...at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora!
Had my "surgery" yesterday where they put in another port so know I have one on the left side of my chest as well as the right.
They are using the new one to administer chemo 24/7 for 4 days...the 24/7 is on their calendar and so instead of thinking I'll be able to come home on Saturday, I'll be home on Sunday because the moment they started the chemo is when the days started and that was late last night.
Late last night you ask?
That's what I asked, too.
My 4 day stay I thought started yesterday when I arrived, Tuesday (1), Wednesday (2), Thursday (3), Friday(4) so worst case scenario I'd be adiós Saturday. Wellst on account of not getting started on the chemo late last night we stretch out the 4 days of 24/7 chemo ending sometime Saturday.
Well, that ain't all bad because there's a fold out bed in my room, which is reaaaallllly nice...the room,
I ain't checked out the fold out bed... , my brother will be here and will have my car that Doug who brought me down yesterday and who with Pam his wife who made me that wonderful book bag I call it...but I've shopped with it too!...as they are taking off for a retreat with some 50,000+ buddies of mine gathering in San Antonio who get together every 5 years and celebrate recovery from alcoholism. This would have been the 5th the convention I've been able to attend but I'm damn well planning on attending the 7th!
Enough for now cuz I'm gonna take a nap ad dream about wow fortunate I am to have you, your thoughts and prayers, the incredible Coincidence that led me to having insurance which covers some of this "stuff", and the amazing lives I've led and yet to live.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
And now it's Saturday!
OK, so Tuesday is approaching.
Tuesday is the beginning of "We're forging ahead 'as if'"...as if the insurance company is going to authorize the transplant.
As of today, they haven't but the people/person "responsible" for saving my life, so to speak, are saying that we've run out of time and we need to be gettin' on with gettin' on so that's what we be doin'!
So, I'm makin' a list and will have probably Cindy check it twice, of what it is that I need to be packin' both from home and the office.
From the office is pretty easy...it's basically my computer and peripherals, like the camera. If'n you're hooked up to Instant Messenger you can probably, if'n you want to, see me either sitting up in the hospital in Denver or reclining in bed!
Doug sez that there's a list in my ever growing cancer 3-ring binder of things that I might wanna take, so I'll check that out.
A strange thing, but not the only strange thing about this whole "Adventure" is that I still don't have a handle on he exact dates...like I don't know when I'll be taking certain chemotherapy that they list as being able to have either inpatient or out patient. Outpatient sounds fine, but having to drive every day to Denver for chemo for 10 days doesn't sound too appealing.
And I don't know for sure hen I'll be adiosing the hospital after the transplant.
What I do know is that I'll be transitioned into a 2 bedroom "apartment", or some such for an indeterminate amount of time, probably 2-4 weeks and I'll have to be within 30 minutes of the hospital because I'll have to go in daily for bloodwork to see how those re-introduced stem cells are doing, and also because I won't have sufficient clotting ability to keep me from "bleeding out"...so I'll have to have 24/7 "care". Now that sounds ok if'n you be married or some such, but there are those of us who are "un some such".
Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need some help here folks.
I can't ask for specific time commitments at present, but what we're thinkin' about doin' is settin' up a calendar after I know the time specific and having people "sign-up" for a couple of days (in a row) or whatever is feasible/comfortable.
We'd be looking at, and this is an educated guess, probably late July and into August.
If this is something you would feel comfortable doing, please e-mail me back, pete@livingindoors.com and/or Cindy at CindyYordon@comcast.net and when we get the specifics more tuned we'll be in touch, ok?
We can watch Soaps, play cribbage, cook outrageous meals and solve most, if not all of the problems facing the globe today.
Should/Could be fun!
Tuesday is the beginning of "We're forging ahead 'as if'"...as if the insurance company is going to authorize the transplant.
As of today, they haven't but the people/person "responsible" for saving my life, so to speak, are saying that we've run out of time and we need to be gettin' on with gettin' on so that's what we be doin'!
