Today it took a team/ family to get me thru the day. I could not have made it without them. I woke this morning with a 10 on the pain scale. My husband woke me up to give me pain meds. (not that they worked much) The then got the baby up, and fed. I really struggle to describe to you what I can or cant do. My pain rules my day. I cant even put my own pants on.
Today we went and visited the doctor. They think my pain has to do with the sliced nerve endings in my chest. I was given some new pain meds to attempt to solve my pain problem. The doctor said that I dont really have many options left. So I left with one script for a new drug to try. So far it knocked my pain down to a 5. This is improvement! My sister in law was awesome enough to take me to the docs office, and help me with elliot. She also ran an errand for me this morning and got me a few tank tops to wear that didnt aggravate my stitches. She is amazing!
Eric had to go to work this afternoon. So Molly helped with my doctors visit, and my son. Later my mom, aunt and dad came by to help me put Elliot to bed. I cant lift him for 5 more weeks. Mom and Dad got the pleasure of bathing, and putting E in bed. Quite the sight I might add.
Before they left they made sure I was settled, and had taken my next pain pill. Im now curled up under my blanket, sipping my water, and getting sleepy. To get me here took a team of people. Amazing people that I cannot repay in any way. It amazes me to have such an awesome family. Im truly blessed.
April 30, 2013
April 29, 2013
Loopy.....
The pain is still present. I have nothing new to report. Im at a consistent 10 on the pain scale. My meds dont touch it. Eric added some benadryl to try to make me loopy enough to sleep. It works for an hour or so, then Im back to hurting, Its a constant stream of pain. Talking hurts, and still cant get very loud at all. I havent been able to eat anything. My appetite is gone due to hurting all the time. Ive never thought I was suck a whimp before. I wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy.
I have no real strength. A sonic cup was too heavy for me to lift. (Eric has been trying to do anything to get me to eat or drink...including bribing me with my favorite foods) I feel like a human antenna. If I prop my arm up just so on a pillow, prop my other side up on another pillow and move my leg a certian way it just lessens the pain. Still hurts, just seems to not be as sharp.
So this is what Ive come to.....starting at the clock for when I get a precious few moments of less pain. We will likely call the doc this morning to see about doing something. Maybe they can up my pain meds??
April 28, 2013
Sunday
Ill admit all my posts start to run together a bit. I blame the pain meds for making my head a bit fuzzy. It seems like thats all they are good for. Im still feeling quite a bit of pain. Seems like the meds only work for 2 hours then Im stuck waiting another 2 before I can take another dose. I feel like all Ive done is complain about being in pain, but really Ive never not had pain meds work before. Im pretty much constantly sitting here unable to get comfortable, and in a fair amount of pain.
I wasnt able to sleep last night. I had to sit up in the recliner, as laying down hurts my side. Its a very deep pain, all the way down to the bone. I cant pick up elliot for 5-6 weeks, and just have to take everything easy. I cant even pick up the shampoo bottle with my right hand, as it pulls on my stitches, and hurts. My voice also isnt back to normal. Im still hoarse, and cannot talk very loud. Food doesnt sound good to me either. I really havent been eating much. I hate to complain, Im just ready to be done with this pain. It just causes my entire body to hurt. Its all so hard to describe.
So heres to hoping tomorrow is better...
I wasnt able to sleep last night. I had to sit up in the recliner, as laying down hurts my side. Its a very deep pain, all the way down to the bone. I cant pick up elliot for 5-6 weeks, and just have to take everything easy. I cant even pick up the shampoo bottle with my right hand, as it pulls on my stitches, and hurts. My voice also isnt back to normal. Im still hoarse, and cannot talk very loud. Food doesnt sound good to me either. I really havent been eating much. I hate to complain, Im just ready to be done with this pain. It just causes my entire body to hurt. Its all so hard to describe.
So heres to hoping tomorrow is better...
Elliot is 11 months old!
The phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" hits close to home this week. We could not have made it thru this week without help from numerous family members to watch my little man, while Ive been in the hospital. My parents have also been watching him the past couple days so I can get some rest at home. Leave it to my little man to officially start walking the week momma's in the hospital. lol. He's now toddling everywhere! Hes come leaps and bounds in just a few days. Im going to struggle keeping up with him.
Other than walking we really dont have any new news to report this month. Here are a few of little mans favs-
Elliots loves-
Banana pudding
Banana yogurt
Cherrios- he will hold the yellow box while in the cart at the store
Push toys- if it has wheels he will push it all over the house
Monkey/bunny- its a sock monkey that has bunny ears. He cracks up when he sees it.
Ticklish baby! Very ticklish on his neck.
Too bush for diaper changes, now he runs away mid change.
Puppies- he is mesmerized by dogs. Will even help open the baby gate to let the dog in.
Has learned how to open drawers and put stuff in them. Will do this over and over and over...
I cant believe hes gotten so big. Im already planning his birthday party for in a few weeks. CRAZY.
