Patty's epic adventure

  2/27/22 It's Sunday and I'm feeling almost human again today.  I can't lift more than 10 lbs. until I see the surgeon again on Friday.  No pushing, pulling, bending, etc.  I don't have to stop and think about it, the pain lets me know right away.  No prob.  If I bend too far, it feels like the stitches are being pulled out, one by one, with a set of dull tweezers, by an ogre with bad eyesight.  So, I'm behaving myself.  Besides, I'm getting seen nearly a week early so that I can get released to go on my cruise.  I'm not going to jeopardize that!  My incision is still weeping a little bit, but I showered today (much to David's delight), so I can have company now and give them a hug without them holding their breath.   Thanks to everyone leaving messages on my blog and/or sending emails and texts.  I love getting them, even if I don't answer.  I want ya'll to know they ARE appreciated.  Today was the first day I ...

 2/25/22 It's Friday.  We left for the hospital at 11:00 a.m. yesterday and got home at 7 p.m.  I was in recovery forever, it seemed.  I went in at 11:30 and was released at 6:37 p.m.  Exactly.  Gads.  That's a long time for out-patient stuff.  When I got out, my lips hurt more than my back.  They were swollen and bloody.  They must have taken good care of me on the operating table with that tube stuck down my throat.  That's never happened before.  His name was Bill.  I'm gonna remember him.  He's on my hit list.  He had absolutely no sense of humor, either.  What a boob.  All the other staff were extremely nice, but the last nurse of the day, in recover #2, had to be on drugs.  She kept me there for 2 solid hours.  I'd already been in Recover #1 for an hour.  She spent the entire time working on the computer.  Rarely interacted with me, and when she did, she was repetitive.  I...

  2/23/22 It's Wednesday now.  I had my CT Scan this afternoon.  The contrast with the IV was a bit tricky today.  Large needle, small vein.  You get the picture.  The contrast has to go in quickly and my veins tend to balk at that and like to infiltrate on occasion.  I told the guy that, just so he'd be prepared - just in case.  It was touch and go, but I made it.  My arm is pretty sore tonight, tho.  And, I'm going to get stuck in the exact same place tomorrow.  That's the best vein and they can't use my left arm for anything anymore, so I'll probably just sport a lovely bruise for a few days.  It's cold anyway.  Long sleeves will cover that one up.  This CT Scan was for an embolism, which I knew I didn't have in the first place, and lo and behold!  They didn't find one.  Big surprise. I'm having surgery tomorrow, early afternoon.  I have to be there at 11:30 a.m., but no telling when he'll get to me....

 2/21/22 Today is Monday.  I left the house at 6:20 a.m. this morning for the hospital for my pre-op appointment.  I was so afraid they would cancel the surgery on Thursday because my white count is so low.  I went through the whole process and then the doctor came in and said my count was too low to have surgery.  He was very nice, and very sorry.  I asked him what it was and he said "2.8".  I shouted and did a little happy dance in the exam room.  He must have thought I was nuts.  He was grinning from ear to ear and said he'd never seen someone so happy to have their surgery cancelled.  I said my count went from 1.6 to 1.9 and now it's 2.8!!  (That's still in the red, but I'm headed in the right direction).  He said well, that was a whole different story.  I told him I could get it up even more by Thursday!  Long story, short - I passed.  He gave me permission to have my surgery.  I should mention here tha...

  2/19/22 Today is Saturday.  Courtney and Warren came to visit this weekend and I just love having kids come home.  I had some changes to my schedule yesterday.  My neurosurgeon called me at home yesterday morning.  What a lovely change from my last spine doctor.  Geez.  He discussed more options for me and we changed things up a bit.  First, I'm going to the hospital Monday morning at 6:45 a.m. for a pre-op workup.  It should last 2 hours.  My appointment with him was cancelled for next Wednesday since we discussed everything yesterday.  I'm having surgery on Thursday afternoon.  All of my appointments for my heart tests are still on schedule.  I'm going to have a spinal stimulator put in, but it's different.  It's a bit larger and he will need to drill into my bone, so I have to be completely under anesthesia.  He was laughing when he said it was quite precise and he didn't want me to move at all.  He sai...