So, I'm makin' a list and will have probably Cindy check it twice, of what it is that I need to be packin' both from home and the office.
From the office is pretty easy...it's basically my computer and peripherals, like the camera. If'n you're hooked up to Instant Messenger you can probably, if'n you want to, see me either sitting up in the hospital in Denver or reclining in bed!
Doug sez that there's a list in my ever growing cancer 3-ring binder of things that I might wanna take, so I'll check that out.
A strange thing, but not the only strange thing about this whole "Adventure" is that I still don't have a handle on he exact dates...like I don't know when I'll be taking certain chemotherapy that they list as being able to have either inpatient or out patient. Outpatient sounds fine, but having to drive every day to Denver for chemo for 10 days doesn't sound too appealing.
And I don't know for sure hen I'll be adiosing the hospital after the transplant.
What I do know is that I'll be transitioned into a 2 bedroom "apartment", or some such for an indeterminate amount of time, probably 2-4 weeks and I'll have to be within 30 minutes of the hospital because I'll have to go in daily for bloodwork to see how those re-introduced stem cells are doing, and also because I won't have sufficient clotting ability to keep me from "bleeding out"...so I'll have to have 24/7 "care". Now that sounds ok if'n you be married or some such, but there are those of us who are "un some such".
Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need some help here folks.
I can't ask for specific time commitments at present, but what we're thinkin' about doin' is settin' up a calendar after I know the time specific and having people "sign-up" for a couple of days (in a row) or whatever is feasible/comfortable.
We'd be looking at, and this is an educated guess, probably late July and into August.
If this is something you would feel comfortable doing, please e-mail me back, pete@livingindoors.com and/or Cindy at CindyYordon@comcast.net and when we get the specifics more tuned we'll be in touch, ok?
We can watch Soaps, play cribbage, cook outrageous meals and solve most, if not all of the problems facing the globe today.
Should/Could be fun!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wellst, it's Wednesday...
Wednesday, my favorite phonetic day of the week...
Wednesday.
Hows come whenst we say "Wednesday" we don't pronounce the d?
I mean, we pronounce Wednesday, "Wensday", right?
Is there a word out there just waiting to be born and introduced into our language but it can't because it's waiting for a "d" and there are none available?
We don't need the "d" in Wednesday, so why don't we give it up in a most humanitarian way so that the word needing a "d" to live that is just waiting to be spoken and recognized can come to fruition?
It's just waiting in agony!!!!
You know, at some level I can relate.
I'm just killing time waiting for insurance company authorization so that I can go ahead and have the transplant and get back to a "normal" (whatever that looks like for me) life.
And it's making me "anxious"!
What's the start of that prayer they allowed me to learn?
God,
Grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change........
To bad the "d" doesn't have this? ,,, Well, maybe he does have it?,,,Maybe he doesn't need it?
So anywho, anxiety and all....I'm a just a waitin', patience and all................
I'm thinking (a.k.a. imagining in this case) that they'll get the ok yet this week, and I'll be all checked in and settled at the hospital in Denver on Monday or Tuesday.
later...
Wednesday.
Hows come whenst we say "Wednesday" we don't pronounce the d?
I mean, we pronounce Wednesday, "Wensday", right?
Is there a word out there just waiting to be born and introduced into our language but it can't because it's waiting for a "d" and there are none available?
We don't need the "d" in Wednesday, so why don't we give it up in a most humanitarian way so that the word needing a "d" to live that is just waiting to be spoken and recognized can come to fruition?
It's just waiting in agony!!!!
You know, at some level I can relate.
I'm just killing time waiting for insurance company authorization so that I can go ahead and have the transplant and get back to a "normal" (whatever that looks like for me) life.
And it's making me "anxious"!
What's the start of that prayer they allowed me to learn?
God,
Grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change........
To bad the "d" doesn't have this? ,,, Well, maybe he does have it?,,,Maybe he doesn't need it?
So anywho, anxiety and all....I'm a just a waitin', patience and all................
