So I am a fan of the afore mentioned show. I love the DVR as well, so I can watch it later when I have time. So last week Meredith gets a patient who has cancer. This patient's sister is totally focused on getting her well that cancer is all that they talk about. So this girl sends her sister out of the hospital room and BEGS Meredith to talk about anything but cancer whereupon Meredith tells cancer girl about Derek and her roommates. This makes cancer girl's day ... I shall forbear from telling the rest of the story …
I realize that my last few posts are all about cancer, and I totally understand where the Grey's story is coming from, my next many posts will be about cancer. Cancer is all encompassing. It does more than eat away at your body; it eats away at your life. You wake up in the morning thinking about cancer, think about cancer all day, and then go to be thinking about cancer. Our life is more than just cancer right now. For the rest of this post no more mention of the word that shall not be named…
My sister-in-law Katie called me today to tell me that she and Pat had just gone to the doctor for her first appointment because she is going to have a baby. The baby (I think it is a boy) is healthy and strong with a good heartbeat. Katie is doing well also. Her due date is May… um … I think the 15th. We have named all of the trimesters for the babies that have come before, and we decided to name him Xander the Xygote. (I know it is spelled wrong but I do not like Xander spelled with a Z. Alexander shortens to Xander. It is not Alezander...) So she is now in her second trimester and little Xander is no longer a zygote... Patrick has a name suggestion for the embryo but he gets a say in the actual name of the child. So I need to come up with equally good names for the embryo and fetus... I think the embryo is going to be a girl name...
Lottie has started to smile A LOT!! It is so cute I can almost forgive her propensity to poo on me.
Ainsleigh has started to crawl every where. She really loves to take out the DVDs from the shelves. Sunday I took some gaff (I am going to register for gaffers tape when I finally find the man of my dreams) and taped the DVDs into place. She did not go near them Sunday night. When Ainsleigh laughs, all is forgotten.
I love gaff tape. I had a stage manager once who made useful items out of gaff tape during down time in a show. She made a stop watch holder and a wallet. Liz is an amazing stage manager.
My brother Barry has really long hair. His hair is thick so it looks… well frankly really bad. The Halloween we took Patrick to the MTC Barry also had long hair. He put it in hot rollers (I think they were Candice’s and Colleen's… like it took 4 sets of hot rollers to do it) and dressed up like Greg Brady. Needless to say he looked odd at the MTC. You could almost see the new missionaries eyeing him to give him the first discussion.
My Aunt Bonnie just stopped by my office to drop of Season 1 of NCIS that she borrowed from my mom. Aunt Bonnie is not my blood aunt, but was married to my Uncle Tim who died long before I was born. I was in my teens before I knew she was not my blood aunt. I thought she was my mom’s sister married to Uncle Walt (her second and far grumpier husband. In fact he is the person we stole Dad’s nickname from: Grumpa)
After seeing Candice in Into The Woods a few weeks ago, my mom and sisters all went to Afternoon Tea at the Grand America. How fun is afternoon tea? I am convinced I should be British…. not Canadian… British. But when I go to Victoria British Columbia in Canada again I want to do afternoon tea at The Empress. That would be very cool. (yes it was herbal!)
I like my planner. I have a planner for work and personal use. The one for work is big and stays in my desk. The one for personal use basically holds my life. I would be lost without it. However I did not give it a gender based identity or name it.
Why did it take so long for someone to put White Out in a tape form?
I start a new class in school today. I should probably check in!!
I might just need to stop babbling now. (if you know me well you will know that right now in my head: lovely ivory tower of Babel, babble babble babble, rabble, rabble, babble)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Day 4
Mom's Central Line placement went well. She came home around 1 and felt great. Around 4 she spiked a fever so I had to take her back into the hospital to get checked out. They feel it is an affect of the blood building shots but gave her a 24-hour dose of a broad spectrum antibiotic. It was nice for her to get to use her line for it so she did not have to get poked. We came home around 7. She still has a fever but they said the antibiotics could cause it to go up if she did have an infection.
