Quick look

A quick trip to Cedars for a nurse's visit.  The research nurse wanted to check out the injection sites on my leg.  It did not have the crazy reaction that past drug trial treatments have shown.  She thinks that my immune system is getting back on line, thus I am not having drastic adverse reactions to the injections anymore.  This is good to hear!

Drug Trial Day - Month 12

Time for my twelve month follow up and next round of injections.

As always, first stop the vampire's lair.  Today we set a new record as the vampire sucks out twelve vials of blood.  It takes a while to suck out twelve vials of blood.  I'm going to say twelve minutes at least, but I think it was more like fifteen.  And, since they were taking so much blood this time the vampire informed me that she needed to use a bigger needle.  Oh yay!!! Blah!!!  The vampires do their best to keep the mood light as it seems like it is taking forever to fill all the vials.  They are quite the jovial bunch of blood suckers.  We had some laughs and finally I was done and on my way.

Next stop is the doctor's visit.  First we discuss the results of all my tests from last week.  Everything looks good, except they did not do the ultra sound on my pelvis to check on the fibroids so they will schedule one for me.  Blah, definitely not a favorite test.  He would also like me to schedule an appointment with my breast cancer surgeon to go over my mammogram results.  He said that I should be seeing her after each of my mammograms (every six months).  Then we discuss how I have been feeling lately.  My biggest complaint is that I seem to feel nauseous more often these days.  Other than trying to eat much healthier, there does not seem to be anything in my diet that would be causing it.  He thinks my body is beginning to produce hormones again.  At my last visit, my estrogen levels were still very low and the tamoxifen will block any estrogen my body tries to produce, however, the ovaries are still trying to do their job and are likely producing other hormones that my body is trying to adapt to.  Other than that, all the same fun symptoms seem to be hanging around; fatigue, hot flashes, memory loss.  On the plus side of side effects, my body seems to have adapted to allow me to eat berries again.  I have been slowly testing the waters this last week.  So far blueberries and cranberries have made it through without any hives.  Yay!  We shall continue albeit slowly with the berries.

Side note:  the research nurse had to do this huge report (looked like 50 pages) for my file from my little  over night stay in the hospital when they thought I had a blood clot.  I felt a little bad and told her that it was not my intention to stay overnight and have them run all those tests.  We agreed it would be best if that did not happen again, I for one am on board with that plan.

Now it is time to head over to the short-term treatment area to be tortured by the cobra.  I put the first round of lidocaine on my leg in the doctor's office to give it time to set in.  Plus, took the Ativan after I finished at the vampire's lair.  I should be nice and ready for these injections.  There is still some time while they prepare the injections, so Southpaw and I ready ourselves.

Tried to get the cobra to give Southpaw some of my injections.

Southpaw checking the needles. 

Let the games begin:

First injection goes in, no problem.  Hardly felt it.

Number two is not too bad either.

Not happy about number three.

Three does not go in very nicely.  I'd give it a six on the ole scale.

Fourth injection, the worst of them all.

I'm not sure if it is the placement or what, but the fourth one goes in with a big bang.  I even flinched a little and when it was done it still felt like the needle was in.  Now we hangout for an hour to make sure I don't have any adverse reaction.  Southpaw and I finish watching our movie and then the cobra comes back to bandage me up before I go home.

Southpaw checking out the cobra's bandaging technique.

The cobra gives the okay and I am discharged.  Off to lunch and get today's treat.

Today felt like a two treat day so we got both.

Marathon Scan Day

Time for my annual scans, twelve months post chemotherapy.  It is going to be a long day at the Cedar's Campus.  Arrival time: 8am.

First stop is the new Heart Institute Pavillion for yet another echocardiogram and ekg.  The technician remembers me from July.  I get through this test without any problem.  The ekg technician comes in afterwards and takes care of this test rather quickly.  Now I have some time to kill before my next appointment.  I go in search of food.  For my next round of scans I cannot eat or drink anything after 10:30am and will not be able to eat again until about 5pm.  I find myself a nice breakfast; eggs, chicken sausage, potatoes, and toast.  Good to go.

