So I saw the oncologist this week before I got my treatment. She answered all my questions: the MRA, MRI and MRV all turned out to be fine. The double vision on the left eye is still present but she did not say I couldn't drive. So, that's great news for me :-) Of course, they will continue to monitor it as well as the Graves disease. She said I have eczema and this may be the cause of some of my pigmentation discoloration in several parts of my body. I am officially HALFWAY done with my treatments!!!! I AM SO EXCITED about that!!! Woo-hoo!!! Fortunately, it was Frendell's birthday yesterday when I went to the doctor, so I took him out to lunch and then celebrated with dessert afterwards. I am so grateful for so many blessings that God has given me and one of my greatest blessings is my darling Mahal. He has been my rock, my encourager, my strength and I can always rely on him, no matter what I need. I am so thankful to have in my life... and I am so blessed to call him my husband. Happy happy birthday, darling and may God grant you more years full of happiness, peace and health. I have made appointments for my mammogram and also a pelvic exam to make sure that I'm not developing any problems there. I have a heck of a sinusitis infection, although fortunately for me, I am not showing too many symptoms for... well, let me re-phrase.. at least I am not having sinus headaches. I have been getting alot of colds and low-grade fevers and coughing all through this summer :-( yuk My sense of smell has also diminished quite a bit. Other than that, I am doing well :-) Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy and healing!!! Juicing has worked; chemotherapy is working; exercise; eating well; having and living a life with purpose; having a wonderful and supportive and loving community; being grateful for all these gifts that have been given to me....so many factors are influencing the healing of my mind and my body. And central to it all is God's grace and love for me. I am humbled by this experience and I hope that I am a better person today than I was before my cancer.
Until next doctor's visit, live with purpose and joy, love with passion and be grateful for your blessings.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Home Alone
Mahal has been gone for a week and it has been a little tough on me. He usually drives me to and from work and I am afforded the luxury of getting more sleep and not worrying about food or safety or anything. He is my comfort and my strength. This week has pushed me to do things I would not normally do. I have been taking the train in to work and it has been good to get more exercise and walk around. More than that, it has made me appreciate more my health, my opportunities and the family and friends that support and surround me when I need them. Over the week-end, I didn't want to just stay home and be idle, so even though I was very tired, I made myself take the train downtown and take a walking historical architecture tour. I'm glad I went. The docent is a friend I used to work with. It was very nice seeing him again and meeting his wife. Plus, I learned so much about the history and reasoning behind building the first skyscrapers... which happens to be in my city :-) I got home exhausted... took a nap and woke up with a cold :-(
Sunday, I did some work outside in the yard... oh my goodness. I don't think I've done that in years. My right arm was throbbing by the time I got done with watering the plants. I didn't even weed everything that needed to be needed. I couldn't find my garden shears so had to use a dull pair of scissors. I couldn't reach the flower planter box and had to push myself into the bushes so I could water them. The vegetables were wilted, but I have lots of basil :-) yummy... pesto... In the afternoon, my dear friend brought her brand new baby boy and we spent the afternoon catching up on life and she gave me such encouragement and love and support that I was ready to face the week again.
Mahal comes home today and I am so eager to see him. I missed him... missed his company, his smile, his jokes and his laugh. I miss talking over what happened in the day with me.... I miss cuddling up to him at the end of the day and holding his hand in the car. I'm glad he's coming home... being home alone now doesn't seem too bad :-)
try to stay cool in this hot summer heat!!
Sunday, I did some work outside in the yard... oh my goodness. I don't think I've done that in years. My right arm was throbbing by the time I got done with watering the plants. I didn't even weed everything that needed to be needed. I couldn't find my garden shears so had to use a dull pair of scissors. I couldn't reach the flower planter box and had to push myself into the bushes so I could water them. The vegetables were wilted, but I have lots of basil :-) yummy... pesto... In the afternoon, my dear friend brought her brand new baby boy and we spent the afternoon catching up on life and she gave me such encouragement and love and support that I was ready to face the week again.
Mahal comes home today and I am so eager to see him. I missed him... missed his company, his smile, his jokes and his laugh. I miss talking over what happened in the day with me.... I miss cuddling up to him at the end of the day and holding his hand in the car. I'm glad he's coming home... being home alone now doesn't seem too bad :-)
try to stay cool in this hot summer heat!!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Time has flown by....
Wow, it's been exactly 6 months since I've posted here. So many things have happened and some new challenges have arisen. We were able to go on our mission trip middle of January to beginning of February. Coming home ended up being tricky because of the blizzard that hit our city before we even flew out of Manila. But all was well.