The great news is that her stem cell count numbers are good and she will start her harvest tomorrow morning. That is great news. It means that the pain she was in all weekend was worth it; her stem cells mobilized quickly. Her harvest tomorrow will consist of blood being drawn out from her central line, put through a centrifuge where the stem cells are separated from the white, red, and plasma cells, and then the rest of the blood is put back into her body through another port in the central line.
To those who have been asking: What can I do to help? Well I now have something we need. Mom will need probably 5 blood transfusions. They get the blood from the American Red Cross blood bank. Our family has been asked to donate blood to replace it if possible. So if you can donate blood I encourage you to go to the Red Cross and donate blood within the next two weeks I would appreciate it!
The great news is that her stem cell count numbers are good and she will start her harvest tomorrow morning. That is great news. It means that the pain she was in all weekend was worth it; her stem cells mobilized quickly. Her harvest tomorrow will consist of blood being drawn out from her central line, put through a centrifuge where the stem cells are separated from the white, red, and plasma cells, and then the rest of the blood is put back into her body through another port in the central line.
To those who have been asking: What can I do to help? Well I now have something we need. Mom will need probably 5 blood transfusions. They get the blood from the American Red Cross blood bank. Our family has been asked to donate blood to replace it if possible. So if you can donate blood I encourage you to go to the Red Cross and donate blood within the next two weeks I would appreciate it!
Bone Marrow Transplant - Phase 1 - The Harvest
Day 1 – Friday
In order to harvest stem cells from Mom’s blood she first has to produce new healthy stem cells. She gives herself 7 shots a day, 6 are for blood growth. The 3 shots in the morning were not so bad. She still had a nice day overall. But the shots at night were a different story. She had to do the 3 shots from earlier in the day again and then added another intense shot to promote stem cell growth. This one, apparently, is supposed to mobilize the stem cells quickly. The major side effect from this procedure is flu like symptoms. Mom had a really bad headache day 1 during the night and did not sleep well. Add to this that her sister called to tell us her other sister had a heart attack. Aunt Della is doing better now and is home, but obviously Mom was worried about this.
Day 2 – Saturday
The shots continue today. However unlike day 1 today was a little more painful. Mom skipped the cancer walk today. She just was not feeling up to it. The rest of us left at 8 to head to Liberty Park. Together our team, Cancer Sucks, raised just shy of $1900 for cancer research. (pictures from the walk to come later) We walked around the park 2 out of the 3 times and decided we should go home and take care of Mom. Plus it was getting really cold! Mom was in good spirits when we got home, we all had hot chocolate or herbal tea to warm up. Later in the day Mom started to really feel the effects of the shots. Bone pain is something that you really have to live through to know exactly what it is. Well Mom’s was so bad that her body was reacting with spasms. I sat and watched her entire body spasm for hours. We called the hospital twice and they finally decided that her pain medication was not working as it should. They told us to give her the stronger pain meds that we had been given for Monday, day 4. These pills put Mom to sleep within hours, and her body relaxed.
Day 3 – Sunday
I kept Mom on the pain meds on schedule today so she mostly slept. Aunt Colleen called to tell Mom that her cousin Larry died from complications of his diabetes, Larry also had the same cancer Mom has. In fact they had the same doctor at the Cancer Specialists. We had visits today from my cousins Sam and Leslie. Les made us vinyl Cancer Sucks ribbons to put on our car windows. Candice dropped by for a second as well to exchange some videos so Mom can watch them when she is in the hospital. Barry and Debbie came by because Mom had asked for a blessing before she goes in on Monday. I am amazed how the Lord knows us and knows what we need, when we need it. Mom was given a beautiful blessing about the power of the atonement and made some promises for her healing process. We went to sleep around 10 and Mom slept well until about 1 a.m. I guess if you sleep all day you do not sleep all night. At about 4:30 she moved to the other room to see if she could get comfortable on a couch. That brings us to now, it is 5:30 and decided since my alarm is going off at 6 I would stay up and get some things done. This is one of the things I have been meaning to do.
Today starts Day 4 – Monday. Mom gets her central line put in today. The harvest of stem cells starts tomorrow. If all goes well she will be admitted into the hospital Tuesday October 21.