Next stop, Imaging Center.  First up is the injection for bone scan, she also puts in an IV port for the afternoon procedures.  This one goes in so much more nicely than the last time.  It probably helps that I have also had a couple of Ativan.

Southpaw thinks she did a nice job.

This takes only a few minutes and I am off to the CT scan area to drink the "smoothie".

Southpaw shares smoothie.

After we drink up it is off to the mammogram area.  I only have to have my right side done, so I am anticipating no real problems.  I get three images done and then wait for the doctor to look at them.  He wants to see some more images, so the technician does four more images.  So, that is a total of seven boob squishing pictures.  They want me to wait again for the doctor to look at these images.  I inform them that I need to go to my CT scan appointment.  They let me go, but I have to come back to them when I am finished with all of my other scans.  I get to the CT area and they make me drink a baby "smoothie" because too much time has passed.

Banana, not so bad.

I make it through the CT scanning without any issues.  Now it is over to the bone scan area again.  The technician is ready and waiting for me.  She gets me all secured into the machine, they strap you in nice and snug to keep you still.  And off we go.  This room is dark and cool.  The scan takes about thirty minutes.  I am exhausted by this time.  I fell asleep about five minutes into it.  A nice little cat nap.  I wake up when the technician comes back into the room at the end of the scan.  All went well, so off I go back to the mammogram area.  The nurse informs me that the doctor would like to have an ultra sound done.  So down the hall we go to the ultra sound room.  This test takes about twenty minutes and then I have to wait for the doctor to look at the images.

Southpaw the Ultra Sound Tech

The ultra sound looks fine and they schedule me for another mammogram in six months.  My day is now complete, nine and a half hours later.  No treat today, I just want to go home and go to sleep.

A month without doctors

Aside from a couple of physical therapy appointments, I made it through my first month without any doctor's visits.  Feels pretty darn good!  But, I am far from being 100% healthy.  I am still pretty tired most of the time.  It could be that I might be pushing myself a bit though too.  Besides going back to work, I have been increasing my physical activity.  I have been playing pick up basketball games twice a week (with a few nurses so I feel protected in case anything goes wrong) and softball once a week.  A couple of other days I try to get in a short jog on the beach.  My breathing is much better, I don't get as winded as I did back in July (I can run the bases now).  This is a big improvement.  I still have to compression wrap my arm every night before I go to bed.  This seems like it will be my "normal" as long as I keep on being active.  All, in all, I feel pretty good about how far I have come considering this time last year I was going through my last round of chemotherapy.

Unexpected Hospital Time

It's always something, that is for sure.

My arm and hand have been a little more swollen than my normal swell ever since the airplane ride back home on Monday night.  My hand started showing signs of an infection late Wednesday evening.  By Thursday there was significant pain, swelling of the index finger, and some redness.  I had a physical therapy appointment Thursday afternoon.  The therapist examined my hand and told me that I needed to monitor the situation, if it got worse I would have to go the emergency room and get antibiotics for cellulitis.  She did some lymphatic massage to help move the swelling in my hand and arm out towards the other lymph node clusters.  The redness appeared to go away and the pain was a little less.  We wrapped my arm before leaving her office.  The next morning I unwrapped my arm and my hand was significantly more swollen than the day before.  So much, that I could not fit my compression glove on.  I got ready and head to work.  As the day progressed, the pain in my hand increased to the point that I decided I needed to go the hospital and get some antibiotics.  Knowing how emergency rooms operated, I stopped by my house after work to grab a few things to make my wait bearable, including Southpaw.

I arrived at the ER about a quarter past five.  The triage nurse took my vitals, checked out my hand, and wrote down my symptoms.  I told her that I also had some pain in my chest.  I described it as one feels when they are catching a cold or have the flu.  The pain you get when you are getting sick and it is hard to breathe.  In my mind, I had an infection.  She gave me a mask to wear in the waiting room.

ER fashion at its best.

