This Journey will Never End
I've been on chemotherapy for 1 year and 8 months. The chemo itself is very difficult to deal with. Each cycle puts me out of commission for nearly a week. I'm nauseated, weak, tired, and my tumor spots (which are all over) flare up and cause pain for several days. Each treatment is 2 days because one of the drugs has to be given over 2 days. On the third day, I receive a shot called Neulasta that boosts my white blood cell production. The shot has worse side effects than the chemo. It makes my skin burn. I can barely stand to take a shower. It also makes me incredibly weak, and when I stand up I nearly pass out. It also gives me feelings of doom and makes me want to die. Really, the shot is THAT bad. I'd like to never have it again, but there doesn't seem to be any other way to keep my white cell count up. When the chemo started, I went every three weeks, then it was every four, and now it's every five. The only thing that makes the chemo bearable is the time I have in between cycles when I feel nearly normal.
My journey with cancer did not start with the chemo. It has been ongoing since the birth of my beautiful daughter, who is now 5 1/2. Since then I've been through three major surgeries (my neck, my hip, and my liver), each with their own set of post-op woes. My body has been forever changed... nerve damage, metal hip, missing gallbladder. I've also been through radiation, radio frequency ablation, and a second pregnancy while the cancer continued to grow. My precious son is a miracle, because he came in the only window possible. Just another month later, and I probably wouldn't have been able to get through the pregnancy. It was interesting to be pregnant just four months after a hip replacement. That brought its own set of aches and probably delayed my healing a little bit. Despite all that, I made it through. Just three months after he was born, I had to have a mass dose of MIBG radiation as a treatment for my cancer. I had to stay away from my family for two weeks. I had to stop breastfeeding my son, which still makes me sad when I think about it. I breastfed my daughter for 16 months, and I'm a big supporter of breastfeeding.
Going back even farther, when I was ten years old I started vomiting every time I exercised or did anything that would increase my heart rate. I had high blood pressure. It took EIGHT YEARS to get a diagnosis. I had surgery when I was 18 to remove the orange sized tumor, one of my kidneys, and an adrenal gland.
Yes, this cancer has robbed me of many things. It has caused horrific pain that I never imagined possible. And now it threatens my life again, despite being on chemotherapy. It's spreading in my pelvis and hip joint. It seems there is no end in sight to this cancer. I just want to hang on until a cure is found. That's what I'm trying to do. I want to see my kids grow up, and I want to be there to help them if they ever develop the same tumors that I have.
My family and friends keep me going. I will fight this thing to the end.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Living with Cancer
I've had metastatic pheochromocytoma for 5 years. I've been on chemotherapy for a year and eight months now. I have found it challenging to know what to eat/drink while living with this disease because there are differing opinions on everything. I thought I'd share some of my eating practices. I'd love to hear from others who have tips.
I've had metastatic pheochromocytoma for 5 years. I've been on chemotherapy for a year and eight months now. I have found it challenging to know what to eat/drink while living with this disease because there are differing opinions on everything. I thought I'd share some of my eating practices. I'd love to hear from others who have tips.
- Drink white tea with honey - White tea has more antioxidants than green tea. So that you do not kill off the antioxidants, let boiling water cool down for a minute before you put your tea in it. Honey can help boost your immune system.
- Limit red meat - Eat more fish. This is one where I have room for improvement.
- Limit dairy products - Dairy products can cause inflammation. I can't give up cheese, but I avoid milk, except when I get an occasional craving for it.
- Drink coffee - Yes, I drink coffee and no, I will not stop. Even though people say I should get off of caffeine, I won't do it. Coffee has been shown to slow memory loss.
- Drink red wine - Antioxidant power! Plus you've got to indulge yourself once in awhile.
- Eat dark chocolate - I buy the 80% kind, which doesn't taste very good, but the higher the cacao percentage, the more anti-oxidants are in it. I eat one square per day. Milk chocolate cannot be substituted... it's just a lot of fat and sugar. Dark chocolate also helps dilate blood vessels and can lower blood pressure.
- Use cinnamon - I try to use a little every day. It helps regulate blood sugar.
- Eat Indian food - Turmeric can alleviate inflammation, and it's found in many Indian dishes.
- Avoid soy - This is difficult because soybean oil is in everything. I avoid it as much as possible. Soy contains plant estrogens, which are not good for some cancers, especially some forms of breast cancer. Most of the soy in this country is genetically modified and treated with herbicides, which is another reason to avoid it.
- Avoid high fructose corn syrup - Studies have shown that cancer cells thrive on glucose. It's best to avoid sugar in most forms, but it's highly difficult for me. All I can do is try.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners - I used to drink Diet Coke every day. I finally broke myself of the habit. I don't know if aspartame has any relation to my current health status, but it can't hurt to avoid it. You have to check labels... it's hidden in many foods. If I have something sweet, I go for real sugar.
- Take vitamins - I take B6 to boost my red blood cells, a multivitamin, extra vitamin C, and a calcium chew with vitamin D every day.
- Eat fresh, organic produce - Try to avoid pesticides and herbicides. Steam vegetables so that you don't cook away their nutrients.
- Eat broccoli - Broccoli contains cancer fighting compounds.
- Eat garlic - It has antibacterial properties, may lower cholesterol, and wards off mosquitoes.
- Use olive oil - It doesn't work for baking, but I use it as much as I can when I cook.
- Drink water - This is actually one of the hardest items for me. I don't drink enough water partly because I can't put the coffee mug down. Well, there is water in coffee, right?
The State of Food
I watched the movie Food, Inc. awhile back. It exposes the terrible practices that the food industry doesn't want you to know about. Everything from genetically modified soy and the evil empire who created it, mistreatment of animals, mishandling of meat and produce, mistreatment of workers... all the ugly truth is there for you to see. And even if you don't want to see it, I think you should. You NEED to see it.
I am really disturbed by just how much soy and high fructose corn syrup is used in food. Those ingredients are in EVERYTHING! I ate soy heavily for about 3 years before I developed cancer. Even though I have a genetic predisposition to the cancer I have, I can't help but wonder if the soy had something to do with it. I only recently realized that 90% of the soybeans in this country are genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup. So, most of the soy we eat probably has this chemical mixed in with it. And soy is touted as a health food...
With the availability and low cost of processed foods, it doesn't surprise me that people are getting cancer and diabetes at younger ages. I'm not surprised that so many kids are obese and have high blood pressure. But how do we stop it?
As a result of watching the film and doing some other research, I changed the way I grocery shop. My kids have a chance of getting the same cancer I have, so it is extremely important that I give them the healthiest foods I can. I have stopped buying foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. Even though it's difficult, I try to buy foods that do not contain soy or soybean oil. I buy as much food as I can from Farmer's Markets. I grow some of my own vegetables. I buy organic. I only buy milk that does not contain growth hormones. I buy meat that does not contain hormones. Grass fed beef and free range chickens are best, but they are not always affordable. I buy cage free eggs, which are nearly three times the price as regular, but aside from the fact that the chickens are treated humanely, I think they taste better.
Those changes have upped our grocery bill somewhat. It's not cheap to eat healthy, and that's a shame. It's worth it to me. If we demand that these unhealthy ingredients be removed from our food, the industry will listen. They will have to if they want our money. So let's demand change!
I watched the movie Food, Inc. awhile back. It exposes the terrible practices that the food industry doesn't want you to know about. Everything from genetically modified soy and the evil empire who created it, mistreatment of animals, mishandling of meat and produce, mistreatment of workers... all the ugly truth is there for you to see. And even if you don't want to see it, I think you should. You NEED to see it.
I am really disturbed by just how much soy and high fructose corn syrup is used in food. Those ingredients are in EVERYTHING! I ate soy heavily for about 3 years before I developed cancer. Even though I have a genetic predisposition to the cancer I have, I can't help but wonder if the soy had something to do with it. I only recently realized that 90% of the soybeans in this country are genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup. So, most of the soy we eat probably has this chemical mixed in with it. And soy is touted as a health food...
