Monday, October 14, 2013
It's been a year since my last post, not sure why...well yes I do, I got busy lots going on I will try to catch you all up but it will be in individual post. I just can,t type that much & since I'm typing on the ipad that makes it even harder, waiting for my key board and stand for my Bday...... On the 31st 2 days!,, not sure how I feel I about that ill be 46 sounds so old, like 45 really didn't seem bad but 46, yea not so much.
Back to last year.....on August 30, 2012 I had my reconstruction......... Oh I was soooo excited, so much so I didn't listen to my sister in-law about maybe post phoning for it to not be on a holiday weekend. To anxious I wanted this over.
So I went......5 am, me, joe, mom, Kenny, Paul & Stephanie head to the hospital. They start to get me prepped PP (brother Paul) of course has to do the pre picture w/ the lovely blue cap on, I look like a dork he of course is heading to work later so he's dresses nice.
We go through all of the questions needed to be asked. Like be of mine was can you fix my ripped ear lobe while in there? Yea no the surgery was to be about 11 hours so no added nips or tucks allowed.
We meet the anesthesiologist can't remember her name but so incredibly nice. Loved PP kept touching his hand & shoulder when he asked questions then hugged me before she left. I think they are all so nice cause they take side hits of the happy juice.
Dr. Sacks comes in to do his markings on his master pieces, (I'm not making that up he really is in love with his work, we call him dr. I love my job, especially the job I did on Tonilyn , Steph says she thinks its his screen saver.
Anyway before he can mark me we need to kick everyone out! Again I have the entourage with me in the pre-op room.
Happy juice is given & I apparently wave like miss America as I go in.
So 12.25 hours later I'm done! Yes I wrote 12.25 hours.<br />
Joe, mom, & Kenny stayed the entire time. I can not believe that cause its not like you have beds to crash on or even good tv to watch, joe said when dr. Sacks came out for the last up date to say I was in recovery, mom cried(shocker) & hugged him.<br />
Got in the room about 11:00 pm. But not after I kicked out my post op nurse & called in her supervisor.<br />
My first nurse was sheena which happened to be joes mom & pops cats name, so that told me joes pop was with me in the or. She was amazing, so nice, gentle, great bedside manner. Then shifts changed.......ins don't even remember the other nurses name so we will just call her cruella.<br />
Now I've just gotten out of a 12 hour surgery, I'm a bit out of it, plus here's what I had done...... Skip ahead if your queasy .<br />
They removed the expanders in both breasts, then cut me from hip to hip & took all the fat they could get from my tummy to implant into the breasts, had to connect the blood vessels (each one) to the the other tissue to keep it alive & hope that it takes & doesn't reject it.<br />
Then the moved the belly button cause they had to stretch the tummy to connect w/ the pevis & sew it up. & because my port scar keloid he re-cut that to flatten it.<br />
So needless to say I was in a bit of pain.<br />
I was thirsty to but cause I wasn't aloud to drink they give you those sponge sticks they're supposed to taste minty & you suck on them well I started using it as an Ziccardi scooper. So as I m trying to pee on the lovely bed pan ( with a shy bladder still) I burp, good thing cause I need to move the gas, bad thing too much water so I start to throw up, cruella is next to the other bed pan & mom says she's getting sick & is trying to hold me up, & the nurse goes to reach for the pan I'm sitting on! Again a WTF moment mom yells no hand me that one, then I start to pee & mom is trying to get her to help with moving the bed up.<br />
I'm a mess, thank god for my mom, I really mean this I have no idea what I would have done with out her through all of this. But that's another page.<br />
Pain is kicking in again, i need more pain meds, but I'm stuck between get the meds now & wait 2 hours before they will move me to a room or wait & hope they move me with in the hour to a room then get the meds there?<br />
My decision was made when I needed to take off the gowns & put on new ones from the others being soiled & as mom sits me up cruella walks out of the cubicle & leaves my curtain wide open as thejanitor starts taking out the trash & mopping the floors. Yes I have no gown on! WTF<br />
That's it get her out of here.<br />
<b
Joe comes in & they get the supervisor on the phone Justin, he comes down & says fine he will get me another nurse. I the mean time every time I go to move or eat because if the Anesthesia I throw up. Now they're afraid I will aspirate because of my lungs are making a gurgling sounds & my bowl is doing something too, gurgling not gurgling who knows. But then it gets really fun, Justin calls in Anesthesia who decides I should have an NP tube put in. That's that awesome tube that goes in your nose then funnels into your stomach & is supposed suck the junk in your belly out. Well it's normally done while in the or & your a sleep! Nope not me they put it in while I'm in recovery & awake! Oh so fun. NOT.
It's in & it's gagging me. I can't swallow I can eat, & from all the tugging & pulling my stomach is in so much pain. Guess I'm getting the pain pills down here.
The upside to this story is that one of the head nurses saw my last name on the schedule & figured I was related to someone (Stephanie) & made sure I was put in a room with some amazing nurses. As it turns out they wanted to put me in ICU because if the gagging, & the boob flaps stay open so they can test the blood flow & make sure everything is connected & working correctly so I would need constant care.
But she also knew that could be a pain for me moving me again, & joe would not be able to stay with me. Good call I think that would have put me over the edge. & my nurses where some of the most attentive, caring nurses I've ever had.