Came home, packed up the house to get ready to move at the end of February. The day before we moved, we had gone on a church retreat in Wisconsin and we had already exited the freeway and were 3 blocks away from home when a car hit us from the back. He was exiting the freeway because he left the scene of another accident in another city. He hit us so hard we were catapulted across the intersection into some bushes. Thank God for His protection. Even though the light was green on the cross traffic, no one was in the intersection. Otherwise, we would be been broadsided as well. To top it all off, both the driver and the passenger of the car tried to flee the scene. They were both caught. We both suffered from whiplash, contusions and muscle spasms. I had linear fracture in my left rib. But the show must go on.. I went to a seminar the next day and poor Frendell had to organize the movers for our move.
Two days later, on Mar 2, I had another eye surgery to repair my left lid. Same surgery as last August. things went well with that and i healed quite fast. shortly after though, I started to have vision dimming. It was like someone was turning off the lights and it happened at random times and places. Sometimes I was driving, other times I am walking outside or working on the computer. One time I was in the shower. It happened in both eyes and lasted about 5 minutes. It was usually accompanied by headaches. I thought I was just under a lot of stress and didn't really worry about it. But it happened several times a week and so I mentioned it to the occuloplastics doctor. He referred me to a neuro-opthalmologist. So, I went. He doesn't think there's anything significantly wrong, but just to make sure, he referred me to the neurologist. But when my primary found out, she right away ordered a brain MRI and blood work done.. she said as a precaution to make sure that I do not have brain tumor. Because of the history with cancer and HB pressure, she wants to be sure. So, on April 20, I had a brain MRI. Brain tumor has been ruled out. I finally saw the neurologist end of May and I thought he would just say, "oh, nothing to worry about.. don't worry about it". Apparently my left eye is now limited in range of motion at end range to the left. I have had double vision since the fall due to the opthalmopathy from Grave's. So I told him this. But he just wants to be sure. So, he ordered me back for further tests: MRI, MRA and MRV. What?!? I didn't even know what MRA and MRV stood for. Now I know. MRA - magnetic resonance angiogram. These checks the arteries (for me it was the brain) to see if there's any clots or aneurysm. MRV - magnetic resonance venography - used to assess abnormalities in blood vessels. They recommend this when one has frequent headaches to make sure there are no blood clots in the brain. Well, I'm still waiting for the results.
The first MRI showed that I have a pretty significant sinus infection on the right. Funny thing, I've never had a sinus headache, although I have lost my sense of smell.
And the most recent blood test taken earlier this month showed that my thyroid levels are kinda going out of whack again. So I've been put back on medication for Grave's again. The first time I took it again, I had really back nausea for a couple of days. I am scheduled for a repeat US of the thyroid in early July. Of course, another blood test to see if the levels have improved with the meds.
Okay, so that's the latest medical things going on. I wanted to write about my birthday surprise from our MG church but I guess it will have to wait until the next time... this is quite long already.... night :-)
Came home, packed up the house to get ready to move at the end of February. The day before we moved, we had gone on a church retreat in Wisconsin and we had already exited the freeway and were 3 blocks away from home when a car hit us from the back. He was exiting the freeway because he left the scene of another accident in another city. He hit us so hard we were catapulted across the intersection into some bushes. Thank God for His protection. Even though the light was green on the cross traffic, no one was in the intersection. Otherwise, we would be been broadsided as well. To top it all off, both the driver and the passenger of the car tried to flee the scene. They were both caught. We both suffered from whiplash, contusions and muscle spasms. I had linear fracture in my left rib. But the show must go on.. I went to a seminar the next day and poor Frendell had to organize the movers for our move.
