Back in the hospital, staging and stuff

Well, it is official, well it has been, and I think I mentioned it before but I don’t reread past posts, call me lazy.  I am Stage IV, thought I give a little over all explanation, or Wiki could. 

There is more to the explanation, but it is a simple explanation and most can understand it. Overall it gives a brief explanation of stage grouping.

Overall Stage Grouping is also referred to as Roman Numeral Staging. This system uses numerals I, II, III, and IV (plus the 0) to describe the progression of cancer.

Stage 0 carcinoma in situ.

Stage I cancers are localized to one part of the body.

Stage II cancers are locally advanced.

Stage III cancers are also locally advanced. Whether a cancer is designated as Stage II or Stage III can depend on the specific type of cancer; for example, in Hodgkin's disease, Stage II indicates affected lymph nodes on only one side of the diaphragm, whereas Stage III indicates affected lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm. The specific criteria for Stages II and III therefore differ according to diagnosis.

Stage IV cancers have often metastasized, or spread to other organs or throughout the body.

So you see just because they say Stage IV doesn’t mean you can’t beat it.  Stage IV means you have a bigger fight ahead of yourself.

And yes, I  am back in the hospital again.  This time for dehydration (hydration is very important for those who are healthy and those who aren’t) nausea is a bugger but it was back, and of course you know those  red and whites counts went into the thank, they are still having a hard time finding the white cells.

Oh yeah the potassium is something not to take for granted either, it helps regulates you heartbeat I think, anyway it was low enough for me to end up on the second floor of Mary Washington.  The area I am in is the step down unit of the ICU.  Let me tell you their treatment is just as stellar and the Nurses on Four. 

While I have been in here I received a Platlet transfusuion, went OK for up till it was almost over, then I got hit with a side affect, I started to feel like I was freezing, shaking, could only breath out of my mouth, literally pulled the cover over my head teeth chattering, bone cold, couldn’t get warm. 

The nurses were there on the spot, got the drugs on line to help me fight the side effects, and got me warm, trust me I made the night exciting for them, the good think about the experience is that the heart stayed in sinus rhythm.  That would have added more excitement. More excitement I can do without.

Oh and Riley wants you to vote for her picture she says she use the $500 for me to help with cleaning up the carpets and stuff I need (Riley is Jasmine’s dog). Here is a link to her facebook post.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washfm.com%2Fcommon%2Fpetpic-voting.html%3Fsms_ss%3Dfacebook%26at_xt%3D4daa6b3f72f047e2%252C0&h=4aa6d

A Third Post - Yep in the Hospital, AGAIN

Oh my God, Hell just froze over right?  I mean a third post in a week?  No hell hasn’t frozen, I am just back in the hospital, again, second time for the week, hmm, and does that sound like my first week of chemo? (This time I only scared my daughter, Sorry Jasmine.  Well, I hope I only scared one person to death this time.)

Chemo effects suck, especially the ones that involve brain function, I mean do you understand how awful it is to know that you know something, and have to force a complete sentence?  Or worst yet, know you know but have to say I don’t understand because you don’t know how to make the knowledge get past that block in your head?  Or really honestly have to answer I don’t know because you can’t remember?

I have a new appreciation for what Altiemerzers patients go through, my heart breaks for them.

So since I am on day four of cycle three, they don’t want to skip my original schedule (I was only going to get a four day cycle instead of a five day cycle because of the hospital stint Monday) but since I am in the hospital, I get the full five days, they want to be as aggressive as possible since surgery is in the near future to give best margins. 

Since I am in the hospital, I will be getting the full five day cycle, stuck in the hospital until Sunday.  One extra day to watch for the “crazies” after effects.  Sucks.

Eh, maybe they will have some super fixer upper kitchen gadget does all on tv for sale.  You think I would know better than end up here again.

Am I nuts? (No comments from the Peanut Gallery)

Seriously, am I? I am looking forward to having surgery.  Major surgery. 

I know in 2003 I went through 13 total surgeries with the tumor in the leg, and the skin grafts, but that wasn't cutting into the insides of me. 

The innards, the soft stuff, the important stuff, where the heart, lungs, kidneys, stomach, intestines reside.  To me that is major stuff.

Think about it, the first surgery will be the lung.  I have no idea if I will wake up with any portion of my right lung left.  And to access the lung because the size of the tumor (big as my fist) they cannot do the micro surgery, and yest the size of the tumor puts me in the category of Stage 3.

To access the lung, I will be laying on my left side, the surgeon will make the cut starting at my back just beyond under my arm, the incision will go across my ribs, he will break one of my ribs, and insert a spreader to access the lung, from there he will determine what happens.  He thinks I will probably loose at least the upper lobe.