My stay was to be 4-5 days, turned out to 5. I had a few more issues like the resident on duty didn't feel the np tube should be removed after a day & a 1/2, so after my nurses made call after call for the order to remove it & he never got back to them, in between a panic attack cause I was chocking, gagging & realized I couldn't breath. I pulled it out myself, yes you read that correctly I pulled it from the nostrils then kept sliding it out of my nose until it was all out! I think I shocked all of the staff, but I knew they couldn't do it & joe was about to but I was afraid he would hurt me cause he could not feel it. So I did it. "My body, my choice"!
Amazing I felt so much better, until they decided that I should get a chest x ray cause again the Ass of a resident wanted to make sure I wasn't building fluid in my lungs. 2 days after being cut up to look like the dog "frankenweinie" I was moved to a wheel chair & taken to the emergency room X-ray lap where I had to stand & try to balance for a chest X-ray that was normal.
Needless to say I wrote a letter about that resident. Moron.
5 days later I was sent home with a walker, a headless lizard tattoo (he was on my hip & had to be decapitated for the tissue flap.) lots of meds, & a realization to listen to Stephanie when she suggests something like no surgery unless its an emergency on a 5 day holiday weekend. All in all its still a great hospital with amazing surgeons & staff.
Sorry for my absence May 29, 2013
It's been a year since my last post, not sure why...well yes I do, I got busy lots going on I will try to catch you all up but it will be in individual post. I just can,t type that much & since I'm typing on the ipad that makes it even harder, waiting for my key board and stand for my Bday...... On the 31st 2 days!,, not sure how I feel I about that ill be 46 sounds so old, like 45 really didn't seem bad but 46, yea not so much.
Back to last year.....on August 30, 2012 I had my reconstruction......... Oh I was soooo excited, so much so I didn't listen to my sister in-law about maybe post phoning for it to not be on a holiday weekend. To anxious I wanted this over.
So I went......5 am, me, joe, mom, Kenny, Paul & Stephanie head to the hospital. They start to get me prepped PP (brother Paul) of course has to do the pre picture w/ the lovely blue cap on, I look like a dork he of course is heading to work later so he's dresses nice.
We go through all of the questions needed to be asked. Like be of mine was can you fix my ripped ear lobe while in there? Yea no the surgery was to be about 11 hours so no added nips or tucks allowed.
We meet the anesthesiologist can't remember her name but so incredibly nice. Loved PP kept touching his hand & shoulder when he asked questions then hugged me before she left. I think they are all so nice cause they take side hits of the happy juice.
Dr. Sacks comes in to do his markings on his master pieces, (I'm not making that up he really is in love with his work, we call him dr. I love my job, especially the job I did on Tonilyn , Steph says she thinks its his screen saver.
Anyway before he can mark me we need to kick everyone out! Again I have the entourage with me in the pre-op room.
Happy juice is given & I apparently wave like miss America as I go in.
So 12.25 hours later I'm done! Yes I wrote 12.25 hours.
Joe, mom, & Kenny stayed the entire time. I can not believe that cause its not like you have beds to crash on or even good tv to watch, joe said when dr. Sacks came out for the last up date to say I was in recovery, mom cried(shocker) & hugged him.
Got in the room about 11:00 pm. But not after I kicked out my post op nurse & called in her supervisor.
My first nurse was sheena which happened to be joes mom & pops cats name, so that told me joes pop was with me in the or. She was amazing, so nice, gentle, great bedside manner. Then shifts changed.......ins don't even remember the other nurses name so we will just call her cruella.
Now I've just gotten out of a 12 hour surgery, I'm a bit out of it, plus here's what I had done...... Skip ahead if your queasy .
They removed the expanders in both breasts, then cut me from hip to hip & took all the fat they could get from my tummy to implant into the breasts, had to connect the blood vessels (each one) to the the other tissue to keep it alive & hope that it takes & doesn't reject it.
Then the moved the belly button cause they had to stretch the tummy to connect w/ the pevis & sew it up. & because my port scar keloid he re-cut that to flatten it.
So needless to say I was in a bit of pain.
I was thirsty to but cause I wasn't aloud to drink they give you those sponge sticks they're supposed to taste minty & you suck on them well I started using it as an Ziccardi scooper. So as I m trying to pee on the lovely bed pan ( with a shy bladder still) I burp, good thing cause I need to move the gas, bad thing too much water so I start to throw up, cruella is next to the other bed pan & mom says she's getting sick & is trying to hold me up, & the nurse goes to reach for the pan I'm sitting on! Again a WTF moment mom yells no hand me that one, then I start to pee & mom is trying to get her to help with moving the bed up.
I'm a mess, thank god for my mom, I really mean this I have no idea what I would have done with out her through all of this. But that's another page.
Pain is kicking in again, i need more pain meds, but I'm stuck between get the meds now & wait 2 hours before they will move me to a room or wait & hope they move me with in the hour to a room then get the meds there?
My decision was made when I needed to take off the gowns & put on new ones from the others being soiled & as mom sits me up cruella walks out of the cubicle & leaves my curtain wide open as the ganitor starts taking out the trash & mopping the floors. Yes I have no gown on! WTF
That's it get her out of here.
Back to last year.....on August 30, 2012 I had my reconstruction......... Oh I was soooo excited, so much so I didn't listen to my sister in-law about maybe post phoning for it to not be on a holiday weekend. To anxious I wanted this over.
So I went......5 am, me, joe, mom, Kenny, Paul & Stephanie head to the hospital. They start to get me prepped PP (brother Paul) of course has to do the pre picture w/ the lovely blue cap on, I look like a dork he of course is heading to work later so he's dresses nice.
