone marrow biopsy!!!!! WooHoo!!!! Clay & I both looked at each other then looked at him like he was crazy but a good crazy. He just ordered an MRI & blood work. Can't wait, how awesome is that. I guess the last thing, he let me start taking a very low dose of water pills for the swelling/fluid in my leg/foot, I will just take one every other day but its crazy I don't know if they work that fast or not but my foot has not been swollen today at all. I took the pill yesterday so we will see, I hope they keep the fluid down & out. 

So I think I surely covered everything, for the most part I think our visit was very productive this time, as I said I did ask Dr. B about the swelling & water pills but did not mention the pain in my leg & my worries, I knew I could get it handled at HOG in a decent amount of time. He would have ordered me an ultrasound & we would have been there till midnight at least. I feel like I get very good care at HOG, love the doctors, nurses & all the staff there.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Oh my goodness it is hot, but sounds like it will even be hotter this weekend with no rain in sight. Well we made the trip to Little Rock Thursday & Friday of last week, Pam Neal was my chauffeur this trip. We really didn't do much but we did have a nice dinner, I was having a Pet Scan the first thing Friday morning so I was limited to what I could eat. I did have a really good steak & some yummy grilled veggies & green beans. That is my idea of a good meal, even though I couldn't have bread or sweet tea I survived. We headed to the hospital early Friday morning, needed to be there at 7:30 for paperwork & the Pet Scan, this is usually the longest test I have since it lasts two hours. Everything else was just scheduled one right after the other which is nice, I don't like alot of down time I just like to get it all done & head back home.  Things went pretty smooth of course until we got to the bone marrow biopsy, not that it didn't gone smooth it's just that it's painful to say the least. I feel like she did a decent job, there is pain no matter what.  This was the last thing on my schedule so after this we headed home, it was 3:30 & hadn't had lunch, we pulled through Chick Fil A & just ate in the car & headed toward Fayetteville. Now with a few days behind me I can say I'm better, still a little sore but not like I was, I had alot of pain with this biopsy. I know each time I have one it gets harder & harder to find a place to pull bone, they even rotate left side to right side. I did ask the question does the bone ever grow back? It does but it can take about a year, wow, that's a long time. Now on to my port issue, or the tubing actually, my port itself is fine, it's great they have no problem with it. As I had talked about in my last post it is the upper line that probably has a leak of some kind in it. I have the pain in my neck & around the tube area but just every other week, they did start me on antibiotic this time, just in case there was some infection. They were going to set me up to have a portagram but they have to use dye, due to my kidneys I can't have the contrast. So I am suppose to discuss this with Dr. Barlogie next week, they may want to take my port out & put another one in or try to do an IV each time, well due to all the chemo I don't think they will have much luck with that, my veins are about shot. I have had several calls from HOG today trying to come up with a plan that will work the best, I really don't want to have it taken out and another put back in, at least at Little Rock because that is an extremely painful process. When I had mine surgically put in I really didn't know any different, I was aware of everything with just a little numbing shot, but I felt most everything. Up here you really don't even know you had it put in, you have a little sleep med and then its all over, that's the way to go. So this time next week or when I see Dr. Rosenfeld the next week maybe we can come up with something that will work.  I think this brings everyone up to speed with the crazy stuff that's been going on with me.
Jonah has been over to swim a couple of times, he sure seems to enjoy the water this year, but he really enjoys his sandbox.

Larger Update

You know if life was simple, dull & just the same ole, same ole each week it wouldn't be near as exciting now would it?  They did come up with a plan for my left leg, I do have Lymphedema or it can just be called Edema, this starts from the lymphatic system. I know thinking strange huh, well I guess over time with my stomach being cut open so much it has kinda jeopardized my lymph system. I had no idea that we had a large majority of lymph nodes in our stomach. So back to the compression stockings, oh and aren't they alot of fun, especially in the summer, elevate as much as I can, I have a few leg & feet exercises to do as well. I will be going in for my monthly massage but this time she will be doing something different. They have to be trained in edema therapy to do special therapeutic massages, I hope that this takes some of the pressure out of my leg, this will be later this month. You know the pool would be great too, pushing against the water, I haven't even been in the pool yet.