Other than walking we really dont have any new news to report this month. Here are a few of little mans favs-
Elliots loves-
Banana pudding
Banana yogurt
Cherrios- he will hold the yellow box while in the cart at the store
Push toys- if it has wheels he will push it all over the house
Monkey/bunny- its a sock monkey that has bunny ears. He cracks up when he sees it.
Ticklish baby! Very ticklish on his neck.
Too bush for diaper changes, now he runs away mid change.
Puppies- he is mesmerized by dogs. Will even help open the baby gate to let the dog in.
Has learned how to open drawers and put stuff in them. Will do this over and over and over...
I cant believe hes gotten so big. Im already planning his birthday party for in a few weeks. CRAZY.
April 27, 2013
24 hours at home
Let me start off by saying my husband is an awesome 'nurse'. He got me as comfy as we possibly could last night, and set alarms for my pain management. He woke up multiple times last night to ensure I was getting the medicine I needed in a timely fashion. (he still has the timers set during the day as well). Im still in pain, but he has managed to help keep it as in check as we possibly can.
My shower felt amazing this morning! First shower they allowed me to have since surgery. It did require help as my range of motion is limited. The shampoo bottle is too heavy for one handed use, but we did pretty good. After a nice warm shower, Eric had to re-dress my surgical site. Im so glad hes not squeamish. It looks really good. I just know that some people wouldnt do well with it. Its a nice clean wound, and the stitches look great.
I need help getting up and sitting down due to pulling of my stitches. So Ive been taking it slow. Im very sore, and still around a 7-8 on the pain scale. I still cant really talk well. The tube they put down my throat was different than a normal tube they do when they put a person under. This tube actually isolated each lung. Problem with that? It does more damage to your throat when they take it out. So Im still hoarse and cant talk very loud at all. I also cant talk loud as it hurts to try to force sound. (breathing etc) Ive also started coughing a lot more. This is normal, but hurts like hell. (sorry no better way to really put that).
I dont really have any appetite. I think it has to do with the pain. Before we went to the hospital I started a vegan diet. There is too much info about how cutting meat and dairy benefited cancer patients. So I call it vegan-ish. Its a work in progress. We have been eating much much better on this. AND if it helps keep me healthier in the long run its a perk. In the hospital I was on a vegetarian diet. They had it all wrong though. Seems like you tell the hospital vegetarian, and they just slather everything in dairy and cheese. Ill tell you guys more about the diet situation later. (when Im not groggy on pain meds)
Overall gist of my condition? Home, in pain but glad to be in familiar territory. Also glad to be out of a hospital gown and in my own clothes.
April 26, 2013
Home at last
So as of this morning my chest tube was taken out, new xrays taken, and then I was sent home. I am in huge amounts of pain right now. They gave me pain meds but so far nothing really has touched it. The ride home was admittedly agony.
It took a bit, but we finally heard back on our path reports. They took out my lung tumor that indeed was melanoma. They took it out and had wide clear margins (which is a good thing!) then took 2 more spots out they were concerned with along with a few lymph nodes. All of this is really good news. This is the best that we could have hoped for. No chemo as of right now, just a watch and wait job. We will heal, then get scans redone in 12 weeks. We will continue this trend for a few years then go longer between scans. My next appt is May 21st to check in with my oncologist.
I have who knows how many stitches right now. They will be taken out May 7th. For the next 6 weeks I cant pickup anything heavier than 10 lbs. (yes this means MR Elliot too). So that sucks. I feel better since the chest tube is out, but I still hurt really badly. To be honest 'really badly' doesnt cover it. Silently crying sorta covers it. I hurt soooo bad. So far the meds still arnt helping. So far we've learned that Im immune to morphine. So its just taking us a bit to figure out how to get my pain under control. Im still surprised they sent me on home.
Funny part of my hospital trip? I was in the cardiac ward. AND I was the youngest person in there. Never failed, all the nurses seemed surprised when they saw me. Hey thats what lung cancer gets ya. On a good note? The nurses were spectacular. I did learn that asking for a a no meat diet is the way to go as far as hospital food. Much better food that way.
So thats all I know for now. Im going to attempt to rest. Which I feel will be difficult.
It took a bit, but we finally heard back on our path reports. They took out my lung tumor that indeed was melanoma. They took it out and had wide clear margins (which is a good thing!) then took 2 more spots out they were concerned with along with a few lymph nodes. All of this is really good news. This is the best that we could have hoped for. No chemo as of right now, just a watch and wait job. We will heal, then get scans redone in 12 weeks. We will continue this trend for a few years then go longer between scans. My next appt is May 21st to check in with my oncologist.
I have who knows how many stitches right now. They will be taken out May 7th. For the next 6 weeks I cant pickup anything heavier than 10 lbs. (yes this means MR Elliot too). So that sucks. I feel better since the chest tube is out, but I still hurt really badly. To be honest 'really badly' doesnt cover it. Silently crying sorta covers it. I hurt soooo bad. So far the meds still arnt helping. So far we've learned that Im immune to morphine. So its just taking us a bit to figure out how to get my pain under control. Im still surprised they sent me on home.