We go through all of the questions needed to be asked. Like be of mine was can you fix my ripped ear lobe while in there? Yea no the surgery was to be about 11 hours so no added nips or tucks allowed.
We meet the anesthesiologist can't remember her name but so incredibly nice. Loved PP kept touching his hand & shoulder when he asked questions then hugged me before she left. I think they are all so nice cause they take side hits of the happy juice.
Dr. Sacks comes in to do his markings on his master pieces, (I'm not making that up he really is in love with his work, we call him dr. I love my job, especially the job I did on Tonilyn , Steph says she thinks its his screen saver.
Anyway before he can mark me we need to kick everyone out! Again I have the entourage with me in the pre-op room.
Happy juice is given & I apparently wave like miss America as I go in.
So 12.25 hours later I'm done! Yes I wrote 12.25 hours.
Joe, mom, & Kenny stayed the entire time. I can not believe that cause its not like you have beds to crash on or even good tv to watch, joe said when dr. Sacks came out for the last up date to say I was in recovery, mom cried(shocker) & hugged him.
Got in the room about 11:00 pm. But not after I kicked out my post op nurse & called in her supervisor.
My first nurse was sheena which happened to be joes mom & pops cats name, so that told me joes pop was with me in the or. She was amazing, so nice, gentle, great bedside manner. Then shifts changed.......ins don't even remember the other nurses name so we will just call her cruella.
Now I've just gotten out of a 12 hour surgery, I'm a bit out of it, plus here's what I had done...... Skip ahead if your queasy .
They removed the expanders in both breasts, then cut me from hip to hip & took all the fat they could get from my tummy to implant into the breasts, had to connect the blood vessels (each one) to the the other tissue to keep it alive & hope that it takes & doesn't reject it.
Then the moved the belly button cause they had to stretch the tummy to connect w/ the pevis & sew it up. & because my port scar keloid he re-cut that to flatten it.
So needless to say I was in a bit of pain.
I was thirsty to but cause I wasn't aloud to drink they give you those sponge sticks they're supposed to taste minty & you suck on them well I started using it as an Ziccardi scooper. So as I m trying to pee on the lovely bed pan ( with a shy bladder still) I burp, good thing cause I need to move the gas, bad thing too much water so I start to throw up, cruella is next to the other bed pan & mom says she's getting sick & is trying to hold me up, & the nurse goes to reach for the pan I'm sitting on! Again a WTF moment mom yells no hand me that one, then I start to pee & mom is trying to get her to help with moving the bed up.
I'm a mess, thank god for my mom, I really mean this I have no idea what I would have done with out her through all of this. But that's another page.
Pain is kicking in again, i need more pain meds, but I'm stuck between get the meds now & wait 2 hours before they will move me to a room or wait & hope they move me with in the hour to a room then get the meds there?
My decision was made when I needed to take off the gowns & put on new ones from the others being soiled & as mom sits me up cruella walks out of the cubicle & leaves my curtain wide open as the ganitor starts taking out the trash & mopping the floors. Yes I have no gown on! WTF
That's it get her out of here.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Joseph S. Ziccardi Sr. Oct. 20, 1934 to March 14, 2012
I am dedicating this post to my father -in- law Joseph Salvatore Ziccardi Sr. Esq.
On March 14th we lost an amazing man. I call him my father in law even though Joe & I are not married yet, Because Pop (that's what we called him) would always introduce me as his daughter in law. Which to me was an honor.
He truly was a great man with many accomplishments, not only was he a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, God Father & friend. He was a retired Colonel in the Army Jag Unit. An attorney in Pennsylvania, & also known as the Hoffman Street kid.
I had heard many stories of his life from him, but was really impressed by the many people who had come to pay their respects & commented on how he mentored them, guided them to find their way in life, or how he was so proud to serve his country.
I will never be able to see an apple caramel walnut pie or swim around the island with out thinking of you.
I know you are in heaven with your Pop & Mom & I'm sure your enjoying a cigar with a Manhattan, smiling down on us.
You will truly be missed. Love you Pop!
On March 14th we lost an amazing man. I call him my father in law even though Joe & I are not married yet, Because Pop (that's what we called him) would always introduce me as his daughter in law. Which to me was an honor.
He truly was a great man with many accomplishments, not only was he a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, God Father & friend. He was a retired Colonel in the Army Jag Unit. An attorney in Pennsylvania, & also known as the Hoffman Street kid.
I had heard many stories of his life from him, but was really impressed by the many people who had come to pay their respects & commented on how he mentored them, guided them to find their way in life, or how he was so proud to serve his country.
I will never be able to see an apple caramel walnut pie or swim around the island with out thinking of you.
I know you are in heaven with your Pop & Mom & I'm sure your enjoying a cigar with a Manhattan, smiling down on us.
You will truly be missed. Love you Pop!
Close to the finish line
I know its been a really long time since my last post. I apologise, but it has been a whirlwind of a few months.
On February 4th I finished radiation, with very little burns to the skin. So little that when I went to see the plastic surgeon to set up the appointment for the other breast to be removed he didn't think i had had radiation yet. I'd like to thank my grandmothers Emma & Angie for good Genes or at least good Italian skin!
