The final insult to all of the indignities of cancer, having someone look up your butt, losing your intestines, not living the way you want to, and Lord only knows what else is happening comes the neuropathy. This is a numbing sensation that I developed in both hands and both feet. Now with all I went through, one would think I was prepared for this. Nope! Not at all!
On the last, notice I said the last, day of my treatment I developed this weird tingling sensation in feet and hands. At first I thought I was just really cold. Chemo centers are not your typical household temperature of 72 degrees. They can be cooler due to how everyone is feeling and in the St. Clare's Center in Denville, there are roughly 20 patients getting treatment at the same, but varying times. The nurse gave me a blanket and I actually felt better for the treatment time period. Only the tingling did not go away. It remained and so far remains to this day. Upon seeing the doctor for my sign out he stated at that time that it could last about 6 months to a year. Guess what? This too is crap! It is 2011 and I still have symptoms in my hands and worse ones in my feet.
I was sent to a neurologist up in Newton who basically hooked wires to my legs and hands to see the reactions of the muscle tissue. Two trips warranted him telling me that I would probably only have about 80% use of them the way they once were. Basically I am to treat myself as a diabetic would. I have to watch for cuts and bruising and make sure I don't pick up any type of infections on my feet. We wouldn't want to amputate them now would we? He had to be kidding! All those diplomas on the wall and the guy was a jerk. I decided I would seek out any and every cure for this condition.
Finally on one of my cruises, there was an accupuncturist. She was from Hawaii and not only had studied Eastern medicine, she studied Western medicine. We started with the hands seriously as I needed them more for my job as an anatomy teacher so this was important. The feet could come later. It was a week of daily treatments of the needles and learning how to relax my mind if I had a mishap such as handling a knife and fork. In the beginning I hated going out in public afraid I would drop things randomly. The feet and legs have been a problem that no one seems to be able to fix. I do intend to go back to accupuncture as I made such good progress. All I can hope is that it will work. I will keep you posted once surgery to meniscus is over with and therapy begins.
Sandals, St. Lucia
God's Beauty...Worth Living For!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Can We Discuss the Colonoscopy? Or How Much Poop is Really In Me?
Now about the colonoscopy, I feel I should address this subject because I had heard so many horror stories about it that I too avoided it at age 50, I'm not going to lie. As a matter of fact, both of my boys should be tested now at least 10 years earlier and since Rob had stomach problems as a baby with spitting up and projectile vomiting maybe he should talk to an md about going sooner. I hope they listen or at least read this.
You should follow whatever the directions are that your particular gastroenterologist gives you completely! That is the best rule. Although I had all the pre-printed directions everyone that had already had one was sharing their alleged horror stories. Since my colonoscopy was scheduled for Monday morning, I could eat on Friday. I chose to eat very lightly and by Saturday morning I started with eating and drinking nothing but the clear fluids to flush out the system as recommended. At about 4 pm that evening I took my first bottle of magnesium citrate. Kind of like drinking slightly salty 7 up. I actually put mine over ice because no one said not to. So far so good. Yes you will go to the bathroom more to clean out the colon but as it was explained to me...the clearer and cleaner the pictures the better the test would go. So it is to your benefit that you do this properly.
On Sunday I could still have some clear liquids and then I had to stop completely and just drink my second bottle of citrate. I followed this religiously, no snacking no cheating. Truthfully even with all the trips to the bathroom which are an inconvenience I just made sure I had no plans at all for that weekend and stayed home within distance of the bathroom. There was no pain, I actually lost some weight LOL, and for the first time in a long time I felt "light" and my tummy which is normally a little round, was flat. Damn I thought. I should do this cleasing stuff more often. I know there are fans of this type of cleansing for regular upkeep of the body. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to email me. Would love to hear from you.
Monday morning-up early final bit of citrate to drink I believe it was about 3 hours but not sure. Then off to the hospital with my driver, you must have someone take you back home. My particular hospital would not even let you take a taxi. At the hospital it was briefly answering miscellaneous questions for records and then a nurse came to get me and off I went to change into lovely hospital gown and hairnet. Then allowed to have nice warmed up blanket (as if it came out of a microwave) absolutely delicious and a chat with the anesthesiologist. He set up the initial port and at the count of 100 I was out.