With the availability and low cost of processed foods, it doesn't surprise me that people are getting cancer and diabetes at younger ages. I'm not surprised that so many kids are obese and have high blood pressure. But how do we stop it?
As a result of watching the film and doing some other research, I changed the way I grocery shop. My kids have a chance of getting the same cancer I have, so it is extremely important that I give them the healthiest foods I can. I have stopped buying foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. Even though it's difficult, I try to buy foods that do not contain soy or soybean oil. I buy as much food as I can from Farmer's Markets. I grow some of my own vegetables. I buy organic. I only buy milk that does not contain growth hormones. I buy meat that does not contain hormones. Grass fed beef and free range chickens are best, but they are not always affordable. I buy cage free eggs, which are nearly three times the price as regular, but aside from the fact that the chickens are treated humanely, I think they taste better.
Those changes have upped our grocery bill somewhat. It's not cheap to eat healthy, and that's a shame. It's worth it to me. If we demand that these unhealthy ingredients be removed from our food, the industry will listen. They will have to if they want our money. So let's demand change!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Hello, It's Me Again...
Wow, it is 2010, and my last post was September 2008. Has it really been that long? I do have a good excuse for being absent from the blog world. I have been on chemotherapy for the last year. The tumor saga goes on... In December 2008 I was in extreme pain, my tumors were growing and spreading, and it was finally decided that I would start CVD chemotherapy. CVD is a cocktail of three drugs... cytoxan, vincristine, and DTIC. At first I received it every three weeks. Then we moved to every four weeks. It makes me horribly nauseated despite all the anti-nausea drugs I take. I also receive a Neulasta shot after each chemo treatment, which keeps my white blood cell production going. The side effects of the shot are worse than the chemo. The combination of chemo and the shot pretty much puts me out of commission for a week. I get three weeks of "normalcy" between treatments. I use that term loosely because I do get tired. For the most part, I can't complain. The chemo is gradually shrinking the many bone lesions I have. I will stay on it until it stops working or until the tumors are gone, which would be some sort of miracle. I keep hoping that a cure will be found in the meantime.
On my last visit to the NIH for scans, I had one trouble spot in my pelvis. It was more enhanced than on a previous scan, which means there is tumor activity going on. So, they are going to burn it out with RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation). I had RFA on my liver once, but that was during surgery. This will be a little different.
I'm still working (part time). My work status may change eventually, but I'll always be a mom. The kids keep me very busy. Tess is in preschool and Nolan turned two last month.
My only goal for each new year is to be in better health at the end of the year than I was at the beginning. That was true for 2009, so I hope it will be true for 2010.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Killing Bugs Never Tasted So Good
We've all had fruit flies in our house at one time or another... you leave some bananas on the counter until they turn black or leave a plate of spaghetti sitting on the counter for awhile (ahem), and BAM. Fruit fly infestation. Usually you get lucky... toss out the offending item and the fruit flies gradually disappear, but sometimes they are hesitant to leave. You catch them mating on the kitchen counter and try to smash them, but they fly away too fast. You get out the vacuum cleaner and start sucking them off the ceiling in the evening when they land up there to do whatever fruit flies do on the ceiling, but you still see them flying around your cereal the next day.
Well, I have stumbled upon a surefire way to get rid of those pesky fruit flies! Not only will it eliminate the problem, but it's also fun.
Step 1. Obtain a bottle of sweet, fruity wine (they seem to prefer white). The fruit flies at my house really like Traminette and Simmons' Winery Autumn Late Harvest (they have discerning taste, at least).
Step 2. Drink most of the wine (this is the fun part). Leave an inch or so of wine in the bottom of the bottle.
Step 3. Set the open wine bottle in the area where fruit flies seem to be congregating (kitchen, maybe?). Note: Be sure to use the bottle. A glass does not work as well.
Step 4. Wait.
You will notice less and less fruit flies buzzing around your food and more and more fruit flies floating helpless (and dead) in the wine bottle.
This absolutely works. Last summer we had a fruit fly problem and we tried everything to get rid of them... unsightly fly paper, the vacuum method, Raid, but nothing worked until I accidentally left a bit of wine in a bottle sitting out. The next day I counted 20 some fruit flies floating in the bottle. A couple of days later the problem was completely eradicated. I have used this method a few times since then (I guess we get a lot of bad bananas) when I notice fruit flies around, and it works everytime.
I wonder if I can have this idea patented.
We've all had fruit flies in our house at one time or another... you leave some bananas on the counter until they turn black or leave a plate of spaghetti sitting on the counter for awhile (ahem), and BAM. Fruit fly infestation. Usually you get lucky... toss out the offending item and the fruit flies gradually disappear, but sometimes they are hesitant to leave. You catch them mating on the kitchen counter and try to smash them, but they fly away too fast. You get out the vacuum cleaner and start sucking them off the ceiling in the evening when they land up there to do whatever fruit flies do on the ceiling, but you still see them flying around your cereal the next day.
Well, I have stumbled upon a surefire way to get rid of those pesky fruit flies! Not only will it eliminate the problem, but it's also fun.
Step 1. Obtain a bottle of sweet, fruity wine (they seem to prefer white). The fruit flies at my house really like Traminette and Simmons' Winery Autumn Late Harvest (they have discerning taste, at least).
Step 2. Drink most of the wine (this is the fun part). Leave an inch or so of wine in the bottom of the bottle.
Step 3. Set the open wine bottle in the area where fruit flies seem to be congregating (kitchen, maybe?). Note: Be sure to use the bottle. A glass does not work as well.
Step 4. Wait.
You will notice less and less fruit flies buzzing around your food and more and more fruit flies floating helpless (and dead) in the wine bottle.
This absolutely works. Last summer we had a fruit fly problem and we tried everything to get rid of them... unsightly fly paper, the vacuum method, Raid, but nothing worked until I accidentally left a bit of wine in a bottle sitting out. The next day I counted 20 some fruit flies floating in the bottle. A couple of days later the problem was completely eradicated. I have used this method a few times since then (I guess we get a lot of bad bananas) when I notice fruit flies around, and it works everytime.
I wonder if I can have this idea patented.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Buggin'
My three year old daughter is afraid of bugs, especially the flying variety. When I say afraid, I mean terrified for her life. At the sight of a fly, bee, gnat, or whatever, she screams, starts crying, trembles, hides her face and/or gets behind me. The scream startles everyone around us, and they think she is mortally injured. So whenever this happens in public, it's really nice to endure all the stares from people.
She also has the uncanny ability to find the smallest bugs around the house. She'll point out the tiniest ant crawling around on carpet where it normally would be camouflaged. One day she told me there was a spider in the potty. I'm thinking it's on her little training toilet... no, there is a spider crawling around in my toilet bowl! I'm glad she found it. I am amazed at her bug spotting ability, but it does not help her phobia one bit.
I don't know why she developed this phobia. I may jump once in awhile if a bug lands on me outside or if I see a big bug in the house, but I've never reacted like that. Maybe it was television. It gets blamed for everything else, so we'll just say that's it.
We have tried various approaches in order to deal with her phobia. We've reassured her that bugs won't hurt her, they are afraid of her, some bugs are good, and so on... but she is three. You can't reason with a three year old. After having this happen again and again I finally lost my patience and yelled at her and put her in timeout on the couch. That didn't work either. You can't scare the fear out of someone. The psychologist in me thought about systematic desensitization, but again, she is three. I think she is going to just have to outgrow it. In the meantime, I have to remain calm whenever I encounter a creepy crawly. I don't like millipedes, and there have been two of them in the house recently. It's really hard not to yelp when you see one of those. I have to suck it up and set a good example!
It's going to be a fun summer indoors... I bought Tess a pool, but she can't enjoy it. She barely even had a foot in it today when she saw something and ran screaming back into the house.
Happy Summer Solstice!
My three year old daughter is afraid of bugs, especially the flying variety. When I say afraid, I mean terrified for her life. At the sight of a fly, bee, gnat, or whatever, she screams, starts crying, trembles, hides her face and/or gets behind me. The scream startles everyone around us, and they think she is mortally injured. So whenever this happens in public, it's really nice to endure all the stares from people.