After about three hours they finally had a bed for me.  The doctor came right away and started asking me a ton of questions.  He was very concerned about the pain I had in my chest.  I reviewed the events of the past week:  airplane trip, I did a short little jog on the beach Tuesday morning, physical therapy yesterday, worked, nothing out of the ordinary for me.  He asked if I had any cramping, I told him the other night I was woken out of a deep sleep by an insanely painful leg cramp in my calf muscle.  I told him I didn't think much of it since I have a tendency to get cramps in my calves often.  He told me that he wanted to check me for a blood clot.  Argh!!! Really!!!  I apparently hit the blood clot symptom trifecta: cancer, swollen arm, long airplane trip.  Plus, the chest pain.  I was going to be there for awhile.  It was already after 8:30pm.

Southpaw comforting me after an oh so painful IV placement.
Right in the crease of the elbow - not fun!!

The battery of tests came fast: chest x-ray, IV placement, blood work, ultra sound, and then a CT scan of my chest.  In between all the tests, I was given an IV drip of concentrated antibiotics for the cellulitis in my hand.  By the time I was finished with the CT scan it was now about 12:30am.  All the tests came back negative.  Whew!  But, the doctor was still puzzled by the pain in my chest.  He told me that  it would be best to admit me overnight for observation.  It was already the middle of the night so, why not.  He did not like the idea of releasing me yet since tomorrow was Saturday and I would not be able to see my doctor until Monday.  They took me up to the cardiac isolation ward for my stay overnight.  The nurse settled me in, hooked me up to a heart monitor and the team of doctors (2) came in and asked me a bunch of questions, too.  They took their notes and left.  It was now about 3am.  I got to doze off for a bit before the nurse came in around 4:30am to check my vitals and heart monitor.

Southpaw checking heart monitor

Fell back asleep for a couple of hours.  The nurse came back in shortly after 7am.  I would get to have breakfast after they came and took my blood again.

Not the breakfast in bed one hopes for.

The doctors made their rounds just before 11am.  The two doctors from last night, plus their boss and a few others.  We recounted the events of the past week once again and what brought me there last night.  She told me that all my tests came negative including this morning's blood work.  She asked how I was feeling this morning.  I told her that I was feeling better and the pain in my chest had mostly gone away.  We discussed doing a follow up with a stress test to make sure that all was well with my heart.  She did not see any reason for me to stay any longer so they would go ahead and discharge me after lunch.

Finally, left the hospital around 1:30pm.  I headed home, stopping to pick up my antibiotic prescription on the way home.  When I got home, I took a shower and then fell asleep on the couch.  It had been a very long 36 hours.

Family time back home

Had a wonderful visit to my home town to see my family.  It was a quick trip filled to the brim with activities.

In continuation of my birthday, more baseball games.  Saturday night, Sox annual Half-way to St. Paddy's Day game.  Wasn't much of game, Sox are in last place, but it's a baseball game and I am happy.  The added entertainment of Irish music and fireworks show made it worth while.  Plus, two of my favorite fans were there, Dad and my brother which makes it even better.

Half-way to St. Paddy's Day Game

Sunday the baseball game was on rain delay, so we watched the Bears game on the jumbo-tron in center field.  Chalk that up to an unexpected experience that could never be planned.  Unlike ball parks on the west coast, the beer vendors made their rounds even during the rain delay, love Chicago ball games.

Rain Delay

After the football game ended, the baseball game was still on delay so we figured three hours at the ballpark with no baseball was enough so we head home for family dinner.  My mom loves to prepare family dinners, as per usual she produced a wonderful feast.  Happy tummies all around!!

Birthday Noodles - family tradition

Table of Yumminess

Round 1

The next day before heading to the airport, we stopped at Hot Doug's for lunch.  If you are ever in the neighborhood, you must try these gourmet sausages.  You will not be disappointed.  This time around we had quite the tasty tasting:

Hot Doug's!

