Well, yesterday was Mom's appointment with Dr. Shen the oncologist (cancer) and hematologist (blood). After we left Mom said she thought God must be helping her out.
Here's why.
The large hematoma (blood clot) which is in Mom's breast from the biopsy is very hard and large (about the size of an orange). They had discussed with Mom that they would need to remove this clot and would do so at the time they removed any more of her breast that was still affected and check and remove the lympf nodes as needed. Dr. Shen says the clot is too large and hard and this makes surgery impossible at this time. He believes the clot will soften in time and reduce in size. He expects that this will take about 3 months. By that time they will be able to do the surgery safely. He says making a statement of whether or not a total or partial mastectomy will need to be performed is not wise at this time.
He put her on a drug called tomoxafen (probably not spelled right) which is a cancer drug. This will prevent the cancer from spreading from where it is now. He will keep a close check on Mom during this waiting time with blood work and what ever else may be needed.
He empahsized that the cancer was only one problem discovered during the last couple months. That other medical issues were being dealt with and that the discovery that she had a heart problem was HUGE. This problem would probably have been the medical problem that would have ended her life had it not been discovered. Now with the pacemaker that issue has been dealt with.
The other medical problem is her blood problem. Her platelet count was 117 when last checked. This shows that she is doing well on the medication and he will continue at the current dosage (every other day) until he sees how her body reacts to the tomoxafen. If all goes well and her platelet count continues to rise, he will again begin decreasing her dosage.
So, it was a day of good news. Mom came home smiling and feeling that things were getting better. This gives us an expectation that the surgery (which ever one) will be done aboout December 1.
In the meantime, we wait. And as we wait, Mom will continue to get stronger. I really do believe that she will defeat this cancer with the great care that she is being given and she will "die peacefully in her sleep" at some future date, as she has predicted.
On another front. Mom had a great birthday. Thank you for all your cards and calls. She was busy all day chatting with family and friends. She is still a bit nauseaus when trying to eat solid food, so we made a big pot of soup and Phyllis brought over her famous pineapple (not banana) pudding. We had a good time and Mom opened her gifts. So, thank you for making it a great day.
Sorry, Jamelah forgot to take her camera with her so I didn't get a picture to post for you, but will post one later.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Mom Update: August 26
Well, Monday is Mom's 92nd birthday. We have asked her how she would like to celebrate and she always comes up with a non answer response. (I'll see if I can get jamelah to sneak a picture of her and will post here after her birthday.) Solid food makes her sick, so she isn't looking forward to a birthday dinner. She eats soup. So I'm going to make her a pot of soup and some cornbread and let her eat until she feels she will explode. That won't be much. She has little appetite has lost 5 pounds. The doctors are telling her she has to gain it back. She is to begin drinking Ensure for breakfast. She has enjoyed her tomaotes, however. And they are awesome this year. She only planted 5 plants and they are producing enough to open a hi-way stand.
Now, for the doctor news. She had her staples removed from the incision from where she had her pacemacker put in and an appointment with the radiologist (Dr. Mudge) on Friday. So, she was on the go all day. Everything was well when they checked her at the heart doctor's. She does not go back there until a regular check up on her pacemaker, but she does have an upcoming appointment in September with the doctor. The Radiologist spent a great deal of time with her on Friday. He wanted to make sure she understood all that could be happening to her. He is the doctor that James (Phyllis's husband had when he was diagonosed with throat cancer).
Simply put, the CT scan which was run on Tuesday shows that the cancer is not spreading. They are confident now that a radical mastectomy will not be necessary. They reccommend that Mom have the partial done (this will remove the bloodclot from the biopsy, any affected tissue and check the lymph nodes and remove as needed. This would be followed up with 33 radiation treatments (5 times a week... not on weekends nor on holidays). This would get any cancer tissue that might have been missed in the surgery because it was not visible or that had started to grow since. The doctor's are concerned that since Mom has problems bleeding that a radical mastectomy would be too traumatic for her. However, the decision will be hers to make. Also, should she opt for the complete mastectomy, healing would take a very long time and any additional treatments that would be necessary would have to be chemo. This is due to the length of healing and for other reasons... which I didn't get exactly straight or understand completely.