She also has the uncanny ability to find the smallest bugs around the house. She'll point out the tiniest ant crawling around on carpet where it normally would be camouflaged. One day she told me there was a spider in the potty. I'm thinking it's on her little training toilet... no, there is a spider crawling around in my toilet bowl! I'm glad she found it. I am amazed at her bug spotting ability, but it does not help her phobia one bit.
I don't know why she developed this phobia. I may jump once in awhile if a bug lands on me outside or if I see a big bug in the house, but I've never reacted like that. Maybe it was television. It gets blamed for everything else, so we'll just say that's it.
We have tried various approaches in order to deal with her phobia. We've reassured her that bugs won't hurt her, they are afraid of her, some bugs are good, and so on... but she is three. You can't reason with a three year old. After having this happen again and again I finally lost my patience and yelled at her and put her in timeout on the couch. That didn't work either. You can't scare the fear out of someone. The psychologist in me thought about systematic desensitization, but again, she is three. I think she is going to just have to outgrow it. In the meantime, I have to remain calm whenever I encounter a creepy crawly. I don't like millipedes, and there have been two of them in the house recently. It's really hard not to yelp when you see one of those. I have to suck it up and set a good example!
It's going to be a fun summer indoors... I bought Tess a pool, but she can't enjoy it. She barely even had a foot in it today when she saw something and ran screaming back into the house.
Happy Summer Solstice!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Scarlet Pumpernickel
Ah... it's fun to laugh at the verbal screw-ups, Freudian slips, misunderstood song lyrics, and jabberwocky that people come up with. As a kid I used to think Aimee Mann was singing "Ooo, trash, even downtown, was so scary" in the song "Voices Carry". To this day, even though I know the correct lyrics, I still sing my own silly version.
Here are some other silly things I've heard or read over the years...
One day (many years ago) I was walking through campus at Ball State with a friend, and it started to sprinkle. She said "It's dribbling." That made me laugh, and I still remember it!
When Pope John Paul II died and they were electing a new pope, I had the news on and the news lady said "The new poop, uh, pope...". I can't remember which channel I was watching, but that was hilarious.
I was looking for a table in a restaurant with someone when he said something like "That table hasn't been busted yet". Busted? Oh... you mean bussed.
Sometimes the brain just decides to mix up what a person is saying... one day my husband referred to something in the living room as a "rotten curd". It took me a second to register that he was talking about the curtain rod. That was so funny that we have been referring to curtain rods as rotten curds ever since.
My mom is the queen of mispronouncing things even after she's been saying it correctly. She once said "He's got that Alzenheimers". I guess she had forgotten how to pronounce it. On a recent trip she was unloading stuff from the car and asked her husband if he could get her "Bed, Bath, and Body Bag". I said "Mom, I didn't know we had a dead body in the car." It was a Bath and Body Works bag, but she had somehow thrown Bed, Bath, and Beyond in there.
And I saved the best for last. A while back someone at work sent a message out to the entire Carmel office. The message informed everyone that they would need to change their passwords due to a possible security risk. The last line of the message said:
"We apologize for the incontinence and appreciate your understanding."
:)
Ah... it's fun to laugh at the verbal screw-ups, Freudian slips, misunderstood song lyrics, and jabberwocky that people come up with. As a kid I used to think Aimee Mann was singing "Ooo, trash, even downtown, was so scary" in the song "Voices Carry". To this day, even though I know the correct lyrics, I still sing my own silly version.
Here are some other silly things I've heard or read over the years...
One day (many years ago) I was walking through campus at Ball State with a friend, and it started to sprinkle. She said "It's dribbling." That made me laugh, and I still remember it!
When Pope John Paul II died and they were electing a new pope, I had the news on and the news lady said "The new poop, uh, pope...". I can't remember which channel I was watching, but that was hilarious.
I was looking for a table in a restaurant with someone when he said something like "That table hasn't been busted yet". Busted? Oh... you mean bussed.
Sometimes the brain just decides to mix up what a person is saying... one day my husband referred to something in the living room as a "rotten curd". It took me a second to register that he was talking about the curtain rod. That was so funny that we have been referring to curtain rods as rotten curds ever since.
My mom is the queen of mispronouncing things even after she's been saying it correctly. She once said "He's got that Alzenheimers". I guess she had forgotten how to pronounce it. On a recent trip she was unloading stuff from the car and asked her husband if he could get her "Bed, Bath, and Body Bag". I said "Mom, I didn't know we had a dead body in the car." It was a Bath and Body Works bag, but she had somehow thrown Bed, Bath, and Beyond in there.
And I saved the best for last. A while back someone at work sent a message out to the entire Carmel office. The message informed everyone that they would need to change their passwords due to a possible security risk. The last line of the message said:
"We apologize for the incontinence and appreciate your understanding."
:)
Character Licensing Has Gone Too Far
I know companies want to make a buck by selling their trademark character license, but it's sometimes hard to find kids' products that are not stamped with a cartoon character. I swear, Dora, Pooh, Disney Princesses, Elmo, Thomas the Tank Engine, and whoever else is on EVERYTHING! Sunglasses, shoes, clothes, toy furniture, bikes, and even potties. I don't mind the toys so much, but I do not buy any clothes or shoes with characters on them. I don't know why it bothers me so much. I guess I just don't want my daughter being a walking advertisement for Dora the Explorer. And I think a plain little flowered dress is much cuter without a giant cartoon on the front.
I know companies want to make a buck by selling their trademark character license, but it's sometimes hard to find kids' products that are not stamped with a cartoon character. I swear, Dora, Pooh, Disney Princesses, Elmo, Thomas the Tank Engine, and whoever else is on EVERYTHING! Sunglasses, shoes, clothes, toy furniture, bikes, and even potties. I don't mind the toys so much, but I do not buy any clothes or shoes with characters on them. I don't know why it bothers me so much. I guess I just don't want my daughter being a walking advertisement for Dora the Explorer. And I think a plain little flowered dress is much cuter without a giant cartoon on the front.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Turn Me On Tonight; I'm Radioactive
I haven't blogged in awhile because I've been busier than ever, and the funny thing is that I'm not even working right now. On the first day of spring, I received my dose of radiation (for the zillions of bone tumors that I have). I had to travel to Philadelphia to get it, and Leslie went with me. We went to the hospital at UPENN. The radiation team was wonderful. They were nice and I felt like I was in good hands with them. The hospital, on the other hand, was terrible. First of all, it must have been designed by the person who designed the Winchester mansion. There were elevators that went to certain floors but not others, corridors that lead to no man's land, and very dismal waiting areas. Once I received the radiation, which took about 30 minutes, we had to wait several hours before they had a room ready for me. It must have been 7 PM before we got into the room, and they were still preparing it. By preparing, I mean wrapping it in plastic. Yeah, the Saran Wrap kind. EVERYTHING was wrapped... the bed rails, phone, TV remote, tray table, toilet seat and handles, light switches, faucet. Even the floor was covered in entirety with large sheets of plastic, which made it very slick. They also wrapped three large metal sheets in plastic and placed them beside and at the foot of my bed. I was in a plastic fortress. It was difficult to operate the volume dial on the TV remote through the plastic, and when I made a phone call, the person on the other end said "What's that rustling?" I decided to just use my cell. Before anyone entered the room, they had to put some booties on over their shoes, and when they left the room, they had to throw them away. We found it very strange that I was allowed to meander about the hospital all day after receiving my dose, but that they took all these precautions in my room. The whole thing seemed really wasteful to me.
To make matters worse, the TV only had 3 channels, and only one of those was watchable, and I use that term loosely. I had the Weather Channel, which is good for about 10 minutes. Then there was CNN Headline News. After seeing the same story about a new Kevin Costner movie for the fourth time in an hour, I settled on my third channel... ABC Family. I watched The Sound of Music because that's all that was on. They ran an ad during the movie that said the same movie would be played the next night and the night after that. Three nights in a row of the same thing. I felt sorry for anyone staying in the hospital more than one night. For a fee of $8 you could get more channels, but I thought that was ridiculous and did my crossword puzzle instead. Strike 1 for the TV stations.
