Wow, almost six months ago was the last time I posted. But in my defense (is there really one?) I tend to get the inspiration to do a post at the very worst possible times. Like when I am driving to work, or at work, or in the middle of cooking dinner, or making a cake.
I come up with all of this wonderful witty ideas, and how to write them down, then when I do FINALLY sit down to do a post, I draw a blank. Or it sounds so idiotic that I just delete it.
One of the interesting things that has happened, is two of my doctors think I should write a book, because I have such a different view of cancer/life, and I tend to make them go HUH??? Yeah right, like that will happen, I can't come up with enough to keep a blog going. But it is a neat idea.
I think I have a title, A View from the Litter box, things that Cancer and Ferrets have taught me.
I really do wish I could do a blog that would interest many people and have comments and start dialog. Much like the blog the girl in Julie and Julia. That was a good movie too, entertaining, light hearted. I would actually like to do something like that. Problem, it has been done, and cooking my way through a book of wonderful French recipes would put me back into the 250 pound area, and I don't want to go back to that size. Yes, I was that big. It was all boobs and ass.
I passed a few anniversaries this year, I had meant to post about them but just couldn't think of anything worth while saying when I did have access to the laptop. Oh, speaking of laptop, do you know how frustrating it is when you go to turn it on and it says, FU? My old HP, which was only three years old took a crap. Motherboard I think, can't remember. But fixing it would be more cost then buying a new one. Go figure, so I got a slightly larger screen, and a numeric keyboard on the side!!! You have no idea how that makes me happy. And I got $150 in rebates on top of it being on sale. Yep did good with this one.
Back to the anniversaries I passes this year, January 18th was one year from when the biopsy was done on the tumor in my abdomen. January 24, 2003 was when I freaked the doctor at the Urgent Care out with the size of the tumor on my left hamstring, And I do mean she freaked. That was a Friday, Monday the 27th I was getting an MRI, January 30, 2003 I was visiting with Dr. Joyce at the Cleveland Clinic and getting my first biopsy.
It was a needle biopsy, hell the damn thing was so big they couldn't miss it. I was awake, and numbed up. But I made them show me each piece of equipment before they used it. That sorta made them go HUH?
Let's see what else? February 10, '03 had a Bone Scan, CAT Scan and met my Radiation Oncologist. February 11, 2011 I had my first port put in. February 13th had a second biopsy done, and met Dr. Bud. (2003) February 14, 2003 I had my waist length hair cut and bleached. February 14th 2011 I started Chemo. February 15th 2011 I had my second ride in an ambulance in my life. (Had several ambulance rides in 2011, seemed to be a theme). February 16th, 2003 ended up in the hospital with cellulitus from the second biopsy. Ended up on vancomyicin, and finding out I'm allergic to it. February 24, 2003 started chemo.
Yeah in a hospital. Had to check in, spent three days hospitalized so they could do chemo. I remember thinking it wasn't so bad, I could handle it. Well, we stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the hospital, and I felt fine, but while shopping I found out that I wasn't so fine. Just made it to the car and threw up, and continued to try to throw up. Nausea drugs in '03 weren't as good as they have now. Trust me on that one. I spent the following week feeling like crap. By the time I felt almost normal, it was time for the next cycle of chemo.
Spent lots of time in the hospital back then too. Usually by the fourth day after the end of a cycle. Go figure. You could just about set your watch by it.
March 11, 2003 I shaved my head. The hair was falling out in hand fulls. That was unnerving. Being bald didn't bother me at all, but hand fulls of hair did. March 3, 2011, my Marines shaved my head, and theirs too, along with several of my civilian coworkers. That touched my heart. It amazed me that I meant so much to them.
May 16, 2003, Al and Cathy got married, and I spent a long day in the operating room having my hamstring removed. I remember waking up and moving my left leg, and said, hey, he didn't cut the whole thing off. There's an up side! May 20, 2003 they removed the right latisimus muscle to cover the bone and nerves of the left leg. Nope it is not a usable muscle. Just protection. Spent a week on my stomach, not getting out of bed or nothing so it would heal enough to move. May 20, 2003, was bleeding into my chest, they had to do emergency surgery to repair it. Was resuscitated. Spent four days in the ICU, had to learn to eat while on my stomach because the doctors didn't have a choice when it came to removing the feeding tube in my nose. May 27, 2003 first of 7 (I think) skin graphs to cover the muscle graph. First one failed miserably, I stunk of rotting flesh. Really nasty. When I woke up I was actually on my back and it felt like HEAVEN!!
May 23, 2011 had 2/3 of the right lung removed and a HUGE ass tumor.
Then I had the Thoracic duct repaired, and three weeks? Later had two tumors and two feet of intestine removed. And three? weeks later I had the tumor in between the right pectoral muscles removed, along with a branch or two of the main nerve that controls the right arm.
Had to do radiation to the pectoral area, and chemo again. But all those anniversaries are yet to come.
OK, I just almost lost this whole long thing and the flow of humor ran out. But eh, that is life. The whole point to this? I am a terrible blogger.
So shut off the computer and get your butt out and enjoy life. I plan on it.
