Not a good day...

BDHA is the post commander for the local VFW. They had a fundraiser and the entertainment was an Elvis impersonator. I have to admit that even though I'm not a big Elvis fan, he was pretty good. He looked like him and sounded like him but didn't take himself too seriously.

At intermission, the president of the ladies auxiliary came up to me and told me she had to give me a check for $400.00. When you pay your dues, $2 of it goes towards a cancer fund. If you're diagnosed, the National Auxiliary sends you a check for $400.00. I first started paying my dues in August of 2007 for the 2008 membership year. To apply for the cancer grant, you have your doctor fill out a form and you send it in to the Ladies Auxiliary Headquarters in Missouri, which I did. I received a call from a rep there last week who told me she couldn't find me anywhere in the system and she was sending my application back. I faxed her a copy of my membership card I received in 2007 for 2008. She told me I would need to send in proof of payment. I requested a copy of the canceled checks for the 2008 dues and the 2009 dues. The checks I just wrote for 2010 have not yet cleared. MFD joined at the same time and she also is not in the system. I'm getting proof of her dues paid too.

Anyways, while talking to the rep, I mentioned that BDHA was the post commander. She was pretty shocked that I wasn't in the system. Apparently she called the District President who came down this past week and told the local auxiliary that THEY had to pay me the $400.00. I feel awful. I told the president that I didn't want to accept it and that I would call the rep in MO and get it straightened out with proof of payment. She told me she had to give me the check. I told her I would not cash it until I found out what was going on. I know how hard the local auxiliary works for their money. I'm going to think long and hard about that.

The worst thing that happened today is when BDHA and I were in McDonalds getting a take-out order, I just happened to look down and noticed that the diamond in my engagement ring was missing. It was there on Thursday because the trainer in the class I was in noticed I had on a lot of pieces of Black Hills gold. My wedding band and engagement ring are Black Hills gold. I feel just awful. BDHA gave me the engagement ring January of 1978. It's not very common to have a wedding set made out of that gold. I'm hoping that maybe I lost it at work and it's around my desk somewhere. They don't vacuum very often (so it seems) so let's hope that this weekend wasn't one of the times they decided to do it.

I hope everyone's weekend was better than mine.

-Suesan

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Yesterday we attended Amy Valenty's wedding. She and MFD went through grade school and highschool together.

She married Jeffrey Schmetzer. Her sister put together a video of pictures of both Jeff and Amy growing up. That's one thing I missed about not having MFD's wedding here. I would have liked to have done something like that.

I found that my appetite came back and felt I was eating too much last night. I had fasted from the night before because I had to give blood and I made up for it big time. I need to watch that and work on losing more weight.

I woke up at 6:00 a.m. this morning from all the traffic noise. Normally it's really quiet on Sundays. I even wondered for a short time if maybe I had slept through Sunday and it was actually Monday. The tv has football on all over so it must be Sunday. I decided I needed to start walking today.

I went to the Montour Trail and walked 1.13 miles. I have this chip in my shoe that communicates with my ipod (Nike+ipod). I can listen to music and track how far I walked. I then upload it to the nike website and it keeps track. I had never seen as many people at the trail as I did today. There were over 20 cars parked.

BDHA left on a 4-day trip today. I've been watching episodes from last season's NCIS in preparation for the new season starting next week. I've been watching them on my tiny netbook which is nice when I feel like moving around or sitting on the patio.

Time to go attempt to get something productive done. Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my PCP, Dr. B. I also need to pick up a book from the library that came in.

One last picture from last night.








Take care.-Suesan

Radiation Roadblock

I was supposed to have a preliminary meeting with the radiologist tomorrow afternoon. I received a call from their office. The claims person told me that since the radiology clinic was in a free-standing building, I would have to pay the specialist co-pay every time I went. That's $40 a visit. That's a minimum of 30 visits for a total minimum of $1200.00. If I went to a radiation clinic in a hospital, it's free to me.

That's a no-brainer. However, the closest hospital that offers this is Magee which is where I've been going for all of my treatment. I just didn't want to drive downtown every day for a 5-minute procedure. I certainly don't want to pay $1200 just to save myself time. Sigh...

I received a call from Dr. Z's clinical coordinator who said she'd set up an appointment for me with their clinic in the hospital. I told her to hold off and wait until I checked out the two local hospitals. They use free-standing clinics so I'm right back where I started. I'll have to call her back and tell her to go ahead.

I had a follow-up appointment with the kidney doctor this morning. I just need a blood test to re-check my levels and I should be good and not have to see her again. She asked about MFD's wedding. The doctor is Egyptian and liked the idea of having it in the Luxor.