The food at the hospital was very bad. I asked the nurse for a menu, and he had a strange look on his face. He brought me one, but there was essentially only one choice for a meal, and you could select your own drink. I circled what I wanted. That was around 6:30 AM. My food didn't arrive until after 8 AM, and it was not what was on the menu. They brought me two boxes of cereal and milk. I don't drink cow's milk but at this point I was starving, so I ate it. About 30 minutes later, they bring in another breakfast. I didn't touch it because I had already eaten. It looked gross anyway. At lunch they brought some chicken and pasta that was tolerable, but they gave me ice tea in a carton. It was disgusting. The food was strike 2.
I should have been gone way before lunch... around 7 AM, the radiation guy came in and checked my levels. He said they were good and left. The doctor came in at 8 AM and said I could leave. YAY! About an hour later I called the nurse and asked if I could be discharged. She said we were waiting for the radiation safety team to come before I could go. I told her that the guy had already been in that morning and she said "Oh, no, no, no... only the doctor was here." Oh yeah? Were you in the room? She proceeded to tell me that I couldn't leave until they came back. I asked if she could take my IV out and she said she would do that before I left. All right.
So a couple more hours go by, and I'm sitting there watching crappy shows on ABC Family and eating my crappy lunch on my crappy bed in my plastic room. I really, really wanted out of there. Leslie suggested that I call the doctor, so I left him a message. I must have paged the nurse three times to ask what the hold up was. Finally, she came back and said I could go... the radiation team had already been there. Noooooo, really? By then it was 1 PM. Strike three!
The nurse gave me a little purple and yellow flower since it was Easter weekend. Some charity group was handing them out to patients. It was a pain to carry it with my bag and purse, but I did. While sitting in the taxi on the way to the hotel I noticed the flower was fake. Good grief. I would have ditched it somewhere in the hospital if I had realized that before. Oh well, I don't know how I would have gotten it on the plane anyway.
I was exhausted after two nights in a row with little sleep, but I couldn't be in Philly and not get out to see it. Leslie and I went to Reading Market, which she discovered was right behind our hotel. We walked to Independence Hall and then got on a trolley tour that took us around to lots of sites. We saw Ben Franklin's grave, Betsy Ross's house, the art museum (home of the Rocky steps... "it's the eye of the tiger"), and lots of other stuff. There was a Rodin museum that I would love to go back and visit. The Thinker was right out front, and The Gates of Hell were behind that. Sweeeeeet. I wrote a paper on The Gates of Hell once.
All around Philly are interesting statues and sculptures, including Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture (which is replicated everywhere), some Claes Oldenburg, Calder, and even some stuff done by actor Kevin Bacon's dad. I read about Robert Indiana and found that he was born in New Castle, just a 25 minute drive from my home town of Rushville.
I'm glad we had the chance to get out and see some sites in Philly, however brief it was. I have a lot of people to thank too... James and my mom for watching the kids, Leslie for going with me, Kim for the hotel and airline deals, Michele for letting me stay at her house, Michelle for keeping me company and bringing movies, Ji for coming to visit, and everyone else for moral support!
I will be going back to Bethesda in May to have follow-up scans. Keep your fingers crossed that these things are shrinking!
I haven't blogged in awhile because I've been busier than ever, and the funny thing is that I'm not even working right now. On the first day of spring, I received my dose of radiation (for the zillions of bone tumors that I have). I had to travel to Philadelphia to get it, and Leslie went with me. We went to the hospital at UPENN. The radiation team was wonderful. They were nice and I felt like I was in good hands with them. The hospital, on the other hand, was terrible. First of all, it must have been designed by the person who designed the Winchester mansion. There were elevators that went to certain floors but not others, corridors that lead to no man's land, and very dismal waiting areas. Once I received the radiation, which took about 30 minutes, we had to wait several hours before they had a room ready for me. It must have been 7 PM before we got into the room, and they were still preparing it. By preparing, I mean wrapping it in plastic. Yeah, the Saran Wrap kind. EVERYTHING was wrapped... the bed rails, phone, TV remote, tray table, toilet seat and handles, light switches, faucet. Even the floor was covered in entirety with large sheets of plastic, which made it very slick. They also wrapped three large metal sheets in plastic and placed them beside and at the foot of my bed. I was in a plastic fortress. It was difficult to operate the volume dial on the TV remote through the plastic, and when I made a phone call, the person on the other end said "What's that rustling?" I decided to just use my cell. Before anyone entered the room, they had to put some booties on over their shoes, and when they left the room, they had to throw them away. We found it very strange that I was allowed to meander about the hospital all day after receiving my dose, but that they took all these precautions in my room. The whole thing seemed really wasteful to me.
To make matters worse, the TV only had 3 channels, and only one of those was watchable, and I use that term loosely. I had the Weather Channel, which is good for about 10 minutes. Then there was CNN Headline News. After seeing the same story about a new Kevin Costner movie for the fourth time in an hour, I settled on my third channel... ABC Family. I watched The Sound of Music because that's all that was on. They ran an ad during the movie that said the same movie would be played the next night and the night after that. Three nights in a row of the same thing. I felt sorry for anyone staying in the hospital more than one night. For a fee of $8 you could get more channels, but I thought that was ridiculous and did my crossword puzzle instead. Strike 1 for the TV stations.
The food at the hospital was very bad. I asked the nurse for a menu, and he had a strange look on his face. He brought me one, but there was essentially only one choice for a meal, and you could select your own drink. I circled what I wanted. That was around 6:30 AM. My food didn't arrive until after 8 AM, and it was not what was on the menu. They brought me two boxes of cereal and milk. I don't drink cow's milk but at this point I was starving, so I ate it. About 30 minutes later, they bring in another breakfast. I didn't touch it because I had already eaten. It looked gross anyway. At lunch they brought some chicken and pasta that was tolerable, but they gave me ice tea in a carton. It was disgusting. The food was strike 2.
I should have been gone way before lunch... around 7 AM, the radiation guy came in and checked my levels. He said they were good and left. The doctor came in at 8 AM and said I could leave. YAY! About an hour later I called the nurse and asked if I could be discharged. She said we were waiting for the radiation safety team to come before I could go. I told her that the guy had already been in that morning and she said "Oh, no, no, no... only the doctor was here." Oh yeah? Were you in the room? She proceeded to tell me that I couldn't leave until they came back. I asked if she could take my IV out and she said she would do that before I left. All right.
So a couple more hours go by, and I'm sitting there watching crappy shows on ABC Family and eating my crappy lunch on my crappy bed in my plastic room. I really, really wanted out of there. Leslie suggested that I call the doctor, so I left him a message. I must have paged the nurse three times to ask what the hold up was. Finally, she came back and said I could go... the radiation team had already been there. Noooooo, really? By then it was 1 PM. Strike three!
The nurse gave me a little purple and yellow flower since it was Easter weekend. Some charity group was handing them out to patients. It was a pain to carry it with my bag and purse, but I did. While sitting in the taxi on the way to the hotel I noticed the flower was fake. Good grief. I would have ditched it somewhere in the hospital if I had realized that before. Oh well, I don't know how I would have gotten it on the plane anyway.
I was exhausted after two nights in a row with little sleep, but I couldn't be in Philly and not get out to see it. Leslie and I went to Reading Market, which she discovered was right behind our hotel. We walked to Independence Hall and then got on a trolley tour that took us around to lots of sites. We saw Ben Franklin's grave, Betsy Ross's house, the art museum (home of the Rocky steps... "it's the eye of the tiger"), and lots of other stuff. There was a Rodin museum that I would love to go back and visit. The Thinker was right out front, and The Gates of Hell were behind that. Sweeeeeet. I wrote a paper on The Gates of Hell once.
All around Philly are interesting statues and sculptures, including Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture (which is replicated everywhere), some Claes Oldenburg, Calder, and even some stuff done by actor Kevin Bacon's dad. I read about Robert Indiana and found that he was born in New Castle, just a 25 minute drive from my home town of Rushville.