The best part of going with a small group is you get to try a bunch of them.  There was three of us, so we each choose two.  Classic Chicago hot dog, grilled; Apple, Pear and Port Wine Elk Sausage; Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage; Smoked Bison Sausage; The Atomic Bomb Spicy Jack Cheese Stuffed Pork Sausage with Sweet and Spicy Mustard and Habanero-Jack Cheese; Brandy-Infused Portuguese Chorizo.  Once again happy tummy!!

Headed to the airport to fly home.  Wonderful trip, way to short.  Hope to do again soon.

Flight of the Invisible Man

Flying for the first time since my journey began is a little nerve recking.  I have many things to consider when getting onto an airplane now, more so than before.  My arm will not handle the cabin pressure the same way as a healthy arm so precautions need to be taken.  Step one: compression wrap.  To avoid issues at the security check point, I waited to wrap my arm until I was at the gate.  I made sure I arrived extra early to give me time to wrap up.  I have become quite the pro at compression wrapping and can get it done in about 15 minutes now.

This is how the Invisible Man flies.

Next step to preparing to fly, hitting the airport lounge for a little help relaxing.  A nice double shot of Maker's neat should do the trick.

The Invisible Man's happy juice

The flight went well.  I did feel some pressure in my hand and the area on my arm above the compression wrap.  It wasn't too extreme, so I think it went well.

A little origami

O'dark thirty, we head to the hospital for today's procedure.  We arrive at 6:15am and start with admissions.  It is the day before a holiday and the hospital is busy.  After I am checked in, they escort me up to the third floor waiting room.  A nurse comes out to get me and I must have had fear in my eyes because she immediately went into gentle voice mode.  I tell her, "I know what happens behind those doors."  She does her best to lighten the mood and coax me back to the pre-op area.  I follow her back and we start getting me ready.  I brought Southpaw with me for some moral support and some amusement.

Southpaw checking the nurse's work.

Southpaw getting into trouble.

In between all our shenanigans, various doctors, nurses, anesthesiologist come by and ask me a barrage of questions and explain what will be happening today (a little origami).  It is almost 8:30am now, and one of the anesthesiologists gives me something we dubbed Ativan's cousin which made me very loopy very quickly and then they wheeled me to the operating room.

They wake me up, it is a little after 10am.  Everything went well.  I have a small bandage over the area they worked on.  I am not in any pain.  This is all good.  I do have a sore throat from the breathing tube but other than that, no pain.  Yay!!

They wheel me to the recovery room.  The nurse tells me I can go home when I am able to get up and walk to the bathroom to pee.  Next, she brings me apple juice, water, and ice chips.  All that and the IV fluids I am still hooked up to, this pee thing should happen soon.  

Not really helping me, is he.

I am still groggy, so I doze off for a bit.  About an hour or so later, I am ready to pee.  We take care of business and get me going on my way.

It is lunch time, I am starving (have not eaten in over 12 hours).  We stop for pizza on the way home.

Needle buddies get hungry too.

Are you ready?

A member from the plastic surgeon's team called me today to see if I was ready to do the next step in my reconstruction.  She explained that it was a simple procedure.  It is an out patient surgery, it will last about 45 minutes, they will put me under anesthesia, I should not have much pain, and will only need a couple of days rest.  They had an opening for next Wednesday morning.  Do I want to take it?

My mind was racing, trying to think what I had going on next week.  I did have an appointment to see my general practitioner on Tuesday.  She said that would be perfect, I needed them clear me for the surgery.  I could not think of any reason not to get it done (softball was over), so we went ahead and scheduled it.

Turning One Again

To commemorate not spending my birthday weekend at the Samuel Oschin Cancer Institute, I was able to celebrate doing some of my favorite activities!!!

Started the weekend off with a little surfing the morning of my birthday.

Beautiful day to be out on the water.

Birthday homemade Ding Dong, thanks Shadow and Southpaw!

Got to spend the evening at happy hour with some friends at restaurant near my house.  Lots of yummy food, libations, and laughs!

The next morning, headed down to San Diego for a baseball filled weekend with a good friend of mine and the gang.