In order to harvest stem cells from Mom’s blood she first has to produce new healthy stem cells. She gives herself 7 shots a day, 6 are for blood growth. The 3 shots in the morning were not so bad. She still had a nice day overall. But the shots at night were a different story. She had to do the 3 shots from earlier in the day again and then added another intense shot to promote stem cell growth. This one, apparently, is supposed to mobilize the stem cells quickly. The major side effect from this procedure is flu like symptoms. Mom had a really bad headache day 1 during the night and did not sleep well. Add to this that her sister called to tell us her other sister had a heart attack. Aunt Della is doing better now and is home, but obviously Mom was worried about this.
Day 2 – Saturday
The shots continue today. However unlike day 1 today was a little more painful. Mom skipped the cancer walk today. She just was not feeling up to it. The rest of us left at 8 to head to Liberty Park. Together our team, Cancer Sucks, raised just shy of $1900 for cancer research. (pictures from the walk to come later) We walked around the park 2 out of the 3 times and decided we should go home and take care of Mom. Plus it was getting really cold! Mom was in good spirits when we got home, we all had hot chocolate or herbal tea to warm up. Later in the day Mom started to really feel the effects of the shots. Bone pain is something that you really have to live through to know exactly what it is. Well Mom’s was so bad that her body was reacting with spasms. I sat and watched her entire body spasm for hours. We called the hospital twice and they finally decided that her pain medication was not working as it should. They told us to give her the stronger pain meds that we had been given for Monday, day 4. These pills put Mom to sleep within hours, and her body relaxed.
Day 3 – Sunday
I kept Mom on the pain meds on schedule today so she mostly slept. Aunt Colleen called to tell Mom that her cousin Larry died from complications of his diabetes, Larry also had the same cancer Mom has. In fact they had the same doctor at the Cancer Specialists. We had visits today from my cousins Sam and Leslie. Les made us vinyl Cancer Sucks ribbons to put on our car windows. Candice dropped by for a second as well to exchange some videos so Mom can watch them when she is in the hospital. Barry and Debbie came by because Mom had asked for a blessing before she goes in on Monday. I am amazed how the Lord knows us and knows what we need, when we need it. Mom was given a beautiful blessing about the power of the atonement and made some promises for her healing process. We went to sleep around 10 and Mom slept well until about 1 a.m. I guess if you sleep all day you do not sleep all night. At about 4:30 she moved to the other room to see if she could get comfortable on a couch. That brings us to now, it is 5:30 and decided since my alarm is going off at 6 I would stay up and get some things done. This is one of the things I have been meaning to do.
Today starts Day 4 – Monday. Mom gets her central line put in today. The harvest of stem cells starts tomorrow. If all goes well she will be admitted into the hospital Tuesday October 21.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Cancer Walk Progress and Mom Update
Just an update on the Cancer Walk that my family is participating in on Saturday:
We have a team goal of $2,000 and so far have raised $1,400!
Although the donation widget to the right says, for some reason, that we have raised $0 we are doing really great. My family all bought matching pink (YES I SAID PINK) shirts for the walk, even the little girls have pink onesies. If you feel like taking a possible rain drenched walk with us on Saturday we would love to have you. My mom got a pin for everyone who comes with us on the walk. You can reply to this post asking for more information if you want!
And mom is doing well. We have an appointment tomorrow with her transplant team to find out if there is any reason she can not have the transplant. (It is a bone marrow transplant if you are new to the blog!) She starts blood building shots on Friday if it is all a GO and Monday will have her central line installed. Then it is a waiting game. Hopefully she will produce enough stem cells quickly and get in the hospital quick, but it could take up to 3 weeks for her to produce enough stem cells. Basically she gets a call one day that says "We are ready, come in tomorrow." We found out a few interesting things this week: she cannot have fresh flowers in her hospital room because of mold possibilities and she basically can not clean the house for 6 months after she gets out; it is a drastic way to get out of house work if you ask me!
We have a team goal of $2,000 and so far have raised $1,400!
Although the donation widget to the right says, for some reason, that we have raised $0 we are doing really great. My family all bought matching pink (YES I SAID PINK) shirts for the walk, even the little girls have pink onesies. If you feel like taking a possible rain drenched walk with us on Saturday we would love to have you. My mom got a pin for everyone who comes with us on the walk. You can reply to this post asking for more information if you want!