Anyway, she seems to be accepting the idea of a partial operation now instead of pushing for the radical mastectomy. This is due to the positive report she received from the CT scan which showed that the tumors were not spreading.
Her next major appointment will be on Tuesday and I will update you as soon as I can after we get the report from Dr. Shen. He will be determining when Mom may be ready for surgery. Her platelet count was 105 the last time checked. It will be checked again next week.
But, she has a free day on Monday. That is her brithday, so if you have her phone number, give her a call and wish her Happy Birthday. She has taken all the cards (thank you so much)and layed them out like a quilt on her dining room table. They are beautiful and she is really enjoying hearing from everyone. Email me if you want to contact her and have lost her contact information at afearle@yahoo.com.
Bless you... and keep praying. God is on our side and listening. I am sure of that.
Pray for Phyllis and James too. They have been doing the carrying back and forth of Mom for her appointments and sometimes that's a really hectic schedule.
Now, for the doctor news. She had her staples removed from the incision from where she had her pacemacker put in and an appointment with the radiologist (Dr. Mudge) on Friday. So, she was on the go all day. Everything was well when they checked her at the heart doctor's. She does not go back there until a regular check up on her pacemaker, but she does have an upcoming appointment in September with the doctor. The Radiologist spent a great deal of time with her on Friday. He wanted to make sure she understood all that could be happening to her. He is the doctor that James (Phyllis's husband had when he was diagonosed with throat cancer).
Simply put, the CT scan which was run on Tuesday shows that the cancer is not spreading. They are confident now that a radical mastectomy will not be necessary. They reccommend that Mom have the partial done (this will remove the bloodclot from the biopsy, any affected tissue and check the lymph nodes and remove as needed. This would be followed up with 33 radiation treatments (5 times a week... not on weekends nor on holidays). This would get any cancer tissue that might have been missed in the surgery because it was not visible or that had started to grow since. The doctor's are concerned that since Mom has problems bleeding that a radical mastectomy would be too traumatic for her. However, the decision will be hers to make. Also, should she opt for the complete mastectomy, healing would take a very long time and any additional treatments that would be necessary would have to be chemo. This is due to the length of healing and for other reasons... which I didn't get exactly straight or understand completely.
Anyway, she seems to be accepting the idea of a partial operation now instead of pushing for the radical mastectomy. This is due to the positive report she received from the CT scan which showed that the tumors were not spreading.
Her next major appointment will be on Tuesday and I will update you as soon as I can after we get the report from Dr. Shen. He will be determining when Mom may be ready for surgery. Her platelet count was 105 the last time checked. It will be checked again next week.
But, she has a free day on Monday. That is her brithday, so if you have her phone number, give her a call and wish her Happy Birthday. She has taken all the cards (thank you so much)and layed them out like a quilt on her dining room table. They are beautiful and she is really enjoying hearing from everyone. Email me if you want to contact her and have lost her contact information at afearle@yahoo.com.
Bless you... and keep praying. God is on our side and listening. I am sure of that.
Pray for Phyllis and James too. They have been doing the carrying back and forth of Mom for her appointments and sometimes that's a really hectic schedule.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Mom Update: August 21
Mom's tests last week were encouraging but we did discover after she wore a heart monitor for 24 hours that she would need a pace maker. She is a very high risk patient. She was admitted to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo last Thursday and the pacemaker was installed with no problems. She remained there overnight and came home Friday evening.
She was feeling tired, but pretty good. It is a new incision for her to worry about and to heal, but she was feeling better on Sunday and seemed to be enjoying her day.
Today she had multiple blood tests run again. She also had appointments with her surgeon and her family doctor. They both said she was doing very well. Dr. Warnsby (the surgeon) discussed Mom's upcoming surgery and stated that she would need to go in to remove a very large blood clot from her breast which formed from the biopsy and all the bleeding. At that time she would also remove the remaining effected areas as needed. If things went well it would NOT be necessary for her to have a mastectomy after all.
Mom is a little upset about this news. She would rather they just go in and do the mastectomy, if it would guarantee that she would not need to have an additional surgery. She says they have already done one surgery on her breast now they want to do 2 more. She feels like this is just an indication that they are really unsure of themselves. I think she has lost confidence in her surgeon. She just wants to have it over with.