First stop on the way down, Stone Brewery for lunch.

Southpaw enjoyed a lovely craft beer.

Then, head down to the Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego for the first game this weekend.  Padres v Cubs, not a prime time game, but I don't care.  I am at a baseball stadium watching baseball can't ask for anything more (definitely beats getting chemo).

A weekend of baseball!!

While my friend and I head to the game, the Gang and the Muppets start a little hotel party to celebrate my birthday.

Hotel birthday party with the gang.

After the game, we have dinner at an Irish Pub near the hotel.  Then find a cupcake shop on the way back, so of course we bought some.

Capping off the night with birthday cupcakes.

The next day, we head to the park early to enjoy brunch on the field before the game.  Southpaw joined us today.

Southpaw enjoying an omelette and bloody Mary.

Southpaw up to his usual shenanigans!

Field seats for Sunday's game.

After the game, stopped for some yummy Korean homestyle food before heading home.

Such an amazing weekend, filled with lots of laughs.  Last year for my birthday I spent the weekend going through treatment.  A good friend pointed out that I needed to do this so that I can have many more birthdays to celebrate.  I am so grateful for all my wonderful friends that helped make this weekend extra special and celebrate turning one again!!

Yay, physical therapy

Finally, a physical therapy appointment.  The cogs in the machine move slow between offices, referrals,  paperwork, phone calls.  It felt like forever (really about a week and a half).  The therapist starts off taking measurements of my arms.  A pointless activity she says since my good arm is so well developed (I still have some muscles) that even when my weak arm is swollen it is not as big as my good arm.  Luckily, we are both observant and can actually see the swelling in my arm and hand (mostly the hand).  Next she starts doing some lymphatic massage to get the fluid moving towards other lymph node groups.  She does this for about thirty minutes.  Then she compression wraps my hand and arm.  After she wraps my fingers with the gauze, she places a piece of foam on my hand for added pressure and then continues with the other layers of wrapping.  She tells me next time she will add even more layers to the wrap.  I need to wrap everyday to get the fluid out of my arm.

Research Day

Follow up day with the research team.  Today is only an office visit, no injections.  Yay!!

As per usual, stop at the vampire's lair.  No vampire Paul again, but the other vampires were nice.  Today was a 9 vial day.  Seriously!!  Blah!!  It takes time to fill all those vials.  The vampire working on me does her best to keep my spirits up whilst she fills up the vials.

Next stop, doctor's office.  We discuss the blood work.  Everything looks really good, all the markers are clean.  Everyone is very happy.  Next, we discuss the results from the cardiologist.  The doctor is happy that my heart is healthy and there is not anything else wrong with me.  Then we play 20 questions.  The list of routine questions they always ask.  There have not been any new issues that have come up.  We do discuss the lymphedema in my arm.  There is still noticeable swelling in my arm and hand.  The nurse tells me to call the physical therapist to start sessions again.

Lymphedema or not, I keep on going.  Played softball this evening.  Went 3 for 3 (2 singles, 1 double, 3 rbis) at bat and fielded a few innings at 2nd base.  I am not going to stop living my life because of a little swelling in my arm.  If anything, I need to be training my arm to recognize the use no matter what activity I am doing.

Just a little bump

I have had the green light to get back to my old life, albeit at a slow pace for the past couple of months.  I am very cautious and have been taking my time.  I realize that every time I set foot on the field, on the court, or in the water I am putting myself at risk.  This is a risk that I choose to take.  I for one am not the type to sit around and wish I could be out doing all the activities I love to do.  I am the one that works toward being the active person I once was.

I knew this day would come eventually.  The activities that I do are not considered "contact" sports, but there is always some type of incidental contact.  I do my best to play conservatively and avoid contact at all possible cost.  But, the universe will eventually place a hit that is just a little bit more than desired. Today I felt it.  A hit to my arm by someone trying to set a pick on me during a basketball game.  It was enough to let me know that this was a hit that was going to have consequences.  I knew it immediately. I am very aware of the feeling my arm gets when the lymphedema is acting up.  I was having that feeling now.