I'm thinking (a.k.a. imagining in this case) that they'll get the ok yet this week, and I'll be all checked in and settled at the hospital in Denver on Monday or Tuesday.
later...
Friday, June 18, 2010
OK, so maybe the day after...
Best laid plans of mice and bloggers...
I had intended to come back and rant yesterday, but received an e-mail from the Hospital in Denver
So I did.
Wellst, last plan...which was good up until day before yesterday...was that I go down to Denver and check in for 4 days and they would harvest some stem cells,blast me with chemo and I'd be on my way to being set for the transplant.
Well, I shoulda known...
Seems that the insurance co, hasn't yet authorized the transplant, so I ain't checkin' in to the hospital on Monday and don't know for sure when.
And when I do, the 4 days is out the window.
Here's part of an e-mail I received from the UCH Transplant Coordinator:
The transplant authorization is still pending. Until that happens, I cannot provide dates; even my best guess is never good enough. I would fill out the paperwork for Brent's and keep the dates blank for now.
The best I can tell you is that he will start with a 5 day hospitalization for DTPACE chemotherapy followed by 10 days of neupogen, either outpatient or inpatient. Then will receive 1-5 days of collection; again, either outpatient or inpatient. Once collection is complete, it will vary when Peter will come back in for the admission for transplant.
Please let me know if there is any other information I can provide.
Thank you!
So, know you know what I know.
I sent of an e-mail to my oncologist up here to see if'n maybe I should get back on chemo.
As I was telling my friend Doug at lunch today, I still don't think this is gonna kill me, but there is a caveat to that...that's providing I get the proper treatment.
I believe that I'm getting the proper treatment up to this point, but all of a sudden it's ground to a halt, so to speak.
It's not my Practitioners that are being neglectful, not at all. I respect all of them...save for one who ain't "on the team" any more.
It's the insurance co. They did this prior to my starting chemo claiming that one of the chemo drugs wasn't on their approved drug list. It took them about two weeks to come around that time.
I hope it doesn't take that long this time.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Aaaaaaaargh...
No, I'm not trying to make like a pirate!
The whole treatment plan has changed one more time!!!!!!!!!
Gotta run and go pick Vicky up for First Church of the Second Chance.
More tomorrow.
Aaaaaaaaaaaargh....................
The whole treatment plan has changed one more time!!!!!!!!!
Gotta run and go pick Vicky up for First Church of the Second Chance.
More tomorrow.
Aaaaaaaaaaaargh....................
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A lot has transpired...
...since last we met!
I'm probably not going to be "picking up where I left off" but more what has happened since!
I had the surgical " procedure" done...better that than an "amaturecedure"...on Wednesday last and was told, and now I believe that all went well.
Spent a relaxed weekend just doin' not much of anything and waltzed, sorta, into a busy Monday.
Started off to a trip to the Urology Clinic where that invasive apparatus was removed much to my relief and not long after I was relieved once more to find that I could relieve myself without any pain or discomfort. Only time in my life I ever wished I was canine so I could run about marking my territory even if it wasn't mine!
Then a brief meeting with my Ft. Collins Oncologist Dr. McFarland who basically just wanted to know how I was feeling as he was returning that day from a weeks vacation. I appreciate and respect him for just wanting to check in with me, no charge, no co-pay, just a caring human being.
Thens it was off to Denver with my friend Doug who has accompanied me on many of these jaunts and I am so grateful for that. I arrive at that campus Where the University of Colorado Hospital/Anschutz Medical Campus and a part of my brain shuts off as either having an apoplectic attack or some sort of primal defense mechanism goes off.
Had a consultation with my Denver Oncologist and he reaffirmed what he had said in the last meeting that I had with him that the Myeloma was wanting to be more in attack mode and that we needed to speed up our attack/counter attack.
He also noted that I had a rather persistent cough which has accompanied me since prior to being admitted up here with pneumonia...as a matter of fact, he almost seemed professionallypaniced concerned about it and told me that we could not proceed much without the cough and whatever was behind it being adiosed. So he wrote me a script for some industrial strength antibiotics and one day later my cough has not disappeared, but I'm able to talk without coughing...something I couldn't do yesterday and how he cleverly diagnosed that i had a persistent cough!