I'm glad we had the chance to get out and see some sites in Philly, however brief it was. I have a lot of people to thank too... James and my mom for watching the kids, Leslie for going with me, Kim for the hotel and airline deals, Michele for letting me stay at her house, Michelle for keeping me company and bringing movies, Ji for coming to visit, and everyone else for moral support!
I will be going back to Bethesda in May to have follow-up scans. Keep your fingers crossed that these things are shrinking!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
People Are Strange
My first job was at a little coffee and donut shop called Mr. Freshie in my home town of Rushville, Indiana. I started working there when I was 15. My cousin, Julie, had decided to quit working there, and she called to see if I wanted the job. It was pretty fun... my duties were waiting on customers, keeping the coffee brewed, washing dishes, and general clean-up. After my initial training, I worked weekends, and I ran the place by myself 2-3 nights per week. Sometimes I would ice donuts if we ran out, and when I was bored I liked to fill donut holes with filling. Yummy! I did a commercial for them on the local radio station for my radio class. I remember saying "Come down to Mr. Freshie to hear all the latest gossip." I made $3 an hour, and I got meager tips. I mean, how much tip is someone going to leave if their bill is 85 cents? I was lucky to get a dime, and quarters were like gold.
My first job was at a little coffee and donut shop called Mr. Freshie in my home town of Rushville, Indiana. I started working there when I was 15. My cousin, Julie, had decided to quit working there, and she called to see if I wanted the job. It was pretty fun... my duties were waiting on customers, keeping the coffee brewed, washing dishes, and general clean-up. After my initial training, I worked weekends, and I ran the place by myself 2-3 nights per week. Sometimes I would ice donuts if we ran out, and when I was bored I liked to fill donut holes with filling. Yummy! I did a commercial for them on the local radio station for my radio class. I remember saying "Come down to Mr. Freshie to hear all the latest gossip." I made $3 an hour, and I got meager tips. I mean, how much tip is someone going to leave if their bill is 85 cents? I was lucky to get a dime, and quarters were like gold.
The shop was rather small and was always full of people on the weekends. There was a constant cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. I used to joke that we sold "smoked donuts". The donuts were actually really good. A couple of the popular items were nutsticks and flat cinnamon rolls with caramel icing.
Like any small town coffee shop, we had our regular customers, and man, were they ever characters. Here are some of the people I remember most. I'm using first names only, but if you're from Rushville, you'll probably know who I'm talking about.
Coke
There was a gas station next to Mr. Freshie, and Coke was an old man with a white beard who lived in a car behind that gas station. When I went out back to take out the trash or get supplies from the shed, I could see his TV antenna sticking up over the fence. He rode a bike around town. I guess he either didn't have a license or his "house" wasn't drivable. He was quite the entrepreneur. In his mind, he owned a fleet of helicopters and who knows what else. He would sit in the donut shop and tell tall tales of his adventures. My step-dad recently told me that he was in there one day when I was working (this was way before he was my step-dad) and Coke was talking about running off to Hawaii and taking me with him. You could never take him seriously...
Merriam
Almost every night you could count on Merriam to come in, and she would stay until closing. I don't think she lived in Rushville, so she would drive from out of town just to hang out in the donut shop. She was quite a paradox. The story was that she had not taken a bath since her husband died many years before. I believe that was true. The stench that came from her would knock you over. She had holes in her shoes, no socks, always wore the same clothes, and her hair, which was long and grey, was in a gigantic tangled mess on the side of her head. Really, it looked like a rat's nest. I don't think any amount of combing would have gotten through it. She was very intelligent though, and I enjoyed talking to her. I learned to block out the smell. The ironic thing about her was that as I did my nightly cleaning, she would point out the spots I missed on the counter or floor, even the tiniest little crumb. She would move the gumball machine so that I could sweep and mop behind it, and she would straighten the doormat if I laid it down even the least bit crooked. She would watch me lock the doors before she left. I never could understand why she was so picky about that stuff but refused to clean herself up.
Phyllis
Phyllis stopped in every now and then. She drove a huge gold car. I'm not sure if she lived in it or just liked to sit in it. I would frequently see her around town just sitting in her car. She was heavy set, had horn rimmed glasses that made her eyes look huge, wore lots of blue eye shadow, and had brassy hair (a wig) that was in a similar style to a beehive. She seemed a little off her rocker too. One night friends and I saw her at Village Pantry, and she said she was hiding in her car because "that thing keeps following me" and pointed to the moon. Oooookay.
Robin
This girl was a trip. She was young and rather attractive (aside from the smeared lipstick), but she had fried her brain on drugs. She would come in on Saturday or Sunday and order a donut and milk for herself, and also a donut and milk for her imaginary friend. She would set the extra donut and milk across from her in a booth and proceed to have a conversation with the invisible person. When she was done, she would throw it all away. I always had the stereo on while I was working, and one day while she was there, the song "She Talks To Angels" by The Black Crowes came on (how appropriate). Robin jumped up and said "I love this song!". She came around behind the counter and cranked up the volume on the stereo. The other customers looked around to see what was going on, and I just shrugged. Robin began dancing around the shop, her broomstick skirt flowing around her as she twirled. When the song was over she sat back down, and I turned down the volume. One of the regulars came up after she left and said "That was a little odd, huh?". I heard later that she was killed by a semi while walking down the highway. What a tragic end for her.
Roy
Every other Sunday, some mentally handicapped people were released from their institution (a house on Main Street), and they headed down to Kroger and Mr. Freshie. Roy always wore an old brown suit that appeared to be from the 60's or 70's. I couldn't quite understand most of what he said. Thankfully, he always ordered the same thing. When I gave him his change, he would tell me to hold out my hand. He would take a penny (yes, one penny) and push it into my palm for a full 30 seconds to a minute while he told me not to spend it all in once place. Um, yeah, I'll be sure not to do that.
I eventually quit working at the donut shop and went to McDonald's because they paid a dollar more an hour. McD's wasn't half as entertaining. Unfortunately, Mr. Freshie is closed now. It's up for sale along with the recipe for the donuts. Maybe someone will reopen it someday...and whole new set of characters will flock to it.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Hippity Hoppity Home
Last Monday it was snowing. The falling snow at twilight was beautiful, and it was a fitting tribute to our snow white bunny. After 14 or so long years of life, he passed away around 5 PM. His name was Bunner.
Bunner loved carrots and apples. He loved to hop around in the backyard and nibble on my flowers. He also loved digging in the dirt, which earned him the nickname "Dirty White Bun". We will miss seeing his bright white figure against the green grass in the spring. He was always excited to go outside after a long winter indoors. In his younger days, he would jump with all four feet in the air. You could almost here a "boing!" when he did that.
It is almost unheard of for a rabbit live 14 years. At the end, he had cataracts and was mostly blind. He had a mass on his chest. He may have had kidney failure. His condition rapidly worsened until he didn't bother getting up and stopped eating and drinking. We knew it was time. The vet said that the one good thing he had was his choppers. He had great teeth for an elderly bun.
We will certainly miss our Dirty White Bun!
Last Monday it was snowing. The falling snow at twilight was beautiful, and it was a fitting tribute to our snow white bunny. After 14 or so long years of life, he passed away around 5 PM. His name was Bunner.
Bunner loved carrots and apples. He loved to hop around in the backyard and nibble on my flowers. He also loved digging in the dirt, which earned him the nickname "Dirty White Bun". We will miss seeing his bright white figure against the green grass in the spring. He was always excited to go outside after a long winter indoors. In his younger days, he would jump with all four feet in the air. You could almost here a "boing!" when he did that.
It is almost unheard of for a rabbit live 14 years. At the end, he had cataracts and was mostly blind. He had a mass on his chest. He may have had kidney failure. His condition rapidly worsened until he didn't bother getting up and stopped eating and drinking. We knew it was time. The vet said that the one good thing he had was his choppers. He had great teeth for an elderly bun.