March 12th i went in & had my left breast removed. On that same day my plastics Dr. Sacks is testing out a new email program where he can email to family member's basically a play by play in the operating room. So I provided him with about 15 email addresses. Including my family that was waiting in the family waiting area. Oh wait they weren't waiting in the family waiting area anymore, because they could all get updates on their smart phones so, My Joe, mom, Paul, Stephanie, & cousin Laura all went to a local pub to enjoy burgers & beer while I was being cut open!
& To my Dr. he thought that was the coolest thing. Really? Almost as cool as his work on my Breasts yes he is really obsessed with them. Stephanie swears they are his screen saver, That's how proud he is?
All turned out good, anyway Pathology reports all came back clear!
Next was to have the ovaries out. So I was going to have that done on the same day but Dr. Sacks nixed that idea as that was way to long a surgery at the same time.
So I found a really good local Dr. in Pa. Dr.Randell. who coincidentally was one of best friends Dr.'s, He's the director of Gyn & oncology at Pennsylvania hospital. This to me was a sign. He was the man to remove the ovaries.
On April 30th He did. in less then 2 hours. I call it the drive through surgery. I arrived at 6;30 am checked in ran some labs, got my happy juice at 8:30am & was in recovery by 11:00, & home by 3. All i needed was fries & a milk shake with my surgery?
But all is good. As you can kinda see in the photo in the hospital with my bro my hair is growing back in, it really soft, thick & curly? Not sure what to do with that. But I'll work it out.
Now i wait for all skin to heal & let my body rest for the summer & come September I will have reconstruction, along with a tummy tuck. & can cross that finish line.
If anything else happens I'll keep you all informed. If not i may not be back till September with the new Bubbies.
Thanks for reading! Your prayers, praise & thoughts!
XOXO
Post-op PP pic
Pre-op Dinner
On February 4th I finished radiation, with very little burns to the skin. So little that when I went to see the plastic surgeon to set up the appointment for the other breast to be removed he didn't think i had had radiation yet. I'd like to thank my grandmothers Emma & Angie for good Genes or at least good Italian skin!
March 12th i went in & had my left breast removed. On that same day my plastics Dr. Sacks is testing out a new email program where he can email to family member's basically a play by play in the operating room. So I provided him with about 15 email addresses. Including my family that was waiting in the family waiting area. Oh wait they weren't waiting in the family waiting area anymore, because they could all get updates on their smart phones so, My Joe, mom, Paul, Stephanie, & cousin Laura all went to a local pub to enjoy burgers & beer while I was being cut open!
& To my Dr. he thought that was the coolest thing. Really? Almost as cool as his work on my Breasts yes he is really obsessed with them. Stephanie swears they are his screen saver, That's how proud he is?
All turned out good, anyway Pathology reports all came back clear!
Next was to have the ovaries out. So I was going to have that done on the same day but Dr. Sacks nixed that idea as that was way to long a surgery at the same time.
So I found a really good local Dr. in Pa. Dr.Randell. who coincidentally was one of best friends Dr.'s, He's the director of Gyn & oncology at Pennsylvania hospital. This to me was a sign. He was the man to remove the ovaries.
On April 30th He did. in less then 2 hours. I call it the drive through surgery. I arrived at 6;30 am checked in ran some labs, got my happy juice at 8:30am & was in recovery by 11:00, & home by 3. All i needed was fries & a milk shake with my surgery?
But all is good. As you can kinda see in the photo in the hospital with my bro my hair is growing back in, it really soft, thick & curly? Not sure what to do with that. But I'll work it out.
Now i wait for all skin to heal & let my body rest for the summer & come September I will have reconstruction, along with a tummy tuck. & can cross that finish line.
If anything else happens I'll keep you all informed. If not i may not be back till September with the new Bubbies.
Thanks for reading! Your prayers, praise & thoughts!
XOXO
Post-op PP pic
Pre-op DinnerWednesday, January 18, 2012
I AM CANCER FREE! 1-16-2012
Well 2012 started out well so far, i know I have to fill you all in on alot that has happened in the past month, But wanted to shout out first it is official from Dr. Greenberg on January 16th he said I am disease free. Mom asked if that meant I was in remission & he says no I am disease free. Because they removed my breast & lymph nodes there was nothing to shrink & I went through the chemo & am still going through radiation (I'm 1/2 way done) all my blood levels are back to normal & organs look good! Ye haw!!
So my next step is finish radiation, started to get some burns not too bad but they say it can get worse & the fatigue hits me a bit by the end of each week but I'll take it if it means disease free!
The back story leading up to all this.....Christmas....Mom wanted to do this in the mountains the same town where we do the Italians invade the lake in the summer. But this time the Italians invaded the mountain. We arrived to "Ski & Glee" that was the name of the house. There was snow the day we arrived but it all melted by day 2, it was one of the warmest weeks they've had up there in years? That's OK. there was plenty for us to do, the house had an arcade & when I say arcade I don't mean a few games i mean an arcade.! I got high score on the one driving game. So my name is on the licence plate of 3 of the cars. (YES, I am proud of this, have you met my brothers?) It also had an indoor pool. Hot tub, & sauna.
There was plenty of food ( as if you where all shocked about that) we did our traditional seafood chippino, stuffed calamari, and then Lobsters!
Then there was the present opening, I call it that cause it just isn't gift giving its a montage of presents being opened. I of course had the most as I always do.( its a requirement) I think my brothers had 1 more then me 1 year & I made mom wrap something lame just so they wouldn't. yes i am 44 & still worrying about this.