I always have to break things up a little, you know I go in week after week and have no issues, I set there a couple of hours take my chemo like I'm suppose to & leave. About 3 weeks ago I had an issue that I thought was a little strange, on Saturday or Sunday the tubing to my port & up through my neck got extremely sore & tender to the touch, the port itself felt fine. This lasted about 4 days & just stopped, I mentioned to my nurse the next Thursday, of course it had stopped hurting then but thought I should mention it anyway. The main thing for them is as long as they are getting a good blood draw they are good to go, it flushes fine & doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it. She said the only other thing it might have to come out & a new one put in, I'm like no thank you. Then last week it didn't happen so I just forgot about it, well this past week on Saturday it did the very same thing and again lasted about 4 days, strange I know. It of course had stopped hurting on Wednesday before I go in on Thursday, but again thought I should mention it to my nurse. She felt like Dr. Rosenfeld should decide what we should do, they felt like there might be a leak in one of the lines leading into my port, if so it could be oozing out somewhere. I went down for an xray, back up to the chemo room, my nurse wasn't thinking about my double port so I had to go back down to xray the other one. I'm never suppose to have the dye shot in me due to my kidneys but they checked & they could use a very small amount, take the xray & pull it back out, so that what they did. That is also why I had to make 2 trips to xray because they only put the dye in the one tube. So the xray didn't show a hole in the line but something is going on, they gave me antibiotics to take if it starts again, then I'm to call them so they can set me up with a surgeon, they can see any tiny, tiny pinhead of a hole with some type of test or scan that they have. But if my diagnoses is correct it won't happen this weekend it will skip another week, as I said I have the double port so I just rotate the access of it each week, upper or lower. What I am thinking is that it is something with my upper port because both times it has happened they have used my upper one. Kinda strange I know but sometimes you just know your body, but I could be so off. So needless to say it was a crazy day at HOG for me yesterday, I'm usually in at 9 & out by 11:30 but yesterday it was 1:15. I had an eye appointment at 1:30 & just barely made it, I didn't know they needed to dilate my eyes, so by the time I got out of there I was just worn out, got home around 4, felt like I'd had a full day & a half actually. I had such a headache, could it have been because I had no caffeine, no lunch, the chemo, (it does I know) dilating the eyes & just the stress of it all. Clay came in & I was out under the porch napping in the chaise, he even fixed dinner, I always leave the grilling to him but he did corn on the cob, fries with the pork chops, very yummy, he's a good guy!!!

You know besides these 2 little set backs I've been doing pretty good, this past week there were I think 4 days in a row that I didn't have alot of pain & felt pretty decent, it was nice for a change, I like those kind of days. Sorry for such a long post it's just what goes on in my everyday life.

I'm excited to go to a wedding tomorrow night, my cousin Bob's daughter is getting married, she will make a beautiful bride. Congratulations Janae & Kirby!!!!!

Small Update

 I went in for my every Thursday treatment yesterday, was having alot of pain and swelling in my foot/leg area. They came up with a plan to try to get me some relief, first they ran a Doppler on my leg to find out if I had good blood flow, in which it showed that I did and no clots. This is a good thing, but then you ask yourself what is the problem then. The next thing I am to do is meet with one of the massage therapist that specializes in Lymphedema, I meet with her next Tuesday to talk, discuss & hopefully come up with a plan, so we will see. This sounds like it can be caused by a number of things in which I have had most of, so just chalk something else up to me. But I'm in hopes that she can give me some answers or she may not come up with anything, I will just see on Tuesday. So this is all I know for now, I will post again after I find out something next week.

