Seriously...

Heading back to surgery Monday.  6 surgeries in 2 years.  I've needed them all and that's just the way it is.  My culture came back this week positive for a 3rd different growth.  I'm a quandry evidently.  I didn't read the report this time.  I just listened and planned with Drs. Lee and Marble.  Dr. Lee told me the daptomycin won't work for this one so I got a new oral drug last night.  Picc line still in but suspended for now.  I'll flush the line each night to keep it in good shape for Monday.  I'll see both doctors for a follow-up on Tuesday.  Monday will be a quick day surgery and they can use the picc line for a light IV sedation.  Dr. Marble will do a revision to the right side taking away some of the radiated skin and hoping to get a better connection to the good parts.  That's my positive, there are lots of good parts.

Diesel Dog Day

Today is the first day of summer.  100 here at the house.  Longest day of the year in a number of ways.  My diagnosis changed many many things.  One of them is Bill's science/mechanical hobby with the veggie diesel has come to and end.  The benz's served us well and off they went today to the big scrap pile near the river.  With Bill as my amazing caregiver I've needed attention that has diverted him from a number of activities and life moments.  He's back from his trip with me still running full tilt with the picc line.  I'm 28 days in and holding my own.  Had a visit with Dr. Hammond in oncology yesterday and asked to be taken off of Arimidex.  It has really been challenging and once my body leveled off with it, it hasn't been so even keeled.  My body hasn't functioned well, and when the temp drops even slightly it makes me stooped over, often with tremors if chilled.  I've had an awkward gait, burning hips while sleeping, cement on my eyes in the morning, and emotional lows - just a few of the crappy side effects.   I do have other options for other meds.  I'll get a break from this for a month or so and have another discussion at July's appointment.  Meanwhile I had to see Dr. Marble right after oncology.  The pesky right side is still uncomfortable.  Bill poked me by accident the other day and I almost gave him a startled response of an elbow square in his face.  Dr. Marble and Sue gave me the same pep talk as Dr. Hammond.  I'm doing well, been through hell, and they will support me all the way through to a healed right side.  Drs. Mckee and Lee tell me the same.  More labs, another wound culture, and more nursing home care.  I am again regrouping mentally as I certainly thought I would be well beyond this point.  That is what I'll use summer solstice for - mental purge with beautiful summer weather.  I welcome any warm weather and look for me to be walking upright!

Deep Water, Low Bridges, Heavy Heart.

It seems hard to believe that almost two weeks have flown by, but they have.  My 3 Hour Tour ended up being almost 9 days in duration, with many hours of calm interspersed with minutes (and hours in some cases) of large electrical storm activity with nowhere to hide.    

The worst thing though, had nothing to do with the weather, Gulf Stream, or Cape Hatteras (damn that Cape Hatteras).  It is that Tracy and I were unable to talk for days at a time.  That may not sound like much, and some may even think “well – I’d *love* to not have to talk to <insert name here> for days at a time…”, but I have to tell you – it was hard to have that last conversation while watching the bars on my phone go from 5 to 3 to 1 to an “X” in rapid succession.   It was equally as uplifting to power on the phone when coming into shore and to get at least some indication that it was able to hear a tower.

I won’t ramble on too much, but did want to share a video Dolphins! I took somewhere about 150 miles or so off the coast of Delaware (or maybe New Jersey – I forget).   These dolphins took what appeared to be great pleasure in using our bow pressure wave to play.  They stayed as long as we were watching, and as soon as I put my camera down and moved back to the cockpit, they left as suddenly as they arrived.

Chinese Meds 2

I am hunkered down and doing drugs, getting sleep, eating well, and generally resting.  I stopped the two oral drugs and I just have to continue with the picc line until Dr. Lee says I'm done.  I'll see Dr. Marble tomorrow to keep an eye on the wound and Dr. Lee on Tuesday to keep an eye on the internal bubbling of chemicals.  The home nurses have been great and hopefully a trip to my house is the easiest challenge they have as they care for folks.  Once again I hold dear all the things that are going right.  I don't need infusions every 4 hours.  I don't need dressing changes daily.  I don't need any other tubes attached to me.  My head is still very full so I am back to chemical sleep aids.  See I'm cutting myself some slack.  I will get to bed early and keep putting one foot in front of the other for the new week.