But i got one of the best gift ever this year, (no it wasn't the gnome, or the forever lazy. although I love them both) It was a song. Mom, Laura, Stephanie & Kati sang me a song that mom wrote. called "Let it grow" to the music of Let it snow, It was on the Holiday Tits album sung by "Las TaTa's" I will post it for you all to hear. I was more moved then I could have ever imagined, I laughed & cried.
We took pictures in matching PJ'S not a favorite for some of the men, But the girls loved it! Were a pretty cute group if I do say so myself?
Then Christmas eve Joe & I went to his mom & pops. Michele came in from Colorado, Chuck, Andrea, Charlotte, & Marco where there & His cousin Dee & Rick came too. That was a nice surprise, I haven;t spent alot of time with them so it was really nice & it was a lot of fun. Lots of laughs! Charlotte was curious about the wigs so I brought them for her to try on, she was so cute with them & that was so fun.
Lots of food again, Dolores made her famous cotton cookies (their like wedding rings) Joe & I love them & we still do the fish but it gets changed up a bit there's dungeness crab! Yum. It was the first crab I've had since chemo & it was sooooo good.
Then Christmas Day we went to my friend Lisa's ( I've been going there on Xmas day for over 10 years) Its always a blast. After a dinner of surf & turf, we play LRC. (its a gambling dice game) I was hoping they would take pity on me this year & maybe I'd win, but no such luck? I gotta work on my skill & try to win all my money back.
New Years we where supposed to go to the MD Peditto's like we do every year, But PP got the Flu & I wanted no parts of that. So instead we went to dinner in Philly w/ Lisa, my friend Mollye, & Charlie Brown showed up). Then watched the Fireworks at Pennslanding I was impressed they where really good.
So as I've been saying since January 1st. NEW YEAR NEW LIFE!
I still have a long road ahead, I have another surgery, I'm waiting to have my other breast removed & my ovaries taken once the Dr. gets me the date I will let you all know. Then i will heal for about 6 months from everything & can have Reconstruction. But again I'll take it cause I AM CANCER FREE!
So since I still have stuff to talk about I will still keep posting. Hope you all still read along!
Thank You all so much for all your support. Enjoy the video music is my let it grow song.
xoxo
So my next step is finish radiation, started to get some burns not too bad but they say it can get worse & the fatigue hits me a bit by the end of each week but I'll take it if it means disease free!
The back story leading up to all this.....Christmas....Mom wanted to do this in the mountains the same town where we do the Italians invade the lake in the summer. But this time the Italians invaded the mountain. We arrived to "Ski & Glee" that was the name of the house. There was snow the day we arrived but it all melted by day 2, it was one of the warmest weeks they've had up there in years? That's OK. there was plenty for us to do, the house had an arcade & when I say arcade I don't mean a few games i mean an arcade.! I got high score on the one driving game. So my name is on the licence plate of 3 of the cars. (YES, I am proud of this, have you met my brothers?) It also had an indoor pool. Hot tub, & sauna.
There was plenty of food ( as if you where all shocked about that) we did our traditional seafood chippino, stuffed calamari, and then Lobsters!
Then there was the present opening, I call it that cause it just isn't gift giving its a montage of presents being opened. I of course had the most as I always do.( its a requirement) I think my brothers had 1 more then me 1 year & I made mom wrap something lame just so they wouldn't. yes i am 44 & still worrying about this.
But i got one of the best gift ever this year, (no it wasn't the gnome, or the forever lazy. although I love them both) It was a song. Mom, Laura, Stephanie & Kati sang me a song that mom wrote. called "Let it grow" to the music of Let it snow, It was on the Holiday Tits album sung by "Las TaTa's" I will post it for you all to hear. I was more moved then I could have ever imagined, I laughed & cried.
We took pictures in matching PJ'S not a favorite for some of the men, But the girls loved it! Were a pretty cute group if I do say so myself?
Then Christmas eve Joe & I went to his mom & pops. Michele came in from Colorado, Chuck, Andrea, Charlotte, & Marco where there & His cousin Dee & Rick came too. That was a nice surprise, I haven;t spent alot of time with them so it was really nice & it was a lot of fun. Lots of laughs! Charlotte was curious about the wigs so I brought them for her to try on, she was so cute with them & that was so fun.
Lots of food again, Dolores made her famous cotton cookies (their like wedding rings) Joe & I love them & we still do the fish but it gets changed up a bit there's dungeness crab! Yum. It was the first crab I've had since chemo & it was sooooo good.
Then Christmas Day we went to my friend Lisa's ( I've been going there on Xmas day for over 10 years) Its always a blast. After a dinner of surf & turf, we play LRC. (its a gambling dice game) I was hoping they would take pity on me this year & maybe I'd win, but no such luck? I gotta work on my skill & try to win all my money back.
New Years we where supposed to go to the MD Peditto's like we do every year, But PP got the Flu & I wanted no parts of that. So instead we went to dinner in Philly w/ Lisa, my friend Mollye, & Charlie Brown showed up). Then watched the Fireworks at Pennslanding I was impressed they where really good.
So as I've been saying since January 1st. NEW YEAR NEW LIFE!
I still have a long road ahead, I have another surgery, I'm waiting to have my other breast removed & my ovaries taken once the Dr. gets me the date I will let you all know. Then i will heal for about 6 months from everything & can have Reconstruction. But again I'll take it cause I AM CANCER FREE!
So since I still have stuff to talk about I will still keep posting. Hope you all still read along!