Funny part of my hospital trip? I was in the cardiac ward. AND I was the youngest person in there. Never failed, all the nurses seemed surprised when they saw me. Hey thats what lung cancer gets ya. On a good note? The nurses were spectacular. I did learn that asking for a a no meat diet is the way to go as far as hospital food. Much better food that way.
So thats all I know for now. Im going to attempt to rest. Which I feel will be difficult.
Nights
Seems to be the worst. Finally got some sleep to wake up in agony. They've got me on pain kills now just waiting for them to kick in. I'm ready for this chest tube to be out. It really hurts. There isn't any real comfortable way to lay or sit. Once that's out its approx another day before I can go home. At the rate I'm going I'd bet I'll be here another 2 days. :(
We are still waiting on lab results from the tumors. Once we know what they are we will be able to proceed. The fact they found 'extras' worries us of course. Trying to be patient until we hear something. We will likely hear that news in a few hours.
So the gist is- pain, and waiting. :). Midnight thoughts on pain meds = garbled thoughts.
We are still waiting on lab results from the tumors. Once we know what they are we will be able to proceed. The fact they found 'extras' worries us of course. Trying to be patient until we hear something. We will likely hear that news in a few hours.
So the gist is- pain, and waiting. :). Midnight thoughts on pain meds = garbled thoughts.
April 25, 2013
Rough night/early am
I didn't get much sleep last night. Mainly just cat napped. I'm on a morphine pain pump, nut I swear it's not working. It doesn't touch my pain. They just tried oral pain meds to see if that helps. So far nothing helps. To say it hurts is an u derstatement. They just had me up to stand and I was shaking and tearing up from the pain. Brain surgery didn't hurt like this! Add on top of it that I'm starting to cough, and it's a really bad combination.
They are bringing x ray in in a few hours to check my lung and chest tube. I'm still draining too much out of it to even consider going home in the next 24 hrs. They are also going to unhook my catheter once Eric gets here. The idea is to force me out of bed. Supposedly it'll get easier. I'm game just so I can put shorts on and feel a bit more covered :). They also just unhooked my constant oxygen checkere thing. Im doing well enough without it..yay!!
We talk to the surgeon and a rep for my oncologist this morning. I'm interested to see what they have to say. I'll have more updates as the day pcontinues. I find it easier to type as we go. Wouldn't want to forget anything. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. We met some of our prayer warriors for the fist it yesterday. It was nice. Now, to attempt to rest-
- Cassandra
They are bringing x ray in in a few hours to check my lung and chest tube. I'm still draining too much out of it to even consider going home in the next 24 hrs. They are also going to unhook my catheter once Eric gets here. The idea is to force me out of bed. Supposedly it'll get easier. I'm game just so I can put shorts on and feel a bit more covered :). They also just unhooked my constant oxygen checkere thing. Im doing well enough without it..yay!!
We talk to the surgeon and a rep for my oncologist this morning. I'm interested to see what they have to say. I'll have more updates as the day pcontinues. I find it easier to type as we go. Wouldn't want to forget anything. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. We met some of our prayer warriors for the fist it yesterday. It was nice. Now, to attempt to rest-
- Cassandra
April 24, 2013
Surgery Day
Cassandra is out of surgery and doing well. After a long day she arrived into her room at around 4:00 PM. The surgeon said everything went well. He removed the tumor on her lung that had appeared on her earlier PET scans as well as two other spots that did not show.
As of right now we dont know what the other two spots means for the future. We are waiting on results back from pathology to identify what the spots were because there is a chance they were not cancer. So for right now its a waiting game to determine how we move forward.
Cassandra and I both want to thank everyone for their help today. We are both very lucky to have families willing to drop everything and help us. Over the past week we have had parents and grandparents travel near and far to be with us during long waiting periods, had aunts that watched our son during appointments, brothers that helped with yard work, and sisters that spend a lot of time in their cars getting coconut M&Ms and saying hello. We couldnt ask for a better family to help us through the difficult time.
I also want to think everyone at PAM transport for sending messages of encouragement and letting me know they were thinking of us.
Thank you everyone,
Eric
As of right now we dont know what the other two spots means for the future. We are waiting on results back from pathology to identify what the spots were because there is a chance they were not cancer. So for right now its a waiting game to determine how we move forward.
Cassandra and I both want to thank everyone for their help today. We are both very lucky to have families willing to drop everything and help us. Over the past week we have had parents and grandparents travel near and far to be with us during long waiting periods, had aunts that watched our son during appointments, brothers that helped with yard work, and sisters that spend a lot of time in their cars getting coconut M&Ms and saying hello. We couldnt ask for a better family to help us through the difficult time.
I also want to think everyone at PAM transport for sending messages of encouragement and letting me know they were thinking of us.
Thank you everyone,
Eric
April 23, 2013
Day before Surgery
Pre-op stuff is now done! They surprised us with a new surgery time. They moved it up by 2 hours!! Talk about an early morning. We get the pleasure of arriving at 5 am to get prepped. Good news on that part, no real time to get hungry, due to no food after midnight.
Pre-op was blood work, urine sample, and a arterial blood draw. I might add that the arterial blood draw hurts pretty good. As in, OUCHIE!!! They also 'tagged' me. I have a lovely red tag that I get to keep on until the end of my hospital stay. Its just in case I need blood or something.
