The first time I have tried to draw or paint a humming bird. Painted in acrylic paints
Friday, December 9, 2011
Mom's MRI...
Thursday MRI adventure....
Well with so many trips into Baltimore I can honestly say I am learning my way around the town. Well at least so far to Perrins Violins, John Hopkins Hospital, and University of Maryland Medical Center so far. Soon I will know how to get to and from Bethesda Naval Hospital for me...
Today I had the abdominal MRI with and without contrast for my ovaries. The MRI was scheduled for 25 minutes however took 40 minutes total. So either they were very carefully checking things out or they found something...not sure yet. The results will be sent to my dr by tomorrow. Hopefully I will have the results soon.
On one hand I am hoping they find something easy to fix, on the other had hoping nothing is found. While on one hand hoping something is found kinda hoping not because this MRI was specifically to look for cancer, in fact ovarian or other cancers in that specific area. So if they do find something this will come with mixed issues in itself. If they do find something the next question is what is it, can it be easily fixed, what treatments are needed, and how long will they last?
If they do not find anything that leaves up continuing down the idiopathic path longer...the unknown realm of what in the world is going on and why. What is the next test to do. But the good news would be that this is NOT ovarian cancer related...
To top the day off with the longer than expected MRI I lost my wedding ring today. The ring that Frank has hand made in AZ for our 5th anniversary. Thank goodness it was not the new moonstone one he got while in Afghanistan...
However today I did not get lost once!!!!
Well with so many trips into Baltimore I can honestly say I am learning my way around the town. Well at least so far to Perrins Violins, John Hopkins Hospital, and University of Maryland Medical Center so far. Soon I will know how to get to and from Bethesda Naval Hospital for me...
Today I had the abdominal MRI with and without contrast for my ovaries. The MRI was scheduled for 25 minutes however took 40 minutes total. So either they were very carefully checking things out or they found something...not sure yet. The results will be sent to my dr by tomorrow. Hopefully I will have the results soon.
On one hand I am hoping they find something easy to fix, on the other had hoping nothing is found. While on one hand hoping something is found kinda hoping not because this MRI was specifically to look for cancer, in fact ovarian or other cancers in that specific area. So if they do find something this will come with mixed issues in itself. If they do find something the next question is what is it, can it be easily fixed, what treatments are needed, and how long will they last?
If they do not find anything that leaves up continuing down the idiopathic path longer...the unknown realm of what in the world is going on and why. What is the next test to do. But the good news would be that this is NOT ovarian cancer related...
To top the day off with the longer than expected MRI I lost my wedding ring today. The ring that Frank has hand made in AZ for our 5th anniversary. Thank goodness it was not the new moonstone one he got while in Afghanistan...
However today I did not get lost once!!!!
Corbyn's New Heme Dr
We met with the new heme dr Wednesday concerning Corbyn and his platelet disorder. The weirdest part of the appointment was when the dr's asked about family cancer history. Of course I had to talk about both my mother and mother in law are both taking chemo for different kinds of cancer. Both are doing different forms of chemo for their cancers. My lovely child just had to point out my missing ear chunk due to my prior cancer. So yes I had to find the name, write it out on a paper towel (Apocrine Adenocarcinoma variant: Ademoid Cystic Carcinoma with Malignancy to the margins.) This was necessary because once they found out it was a sweat gland tumor that attacked my ear and fingers running down behind the ear, inside the ear drum about the penetrate the ear drum, and about half the ear had to be removed they were curios and wanted the name.
With this information the next question was, "is there any other history of cancer," to this my lovely child once again stated, "the dr's think my mom has cancer again." Looking shocked at this comment they looked at me and asked, "what are they looking at this time?"
UGH!!!! With my children there really are NO secrets!!! So now I was questioned again and had to tell them that the dr's are looking at my right ovary at an ugly looking cyst. I have a lump in my right breast that the mammo has required a follow up ultra sound with possible biopsy. And they are trying to figure out what has messed up my liver in the past year.
(sigh) The heme/onc dr team was very fascinated that everything being looked at is on the right side. To make matters more interesting they asked me about any bleeding issues i have had in the past. Hemorrhagic issues after deliveries, did I require any transfusions, and why did I have a hysterectomy... UGH this was HIT apt NOT mine...
FINALLY!!!! the attention was back on him and his platelet disorder. In the end we got back around to him and he had a ton of blood work as he has been off prednisone and IVIg long enough to get good baseline counts. He will also be getting a bone marrow biopsy to ensure there are no signs of fibrosis within his bone marrow.
Turns out to be a blessing in disguise that he was NOT allowed to continue past the 5 or 6 doses of nPlate Apparently in younger children this medication is known to cause fibrosis within the bone marrow. He had Rituximab and failed that as well. There was another IVIg therapy he has also failed.
The new dr wants to hold off on removing his spleen as long as possible wait until that has to be done.