Thank You all so much for all your support. Enjoy the video music is my let it grow song.
xoxo
Saturday, December 17, 2011
A Thanksgiving to be thankful 12-5-11
It's been almost a month since my last post. & boy have I been busy. I went for chemo on the 14th, levels were low, lower then ever. But I could still get the taxatier, but had to take the nupogion shots again! This sucks but In order to feel well again I need these shots. My white counts are only a 4, & that's to low for 2 weeks. So Joe again gets to be the barer of the bad shot. We discover if I put an ice pack on the spot first & numb it that makes the sting not so bad.
I then have to go back the following week to check the counts again. I go back for this on November 23rd. But before that we go into Philly on the 20th to see my bestie Lisa run in the Philly marathon. & she did it 13.1 miles so proud of my friend. Like I said to you before the race " I'll never give up" & neither did you! Then Monday we celebrate Joe's birthday. He turned 47 on the 21st! So me, his mom & sister Michele take him to the crab trap for dinner. It was a lot of fun I love seeing him w/ his family we have a lot of laughs & had a fun waitress that we all kept busting on. I had a coconut muffin (some of you might not know but I love all things coconut) so she gave me a whole bag of them. & I never even had to Pull the C card?
Now on that wed at my Dr's apt. my counts are through the roof, in a good way. But I have a whole new set of side effects. The numb tongue, still neoropathy in the fingers & feet. Now headaches again. Spots in front of my eyes kinda like seeing trails.
So the Dr is concerned I have a high toxicity level to the taxatier, we talk about being done with chemo. The Dr said that it was OK for me to stop , that the amount of chemo that I had received especially in the beginning was the most important dose. So I cry hug Donna the receptionist & Cathy the nurse. I'm done! I was on a cloud that day. Really did not know how to feel.
I immediately called my mom she was visiting Kati at school w/ Stephanie. So I made the announcement a thankful thanksgiving no more Chemo was done!
O!I called everyone & cried tears of joy. I then went to get coffee after all the excitement & run into Father Frank ( Gabe's brother the one Gina asked to pray for me in Rome the St.Jude Father) he gave me a blessing, then probably ran away, I was like a crazed fan. So excited to meet him!
Thanksgiving was that week we went to Chuck & Andrea's & it was great to see the family, it's been since the summer, Andreas sister, brother in law & nephew were there so this was really nice it's the first time I've met some of her family. Charlotte was excited to see what wig I was going to be wearing. I wore the long one knowing Char likes long hair. But promised her I'd bring the wigs for Christmas so she could try them on. At dinner we all said something we were thankful for, Marco decided he was thankful for uncle Joe & wanted us to all say that too. I said I was thankful for my health & my fiance (Marco's Uncle Joe) & his support he was my rock more the i ever expected & the families mine & his for being so supportive. Then Char belted out So when are you & uncle Joe getting married! Really.... out of the mouth of an 8 year old.
That weekend my Hammonton Girls & I went to see the cake boss at the Trop. Gina's idea she had press seats & Colleen has connections. We went to dinner at the Palm first (Comped, again Colleen) & then went to see the show. I loved it. I laughed, cried, & understood his sarcasm, it was like being with the family. At the end Colleen noticed he was signing autographs & thought they where giving out cake, so we went over to line & it was a VIP line, But yup you guessed it Colleens name was on the list! We where in. We get up to him he signs all the aprons Amy has bought for us ( its supposed to be a free night?) & then Colleen pulls the 'c" card shes been waiting to do that for months. I'm glad she did I got a kiss, hug & hes gonna pray for me! But no cake.
All that good news & It took me this long to tell everyone......Sorry.
Radiation starts December 27th. But I will fill you all in hopefully before then, we have the Italians invade the lake Christmas coming up, this should be some good writing.
Merry Chrristmas!
xoxo
I then have to go back the following week to check the counts again. I go back for this on November 23rd. But before that we go into Philly on the 20th to see my bestie Lisa run in the Philly marathon. & she did it 13.1 miles so proud of my friend. Like I said to you before the race " I'll never give up" & neither did you! Then Monday we celebrate Joe's birthday. He turned 47 on the 21st! So me, his mom & sister Michele take him to the crab trap for dinner. It was a lot of fun I love seeing him w/ his family we have a lot of laughs & had a fun waitress that we all kept busting on. I had a coconut muffin (some of you might not know but I love all things coconut) so she gave me a whole bag of them. & I never even had to Pull the C card?
Now on that wed at my Dr's apt. my counts are through the roof, in a good way. But I have a whole new set of side effects. The numb tongue, still neoropathy in the fingers & feet. Now headaches again. Spots in front of my eyes kinda like seeing trails.
So the Dr is concerned I have a high toxicity level to the taxatier, we talk about being done with chemo. The Dr said that it was OK for me to stop , that the amount of chemo that I had received especially in the beginning was the most important dose. So I cry hug Donna the receptionist & Cathy the nurse. I'm done! I was on a cloud that day. Really did not know how to feel.
I immediately called my mom she was visiting Kati at school w/ Stephanie. So I made the announcement a thankful thanksgiving no more Chemo was done!
O!I called everyone & cried tears of joy. I then went to get coffee after all the excitement & run into Father Frank ( Gabe's brother the one Gina asked to pray for me in Rome the St.Jude Father) he gave me a blessing, then probably ran away, I was like a crazed fan. So excited to meet him!
