I can't believe how time is flying! I have been tackling Christmas shopping with a vengeance, because I want it done before I leave on the trip. I can't believe Thursday is Thanksgiving already.
My sister, Cheryle, and her husband, Jerry, are coming down from Alaska for Thanksgiving. They are staying at Jerry's sister's house in Shelton, but we're all getting together at their daughter's home in Olympia for dinner. I'm picking up Jim, in Tacoma, on the way. It's been years since I've had a holiday with Cheryle, so I look forward to it.
I am getting stronger everyday. Tomorrow I have to go back in for a breathing exercise at Swedish, called ABC, to continue planning my radiation. Since it's my left side, of course they don't want my heart zapped, so this method involves a breathing technique that gets your heart farther away from the beams, and they tell me I'm a good candidate for it. I have Herceptin Tuesday, which is no biggie anymore. How far I've come tolerating all of this!
I was supposed to have a massage yesterday, but my massage therapist, Naomi, was sick, and I sure as hell don't want to catch anything. So next weekend, I have a pedicure, waxing and a massage all in preparation for Hawaii!
I also did get the swim form for my swimsuit, and I'm picking up my bathing suit top and one sundress I have with a shelf bra in it today, that Nordstrom sewed pockets into for my forms. No one will know. I'm so grateful.
I also got a wide-brimmed hat with SPF 50 properties so I don't burn my head. I do have a pretty good crop of fuzz now, with no scalp showing, but I don't want to take a chance. Interestingly enough, my hair looks really dark! Lord only knows what it's going to look like in a year or so.
If you follow me on Facebook, too, you will know that my dear friend Erica came to visit last weekend, with her adorable daughter, Quinn, who will be two in March. Oh, we had such a good time, and that baby was so good for my heart. Erica was, too. She gives good hugs, and I've needed that.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone. I am thankful to be cancer free this Thanksgiving. How about you?
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The pressure is off
This was a very good day. After having a three-dimensional CT, to determine where the radiation "beams" will be directed at me, I had a wonderful meeting with the head social worker at Swedish about the insurance problem.
I can't believe this. I'm off the hook! She had already spoken to the director of corporate compliance, and the director of the financial counseling department, and they said no way am I to be responsible for the $138,000-plus for chemo; that I'm not obligated to pay any of it!
We had to go through the formality of a letter, and a financial questionnaire, plus a copy of last year's tax return, but I didn't have to disclose any value on my investments.
Based on my earnings from my job, I actually have made so little money due to the reduced hours I've had because of all my time spent having all that fun in the Cancer Center and the hospital, I would be considered a hardship, and it's possible I won't have to pay anything else.
We'll see on that one. But this social worker, Sandy, was an absolute angel. She said she had been on vacation, got back, heard about my case from Dr. Dobie (my shrink) and she was totally ready to take this on!!
So, here's what will happen. Swedish will first go after First Choice, but if they won't pay (I assume after a legal battle) Swedish absorbs it. Swedish is sort of to blame, because they didn't check my insurance benefits to ascertain whether my chemo would be covered once I was in the study, but, still, their attorney said Federal law states they can't deny insurance for research study approved by the National Cancer Institute, which my study was.
At any rate, I'm off the study, and off the hook for the big bucks, and I feel so much better!
It's one thing dealing with the disease and all the trouble that comes with it, and another thing dealing with the possibility of never retiring, or worse yet, ending up living in my car.
More happy news. I was fitted for a form, or prosthetic, yesterday by a lovely, compassionate woman name Shannon at the downtown Nordstrom. My God, they whisk you into a huge dressing room, and bring everything to you. She knew what the hell she was doing, as they are specially trained, and it looks pretty damn good. It's like a soft, gel type thing, and it slides into a special little pocket in the bras. I got two really pretty bras. So, now I can wear my fitted clothes again, and look like a girl!
I told Shannon about Hawaii, and they actually have a water form, so I am going to have them sew a pocket into my swimsuit top and get the water form! Problem solved. She also said they can sew pockets into my sundresses that have shelf bras. Another angel, that girl.
Oh, also, with Nordstrom, they bill insurance for the bras and stuff, because it is a prosthesis. No money came out of my pocket, however the assholes (as I like to call First Choice) might deny the water form.
Also, I'm clear for Lapatinib, which they were hassling me about, too.
I won!
I can't believe this. I'm off the hook! She had already spoken to the director of corporate compliance, and the director of the financial counseling department, and they said no way am I to be responsible for the $138,000-plus for chemo; that I'm not obligated to pay any of it!
We had to go through the formality of a letter, and a financial questionnaire, plus a copy of last year's tax return, but I didn't have to disclose any value on my investments.