While its still May

I haven't posted in quite some time, thought I better get at least one in before May turned into June.  I can't believe that summer is here, in more ways than one. The weather sure feels like summer time, it should be July anyway with temps like we have had. Things are going about the same with me, I've been feeling so-so except I'm having alot of issues with my left leg and foot, swelling as well as pain. I ask myself is it a clot or is it just my bad veins flaring up or is part of it the neuropathy or a combination of all of it. I have had issues with swelling before but it never has been this bad, the pain hasn't been there like it is this time so I'm not sure what's going on, I go in for treatment tomorrow so hopefully we can figure out something. I have done pretty much nothing today, kept my leg elevated most of the day. Jonah will be here afterwhile, he will stay for awhile this evening, I'm sure he and his pa-paw will be outside later. They will probably be watering again like they did the other day, it's really sad that you plant flowers or put out trees then all you get to do is water them, but you do it to keep them alive.
Well enjoy your evening and in advance enjoy the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend!!!

Feeling A Bit Better

I am starting to feel better, more like normal now, my cough is much better and that's a big plus. I did go in for treatment on Thursday and was able to take it this week, my counts were pretty low but hopefully that is because I have been sick. My WBC was lower than it has been in quite a while, but there is a number that they look at inside that number that was so low. They usually don't even give treatment when it is as low as mine was but Little Rock says go ahead. I just hope it is back up next week, they told me to be pretty careful, this means not do a lot of hand shaking or being around people that are or might be sick. It's really hard to tell if someone is about to get sick, and that is probably the most crucial time to pick up a germ. I wasn't really able to go to church last Sunday which was Easter Sunday, I hated missing then, the Sunday before I was in the hospital so I missed the kids program at church. I'm hoping to go tomorrow but haven't decided if I really need to, I feel like going I think but I just have to decide, it is very hard not to hug or give a hand shake at church you know.

Everyone have a good weekend, I am hoping we miss the storms.

Thursday's Report

I went in for blood work and to see Dr. Rosenfeld today, after my hospital stay, this is my normal treatment day. He felt like we should hold treatment today, he didn't think I was up to it today, Dr. Rosenfeld wanted to let me get to feeling better & hopefully my cough would be gone or at least much better. So the plan is to go in for treatment next Thursday unless something happens before then.

A Whirlwind Ride

This really just picks up where the last post ended I guess, we will go on from Thursday. I don't remember if I mentioned it but I was in no shape to take a treatment this week, so we skipped it. Friday morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck, I left a message for the phone nurse to call me, it was no time and they called back for me to come in, they didn't give me much notice either. I wasn't able to drive myself so it happened that Kara was going into work about the same time that I needed to be there. Kara dropped me off and Clay met me there, we saw Angela the APN and she called Dr. Rosenfeld in to look at me, listen to me and make a decision, my vision had gotten blurry & I was seeing double most of the time. He felt like I needed to be in the hospital to get IV antibiotics around the clock, at Highland they wouldn't be able to get near that much in me in the hours they are open. Even though Dr. Rosenfeld along with Clay hesitate about the hospital, I don't want to come out with more than I went in with. Clay & I ran back home to pick up a few things needed for the hospital & headed to WRMC, no more than got checked in they were wheeling me off for test after test. When I got back in my room we were settling in, getting hooked up to one thing then another & drawing blood. Started right away with the antibiotics, coughing the whole time, I sure couldn't sneak up on anyone that's for sure. I was seeing things as well, I haven't ever had anything like that happen to me. One of the first things they told us was that my sodium was really low, I knew with low potassium it could really do strange things to you but I guess my sodium has never been this low before. By Saturday evening or Sunday morning my level had returned to normal. The doctor said that they wanted the levels to come up slow, seems like every time they checked the count would come up 1 or 2 but finally it made it. I was having trouble getting around so Clay stayed the night at the hospital with me, helping with my pole of meds to the bathroom each time. Saturday was a better day, I hardly coughed at all so we felt sure I would get to go home Sunday morning. Not!! Kara stayed the night in the hospital with me Saturday night, during the night the cough big & bold came back in full force. I was still coughing the next morning especially as the doctor walked in, not going home now. She felt like I needed 1 more day of IV's along with cough syrup & couple of other things. Coughed alot Sunday but as the day went on the cough had eased a little, I had to get a couple of breathing treatments while I was there to help me breathe better, had alot of wheezing going on, this was the first night I got some rest, very little coughing & only hooked up every 6 hours for the antibiotic. I felt a better Monday morning & felt she would discharge me, lungs sounded better & little coughing, she did, I will go in for a follow up visit Thursday, if bloodwork looks ok I will take my treatment. It was so good to get home, last night I slept in my bed & slept very good. I have coughed some today but not quite as bad as last week. Just going to kinda take it easy, try to get better and get back to normal.

