Patty's epic adventure

12/30/2020 Before I continue tonight, I want to get something off my chest.  Wait a minute - that was a poor choice of words.  Oh, well, you know what I mean.  When I was at MD Anderson on Monday, one of the doctors I saw was an Internist.  He introduced himself and was very pleasant, however, he said he was a Geriatric Internist.  Get that?!?  My brain was flipping inside out - wondering why a Geriatric Internist was seeing me.  After a fraction of a second, it dawned on me.  I'm old.  The visit went downhill from there.  "Women your age.... yada, yada, yada", was all I heard.  Geez.  Ok, I have some news tonight.  Both David and I had the first COVID vaccination today.  We'll get the second one in 4 weeks.  My Oncologist at MD Anderson told me to get it if I could.  Two hours of sitting at Harvey Hall in Tyler, waiting for our turn, then led like cattle to a slaughter.  It was weird.   I s...

12/28/2020 We left at 7:00 a.m. this morning and got home at 7 p.m. tonight.  8 hours of driving, 3 hours at MD Anderson, and 1 hour to eat/get gas.  I saw an Internist, an Anesthesiologist and peed in the cup for the Lab.  Looks like I'm good to go. David waited in the car for me - again.  They're still not letting anyone in the doors except patients.  It'll be the same when I have surgery on 1/7.  I'll stay overnight, but they won't let him in.  I don't have a time yet.  My pulse got all the way up to 48 today.  I just couldn't seem to get excited.  They were a bit concerned, but not enough to postpone my surgery.  I'll have more info in a couple of days.  

  12/26/20 I had an appointment with the ENT guy.  I liked him at first, but then he put a scope down to my toes through my nose with a little camera on it, and the romance was over.  He said the same thing the Dr. at MD Anderson said.  I have too much acid in my stomach and even though I had a Nissen Fundoplication years ago (and it's still intact), I have too much acid finding it's way up and it's causing my cough.  So, I'm back on meds for that again.  A Fundoplication is where they take the top portion of your stomach and wrap it around the bottom portion of your esophagus so nothing comes up any longer.  It's a one-way street, so to speak.  That's why I won't be able to vomit when I have chemo and they're going to give me two different kinds of meds to control the nausea.  I haven't burped since February of 2018, but I can toot like a pro.  On chili days and taco nights it's quite a propellant.  I'll be going down to MD Anderso...

12/21/2020 Last biopsy came back negative, so that's good.  I'm supposed to make an appt. with my ENT up here to see if he can fix my cough.  I have lots of pictures of my insides to show him, so we'll just call that visit 'show and tell'.  David has been gone for 3 days hunting, so he doesn't even know yet.  He'll be home tonight and I'll fill him in.  Not much news for ya'll other than that.  Sometimes no news is good news, tho.   Here's my annual Christmas riddle: What do you call Santa's helpers? If you said 'elves', you're incorrect. They're Subordinate Clauses.

12/18/2020 I got the results from the biopsy in my stomach today.  I didn't even know they took some for a biopsy.  Go figure.  The doctor said I had some scarring in there, but I don't recall anything else.  Perhaps the anesthesia was still at work for that discussion.  Anyway, it was negative - so good news there.  Still no results for the esophagus biopsy - that's they one I remember.  Perhaps Monday..... sigh.  Another weekend with little sleep.  Ahh, my poor brain is on overload!  My genetic test results came back negative, so that's good news.  My girls can rest easier now, that's for sure.  That means there's less chance I need a double mastectomy and can have a lumpectomy and removal of my lymph nodes.  Either way I will have surgery, chemo, then radiation.  I have 2 forms of cancer:  Metastatic Invasive Ductal and Lobular carcinomas.  That puts a twist on things and I don't have enough information t...

  12/16/20 I don't have much to report, but it's Stacy's birthday today, so I have to write something just to log the date on this site.  David went to the pharmacy for me today after I woke him up from his nap.  I felt bad, but I don't go anywhere these days.  Well, except the doctor.  I drove myself to the doctor today because it was local - for a change.  I was peeing blood this morning.  Not good.  I have a UTI, but won't know anything else until we hear from the lab.  Story of my life.  I still don't have the genetic test results and am scheduled for surgery on 1/7.  I have no idea what kind of surgery since tests are pending, and it's disconcerting, to say the least.  Sleep is elusive because my brain won't shut up and having those results would be beneficial.  Some of you leave messages on this site and I get a notification.  That's great, because I know to go in and read them.  However, for some reason, s...

  12/15/20 We just got home.  Had my COVID test on Saturday.  I passed.  I studied again for that test, so it was inevitable.  It rained 3-1/4" on Sunday at Courtney's house, so we didn't get to go outside.  First thing Monday morning we drove to west Houston to MD Anderson.  I had an appointment with my oncologist and then went upstairs for my endoscopy.  They found the reason I've been coughing for 5 months.  I have a good sized nodule in my esophagus.  They took a biopsy and I should have the results by the end of this week.  My oncologist set up another ultrasound because I have a couple large, new lumps on my breast.  He didn't like the looks of them so I had to spend another night in Houston so I could have it done this morning.  We got up at 5:30 a.m. because the procedure was in Conroe at 7:15 a.m.  I have to arrive 15 minutes early for every appointment and it's mostly because I have to go through 'Checkpoint...