Mood:
rushedNow Playing: Day 2947-Chapter 3... Happiness~My Silver Lining
Thank goodness for Eric taking a message early this morning when central scheduling called to go over my surgery date and other information at 8am. After some much needed rest, I was finally able to call them back at 3pm.
It took me awhile to finally get to sleep. I have yet to get feeling better, but was only told it would be expected. Lots of rest and just taking it easy until surgery. We really had hoped for surgery to be scheduled for next week. This way I wouldn't have too long of a chance to allow my brain to run wild with surgical possibilities and other 'what-if' scenarios. I would much rather just get this surgery one and done, ASAP! But instead... we were given a date of February 20th.
The 20-day countdown... begins.
As of late this evening. We are actually thankful to have 20 days to figure out a game plan. During a very lengthy phone call with the surgery department, I was advised to begin a medication given to me by my specialist yesterday. Quite scary medication that honestly... I rather not take nor put myself at risk of far-too-many side effects. But the unfortunate part of this, is that this time, I have no other choice. By 8pm, I finally had the courage to get my brain face on as I began the first round of medication. What I had yet to tell Eric was the 15-weeks of outpatient therapy that I will have to endure, regardless of the outcome of surgery. A 15-week course of therapy, once a day, 7-days a week. That news delivered to Eric late this afternoon... well... to say he is still shocked would be an understatement. We have already maxed out leave time with his employer. Another unfortunate, yet unexpected turn of events regarding an ongoing battle with my health. I am now finding myself feeling as if I have become a huge burden. It's not a pleasant feeling dealing with health issues that are still spiraling out of control. Far out of my own control. This is where great counseling helps one to put things into perspective.
I have to remember that what is going on... what has been going on... what is taking place... what will be happening during and after surgery isn't my fault. No one asks to be sick.
Outpatient therapy to help filter out my kidneys and bladder will be done back across state lines for a course of 15-weeks, 7-days a week, 4-5 hours per daily treatment. To say that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this news, would be an understatement. I have already handled more than any normal human being could ever handle in a lifetime. Yet, it still isn't the end of my lifetime. I am living, breathing and through it all, still somehow fighting. How in the heck do I do it? With the help of my guardian angels. It is something that I have always believed, deep in my heart, to be true.
Over the next few days, while I am doing my best to deal with another new course of therapy and the medications not-so-welcoming side effects. Eric has already begun doing his best to figure out how in the world we are going to pull everything off in a matter of 20-days. A green letter written to the Sheriff requesting donated hours, generously donated by fellow employees, coworkers that over the years have become good friends. We don't do well asking for help. I assume that's where pride somehow always gets in the way. But life happens... everyone at some point of their life... sometime in their lifetime... can't win the battle alone. There will be a time, in everyone's lifetime, where asking for help is perfectly... okay.
Eric will not be able to work during the 15-weeks of outpatient therapy, back across state lines, in Ohio. It's going to be hard enough driving back and forth, especially when not feeling well. But somehow, we will find a way to make it work. We always have... always will. Maybe the new website that will be officially released tomorrow really does have a place in this current part of my journey. In more ways, than one.
Another means to find a reason to laugh and share a smile. A therapeutic way to get through the rough road ahead.
quizzical
What Eric could had used more of this morning was some serious coffee! Another far-too-early morning wake up call for my surgical procedure. All in 'hopes' of keeping my functioning kidney out of harms way from, once again, getting blocked from the reappearing ovary and large ovarian tumor. A surgically placed stent to fully free my left ureter tube that helps drain my kidney.
17 surgeons later... three big specialty hospitals-mayo clinics later and maximum experimental oncology treatments. Yet, everyone has their own respective opinions regarding an ovary that has magically re-appeared after pathology reports show it being surgery removed several years ago. Yet, one single microscopic fragment that grew over the course of several years has done more than enough damage that still to this very day... continues. ORS-Ovarian Remnant Syndrome, one in now 13 in the world that still has gone above and beyond all the other 12 documented cases. Not only did this bizarre, magical ovary of many sorts grow back from one, single, microscopic fragment. But has once again defied all odds of being placed in a deep, permanent state of sleep. Last weeks emergency scan shows not just one magical ovary producing follicles. But now my right ovary is awakening from the deep radiation sleep. Another three follicles appearing on the big screen which makes for two separate ovaries, functioning on two different cycles. Not only is this unheard of by most, but as well it's the nightmare of sorts that my team of specialists were hoping would never happen... again. Which is why fast-track, maximum course of radiation therapy and a few other experimental treatments were used, yet still failed to shut down the feeding blood supply to this medical mess. 