She has a CT scan tomorrow which will tell them more about whether or not the cancer has progressed beyond where it was at the time of surgery. Then she meets on Friday with a radiation specialist. He will give his opinion as to whether or not she is a candidate for radiation therapy as opposed to the meastectomy.
She meets with Dr. Shen (the blood specialist/cancer doctor) next Tuesday. Ultimaltely he is the doctor who makes the decisions as to what is the best way to proceed. I will let you know his opinion once we have it.
She has an appointment with a nuerologist regarding the numbness in her right knee and leg. Until he approves she will be unable to drive. Not that she is planning on taking any road trips in the meantime.
Keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers. Give her a call or send a card. She has really been blessed by all those who have contacted her. It really does make a difference.
Thanks for everything.
She was feeling tired, but pretty good. It is a new incision for her to worry about and to heal, but she was feeling better on Sunday and seemed to be enjoying her day.
Today she had multiple blood tests run again. She also had appointments with her surgeon and her family doctor. They both said she was doing very well. Dr. Warnsby (the surgeon) discussed Mom's upcoming surgery and stated that she would need to go in to remove a very large blood clot from her breast which formed from the biopsy and all the bleeding. At that time she would also remove the remaining effected areas as needed. If things went well it would NOT be necessary for her to have a mastectomy after all.
Mom is a little upset about this news. She would rather they just go in and do the mastectomy, if it would guarantee that she would not need to have an additional surgery. She says they have already done one surgery on her breast now they want to do 2 more. She feels like this is just an indication that they are really unsure of themselves. I think she has lost confidence in her surgeon. She just wants to have it over with.
She has a CT scan tomorrow which will tell them more about whether or not the cancer has progressed beyond where it was at the time of surgery. Then she meets on Friday with a radiation specialist. He will give his opinion as to whether or not she is a candidate for radiation therapy as opposed to the meastectomy.
She meets with Dr. Shen (the blood specialist/cancer doctor) next Tuesday. Ultimaltely he is the doctor who makes the decisions as to what is the best way to proceed. I will let you know his opinion once we have it.
She has an appointment with a nuerologist regarding the numbness in her right knee and leg. Until he approves she will be unable to drive. Not that she is planning on taking any road trips in the meantime.
Keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers. Give her a call or send a card. She has really been blessed by all those who have contacted her. It really does make a difference.
Thanks for everything.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Mom
My mother is indestructable. I have always known this. She turns 92 on August 28th and her years have been filled with busy activities. Her favorite is working in her yard. She has always been very proud of her flowers and spent much time each year planting her annuals in and around the perenials. Something was in bloom all from spring until fall. She was very proud of her yard and it was always beautiful. She adorned her front and back patio with hanging baskets. We always bought one for her for Mother's day and so did the other siblings. Along with the ones we got, she planted others she saved from year to year, with petunias. So she had a veritable blooming garden hanging from her porch and spilling out of the flower box under her kitchen window.
Mom began complaining about problems with her arm and left breast one winter while she was working on a quilt she was making for my daughter, Jamelah. She breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally finished, and figured the soreness would go away. It did not. She had trouble and complained and the doctor sent her off for a mamogram. The test showed everything was fine and Mom was told again that she was in great shape for her age and should take it easy and try not doing so much. So, we let it go at that.
As the year went on, Mom complained of easy fatigue, of sleeping afternoons and not "feeling like anything." Her breast still bothered her and she began wanting to have it looked at again. On a routine visit to her doctor he examined her breast; although he felt the lump there, he felt since the mamogram showed no irregularity, that she need not worry. But just to be safe as soon as a year had passed, she would go in for a 2nd mamogram. She did.