The procedure was scheduled time wise for 1 hour but I suspect this would vary depending on what your doctor finds. Then you are very gently woken up...for me it was "hi Jeanne time to open your eyes" and it was all over. As of this writing I will be having my next check up test after graduation which is set for June 22. In my case because of prior history I always keep my fingers crossed but I am always optimistic.
I will conclude with this thought...I wish I had known how easy this was...people who don't follow the pre-test rules should just shut the hell up ( I could have said a worse word there) because you scare those of us out of having the test...and whatever you have to do to get a loved one to have this test whether baseline or necessary...DO IT!
If you want to not only live your life but possibly live a longer life! Cheers! Salude! Slainte! Drink your citrate!
You should follow whatever the directions are that your particular gastroenterologist gives you completely! That is the best rule. Although I had all the pre-printed directions everyone that had already had one was sharing their alleged horror stories. Since my colonoscopy was scheduled for Monday morning, I could eat on Friday. I chose to eat very lightly and by Saturday morning I started with eating and drinking nothing but the clear fluids to flush out the system as recommended. At about 4 pm that evening I took my first bottle of magnesium citrate. Kind of like drinking slightly salty 7 up. I actually put mine over ice because no one said not to. So far so good. Yes you will go to the bathroom more to clean out the colon but as it was explained to me...the clearer and cleaner the pictures the better the test would go. So it is to your benefit that you do this properly.
On Sunday I could still have some clear liquids and then I had to stop completely and just drink my second bottle of citrate. I followed this religiously, no snacking no cheating. Truthfully even with all the trips to the bathroom which are an inconvenience I just made sure I had no plans at all for that weekend and stayed home within distance of the bathroom. There was no pain, I actually lost some weight LOL, and for the first time in a long time I felt "light" and my tummy which is normally a little round, was flat. Damn I thought. I should do this cleasing stuff more often. I know there are fans of this type of cleansing for regular upkeep of the body. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to email me. Would love to hear from you.
Monday morning-up early final bit of citrate to drink I believe it was about 3 hours but not sure. Then off to the hospital with my driver, you must have someone take you back home. My particular hospital would not even let you take a taxi. At the hospital it was briefly answering miscellaneous questions for records and then a nurse came to get me and off I went to change into lovely hospital gown and hairnet. Then allowed to have nice warmed up blanket (as if it came out of a microwave) absolutely delicious and a chat with the anesthesiologist. He set up the initial port and at the count of 100 I was out.
The procedure was scheduled time wise for 1 hour but I suspect this would vary depending on what your doctor finds. Then you are very gently woken up...for me it was "hi Jeanne time to open your eyes" and it was all over. As of this writing I will be having my next check up test after graduation which is set for June 22. In my case because of prior history I always keep my fingers crossed but I am always optimistic.
I will conclude with this thought...I wish I had known how easy this was...people who don't follow the pre-test rules should just shut the hell up ( I could have said a worse word there) because you scare those of us out of having the test...and whatever you have to do to get a loved one to have this test whether baseline or necessary...DO IT!
If you want to not only live your life but possibly live a longer life! Cheers! Salude! Slainte! Drink your citrate!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
My Awesome Students During Cancer!
Since I ended the last blog with a mention of Xhelil I felt I really had to pause and think back to my students during the 2008-2009 school year. I had two anatomy & physiology classes plus biology and lab and last but not least basic biology. Roughly my student count was about 125. I don't know what I did to deserve them but normally I am well organized, have my teaching together, can slam out whatever topic I need to and do the whole volunteer, give back yaddy da with a smile on my face. Not that year! I was so tired I wanted to scream yet somehow I managed to keep it together enough to be able to say I did my job. I just couldn't do it all well enough to suit me, so I say this to all of you. You can legally take leaves of absence for your treatments through your illness. If I had to do it all over again...I wouldn't worry about getting back to a job. Take the time for yourself and positively, absolutely get better. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 vision as my dad would say!