Not Much Better

I am really getting tired of this, the cough, sore throat & fever has just about done me in. This cough has lasted forever it makes your whole body sore as well as ripping your throat out. I had to go back in to see Angela (APN@HOG) yesterday since I started running temperature and didn't seem to be getting any better. They did another chest xray along with blood & urine cultures, there is still alot of stuff in my lungs & back. Little Rock has always said if you feel something coming on, start taking Tami flu, I started taking it on Sunday but Dr. Travis mentioned that sometimes it can cause a fever so they pulled me off of that. Dr. Rosenfeld was in the Benton Co. office, that's why Angela was referring to him. Hopefully things will take an uphill swing, and I will feel better real soon, this weather has been gorgeous but I haven't felt like taking advantage of it. It's never fun being sick but especially on pretty days.

I don't think I mentioned it before but Jeremy (oldest son) & Kara (daughter) have been in Hatti part of last week & returned home Tuesday of this week. So thankful for the safe trip, I believe they accomplished alot while they were there, and they made alot of new friends.

Long Time

I have been really bad about posting lately, I think about it but just never get to it. I can't believe March is coming to an end already, summer will be here before we know it. Right now the weather seems like it is already here, even though we know better. You really don't know about the weather it could stay this way or we may have some cold days or even snow before summer actually gets here.

I had a wonderful birthday, when we get a certain age you really don't care about having birthdays anymore but as many health issues that I've had the last few years I'm more than happy to be a year older. We celebrated with the kids on Thursday night, the day before. Sometimes we work around Andrew's schedule, this also worked out for everyone else as well. Clay just ordered from Catfish Hole and brought it here, it was really good, I had been hungry for it for some time.

I have had alot of problems with my legs the last few weeks, they ran a Doppler looking for a blood clot March 8th, it came back negative. They fitted me for compression stockings to wear, having so much pain in my left leg it is so hard to stretch the stockings over that area of my leg. I wore them a week but the pain in my leg was so bad that it got to where I couldn't pull them over that area. March 15th (bd celebration night) I saw Dr. Rosenfeld & he wanted me to see a specialist about my veins. When all this was going on I started with a real deep cough, no other symptoms just a nuisance for me and anyone around me, it just got worse, seriously probably a good 3 weeks. Well Friday, March 23rd I started with a sore throat but it left me by mid morning so I blamed it on drainage. Saturday the same but worse & Sunday really sore & cough was alot worse & by afternoon I was loosing my voice & going downhill. Now here it is Monday, March 26th & I pretty much feel like I met up with a truck. I had an appointment to see the vein doctor to discuss a plan for my legs, with my MM of course I'm not a candidate for surgery (which I wasn't doing anyway) so the plan is wear the stockings, keep my legs up higher than my heart & up my aspirin intake again. So with all that said I have phlebitis in my left calf. Since I was going to be close to HOG I checked with them on the drive in to see what I should do, they wanted me to come in for bloodwork, a chest xray & to see the APN. The xray didn't show pneumonia but they said it would be by tomorrow, she heard alot of stuff going on in my back/lung area. My chest hurts so bad & I know my sides/ribs will be sore when this is all over. So now I'm on a strong antibiotic and cough syrup. Clay went to the couch last night, it was a very rough night, I think I coughed all night as well as most of the day today, hopefully the meds will start working & I will feel better real soon. The worse thing is I had a massage scheduled for tomorrow & had to reschedule it, things have to be really bad to do that. I probably won't even try to pick up Jonah on Wednesday from school, I know he will want to be outside & I just don't think I could keep up with him this week, I love my time with him.

Get out and enjoy this weather, the doctor also said the pool would be good, days like this you think about opening the pool but not quite yet.

