Yes, it has been a number of weeks since I have posted. Last I posted I talked about Treatment #2, I believe, and how I broke out after the shot, which caused considerable nervousness with the staff…kept asking if I could breath ok, started an IV with Benadryl and Pepcid right away to calm down what was like an allergic reaction. I was fun…just felt bad for the nurses when they seemed to panic a little. 🙂
Treatments 3 and 4 went as smooth as could be. They went back to the IV and still did the pre-Tylenol, Benadryl and Pepcid quite a combination if you want to take a nap. Didn’t have any reaction or negative side effects so it was good. Plus we saved the insurance company a few thousand dollars on each treatment so I should be in their good graces for awhile.
Tomorrow we will head down to Mayo in Rochester for my 6 month check. Originally I was scheduled for a CT scan and a chest x-ray but because Chen really needs to do a PET scan the end of August I talked to the Mayo surgeon and he pulled both the CT and x-ray just to be sure that insurance would pay for the PET. Chen’s team will send both the scans and the results down to Mayo once they come back in August so Dr. Houdek (Mayo) said that would work perfectly for him and he did not want us to have any hassles with the insurance company. Wednesday I have an MRI of the femur and meet with the radiation oncologist to get feedback on progress at this point. Meet with Dr. Houdek on Thursday morning to go over the MRI, do a check and find out when I come back. I am thinking he said in 6 months if all goes well.
After I see Chen at the end of August, get the results of the PET, I will have to see her and have a scan every 3 months for the first year at least. All of this scanning I will start glowing in the dark soon…or maybe that mouse DNA will glow. LOL
We have been up to Big Lake a few times and I actually drove the golf cart on Monday so I could go and play Majohng which is the first time I “drove” anything in 6 months!! Now to tackle the Tesla one of these days. I see the PT on Thursday and am hoping I will be able to move over to the cane again. I do my exercises but probably not as often as he and my doctor would prefer. I can lift my leg more and for the first time I can cross my left leg over my right, which I had not been able to do since surgery. And also I can sleep on my stomach …. I missed that so much!! My knee area is still numb and probably will be for awhile.
I did get the boot off of the ankle and don’t see the foot surgeon again unless I have any issues. Actually when I first got it off I almost wanted to put it back on because it felt a little wobbly. I use the walker and I don’t think my knee has gone out on me at all, but my ankle can get pangs of pain every so often. What is really strange is around the incision/scar area I get like shocks…I don’t know how to explain it but as if a pin is pricked into the skin. It does not last…more of a prick, but enough to almost make me jump. Really not that often but something I will definitely tell the surgeon about.
It is Board election time up in Big Lake and although I am not the Election Judge this year, I still have documents to update including the newsletter with the election information. Seems like there is something in the air there…some people are on the crabby side. I talked to another person there and she said she just kinds of hangs out at her place reading cause people are just different this year…on edge…even angry sometimes on the Carefree FB page. Even our Activities Director resigned over a number of things but one was that she was getting not very nice texts. Maybe it is all the craziness in the world that is making people on edge…just not sure.
My mood seems to be improving somewhat although I do have bad days. Still miss Max and it was really hard going to Carefree the first time because his bed, balls and food dishes were there. David and I got rid of all of his stuff pretty quickly because we both felt a level of sadness not having him there. I am sure getting out and walking with my cane will help. After all before the sarcoma surgery I was walking at least twice a day to take Max out and some days more. I do think the fatigue is still lingering from the Rituxan and that probably doesn’t help my moods. I will get so tired that my eyes almost burn so I take a quick nap, 30 minutes or so, and that really helps. I am sure that will get better also.
Saturday we went to Deb and Phil Larkins for an “old fashioned get together”. They had ribs, corn bread, Cole slaw, collard greens….all very nummy except the greens….I just can’t get to like the taste of those. Jackie and Jermar and kids were supposed to come too, but Jackie tested positive for Covid!!! Can you believe Covid is still around?? Her voice was bad and she had lost her smell and taste. Jermar tested positive also but no symptoms. Jermar’s Dad said it would be best if they did not join us, but Jermar did stop by wearing a mask to get a big doggie bag!!! Sunday we were supposed to go to their house for my birthday, but we had to cancel that also. Jackie is sounding better but still no taste or smell.
Well hopefully all goes well tomorrow. We will stay at the Kahler Hotel which is connected to the Mayo so it is really easy to get to all of the appointments. Been reading some more good books and in fact ran out of “real” books so got 2 from the Carefree library, but now finished both of those! May have to make an emergency Target run to have some books to read in Rochester!! LOL. It is nice to be in Blaine where I have my keyboard…have been playing that at least once a day while here. It was kind of cool earlier as it was thundering and lightning as I was sitting at the keyboard.
Well hope everyone is doing good. I could say that I will try to provide updates more, but you know how that goes. The best of plans…..LOL
Take care1
Dandy Ventures 