October 12 (Monday)...
I am so blessed to have spent almost five hours going into the wee hours of the morning in conversation with my friend, Heidi Frazier, knowing that I could have spent another five hours talking and feeling like it happened in the blink of an eye.
What did we talk about during those five hours? She let me talk about my crazy Reynolds family day She gave me advice. Then she talked about her life and I gave her advice. What a wonderful gift!!!
My day started at 0100, and without giving too much information, you will learn that I had to spend too much time sitting on the porcelain bowl in the bathroom. I made it across the room and realized that there was an awful smell permeating the air around our open concept living space. I thought it was just my hyper-sensitive sense of smell and went back to sleep.
I woke up again at 0500 and the smell was even worse. So, I woke up Michael and asked him to help me figure out the problem. He said it had to be a skunk. What!!??!! How is it possible? So we looked everywhere and no source (the dog was offended at the thought). We looked outside and no smell.
By this time, Michael had to leave for work and the family was slowly waking up and coming into the common area wishing they had not. My Tornado thought it might be a gas leak, which worried me since i would be gone all day for chemo. I gave instructions to go outside if the smell grew worse or they just could not stand it.
Off mom and I went to my sixth round of chemo. Mom dropped me off and Nancy would pick me up later in the day. It turns out that I must have really wanted away from that smelly house because I arrived over thirty minutes early for my treatments.
When I called later in the day, my mom had opened windows and dog was sent outside by the crew. Our Tornado insisted it was the dog. Our quiet preteen confirmed that the smell surrounding our outdoor shed had a similar awful smell. We assume that is where the skunking happened. Little Miss decided her Hankie needed to wait outside for my return.
Meanwhile, I was learning that arriving early brought no special treatment. I was passed over several times as the waiting room held less company to pass the time. This is starting to sound like an earlier experience from last month!! When will I ever learn the lesson of patience?
Just after 1130 (an hour after my designated appointment), I was called back to have my blood drawn for labs. A new nurse again, so as she gathered her needed equipment Dr. Drengler’s nurse passed by and ask if I got her message from last week. I snapped out that I got the message and was pretty upset about being sent to NP Wendy again. She assured me that his promise was kept and he would see me. This surprised the new nurse who insisted Nurse Monica was wrong. I felt like a game of tug of war was about to start, but I am thankful that experience paid off today. I was off to see the wizard...I mean Dr. Drengler....Yay!!!
I would have to pay the price for victory. As I was placed in the exam room, I heard over the PA system that the hospital needed to talk to Dr. Drengler STAT. I smiled and told Nurse Monica that I understood and would wait patiently.
Let’s just say, I did not get the Emerald City spa treatment for my willingness to wait patiently. And I learned very quickly that as much as Dr. Drengler wants to be the all powerful wizard, sometimes it is better to state the facts of the situation.
Back surgery was a success...I feel better every day and continue to take needed precautions. The pain in my neck is now explained and not just about sleeping on my neck wrong. He is glad I am going to have this issue addressed with radiation along with my hip.
When I asked about the cancer spread in my bones, he told me that when liver cancer (an already agressive cancer) spreads to the bones, it is considered a secondary cancer parallel to the liver cancer. It can be one of two cancers (a non-aggressive cancer OR an aggressive cancer). He is setting up a comparison PET scan to show the change in the images. This scan will determine which type of bone cancer I have manifested in my body. He also wants a precautionary MRI scan done of my brain. He told me not to be concerned but since this had not been done, he did not want to take any chances that we were missing anything.
He asked me if I had any new side effects. We discussed the dry crusty skin and skin tags that are now showing up on my face and arms in the last couple of weeks. He said he had not seen any of these side effects in his patients on my treatment plan, but I do seem to like to do things differently. He would review this information and let me know what to do.
All I can say is that he did not look pleased but he was glad I continued to fight. He would also continue to stay up late thinking about all that we discussed.
Although I would love it if he gave me good news, he does continue to give hope that he is looking for answers. He continues to stay up late thinking of treatments to help stop the spread of this cancer. And he was listening to my concerns and will even look for answers to the odd side effects that keep popping up after a chemo treatment.
