Not a great update. It’s not diverticulitis but they found a mass in my gall bladder and want me to go back to the hospital for more testing. I’m more then a little scared. I am just so weak and tired I’m not sure how much I can take. Keep the prayers coming will update once I am in and get results. Hugs
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
More tests
Had my appointment with gastroenterology, and I have to be up first thing in the morning to have a catscan done. They did order antibiotics. Setting up the catscan my insurance company was trying to get an ultrasound instead and the office was like no we need a catscan, the insurance company says oh that will have to go into clinical review, the office says we have it for stat we can't wait that long. Mind you this call took about an hour of this. You'd think I was trying to get a Disney Vacation or Cruise out of them instead of medical care for a health problem. Anyways as soon as I know I will update all of you. Just uncomfortable and my next chemotherapy treatment is creeping up. Keep those prayers coming everyone. Hugs
Monday, February 7, 2022
Have appointment with Gastroenterologist
Update, they have me going to an appointment tomorrow afternoon right at the office for gastroenterology. I am so glad they could fit me in so quickly.
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Prayers please
Prayers please have to call the gastroenterologist tomorrow I am pretty sure I have an infection from diverticulitis.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Labs and Night before treatment
Had my labs and Dr. appointment yesterday. My numbers are good so we will do a full chemotherapy treatment. My insurance approved the use of the medication to help my bone marrow to produce more white blood cells so we have that in case my numbers fall again.
I was approved to start up my vitamins again as well. They want me to start with one iron and hopefully work up to 3 a day depending on my colon's response, as well as my multivitamin and vitamin D. I told her about my head feeling like it is bruised as well as my hair loss and she said what I am feeling is my hair follicles responding to the chemotherapy, and hair loss is anywhere from none to all with all being on the low side so time will tell with what my response will be.
The Dr. was really surprised with how well my skin is doing. My daughter and husband try to keep me well moisturized. She also asked about mouth sores and none yet another area she was surprised to see doing so well. Like I said I have side effects and I still have 10 more therapy sessions to go so anything could pop up, but I am thankful every day for Jesus giving me grace through all of this and always making sure I am not alone during this journey. Keep those prayers coming! Hugs.
The night before Chemotherapy is the night my family makes sure I get a good meal in and also a good breakfast before I leave for treatment because I lose my appetite for several days while getting therapy. Tonight my daughter is making stuffed shells, and salad, the girls requested ice cream. My neuropathy is gone right now so I will have a little of the ice cream too.
Breakfast we usually pick up on the way to my treatment depending on time. Last treatment with the modified chemotherapy I didn't lose my appetite as long and I only lost a pound and a half. The Dr. wants to know how I do this week with a full treatment plan again. Like I said I can deal with the weight loss I am a big girl, and our family Dr. is ok with the weight loss if I am still eating. I still have my food struggles but we are finding more foods that work around my fears which has helped me a lot. Again thank you for the support and keep those prayers coming.
Monday, January 31, 2022
Losing my hair
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Time to go
The surgery team was here they should be coming soon to start my bleeding disorder medication and get me ready.
Monday, September 20, 2021
Health Update
Between homeschooling, family day, Narnia Night, and having my granddaughter over for the weekend, we have been super busy. Also, we were hit with a lot of information and are still sorting things out. First of all, when they find cancer they like to come up with a plan within the first 30 days. Because of my other health issues, it will take a bit more time to sort out.
I have to get my Gynecologist to contact my Surgeon to see what his plan for the growth on my ovaries will be. When and if they cut me they want it to be once. My biopsies have been sent to a second pathologist for more testing. Also, I have to have more tests to make sure my cancer has not spread. They don't want to do anything with my diverticulitis right now unless it is an emergency and I was told I could eat anything as the seeds, nuts, etc are only a myth (so many Dr.'s and patients disagree with this).
We talked about weight loss surgery but we have kept food diaries in the past and I eat less than most people so my weight gain doesn't match my intake, so maybe more movement is needed which has gotten seriously less over the last 13 years due to pain from my fibromyalgia, back, and of course more weight gain from not moving as much. There just isn't an easy answer to all of this. To be quite honest it seems like we don't have all of the information we need yet. So until the Dr.'s talk, the results from the pathology come back, and I get more testing we are at a standstill.
I am sorry I don't have any better news, my health issues just make it extremely hard for the Dr.'s to come up with a plan to treat or medicate me. I hope to have more of an update in the coming weeks. I am scared, this isn't easy on me or my family. We are just praying and taking one day at a time, enjoying the time we have together, and finding joy in each day, until we can take the next step. Thank you to everyone who keeps asking how we are doing and for updates. Keep the prayers coming. Hugs.