I drove out to State College yesterday by myself to take MFS out to lunch, check out his new apartment and to stock his pantry/fridge. It's a nice apartment. It's clean and freshly painted. The best thing is that it comes with it's own washer and dryer that he shares with his roommate and he doesn't have to pay per wash. I think he just pays for electricity.

The drive wasn't too bad. I had plenty of energy. I only got tired about an hour from home. I think that would have happened even without me going through everything I had gone through previously.

On Sunday, MFD and I went to Ross Park Mall. I hadn't been there since December 23rd, the day after my first chemo when I had plenty of energy from the steriods. I felt fine on Sunday and walked all over the mall. I even picked up some info on kayaking from L.L. Bean. I think BDHA and I will first try our canoe in the Ohio River next summer. I haven't been in it for years. Hopefully my arm strength will be back by then.

Well...time to eat lunch then head into work.

Have a great day!

Friday, September 4, 2009

I saw Dr. Z (surgical oncologist) again today. I hadn't seen him since the 21st. The wound is almost healed. I have my first appointment with the radiologist next Wednesday, the 9th. It's just a preliminary. I'll probably find out then when I'll start radiation.

Dr Z's nurse told me that he was leaving the practice. She didn't say when. Hope he's there for my next appointment which is in October. Apparently he was offered a full-time position with the group and neglected to turn in the paperwork on time. They ended up offering the position to someone else who accepted it. The nurse wasn't too happy. She said he was really good and the staff liked him. Oh well..

I wrote a thank-you note for Dr. L (medical oncologist) and his staff. I put in a Panera Gift card. I took it upstairs after my appointment with Dr. Z and gave it to Suzi, Dr L's nurse. She said she would make sure he saw it. He only works at this hospital on Mondays and since next Monday is a holiday, he won't be in until the 14th. I also was able to see Dawn, my chemo nurse. I was delayed on my last two chemos and by the time I started up again, she had had her baby girl and was out on maternity leave. It was nice to catch up and see her pictures.

Below is what I wrote in the note. It didn't come close to saying everything I felt. I ran out of room on the card.

Dear Dr. L and staff:

I wanted to thank all of you for your assistance in helping me through this ordeal. It’s very hard for me to express myself verbally without getting all choked up so I am writing.

Everyone was so helpful and kind and made what was the scariest thing I had ever undergone into something not so scary. One hears horror stories of chemo treatments and I have to admit, mine were not nearly as bad as I had heard they might be. I attribute that directly to the staff and the center. It was bright and cheery and friendly. I rarely felt that it wasn’t something I couldn’t do and that was because there were so many people willing to help.

Dr. L, I wanted to especially thank you. You were calm and confident (for the most part) which helped me to stay calm and confident. Many times I thought to myself, “you need to do this, you don’t want to disappoint Dr. L.”. I have been singing your praises to anyone who will listen. You are a wonderful, caring doctor. I look forward to enjoying this “new lease on life” and have many plans. Thank you.

Please accept this gift card as a small token of my appreciation to you and the staff. I know how fun it is to have a “food day” at work.

God Bless you and yours.

Time to head to bed. I have three LONG days ahead of me where I have to entertain Mr. Whacko, or else.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Suesan

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

I worked a full day yesterday. At 1:30 p.m., I looked at the clock and said..."Okay..make it to 4". The next time I noticed the time, it was 5 p.m. Had no problem making it one more hour to 6. I was starving by the time I got home. That was probably from eating so much the night before. BDHA made a great dinner of grilled boneless porkchops, grilled zucchini, peppers and onions and sliced tomatoes from the garden.

I decided to count months to get to my three year anniversary. This is more psychological than anything. I can see the number getting smaller each month vs once a year. Right now I have 35 months left to go. In a few weeks, it will be 34. I have my calendar marked at work.

I've been trying to come up with things that I can store in the empty pocket of my bra. Why you ask? Because I can! This is what I've come up with so far. Feel free to email me with more.
1. phone
2. snacks
3. id and cash when you don't want to carry a purse/wallet
4. thought about keys but that would probably hurt
5. flask to sneak into Steelers' games
6. kleenex
7. water balloon filled with gin martinis and with a straw. But then people might notice that my boob is getting smaller as the day wears on.

I'm also wondering how much BDHA has been bribing people because at least 3 have said to me in the last few days that they really like my hair. Right now, I'm still leaning on dyeing it...sorry!

Time to get ready for work!