This was the beginning of out nightmare. The technician was concerned because this time the test showed there was definitely a mass in her breast. She would be scheduled for biopsy immediately. They tried to do a "needle biopsy" which doesn't amount to much, but were unsuccessful in doing this procedure. She was immediately scheduled with a surgeon to have the old time biopsy done. During her pre-op testing they found her blood platelet level to be very low. They were going to have to give her a transfusion of platelets prior to the biopsy. It wasn't going to amount to much, we were told. She was admitted to out-patient surgery bright and early so the platelets could be infused. Well, nothing runs easily and I won't go into the details. So to speed it up, the pint of platelets did not do the job and late that night the surgeon said they would keep Mom overnight and begin bright and early the next day. More platelets were ordered for her (they don't keep them in stock, I guess). So the next morning Mom got her 2nd transfusion. A check showed her blood still low. She got another pint. Her blood count was now high enough, and although the day was late that night she was wheeled into surgery.
Phyllis, my sister and I sat and waited. Phyllis had been with Mom all day. I had come in after I got out of work at 1pm. We were both tired but feeling relief that Mom was finally in good hands and getting this taken care of. I was determined that all would come out with positive reports. 91 year old women don't get cancer. If they were going to get it... they would have years ago. I lost my sister, Vonnie, to cancer when she was just in her 40's, so the thought that Mom might be diagnosed with this disease at her age was an impossibility to me.
The doctor came out and said everything had gone well. Mom had quite a bit of bleeding due to her low platelet count, so she was unable to remove the entire mass, but had removed what she could. It would be sent off for analysis and we would have the report in a couple days. She said Mom had done fine and would be sleeping soundly and advised we go home and do the same... so, we did.
The next day early, Phyllis called me from the hospital. Mom was not doing all that well. She had lost a lot of blood and her blood count way exceptinally low (7, 14 is good, 12 is acceptable). She would have to have a transfusion. Her heart rate had slowed during the night to almost nothing. She had been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. She was resting and her heart rate had leveled off. They felt she would be fine as soon as they could get some blood into her.
The blood from the transfusion seemed to dissapate into thin air (actually under her skin, since she was still bleeding), but finally after 3 pints of blood, she was pronouced good enough to go home. Her out-patient visit had extended to 5 days. She would not be able to stay alone: Her diagnosis was cancer. She would have to have a radical mastectomy as soon as her body could tolerate it.
My sister and I switched off with her staying days and me staying nights. My brother had already planned a visit (Family Reunion time) and arrived. So James and Martha stayed with Mom and took great care of her during their vacation. By the end of this time she had gained some strength and was taking short walks around the house.
Family Reunion week Royce and Bonnie (my older brother) came for the weekend. His family also arrived, his sons Royce and Greg with their families. So Mom's house was filled with family. Her sister Josie from Tennessee also came in to visit. They were in Lansing for a funeral. So we got to see Aunt Josie and cousins Angie and Arvemia. It was a fun week with people coming and going but all too soon everyone headed home and Phyllis and I were once again staying with Mom.
Mom is now stronger. She likes staying by herself some during the day and having a sense of independence that she is still able to take care of herself. She still needs someone to stay during the night. Phyllis is still doing the daytrime drill and I come over in the evenings to help with supper... and then spend the night.
We have learned this past week that Mom is a high risk patient because her heart sometime slows down and almost quits beating. She is being sheduled for a pacemaker and they are thinking that will take place Thursday, maybe. We go see the doctor this afternoon.
So, this is how it is right now this morning. Will keep you updated. Bookmark the page so you can check in. I'll keep you posted on future information given us by the doctors, test results and procedures that are taking place.
Keep Mom in your prayers. She has a long way to go.
Mom began complaining about problems with her arm and left breast one winter while she was working on a quilt she was making for my daughter, Jamelah. She breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally finished, and figured the soreness would go away. It did not. She had trouble and complained and the doctor sent her off for a mamogram. The test showed everything was fine and Mom was told again that she was in great shape for her age and should take it easy and try not doing so much. So, we let it go at that.
As the year went on, Mom complained of easy fatigue, of sleeping afternoons and not "feeling like anything." Her breast still bothered her and she began wanting to have it looked at again. On a routine visit to her doctor he examined her breast; although he felt the lump there, he felt since the mamogram showed no irregularity, that she need not worry. But just to be safe as soon as a year had passed, she would go in for a 2nd mamogram. She did.
