Glad to be Home

I am glad to be finally set free from the hospital.  As much as I liked the staff there, I do like being home.  It was nice to be in my own bed, wear my on clothes and eat normal food.

It is definitely slow going moving around the house.  At least I am moving and do not have to worry about having to take an IV pole with me!! Plus some pain medicine helps to get moving and sleep at night.

The one nice thing is having my mom there with me.  We got to catch up on some "Young and the Restless" (although I am still confused on some people on there), make some new food and get out and about.  Fun times.

After several weeks, I finally start to feel back to being more myself.  I do like that.  However, I do find I am taking naps in the afternoons but that is okay.  I am just trying to go with it and not complain.  I k now soon enough I will be back at work and wishing I could complain about there is nothing on the television to watch.

I do have to look forward to my first chemo treatment.  Chemo will be once every three weeks for about 6 to 9 times.  I am a little anxious about it if the truth be told.  I think it is just I do not know what to expect from chemo and that is what makes me anxious.

Until next time!!

Jenn

Kitty Paper Tounge

Yes, you read that right. What is it and have to do with me? I got to experience it!! I will describe it so you will understand it a bit better.

While in the hospital and then later at home, I took different medicines. Pain medicine, anti-nausea medicine, some hormone medicine and even a stool softener. Good gosh!! It seemed like I even had some choices on two of the medicines. One common thing seemed to be a dry mouth and a tongue that felt like a cross between a cat's tongue and light sand paper. While at the doctor's office I asked a nurse about it and ended up calling it kitty paper tongue. We had a good laugh and then I had to describe it to her. The cause? The medicine.

Once I ended up not using the medicine, I noticed my mouth felt a lot better. No more kitty paper tongue or even real bad cotton ball mouth. If I take the medicine to help with nausea, I do notice some interesting mouth issues but I know what to do to help "live" with the issues.

So, if after taking some medicines and you get a dry mouth or a tongue that feels like a cat or sand paper, it may be normal. But, I would suggest you talk to your doctor about it as everyone is different.

Jenn

Staple Removal

I got lucky to get staples after surgery. Lucky me right? I am definitely not looking forward to getting these out. I never had staples from surgery so I never had them removed and I do not know what it is going to be like to get them out. I think my mind might be making it worse than it might end up actually being. Crossing my fingers!!

So, it is the big day!! I like the nurse so I am hoping this will be good. My mom counted about 68 staples. The remover looks all crazy and not like the normal office staple remover. It has more of a handle and like a beak thing to get the individual staple. Oh no!!

The nurse was awesome!! She took it at a slow and steady pace. There were a few that were a little twisted so that was a little uncomfortable but nothing crazy. She also did not mind me asking her questions to help keep my mind off these things coming out. So glad she was okay with that and she could talk and remove staples with the greatest of ease!!

It was not so bad but I would not like to do it again if possible. So thankful for a great lady to get those staples out too!! I have included a picture of a staple I kept for a souvenir. Crazy? I hope not!!

Jenn

Port, Port, Who Has a Port?

While in the hospital I was lucky enough to get a port. It is a little device placed under my skin in my chest. It is used for my chemo treatments. I think that my mom asked for it to be put in as I do not remember any discussion about it.

So, for the surgery to put it in I was sedated but was awake for most of it. I really did not feel any of the doctor putting it in. I was even able to talk to the doctor and try to crack a joke or two. I did go to sleep some during the process.

After surgery, I did throw up. I have no idea why but it seemed like it just would not stop. Luckily, the nurses were so awesome and seemed like this was a normal, every day kind of thing. That was nice!! They even helped clean me up!! God bless those ladies!!

It has taken awhile for it to feel "natural" for me. I do not notice it as much anymore, especially when I sleep. That is nice!! I will talk a bit more about it during my first chemo treatment. Am I glad to have it? Yes. Will it come out? I am not sure. I probably should have asked about that. Maybe I will ask about that later.

Jenn

Surgery

It is finally the day of surgery. At first, I am more excited to know that this mass will come out of me. But, I do have a minute (or a few) where I feel nervous and anxious about the surgery. No backing out now!!

For some reason, I do not do surgery well. It took me awhile to come out of recovery to then be moved to a room. I was definitely glad my mom was there when I got to the room. Yes, as old as I am, I was still glad my mom was there.

The result of the biopsy was that it is Ovarian Cancer. I do not think it set in with me. I think my mom did take it hard. Cancer is still a scary thing. Does anyone ever want to hear the word cancer? I doubt it but it is what it is. Now, what do I do with this new diagnosis? My main focus was just trying to feel normal after surgery.

After surgery, I feel a little out of it. There are nurses wanting vitals, blood work, give me medicine, and a few other things. I'm so glad I had great nurses.

I did not like the food. Who does? A lot of jello and chicken broth. And my personal opinion, do not do the meat broth!! At least the chicken broth reminded of chicken noodle soup. The meat broth just did not taste good at all!! I was not going to get regular food until I made a longer trip to the bathroom. I was starting to get tired of all the broth after a few days!!

Well, after awhile, I was allowed to finally go home. I am excited to go home. I will miss the great staff but will be glad to be home. So long hospital!!

Jenn

Something is Wrong

It all started a little after Thanksgiving. I was gaining a little more weight in my abdomen area and a few more problems that finally sent me to a clinic open on the weekend. They did do an x-ray but the doctor did not see anything. He made a suggestion and I was on my way. His suggestion was not working but I thought I just needed to give it some time.

Fast forward to Christmas. My husband and I travelled to see my family. We planned to stay with my mom. By this time I was feeling very uncomfortable. I could not sleep in bed but was sleeping in a recliner. I had gained more weight and just felt wrong. My mom took me to a local emergency room.

I had an x-ray and CT scan completed at the emergency room. The doctor found a mass and thought it was very important that I see my ob/GYN. So, we went back to mom's house. Time for some sleep and then to talk.

We did Christmas early as my husband and I decided to go back home and get in touch with my doctor. It was quick and crazy!!

I finally meet with my doctor who refers me to someone else. We meet with him, set a surgery date and hope I can make it until then. My abdomen had gotten larger and doing some simple things was not easy. My husband was now putting my socks on as I could not do it myself. Driving was not comfortable and so my husband and I were back to car pooling. Surgery seemed like it could not come fast enough!!

I am so looking forward to surgery. I am just ready to get this mass out!! I want to get back to normal. Surgery will be a game changer (and will be its own post).

Keep following!! I will be trying to catch you up to where I am now.

Thanks for reading!!

Jenn