Two Steps Away From Death's Door . . .

Thanks for sharing Alien, it's appreciated, and sorry that you had (and are having) some challenges.

I can tell you that it's a bit past 4am here now (at the time I started writing this post), and I took the first pill at midnight and finally got to bed about 1am, so it's been 4 hours since the first pill and my head is doing fine, so that's at least a good sign, but ...

With regard to the pain level ... it could be better, but I at least feel that it's working. Again, the pain is mostly focused on the left side where the internal stitches are, and I'm sure to be expected, but I'm over it already.

I just took pill #2 and heading back to bed for more rest. I know that the instructions say that I can take 1-2 pills at a time, but I'm spreading them out to see how it all goes. I won't take another one now until about 9 or 10am ... that's IF I need it ... so let's see how this goes.

I read up on the drug, and I'm not sure how long before the "released" part of the drug is supposed to kick in, but so far it's not an issue. I know that it's addictive and why I'm going to be monitoring it quite closely, but again ... I hate taking any kind of medication and can't wait for this all to be healed and over with.

The only thing I care about at the moment is being able to manage this pain without having to drug myself up ... and that's why this drug will be minimally used, and better work. I don't need my head spinning, or not able to function properly, and if that happens with this new pain med, then it stops, because I won't have it and I'll just have to suffer through and just take aspirin, or some other OTC pain killer.

I'm off to dreamland again, so catch you later!

 

Well, it looks like we have a winner. I took the one pill at midnight last night, and then the other at 4am and went back to bed and got up at 9:38am, which is a big plus for me given that I've had such a ridiculous sleep pattern. Sleeping without waking up for 4-5 hours is monumental for me, so I'm a happy camper right now.

So far, it looks like this new pain med is working the way I need it to work, because the pain isn't as much as it was at midnight last night either and my head isn't foggy, so it's allowing me to be functional without being a zombie! I should now be able to get some things done without overdoing it, because I'm also aware that when pain is masked we tend to feel better and do more than we should with the potential of hurting ourselves. This is where the chapter on altered states of consciousness that I taught in my psych classes comes in handy.

And again, everyone's chemistry isn't the same when it comes to drugs and/or medication ... way too many variables involved, so while this drug affected Alien in a rather negative way, it looks as though it's going to do the trick for me without having any issues ... so far anyway.

... that's the speed I feel I'm going at sometimes when I'm involved in a few projects and need to get things done, I feel I've only been at sub-light speed, if that. When I'm going at MachStar9 with my hair on fire, I think you have to stick your foot out to stop me, because I'm just this purple stream zooming around the corners of the universe trying to get it all in.

As far as my spirits are concerned ... they were high the minute I regained consciousness after surgery and learned that everything went the way I was hoping it would go. So despite any hiccups with pain along the way, I am incredibly grateful for the outcome and will accept what I need to do during recovery.

Ok, time for a late breakfast with Mom and then catch up with my MSR partner who has something to show me that he's been working on. We didn't have an opportunity to really connect yesterday, so I'm looking forward to it.

Have a super weekend ... it's the Super Bowl on Sunday and Mom and I will definitely be watching it.

 

Hi Hon ... thanks for checking in, and ... sorry that my new pain med gives you issues as well. I must be the exception I guess, or at least it seems that way so far, because I'm not having any side effects whatsoever. The med goes after the pain and has given me relief, and it absolutely doesn't mess with my head at all, which is what I wanted, so my doc did a good job with this one.

So far so good, and I'm hoping that it stays that way.

 

JUST A QUICKIE UPDATE ...

Everything is still going ok with the new pain med, and I have no complaints, so I'm glad it's doing what it needs to do without disrupting everything, or giving me a hard way to go like it does Alien and EwoK. Every now and then I have a bit of an issue with discomfort, but it's not major, and the healing continues.

I'm feeling good enough and mobile enough to get busy in my computer/work-out room today with Mom before the Super Bowl starts at 6pm tonight. We're going to do some cleaning and reorganizing, and get the rest of my exercise equipment set up so it's more convenient. The treadmill has had its own corner of the room since I've been here, so we don't have to mess with that, and I like that it faces the TV on the bookshelves.