And mom is doing well. We have an appointment tomorrow with her transplant team to find out if there is any reason she can not have the transplant. (It is a bone marrow transplant if you are new to the blog!) She starts blood building shots on Friday if it is all a GO and Monday will have her central line installed. Then it is a waiting game. Hopefully she will produce enough stem cells quickly and get in the hospital quick, but it could take up to 3 weeks for her to produce enough stem cells. Basically she gets a call one day that says "We are ready, come in tomorrow." We found out a few interesting things this week: she cannot have fresh flowers in her hospital room because of mold possibilities and she basically can not clean the house for 6 months after she gets out; it is a drastic way to get out of house work if you ask me!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Deep Thoughts... by Starbuck
It is a sad commentary on our time when I drive past the gas station and get excited because gas is down to $3.41... I remember when I was in high school and got mad when gas jumped to $1. Sad commentary.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Regestration Deadline
Stepping on soap box, ahem...
If you are not registered to vote the deadline for mail-in registration is Sunday (which is odd since they do not postmark mail on Sunday so really it is tomorrow October 4) or in person you have until 15 days before the general election. This is of course if you live in Utah. If you do not live in Utah your voting rules might differ.
I strongly encourage everyone who is not registered to vote to do so. In Utah visit the Lt. Gov. site to find out more information: http://elections.utah.gov/voterregistrationnewhow.html
And then your county clerk will have a list of all of the elections in your area. For example I live in Salt Lake County:
http://www.clerk.slco.org/
In a few weeks I will be able to see the ballot for my area.
Of course the great thing about our democratic system of voting is that you have the right not to vote. But change cannot happen unless the citizens demand it and also things do not change if we want them the same. This year in Salt Lake County we will be voting for more than people, we have a chance to vote for a zoo tax as well. The bill is designed to raise $65 billion in funding for renewing Hogle Zoo. You might want to vote for or against this as well.
I again encourage everyone to register to vote!
Steps off soap box.
Have a nice day.
If you are not registered to vote the deadline for mail-in registration is Sunday (which is odd since they do not postmark mail on Sunday so really it is tomorrow October 4) or in person you have until 15 days before the general election. This is of course if you live in Utah. If you do not live in Utah your voting rules might differ.
I strongly encourage everyone who is not registered to vote to do so. In Utah visit the Lt. Gov. site to find out more information: http://elections.utah.gov/voterregistrationnewhow.html
And then your county clerk will have a list of all of the elections in your area. For example I live in Salt Lake County:
http://www.clerk.slco.org/
In a few weeks I will be able to see the ballot for my area.
Of course the great thing about our democratic system of voting is that you have the right not to vote. But change cannot happen unless the citizens demand it and also things do not change if we want them the same. This year in Salt Lake County we will be voting for more than people, we have a chance to vote for a zoo tax as well. The bill is designed to raise $65 billion in funding for renewing Hogle Zoo. You might want to vote for or against this as well.
I again encourage everyone to register to vote!
Steps off soap box.
Have a nice day.
It's a brighter day
I woke up this morning with a song belting in my head.
Oh,Oh,Oh
Woke up today feeling the way I always do
Oh,Oh,Oh
Hungry for something that I can't eat
Then I hear that beat
that rythm of town starts hauling me down
It's like a message from high above
Oh,Oh,Oh
Pulling me out to the smiles and streets that I love.
Good Morning Baltimore
Every days like an open door
Every nights like a fantacy
Every sounds like a symphony
Good Morning Baltimore and some day when I take to the floor
The worlds gonna wake up and see Baltimore and Me.
Any day that starts with Tracy Turnblad in your head is going to be a good one! It is a theory I am testing... Now I just can not figure out if I am hearing Ricki Lake, Marissa Jaret Winokur or Nicki Blonsky. Probably not Ricki since she never really sang that song.
Oh,Oh,Oh
Woke up today feeling the way I always do
Oh,Oh,Oh
Hungry for something that I can't eat
Then I hear that beat
that rythm of town starts hauling me down
It's like a message from high above
Oh,Oh,Oh
Pulling me out to the smiles and streets that I love.