Thanksgiving was that week we went to Chuck & Andrea's & it was great to see the family, it's been since the summer, Andreas sister, brother in law & nephew were there so this was really nice it's the first time I've met some of her family. Charlotte was excited to see what wig I was going to be wearing. I wore the long one knowing Char likes long hair. But promised her I'd bring the wigs for Christmas so she could try them on. At dinner we all said something we were thankful for, Marco decided he was thankful for uncle Joe & wanted us to all say that too. I said I was thankful for my health & my fiance (Marco's Uncle Joe) & his support he was my rock more the i ever expected & the families mine & his for being so supportive. Then Char belted out So when are you & uncle Joe getting married! Really.... out of the mouth of an 8 year old.
That weekend my Hammonton Girls & I went to see the cake boss at the Trop. Gina's idea she had press seats & Colleen has connections. We went to dinner at the Palm first (Comped, again Colleen) & then went to see the show. I loved it. I laughed, cried, & understood his sarcasm, it was like being with the family. At the end Colleen noticed he was signing autographs & thought they where giving out cake, so we went over to line & it was a VIP line, But yup you guessed it Colleens name was on the list! We where in. We get up to him he signs all the aprons Amy has bought for us ( its supposed to be a free night?) & then Colleen pulls the 'c" card shes been waiting to do that for months. I'm glad she did I got a kiss, hug & hes gonna pray for me! But no cake.
All that good news & It took me this long to tell everyone......Sorry.
Radiation starts December 27th. But I will fill you all in hopefully before then, we have the Italians invade the lake Christmas coming up, this should be some good writing.
Merry Chrristmas!
xoxo
Friday, November 11, 2011
6 Down 2 To Go...................11-11-11.
This is going to be a long post....
Started the new chemo Taxatier, its the sister to the Taxol. Side effects still neuropathy (just not as bad) nausea, lowers white blood count, aches & pains, oh basically the same as everything else. But only a 2 1/2 hour treatment.
So I had treatment on Monday the 31st. Happy Halloween to me).
It wasn't to bad a process. Dr. Matumba was there asked him about taking B12 to help the neuropathy but he said no but i could take B6. So I am.
Tuesday after treatment feel great, Wednesday hits me again about 3. Tired, not as achy, Thursday I'm beat and now not only are my finger tips numb, but my tongue and whole mouth is. Ugggggg. this is not a good feeling. I sleep most of the day away, brush my teeth every time I get up, just to keep the mouth sores away.
Thursday night I am so sore I have to take a hydracodone & decide maybe some cold sesame noodles I get up get dizzy pass out! Then start to get nauseous. Now many of you don't know this about me but I hate i mean hate anything that has to do with vomiting. (not that anyone does) But I cant hear see it smell it anything or i get sick so if i am about to get sick myself i try my hardest not to! (thanks mom for passing this on to me). I dry heave and pass out again when I decide to try and get up. Joe then puts me on the couch take a zofran and out i go for 2 hours. But I wake up feeling ok.
On Friday I'm doing pretty good. We are going to visit the MD Peditto's on Sunday & I have a follow up with Dr. Sacks on Monday at Hopkins.
I feel much better on Sunday still a bit tired, but feel good. Paul & Stephanie invited Charlie & Jane over for dinner that night & i can't wait i know it will be lots of laughs & lots of rebuttling......even Nick jumped in on the humor.
Monday get to Hopkins for lunch meet Stephanie, & stop to see the Jesus statue. Its my first time i see him as every time Ive been there its either been rushed or Ive been in surgery. This is cool, you are to touch his foot or his robe ( I touched both) & you can write a note for prayers.
Me, Joe & Stephanie go up to the breast ctr, & see Dr. Sacks, he checks out the boob & is so impressed with it. and I quote " that's the best looking nipple sparing mastectomy, That's one for the record books" Joe was waiting for him to take a picture to use it on his business cards.
He also feels if I could have the other breast removed have an expander put in & the overectamy done at the same time. Then everything would be ready for reconstruction in about 6, 9 or 12 months after everything heals from radiation.
I went for a blood check on Wednesday and my white counts where down to 2? But Dr. Greenberg feels i am on the up swing, and things should be good for treatment number 7 on the 14th. Something may have to change he said though because the tongue numbness is a concern. I will be done on the 28th!!!!
Also if I haven't mentioned it, chemo can & did send me into menopause, ok so beware, mood swings are at a high, hot flashes are unbelievable, if you've ever seen the sex in the city episode when Samantha had cancer & she is talking at the award ceremony & starts to have a hot flash says "oh F-it" & rips off her wig. I do that i think once an hour!!!! So i started to take vitamin e this is supposed to help?
I had a nice surprise on Thursday, Cousin Kristy came to visit. We are 5 months apart (shes older). and when we where young spent sooo much time together, she lives in Medford lakes & did when we where young too. 2 Quick stories......I think we were about 10 & where riding double on her banana seat bike, but I was on the handlebars going down a huge hill in the lakes, hit a rock (or bolder) and we went flying. I still have the scars on my elbows. (it was her idea). oh & at about 13, our family had a small family reunion at our Gparents house in Ventnor & we decided to walk up to Steel Pier in AC, it got dark & w/ no $ left could not get back. So we went into the Astor Hotel on pacific ave.( I think that was the name) & had to call the parents. They were not happy. (That may have been my idea?) Any way, we may not see each other that often but having lunch with her & talking was like we never missed a beat. It completely made my week! I love you cuz. Thank You.