I'm also going to be working with some radio stuff and filling up the MSR jukebox more, so that will be fun time. I'm working on a project I have to get to Lykke too, so today will be rather productive, and that's how I like it. I have the Vida character development for the Cyrene Chronicles in progress as well, so I have plenty to keep busy with.

I'm actually looking forward to my follow-up Dr appointments this week on Mon, Tues, Wed, and I know that on Tues, my primary doctor will be drawing blood to check where my hemoglobin is at after 2 weeks and having the surgery. It was 9.9 just before the surgery, and I didn't have any more blood transfusions, so the results will be interesting. Never in my wildest thoughts did I ever think that I would have to get 13 units of blood ... I bet the vampires are jealous.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

 

FIRST DR FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT ...

Two weeks ago today is when I had my surgery, and this week I have my Dr follow-up appointments.

Today I saw my regular GYN (not the GYN Oncologist/Surgeon), and the report is good:

• my hemoglobin level is up to 11.4
• my blood pressure was decent at 126/80
• my pulse was also decent at 86
• my temperature was at 99, but the Doc said that it's not a concern until it gets to100.5 or higher
• my incisions are healing nicely, and don't show any signs of infection

At my GYN's office, they do a finger stick to draw blood just to get my hemoglobin level, which was cool, because I was curious to see what it was. At my primary doctor follow-up tomorrow they will be drawing blood and doing a full hemoglobin panel, but I don't have to fast for that blood draw.

I'll have my follow-up with my surgeon on Wednesday, and I'm sure that's going to be a more extensive check-up. The recovery is going pretty well, but I'm still experiencing a level of pain. The new pain med is still working better than the original one, and it doesn't mess with my head, or cause me to have any nasty side effects like Alien and EwoK had.

I'm guessing it's going to take a couple more weeks before I'm feeling at least a little close to normal and able to be more mobile without discomfort - can't wait, but I'm not complaining WHATsoever, because I'm one lucky girl, and I'm feeling rather blessed and grateful.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

 

SECOND DR FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT ...

This morning I had the follow-up appointment with my primary doctor which resulted in the following:

• they drew blood to have a full hemoglobin panel done
• my blood pressure was even better ... 118/76
• my pulse was 82, which is good
• my temperature wasn't taken, but then I wasn't feeling warm like yesterday either
• the doc checked my incisions and found them to be healing well without signs of infection
• got a B-12 shot and had a slight reaction to it - so they won't be doing that any more

The B-12 prescription was actually given to me at the time of discharge from the hospital that came with the B-12 juice ( ) along with a pre-packaged syringe, but there was NO frickin' way I was going to give myself a shot, so I took it to my doctor's office today to let her nurse do it. The instructions were to get a B-12 shot once a month, so it looks like they're going to have to do something different, but ... that's even if I need it.

I had the same reaction for a few minutes that I did in the hospital, which is skin itching, but no redness, and a heightened intensity in the gums in my mouth ... just totally weird, which is why they're not going to do it any more. I forgot to mention the reaction in the hospital, but I wasn't thinking about it either.

I'm supposed to continue taking iron every day too for the next 3-4 weeks, but that doesn't bother me.

I have a follow-up on Feb 29th, and again on Mar 28th ... they want to continue monitoring my hemoglobin level, as well as my blood pressure and B-12 level.

The only thing left for me to do with my primary doctor is schedule my moosh and squoosh (mammogram), and my bone density test ... oh wait ... she said she had a menu of other things she wanted done too, but I guess she forgot to bring it up today ... even though I know the tests need to be done to make sure everything is in good operating order, I think I've had enough for right now and need a bit of a rest before they resume body exploration again.

My last Dr follow-up appointment is early tomorrow morning with my GYN/Oncologist/Surgeon at the cancer center, so this will be interesting. I think she will have the final pathology report, but all indications so far are that everything is fine and I'm not going to need any further treatment, other than a continued 6-month follow-up, so let's see what the final verdict is.

I'll be back tomorrow with the update!

 

Wow my dear Viper ... that video is amazing ... and just what the doctor ordered.

I really can't get over how incredible it is ... it's really a masterpiece.

Thank you SO much for gifting me with this brilliant piece of work, and ... the visuals ... WOW!!

To everyone else, if you are so inclined to watch this video, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Hugs Viper - and love ya ... this is beautiful, and will be my go to video whenever I'm feeling a bit stressed.