Whale Watching

Our Whale watching tour found a pod of Killer Whales. They aren't whales at all, I was told my the naturalist who accompanied us. They are the largest of the dolphin family. Jack, Amy, Phillip and I all went on the trip. We also saw seals, birds, a small whale, and porpoises. Day was cool and fog for the first part of the trip. When the sun came out, it was still cool, but
not nearly as cool as earlier. Phillip was excited about the whales! He can't talk yet, but he can sign and he was signing "fish" and pointing. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

Get well gifts and my Amarillas

Four flowers on the spike and it is blooming in the summer!

From Jack, Amy, and Phillip

These two are from FEMA friends. FEMA friends are the best. They come from all over the country, but pull together when you need them. Even retired, FEMA friends are there for you. I am also lucky to have some non-FEMA friends and a wonderful family. When I was recovering from surgery, I had friends and family offer to come stay with me, offer to do errands and get groceries and take me to doctor appointments.

My yard

Some of you have asked about my yard. There are roses, irsis, lilly of the valley, and gladiola next to the house ( no picture). My garden is peace and relaxes and rejuvinates me. It was a Godsend when I was recovering from surgery. I sat outside, put my feet up, and read and sometimes just sat and looked at the flowers and the green.

Trip to WA

I left the Chicago area on Friday and drove straight through to Oak Harbor, WA with stops in Rapid City, SD and Missoula, MT. I went to see my Daughter-in-law, Amy and Grandson, Phillip, and be there when my son Jack came home from deployment. In Montana, I stopped for huckleberry pancakes in a small town. The scenery was spectacular. At every turn there was something more wonderful than the last. I drove until dark and got a good night's sleep for the next day.

Tues, Jack came home. Amy, Phillip, and I all went to meet him. He looked thin, but wonderful and he and Phillip have had a ball together in the last couple days.

It is hot here and the kids do not have air conditioning, so we went to a mall today with a play area for Phillip to stay cool. Now Phillip, Daddy, and Mommy are outside. Phillip is playing in his little pool.

Hot, but happy in Washington. Will write again soon...

Visit to QC

I made a visit to the Quad Cities Saturday. I visited 4 of my grandchildren and their parents. It was the first trip after my surgery and I was healthy enough to go for a walk with them, pick them up, carry the littlest ones, and have all four wiggle worms in my lap (one at a time) without it hurting. I sure do love them!

allergies

Monday I managed to rip off the scab of the largest incision. Ouch! I called the doc and the nurse told me to put antibiotic cream on it and cover with bandage. I covered with gauze holding it in place with paper tape. I have allergies to latex and adhesive and paper tape is all I can tolerate. Tuesday, I ripped of the scab of the next largest incision ( I have 5). Repeat. I changed the bandages twice a day. Wednesday evening when I took the bandages off to change them, the tape ripped off a layer of skin and it was bleeding! So much for being able to tolerate paper tape. I had developed a rash under the tape and when I took off the tape, it took sensitive skin with it. I put antibiotic cream on the incisions, A&D ointment on the now itchy, bleeding, and sensitive areas where the tape had been and left it all uncovered except for my nightgown and went to bed.

I had a queasy stomach Wednesday all day and Thursday when I woke, it was worse, so I stayed home from work. Friday was my compressed day off.

Today, the incisions look good, the skin around the incisions are looking much better, and I will go back to work on Monday. Queasiness has subsided and I think it had something to do with dealing with the incisions and the allergic reaction.

Back to work

I went back to work Friday and am looking forward to next week. Doc and I discussed it and decided Friday would be best because it is only an 8 hour day and I would have the weekend to recover if I needed it. I was tired, but it felt good to be back. I am so lucky!

fair?

For those of you who haven't gotten bored with my blog yet, I am doing fine. I still can't lift more than a gallon of milk or drive. I started working part time at home Monday June 8. I usually start about 7:30 Am and stop when I get tired. So far anywhere from noon to 4PM. I am still getting a nap in almost every day. If I don't nap, I rest with my feet up for a while. Tues I go for my post op appointment and see when the doc plans to release me to go back to work. Not looking forward to going to my office. I can either drive all the way downtown and walk to work from a parking lot that costs about $14 a day or drive to the train station (parking $1.50 a day), climb up the train stairs, and ride to work. Then I climb down from the train and walk about a half mile to work. Neither sounds like something I want to do right now. We will see.

I didn't eat anything but a few bites from 6 pm on the Sunday before the operation until Wed after, plus, they took half my innerds out. Wed morning I was feeling bad, so I decided to get on the scale and make myself feel better with all the weight I had lost. Do you know NOT ONE OUNCE! I was so disappointed. And mad - how can that be?

Well, I have not had much of an appetite, even though I feel better, but I am not missing a meal and I got on the scale this AM and had lost 15 lbs! I don't get it, but I will not complain.

Cancer free!!!

Yippee!!! Heard from the Doc late today that the final biopsy came back and they got all the cancer! It was all contained within the uterus and not even very far into the lining,so we caught it very early.