Based on my earnings from my job, I actually have made so little money due to the reduced hours I've had because of all my time spent having all that fun in the Cancer Center and the hospital, I would be considered a hardship, and it's possible I won't have to pay anything else.
We'll see on that one. But this social worker, Sandy, was an absolute angel. She said she had been on vacation, got back, heard about my case from Dr. Dobie (my shrink) and she was totally ready to take this on!!
So, here's what will happen. Swedish will first go after First Choice, but if they won't pay (I assume after a legal battle) Swedish absorbs it. Swedish is sort of to blame, because they didn't check my insurance benefits to ascertain whether my chemo would be covered once I was in the study, but, still, their attorney said Federal law states they can't deny insurance for research study approved by the National Cancer Institute, which my study was.
At any rate, I'm off the study, and off the hook for the big bucks, and I feel so much better!
It's one thing dealing with the disease and all the trouble that comes with it, and another thing dealing with the possibility of never retiring, or worse yet, ending up living in my car.
More happy news. I was fitted for a form, or prosthetic, yesterday by a lovely, compassionate woman name Shannon at the downtown Nordstrom. My God, they whisk you into a huge dressing room, and bring everything to you. She knew what the hell she was doing, as they are specially trained, and it looks pretty damn good. It's like a soft, gel type thing, and it slides into a special little pocket in the bras. I got two really pretty bras. So, now I can wear my fitted clothes again, and look like a girl!
I told Shannon about Hawaii, and they actually have a water form, so I am going to have them sew a pocket into my swimsuit top and get the water form! Problem solved. She also said they can sew pockets into my sundresses that have shelf bras. Another angel, that girl.
Oh, also, with Nordstrom, they bill insurance for the bras and stuff, because it is a prosthesis. No money came out of my pocket, however the assholes (as I like to call First Choice) might deny the water form.
Also, I'm clear for Lapatinib, which they were hassling me about, too.
I won!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Where has time gone?
How can it be November already? Today was a beautiful fall day, with lots of sunshine and beautiful colors, but it's cold! How could I have lived in Alaska 38 years? But I did, and still love it up there; in the summer!
I'm listening to the brand new Florence and the Machine CD, "Ceremonials." God I love her. Her voice is ethereal. This is the second CD from Florence. She is a fabulous Welch red head - and guess what? I'm a quarter Welsh, and I was a redhead (my hair is coming back very dark). That must explain why I so love the royals, and Florence! So, she is performing Dec. 8 at the Wa-Mu theater on a triple bill with singer/songwriter Matt Kearney, then Seattle's own "The Head and the Heart," who are fabulous, then Florence is headlining. And guess who is in row 13, dead center in seat one! ME! YAY!!!
That's just two nights before I leave for my little Hawaii trip. Then I'll get back and it will be Christmas almost. So, that's what I mean.......where does time go?
Today was productive. That extra hour (going off Daylight Savings) is always such a God send. The doctors, of course, keep telling me to take it easy, but it's hard for me as everyone who really knows me, knows. But I was pretty good to myself this weekend.
Good news though; I got that damn drain out of me Friday. I was still putting out more fluid than they wanted me to, but I basically demanded they take it out. It hurt. And it had been in three weeks and two days, and I'd had it with the fucker. I hate artificial crap in my body. I'm stuck with the port for at least another year, so that's bad enough.
One of Dr. Beatty's main nurses, Chris, took it out. It felt weird. She was very nice, but also very stern and sort of a negative Nellie. She wasn't happy with my decision to take it out early, because if my chest cavity started to fill up with goop, I'd have to come in and have Dr. Beatty drain it with a needle, maybe every two days she said. Then, she says, if that doesn't work, they might even have to put in another drain. Meantime, Dr. Beatty is saying, well, none of that might happen.
Well guess what??? I haven't had to call him all weekend. I am not filling up with fluid. I win!! I'm still sore and sort of feel like an elephant is sitting on the left side of my chest, but I'm healing well, and God willing, will be able to be fitted for a prosthetic in a week! Yay again! I even can get a swimsuit for Hawaii with a fake booby!
The downer of the week was having Herceptin Tuesday. The Herceptin isn't the problem. For the first time ever, the oncology nurses were having a hell of time accessing my port. It was horrible. I basically got poked six times with needles; three lidocane shots and three attempts to access the port. I was in tears. It seems my port has moved a little - it's crooked, probably from my chest area being jerked around in surgery. But, that was awful to say the least.
Dr. Beatty is checking my wound again tomorrow, then Wednesday I have a CT to figure out where to aim the radiation.