To be honest...just couldn't tolerate most adult or kid shit that year at all. How many times can you listen in hallways and hear "I'm so pissed at my parents, they wouldn't buy me a _________you fill in the blank whether it was car, dress, ipod whatever." I just wanted to yell out would you get a freaking clue. Your parents with possibly a few exceptions to every rule, take darn good care of you. Let's trade places. Now that was the bad kids.
The good kids...Have to start with my man Brian F..There are not many kids who can butterfly your cut hand because while on the coumadin you decided to stick your hand in a bucket of scalpels and are now bleeding like a stuck pig. Not only should he have gotten the money from the emergency room doctor who proceeded to rip off Brian's stitches and glue me with superglue, he should have his job. How many kids do you know who have a first aid kit with the stitches right in their backpack! Brian...you are the man and always will be. I hope you now have fewer migraines and are doing excellently at college. I <3 U.
My princess Paola...most recently when a dear friend passed away I was expecting the princess to show up at the memorial with her "girls" out in all their glory. Princess was overly blessed in that department. I think the powers that be let her get on the boob line at least 3 times. You might be agast at that but this was how she dressed every single day for which the mother in me who wanted a girl so badly would say OMG I can't believe your parents let you out looking that way but princess has a heart and believe it or not, the night of the memorial, she said "Donny am I dressed ok. I didn't want to embarass you! She was absolutely perfect that night. Just goes to show when you need them to be adults, they can be. I was very proud of them.
Brian W. this boy has to be the most remarkable child I have ever met in my life. Cute, freckle faced, impish grin on his face almost all the time, you would not have known unless you bothered to know that this boy had been through bone cancer himself. Not only had he endured so much more pain than any young kid should have had, he was an excellent soccer player whose career was basically ended. On top of that, his mom had also been diagnosed with ovarian cancer while he was going through a variety of grafts and repairs to the bones in the leg. Talk about bad stuff happening to good people. It should be a crime. Unfortunately his mom Benita lost her battle with cancer but her child does her proud. He will finish college I know and go on to do great things.
Chris & Todd-I speak of them together because you often didn't see one without seeing the other somewhere nearby. Both totally nuts but in a good way, Chris very smart but you were lucky if he wasn't discussing some philosophy about the end of the world or the expanding universe and Todd well Todd is one of those people who are amiable and kind and usually overlooked until you absolutely need them and there they are doing whatever needs being done without question! Great guys!
A very quick mention to Freddie and Greg..all I will say is that class wise they were as annoying as hell, didn't do any type of hard work at all, coasted in order to just pass the class, cheated or tried to cheat whenever they could but they could always, always make me laugh. Never forget the people who can do that for you when you are recovering. They are definitely worth their weight in gold.
My entire group of sophomores that year...I can't list you all here individually because I could go on and on. Let's just say you are the class of 2011 currently going to graduate from Wallkill Valley. I commend you all on a job well done, I know that in your limited experience with severe illness, again with some exceptions, you put up with my "chemo" brain and all its craziness and yet you survived. I am and always will be very proud of you all and I wish you nothing but good things and happiness as you enter the next phase of your lives. To Kim and Sherri you really outdid yourselves in improving your attendance record and I am sorry you had to experience the nosebleeding in biology but I do think Wallkill should give you a most improved award. LOL. I will miss seeing you both arriving late daily in my hallway.
Last but not least I have to mention Xhelil again. What a loud, obnoxious, opinionated young man! Gave every sub sent in for me a hard time. Big shout out apology to Stephanie Bonaparte. Gave me a hard time. Could give God himself a hard time. If sent to hell could probably give the Devil a hard time so much so that even he (the Devil) would kick him out. But remember Xhelil that when you were hypnotized and the guy asked you who your favorite teacher was you proudly said, "Donnnny" Ha Ha I still had the last laugh. I also wish you all that is good. Take care! xo
Well, that's my babies in an overview. Like I said I could go on and on here but then it would get crazy saying the same good things about them all. Just know that I did and do appreciate what you all did for me that year. I will miss seeing you at WV very very much and I thank you all for your patience and understanding. May your lives be blessed with nothing but peace, love, happiness always!