So, almost as if acting on an "as-if" the cough and what be causing it were summarily adiosed, the plan is for me to check into UCH next Monday and we'll, like I have something to do with it, harvest the stem cells and then blast me with industrial strength chemo which amongst killing off whatever it needs to kill off drops my immune system down to virtually nil, hence no infections or whatever is causing this cough can be present or adios I go!
Soooooooooooooooooooo, it looks like the intermural practice games are over and it's time to put on the pads and go at it.
Wish I didn't have to play out this one out, but I do.
But what "it" doesn't know is that the game is rigged. Not only do I have the best players, angels, practitioners and family on my side, I know the Referee!
I'm probably not going to be "picking up where I left off" but more what has happened since!
I had the surgical " procedure" done...better that than an "amaturecedure"...on Wednesday last and was told, and now I believe that all went well.
Spent a relaxed weekend just doin' not much of anything and waltzed, sorta, into a busy Monday.
Started off to a trip to the Urology Clinic where that invasive apparatus was removed much to my relief and not long after I was relieved once more to find that I could relieve myself without any pain or discomfort. Only time in my life I ever wished I was canine so I could run about marking my territory even if it wasn't mine!
Then a brief meeting with my Ft. Collins Oncologist Dr. McFarland who basically just wanted to know how I was feeling as he was returning that day from a weeks vacation. I appreciate and respect him for just wanting to check in with me, no charge, no co-pay, just a caring human being.
Thens it was off to Denver with my friend Doug who has accompanied me on many of these jaunts and I am so grateful for that. I arrive at that campus Where the University of Colorado Hospital/Anschutz Medical Campus and a part of my brain shuts off as either having an apoplectic attack or some sort of primal defense mechanism goes off.
Had a consultation with my Denver Oncologist and he reaffirmed what he had said in the last meeting that I had with him that the Myeloma was wanting to be more in attack mode and that we needed to speed up our attack/counter attack.
He also noted that I had a rather persistent cough which has accompanied me since prior to being admitted up here with pneumonia...as a matter of fact, he almost seemed professionally
So, almost as if acting on an "as-if" the cough and what be causing it were summarily adiosed, the plan is for me to check into UCH next Monday and we'll, like I have something to do with it, harvest the stem cells and then blast me with industrial strength chemo which amongst killing off whatever it needs to kill off drops my immune system down to virtually nil, hence no infections or whatever is causing this cough can be present or adios I go!
Soooooooooooooooooooo, it looks like the intermural practice games are over and it's time to put on the pads and go at it.
Wish I didn't have to play out this one out, but I do.
But what "it" doesn't know is that the game is rigged. Not only do I have the best players, angels, practitioners and family on my side, I know the Referee!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Fall down, go boom....
Ok, I'm not sure where I left off, but here goes...
I had been down to Denver on Thursday after being released from PVH (Poudre Valley Hospital) on Wednesday, While in Denver I saw a Urologist who told me, sic, "Nah, you don't need a Terp, (a.k.a Rotor Rooter Job) just take this pill for two months and it will take care of the problem."
Well, that made me happy and unhappy at the same time. No surgery was a good thing... postpone the transplant two months was not a good thing.
But, I would see my Oncologist and the Transplant D.U.D.E. and see what he had to say.
Well, my appointment with him got mixed up time-wise and I didn't get to see him at all.
So, Cindy and I trudged on back to Fort Collins and I went to the pharmacy to fill the Denver Urologists prescription.
As opposed to many (3 or 4 decades) ago, "take as prescribed" has some meaning to me today so I took my one (1) pill that night and went to bed.
The next morning found me awake, chipper and hearing the doorbell. It was Si, one of the seemingly hundreds of folks who have not given it lip-service, but shoe-leather walk-the-talk folk who are indeed helping me. We got him acquainted with my electric lawn mower and I grabbed the pooper-scooper and went off to retrieve Roseys dogie doo-doo.
