Heading into #5

Hello! Nothing major to report in the last week or so -- FINALLY a boring 10 days in a row. My chest is feeling 90% better at this point. I know they had a tough time getting to the fluid because my rib was in the way, so I guess I should have expected it to be sore for a while. My follow-up appointment with the cardiologist is Wednesday. My test results are in my online chart, but I have no idea what they mean despite incessant googling. So, I'm eager to hear what he has to say. 

My stomach problems come and go. I know it's supposed to be a slow return to digestive normalcy after a really bad cdiff infection but I'm ready. I've started testing the waters eating more vegetables and salads from time to time. Sometimes it goes well. Sometimes not so well. 

This morning I had a breast MRI. Boy is that easier than the last MRI I had of my abdomen where I had to try so hard to stay still, hold my breath forever and was fully aware of the fact that I was in a big tube. For this you just lay on your stomach with your face in a massage table-type ring and rest. At least that's what it felt like to me. Over before I knew it. 

I got the MRI because my surgeon wants to make sure the left breast is clear, as suspected, so there are no surprises during surgery. I meet with both surgeons the first week of November so we can plan our attack. Well, so they can plan their attack and let me know what to expect. The surgery used to seem so far away. Now with my fifth round of chemo in a few days and my sixth and final in three weeks (woo hoo!), the surgery is getting awfully close.

In some ways the surgery has seemed like it would be the easy part. There are so many unpredictable parts of chemo -- how I'm going to feel in general, whether I'm going to have an appetite, whether my crappy immune system is going to lead me to some illness (oh, like strep or cdiff perhaps). It almost seemed like the pain of surgery would at least be more predictable or manageable. Now that it's getting closer, it doesn't sound so easy! 

I'm doing what I can to be prepared. I guess that's all I can do. I've got most of my Christmas shopping done. I just need to get it all wrapped and ready to go before surgery. I'm hoping we can get a Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend so I can be a part of the tree-trimming festivities. I've researched what clothes to have handy (oversized button-down shirts) and what supplies can make the first couple of weeks after surgery the most comfortable (wedge pillows, or lots of any kinds of pillows).

I guess with all my hospitalizations we've had some trial runs around the house as to what it will be like to have me totally incapable of helping out around here for a while. Except Daniel will have one more person to take care of with me here. I can't thank everyone who continues to reach out, bring over dinner, etc. Even on the days I'm feeling pretty good, I don't necessarily have the drive or energy to make dinner. And I swear if I push it too far (which isn't much, to be honest) one day the next day I'm dragging. 

Daniel and I are going on a doctor-approved and -encouraged getaway to Florida between chemo and the surgery. We wanted to go somewhere warm and were looking at Miami. My doctor asked us not to go there, due to the mosquito situation (I knew there was a reason why there were such good deals everywhere!). She wasn't so concerned about Zika Virus itself but the other things the mosquitos are apparently carrying. She just doesn't think we should take a chance. SO we're going a little further north in Florida and hoping for some decent temps. I've spent plenty of time in Florida as my dad and stepmom lived there for about 20 years, but never as a tourist really. We're looking forward to being as lazy as possible and checking out some vegan restaurants I've already researched. 

That's about it! A busy couple of days of appointments ahead of me before chemo Thursday, then I'll hunker down for the next several days and come out the other side. Acupuncture seems to be helping with the hot flashes after just a couple of treatments so I'm going to keep those up and take advantage of the half off they give oncology patients as I continue into the next phases of treatment. 

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and to everyone who was a party of Community Awareness Purple Week in Ionia. Thanks to mom for representing me at the soccer and football games as I rested at home with my family. We appreciate the support and feel the love!