This was the beginning of out nightmare. The technician was concerned because this time the test showed there was definitely a mass in her breast. She would be scheduled for biopsy immediately. They tried to do a "needle biopsy" which doesn't amount to much, but were unsuccessful in doing this procedure. She was immediately scheduled with a surgeon to have the old time biopsy done. During her pre-op testing they found her blood platelet level to be very low. They were going to have to give her a transfusion of platelets prior to the biopsy. It wasn't going to amount to much, we were told. She was admitted to out-patient surgery bright and early so the platelets could be infused. Well, nothing runs easily and I won't go into the details. So to speed it up, the pint of platelets did not do the job and late that night the surgeon said they would keep Mom overnight and begin bright and early the next day. More platelets were ordered for her (they don't keep them in stock, I guess). So the next morning Mom got her 2nd transfusion. A check showed her blood still low. She got another pint. Her blood count was now high enough, and although the day was late that night she was wheeled into surgery.
Phyllis, my sister and I sat and waited. Phyllis had been with Mom all day. I had come in after I got out of work at 1pm. We were both tired but feeling relief that Mom was finally in good hands and getting this taken care of. I was determined that all would come out with positive reports. 91 year old women don't get cancer. If they were going to get it... they would have years ago. I lost my sister, Vonnie, to cancer when she was just in her 40's, so the thought that Mom might be diagnosed with this disease at her age was an impossibility to me.
The doctor came out and said everything had gone well. Mom had quite a bit of bleeding due to her low platelet count, so she was unable to remove the entire mass, but had removed what she could. It would be sent off for analysis and we would have the report in a couple days. She said Mom had done fine and would be sleeping soundly and advised we go home and do the same... so, we did.
The next day early, Phyllis called me from the hospital. Mom was not doing all that well. She had lost a lot of blood and her blood count way exceptinally low (7, 14 is good, 12 is acceptable). She would have to have a transfusion. Her heart rate had slowed during the night to almost nothing. She had been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. She was resting and her heart rate had leveled off. They felt she would be fine as soon as they could get some blood into her.
The blood from the transfusion seemed to dissapate into thin air (actually under her skin, since she was still bleeding), but finally after 3 pints of blood, she was pronouced good enough to go home. Her out-patient visit had extended to 5 days. She would not be able to stay alone: Her diagnosis was cancer. She would have to have a radical mastectomy as soon as her body could tolerate it.
My sister and I switched off with her staying days and me staying nights. My brother had already planned a visit (Family Reunion time) and arrived. So James and Martha stayed with Mom and took great care of her during their vacation. By the end of this time she had gained some strength and was taking short walks around the house.
Family Reunion week Royce and Bonnie (my older brother) came for the weekend. His family also arrived, his sons Royce and Greg with their families. So Mom's house was filled with family. Her sister Josie from Tennessee also came in to visit. They were in Lansing for a funeral. So we got to see Aunt Josie and cousins Angie and Arvemia. It was a fun week with people coming and going but all too soon everyone headed home and Phyllis and I were once again staying with Mom.
Mom is now stronger. She likes staying by herself some during the day and having a sense of independence that she is still able to take care of herself. She still needs someone to stay during the night. Phyllis is still doing the daytrime drill and I come over in the evenings to help with supper... and then spend the night.
We have learned this past week that Mom is a high risk patient because her heart sometime slows down and almost quits beating. She is being sheduled for a pacemaker and they are thinking that will take place Thursday, maybe. We go see the doctor this afternoon.
So, this is how it is right now this morning. Will keep you updated. Bookmark the page so you can check in. I'll keep you posted on future information given us by the doctors, test results and procedures that are taking place.
Keep Mom in your prayers. She has a long way to go.
Cathcing Up
I knew it had been forever since I had posted on this blog. I tried to feel ashamed, but I just didn't have the incentive even for that, nor the time. I'm just going to try to bring you up-to-date, sort of. Hopefully, in the organized way I do things... but hopefully also, not too boring. If it is, just skip this post.
Oct 4, 2005: I had knee replacement surgery. I totally ignored the computer world for a while, but I actually did post something, sometime around then I think. Anyway, that was last year, and now I have a really neat scar on my right knee, and it still bothers me some, but otherwise, it was worth it and it's over.