We will certainly miss our Dirty White Bun!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
My Really Weird Day
Last Saturday my coworkers had a baby shower for me and another coworker who just had a son. It was a great time... lots of food and gifts! However... on my way to the party, I was waiting to turn right onto Allisonville Road from 82nd Street. As soon as I turned there was a cop flagging me down. I didn't know what I did wrong... turns out I turned right on red during the time when you are not supposed to. I have turned there a million times and I always thought that the no turn on red applied to weekdays only. Anyway, he gave me a 150 DOLLAR ticket. UGH. Pregnancy hormones are at their all time high right now, so as I drive away I start to cry. Great, now I look wonderful for the party.
After the party, I'm driving down Eller Road towards Allisonville. I go through a four way stop and guess what? Sirens! I am pulled over AGAIN. The cop asks me if I've ever been pulled over before. Uhm, yes, about 3 hours ago. Apparently this time I rolled through a stop sign. My emotions went overboard, and by the time she got back to my car I was crying again. I think she took pity on me. She asked me when I was due. She told me to be more careful and let me go, but I continued crying until I got home. Gees, what is up with that?
I have never been pulled over twice in one day. When I got home, I had just calmed myself down when I spilled a full glass of orange soda down my front and all over the floor. It even went in my shoes. Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I didn't have a full on cry this time.
Between the back pain, the medication I'm taking (which makes me want to pass out all the time), and my awkward clumsiness from being so hugely pregnant, I think I might go insane before this baby is out.
Last Saturday my coworkers had a baby shower for me and another coworker who just had a son. It was a great time... lots of food and gifts! However... on my way to the party, I was waiting to turn right onto Allisonville Road from 82nd Street. As soon as I turned there was a cop flagging me down. I didn't know what I did wrong... turns out I turned right on red during the time when you are not supposed to. I have turned there a million times and I always thought that the no turn on red applied to weekdays only. Anyway, he gave me a 150 DOLLAR ticket. UGH. Pregnancy hormones are at their all time high right now, so as I drive away I start to cry. Great, now I look wonderful for the party.
After the party, I'm driving down Eller Road towards Allisonville. I go through a four way stop and guess what? Sirens! I am pulled over AGAIN. The cop asks me if I've ever been pulled over before. Uhm, yes, about 3 hours ago. Apparently this time I rolled through a stop sign. My emotions went overboard, and by the time she got back to my car I was crying again. I think she took pity on me. She asked me when I was due. She told me to be more careful and let me go, but I continued crying until I got home. Gees, what is up with that?
I have never been pulled over twice in one day. When I got home, I had just calmed myself down when I spilled a full glass of orange soda down my front and all over the floor. It even went in my shoes. Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I didn't have a full on cry this time.
Between the back pain, the medication I'm taking (which makes me want to pass out all the time), and my awkward clumsiness from being so hugely pregnant, I think I might go insane before this baby is out.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
SNL - Livin' on a Prayer
Last weekend's SNL was hosted by Jon Bon Jovi, and the musical guest was Foo Fighters. I was really annoyed that Bon Jovi played twice during the show (during the monologue and at the end), and the Foo Fighters only played one song. WTF? I'd rather hear the Foo Fighters any day over Bon Jovi's mediocre folk-rock. If they had done a GOOD song, it might have been OK. I admit I was a Bon Jovi fan back in the day, but the crap they put out now is just plain bad. A couple of the skits made me laugh... the one where Jon was being criticized by the band for wanting to name it Bon Jovi was pretty good. It was kind of strange that they went out on the band playing rather than the usual closing where everyone is on stage hugging and waving goodbye. Weird. They really need to get Tina Fey back. The show has sucked since she left.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Another Year Older
I turned 34 yesterday... I'm almost out of that 18-34 age group that people market things to. I guess time marches on, no matter what!
Last week James and I went to Washington DC for "Pheochromocytoma 2007", a conference all about my condition. It was awesome! Not only did I get to talk to doctors and top researchers in the field, but I got to swap war stories with people who have the same condition I do. WOW. Up until then I had only met one person who gets these tumors too. There was a whole room of them! We also managed to site see a little. I know there are bad parts around DC, but I never saw any. Many of the houses were Colonial style, and I loved them. Driving down George Washington Parkway was just gorgeous. The leaves were just barely starting to change. I'd love to see it two to three weeks from now.
It was a challenge walking around DC while 7 months pregnant. I had no problems flying, which was something that worried James. Walking a lot wears me out though. I did my best!
My blogs always include something about music. I guess that's because I'm always listening to music... at my desk, in the car, at home. James got two CD's for me for my birthday (and a Zelda game for the DS)... "Born Into This" by The Cult, and "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" by the Foo Fighters. I really like both of them. I'm excited that The Cult is BACK! They are coming to the Murat Theatre in November, and I'm going... I don't care if I have to give birth on the floor of the Egyptian Room. I can't miss it!
I turned 34 yesterday... I'm almost out of that 18-34 age group that people market things to. I guess time marches on, no matter what!
Last week James and I went to Washington DC for "Pheochromocytoma 2007", a conference all about my condition. It was awesome! Not only did I get to talk to doctors and top researchers in the field, but I got to swap war stories with people who have the same condition I do. WOW. Up until then I had only met one person who gets these tumors too. There was a whole room of them! We also managed to site see a little. I know there are bad parts around DC, but I never saw any. Many of the houses were Colonial style, and I loved them. Driving down George Washington Parkway was just gorgeous. The leaves were just barely starting to change. I'd love to see it two to three weeks from now.
It was a challenge walking around DC while 7 months pregnant. I had no problems flying, which was something that worried James. Walking a lot wears me out though. I did my best!
My blogs always include something about music. I guess that's because I'm always listening to music... at my desk, in the car, at home. James got two CD's for me for my birthday (and a Zelda game for the DS)... "Born Into This" by The Cult, and "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" by the Foo Fighters. I really like both of them. I'm excited that The Cult is BACK! They are coming to the Murat Theatre in November, and I'm going... I don't care if I have to give birth on the floor of the Egyptian Room. I can't miss it!
Monday, September 17, 2007
More Life Updates
The weather is finally cooling down... yay! I have been so HOT this summer with my baby furnace. Twenty-eight weeks now. He will be born in 11 short weeks! Which also means that Christmas is right around the corner. I need to start shopping before I get too whale-like.
James and I are getting ready to go to DC next week for a conference all about my tumors. I hope to find out about the latest research and meet other people with my condition. It's so rare... I know one other person in Indiana who has the same tumors I do, but her genetic mutation is different than mine. Still, we stay in touch. I can't imagine being in the same room with so many other "rarities". I'm also looking forward to site seeing a little. I want to see the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument since this will be my first trip to DC.
I've been slowly getting ready for the baby. We got new furniture for Tess and relocated her crib to the baby's room, which is still full of "stuff" that I have to shove somewhere in the house. We really, really need a basement in our next house. I managed to find some cute baby boy items (girl clothes are SO much cuter). We are still not certain on his name, and I still don't know what I want to hang on the walls in his room. For Tess, I painted picture frames (with Beatrix Potter prints in them) and wooden letters that spell her name, so I would like to do something equally special for this baby. Any ideas, anyone? I don't care for the matching bedding and all that junk. Especially since babies can't use blankets or comforters in their crib, and those bumpers they sell are not at all necessary.
My laptop's hard drive decided to die last week, so that has really set me back at work. I have a ton of stuff to do to prepare for maternity leave. Just figures.
Oh yeah, Michelle W., my mom, and I met Crowded House last month in Ann Arbor! It was an excellent concert... definitely worth the drive. Neil Finn came out, as well as Nick, Marcus, and Matt (their "new" drummer). Why are musicians always so short? My mom was funny... she has a habit of constantly making lists in a little notebook she carries around. She handed it to Neil along with her ticket stub, and he signed them both. Made me laugh that he signed her little notepad.
I was recently on the radio... yeah, WKLU played my Ultimate Top Ten! It was weird hearing myself on the radio, especially with my voice the way it is. They are sending me a CD of it, so I'll try to put it online for those who missed it.
Speaking of my voice, hopefully it will be much improved soon. My ENT doctor can do a procedure where he moves the paralyzed vocal cord over towards the good side. I will be awake for the whole thing even though it involves making an incision in my neck. I don't really care if the end result means I can talk in restaurants again.