That isn't the half of it, lol!  The tumor is wrapped around a main vein that feeds from the heart, the vein that pumps blood out into the system.

How does this come into play? Well if I am lucky the tumor will just be growing around the vein and not have the vein involved, (I have no idea what the name of the vein is, so If  you know, please feel free to tell me)  Any way if it is not involved the tumor will just peel off.  Well if not, and it is involved, yeah, things are a litter less bright, they will debulk it and I will have to get radiation on that area, which I am not thrilled about, they will be cooking part of one of the girls I fear (yes, I am speaking of the twins, the tatas, the breasts, the titties).  Not something I really want to do.  And I will continue with chemo, again another aspect I don't want to go through.

More chemo, I think I have had quiet enough, thank you very much.  I think I understand why I am looking forward to surgery, one it will answer what is going on in the lung and let me know what I have laying ahead, two I won't feel like nothing is happening, even though I know chemo and radiation are crucial in the treatment, three I am tired of feeling like crap, and angry.  Angry things are progressing faster, I am losing patience with my self, well at least at this moment I am, give me a bit and I'll be back to the balance of acceptance and the progress, but for now I just want to get this going and it isn't going fast enough.

So there is a whine to go with your day.  Yep, I am sitting in chemo again today.

Round Three, The Adventures continue, well I call it an Adventure

Did I tell you guys what happened at the end of round two? No I am being lazy so I am just going to tell you again if I told you, oh and I am doing chemo now so if it is gibberish, blame it on chemo brain, I feel so nauseated, this is a long day of chemo too.

Ok, it is round two and I made it to Thursday without going to the Emergency Room, Thursday night, all I have to do is get through Friday, wrong! Sitting hooked up to my fluids and mesna, something gets the dogs going, and low and behold one of the paws catched the line and rips the access needle to my port out. 

Me I figure no big deal, the mesna was the second dose and I am almost done with it, I can wait to morning to get re accessed.  Jim says call the doctor, which I reluctantly do (by the way, Jim is my son)  Guess what? I have to go to the ER to have my port re accessed and flushed.  So much for the week with out going to the ER. 

Third cycle I'll make it through right?  Wrong, first day of Cycle Three I ended up in the hospital.  I just can't stay away from that place.  What happen you ask?  Well pull up a chair my little one and I will explain.

First day of any cycle they draw blood to test levels, well you are suppose to be able to draw blood from my port, and they couldn't.  Fluid would flow in, but the port wouldn't allow the draw of blood.  OK, lean back, no draw, raise your arms and wave, no luck, lay flat, turn your head to the left, raise your arms, cough hard, no luck. 

Time for the Liquid Plumber for humans.  It is common for a fiber to form on the tip of the port that wouldn't allow for draw, a flap so to speak.  Half hour later, no luck, wait another 30, no luck, a total of two hours, no luck, time to go to the hospital get admitted so they can insert a dye and see what is going on with the port. 

Turns out that the tumor in the lung is starting to let itself be known, it is pushing on the area that the port is in and narrowing the area.  So it was determined that the port can be used to infuse this week, but needs replaced.  Replacement will happen when I go for my first surgery.

Speaking of surgeries, if I am lucky (yes I said lucky) I will get surgery after the radiation.  Never thought I'd be saying having a surgeon have to break a rib and spread my  ribs make me lucky.

Speak of radiation, I go to the Cancer Centers of Virginia, and they set the bar for care for radiation patients.  The entire staff is so pleasant, and always attentive.  Very aware of time, and if they are late, (happened only one time) they are very apologetic. 

That is another thing I find interesting, is how aware all my care givers are both radiation and chemo.  When they access my port they apologise for the pinch of the needle, when they draw blood not using the port they apologise, even in the ER and hospital.  They are so attuned to the cancer patient and discomforts.

I tell them don't apologise, I should thank them every time I get poked, they are doing something that will help me get healthy and prolong my life, they are working to help me defeat cancer, a killer.  No need to apologise to me.

Other than my own body's ability to get me in the hospital, I cannot say one thing, oh I lied I hate waiting in the doctor's office, and the ER,   but other than that I cannot complain one bit about my treatment here in Virginia. 

Actually, I am happy I did move to Virginia, it helped change my view point of things, and I am glad I got cancer here to, it showed me that there are people I can depended on that warmed my heart and gives me hope for the human race.

My family, my friends, the people I work with, the prayers and most people who don't know me praying, the people who have decided to help by purchasing bracelets from Carol, my big sister.

It is all a very humbling experience, one I am grateful for.  For your prayers, support, help, I thank you all.