To be honest...just couldn't tolerate most adult or kid shit that year at all. How many times can you listen in hallways and hear "I'm so pissed at my parents, they wouldn't buy me a _________you fill in the blank whether it was car, dress, ipod whatever." I just wanted to yell out would you get a freaking clue. Your parents with possibly a few exceptions to every rule, take darn good care of you. Let's trade places. Now that was the bad kids.
The good kids...Have to start with my man Brian F..There are not many kids who can butterfly your cut hand because while on the coumadin you decided to stick your hand in a bucket of scalpels and are now bleeding like a stuck pig. Not only should he have gotten the money from the emergency room doctor who proceeded to rip off Brian's stitches and glue me with superglue, he should have his job. How many kids do you know who have a first aid kit with the stitches right in their backpack! Brian...you are the man and always will be. I hope you now have fewer migraines and are doing excellently at college. I <3 U.
My princess Paola...most recently when a dear friend passed away I was expecting the princess to show up at the memorial with her "girls" out in all their glory. Princess was overly blessed in that department. I think the powers that be let her get on the boob line at least 3 times. You might be agast at that but this was how she dressed every single day for which the mother in me who wanted a girl so badly would say OMG I can't believe your parents let you out looking that way but princess has a heart and believe it or not, the night of the memorial, she said "Donny am I dressed ok. I didn't want to embarass you! She was absolutely perfect that night. Just goes to show when you need them to be adults, they can be. I was very proud of them.
Brian W. this boy has to be the most remarkable child I have ever met in my life. Cute, freckle faced, impish grin on his face almost all the time, you would not have known unless you bothered to know that this boy had been through bone cancer himself. Not only had he endured so much more pain than any young kid should have had, he was an excellent soccer player whose career was basically ended. On top of that, his mom had also been diagnosed with ovarian cancer while he was going through a variety of grafts and repairs to the bones in the leg. Talk about bad stuff happening to good people. It should be a crime. Unfortunately his mom Benita lost her battle with cancer but her child does her proud. He will finish college I know and go on to do great things.
Chris & Todd-I speak of them together because you often didn't see one without seeing the other somewhere nearby. Both totally nuts but in a good way, Chris very smart but you were lucky if he wasn't discussing some philosophy about the end of the world or the expanding universe and Todd well Todd is one of those people who are amiable and kind and usually overlooked until you absolutely need them and there they are doing whatever needs being done without question! Great guys!
A very quick mention to Freddie and Greg..all I will say is that class wise they were as annoying as hell, didn't do any type of hard work at all, coasted in order to just pass the class, cheated or tried to cheat whenever they could but they could always, always make me laugh. Never forget the people who can do that for you when you are recovering. They are definitely worth their weight in gold.
My entire group of sophomores that year...I can't list you all here individually because I could go on and on. Let's just say you are the class of 2011 currently going to graduate from Wallkill Valley. I commend you all on a job well done, I know that in your limited experience with severe illness, again with some exceptions, you put up with my "chemo" brain and all its craziness and yet you survived. I am and always will be very proud of you all and I wish you nothing but good things and happiness as you enter the next phase of your lives. To Kim and Sherri you really outdid yourselves in improving your attendance record and I am sorry you had to experience the nosebleeding in biology but I do think Wallkill should give you a most improved award. LOL. I will miss seeing you both arriving late daily in my hallway.
Last but not least I have to mention Xhelil again. What a loud, obnoxious, opinionated young man! Gave every sub sent in for me a hard time. Big shout out apology to Stephanie Bonaparte. Gave me a hard time. Could give God himself a hard time. If sent to hell could probably give the Devil a hard time so much so that even he (the Devil) would kick him out. But remember Xhelil that when you were hypnotized and the guy asked you who your favorite teacher was you proudly said, "Donnnny" Ha Ha I still had the last laugh. I also wish you all that is good. Take care! xo
Well, that's my babies in an overview. Like I said I could go on and on here but then it would get crazy saying the same good things about them all. Just know that I did and do appreciate what you all did for me that year. I will miss seeing you at WV very very much and I thank you all for your patience and understanding. May your lives be blessed with nothing but peace, love, happiness always!
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