Once arriving for my surgical procedure this morning. I was asked to fill out a few additional forms of needed medical information and other releases. They also asked if I could provide a morning urine sample, which I only thought was possibly routine before the procedure. Then we were whisked away to the waiting area before being directed into an examination room, literally waiting a little over an hour for my specialist to come in and delivery the news. Expect the unexpected... it comes with the territory. 
I just successfully beat skin cancer. I would never dare to say that it was an easier form of cancer. But instead, I would rather say that the location and options to treat skin cancer are far greater than other types of cancers. To now come face to face with another unexpected turn is not only frustrating, but downright frightening. I went from one report showing tumors... stable. To now other aspects with regards to labs and reports... unstable. 
party time!
Our new third option with regards to our next and final move out west is still in the works. At least with this third option, there is a fenced in backyard. Tomorrow is my scheduled surgical procedure to put in the stent. If all goes well, we 
should be on our way to taking advantage of a third option which will allow our move out west this year to be that much easier! 
special
surprised
Rise n' Shine to a far too early weekend morning! An unexpected drive to view a property. Always... when least expected. We now have further options and more major decisions to make with our big move. This move is turning out to be more like an international chess championship game! These aren't moves that can be rapidly made... no way... these moves take some serious meetings of the minds. We now have another option on the table. This doesn't mean that moving out west is 
no longer a go. It just means that we no longer just have one option of selling our current home. We now have three options on how this entire big move can play out to our advantage. If this new option goes into the direction where the wind may take us... then we will only have a mere month to quickly finish up any last minute repairs and repainting projects. EEEE~YIKES! Talking about Eric on the hustle! This gals body is on a major time-out for the time being, so I won't be able to help with a possible upcoming month of sheer madness. 
bright
Couples who share their beauty secrets together... stay together. 
We had a pretty serious start to our day with regards to recent lab reports. What was thought to be an infection, turned out to be another issue with the largest ovarian tumor beginning to once again, block my ureter tube. Cultures were sent out a few days ago and came back early this morning showing pretty much nothing but blood in my urine with very little white cells. What my doctors thought was possibly another infection in a different location, ended up being just the opposite. Another complication from an ovarian tumor gaining further size and strength. I still must remain on antibiotics as a precaution for any possible signs of secondary infection. 
Instead of going back to sleep after a far-too-early phone call from my doctors office. I was whisked away to the hospital for another emergency scan. It didn't take long for the radiology techs to pick up on the largest ovarian tumor literally almost completely blocking my ureter tube. There were other findings, but I won't know the exact specifics until sometime tomorrow. Notes from one of my specialists back across state lines regarding the last scan, a little over a month ago, made absolutely no sense to the hospital radiology team. I am really starting to question just how much a few of my specialists grew tired of dealing with such a complex medical case. Almost as if... just brushing my entire case under the rug. 
HAHAHA!!
lyrical
S-l-o-w-l-y peeling back the air-tight seal on a huge can of my most favorite coffee... ahhhhh... such an amazing a-r-o-m-a~
things~"
Amen.
cheeky
I tell ya! 
As for myself... it's been a past few days of just taking it easy as my body gets adjusted to another new round of antibiotics. It's no wonder that I have another few more pounds to add to the existing pounds to gain back once I am finally off of all the various rounds of antibiotics. But no worries... at least I am keeping myself busy with watching Eric attempt to keep up with both high energy Snoreo and Babyblue. Hehehehehehe! Even right down to watching Babyblue literally stick her head into the very first Happy Meal treat for being such a good puppy while enduring her last round of vaccines. Okay... so maybe she didn't get to enjoy the entire Happy Meal. But she sure was cute as a button while watching her try to figure out the tiny toy inside the big red box! Hehehehehehe!
We have been doing our best to keep it healthy here around the house. Picking up another stash of super healthy, organic beverages for me and a little something for Babyblue for being really good for our veterinarian while Mommy was home resting? Super nice & SUPER SWEET of her human Daddy! 