After all the pre-op we had errands to run. I actually got most everything done I needed to! I wanted to make sure that elliot is taken care of (no stressors). I trust my family completely, just wanted to make it as easy on them as possible. So we went and got a bunch of baby foods he likes. (He normally just eats what we eat, but assume this will be easier. Having a bag of foods he loves on hand...seemed like a smart idea). I also got extra diapers etc. No need on worrying about going to the store for a while.
All thats left to do? Get the house picked up, laundry done, dishes etc. Chores are my way of de-stressing. So as much as I can get done today the better. Less time to think about impending surgery. Im more nervous about this surgery than my brain surgery. Seems crazy. I guess having more time to think about it doesnt help matters. Its goning to be a long 14 more hours......
Pre-op was blood work, urine sample, and a arterial blood draw. I might add that the arterial blood draw hurts pretty good. As in, OUCHIE!!! They also 'tagged' me. I have a lovely red tag that I get to keep on until the end of my hospital stay. Its just in case I need blood or something.
After all the pre-op we had errands to run. I actually got most everything done I needed to! I wanted to make sure that elliot is taken care of (no stressors). I trust my family completely, just wanted to make it as easy on them as possible. So we went and got a bunch of baby foods he likes. (He normally just eats what we eat, but assume this will be easier. Having a bag of foods he loves on hand...seemed like a smart idea). I also got extra diapers etc. No need on worrying about going to the store for a while.
All thats left to do? Get the house picked up, laundry done, dishes etc. Chores are my way of de-stressing. So as much as I can get done today the better. Less time to think about impending surgery. Im more nervous about this surgery than my brain surgery. Seems crazy. I guess having more time to think about it doesnt help matters. Its goning to be a long 14 more hours......
April 17, 2013
More News
So we now have the schedule set!
April 17th- Lung testing (not sure what the technical term is)
April 23rd- pre op labs and info
April 24th- surgery 9 am
Yay! Finally we have a plan. Im so excited to finally have a plan. We know what and when we are getting everything done. Its a relief knowing and being able to start getting everything organized in advance.
I think we had quite the productive day!
April 17th- Lung testing (not sure what the technical term is)
April 23rd- pre op labs and info
April 24th- surgery 9 am
Yay! Finally we have a plan. Im so excited to finally have a plan. We know what and when we are getting everything done. Its a relief knowing and being able to start getting everything organized in advance.
I think we had quite the productive day!
Wednesday update!
Nurse #1 called this morning. I have an appointment Thursday (tomorrow) at 8am to do a breathing test. I was approved for surgery. Im now waiting on nurse #2 to call me with my surgery date and time. They said I should hear something this afternoon, tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Lets hope we hear it today! Knowing our history with medical staff, I wont hear anything until tomorrow. Heres to hoping we hear something soon!
April 16, 2013
Good News!
We got some great news today! No new tumors, and my lung tumor has not grown since my last scan. It has not shrunk, but hasnt grown either. We could not have asked for better news. So after the oncologist told us this news we met with a chest surgeon. (I swear we were at the doctors office for over 4 hours)
The chest surgeon stated that I was the perfect candidate for surgery. My tumor is small enough to go through my right side, and ribs to get to my lung. They will take out the tumor, and look around for any other tumors that might be too small to show up on the scans. They will then insert a chest tube that will last for 2-3 days post surgery. I will be in the hospital for 3-7 days after the fact, before being released home. They say that it will be approx. 1 month recovery to be back to normal.
The good part about my oncologist is that he has an entire team that goes over all cases. The team meets tonight with the chest surgeon to talk about my case. They should all agree, and if all in agreement I will be scheduled for surgery. They do this to make sure this is the best approach. Keep in mind theyve already discussed my case numerous times, and this has been the plan for months. I will hear from the chest clinics office within the next 2 days and find out when Im scheduled for surgery. Surgery will be set within the next 3 weeks. Could be as early as the end of this week!
After surgery if there are no surprise tumors they will declare me in remission. I will continue to get scans every 12 weeks for the next 2 years. Then as long as I stay cancer free they will decrease the amount of scans per year. I will always be considered stage 4 cancer, so its a matter of when it comes back catching it early. We just have to keep healthy and on watch.
We are very happy at the outcome of what happened today. Elliot tagged along with us and was amazingly patient with us. He sat for approx 4 hours and was well behaved the entire time. By the end he was ready to be on the floor and have freedom. How many 10 month olds could you contain for that long?? So today was quite the day. We will all sleep well in the Schmit household tonight. For today it was a big win for us. As soon as I know more about surgery I will let everyone know, but for now good night. :)
The chest surgeon stated that I was the perfect candidate for surgery. My tumor is small enough to go through my right side, and ribs to get to my lung. They will take out the tumor, and look around for any other tumors that might be too small to show up on the scans. They will then insert a chest tube that will last for 2-3 days post surgery. I will be in the hospital for 3-7 days after the fact, before being released home. They say that it will be approx. 1 month recovery to be back to normal.