My hand had already been showing some signs of fluid build up this week.  Now it was my whole arm.  Blah!!  Back to compression wrapping and compression garments.  Hopefully it will be managed quickly and all will be good again.

Looking Good

A quick follow up today with the plastic surgeon.  He is very happy with how the implant has healed.  The swelling on the side has gone down considerably as well.  He is ready to do the next step, creating a nipple.  He said it will be like origami.  He will make various folds in the skin on my breast to create the bump of the nipple.  Simple enough.  There should not be too much pain since the nerve endings on my breast still have not come back to life.  Next step, to determine when to do.  I need some time to think.

Oh What a Feeling

My fellow athletes will understand this one.  In tonight's softball game I made one awesome play.  The kind of play that creates this oh so special euphoria which is the reason why we continue to play our sports.  I was playing my position, second base.  It was the first inning, the bases were loaded (guys and girls), and there was one out.  A guy is up to bat, he takes a swing, ball is coming toward me - line drive.  It looks as if it might go over my head and that is what everyone is thinking.  I reach up, time my jump perfectly, and snatch the ball out of the air.  I turn around and fire the ball towards second base to double up the runner (who had no idea what happened, he was on third by then) to end the inning.  This is the kind of play that athletes live for.  I could not get the smile off my face the rest of the night.

This is a feeling that I was not sure I would ever feel again because of all I have been through this year. I was not sure I would be able to play at a level where I could feel this way again.  This was very significant for me.  It made me forget for a brief second that I am a cancer patient.  I was just me playing a game that I love to play and being successful.  Can't ask for anything more.

Good Heart

Spoke with the cardiologist on the phone today to get the results from the blood test and chest x-ray.  He was quite impressed with the results of the blood test.  He told me he does not normally see results this good in his patients.  My BNP levels came back at 10 - which on the scale is excellent.  (The scale says anything below 100 indicates no heart failure).  This makes me feel real good.  Then, he tells me that the chest x-ray came back clean for any fluid.  This is also great news.  He explains that the echocardiogram is not a good read for fluid (false positives) that is why they do the chest x-ray.  He reiterates that I just need to take my time getting back my strength and stamina for my activities.

Happy to have a healthy heart and grateful for not having to add anymore procedures on this journey!

Stupid Chemo Brain

First order of business this morning, call and make my appointment to get the chest x-ray for hopefully later this morning.  It is 8am and I am able to make an appointment for 10:15 this morning.  I get myself ready and head on out to the Cedars campus.  I arrive about 9:45am and find my way to the imaging pavilion.  I walk up to the information desk, they greet me, and ask, "How may I help you?"  My mind goes completely blank.  I have forgotten why I am here.  I take a moment to think.  She asks me to right my name down on a piece of paper and she will help me.  As I am writing my name, I remember I am there for a chest x-ray and tell her.  She looks me up in the computer and directs me to go into the room directly behind her and someone will help me.  I thank her and walk the thirty or so steps into the next room and approach the check-in desk.  Again, I get greeted and she asks, "How may I help you?"  Once again, my mind goes completely blank!  Argh!!  A freakin' minute passes and I forget why I am there!!  Just another reminder that I may not look like I have been fighting cancer this past year but my body is telling me otherwise.  Blah!!  She asks me if I have my orders with me.  This sparks my memory, when I called this morning they said that the orders were in the computer and I did not have to bring the paper with me.  This helps me remember that I am there for a chest x-ray.  So frustrating this chemo brain crap!

Heart to heart

I am becoming an expert in echocardiograms, this will be number six since December.  As the technician walks me to the room, he asks me why I am having an echocardiogram, "You don't look like you need one."  This is a great compliment.  Despite all that has happened in the last year, I look just as healthy as I did before this journey began.  I must be doing something right.  I at least look the part of a healthy person.  However, I still don't feel the part, thus this trip again down the hallway to the echocardiogram room and a visit with the cardiologist.