That all went fine and I putzed around inside the house some while Si mowed and weed-et (-eated). he silently left with out me being able to say thanks, so Si, "Thanks."
It became time for me to shower and get presentable for the day so I disrobed and prepared to turn on the water in the shower when all of a sudden I got dizzy, felt a buzz in my head and my entire skeletal and muscular system gave out on me and clump, I hit the floor unable to move,
Ont thinks of may things while lying on the bathroom floor, unable to get up...and yes, one of them was the TV commercial, "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!"
Finally after about 45 minutes I managed to crawl over to my bed and lift myself up and to a sitting position.
I stayed there for 20 minutes, or so...and then stood up and took the tentatives steps that got me into the living room where my recliner and the oxygen was.
I sucked down a few liters of oxygen and felt better...better 'nuff to take that shower and get dressed.
My "priority" now was to get to my Urologist up hare and visit with him about what the Urologist in Denver had said, so I called and his office could get me in shortly, so oft I head that-a-way.
Got to his office located at the Harmony Campus and got put of my car, took ten (10) steps and down I went. Well, being in the parking lot of a medical facility, I was less than immediately surrounded by folks in scrubs and folks who were not.
I was hoisted into a wheel chair and taken into Front Range Cancer Specialists (where I had gotten my chemo) and they checked me out and insisted that I go see my G.P., so off so go in Cindy's car...I had called her for assistance and fortunately for me was there in a flash to help!
We got to the Docs office and I got out, took 1/3 of step and,,,you got it...down I go.
Well, at least I \am now in the habit of going down in medical Establishments parking lots...therefore having learned, caring people accompanied by wheelchairs showing up "stat."
Finally inside the clinic it is quickly determined that the pill prescribed by the Urologist in Denver was an "alpha blocker" and my chart showed I didn't do well with alpha-blockers with a history of taking them and having my blood pressure drop 40 points or more when I stand.
Problem Identified!
Problem not necessarily solved!
Down I go one more time when we finally get me home and it's only S.O.S. calls to Doug and Max that gets me in the house...Cindy weighs about 46 pounds and after my initial chemo weigh gain I tip the scaled at about 326pounds...and she's out weighted at this point
You see, I've still got that med floating around in my system and did/do for a few more days.
Results...down go boom twice (2) on Saturday and once (1) on Sunday.
Monday it's back down to Denver and I'm still a little uneasy upon standing.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, it's Monday and I'm back in Denver looking for the OK for the Terp from the Denver Oncologist cuz hes my main guy now.
Well, long story short he's all for it and I'm going into the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 8:00 to get "terped"!!!!
Actually, there's more to the story but my hands are cramping and I'm feeling a hankerin' to go home and get some rest and hopefully snooze time.
I'll be MIA until Saturday or Sunday, but know that yous be thought about, appreciated and loved.
I had been down to Denver on Thursday after being released from PVH (Poudre Valley Hospital) on Wednesday, While in Denver I saw a Urologist who told me, sic, "Nah, you don't need a Terp, (a.k.a Rotor Rooter Job) just take this pill for two months and it will take care of the problem."
Well, that made me happy and unhappy at the same time. No surgery was a good thing... postpone the transplant two months was not a good thing.
But, I would see my Oncologist and the Transplant D.U.D.E. and see what he had to say.
Well, my appointment with him got mixed up time-wise and I didn't get to see him at all.
So, Cindy and I trudged on back to Fort Collins and I went to the pharmacy to fill the Denver Urologists prescription.
As opposed to many (3 or 4 decades) ago, "take as prescribed" has some meaning to me today so I took my one (1) pill that night and went to bed.
The next morning found me awake, chipper and hearing the doorbell. It was Si, one of the seemingly hundreds of folks who have not given it lip-service, but shoe-leather walk-the-talk folk who are indeed helping me. We got him acquainted with my electric lawn mower and I grabbed the pooper-scooper and went off to retrieve Roseys dogie doo-doo.