We did Thanksgivings and Christmas. They were quiet but nice. I can't think of anything that stands out in my memory regarding them... so I guess they were also boring. But quiet and nice seemed pretty good at that time, actually.
Winter was not a bad thing this year. We didn't get buried in snow even one time. I had to pay someone to come shovel us out once. So I thought that was a good winter. But I'm not a farmer who depends on the moisture from the snow to bring good spring crops. It didn't even get cold this winter and stay there. Again, this is not a good thing for farmers (i guess the ground didn't even freeze good, and not being agriculturally minded I don't understand this... but a good freeze is needed to help the land lay dormant). So we breezed through winter and soon it was spring. Spring was early and farmers were out cultivating their fields and soon everything was up and growing. The old statement about the corn being "knee high by the 4th of July" was irrelevant. In some places the corn was tasseling out by mid-July and by the 4th it was head high.
Before I had my knee surgery I had started having trouble with my left arm. I complained to my doctor at a regular checkup, midwinter and he sent me off to physical therapy. This was silly. I had just finished about 8 weeks therapy for my knee.
But, I was back again. The therapist who did my analysis, felt I had some type problem with my shoulder and that the problem was not arthritis. He contacted my doctor and requested x-rays be made. The x-rays showed I had spurs in the area causing the pain. My therapist worked with me for 6 weeks, while the use of my arm decreased. He sent me off to my bone guy who had done my knee. A CAT-scan revealed my rotator cuff was damaged by the spur. So, this had to be repaired. Well we're into spring and almost summer. Not being a sports addict, I did not know this was an injury usually had by ball players so I endured a lot of jokes about hurrying to get the job done so I wouldn't "be out all season." I was hoping to postpone the whole thing until September when I turn 65 and go on medicare. Less money out of my pocket. The doctor suggested I not wait. As I continued to use the arm, I would probably injure it further and as it currently stood, it could be repaired. SO, I listened to him and we scheduled the surgery.
Let me just say, just because an operation is done on an out-patient basis does not mean it is minor surgery! Turns out recovery for this surgery is longer and more difficult than the knee surgery. I was able to return to work in a sling in 2 weeks, so I thought it was going to be no big thing. Well, it is a BIG thing. If you know someone who has to have this done, be generous in your sympathy. They deserve it.
They began me on physical therapy almost immediately. My daughter and my sister went along, because I was not allowed to move my shoulder myself. They were taught how to "manipulate" it so it could be moved each day in a non-harmful manner. This would decrease the possibility of adhesions growing, which would take me to another surgery, to have them broken free. So... needless to say, I am well known at physical therapy but finally got to tell them goodbye (I hope not so long). I am finally on my own. Which is good, but I still have a 30 minute regiment I must do every day to keep the arm from freezing up on me and to regain full use of it... so far I have a ways to go. I will do this. Somehow.
So, I just haven't been doing a lot of typing, hence no posting has taken place. And with my mom's illness (next post) I doubt that I'll have a lot of time. But I do want to use this space as a means to keep the family updated on her progress.
So, that said... I think I better write the next post
Oct 4, 2005: I had knee replacement surgery. I totally ignored the computer world for a while, but I actually did post something, sometime around then I think. Anyway, that was last year, and now I have a really neat scar on my right knee, and it still bothers me some, but otherwise, it was worth it and it's over.
We did Thanksgivings and Christmas. They were quiet but nice. I can't think of anything that stands out in my memory regarding them... so I guess they were also boring. But quiet and nice seemed pretty good at that time, actually.
Winter was not a bad thing this year. We didn't get buried in snow even one time. I had to pay someone to come shovel us out once. So I thought that was a good winter. But I'm not a farmer who depends on the moisture from the snow to bring good spring crops. It didn't even get cold this winter and stay there. Again, this is not a good thing for farmers (i guess the ground didn't even freeze good, and not being agriculturally minded I don't understand this... but a good freeze is needed to help the land lay dormant). So we breezed through winter and soon it was spring. Spring was early and farmers were out cultivating their fields and soon everything was up and growing. The old statement about the corn being "knee high by the 4th of July" was irrelevant. In some places the corn was tasseling out by mid-July and by the 4th it was head high.