The good part about my oncologist is that he has an entire team that goes over all cases. The team meets tonight with the chest surgeon to talk about my case. They should all agree, and if all in agreement I will be scheduled for surgery. They do this to make sure this is the best approach. Keep in mind theyve already discussed my case numerous times, and this has been the plan for months. I will hear from the chest clinics office within the next 2 days and find out when Im scheduled for surgery. Surgery will be set within the next 3 weeks. Could be as early as the end of this week!
After surgery if there are no surprise tumors they will declare me in remission. I will continue to get scans every 12 weeks for the next 2 years. Then as long as I stay cancer free they will decrease the amount of scans per year. I will always be considered stage 4 cancer, so its a matter of when it comes back catching it early. We just have to keep healthy and on watch.
We are very happy at the outcome of what happened today. Elliot tagged along with us and was amazingly patient with us. He sat for approx 4 hours and was well behaved the entire time. By the end he was ready to be on the floor and have freedom. How many 10 month olds could you contain for that long?? So today was quite the day. We will all sleep well in the Schmit household tonight. For today it was a big win for us. As soon as I know more about surgery I will let everyone know, but for now good night. :)
April 15, 2013
Test Day!
Today was test day. I had Lab work, MRI, CT and Pet scans done today. I was poked a total of 4x. (ugh) Hey, I understand that nurses have bad days too. IV 1 didnt work, so had to get a second IV. YAY me. Todays tests took all day. I was so glad when my last test was over so I could finally go eat for the day.
Elliot just doesnt understand why I cant pick him up. Its the saddest thing ever. I have 24 hours of no baby contact due to me being radioactive. I can stay in the same room, just no holding the baby. Its hard not to cuddle the baby when hes reaching for you. Just something Im learning to have to deal with every 3 months.
So now we wait. I have 2 appointments tomorrow. 1 with my oncologist to read my test results, and another with a chest specialist to discuss my lung tumor. I feel like tonight will be a long night. Its like waiting on christmas day as a kid. That same butterfly feeling of the unknown. I have a feeling we wont be getting any sleep tonight.
I will update the blog tomorrow as soon as we know what the results are.
Elliot just doesnt understand why I cant pick him up. Its the saddest thing ever. I have 24 hours of no baby contact due to me being radioactive. I can stay in the same room, just no holding the baby. Its hard not to cuddle the baby when hes reaching for you. Just something Im learning to have to deal with every 3 months.
So now we wait. I have 2 appointments tomorrow. 1 with my oncologist to read my test results, and another with a chest specialist to discuss my lung tumor. I feel like tonight will be a long night. Its like waiting on christmas day as a kid. That same butterfly feeling of the unknown. I have a feeling we wont be getting any sleep tonight.
I will update the blog tomorrow as soon as we know what the results are.
April 14, 2013
Weekend Fun!
Erics birthday was this weekend. (technically, Eric and Chris's birthdays were this weekend. Twins!) We celebrated as a family out at the Schmit creek house. I think its fair to say we all had a blast. Erics side of the family came, along with my side. Eric's sister, Molly, made a huge spread of food. She really out did herself. Everything was wonderful. The kids played down at the creek, and we all enjoyed the nice weather.
Elliot is getting more and more willful each day. Hes now trying to run away from diaper changes. There is just too much going on to allow 'mom' to change him. Hes eating a ton more too. That boy will eat just about anything you put in front of him. Hes always on the go, and always seems to be hungry. Any day now he will be walking.
I kept myself busy to attempt to keep my mind off my scans tomorrow. Finally, the big day is here! Scan day! Tomorrow, 10 am, I will be getting my scans done. We wont know the results until Tuesday at 1:30 pm. Stinks to wait that long, but ehh, we do what we must. So for a few more hours we wait for results.
To bide the time, here are a few pictures of Elliot. He loves running around at the creek.
Elliot is getting more and more willful each day. Hes now trying to run away from diaper changes. There is just too much going on to allow 'mom' to change him. Hes eating a ton more too. That boy will eat just about anything you put in front of him. Hes always on the go, and always seems to be hungry. Any day now he will be walking.
I kept myself busy to attempt to keep my mind off my scans tomorrow. Finally, the big day is here! Scan day! Tomorrow, 10 am, I will be getting my scans done. We wont know the results until Tuesday at 1:30 pm. Stinks to wait that long, but ehh, we do what we must. So for a few more hours we wait for results.
To bide the time, here are a few pictures of Elliot. He loves running around at the creek.
April 11, 2013
Lets talk movies
I havent gone out to see a movie in over a year. See I went while pregnant with Elliot, and it was not an enjoyable experience. Being beaten up from the inside due to all the noise was not my idea of a fun time. So that said, we didnt go. Then after Elliot was born the cancer deal started, and I just never went. So to the point, I was asked about going to see a new movie. It brought about a really good question. Is going to see a 3D movie after brain surgery a good idea?