That all went fine and I putzed around inside the house some while Si mowed and weed-et (-eated). he silently left with out me being able to say thanks, so Si, "Thanks."
It became time for me to shower and get presentable for the day so I disrobed and prepared to turn on the water in the shower when all of a sudden I got dizzy, felt a buzz in my head and my entire skeletal and muscular system gave out on me and clump, I hit the floor unable to move,
Ont thinks of may things while lying on the bathroom floor, unable to get up...and yes, one of them was the TV commercial, "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!"
Finally after about 45 minutes I managed to crawl over to my bed and lift myself up and to a sitting position.
I stayed there for 20 minutes, or so...and then stood up and took the tentatives steps that got me into the living room where my recliner and the oxygen was.
I sucked down a few liters of oxygen and felt better...better 'nuff to take that shower and get dressed.
My "priority" now was to get to my Urologist up hare and visit with him about what the Urologist in Denver had said, so I called and his office could get me in shortly, so oft I head that-a-way.
Got to his office located at the Harmony Campus and got put of my car, took ten (10) steps and down I went. Well, being in the parking lot of a medical facility, I was less than immediately surrounded by folks in scrubs and folks who were not.
I was hoisted into a wheel chair and taken into Front Range Cancer Specialists (where I had gotten my chemo) and they checked me out and insisted that I go see my G.P., so off so go in Cindy's car...I had called her for assistance and fortunately for me was there in a flash to help!
We got to the Docs office and I got out, took 1/3 of step and,,,you got it...down I go.
Well, at least I \am now in the habit of going down in medical Establishments parking lots...therefore having learned, caring people accompanied by wheelchairs showing up "stat."
Finally inside the clinic it is quickly determined that the pill prescribed by the Urologist in Denver was an "alpha blocker" and my chart showed I didn't do well with alpha-blockers with a history of taking them and having my blood pressure drop 40 points or more when I stand.
Problem Identified!
Problem not necessarily solved!
Down I go one more time when we finally get me home and it's only S.O.S. calls to Doug and Max that gets me in the house...Cindy weighs about 46 pounds and after my initial chemo weigh gain I tip the scaled at about 326pounds...and she's out weighted at this point
You see, I've still got that med floating around in my system and did/do for a few more days.
Results...down go boom twice (2) on Saturday and once (1) on Sunday.
Monday it's back down to Denver and I'm still a little uneasy upon standing.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, it's Monday and I'm back in Denver looking for the OK for the Terp from the Denver Oncologist cuz hes my main guy now.
Well, long story short he's all for it and I'm going into the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 8:00 to get "terped"!!!!
Actually, there's more to the story but my hands are cramping and I'm feeling a hankerin' to go home and get some rest and hopefully snooze time.
I'll be MIA until Saturday or Sunday, but know that yous be thought about, appreciated and loved.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Cancer, Dancer, Prancer and Schmancer...
Hi there,
If''n it appears that I've been MIA for a week or so that's because I was...
'Bout 2-3 weeks ago I developed a sorta nagging little cough that wouldn't go away and this Sunday last I came into the office and after about 43.265083471 seconds Cindy and Eric (splendid fellow RE/MAX Advanceders) appeared in my office and discussed some possibilities with me...
So, oft we went to Urgent Care with Eric and Cindy figuring out the car logistics, i.e. 3 cars, 2 drivers.
Upon arriving, we didn't have to wait too long for me to get seen and Eric had to leave for a family function...good on you Eric!
And thanks to Cindy for hangin' in there with me!
So, over the course of the next coupla hours I had a nasty little flu (Although for purposes of this test "flue" might be more appropriate.) test whereas this nurse had me close my eyes (Yeah, right...I peeked.) and with gentle brutal strength stuck this 18 1/2" Q-Tip made out of teakwood 16 1/2" up my right nostril, put an IV in my right arm (...which they only used twice, once to draw enough blood for lab work and then to hydrate me...), had innumerable people take my vitals, and took x-rays.