  2/17/22 It's Thursday.  I think.  I had to look at the newspaper yesterday to figure out what day it was.  Being retired is SOOOO nice.  Wow, did I have a long doctor appointment yesterday.  It was very productive, tho, and I was happy to invest my time.  I saw the neurosurgeon and like him a lot.  What a difference from my last spine doctor.  By Tuesday, I still hadn't heard anything, and hadn't gotten a call back.  I only get the answering machine every time I call.  So, I drove to town, walked in his office and fired him.  Told him to send my records to the new guy and, no, I don't want to reconsider.  It was life changing.  I felt SO good.  The new guy has all my records and is going to take my old spinal stimulator out and put in a brand new model.  It has bluetooth for programming.  It's gonna be so cool - if I can remember what all the buttons do.  It's very tiny and does a lot more than m...

  2/14/22 Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  I had a lovely birthday yesterday and even went to a Super Bowl party last night.  I kept my distance and gave and received no hugs, so hopefully nothing will come of it.  I was surprised by cake and song, which delighted me to no end.  I probably came across extremely standoffish, but I've got to be careful these days.  Thanks to everyone for birthday wishes.  My heart was smiling. I woke up to flowers today from my adorable husband of 40 years, so the day started out nicely.  I called my spine doctor first thing this morning, and after 2 hours, received nothing.  It's been 13 days since my back procedure and no one has told me what's going on.  No phone calls, no appointment, nothing.  So, I drove to town to his office and fired him.  I told the office manager exactly why, was extremely polite, told them what I needed, then left.  An hour later, the new neurosurgeon's office ca...

  2/11/22 It's Friday.  I drove to the oncologist today and I think I did pretty well.  David offered to drive a hundred times, but I said I could do it.  Couldn't have done it yesterday.....  As soon as I got home, I headed for the couch, tho.  Pretty tired.  Slept off and on several hours.  The doorbell woke me, but it was a pleasant surprise.  I got a bouquet of flowers for my birthday!  That made my day.  It isn't until Sunday, but they were sent so that I could enjoy them all weekend.  And I will!  I got a few phone calls, but went right back to sleep.  Didn't faze me much. When I woke up, I painted a little bit because we're re-doing my office, but I wore out quickly.  Just cannot stand very long any more.  I'm working on a referral to a neurosurgeon.  I'm giving up on my spine doctor.  They still haven't made an appointment for me to discuss my last hospital test, the discogram, that I had 1...

  2/9/22 It's Wednesday.  I don't think I've written for a week.  Courtney and family were here Friday-Monday, so I was having fun and busy.  I am better since going off all my cancer drugs.  I noticed it slowly improving, day by day.  I am still having issues, but not nearly as severe as last week.  I will go back to the oncologist in two days, Friday, and have my blood checked and see how I'm doing. I'm loopy today because I took a pain pill.  My first.  David suggested it.  Or, come to think of it, it was more than a suggestion.  It sounded more like an order.  So, I'm not in as much pain, but all I want to do is sleep.  Oh, well.  It is what it is.  My spine doctor's nurse called yesterday to tell me that 3 of my discs were bad.  I asked what next, but she said she'd have to talk to the doctor.  I haven't heard back.  Great.  Johnny-on-the-spot, right? I'm too loopy to think, so this is ov...

  2/2/22  It's Wednesday.   The only reason I am writing on my blog tonight is so I can write 2/2/22.  I just realized I put the wrong date on last night, so I already fixed it. All of my side effects disturbed my oncologist this morning.  I wrote them in a note and gave it to the nurse while I was in the infusion room this morning, getting my Prolia injection.  As soon as I was finished, I was escorted to an exam room and the doctor walked in 2 seconds later.  That's a record.  I figured if I was lucky, I'd get to see a PA today, since I didn't have an appointment until Friday.  So, that was a surprise.  I was also sent down for labs, which was unscheduled for today, also.  She went over my note with me and took me off all 3 drugs until further notice.  I'll see her again a week from Friday and have labs again.  She is hoping my counts will be closer to normal by then.  My white count is 1.6.  For those of ...

  2/1/22 It's Tuesday.  Tomorrow will be 2/2/22.  Really weird to think of.  I may not post tomorrow.  I'm going to have a Prolia injection in the morning at the cancer center in the infusion room.  After that, David will take me to the hospital for my discogram.  He will drive me all day and probably sit in the truck the whole time.  They will not let him in to be with me.  Again.  Still.  Same 'ol, same 'ol.  I'm getting really tired of this Covid crap.  I feel so bad for David.  I'm sure there are lots of things he'd rather be doing, but he never complains.  At all.  He just tells me to stop being sorry.  I love him so very much.  I don't know what I'd do without him. It's been a rough couple of days.  Apparently, I did flunk my test yesterday.  I studied hard, but it didn't help.  I figured I'd flunk, so it's no surprise.  Now, they're worried about me breaking my bones....