Hi everyone! How is everybody? Well, this blog is long overdue, but I figured I would wait until I got back from my latest trip. Hanz doesn't like my being on the computer and I feel guilty if I neglect him too long!
I was doing well for a while, but had an occasional minor bleed. Kept trying to get an appt. w/the plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson to have one more consultation before he starts working on me. Plastics was waiting for an "all clear" from Dr. Yakes before starting anything else!
Had a great Birthday in May! One of the longest friendships I have is w/Sylvia Wilson, she sent me beautiful flowers to work and we had dinner @ her house. Mark had made one of my favorites - lasagna! I've known Sylvia and another of my besties in Dallas for almost 40 years! We met when we were one! No, we met about 13 years of age in middle school when my family lived in Kingsville, and we've kept in touch through the years! In fact, it was Patty we stayed w/in Dallas when we drove up to get Bella!
My co-workers (clerical team) and my new Supervisor Kathleen surprised me w/a cake on my birthday! I was called to Administration thinking we had a meeting and was surprised to have a celebration! L-R Christina, Gina with her arms around me, Lucinda behind her. Olga in the green (love her - we were in choir together many years), Vanessa behind her and Manuel next to Vanessa! My co-workers are awesome - very supportive of my situation!
Immediately got our car rental and headed to Swedish Medical Center to get registered! Dr. Yakes P.A., Kelly is the one that took are of all my admissions and patient coordinator Becky was also there. After going over paperwork and a few concerns, Celia and I went across the street to have dinner while Kelly took our luggage up to my room! Celia frequents this restaurant when I'm @ Swedish, so it's like when Norm walks into Cheers - everyone recognizes her!
After dinner, got settled into my room. First thing I did was put the throw on the bed that Celia had given me for my birthday of the Big Bang Theory gang! Got my mediport accessed and my designer Zac Posen gown - yeah right! I read a while after Celia left to go to the hotel. Raided the fridge for some juice - some nurses came by to say hello since they had seen my name on the schedule. It's such a great feeling knowing so many people care and are doing their best to make you feel better! I got a chance to see Mandi, another of Dr. Yakes P.A.'s during the day Saturday. Also one of the Internal Medicine doctors came by that was on duty. I've met him on several occasions and asked him for Dr. Pinsinski (also Internal Med. doc). Apparently Dr. P. was out of town, but Dr. Acuna told me Dr. P. tells him I'm a favorite patient. Everyone @ Swedish is so awesome! Barely got a chance to talk to Victoria in Housekeeping - she was surprised to see me! Guess when we told her I was "done" she thought I wouldn't be back. Fortunately, Dr. Robinson (plastics) works out of Swedish, so I'll be around another few years there!
Had an MRI scheduled in the morning - can't tell you how much I dread getting into that tube!!! Claustrophobic!!! I know that there are open MRI's but apparently the closed one takes the best images. I had been prescribed a higher dose of Xanex to get through that procedure. Still experienced enough anxiety that I was so relieved when it was finally over!!! Got transported back to my room and had to wait until almost 3pm for the angiogram to be done! So, that was all day w/no food for me! It wasn't so much hunger as it was thirst that was bothering me!
Celia and I went to the hospital gift shop! Again, we frequent it enough that the lady who runs it recognized us! I had been wanting a chain for my glasses that I found there - it's a light pink crystal bead that it's made from. Also wanted to add to the lanyard I wear for work - saw a cute "pulley part" that has a red heart shaped smiley face w/a bandaide over one side of it's head! Celia also liked these really cute "purses" that she got one for each of us! A long shoulder strap, but you had just enough room to carry your phone, license and credit card! I'll have to take a photo to show you - pretty!!
Back up to my hospital room to get ready for the angiogram. Was happy to see Dr. Jen Qin as my anesthesiologist and of course Dr. Yakes always comes over to say hello! Dr. Yakes called Celia when I was done - he used 8 cc's of alcohol under my chin. I had to wait until 8:30 p.m. to be able to get out of bed, due to the groin stick for the angio. Oops! Gotta go - Hanz caught me on the computer and wants my attention! To be continued!
Hi again! One of my favorite techs was on duty the following day - Alex a/k/a "Taylor Lautner" from Twilight. He always signs "Taylor" on the eraser board in my room and pops in to make sure I'm ok! My friend Dorinda had given me these cute puppy slippers that have the non-skid on bottoms - everyone got a kick out of them!
Would you believe I didn't sleep that night? Finally closed my eyes @ 6:00 a.m. - might have slept a couple hours before getting up. Had to wait for my daily meds when the new shift got settled in after 7:30a.m. so I could then get my medi-port deaccessed and it would be easier to take a shower. Ordered breakfast and finished that, got deaccessed and showered. Celia was with me by then and we finished packing up and headed to a favorite diner called Sam's to have lunch. Headed to return car rental and then on to the airport. By the time we landed in Houston Hobby I had a slight bleed while waiting to board the flight to Corpus Christi. Got in about 11pm - I was so glad to be home!
Celia is a great traveling companion! So generous and caring - makes these trips manageable for me. We are all constantly in touch w/one another during these trips especially.
Saturday I had a couple minor bleeds in the morning and then another that was harder to control that afternoon. Don't understand why - maybe tissue breaking down? I'll be writing to Kelly in CO to ask. How can I feel I'm making progress unless the bleeding stops? I've felt just blah all day today. Just did some light housekeeping - can't pick up anything heavy for @ least 4 days after having that angiogram. Mark has been fantastic - preparing all my favorite things to eat. Since Dr. Yakes did an embolization, I've got to take steroids for the swelling and that always increases my appetite tremendously.
I'm sure I'll be posting more photos or tweaking this a bit. Some of the photos I took w/my phone haven't make it to the computer yet, so I'll take care of that soon.
According to Kelly, Dr. Yakes has given the all clear for me to start the next phase of surgeries w/Dr. Robinson. Right now we're waiting a few weeks for all the paperwork on what Dr. Yakes did to get to Dr. Robinson, plus getting insurance checked and all - so no telling right now when I'll be going to CO again. Just hoping I won't have anymore bleeds!!!
Recently went down memory lane w/2 of my friends - Dorinda is vacationing in Iowa where her folks still live and she came across this poster! We used to love to go see Steve O'Neill playing @ Chelsea's Street Pub! You can actually see his performance of the song "Web of Deception" on U-tube! Fun times! His drummer was funny too!
The worst part of going to CO for me is missing my furry kids! See photo of kids piled up on Mark! Can't really tell where one ends and the other begins - weird!
I plan on going to work in the morning - just going to carry on and I'll write to Kelly and asked her what's going on w/my bleeds. Ugh! I probably shouldn't have blogged until I know more, but I know a lot of you want to know how my trip went! Couldn't do this w/out all your love, prayer and support! I am very blessed to have so many people that care. I'm often told how well I handle my situation - but I really don't. If it weren't for me surrounding myself w/all your positive energy, I don't know where I'd be! I mainly have pretty good days - but having bleeds just really sets me back and gets discouraging! Kelly assures me they'll get me through this - just seems hard to get a grip on that sometimes!
I'm off to get a few things ready before work tomorrow and Mark set up the Daytime Emmy's to record on the dvr. He'll be making something Italian for dinner - yum! He surprised me with making a cake for dessert!!! Will keep you posted and add more information soon!
Love to all of you!
Cyndi
P.S. I hope to get this pattern sometime and complete it! Recently started feeling well enough to pick up my cross stitching hobby again! Working on a couple other projects before even thinking of the one below!
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