I went today to see Dr. Harvey the radiologist, she needed to get my measurements for radiation. that was interesting. You lie on a cat scan table, boob out arms above the head. then the pillow thingy you lay on is a mold that they form to your shape as well as align a beam across the breast area, then they tattoo 3 little dots one on either side of both breasts & one in the center of the chest area. They look like freckles, & yes they are real permanent tattoos. I asked if I could get something cool, like stars , moons & maybe a ribbon.
Then photos of the area. and that's it. I will start radiation on December 27th. it will be about 15 min. everyday for 6 weeks. So on or about February 7th I will be done that! Then hopefully sometime in February remove the other breast, put in the expander and overectamy.
& depending on how my skin reacts to radiation, reconstruction sometime from September to February 2013.
xoxo
This picture is of Me & Karlee C, (shes not happy) with a 6 foot Snake. At Anthony & Carmello M's Sixth Birthday Party.
Started the new chemo Taxatier, its the sister to the Taxol. Side effects still neuropathy (just not as bad) nausea, lowers white blood count, aches & pains, oh basically the same as everything else. But only a 2 1/2 hour treatment.
So I had treatment on Monday the 31st. Happy Halloween to me).
It wasn't to bad a process. Dr. Matumba was there asked him about taking B12 to help the neuropathy but he said no but i could take B6. So I am.
Tuesday after treatment feel great, Wednesday hits me again about 3. Tired, not as achy, Thursday I'm beat and now not only are my finger tips numb, but my tongue and whole mouth is. Ugggggg. this is not a good feeling. I sleep most of the day away, brush my teeth every time I get up, just to keep the mouth sores away.
Thursday night I am so sore I have to take a hydracodone & decide maybe some cold sesame noodles I get up get dizzy pass out! Then start to get nauseous. Now many of you don't know this about me but I hate i mean hate anything that has to do with vomiting. (not that anyone does) But I cant hear see it smell it anything or i get sick so if i am about to get sick myself i try my hardest not to! (thanks mom for passing this on to me). I dry heave and pass out again when I decide to try and get up. Joe then puts me on the couch take a zofran and out i go for 2 hours. But I wake up feeling ok.
On Friday I'm doing pretty good. We are going to visit the MD Peditto's on Sunday & I have a follow up with Dr. Sacks on Monday at Hopkins.
I feel much better on Sunday still a bit tired, but feel good. Paul & Stephanie invited Charlie & Jane over for dinner that night & i can't wait i know it will be lots of laughs & lots of rebuttling......even Nick jumped in on the humor.
Monday get to Hopkins for lunch meet Stephanie, & stop to see the Jesus statue. Its my first time i see him as every time Ive been there its either been rushed or Ive been in surgery. This is cool, you are to touch his foot or his robe ( I touched both) & you can write a note for prayers.
Me, Joe & Stephanie go up to the breast ctr, & see Dr. Sacks, he checks out the boob & is so impressed with it. and I quote " that's the best looking nipple sparing mastectomy, That's one for the record books" Joe was waiting for him to take a picture to use it on his business cards.
He also feels if I could have the other breast removed have an expander put in & the overectamy done at the same time. Then everything would be ready for reconstruction in about 6, 9 or 12 months after everything heals from radiation.
I went for a blood check on Wednesday and my white counts where down to 2? But Dr. Greenberg feels i am on the up swing, and things should be good for treatment number 7 on the 14th. Something may have to change he said though because the tongue numbness is a concern. I will be done on the 28th!!!!
Also if I haven't mentioned it, chemo can & did send me into menopause, ok so beware, mood swings are at a high, hot flashes are unbelievable, if you've ever seen the sex in the city episode when Samantha had cancer & she is talking at the award ceremony & starts to have a hot flash says "oh F-it" & rips off her wig. I do that i think once an hour!!!! So i started to take vitamin e this is supposed to help?
I had a nice surprise on Thursday, Cousin Kristy came to visit. We are 5 months apart (shes older). and when we where young spent sooo much time together, she lives in Medford lakes & did when we where young too. 2 Quick stories......I think we were about 10 & where riding double on her banana seat bike, but I was on the handlebars going down a huge hill in the lakes, hit a rock (or bolder) and we went flying. I still have the scars on my elbows. (it was her idea). oh & at about 13, our family had a small family reunion at our Gparents house in Ventnor & we decided to walk up to Steel Pier in AC, it got dark & w/ no $ left could not get back. So we went into the Astor Hotel on pacific ave.( I think that was the name) & had to call the parents. They were not happy. (That may have been my idea?) Any way, we may not see each other that often but having lunch with her & talking was like we never missed a beat. It completely made my week! I love you cuz. Thank You.
I went today to see Dr. Harvey the radiologist, she needed to get my measurements for radiation. that was interesting. You lie on a cat scan table, boob out arms above the head. then the pillow thingy you lay on is a mold that they form to your shape as well as align a beam across the breast area, then they tattoo 3 little dots one on either side of both breasts & one in the center of the chest area. They look like freckles, & yes they are real permanent tattoos. I asked if I could get something cool, like stars , moons & maybe a ribbon.
Then photos of the area. and that's it. I will start radiation on December 27th. it will be about 15 min. everyday for 6 weeks. So on or about February 7th I will be done that! Then hopefully sometime in February remove the other breast, put in the expander and overectamy.
& depending on how my skin reacts to radiation, reconstruction sometime from September to February 2013.
xoxo
This picture is of Me & Karlee C, (shes not happy) with a 6 foot Snake. At Anthony & Carmello M's Sixth Birthday Party.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)