I had a lovely late brunch today with one of my oldest friends, Linell. She's been so good to me. I've known her since the 7th grade. We went to this newer place in West Seattle called the "Tuscan Tearoom," and OMG, it was fabulous! It's very girly-girl, with white linens, China tea pots and cups, fabric on the walls....you get the picture. We had a pot of incredible Amaretto tea and then we both had Frangelico French Toast. I'm not kidding - died and gone to heaven good.
They do high tea and dinner, too, and they also have wine. I'll be back!! It was killer.
So back to time...I'm already worrying about Christmas. But, I bought three gifts today, and already had a couple from a few weeks ago. So, yes, I feel productive.
Next weekend I will get a much needed baby fix, as my dear friend Erica comes to see me, with her adorable, precious almost-two-year old baby girl, Quinn. I love that baby. I hope she'll warm to me and give me lots of love; I haven't seen her since April, so she may not have a clue who I am. I hope so. I'm proud to say I bought her her first purse, AND her first faux-fur coat!
My own baby is doing fine. He's had to go through a lot of physical tests in order to even get into Firefighter I next semester, but he's doing good. Healthy as a horse, my boy. Wish I was, too, but I'll get back to my old self one day. It's just going to take time.
I'm listening to the brand new Florence and the Machine CD, "Ceremonials." God I love her. Her voice is ethereal. This is the second CD from Florence. She is a fabulous Welch red head - and guess what? I'm a quarter Welsh, and I was a redhead (my hair is coming back very dark). That must explain why I so love the royals, and Florence! So, she is performing Dec. 8 at the Wa-Mu theater on a triple bill with singer/songwriter Matt Kearney, then Seattle's own "The Head and the Heart," who are fabulous, then Florence is headlining. And guess who is in row 13, dead center in seat one! ME! YAY!!!
That's just two nights before I leave for my little Hawaii trip. Then I'll get back and it will be Christmas almost. So, that's what I mean.......where does time go?
Today was productive. That extra hour (going off Daylight Savings) is always such a God send. The doctors, of course, keep telling me to take it easy, but it's hard for me as everyone who really knows me, knows. But I was pretty good to myself this weekend.
Good news though; I got that damn drain out of me Friday. I was still putting out more fluid than they wanted me to, but I basically demanded they take it out. It hurt. And it had been in three weeks and two days, and I'd had it with the fucker. I hate artificial crap in my body. I'm stuck with the port for at least another year, so that's bad enough.
One of Dr. Beatty's main nurses, Chris, took it out. It felt weird. She was very nice, but also very stern and sort of a negative Nellie. She wasn't happy with my decision to take it out early, because if my chest cavity started to fill up with goop, I'd have to come in and have Dr. Beatty drain it with a needle, maybe every two days she said. Then, she says, if that doesn't work, they might even have to put in another drain. Meantime, Dr. Beatty is saying, well, none of that might happen.
Well guess what??? I haven't had to call him all weekend. I am not filling up with fluid. I win!! I'm still sore and sort of feel like an elephant is sitting on the left side of my chest, but I'm healing well, and God willing, will be able to be fitted for a prosthetic in a week! Yay again! I even can get a swimsuit for Hawaii with a fake booby!
The downer of the week was having Herceptin Tuesday. The Herceptin isn't the problem. For the first time ever, the oncology nurses were having a hell of time accessing my port. It was horrible. I basically got poked six times with needles; three lidocane shots and three attempts to access the port. I was in tears. It seems my port has moved a little - it's crooked, probably from my chest area being jerked around in surgery. But, that was awful to say the least.
Dr. Beatty is checking my wound again tomorrow, then Wednesday I have a CT to figure out where to aim the radiation.
I had a lovely late brunch today with one of my oldest friends, Linell. She's been so good to me. I've known her since the 7th grade. We went to this newer place in West Seattle called the "Tuscan Tearoom," and OMG, it was fabulous! It's very girly-girl, with white linens, China tea pots and cups, fabric on the walls....you get the picture. We had a pot of incredible Amaretto tea and then we both had Frangelico French Toast. I'm not kidding - died and gone to heaven good.
They do high tea and dinner, too, and they also have wine. I'll be back!! It was killer.
So back to time...I'm already worrying about Christmas. But, I bought three gifts today, and already had a couple from a few weeks ago. So, yes, I feel productive.
Next weekend I will get a much needed baby fix, as my dear friend Erica comes to see me, with her adorable, precious almost-two-year old baby girl, Quinn. I love that baby. I hope she'll warm to me and give me lots of love; I haven't seen her since April, so she may not have a clue who I am. I hope so. I'm proud to say I bought her her first purse, AND her first faux-fur coat!
My own baby is doing fine. He's had to go through a lot of physical tests in order to even get into Firefighter I next semester, but he's doing good. Healthy as a horse, my boy. Wish I was, too, but I'll get back to my old self one day. It's just going to take time.
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