Friday, August 20, 2021
5:16 8-19-2021
The call wasn't really that long and I am not quite sure when it started but once I heard it my eyes went right to the clock on my phone like I could freeze time in place. See I have been sick lately although, I guess you can say I have been sick all of my life with one thing or another.
I had a double procedure on 8/17/2021 that was more than what they had expected to find. They removed pieces and resected me, then sent the pieces off to be tested.
I thought I wouldn't hear anything till I saw the Surgeon. on Friday but Thursday night at around five in the evening the call came in. It was the Dr. I know a Dr. doesn't call unless it is something, but not that late, good news can always wait. I have had these calls before up to 10:30 pm.
This time it would be the word I thought I would never hear. The C word, The Big C, CANCER, they found cancer and they aren't sure they got it all because they had to cut it out of me in little pieces.
The first thing we did was call our children and branch out from there. Today after two more calls I will be posting on my social media. There are just too many people to contact with the news. Social Media is quicker besides telling everyone the same thing over and over just tires me out more than I already am.
Of course, almost everyone so far is asking how I am taking it, and how is my husband, and the kids. Well, I don't know we are still processing it. My husband went to bed early, I can't sleep, and the kids are being supportive.
People ask what the next steps are. Well, the Surgeon tomorrow and then a call to oncology for an appointment to see just what those next steps will be. Of course, I have to call my Primary Doctor as well as my Gynecologist. You see they found a growth on my left ovary right before Covid-19 changed up everything, that they had been watching. Since they will be going in for the Cancer they might do that too.
I suppose I am writing here for myself more than for my readers but hey who knows, something I might say might save someone's life.
Some people asked did I know? or did I think something was up. When has something not been up with my health? The answer is yes. Even when I am not having Diverticulitis pain I feel something in my stomach which is actually my intestines. It feels like something is eating me alive, gnawing at my insides. It took a while for it happening to say anything to my husband, he even ordered a pregnancy test hoping I was just pregnant. When it came back negative that is when he started to really worry.
Then in June, I had blood tests. I saw the results. It showed my bone marrow had kicked in and my red and white cell counts were all in the wrong places. I am not dumb. I was just hoping it was the infections I kept getting over and over and that the numbers would get better. So did I have an idea I sure did.
My appointments were already set so things couldn't go any quicker. I was supposed to have my procedure back in 2018, but between Dr.'s retiring, cases being shifted, busy schedules with kids, and then Covid-19 we kept putting things off, there is always tomorrow (Isn't that what we tell ourselves?). Last year things began to get worse with infection after infection which is what put my procedures further out finally after being infection free for 8 weeks I had my procedures. So here I am.
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Home resting
I am home in a bit of discomfort but resting. God moved in the situation. Thankfully the Dr. who was there was able to finish if he hadn’t been there they wouldn’t have been able to. He is the one called when something like what was in me is found. They didn’t see it on the scans. I have special surgical clips working with my bleeding medication to keep me from bleeding while I heal.
This is not over yet they sent my biopsies and removals to pathology stat to have them tested. I have damage in both my esophagus and colon as well as what they call a torturous sigmoid. The biggest removal was precancerous 100% but it could also be cancerous which is why they have the stat testing on it.
While in there the Dr. had to cut and resection different parts of me together. I see the other surgeon on Friday, my gastroenterologist in two weeks, and have to go through this all again in 3 months depending on the pathology report. Keep me and my family in your prayers, please.
Monday, August 16, 2021
All ready for my procedures
I wanted to be more clear about my operation/procedures tomorrow. I am having a colonoscopy and endoscopy. They want to rule out cancer, as well as check things to make sure they have a clear picture to know just how much of my colon will need to be removed. I see a Surgeon on Friday to talk about my Sigmoid removal to hopefully get rid of the diverticulitis. This is something they found back when they did my emergency appendectomy back in 2018, it has just taken time, compounded diagnosis, and then finally infection on top of infection to get the doctors all on the same page. It has just become dangerous to my life for this to continue so it is time to take care of things. Please keep me in your thoughts as you go about your day tomorrow.
Friday, July 9, 2021
My first Telehealth call
Just had my telehealth call with my Hematologist and I will be going for more tests next week and a possible iron infusion based on those test results. She gave me a rundown of what I will be given for my operations and that there will be an extra med on board to help me, as well as making sure they have enough of my blood on hand. In our family, my 4th biological child is the only one who can give me blood as she hasn't tested positive for any of my blood diseases and has the same blood type as me, so we always have her on call when I need to go to the hospital just in case. We have other children with the same blood type as me but can't give blood or donate organs because of our blood disorders. Those who don't have my blood disorders all give blood as often as they can, I just can't have their blood. Getting closer to having my procedures done so we can find out what needs to come out so I don't have all of these infections from diverticulitis.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Going Back a bit
Monday, September 28, 2015
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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