After my echocardiogram, they put me into an exam room and I wait for the cardiologist.  The nurse and his resident come in and take all my new patient information.  We discuss once again all the activities I used to do before I got sick.  I tell them that I have never had any problems breathing or other heart issues while doing physical activities or while sleeping.  Then we discuss how I have been doing the last couple of months since I got the okay to start doing physical activities again.  I tell them that I have been slowly working on getting back my exercise routine.  My main concern is the shortness of breath that I get, not only when I am doing exercise but also walking up the flight of stairs to get into my house.  I told them about the inadvertent triple I hit in last week's softball game (my plan was just a simple single up the middle).  By the time I got to third I was quite winded and had someone come in to run for me.  It took about five minutes for me to "catch my breath."  The cardiologist joins us and we talk about what is going on with the echocardiograms.  We discussed the variances of the previous echos and the concern my oncologist was having with all that I have been through the past year and wanting to make sure that there was not any damage to my heart.  He said today's echo looked very good.  He explains that the differences in readings could possibly be from the different technicians.  He did say that he saw a little fluid on my lung and that might be the reason for the shortness of breath.  He orders a chest x-ray (two views; frontal and lateral) to give us a better idea of how much fluid is there.  This will determine if further action is needed.  He also tells me that because of all that I have been through, my body is just taking longer to fully recover.  My body has been through the ringer this past year and I just have to be patient (there's that word again).  He advised me to try and do activities in which I can be in control of how much exertion I put out i.e. run to first, not to third.  He also wants to order a blood test (B-type natriuretic peptide) to confirm the findings in the echocardiogram.

They give me my paperwork and send me on my way.  It is the end of the day so I only have time to get over to the lab for the blood work.  I have to schedule the x-ray in the morning.  I walk over to the South Tower laboratory with my orders and Southpaw in hand.  This is not my usual vampire lair, so no Vampire Paul today.  The vampire that I get is pleasant, but her needle stick sucked ass, she pushed it in further than I have experienced and re-adjusted pulling out a bit, then pushed in again - jeez!!!  All for just one tube (with all that effort, kinda wished she would have taken more).  She was nice though, made a little comment about how I could stop squeezing Southpaw now that he has turned green.  She bandages me up and sends me on my way.

Good-bye Hal, Part Deux

A little morning surf;
A little work;
A little happy hour;
Sure beats being in a hospital bed in unimaginable pain barely able to breathe.
Good-bye Hal - the anniversary!!

One year ago today, Hal was expelled from my body.  Although my journey is not quite over, I still cannot believe all that has happened thus far.  It has been a crazy journey filled with many challenges.  My body and mind were tested everyday.  I am so happy to have made it to this milestone in my journey.

I started off today on the water surfing.  It was my first day back in the line-up and it felt good.  I missed the zen of the waves rolling under my board.  My session was cut short by the lymphedema in my arm.  About thirty minutes into it, my arm started to get that feeling; the one that lets me know that the fluid is starting to build up.  If you have ever sprained your ankle and you feel the area swelling, well it is kind of like that with a bit more intensity.  This time it ran from my shoulder blade area all the way down to my hand.  So, I had to get out of the water sooner than I wanted.  I was bummed because I was having such a good time, but I realized that is was only the first of many more days on the water to come and it was best to be safe than sorry.  I cleaned up and then wore my sleeve and gauntlet for the rest of the day and it kept the lymphedema in check.

After a little time at work, off to happy hour with some friends to toast the one year anniversary of Hal's vanquishing.  One thing I have come to learn this past year is that every day is a small victory and should be celebrated in some way.  I am again reminded how wonderful a support group I have that helps me get through each day.

V for Victory!

Celebrating Life

Last year at this time I was anxiously celebrating the end of a chapter of my life with a few close friends and family.  I had no idea what was in store for me.  This past year has been quite a journey.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined all that has happened.  I am very grateful for all the support of my family and friends.  I would not have made it this far without their kindness and generosity.  As the anniversary of vanquishing Hal approaches it is time for celebration.

