Manic Monday

Monday the plan was to do an ERCP where they would look in my liver and put a stent in if they saw a blockage to help improve the liver function. A relatively easy procedure, and then see the oncologist for blood draws and maybe chemo, and here's the important point - Go home!

It was a beautiful drive with all the fall leaves on the way to the Huntsman. The old homes are so neat to see too.

I learned some new things and met some nice people. One thing I learned is that they can give you pretty light blue socks, instead of ugly tan ones, if you have small feet and a nice nurse named Nick. He was so kind. He helped us through the whole day. Of course, they had a hard time putting the IV, but they left it in after the procedure. They have used it for multiple blood draws and IVs since they put it in.

They took me back for the ERCP, which went fine, except there were not major blockages so they didn't put in a stent. Recovery started out okay and I drank lots of apple juice.  I asked the nurse if I could mainline apple juice because I was so thirst.  After that I don't know what happened because I was so out of it.  It was so scary.  Between what the nurses and R said, I will tell you what I know. R said my vitals stayed good the whole time. My nurses said I could not stay awake for anything. I felt so weak and could not talk or move my body at all. Somewhere in there I told everybody about my kids and my cute husband, because they teased me about it later.

Nurse Nick was always on the periphery when I opened my eyes.  The doctor came in because this was not a standard recovery - something was wrong - so they decided to admit me to the hospital.  His exact words were, "You look like a kitten could wrestle you to the ground right now." Nurse Christie said luckily they don't have too many kittens around in the hospital.  She got me ready to go up to my room.  We formed a little parade to go up to my room.  Somehow, Nurse Nick got there before we did because I had forgotten some of my belongings in the recovery room.  That was a really scary time and I was so glad R was there with me.

We came upstairs to my room and met with "The Team", who had a lot more more questions and decided that I needed to fast for another day in preparation for a liver biopsy on Tuesday.  They told me I could have as many clear liquids as I wanted until midnight - woohoo!  Since it was about 8:00 pm by this time, R and I ordered a buffet of clear liquids:  broth, jell-o, Italian ice, Powerade, and apple juice, of course.  While the food was being prepared, I had a CT scan of my chest.  They found a small tumor on my chest wall (they told us on Tuesday).  Then I talked to my wonderful children on the phone and went to sleep (as much sleep as you can when they're checking you all night long).

Special note:  I am trying to do better with my painkillers.  It is true that I thought they would make me groggy but they seem to have the opposite effect in the middle of the night.  I'm not yet used to taking painkillers everyday, all day, but I am trying to do better.

Tuesday morning has been me wanting to flee the hospital but instead staying and trying to work out the schedule of my liver biopsy but which might take a decree from the Governor to happen.  I did have a liver ultrasound this morning and I'm going to have an EKG and an MRI of my brain today.  Plus, the doctor just came in and said we could start chemo today - a very low dose because the liver will have to process it.

One of the doctors had come in this morning and said I would have to do all of those tests spread out over the next few days.  That's when I told them C had a parent teacher conference tomorrow and I wanted to go hear how great he is and L has Young Women in Excellence tomorrow night and I want to go see how great she is.  The schedule still isn't totally set but they understand now that I'm not going to be in the hospital tomorrow.

A note about toes:  Somehow, my light blue socks are not protecting my toes.  So many nurses have run over them and my husband has hit them with his backpack .Protect the toes.

Latest and greatest update:  The doctor just came in and said they will make the biopsy today, and the EKG of my heart and the first round of chemo and I can still go home tonight.  Woohoo!