This is a valid question to me. I mean I still have reading issues etc. So it would make sense to me that 3D would have issues with me too. They always seem surprised that I have vision in my right eye, so it would pose a good question about the whole 3D case. Now Ive not done any research on the matter. This was just a, fly by the seat of my pants, conversation. I mean they always worry that I could have a seizure at any time, hence me being on the anti-seizure meds. It makes me think this is a valid concern.
All the worries aside, my sister in law decided to take a risk and take me to the movies. Probably not the smartest thing for us to do, but ehhh we are rebels. We went during the week, and happened to be the only people there (me, my sister in law, and mother in law). The entire theater was ours!!! Luckily, no seizures happened. However, I do not plan on going to another 3D movie anytime soon. I hated it. My head was splitting after the movie. Ive seen 3D movies in the past, but this was an entirely different experience. My head hurt the next day a bit as well. So while I didnt have any major issues, I plan on avoiding them in the future. Now we know...
This is a valid question to me. I mean I still have reading issues etc. So it would make sense to me that 3D would have issues with me too. They always seem surprised that I have vision in my right eye, so it would pose a good question about the whole 3D case. Now Ive not done any research on the matter. This was just a, fly by the seat of my pants, conversation. I mean they always worry that I could have a seizure at any time, hence me being on the anti-seizure meds. It makes me think this is a valid concern.
All the worries aside, my sister in law decided to take a risk and take me to the movies. Probably not the smartest thing for us to do, but ehhh we are rebels. We went during the week, and happened to be the only people there (me, my sister in law, and mother in law). The entire theater was ours!!! Luckily, no seizures happened. However, I do not plan on going to another 3D movie anytime soon. I hated it. My head was splitting after the movie. Ive seen 3D movies in the past, but this was an entirely different experience. My head hurt the next day a bit as well. So while I didnt have any major issues, I plan on avoiding them in the future. Now we know...
April 9, 2013
3 AM Munchies
You really get an appreciation for the 2-3 am munchies while on steroids. Cant sleep, stare at the walls, then realize that your famished. So here I sit, indulging in a granola bar and some water. Im wide awake. Guess I can go ahead and start my day right?
My spots are still fading. They are almost gone completely. I have 2 days left of my steroid pack. I do notice that when Im about due for my next dose, the spots start to get angry. Im crossing my fingers after this round of steroids they stay away. So add that into the steroid side effects and Im doing pretty great. No sleep, hungry all the time, loads of energy (but tired at the same time/ its complicated) spotted, and getting nervous about next week. 1 week from today we will have the results and know exactly whats going on in there. Now to keep myself busy until then!
Elliot is doing good. We visited the pediatrician yesterday. Growing like a weed! He was still having some tummy issues and due for a well child checkup. Doctor isnt worried about the tummy thing. Just said that little ones take a bit more time to get back to 'normal'. Hes gaining weight good, and will be walking any day now. He took 3 steps by himself this weekend! Hes at that point here he will walk along walls lightly touching the wall with his hand. He hasn't realized that if he can do that, he can go without the wall. I was impressed with the doctors office. Since Im a cancer patient they didnt make me wait in the waiting room. (due to risk of exposure) they sent me directly into a private room, so I could isolate myself from all the sick people. It was nice to have them do that for me.
We dont have too much planned the rest of this week. I have a girls day/night planned with my sister in law later this week. Also we are celebrating my hubbys birthday this weekend. (okay and his twins birthday) So we have a few things to keep me busy these next few days. Will try to keep everyone updated!
My spots are still fading. They are almost gone completely. I have 2 days left of my steroid pack. I do notice that when Im about due for my next dose, the spots start to get angry. Im crossing my fingers after this round of steroids they stay away. So add that into the steroid side effects and Im doing pretty great. No sleep, hungry all the time, loads of energy (but tired at the same time/ its complicated) spotted, and getting nervous about next week. 1 week from today we will have the results and know exactly whats going on in there. Now to keep myself busy until then!
Elliot is doing good. We visited the pediatrician yesterday. Growing like a weed! He was still having some tummy issues and due for a well child checkup. Doctor isnt worried about the tummy thing. Just said that little ones take a bit more time to get back to 'normal'. Hes gaining weight good, and will be walking any day now. He took 3 steps by himself this weekend! Hes at that point here he will walk along walls lightly touching the wall with his hand. He hasn't realized that if he can do that, he can go without the wall. I was impressed with the doctors office. Since Im a cancer patient they didnt make me wait in the waiting room. (due to risk of exposure) they sent me directly into a private room, so I could isolate myself from all the sick people. It was nice to have them do that for me.
We dont have too much planned the rest of this week. I have a girls day/night planned with my sister in law later this week. Also we are celebrating my hubbys birthday this weekend. (okay and his twins birthday) So we have a few things to keep me busy these next few days. Will try to keep everyone updated!
April 6, 2013
Spots part 2
Good news! The steroids are working. My spots are going down as of this morning. (still there but lighter) Not nearly as itchy as yesterday either. I managed to get some sleep last night thanks to the benadryl. I was however up around 3 am wide awake (thank you steroids). I swear, steroids = weight gain, and no sleep. UGH. I am thankful that the spots are going down. Some completely disappeared, but some new ones popped up in their place. Seems that the ones on my lower legs went down the most. My torso and back are still bad.