Our next visit is scheduled, along with the discussed scans, and we were both off to find our way down the Yellow Brick Road! [Remember our little dance we created for the talent show back in elementary school, Angel Weers, KC Gentry? Who was fourth?]. I will meet up again with Dr. Drengler on November 9 to discuss a revised treatment plan based on all the current scans on file.
I was now almost an hour late to chemo, but I was with my sweet Nurse Cindy!!! She had my IV bags ready for me and treatments began quickly. A sweet lady who arrived with in the oncologist waiting room three hours before would be my chemo partner. We had a nice talk throughput treatment. But she left well before I was done, so I spent time in prayer (not nearly enough) and wasting time with news and my word game.
I did not finish until after 1630 but my faithful pick up driver, Nancy, was waiting outside in spite of my being an hour and half late. A nice ride home giving her updates.
I got home after Michael, so I gathered every one into the living room (free of the awful odor thanks to our airing out). Just as the crew got restless from the report of the day, the phone rings. It is almost 1800 so it must be one of my brothers, but something told me it was a more urgent call that we had been waiting to receive. I told our littles who rushed for the phone...in the other part of the house...a common occurrence since Gramma is not attached to her phone like the younger generations...not to answer the phone but to bring it quickly for Gramma to answer.
My instincts were right because it was indeed the scheduler for her procedure. We now know that my mom will go into her angioplasty a week from Friday (October 23). With a quick trip next Monday for her first COVID test. It is so good to have this on the calendar so we can figure out our new game plan, of course knowing it could all change in a heartbeat...quite literally in her case.
Just as she hung up, the doorbell rang. No worries for dinner, Sandy Farnham brought us tasty fajita fixings. As the crew was taking in the food, I was talking with her about all the happenings of the day. Out from the house, Michael rushes to tell me that the crew was supposed to be at their first 4-H meeting of the year. So they were off in a flash without dinner. Sandy volunteered to pick me up from chemo as she zoomed to get out of the way.
My mom and I were thankful for the quiet to discuss all the dates we now have on the calendar. We are writing appointments in pencil now. We realize that having her procedure the following week will be great for her recovery. Michael had already planned on taking the crew on another geo-camping adventure. We know all the campers will help Michael with the crew. This also resolves the issue of how to get Sean to work as he will be on the camping trip too. So my mom and I will stay back and have a much needed weekend of rest. We already have Nancy on the calendar to help us with transportation. Maybe we will feel like a weekend full of card games or typing up her memory book.
Michael arrived home with the crew in time to add all the 4-H dates to the calendar also. This made me think about other everyday scheduled events to the mix too.
The crew finally got to sit down for a very late dinner. Then we started smelling the return of the odor in the house. Hankie would need to spend a night in the kennel wired shut because he is a smart Houdini. My mom thought this funny and we had a good laugh because you cannot make up the things that bring added interest to our crazy story! Hank would somehow need to be bathed in a de-skunking scrub down before going into the kennel. Holding down dog and scrubbing him and washing him off all in the dark of the night. Our neighbors must wonder what the hullabaloo is all about at 2100 at the Reynolds house. Then all the crew needed showers. So our family prayer time was after 2200.
They were all exhausted but not ME who was still on the high from the first day of steroids. So I was glad to have the text from Heidi Frazier who was happy for the phone call that lasted for five hours! And so ends this long update. I have now stayed up all night still full of energy. I will crash and burn at some point, I am sure.
Please pray for the remainder of October to be calm yet productive. Pray for me and my mom (who do you think I learned to be so in control from) to enjoy giving in to rest and pampering. I still need to throw in a round of radiation to this mix this month. There is much to pray about and we appreciate you all for taking your time. I continue to be humbled by the outpouring of prayer support. May God bless you all!
COMMENTS
Linda Austin
I am exhausted with your schedule and in awe how coordinated you seem to be. I am so glad you have a free weekend . Prayers for sweet Mom and especially you. Love from Moral.
Angel Weers
Of course I remember! I think about it pretty often, actually. I think it was Katie. But it might have been...ugh, just had a moment, but you know who I mean, K.C., our buddy who lived down the road from me... (I hate it when I do that. I could have said his name an hour ago. LOL)
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