Patty's epic adventure

  1/29/2022 It's Friday.  I posted the wrong date last time.  Got my weeks mixed up.  Fixed it.  I'm good. This was not my best week.  Today is much better.  Stomach pains were horrid, passed out in the hallway (David heard me fall and came to my rescue), felt icky most all days.  I stopped taking the expensive cancer drug a few days ago because I'm having a discogram performed on Wednesday.  I'll begin taking it again Wednesday night.  They made me stop for a week beforehand.  I'll know in a day or so if that's what was causing me so much trouble.   Monday is my bone density test.  Wednesday is the discogram.  It'll be at the hospital and David will take me.  They will look into my spine and try and duplicate my pain.  Sounds like fun, right?  Friday is blood work and oncology day.  Tuesday and Thursday are play days. I booked another cruise.  Jessica will be joining me on a cruise out o...

  1/24/2022 It's Monday.  I haven't written for awhile, but just didn't feel like it.  I've been to the spine doctor and oncologist since I wrote last.  Spine doctor wants to do another discogram.  I had one in 2014 and he said that was too long ago.  They need to look inside my discs and this is the only way.  He talked about putting a new stimulator in my spine, since my old one isn't working.  Having surgery.  Putting in a pain pump.  Stimulator sounds best to me.... if it'll work.  We'll see. Oncologist helped me out a bit with my gut.  It's not a perfect solution, but I'm not doubling over in pain like I was a week ago.  Passing out because of pain, is not a good thing.  You know those stupid pain scales they ask about every time you visit the doctor?  I gave new meaning to '10' last week.  Hoo-boy.  I'm going to stay on the Verzenio, even tho it costs an arm and a leg and the side effects are icky...

  1/12/2022  It's Wednesday now and I don't feel like updating this blog, but I started it for my girls and close friends, and they deserve to hear from me.  I'm so tired.  Fatigue has set in.  I stayed in bed nearly all day yesterday.  I got up in time to wear my pressure suit for an hour, shower, and dress to go to the concert last night.  The Singing Cadets were very good, but 1/2 of them were out due to Covid.  We got tickets for 6 of our friends, so there were 8 of us sitting in one whole pew.  Kinda scrunched, but perfect seats!  The concert was upstairs.  Lots of stairs.  I had to stop 3 times before I made it to the top.  And then I was gasping for air.  Gads. I came home and went to bed and then didn't get out of bed till 11 a.m. this morning.  I just want to go back there now.  I had to get some things done on the computer, tho.  I was up several times in the night.  Stomach cramps. ...

  1/9/22 It's Sunday.  My little brother's birthday.  I sent him a lovely video today.  I'm sure he appreciated it.  I sang.  I was adorable.  Unforgettable, actually.  Although, he probably wishes he could forget it..... My back is getting worse.  The procedure at the hospital did not work.  I reckon I'll have to explore plan Z next.  Not sure what to do, actually. The side effects from my chemo 'therapy', are just beginning to surface.  They're not bad yet.  Yet.  Perhaps I shouldn't have added that last part.  My gut is churning and cramping, but nothing intolerable.  I almost passed out sitting at the kitchen table once.  Sitting down - that's pretty rare.  I put my head down and the feeling passed.  No worries.  Sometimes I feel 'drugged'.  I get a bit unsteady.  Tippy.  My joints are angry most of the time.  I feed them liquor and they calm down..... Perhaps that...

  1/6/22 All day today I thought it was Friday.  Now, I find out it's Thursday.  I'm all screwed up.  David took me for my back procedure yesterday.  After 4-1/2 hours, we made it home.  Not too bad.  They said it would take 24-48 hours for me to see any results.  Nothing yet to report.  Dang it.  But, wait!  It's only Thursday!  I should know by tomorrow afternoon.  Friday.  I got this. I started my new chemo drug today.  David picked it up for me.  $3116.07 for 28 days.  This had better work.  I don't qualify for assistance and the one foundation that might have helped me, isn't covering metastatic breast cancer any longer.  Check with us later.  Sure.  I'll do that.  This new drug is quite nasty.  If someone else gives me my medicine, they have to wear gloves, and then throw them away immediately.  Let that sink in.  The list of side effects is so long that it ...

  1/4/2022 -  It's Tuesday.  This is the first time I've written since 12/20.  At first, it was because I got busy.  Lately, I just haven't been in the mood.  I had a delightful Christmas with my family.  All 3 girls came home with their entourages and they stayed enough days so that I didn't cry so much when they left this time.  Two days after Christmas, we took our grandson, Warren (5-1/2) camping.  Courtney came along and we all fit in the RV pretty well.  I had a wonderful time and would do it all again.  It was one of Warren's Christmas gifts (he requested it) and I know he had a good time.  The smores helped a lot..... The girls helped me get my Christmas decorations picked up and back in the attic for another year.  My house is almost all put back together now.  One room is a mess.... David and I went to a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house.  It was the first time I've been out on New Year's since 1...