Saturday, July 9

Quote of the Day:  “The bad days make the good days better.”   Reese Witherspoon,  How Do You know”  2010

So just a little bit more about my nurse care.  Wouldn’t you know it that after I got to my room, it was quite hectic as shifts were changing, and I got my new nurse, Rose, who really had little personality.  Well, if she did, she didn’t show it.  My left arm was aching, they had put another IV in my left hand while I was out.  This was the hand that still hurt from the first 2 chemo treatments.  Anyway, it was bothering me more than the chest pain so I asked if she could take it out.  She said yes and then did literally everything else before taking the IV out.  Joe and I kept wondering if she had to get a doctor’s order, which later she said she didn’t, and so we waited.  About an hour later, she took it out and then my arm started feeling better.  I noticed today that the veins had gone down where that IV was so it turned out to be a good thing that they put the IV in there.

Later that night, I sent Joe home so he could get some sleep without realizing that I was going to see a nurse very infrequently during the night.  I’m sure I don’t understand all that nurses do, besides taking care of a patient, but Rose was pretty much non-existant during the night.  There was about a 3-4 hour period where I saw no one.  I would think they would just peak their head in to make sure you’re still alive. Luckily, there was a CNA named Deborah who took my vitals and made sure I had pain medicine.  She had a darling personality.  At one point, she was helping me wheel the IV stand into the bathroom and somehow the tube broke so IV fluid went all over the floor.  She got really flustered and called for Rose.    At one point, Rose even left my pain meds on my table without even telling me so after a while, I asked Deborah to find out about them and sure enough, they were just sitting there which is a big deal if you want to keep the pain under wraps!

But I survived and at 6:30 A.M. on Friday, the PA from the plastic surgeons’ office came in and changed my dressing.  I’m glad I don’t have to do that myself, yet.  I will go to their office on Monday for another change.  I didn’t want to look at my chest when she had it unwrapped-afraid it might look blue and bruised but she said it looked great, all that walking paid off I think.  So, Joe came in the morning, we got the discharge papers signed, rode in a wheel-chair down to the pick-up zone, got to the car and headed home.

I am gaining my energy slowly back.  I’m already experiencing longer periods where I can be up and moving around.  This morning, my step-mom Linda and sister Taylor came by to do yard work.  I have so many noxious weeds trying to surface in my flower beds.  Linda is an amazing gardner and she knew it would bother me to look outside and see the weeds growing.  It has made me want to go outside, sit in the shade and recuperate.  Great therapy, the outdoors.  I got to talk w/ Taylor for a long time, she amazes me.  She is so proactive- she will have this surgery in a few weeks.

Last night for dinner, Sue B. brought over a Mexican quiche to die for, Kathy E. a fruit platter w/ rolls and Sue O., cupcakes in two sizes.  Card shows a stick figure with big boobs and says “We’re not buying it” on front and then inside “but she obviously did”.  Sue wrote “Whether big or small, I love you!  Congratulations on your new cupcakes.  Love, Sue”.  She is clever and always keeps me laughing!

Linda and Taylor working in yard!

Delicious dinner brought by Sue O., Sue B. and Kathy E.

Cupcakes!