That's all for now... hope to see all of you this fall sometime!
The weather is finally cooling down... yay! I have been so HOT this summer with my baby furnace. Twenty-eight weeks now. He will be born in 11 short weeks! Which also means that Christmas is right around the corner. I need to start shopping before I get too whale-like.
James and I are getting ready to go to DC next week for a conference all about my tumors. I hope to find out about the latest research and meet other people with my condition. It's so rare... I know one other person in Indiana who has the same tumors I do, but her genetic mutation is different than mine. Still, we stay in touch. I can't imagine being in the same room with so many other "rarities". I'm also looking forward to site seeing a little. I want to see the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument since this will be my first trip to DC.
I've been slowly getting ready for the baby. We got new furniture for Tess and relocated her crib to the baby's room, which is still full of "stuff" that I have to shove somewhere in the house. We really, really need a basement in our next house. I managed to find some cute baby boy items (girl clothes are SO much cuter). We are still not certain on his name, and I still don't know what I want to hang on the walls in his room. For Tess, I painted picture frames (with Beatrix Potter prints in them) and wooden letters that spell her name, so I would like to do something equally special for this baby. Any ideas, anyone? I don't care for the matching bedding and all that junk. Especially since babies can't use blankets or comforters in their crib, and those bumpers they sell are not at all necessary.
My laptop's hard drive decided to die last week, so that has really set me back at work. I have a ton of stuff to do to prepare for maternity leave. Just figures.
Oh yeah, Michelle W., my mom, and I met Crowded House last month in Ann Arbor! It was an excellent concert... definitely worth the drive. Neil Finn came out, as well as Nick, Marcus, and Matt (their "new" drummer). Why are musicians always so short? My mom was funny... she has a habit of constantly making lists in a little notebook she carries around. She handed it to Neil along with her ticket stub, and he signed them both. Made me laugh that he signed her little notepad.
I was recently on the radio... yeah, WKLU played my Ultimate Top Ten! It was weird hearing myself on the radio, especially with my voice the way it is. They are sending me a CD of it, so I'll try to put it online for those who missed it.
Speaking of my voice, hopefully it will be much improved soon. My ENT doctor can do a procedure where he moves the paralyzed vocal cord over towards the good side. I will be awake for the whole thing even though it involves making an incision in my neck. I don't really care if the end result means I can talk in restaurants again.
That's all for now... hope to see all of you this fall sometime!
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Stuff, Updates, Whatever
I haven't posted a blog in quite awhile. So, what's new with me? Well, 2007 is turning out to be a big year for concerts. James and I went to the Rocco DeLuca & The Burden show at The Vogue, which was awesome. As we were leaving, Rocco and some band members were standing out back. I have met a lot of musicians, and I have never seen a band come out that fast to greet fans! I seemed to be the only one at first, though. The two percussionists greeted me first, and they grabbed Rocco for me. He was VERY nice. I told him that the baby enjoyed the show too (it's now obvious by looking at me that I'm pregnant).
I also saw Cowboy Junkies with Michele S. They were good, but I only recognized one song out of two hours worth. I wished they had done "Miles From Our Home".
Last weekend, Michelle W. and I saw Live and Collective Soul at Victory Field. We agreed that Counting Crows blows, so we left before they took the stage. Live was excellent (they always are), but we wished they could have played longer... especially given the price we paid for tickets.
Next up, Crowded House in Michigan. I'm looking forward to that because not only is it a road trip, but it's two days off from work. Woo hoo!
I tried to get VIP tickets to Tori Amos, but the %*$& things sold out within one minute! So much for that. Now I'll have to wait for the general on-sale and have crappy seats like the last two times I saw her. Oh well.
I am sad that the Harry Potter series is over now. I just love the books. I will miss reading new ones, but I look forward to reading them with my daughter when she's older.
I'm now 22 weeks pregnant. The baby will be born December 3, so I have just over 3.5 months left. And did I mention it's a boy? I'm very excited about it, but it's pretty certain that I have another tumor somewhere, so after I have him it's going to be a very stressful time. I'll have to have scans and possibly surgery again. With a newborn baby, that's going to be difficult. Plus I'm adament about breastfeeding, so I'm going to have to pump when I'm full of pain meds or radiation from scans. That will be frustrating.
Speaking of pain... I try not to worry about every little pain I have, but some of the pain is persistent. My left leg is especially bad. I can't take anything but Tylenol, which doesn't do much. I just try to grin and bear it... which is harder than it sounds. But, like Maya Angelou said "I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one." So, I'm counting the days until I can get this stuff resolved and get on with my life.
Oh yeah, and I've been playing a lot of video games... probably to take my mind off of pain. Guitar Hero 80's, Harry Potter, and NY Times Crossword are my games of choice lately.
Other than that, it's business as usual... working and taking care of Tess, who is so tall now... I cannot believe it! No one believes she is only 2 1/2. She's an awesome kid. I hope the next one is too!
I haven't posted a blog in quite awhile. So, what's new with me? Well, 2007 is turning out to be a big year for concerts. James and I went to the Rocco DeLuca & The Burden show at The Vogue, which was awesome. As we were leaving, Rocco and some band members were standing out back. I have met a lot of musicians, and I have never seen a band come out that fast to greet fans! I seemed to be the only one at first, though. The two percussionists greeted me first, and they grabbed Rocco for me. He was VERY nice. I told him that the baby enjoyed the show too (it's now obvious by looking at me that I'm pregnant).
I also saw Cowboy Junkies with Michele S. They were good, but I only recognized one song out of two hours worth. I wished they had done "Miles From Our Home".
Last weekend, Michelle W. and I saw Live and Collective Soul at Victory Field. We agreed that Counting Crows blows, so we left before they took the stage. Live was excellent (they always are), but we wished they could have played longer... especially given the price we paid for tickets.
Next up, Crowded House in Michigan. I'm looking forward to that because not only is it a road trip, but it's two days off from work. Woo hoo!
I tried to get VIP tickets to Tori Amos, but the %*$& things sold out within one minute! So much for that. Now I'll have to wait for the general on-sale and have crappy seats like the last two times I saw her. Oh well.
I am sad that the Harry Potter series is over now. I just love the books. I will miss reading new ones, but I look forward to reading them with my daughter when she's older.
I'm now 22 weeks pregnant. The baby will be born December 3, so I have just over 3.5 months left. And did I mention it's a boy? I'm very excited about it, but it's pretty certain that I have another tumor somewhere, so after I have him it's going to be a very stressful time. I'll have to have scans and possibly surgery again. With a newborn baby, that's going to be difficult. Plus I'm adament about breastfeeding, so I'm going to have to pump when I'm full of pain meds or radiation from scans. That will be frustrating.
Speaking of pain... I try not to worry about every little pain I have, but some of the pain is persistent. My left leg is especially bad. I can't take anything but Tylenol, which doesn't do much. I just try to grin and bear it... which is harder than it sounds. But, like Maya Angelou said "I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one." So, I'm counting the days until I can get this stuff resolved and get on with my life.
Oh yeah, and I've been playing a lot of video games... probably to take my mind off of pain. Guitar Hero 80's, Harry Potter, and NY Times Crossword are my games of choice lately.
Other than that, it's business as usual... working and taking care of Tess, who is so tall now... I cannot believe it! No one believes she is only 2 1/2. She's an awesome kid. I hope the next one is too!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
I Met Loreena!
Last week my best bud Leslie and I took a road trip to Michigan to attend two Loreena McKennitt concerts. The concerts were absolutely awesome! Loreena sounds so good live... it was better than I expected. The first show was in Ann Arbor, which was a pleasant college town. Lots of coffee shops and bookstores were around the theatre. We were in the 4th row... excellent seats. The weather was perfect, so after the show we waited by the bus. We talked to some of the musicians who played with Loreena, and then she came out. She was very nice and gracious when we told her how great the show was. She signed our CD's, shook our hands, and gave us hugs. I was really excited because her music has truly helped me get through tough times (besides the fact that I just love it), like dealing with metastatic disease and the death of my beloved pet.