Beautiful Weather

This weather has been wonderful, I could do without the wind but I won't complain. In February who would expect 70 degree days, I picked up Jonah at Mothers Day Out yesterday and we went to McDonald's for ice cream & then to the park. We had a great time swinging & playing on the big toys, everyone else had the same idea since it was a pretty day. I had my usual treatment today and then back home, I have try to run errands on Thursday's to save another trip into town, but then by evening I am just beat & not feeling very well. So Clay mentioned after treatment I just come home and rest, well that's what I did this time & I had an awful lot of swelling, in my leg and foot so you just never know. On Friday I did absolutely nothing all day until about 4 to start some dinner, so it was a very restful day.

Valentines Day

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day yesterday, Clay got me yellow roses (my fave) & also added a heart charm to my Pandora bracelet. It was a great day, then he picked up Hunan's on the way home from work, so I didn't have to cook, what a day.

The little touch of bad weather we had this week was just a little reminder that it is still winter. The snow was pretty, not really enough to cause any problems and didn't last long either. I was wanting a little snow anyway, I don't like the ice but I think some snow is pretty, that is if I can be at home looking out. I'm going to go pick up Jonah at Mothers Day out after while, always love picking him up because he is always glad to see me. It just makes me feel really good.

WooHoo

Great News for the Woody family!!!!!!! Clay and I left yesterday morning at 6am & returned Right about 6pm last night. We were to meet with Dr. Barlogie for the results of my tests that were done on Monday, we were both a little nervous, I think we actually were both a little scared but didn't share that with each other. I think we were both thinking that the Multiple Myeloma had returned and he would say that I needed to return to Little Rock for more treatment or another transplant. So that's what we have been dealing with the last couple of weeks. But we don't have to worry about that now, Dr. Barlogie said the tests all came back negative, nothing was showing up & the bone marrow biopsy showed NO multiple myeloma. YEA!!!!! He was watching the protein in my system, he had pulled me off of treatment for a few weeks to watch my numbers, the numbers didn't rise while off treatment, so back to my weekly treatment next week. Clay had seen the word relapse on the first page of my chart & he panicked a little, but I didn't see it and he didn't tell me about it, probably best if just 1 of us were worried about it. After we heard all the good news from Dr. Barlogie Clay mentioned that to him, he was not very happy, someone had written it by mistake, that word may have been intended for another patient. Believe me he will find out who wrote it on my chart, & get to the bottom of it. We were just glad it wasn't for me anyway, that's all we cared about.

It has been a full week, I feel like I have been on the road most of the week but I guess I have. Glad to be back home and not have to go back for awhile. I will go back for testing in June as well as see Dr, Barlogie again.

Thanks to everyone that said a prayer for me while waiting for the results this time, we all know the power of prayer is amazing.

A New Month

Tomorrow starts a new month, Clay and I will head back to Little Rock tomorrow to see Dr. Barlogie again. Kara and I drove down yesterday (Monday) for all my test, bone marrow biopsy, Pet Scan, MRI & blood work. It was a long tiring day, just going from one area of the hospital to another for the next test. We didn't leave there till after 8, we were beginning to get hungry, I couldn't have anything to eat after 8am till after the Pet Scan which ended around 5. We really didn't have time to eat before the MRI, so we grabbed just a little snack to hold us over. When we finally left the hospital we went to the new Cheddars to have a late dinner. I have been to a couple different Cheddars but not the one in Little Rock, Kara had not been to a Cheddars before. Very nice restaurant I would recommend it, a good location too right on University. Kara & I got home around noon today, we ran in & out of rain quite a bit as we were coming home, I was pretty sore after the bone marrow biopsy so it is always kinda an uncomfortable ride home. But I made it and now I look forward to tomorrow to get in the car and do it all over again, the ride back that is. We just hope & pray that whatever Dr. B saw 2 weeks ago is no longer there and all the new tests are just perfect. I will post the tests results as they come in, or as they are given to us.

I still can't believe this weather, it is the end of January/first of February. It has been so nice though, I could do without the wind, I can't hardly think of a day that we haven't had strong winds. Get out & enjoy this weather or get in the car & drive somewhere like us, we will enjoy the weather looking at it from the car.