The verdict came back that I had a "wee spot of pneumonia" and that given the fact I was a Myeloma patient and had been taking chemo therefore having a suppressed immune system they decided that I needed to go to the hospital...so much for my theory that if I go to Urgent Care rather than the hospital that I'll just get checked out and sent home with and industrial strength bottle of Robittusin!.
Those folks dressed in scrubs could not, would not hear of letting Cindy drive me to the hospital and so afore I knew it I was being transferred to an ambulance gurney and off for a less than thrilling speed limit drive to Poudre Valley Hospital.
I think that they wouldn't let Cindy drive as punishment for her sleuthing and finding the snack closet and feeding us dinner of Goldfish, Peanut Butter Crackers, Animal Crackers and our personal favorite, bread-sticks about the size of 7 penny nails and having about the same consistency and dipped in cheese (which never saw a cow).
So, that was Sunday PM and I got to spend until Wednesday afternoon languishing in the comfort (except for the bed) of the hospital.
There were two different "lights" (One high and one somewhere around low...) of my stay.
My friends who gather with me on Monday nights in Severance to learn and laugh about that book and other assorted material which are Spiritual staples to that Fellowship that has something to do with not drinking (If'n you want to get a hold of someone from that Fellowship you can find their phone number right smack dab the front of the phone book.), brought me in a brick sized chunk of "Better'n Sex Cake and a marvelous home made chocolate milkshake.
That was the highlight.
The lowlight was on Tuesday when I'd been waiting for an Electro-cardiogram that they were going to give me. Well, I've had a number of those recently (i.e. an ultrasound of the heart), although this was the 1st one that they asked me to abstain from food and drink for 6 hours prior. I've learned that different Practitioners have different methods on the same test, so I wasn't concerned.
Anywho, 'bout 5:00pm, some 2 hours tardy they came and got me. I tell you true, getting wheeled around the bowels of PVH is quite a trip...I have no idea how the staff navigate sit because it's just plain confusing. I did notice that we passed the room where I'd had previous echo-cardiogram and other ultrasounds but kept my mouth shut...until I got wheeled into this cold room (I've always wondered, but never asked why they keep certain areas of the hospital, especially operating rooms really cold.)...
Being no stranger to surgery, I knew I was in an Operating Room.
I began to question the nurse who was messing with my IV what was going on because I thought this was going to be an Electro-cardiogram complete with KY Jelly on my chest. She, very kindly explained to me that yes indeed I was going to have an Electro-cardiogram, but of the TEE (Transesophageal echocardiogram) variety whereas a scoop is introduced to ones chest cavity via "Over the mouth, over the gums, down the throat and here it comes!
Well, this was a little bid of a surprise but they assured me that I wouldn't' feel a thing and that I'd still be able to walk after the "procedure."
Next thing I knew I was back in my uncomfortable hospital bed with not even a bit of sore throat or any kind of irritation at all.
I was unceremoniously released the next day, Wednesday and was able to thenst go Thursday down to the University of Colorado Hospital, which houses, or is melded with the Anschutz Cancer Pavilion, or whatever it's called, for a visit and exam by a new Urologist and my main Cancer Dr., the one who is "in charge" of my transplant.
Wellst, lest yous get bored with my "blog-rant" today I shall hold off until tomorrow 'splainin' what happened as the result of that trip!
If anyone could help me remember why I titled this blog, ""Cancer, Dancer, Prancer and Schmancer..." I'd appreciate it!
If''n it appears that I've been MIA for a week or so that's because I was...
'Bout 2-3 weeks ago I developed a sorta nagging little cough that wouldn't go away and this Sunday last I came into the office and after about 43.265083471 seconds Cindy and Eric (splendid fellow RE/MAX Advanceders) appeared in my office and discussed some possibilities with me...
- I go to the Emergency room
- I go to Urgent Care
- They shoot horses, don't they?
So, oft we went to Urgent Care with Eric and Cindy figuring out the car logistics, i.e. 3 cars, 2 drivers.
Upon arriving, we didn't have to wait too long for me to get seen and Eric had to leave for a family function...good on you Eric!