We return in Jan sometime they will call one the bone marrow is scheduled to let us know the 2 dates we need to be at the John Hopkins Hospital, one for the additional testing, and one for the follow up.
With this information the next question was, "is there any other history of cancer," to this my lovely child once again stated, "the dr's think my mom has cancer again." Looking shocked at this comment they looked at me and asked, "what are they looking at this time?"
UGH!!!! With my children there really are NO secrets!!! So now I was questioned again and had to tell them that the dr's are looking at my right ovary at an ugly looking cyst. I have a lump in my right breast that the mammo has required a follow up ultra sound with possible biopsy. And they are trying to figure out what has messed up my liver in the past year.
(sigh) The heme/onc dr team was very fascinated that everything being looked at is on the right side. To make matters more interesting they asked me about any bleeding issues i have had in the past. Hemorrhagic issues after deliveries, did I require any transfusions, and why did I have a hysterectomy... UGH this was HIT apt NOT mine...
FINALLY!!!! the attention was back on him and his platelet disorder. In the end we got back around to him and he had a ton of blood work as he has been off prednisone and IVIg long enough to get good baseline counts. He will also be getting a bone marrow biopsy to ensure there are no signs of fibrosis within his bone marrow.
Turns out to be a blessing in disguise that he was NOT allowed to continue past the 5 or 6 doses of nPlate Apparently in younger children this medication is known to cause fibrosis within the bone marrow. He had Rituximab and failed that as well. There was another IVIg therapy he has also failed.
The new dr wants to hold off on removing his spleen as long as possible wait until that has to be done.
We return in Jan sometime they will call one the bone marrow is scheduled to let us know the 2 dates we need to be at the John Hopkins Hospital, one for the additional testing, and one for the follow up.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Reflections...
So I made a trip into NYC on a day I was not feeling very well in hopes of meeting up with a friend. Unfortunately even the best planned plans do not always work out as expected. On such a trip little things like extra toll booths, construction, accidents, missed exits, were not taken into account. Nor was the dr's appointment that was running late setting the whole day behind.
However, the long drive let to realization of many new adventures taken since Frank's deployment to Afghanistan. As it is before he deployed I would NEVER have considered driving more than 2 hours anywhere to meet up with anyone. I would NEVER consider driving in a town like Baltimore with the crazy traffic there. I had survived there so how bad could NYC be.
The drive was not to bad as long as I stayed on an inside lane on the big bridges, yes I do NOT like heights. Those bridges make me nervous, ok very nervous. I was very glad to learn there were NO tunnels going to NYC. The traffic flowed most of the way until I got into the city.
I found my way to the airport about the time the plane was scheduled to be leaving. Bummed out, I sat for a bit, but satisfied I found my way into town, I left to try and find a Target for something I found my way onto Atlantic something.
Soon my nerves were raw. I discovered NYC is a traffic safety hazard, more accurate a crash test dummy site. Oh my goodness. I know fully understand why car rental places require a insane rental down payment. What is up with double parking in a driving lane, turning right from the LEFT turning lane, using the left lane to go straight from? Not to mention if you are NOT through the light as soon as it turns green all the cars behind you are honking at you.
The funniest though I felt like I was in a scene from Harry Potter. There was this really old man who took 3 seconds per step. When my light was green he was in front of the drivers side head light step 1...2..3..step..1..2..3 step and on it went as he used his cane to ever so slowly walk past my car. here I was getting honked at, and honked at, and honked at....(yeah you get the picture) until finally he pasted by. heheh... well I was driving a HUGE GMC extended Yukon so the little cars behind could NOT see this little old hunched over man ever so slowly walking in front of my truck. Of course I was NOT going to honk at him and give him, (may have given him a heart attack) as he finished passing by he gave me the biggest smile while waving though.
The one part of Atlantic I really hated was driving as the tram or what ever it is called, driving under that loud thing was not cool. LOL kinda freaky actually. The other freaky thing I had happen while driving was simply zoning out, no music on, no cell phone, nothing.. just me in my head and eyes on the road... Suddenly I felt this weird vibration. Again that vibration... Then a third time and I looked around and saw in my rear view mirror were lights on my tail so I pulled over as soon as I had space... Puzzled I saw it was a sherrif's car. However, it was not until it whizzed past me that I heard the sirens. I have no clue how long he had been there. But I am sure by the look on my face they saw I was very confused. I do not understand why I did not hear the siren at all. I noticed in NYC that I could not tell the direction the siren was coming from at all either and have worse trouble with that here in MD as well. But, startling was the vibrating horn thing they used to get my attention. What was that. Kinda cool really...but never knew anything like that existed...any why can't I hear the sirens out here...
Well one thing I have learned from my trip into NYC... I will GLADLY drive any day in Baltimore, but never again in NYC if I can help it. I will leave the crash up derby insanity to Frank. I do believe I can handle the driving to Bethesda...that can't be worse than Baltimore and once I get on base as least that will be sane again hehe...