Better Days

Things are looking better for me now, it really took quite a while to get back on track though. I think the only thing I didn't mention in the last post was my little falling episode, the night that things were at the lowest (in more ways than one) I had fallen a couple of times. This was when my legs had no feeling in them, were not working. It was in the middle of the night, leg pains something fierce and Clay was with me, at one point he had me sitting on the side of the bed, whether I passed out or fell asleep I slipped off the bed and hit the bed side table. I didn't really know I did it until the next day, I rubbed my head & realized I must have done something. I had Clay to look at my eye or head, he told me that it was swollen and I had a black eye. It wasn't just real bad on that Monday but by Tuesday it was deep, deep purple. I have never had a black eye before, it has faded now and things have slowly gotten back to normal.

Our trip to Little Rock for my appointment to see Dr. Barlogie is usually just a routine, he just looks over all my tests and says everything looks fine, see you back next time. This time was a little different, he seems to have seen something in my blood work as well as the bone marrow biopsy that either shouldn't be there or hasn't been there, anyway its something that he doesn't like and he wants it to be looked at further. He wanted me back down there for more testing this week and to see him again for the results but they couldn't get everything scheduled for this week, so I have appointments on Monday most of the day, then we will go back to meet with him on Wednesday for the results. There's just always something seems like but with this we just figured that its something weird going on and everything is really fine. He has pulled me off of treatment until this is taken care of, so no trips to HOG right now, it only makes me miss 2 or 3 treatments unless he says otherwise when we go back to Little Rock. I am also off of my steroids and my oral chemo each night as well. I'm sure they will get to the bottom of this and things will just go back to the way it was before.

It sure was a pretty day today, just doesn't seem like its January with the weather we have been having, sounds like rain tomorrow, I have a massage appointment at the oncology clinic, rain, sleet or snow won't keep me away from that.

I hope everyone has a great week, enjoy this weather.

A New Year

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year Day. Alot of things have happened since December 2011, one is that the Razorbacks won the Cotton Bowl!!!! WPS.

We had a really nice Christmas, the week of...... everything was done so it was just a calm week doing some baking and odds & edds, it was a great week with no stress up to the day. It's always a busy time trying to make the rounds to see all family & friends. We only have the 1 little guy so he gets alot of attention when everyone's around, I'm sure Jonah was a little overwhelmed.

Candes & I went to Little Rock January 2nd, this had to be an overnight trip since I needed to be at the hospital early on the 3rd. This was a routine testing appointment with bloodwork, skans, MRI's, bone density test & a bone marrow biopsy, after all that we headed home after stopping at Olive Garden for soup & salad. We wanted to try their new soup, it was good but I wasn't a big fan, Candes really liked it because it was real tomato basil tasting.

So the next week January 10th Clay & I were scheduled to go back to see the doctor but the Friday before I got the stomach bug. Then on Sunday I got real sick I guess you would say out of it, severe leg pains, loss use of my legs with Clay having to hold me up if I needed to be up. Monday wasn't much better, HOG wanted me to come in. Evidently my Electrolytes had gone out the window, they infused 1 liter of vitamins, 1 liter of fluid, calcium & potassium, we closed them down on Monday, it was a late night. Tuesday, back to HOG for fluid & calcium, then today I again got the liter of vitamins & a bag of calcium. I wasn't able to walk on Monday so Clay had to take me inside in a wheelchair, on Tuesday he wheeled me in but I was able to walk out with some help. Today I walked in, so things are looking better, I have a little ways to go but I feel quite a bit better than I did that for sure. My doctors appointment was rescheduled to next Tuesday so hopefully things will be back to normal by then. I am going to skip treatment tomorrow (usual treatment day) to just give everything time to just settle and then go back on Friday for bloodwork to see if I need anything added. Tomorrow will be a good day to just stay at home, it's going to be cold, I don't mind at all. So it has been kinda crazy the last few days around here, I'm so thankful for Clay because I don't know what I would have done without him.