And thanks to Cindy for hangin' in there with me!
So, over the course of the next coupla hours I had a nasty little flu (Although for purposes of this test "flue" might be more appropriate.) test whereas this nurse had me close my eyes (Yeah, right...I peeked.) and with gentle brutal strength stuck this 18 1/2" Q-Tip made out of teakwood 16 1/2" up my right nostril, put an IV in my right arm (...which they only used twice, once to draw enough blood for lab work and then to hydrate me...), had innumerable people take my vitals, and took x-rays.
The verdict came back that I had a "wee spot of pneumonia" and that given the fact I was a Myeloma patient and had been taking chemo therefore having a suppressed immune system they decided that I needed to go to the hospital...so much for my theory that if I go to Urgent Care rather than the hospital that I'll just get checked out and sent home with and industrial strength bottle of Robittusin!.
Those folks dressed in scrubs could not, would not hear of letting Cindy drive me to the hospital and so afore I knew it I was being transferred to an ambulance gurney and off for a less than thrilling speed limit drive to Poudre Valley Hospital.
I think that they wouldn't let Cindy drive as punishment for her sleuthing and finding the snack closet and feeding us dinner of Goldfish, Peanut Butter Crackers, Animal Crackers and our personal favorite, bread-sticks about the size of 7 penny nails and having about the same consistency and dipped in cheese (which never saw a cow).
So, that was Sunday PM and I got to spend until Wednesday afternoon languishing in the comfort (except for the bed) of the hospital.
There were two different "lights" (One high and one somewhere around low...) of my stay.
My friends who gather with me on Monday nights in Severance to learn and laugh about that book and other assorted material which are Spiritual staples to that Fellowship that has something to do with not drinking (If'n you want to get a hold of someone from that Fellowship you can find their phone number right smack dab the front of the phone book.), brought me in a brick sized chunk of "Better'n Sex Cake and a marvelous home made chocolate milkshake.
That was the highlight.
The lowlight was on Tuesday when I'd been waiting for an Electro-cardiogram that they were going to give me. Well, I've had a number of those recently (i.e. an ultrasound of the heart), although this was the 1st one that they asked me to abstain from food and drink for 6 hours prior. I've learned that different Practitioners have different methods on the same test, so I wasn't concerned.
Anywho, 'bout 5:00pm, some 2 hours tardy they came and got me. I tell you true, getting wheeled around the bowels of PVH is quite a trip...I have no idea how the staff navigate sit because it's just plain confusing. I did notice that we passed the room where I'd had previous echo-cardiogram and other ultrasounds but kept my mouth shut...until I got wheeled into this cold room (I've always wondered, but never asked why they keep certain areas of the hospital, especially operating rooms really cold.)...
Being no stranger to surgery, I knew I was in an Operating Room.
I began to question the nurse who was messing with my IV what was going on because I thought this was going to be an Electro-cardiogram complete with KY Jelly on my chest. She, very kindly explained to me that yes indeed I was going to have an Electro-cardiogram, but of the TEE (Transesophageal echocardiogram) variety whereas a scoop is introduced to ones chest cavity via "Over the mouth, over the gums, down the throat and here it comes!
Well, this was a little bid of a surprise but they assured me that I wouldn't' feel a thing and that I'd still be able to walk after the "procedure."
Next thing I knew I was back in my uncomfortable hospital bed with not even a bit of sore throat or any kind of irritation at all.
I was unceremoniously released the next day, Wednesday and was able to thenst go Thursday down to the University of Colorado Hospital, which houses, or is melded with the Anschutz Cancer Pavilion, or whatever it's called, for a visit and exam by a new Urologist and my main Cancer Dr., the one who is "in charge" of my transplant.
Wellst, lest yous get bored with my "blog-rant" today I shall hold off until tomorrow 'splainin' what happened as the result of that trip!
If anyone could help me remember why I titled this blog, ""Cancer, Dancer, Prancer and Schmancer..." I'd appreciate it!
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