Went to bed cause I was tired but couldn't sleep until I put it in writing.

I had an excellent day today...

I am home

What Amy wrote is absolutely correct. Dee stayed with me through the night Monday night and Doc let me go home Tues late afternon. Joe and Verna came to pick me up and Verna stayed with me at my house until about noon today.

My roomate in the hospital was SO noisy! She called the nurses all night long and then kept them in the room to chat. In the morning she called all her freinds and family and talked and talked. When she wasn't doing that, she was watching TV. She had it on all night long. Sometimes she tried to talk to me and I was so out of it, and my throat was so raw, I just couldn't. When the nurse asked me if I wanted to go home - I didn't even hesitate and said yes, please! Then the nurse pointed to the curtain between me and my roomie and I shook my head, yes. My house was so quiet, it was really wonderful.

Biopsies take about a week for results to come back. I will let you all know. Your prayers sure helped, thank you! I got plants from friends in one of the disasters.

I will keep you informed of my progress.

Out of Surgery

Hi all, this is Amy. I just got off the phone with Dee, mom is out of surgery. It went very well. They were able to do the surgery laproscopically, so with any luck, mom will be home tomorrow. The doctor said that he doesn't expect that she will need chemo or radiation treatments, but is sending everything to the lab for checks just to be safe.

Mother's Day Flowers

From my garden

From Jack and Amy

From Friends

I am so lucky!

I posted pictures on my grandkids site, please feel free to enjoy that blog as well.

5/19/09
I have a pre-surgical appointment the morning of May 26th. More tests and a talk with the anesthesiologist.

Dee, Michael, and Emma came for the weekend. I have pictures and will post as soon as I download from my camera. We went to Medieval Times. Michael got a foam sword and shield and Emma got a magic wand. Michael sword fought all weekend and Emma kept turning me into a "baby rabbit". Fun. When she left I asked her to turn me back to grandma so I could go to work and she said " I don't think so" and the little stinker didn't!

We went on a train ride and they colored my patio with chalk. It is beautiful and it warms my heart every time I look out and see it. We went to a park by the train station, ate Sunday breakfast at a restaurant called " Granny's", had ice cream, and chocolate chip pancakes Saturday morning, and got lots of hugs and kisses. I absolutely loved it! I was exhausted by late
Sunday afternoon and when they left, I had a sandwich on my beautiful patio and relaxed. I was in bed and asleep by 6:30 PM.

Jack 5/15/09

My son, Jack is deployed to the Gulf. He called me for Mother's Day and I missed it! He called today and I was able to talk to him for a while. It was so good to hear his voice. Amy keeps me up on Jack as well as how she and Phillip are doing. She misses him so much and it is important for Jack to maintain as much contact with his wife and son as possible. I feel so special that he called me and a little guilty, too.

Mostly I am fine now that I have a plan for the cancer, but sometimes I am scared and sad. Today is cold and rainy and maybe that is what is making me a little sad. I started the fire and made soup and that is comforting. My friend Dee is bringing Michael Jr. and Emma to visit for the weekend. They should be here soon and that should chase the blues away.

May 12, 2009 7 PM

I went to Loyola Hospital Cancer Center and spoke with Dr. Potkul. Plan is to operate June 1 and do a complete Hysterectomy. He wll determine if the cancer inviolves lymph system when he gets in there. Plan is to do laproscopic surgery, if possible, but they have to turn you upside down and I have breathing problems, so he is not sure. If I have trouble breathing, he will do regular surgery. The tissue removed will be further tested to determine stage and any further treatment decided then. I will know results in about a week after the surgery.

If I have laproscopic, I stay in the hospital over night and go back to work in 2 weeks. If he must do regular surgery, I will be in the hospital several days and then 6 weeks recovery. prognosis is very good.

After the Dr. appointment, I went to my friend Verna's and we had an early dinner.

Now, since I was up at 2 AM and couldn't sleep - I am going to bed. I must work tomorrow.

May 11, 2009

I had a very happy Mother's Day:
Went to late lunch with Joe and Verna Strakonsky and had a great time. We went to the Golden Phesant and the view out the back windows was wonderful - Trees, little waterfall, plants, etc. Only thing wrong was that I missed my son, Jack's call from the boat. The only silver lining to missing talking to him is that I have a voice mail that says he loves me. I have saved it and can listen over and over.

I talked to my mother. She is in the beginnings of alzheimers, but yesterday she was almost her old self and it was wonderful to talk to her. I also talked to Amy. She and Jack sent me flowers. The bouquet is very cheery and brightens up my office. I have brought them to work with me since I am at work more than home.

May 9, 2009

I have created this blog to document my progress. May 6th I was diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer, a very treatable cancer. I have an appointment with the oncologist on May 12th and will be able to give more details after that appointment.

I am feeling good and I am blessed with family, friends, and a dog who love me. I am blessed. I love my job and my home and I have flowers blooming in my yard! Life is good.