Before I had my knee surgery I had started having trouble with my left arm. I complained to my doctor at a regular checkup, midwinter and he sent me off to physical therapy. This was silly. I had just finished about 8 weeks therapy for my knee.
But, I was back again. The therapist who did my analysis, felt I had some type problem with my shoulder and that the problem was not arthritis. He contacted my doctor and requested x-rays be made. The x-rays showed I had spurs in the area causing the pain. My therapist worked with me for 6 weeks, while the use of my arm decreased. He sent me off to my bone guy who had done my knee. A CAT-scan revealed my rotator cuff was damaged by the spur. So, this had to be repaired. Well we're into spring and almost summer. Not being a sports addict, I did not know this was an injury usually had by ball players so I endured a lot of jokes about hurrying to get the job done so I wouldn't "be out all season." I was hoping to postpone the whole thing until September when I turn 65 and go on medicare. Less money out of my pocket. The doctor suggested I not wait. As I continued to use the arm, I would probably injure it further and as it currently stood, it could be repaired. SO, I listened to him and we scheduled the surgery.
Let me just say, just because an operation is done on an out-patient basis does not mean it is minor surgery! Turns out recovery for this surgery is longer and more difficult than the knee surgery. I was able to return to work in a sling in 2 weeks, so I thought it was going to be no big thing. Well, it is a BIG thing. If you know someone who has to have this done, be generous in your sympathy. They deserve it.
They began me on physical therapy almost immediately. My daughter and my sister went along, because I was not allowed to move my shoulder myself. They were taught how to "manipulate" it so it could be moved each day in a non-harmful manner. This would decrease the possibility of adhesions growing, which would take me to another surgery, to have them broken free. So... needless to say, I am well known at physical therapy but finally got to tell them goodbye (I hope not so long). I am finally on my own. Which is good, but I still have a 30 minute regiment I must do every day to keep the arm from freezing up on me and to regain full use of it... so far I have a ways to go. I will do this. Somehow.
So, I just haven't been doing a lot of typing, hence no posting has taken place. And with my mom's illness (next post) I doubt that I'll have a lot of time. But I do want to use this space as a means to keep the family updated on her progress.
So, that said... I think I better write the next post
Summer Flight
This morning as I was climbing into my car a yellow and white moth flew by. I was suddenly a little kid again, lying on my back contemplating yellow moths, or staring at cartoon shapes in the clouds floating by overhead. Summers of my youth were long, days stretching on endlessly, seemingly filled with boredom for lack of something "exciting" to happen. It seemed it would be forever until school started back up again and I would have "something to do."
I just want to go back to that time. The time when days stand still, heat sears your head, walks to the lake to swim fill an afternoon, and there is endless hours to gaze at butterflies, watch a praying mantis, or marvel at the green slime in your palm from the grasshopper you were just holding and tossed back into the lawn with a profound exclamation of "eueeegh!!!" I want to watch the yellow moth in flight to see where it flitters to. I want to be amazed by the moon at night and lay on my back and stare up at the big dipper while I get vertigo and think I will surely float away from the earth and be lost in endless space.
It was good for just a moment this morning to be a kid again. To watch the moth float away, oblivious of me climbing into my car to head off to my day. I loved that pause in reality. It is sad that the only thing that has flown this season was summer itself and I can't really figure out when summer took flight.
I just want to go back to that time. The time when days stand still, heat sears your head, walks to the lake to swim fill an afternoon, and there is endless hours to gaze at butterflies, watch a praying mantis, or marvel at the green slime in your palm from the grasshopper you were just holding and tossed back into the lawn with a profound exclamation of "eueeegh!!!" I want to watch the yellow moth in flight to see where it flitters to. I want to be amazed by the moon at night and lay on my back and stare up at the big dipper while I get vertigo and think I will surely float away from the earth and be lost in endless space.
It was good for just a moment this morning to be a kid again. To watch the moth float away, oblivious of me climbing into my car to head off to my day. I loved that pause in reality. It is sad that the only thing that has flown this season was summer itself and I can't really figure out when summer took flight.
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