The day started off early and frigid at 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It landed me here on a local TV morning show's set. It was a lot of fun minus being somewhat sleepy!
Next, is lunch/brunch with a friend...then off to doctors and MRIs for the afternoon/evening!
I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Today, I am grateful for friends, family, good times, prayers, doctors, medicine and God!
Rachel
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
12.22.2008
11.16.2008
A Taste of My Past
This past week I have done more 'medical stuff' than I have in months...I had the sort of emergency visit on Tuesday for my numb hand (update: it seems about the same, maybe a little worse-we'll see what the Dr. has to say tomorrow), I had a MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine on Thursday because my titers were low-meaning my autologous stem cell transplant in 2001 knocked out this particular vaccine and so I had to get it again (there's apparently an outbreak of measles). Then on Friday, I had a routine 6 month appointment with another doctor. Finally, yesterday I had a flu shot.
All of this has me pretty sleepy and not feeling that great but thankfully today has been a day of no committments (a rarity) and my husband and I are taking full advantage. I slept in and then took another nap.
The funny thing is, too, that all of this stuff is SO minor compared to what life was like in the past. It just reminds me of what did happen and truthfully, what could happen, unfortunately.
Today, I am grateful for a day to: catch up on schoolwork, rest, love, hope, support, family, friends and God.
Rach
All of this has me pretty sleepy and not feeling that great but thankfully today has been a day of no committments (a rarity) and my husband and I are taking full advantage. I slept in and then took another nap.
The funny thing is, too, that all of this stuff is SO minor compared to what life was like in the past. It just reminds me of what did happen and truthfully, what could happen, unfortunately.
Today, I am grateful for a day to: catch up on schoolwork, rest, love, hope, support, family, friends and God.
Rach
5.20.2008
4 Year Celebration
MAY 19th, 2004...I was wheeled into a very life-threatening surgery to remove the tumor that had sat between my heart, lung, spinal cord and pulmonary artery for a year and a half. An amazing and renowned cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon had miraculously moved to where I lived (after having searched, literally, the world for options). He was the first person who gave us hope that he thought he could get the tumor out safely and would not even have to put me on heart bypass, as other surgeons had forcefully told us was going to be the case, IF it ever happened.
The surgery was quite long and 3 major muscles in my back were sawed through (and then put back together fiber by fiber-isn't medicine amazing?), parts of ribs were removed and stretched and a large curved incision on my back became permanent (and later a month-long collapsed lung was a complication of surgery...a story for another time). The surgeon discovered the tumor was the size of a small Nerf football and successfully removed it (and most of you know the best, juicy part of this tale-the tumor was discovered to have died inside of me with very minimal treatment-something doctors still can't explain and I'm ok with that :) ).
It had been a year and a half of a 0% chance of living (no one else in my situation, ever, with my cancer had lived with a relapse after a stem cell transplant). There were so many unknowns during that time, so many letdowns from world renowned doctors and experts and so much pain and worry about what was to come. How would I leave myself behind? Would I die slowly or quickly? Which organ would the tumor invade first and what would that entail? Would I be in a wheelchair?
Simply waking up in the morning with my arm completely asleep would make my mind immediately think that my body was shutting down-that the tumor had started to take over. But thankfully my arm always woke up. And I always woke up.
I still thankfully wake up every day and am amazed that 4 wonderful years have passed since that day. (Thank God!!!) It frankly blows my mind and is hard to put into words. I try to stick with the positive when possible and know that every day is what I consider extra time here, whether that day is good or very good.
Peace to all!
Today, I am grateful for: a wonderful day of charity & friends, time with my fiance, everything about today and for all my 'extra time' here, God's blessings and family!
Rach
The surgery was quite long and 3 major muscles in my back were sawed through (and then put back together fiber by fiber-isn't medicine amazing?), parts of ribs were removed and stretched and a large curved incision on my back became permanent (and later a month-long collapsed lung was a complication of surgery...a story for another time). The surgeon discovered the tumor was the size of a small Nerf football and successfully removed it (and most of you know the best, juicy part of this tale-the tumor was discovered to have died inside of me with very minimal treatment-something doctors still can't explain and I'm ok with that :) ).
It had been a year and a half of a 0% chance of living (no one else in my situation, ever, with my cancer had lived with a relapse after a stem cell transplant). There were so many unknowns during that time, so many letdowns from world renowned doctors and experts and so much pain and worry about what was to come. How would I leave myself behind? Would I die slowly or quickly? Which organ would the tumor invade first and what would that entail? Would I be in a wheelchair?
Simply waking up in the morning with my arm completely asleep would make my mind immediately think that my body was shutting down-that the tumor had started to take over. But thankfully my arm always woke up. And I always woke up.
I still thankfully wake up every day and am amazed that 4 wonderful years have passed since that day. (Thank God!!!) It frankly blows my mind and is hard to put into words. I try to stick with the positive when possible and know that every day is what I consider extra time here, whether that day is good or very good.
Peace to all!
Today, I am grateful for: a wonderful day of charity & friends, time with my fiance, everything about today and for all my 'extra time' here, God's blessings and family!
Rach
1.17.2008
Suggestions from you!
So, ladies (and gents), as I said before, I'm doing a project on OB/GYN office (they focus on high risk pregnancies). So I guess I'm giving you a little survey/questionaire. The gentleman can say what they think makes better doctor's offices in general or what would make your visit with your wife, girlfriend, whoever better!
Questions: What would like to see differently at your doctor's office in general or at the OB/GYN's office? What would enhance your experience?? I have thought of robes vs. sheets, calming fountains, perhaps.
Thanks in advance for your help. I will be eternally grateful!
Today, I am grateful for a dinner with friends, exciting things happening and life, friends, family and God.
R
Questions: What would like to see differently at your doctor's office in general or at the OB/GYN's office? What would enhance your experience?? I have thought of robes vs. sheets, calming fountains, perhaps.
Thanks in advance for your help. I will be eternally grateful!
Today, I am grateful for a dinner with friends, exciting things happening and life, friends, family and God.
R
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