I do love driving on military bases. That I do know!
However, the long drive let to realization of many new adventures taken since Frank's deployment to Afghanistan. As it is before he deployed I would NEVER have considered driving more than 2 hours anywhere to meet up with anyone. I would NEVER consider driving in a town like Baltimore with the crazy traffic there. I had survived there so how bad could NYC be.
The drive was not to bad as long as I stayed on an inside lane on the big bridges, yes I do NOT like heights. Those bridges make me nervous, ok very nervous. I was very glad to learn there were NO tunnels going to NYC. The traffic flowed most of the way until I got into the city.
I found my way to the airport about the time the plane was scheduled to be leaving. Bummed out, I sat for a bit, but satisfied I found my way into town, I left to try and find a Target for something I found my way onto Atlantic something.
Soon my nerves were raw. I discovered NYC is a traffic safety hazard, more accurate a crash test dummy site. Oh my goodness. I know fully understand why car rental places require a insane rental down payment. What is up with double parking in a driving lane, turning right from the LEFT turning lane, using the left lane to go straight from? Not to mention if you are NOT through the light as soon as it turns green all the cars behind you are honking at you.
The funniest though I felt like I was in a scene from Harry Potter. There was this really old man who took 3 seconds per step. When my light was green he was in front of the drivers side head light step 1...2..3..step..1..2..3 step and on it went as he used his cane to ever so slowly walk past my car. here I was getting honked at, and honked at, and honked at....(yeah you get the picture) until finally he pasted by. heheh... well I was driving a HUGE GMC extended Yukon so the little cars behind could NOT see this little old hunched over man ever so slowly walking in front of my truck. Of course I was NOT going to honk at him and give him, (may have given him a heart attack) as he finished passing by he gave me the biggest smile while waving though.
The one part of Atlantic I really hated was driving as the tram or what ever it is called, driving under that loud thing was not cool. LOL kinda freaky actually. The other freaky thing I had happen while driving was simply zoning out, no music on, no cell phone, nothing.. just me in my head and eyes on the road... Suddenly I felt this weird vibration. Again that vibration... Then a third time and I looked around and saw in my rear view mirror were lights on my tail so I pulled over as soon as I had space... Puzzled I saw it was a sherrif's car. However, it was not until it whizzed past me that I heard the sirens. I have no clue how long he had been there. But I am sure by the look on my face they saw I was very confused. I do not understand why I did not hear the siren at all. I noticed in NYC that I could not tell the direction the siren was coming from at all either and have worse trouble with that here in MD as well. But, startling was the vibrating horn thing they used to get my attention. What was that. Kinda cool really...but never knew anything like that existed...any why can't I hear the sirens out here...
Well one thing I have learned from my trip into NYC... I will GLADLY drive any day in Baltimore, but never again in NYC if I can help it. I will leave the crash up derby insanity to Frank. I do believe I can handle the driving to Bethesda...that can't be worse than Baltimore and once I get on base as least that will be sane again hehe...
I do love driving on military bases. That I do know!
Rules coming back at me...
Ok so for years now it has been the rule that the either Ellie eats her food or she gets her formula or as he calls it her "Ellie Milk." So last night she had not eaten very well again and gladly she was allowed an extra can of her Bright Beginnings Soy Milk. At the same time she asked me if I too would like a drink, so I told her I would like some water.
Well a few minutes later she came to the kitchen entry with the jug of Egg Nog asking me how much I would like. I told her "no thank you, water please. Then she comes back the kitchen entry with the jug of regular milk, again asking me how much milk I wanted. (sigh) Again telling her "no thank you, water please," she looked annoyed at me put the milk back and brought me water.
However, this time with my water she told me, "Mom, if you are not going to eat you need milk, you know the rule!" and walked away...
Trying hard not to laugh or look annoyed at my daughter, I was not sure just how to respond to her comment as yes she really was right on so many levels as yes I do need to eat more than I have been. However, she just has no clue how my body is reacting to foods right. UGH how annoying when my rule for food for her comes back to bite me too. LOL...
Well a few minutes later she came to the kitchen entry with the jug of Egg Nog asking me how much I would like. I told her "no thank you, water please. Then she comes back the kitchen entry with the jug of regular milk, again asking me how much milk I wanted. (sigh) Again telling her "no thank you, water please," she looked annoyed at me put the milk back and brought me water.
However, this time with my water she told me, "Mom, if you are not going to eat you need milk, you know the rule!" and walked away...
Trying hard not to laugh or look annoyed at my daughter, I was not sure just how to respond to her comment as yes she really was right on so many levels as yes I do need to eat more than I have been. However, she just has no clue how my body is reacting to foods right. UGH how annoying when my rule for food for her comes back to bite me too. LOL...
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