I'm home!

I was discharged this afternoon and am feeling pretty good. The shingles are really clearing up. The swelling around my eye is not resolving as quickly as I would like but I have a med for that. So nice to be home!

I'm still here

I had to start taking a steroid today because the skin around my eyes was so swollen. The shingles are improving since they upped my antiviral dosage last night. The pain started getting more serious yesterday and I had to start taking a stronger pain med through IV. It has made me feel much more comfortable. I may be able to go home tomorrow.

Pirate Barb

Now I know how a pirate feels - I woke up with my eye swollen shut this morning. The last couple of days, it was swollen but today was the worst. Usually as the day goes on, the swelling reduces and I can open it some but not yet today.

The nurse last night told me how cute I was and I had to laugh. She said she could see it on my good side and I told her I feel like a monster. A friend joked about getting me a Phantom of the Opera mask. It really does look bad and Dave hasn't even seen the worst of it yet. He has never had chicken pox so I told him to stay home while I'm here.

A discharge tonight is possible but I would be okay with another day. It isn't fun here but I am glad this is being treated in the hospital. I am on the oncology floor so I am not allowed out of my room since I could spread this loveliness to other cancer patients. I understand, but pacing the room isn't quite the same as walking the halls.

So much for a few days off . . .

I am sitting in a hospital bed at Christiana, waiting for IV antibiotics. I have come down with a lovely case of shingles that have seemed to spread into my eye. I noticed my skin over my right eye feeling tender on Sunday morning and by the afternoon some red dots had appeared. I tried some cream one night and Benadryl the next night and nothing was helping. When I woke up this morning, my eye was almost swollen shut. After visiting my oncologist and ophthalmologist and my oncologist speaking with an infectious disease specialist, they decided a couple days of IV antibiotics was the best course of action.

After being in treatment off and on for 2 years, this is the first time I have been hospitalized and it wasn't planned. David really was shaken by this today. He said as I was leaving tonight - "This family just doesn't seem right when you aren't here." He will be so busy tomorrow with swim lessons and playing with friends, I hope he forgets where I am.

I was scheduled for chemo this Thursday but the doctor said we have to get this taken care of first. We have seen good progress with the chemo so I am hoping it isn't delayed too long.

On a personal note - just about the time we are getting into a rhythm, a wrench gets thrown into the works. When the doctor first told me the plan, I just had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I couldn't wrap my head around the details and what I needed to do to prepare for this. I did get it together and I had time to spend with the boys before the hospital called. Fortunately, Dave's boss is very understanding and flexible with his schedule. It has been very helpful to be able to call him and he can help me whenever. This is our lives.

Must be lookin' good

I just got home from my second treatment - pajamas are already on! I have felt pretty great for the last couple of days. We weren't sure where the energy was coming from but I wasn't complaining. I must have looked like I was feeling good, too because the doctor and nurse both told me that I looked better this week. I have been able to breathe a little easier and the doctor was impressed with the improvement from just 1 treatment. I look forward to being able to run up and down my stairs again without feeling like I am wearing a corset that is tied way too tight.

I have (very, very few and tiny) hair! I frequently examine my head for something and there is a little bit. I feel like a preteen boy carefully looking for a few dark chin hairs. It isn't evenly distributed but it is still hair. We'll see how this chemo affects it. It might take the few microstrands I have in a couple weeks.

Big Day for David

Today was the first day David rode his bike without training wheels. This has been something we have been trying to work on for the last 2 summers but life kept getting in the way. It ain't pretty yet but we are going to keep practicing.

One down, ?? to go

You would think it would get easier, right? It doesn't. The doctor's office was behind on Thursday because they were closed for the holiday on Friday so they are trying to cram 2 days worth of appointments and treatments into 1 day. I wasn't feeling great before we even started. I explained to my doctor the problems I have been having with pain and breathing and coughing. His thoughts are the treatments should relieve a lot of that. I hope so.