Updated for my BFF Wendy P.!

Hi Everybody!

How are you? This blog entry is for one of my new BFF's from Canada - Wendy Plummer! I had written her an e-mail recently and she wrote back asking a few questions - so that encouraged me to give everyone an update! The last thing I wrote, was that I was going to have a CT Scan, because after having a chest x-ray, the radiologist had said he "saw something" that he wanted a closer look at - therefore the CT Scan. After having the scan, I was told the results would be sent to my doctor. So a couple days later, I get a call from my primary care doctors office - that the doctor wanted to see me the next day and I would be worked into the schedule. Yikes! That doesn't sound good as far as I'm concerned!

I wasn't going to tell my mom and worry her - but then I figured, she is there for me to share things with, so she said she was glad I told her so she could pray for me. I had told my sister Celia as well - and both she and mom wanted to come w/me the next day for that doctors appt.

Told my in-laws and they weren't too happy about how this situation was handled. They as well as everyone else, felt that my doctor could have given me more information on the phone, instead of worrying me overnight! I even called Rhonda Sharp - Dr. Yakes Phy. Asst., to get her take on it! I wanted to know what she thought that "something" in my chest x-ray could be! Rhonda was great and spent time talking to me and made me feel better all around.

So the next day comes, Mom and Celia are w/me for my doctors appt. - and he was surprised when he walked into the exam room that I had my family w/me! Well, I told him I didn't know what kind of news I would be getting, so I wanted to make sure I had support with me! Turns out that "something" that was in my x-ray and CT Scan, was old scar tissue from an infection I had once upon a time! Geez! Here I was all worried - thinking that now that Dr. Yakes finally had my avm under control, I have an incredible husband and a precious puppy that I adore - I felt I was going to get bad news from the doctor for sure! I was happy to get good news, but it would have been nice not to have worried the night before! Oh well - just glad I'm ok!

So ... I had wound care done on Monday, January 19th, also Wednesday and Friday with Dr. Larkin @ Spohn Hospital! They are using a new "thing" called Xcell over the wound, so it keeps it just moist enough. For more information on Xcell, you can go to www.xcellwoundcare.com! That, along w/debriding and cleaning the wound have made a big difference! Dr. Larkin was not in on Friday, but Noel changed my dressing. The whole time he was cleaning it and changing out the dressing, he was singing! I said, "Wow, now that's service! I'm getting my dressing changed AND getting serenaded"! I was telling Carol, one of the other wound care nurses about how Noel was singing, and she says, "Yeah, we call him Elvis around here"!

Yesterday I had wound care therapy in the afternoon, and Dr. Larkin and I discussed Hyperbaric treatment again. She said that it wouldn't do me any good to have only five treatments - that in order to see a difference, I would need to have at least 20 treatments! We had a heck of a time (when I say we, I mean Mark) getting my insurance to pay for the hyperbaric treatment, as each session is $4,000.00! Unfortunately there is absolutely no way I can have that many treatments done! Each treatment takes 2 hours, plus the time it takes to prepare to get in the "tube" and get me out - in other words, if I had an 8:00 a.m. session, I would be done w/a session by noon! That means missing the morning part of my work day! For a month! There is no way I could do that - I'm lucky my job allows me to go to Colorado every 6-8 weeks for an embolization, plus leaving early sometimes for my wound care therapy or follow up doctor appts. that involve either my ear(I see Dr. Zane for maintenance on the T-tube I have in there)or my primary care physician or pain management doctor for avm related "problems"! Whew! I'm actually doing pretty well these days - well, I do have somewhat of a "puffy eye" lately - we think w/my avm blocking an area of my face, it isn't allowing fluids to "drain" properly and they are collecting and causing that puffiness!? I have an appt. w/Dr. Zane to check out my ear and make sure that tube is in there and isn't clogged on Feb. 12!

You know what though? My pain is under control, I haven't had a bleed, my husband loves me and my puppy Hanz is too, too cute! I'm happy and I'll just have to take it one day @ a time until Dr. Yakes is all done w/me!

Our friend Terry Schneider is having a Mass for our intention @ St. Paul in Flour Bluff on Wednesday night, 7pm on February 4th! We have so many friends and family praying for us and that's what keeps us going! Thank you all for your constant love, support and prayers! We'll keep you updated! My next trip to CO is March 4th,5th and 6th and Celia will be going with me! We always manage to have fun and she has been such a wonderful support emotionally for me! Celia is very strong and has handled everything necessary on these trips, so I'm in very good hands!

Love to all!

Mark & Cyndi Schuman

Oh! By the way - in case you didn't know - the photo includes Rulon, Hanz and Saba!