Since I seem to be doing better, and the rash is much less 'angry' we've decided to pack up and join the rest of the Schmit family at our creek house. Last time we were there we got a permanent crib set up for Elliot. (before that he was in a pack n play, and refused to sleep). The creek house is our home away from home. It'll be nice to attempt to relax. I know at the very least the boys will enjoy the outdoors, and Ill get to be social with my sister in law, and mother in law. This time I will remember to bring my entire stash of meds. No surprises! Hopefully this trip will be better than the last. We are truly blessed to have such a location to retreat to. Its a 45 minute drive, so close enough for us to feel 'away' but near by any medical facilities we need.
Thats all I have for now. The boys are feeling much better. Im good, just trying to to scratch. So off to the creek we go!
Since I seem to be doing better, and the rash is much less 'angry' we've decided to pack up and join the rest of the Schmit family at our creek house. Last time we were there we got a permanent crib set up for Elliot. (before that he was in a pack n play, and refused to sleep). The creek house is our home away from home. It'll be nice to attempt to relax. I know at the very least the boys will enjoy the outdoors, and Ill get to be social with my sister in law, and mother in law. This time I will remember to bring my entire stash of meds. No surprises! Hopefully this trip will be better than the last. We are truly blessed to have such a location to retreat to. Its a 45 minute drive, so close enough for us to feel 'away' but near by any medical facilities we need.
Thats all I have for now. The boys are feeling much better. Im good, just trying to to scratch. So off to the creek we go!
April 5, 2013
Got Spots!?
So woke up this morning itchy. VERY very very very itchy. Looked in the mirror and realized I had a rash all over my back, and some of my tummy. As with anything we put a call into my oncologist. I was hoping I was just crazy, and it was nothing, but noooooo. Saw the doctor and it was decided that yes indeed, this is Yervoy related. They put me on high dose of steroids and benadryl. They also told me that with this its fast spreading, and can get angry very quickly. If it continues to get worse after steroids Im to call the doctor in the morning. GREAT. More steroids.
They were not kidding when they say it gets angry and spreads quick. By the time we got home Im covered. My tummy, waist, chest, back, and shoulders are covered in a hive like rash. Im so itchy!!! I just took my first does of the steroids. Hopefully this will go down. Until then I just suffer. What a way to start a lovely weekend. It can only get better right?
They were not kidding when they say it gets angry and spreads quick. By the time we got home Im covered. My tummy, waist, chest, back, and shoulders are covered in a hive like rash. Im so itchy!!! I just took my first does of the steroids. Hopefully this will go down. Until then I just suffer. What a way to start a lovely weekend. It can only get better right?
April 3, 2013
I need a vacation
I need a vacation from being ill. Im just so tired of being sick/not feeling good and/ or having a sick kid. This week has been brutal. I was sick then infected my entire family. I think Elliot has made the turning point (knock on wood) to getting better. We've gone all afternoon without any 'issues'. Thank goodness!
Eric is still sick. I played nursemaid to both him and Elliot. Made sure they were both getting fluids. Im exhausted. No sleep last night, and no rest today has me pooped. Ill try to go to bed early tonight. I plan on sleeping on the couch again. Trying to not contaminate myself again by being around Eric. To be fair, our couch is really really comfy. I dont mind sleeping out here. Heck, Ive spent plenty of time on this couch in the past months. With my already messed up immune system Im just trying to keep from getting sick again. I cant risk it this close to surgery. Meanwhile, my brother in law just called, and said hes got the same illness too.
So all in all? I need a vacay from being sick. I think one normal day would do it. I have errands I want to run etc. Nothing crazy, but ready to get out and about. Cabin fever is starting to set in. I feel the clock ticking toward my scans and really want get some things done. (elliots birthday stuff needs handled. etc) Nothing major, just that mini to do list. Only 13 days left till scans!!
Eric is still sick. I played nursemaid to both him and Elliot. Made sure they were both getting fluids. Im exhausted. No sleep last night, and no rest today has me pooped. Ill try to go to bed early tonight. I plan on sleeping on the couch again. Trying to not contaminate myself again by being around Eric. To be fair, our couch is really really comfy. I dont mind sleeping out here. Heck, Ive spent plenty of time on this couch in the past months. With my already messed up immune system Im just trying to keep from getting sick again. I cant risk it this close to surgery. Meanwhile, my brother in law just called, and said hes got the same illness too.
So all in all? I need a vacay from being sick. I think one normal day would do it. I have errands I want to run etc. Nothing crazy, but ready to get out and about. Cabin fever is starting to set in. I feel the clock ticking toward my scans and really want get some things done. (elliots birthday stuff needs handled. etc) Nothing major, just that mini to do list. Only 13 days left till scans!!
Joys of Motherhood
Its 430 am, and Ive not slept. Ellito is still sick. Hes been up only a few times during the night, but at this point Im out of clean sheets for him. (and I have 4 sets) Poor guy is really handling all this well. Now add to it Eric is down and out with it too. So Im on the couch. Trying to let my hubby get what sleep he can, and tending to a baby. Hey I can hear and get to elliot without waking eric up. It works.