A small little gathering of close friends to help me commemorate surviving this past year the only way I know: yummy food, beach at sunset, and lots of laughter!!!

Southpaw, Shadow, and Lil Rey help with the food preparation.  The grill was working overtime.

The Gang as Sous Chefs

 After a nice feast of barbecue we headed down to the beach to enjoy a beautiful sunset and fun games.

Beach time fun!

Bubbles at sunset.

 Capping off wonderful night of food and fun at the beach with some ice cream!

Chocolate Addiction Milkshake

Milestones

The beginning of many milestones is upon me.

It has been exactly one year since I set foot on a softball field and tonight I had my first opportunity to go back out on the field and play a couple of innings at my position, 2nd base (insert dating joke here).  I was a bit nervous.  Things don't move the same in my body, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go.  It is one thing to play catch with someone, it is another to field a ball.  Overall, it went well.  Movement was good, covered my area, made a nice catch to end the 2nd inning, and I was done for the night.  Baby steps.  Plus, the little sprint I had to do to make my catch left me just a tad bit winded.  But, it sure felt good being out there again.  I didn't have to bat or run bases today, that will be saved for another day.

All smiles, two innings was perfect to get my feet wet again.

I am an anomaly

Follow up visit with the research team to check my injection sites this afternoon.  Science can be so fascinating.  And, I am quite the specimen.  This round of injections was a test round so we knew what was in each one.  Number one was the actual drug, two and four were saline, and three was tetanus (because they were hoping it would produce the same reaction as the actual drug).  So, I had a lovely reaction at injection sites three and four, but no reaction at one and two.  Now, since two and four were both saline one would expect that those sites would behave the same.  Nope.  Not on my leg.  Definitely a head scratcher.

The redness and induration was present at sites three and four but not as big as last time since the test round is a much smaller amount.  They were also tender to the touch, which the nurse felt compelled to do a lot of touching.  Measurements and pictures were taken and they I was sent off on my merry way.

Injection site 3

Injection site 4

A relative easy day at the Center

Drug trial day.

Stopped by the vampire's lair first.  Vampire Paul is on vacation this week, so his cohorts did their best to ease my anxiety.  Today they need to fill seven tubes, blah.  And, they were the bigger ones, double blah.  After what seemed like an eternity, all were filled and it was on to the next stop.

Today was a rather busy day so I had to wait for over an hour to see the doctor.  Our main topic of discussion today was why I have had five echocardiograms in six months.  The gist of the conversation is that they are being over precautious.  He does not believe that there is any concern; I am young and athletic and my heart should be pretty strong.  However, one of the remote side effects of the drug trial is potential damage to the heart.  The percentage is quite low, but they would rather be more proactive in determining the condition of my heart now than later.  I told him that I was having shortness of breath still and was a bit more tired these last couple of weeks.  We discussed how that might also be due to the forced menopausal stage I am in.  Not having normal hormone levels can do a number on the ole body.  And those pesky menopause symptoms are no picnic.  The hot flashes seem to be getting more intense and the water retention just plain sucks.  He is going to refer me to a Cardiologist to have them do a stress echocardiogram to get a more true baseline of my heart.

Next stop, infusion for the lovely injections.  Today is just a hypersensitivity test, so I will not be getting the normal dose.  But, it is still four needles to the thigh which really is just not very fun.  We put the lidocaine rub on while I was in the doctor's office in hopes that it will have enough time to set in and do the trick.  But, alas it did not.  I was happy that it wasn't the full dose because three out of the four went in with a vengeance.  BLAH!!  Injections 1, 2 and 4 hurt like nobody's business.  For some unknown reason number 3 went unnoticed.

Southpaw checks the syringes.

No time to play today, the research assistant is always worried that we won't get them into my leg before they "expire".

No shenanigans today, just chilling watching a movie.

Southpaw checking out the bandaging technique.

All is good, so I am sent home.

The treat I had in mind was not available today (they closed the shop for a two week vacation, so bummed).  My second choice is still pretty yummy:

Brownie sundae with 7 layer coconut ice cream