We stayed at the Vitosha Guest Haus in Ann Arbor, which was a very cool old place with a very kooky lady running it. She was quite eccentric. The bathroom had a clawfoot tub, so I HAD to take a bath in it. Then we were off to IKEA for heavy duty shopping. After that, we drove about an hour and 45 minutes to Kalamazoo, a place I will never visit again if I can help it.
Kalamazoo was dirty, dark (not in a good way), and deserted. The theatre where Loreena played was very ornate, and we were in the FRONT ROW (!!!), but we couldn't find any coffee in the downtown, and the whole area just wasn't happening. The show was excellent, of course, and Loreena talked a lot more than the night before. She also changed two of the songs from the previous night's lineup, so we didn't have to hear two identical concerts (not that I would have minded). After the show we drove and drove and drove looking for somewhere to eat. The town was practically shut down... stuff was too far from the exits to see, and when you finally got to it, it was closed. We finally found an IHOP. Turns out there was a Perkins less than 1/4 mile away from our hotel, but what can you do.
The next day we were eating breakfast at the hotel and a guy walked in who looked kind of familiar... turns out he was sitting right next to me in the front row the night before. He drove from Ohio and was by himself. It was pretty funny that he happened to be in the same hotel.
I'm so glad we went to both shows... I was afraid that if I sold the tickets to one of them that the other would end up cancelled and I wouldn't see her at all. It was totally worth it!
Last week my best bud Leslie and I took a road trip to Michigan to attend two Loreena McKennitt concerts. The concerts were absolutely awesome! Loreena sounds so good live... it was better than I expected. The first show was in Ann Arbor, which was a pleasant college town. Lots of coffee shops and bookstores were around the theatre. We were in the 4th row... excellent seats. The weather was perfect, so after the show we waited by the bus. We talked to some of the musicians who played with Loreena, and then she came out. She was very nice and gracious when we told her how great the show was. She signed our CD's, shook our hands, and gave us hugs. I was really excited because her music has truly helped me get through tough times (besides the fact that I just love it), like dealing with metastatic disease and the death of my beloved pet.
We stayed at the Vitosha Guest Haus in Ann Arbor, which was a very cool old place with a very kooky lady running it. She was quite eccentric. The bathroom had a clawfoot tub, so I HAD to take a bath in it. Then we were off to IKEA for heavy duty shopping. After that, we drove about an hour and 45 minutes to Kalamazoo, a place I will never visit again if I can help it.
Kalamazoo was dirty, dark (not in a good way), and deserted. The theatre where Loreena played was very ornate, and we were in the FRONT ROW (!!!), but we couldn't find any coffee in the downtown, and the whole area just wasn't happening. The show was excellent, of course, and Loreena talked a lot more than the night before. She also changed two of the songs from the previous night's lineup, so we didn't have to hear two identical concerts (not that I would have minded). After the show we drove and drove and drove looking for somewhere to eat. The town was practically shut down... stuff was too far from the exits to see, and when you finally got to it, it was closed. We finally found an IHOP. Turns out there was a Perkins less than 1/4 mile away from our hotel, but what can you do.
The next day we were eating breakfast at the hotel and a guy walked in who looked kind of familiar... turns out he was sitting right next to me in the front row the night before. He drove from Ohio and was by himself. It was pretty funny that he happened to be in the same hotel.
I'm so glad we went to both shows... I was afraid that if I sold the tickets to one of them that the other would end up cancelled and I wouldn't see her at all. It was totally worth it!
Monday, February 12, 2007
An Ancient Muse Live!
I love Loreena McKennitt's music, and today I got an email from her mailing list with presale passwords for all of her upcoming tour dates! Woo hoo! I immediately chose a city that was close (but not Chicago - too much traffic) and grabbed some tickets. I got 4th row right in the center! I have to drive to Ann Arbor, Michigan, but I don't care. I was willing to fly to see her in concert if I had to.
I am such a huge fan that now I am contemplating getting tickets for the following night in Kalamazoo. Two nights of live Loreena... wow, that would be awesome! I have wanted to see her live for a long time. I'm so excited!!!
I love Loreena McKennitt's music, and today I got an email from her mailing list with presale passwords for all of her upcoming tour dates! Woo hoo! I immediately chose a city that was close (but not Chicago - too much traffic) and grabbed some tickets. I got 4th row right in the center! I have to drive to Ann Arbor, Michigan, but I don't care. I was willing to fly to see her in concert if I had to.
I am such a huge fan that now I am contemplating getting tickets for the following night in Kalamazoo. Two nights of live Loreena... wow, that would be awesome! I have wanted to see her live for a long time. I'm so excited!!!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Give Me A Break
Sometimes you just get fed up with stuff and have to vent. This is one of those times. Over the past 3 months, I've been recovering from two surgeries... first the partial hip replacement on 11/3/06. Yeah, it hurt like hell (still does), but I dealt with it. Then came the neck surgery on 12/12/06... much worse! Recovery from that was absolute hell, and I'm left with permanent effects from it. Right after I got home from the hospital, I came down with some kind of upper respiratory virus, so I was coughing and hacking constantly with my swollen neck and sore incision. Since my nerves were damaged during surgery, I couldn't swallow very well, so I couldn't take pills or drink liquids. I was pretty much screwed. Finally I went to the doctor and got some antibiotics, which I had to break into tiny pieces in order to swallow. I got over that crud after about three weeks.
Shortly after that, I went back to work, and on my very first day back, I came down with the flu. I didn't fully recover from that until about two weeks later, when my nagging cough finally seemed to stop. Less than a week later? I woke up with my sinuses packed to capacity and my throat sore AGAIN. My throat has been sore and bumpy pretty much non-stop over the last six weeks. My voice sounds terrible... like I have laryngitis. It has been weak since my surgery. It really makes me want to scream, but I can't!
I also have continued, sharp pain in my left leg and sometimes in my right too. Who knows what that is from? If I count all the symptoms I had prior to my surgeries, I've pretty much been in pain constantly for the last two years.
I don't think I've ever been this sick in my life... my body is trying to recover from two surgeries, but it can't get the chance for all the bacterial and viral infections. I like winter, but I really want it to be spring so I can get out of the "sick" season!
I just want to be well. I don't think it's too much to ask. I want to live my life normally... Please, all I ask is GIVE ME A BREAK!
Sometimes you just get fed up with stuff and have to vent. This is one of those times. Over the past 3 months, I've been recovering from two surgeries... first the partial hip replacement on 11/3/06. Yeah, it hurt like hell (still does), but I dealt with it. Then came the neck surgery on 12/12/06... much worse! Recovery from that was absolute hell, and I'm left with permanent effects from it. Right after I got home from the hospital, I came down with some kind of upper respiratory virus, so I was coughing and hacking constantly with my swollen neck and sore incision. Since my nerves were damaged during surgery, I couldn't swallow very well, so I couldn't take pills or drink liquids. I was pretty much screwed. Finally I went to the doctor and got some antibiotics, which I had to break into tiny pieces in order to swallow. I got over that crud after about three weeks.
Shortly after that, I went back to work, and on my very first day back, I came down with the flu. I didn't fully recover from that until about two weeks later, when my nagging cough finally seemed to stop. Less than a week later? I woke up with my sinuses packed to capacity and my throat sore AGAIN. My throat has been sore and bumpy pretty much non-stop over the last six weeks. My voice sounds terrible... like I have laryngitis. It has been weak since my surgery. It really makes me want to scream, but I can't!
I also have continued, sharp pain in my left leg and sometimes in my right too. Who knows what that is from? If I count all the symptoms I had prior to my surgeries, I've pretty much been in pain constantly for the last two years.
I don't think I've ever been this sick in my life... my body is trying to recover from two surgeries, but it can't get the chance for all the bacterial and viral infections. I like winter, but I really want it to be spring so I can get out of the "sick" season!
I just want to be well. I don't think it's too much to ask. I want to live my life normally... Please, all I ask is GIVE ME A BREAK!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