Im sure everyone is tired of hearing the tummy bug saga, but hey, this is whats happening in my house. I just feel terrible that I was patient zero in our home. I got everyone sick. I feel for them. Heck I havent had any issues in 24 hours, but still struggling to eat. I get queasy looking at, smelling or thinking about food.
Okay, Im going to attempt some sleep. Elliot is finally out, so maybe I can catch a quick nap.
Im sure everyone is tired of hearing the tummy bug saga, but hey, this is whats happening in my house. I just feel terrible that I was patient zero in our home. I got everyone sick. I feel for them. Heck I havent had any issues in 24 hours, but still struggling to eat. I get queasy looking at, smelling or thinking about food.
Okay, Im going to attempt some sleep. Elliot is finally out, so maybe I can catch a quick nap.
April 2, 2013
Quick update
While Im feeling quite a bit better, the rest of the household is sick. Im not 100% yet myself, still cant really eat too much, but actually able to get up and do housework. Elliot is still sick. Poor guy isnt really any better. I was hoping this was a 24 hour deal for him.
My clingy baby boy is SUPER clingy when sick. He was attached to my leg just moments ago. He wants me to be within arms reach at all times. This is exhausting for me. Im attempting to clean up/ lysol the entire house whilst my baby screams because Im not within an inch of him. (yet Im in eyesight on the other side of the room) Keep in mind, my hubby is home as well. So he can be with Eric, but still requires mommy. Eric too is ill by the way.
Still counting down to my scans! April 15th is the day. Until then Im trying to keep busy. Right now just trying to get me and my family healthy. Then, I think some pampering is in order. Maybe a spa visit?? Theres a place locally that will give you a makeover/ show you how to do the new makeup styles etc. I thought about trying that. I also want to see oz. Now that I know its not a prison movie. (seriously thought it was about prison for some reason?? and totally missed my chance to go with my sister in law)
My clingy baby boy is SUPER clingy when sick. He was attached to my leg just moments ago. He wants me to be within arms reach at all times. This is exhausting for me. Im attempting to clean up/ lysol the entire house whilst my baby screams because Im not within an inch of him. (yet Im in eyesight on the other side of the room) Keep in mind, my hubby is home as well. So he can be with Eric, but still requires mommy. Eric too is ill by the way.
Still counting down to my scans! April 15th is the day. Until then Im trying to keep busy. Right now just trying to get me and my family healthy. Then, I think some pampering is in order. Maybe a spa visit?? Theres a place locally that will give you a makeover/ show you how to do the new makeup styles etc. I thought about trying that. I also want to see oz. Now that I know its not a prison movie. (seriously thought it was about prison for some reason?? and totally missed my chance to go with my sister in law)
April 1, 2013
Afternoon update-
Afternoon thoughts-
3 out of 4 living things in my house have puked. (the dog just puked on the floor)
Remember where you stored the stroller in the garage so you dont run it over. YEP, 4 month old stroller??? Run over by the jeep. Lovely afternoon....now to see if its fixable.
Im feeling better, but elliot is still sick. He managed to puke all over me and the floor right before bed. Ahh the joys of motherhood.
3 out of 4 living things in my house have puked. (the dog just puked on the floor)
Remember where you stored the stroller in the garage so you dont run it over. YEP, 4 month old stroller??? Run over by the jeep. Lovely afternoon....now to see if its fixable.
Im feeling better, but elliot is still sick. He managed to puke all over me and the floor right before bed. Ahh the joys of motherhood.
Good and Bad News
Well I have good news- me being sick isnt cancer related!!! Bad news- be being sick isnt cancer related! I am apparently contagious. Elliot woke up covered in vomit this morning. Poor baby is sick too. He didnt wake up at all last night/ slept thru the night. When he did wake his crib was a mess.
First act of the morning= bath time for baby. Stripped all his bedding and got everything cleaned up. He doesnt seem to have a fever (will check shortly, since he just had a bath) and is chowing down on a bottle as I type. Other than a bit fussier than normal he seems okay.
Im still a bit under the weather myself. I ate food last night and was ill shortly after. So here I am again today just trying to keep everything in order. Ugh, never ever wished to get my baby sick. This is really the first time hes ever been ill. 10 months without any real sick days from him, I really do feel bad for the poor guy. 10x more so than normal since I know exactly how he feels.
Now, to get all the disinfectant I can find and attempt to de-germ our house.
First act of the morning= bath time for baby. Stripped all his bedding and got everything cleaned up. He doesnt seem to have a fever (will check shortly, since he just had a bath) and is chowing down on a bottle as I type. Other than a bit fussier than normal he seems okay.
Im still a bit under the weather myself. I ate food last night and was ill shortly after. So here I am again today just trying to keep everything in order. Ugh, never ever wished to get my baby sick. This is really the first time hes ever been ill. 10 months without any real sick days from him, I really do feel bad for the poor guy. 10x more so than normal since I know exactly how he feels.
Now, to get all the disinfectant I can find and attempt to de-germ our house.
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