Good Morning Baltimore
Every days like an open door
Every nights like a fantacy
Every sounds like a symphony
Good Morning Baltimore and some day when I take to the floor
The worlds gonna wake up and see Baltimore and Me.
Any day that starts with Tracy Turnblad in your head is going to be a good one! It is a theory I am testing... Now I just can not figure out if I am hearing Ricki Lake, Marissa Jaret Winokur or Nicki Blonsky. Probably not Ricki since she never really sang that song.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
So They Say...
I have heard it said that if you cannot say anything nice don't say anything at all... might be why my blog is missing some posts this week.
I say if you cannot say anything nice come sit by me.
I vent… randomly… at no one in particular, especially no one who reads my blog.
First off I want to tell that guy who almost ran into me 3 times on my way to work today to pay attention to the road or next time I will let you hit me and collect money from your insurance company. The fourth time I will not slam on my breaks and swerve …
If you are hired to work from 8-5 daily do not come in at 7, leave at 3:30 and take an hour and a half lunch.
If you are hired to answer the phone in the office sit at your desk and answer the phone when it rings; the rest of us have our job to do and are tired of covering for you.
In this modern day there is no reason not to be on direct deposit for pay checks.
If I pay you a compliment at an event to which you performed graciously accept it and do not attack a prior performance of mine that you thought you should have been a part of.
Do not call me after 10 at night. I am usually in bed. This is of course not applicable if you are a really good friend who needs help. If you just want to chat, call me tomorrow.
The purpose of a political debate is not for you to tell me why I am wrong but why you think you are right. Stop attacking my political views. If you want to convert me to your way of thinking just tell me what your thoughts on the issues are and why. Maybe I will agree, maybe not.
If we invested the outrageous amount of money being spent on attack political ads into our struggling economy we might be better served…
Just because I am female does not mean that I am a secretary or the receptionist. Also do not refer to me as “your girl” unless you want to take me home to meet your mom.
If you are trying to talk to someone and she says, “Not right now.” She means come back later, do not keep talking to her.
If someone looks up at you with tears in her eyes because she is having a bad day do not ask if she is having her period, maybe she has not had a period for 4 years, she might just be having a bad day. Just might be having a bad day and you might be a part of why.
Do not think any of these are directed at you because you are reading it on my blog. If I wanted to say this to you I would say it to your face… or inbox as the case might be. I might just be venting.
End transmission
I say if you cannot say anything nice come sit by me.
I vent… randomly… at no one in particular, especially no one who reads my blog.
First off I want to tell that guy who almost ran into me 3 times on my way to work today to pay attention to the road or next time I will let you hit me and collect money from your insurance company. The fourth time I will not slam on my breaks and swerve …
If you are hired to work from 8-5 daily do not come in at 7, leave at 3:30 and take an hour and a half lunch.
If you are hired to answer the phone in the office sit at your desk and answer the phone when it rings; the rest of us have our job to do and are tired of covering for you.
In this modern day there is no reason not to be on direct deposit for pay checks.
If I pay you a compliment at an event to which you performed graciously accept it and do not attack a prior performance of mine that you thought you should have been a part of.
Do not call me after 10 at night. I am usually in bed. This is of course not applicable if you are a really good friend who needs help. If you just want to chat, call me tomorrow.
The purpose of a political debate is not for you to tell me why I am wrong but why you think you are right. Stop attacking my political views. If you want to convert me to your way of thinking just tell me what your thoughts on the issues are and why. Maybe I will agree, maybe not.
If we invested the outrageous amount of money being spent on attack political ads into our struggling economy we might be better served…
Just because I am female does not mean that I am a secretary or the receptionist. Also do not refer to me as “your girl” unless you want to take me home to meet your mom.
If you are trying to talk to someone and she says, “Not right now.” She means come back later, do not keep talking to her.
If someone looks up at you with tears in her eyes because she is having a bad day do not ask if she is having her period, maybe she has not had a period for 4 years, she might just be having a bad day. Just might be having a bad day and you might be a part of why.
Do not think any of these are directed at you because you are reading it on my blog. If I wanted to say this to you I would say it to your face… or inbox as the case might be. I might just be venting.
End transmission
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