Two days later, on Mar 2, I had another eye surgery to repair my left lid. Same surgery as last August. things went well with that and i healed quite fast. shortly after though, I started to have vision dimming. It was like someone was turning off the lights and it happened at random times and places. Sometimes I was driving, other times I am walking outside or working on the computer. One time I was in the shower. It happened in both eyes and lasted about 5 minutes. It was usually accompanied by headaches. I thought I was just under a lot of stress and didn't really worry about it. But it happened several times a week and so I mentioned it to the occuloplastics doctor. He referred me to a neuro-opthalmologist. So, I went. He doesn't think there's anything significantly wrong, but just to make sure, he referred me to the neurologist. But when my primary found out, she right away ordered a brain MRI and blood work done.. she said as a precaution to make sure that I do not have brain tumor. Because of the history with cancer and HB pressure, she wants to be sure. So, on April 20, I had a brain MRI. Brain tumor has been ruled out. I finally saw the neurologist end of May and I thought he would just say, "oh, nothing to worry about.. don't worry about it". Apparently my left eye is now limited in range of motion at end range to the left. I have had double vision since the fall due to the opthalmopathy from Grave's. So I told him this. But he just wants to be sure. So, he ordered me back for further tests: MRI, MRA and MRV. What?!? I didn't even know what MRA and MRV stood for. Now I know. MRA - magnetic resonance angiogram. These checks the arteries (for me it was the brain) to see if there's any clots or aneurysm. MRV - magnetic resonance venography - used to assess abnormalities in blood vessels. They recommend this when one has frequent headaches to make sure there are no blood clots in the brain. Well, I'm still waiting for the results.
The first MRI showed that I have a pretty significant sinus infection on the right. Funny thing, I've never had a sinus headache, although I have lost my sense of smell.
And the most recent blood test taken earlier this month showed that my thyroid levels are kinda going out of whack again. So I've been put back on medication for Grave's again. The first time I took it again, I had really back nausea for a couple of days. I am scheduled for a repeat US of the thyroid in early July. Of course, another blood test to see if the levels have improved with the meds.
Okay, so that's the latest medical things going on. I wanted to write about my birthday surprise from our MG church but I guess it will have to wait until the next time... this is quite long already.... night :-)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
And off we go
It never ceases to amaze me how fast time really flies. Can't believe it's been over 2 years since our last mission trip. After so many challenges, I can't believe that we are on our way to another mission trip. It has been very humbling to see God orchestrate this whole trip. We couldn't have planned it to work out the way it has. Wow!! Mahal & I are flabbergasted at the generosity and support that people have given us. We want to be faithful to the work that has been entrusted to us...
Please keep us in your prayers. I have been sick more than twice the past month. I have a sore throat and have been coughing. I have not had much rest or sleep and it will be a very long flight. I am so thankful that Mom & Dad & Froy are here to help us organize, pack and sort through things. I still have to pack some more things, but the end is in sight.
I will try to update as much as I can, but if I can't, I will post when we get back. God bless you all and I hope you experience miracles in your life daily :-) talk to you again soon!!
Please keep us in your prayers. I have been sick more than twice the past month. I have a sore throat and have been coughing. I have not had much rest or sleep and it will be a very long flight. I am so thankful that Mom & Dad & Froy are here to help us organize, pack and sort through things. I still have to pack some more things, but the end is in sight.
I will try to update as much as I can, but if I can't, I will post when we get back. God bless you all and I hope you experience miracles in your life daily :-) talk to you again soon!!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Dr's appointment
Today was treatment day. Sometimes when I go to Clinic E there's no one there but me and a couple of stragglers... today, there was a steady flow of people coming and going. They must've moved the kid's clinic coz there haven't been as many kids during this time as it has been in the past. I wonder where they moved the kids to or what day they have clinic now. Even though the place looks festive with all the garlands and Cardinal Bernadine's tree enclosed in glass by Clinic A, it made me realize the cancer does not take a holiday. We were there to be checked by the doctor so we can get our treatments.. shots or IVs. Some were making plans for their Christmas celebrations but others were talking about radiation and chemotherapy and medications. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a day or two where no one gets sick and there are no treatments and no medications and no clinic Es...
After that, I had to hurry to get to my eye doctor's appointment. Contacts are doing well and looking well. It has been hard trying to figure out which lenses would work for me. This fluroperm seems to do the trick so far. Dr. Russo suggested that I order n extra pair to take on the mission trip. I didn't know how my eyes would adjust to the contacts so I ordered an extra pair of glasses instead. The lenses do feel better compared to the other ones but it still moves out of position when I blink. At least it doesn't go to the very corners anymore like the other ones and if it does, I have a rubber suction to take it out. A pretty nifty device. He said the eyelashes at the bottom lid were really poking my corneas and he's afraid that it would infect my eye. So, even though I did not want to and he put like 4 drops of anesthesia in both eyes, he plucked my bottom eyelashes. I really wanted to screen!!! and I wanted him to stop. But, he is concerned about scratches in my cornea. Such a horrible thing to go through. Not as bad as being awake during eye surgery but bad enough. I told him I will ask Dr. Yoo to surgically remove the inner layer of my bottom eyelashes, that way I don't have to go through this again. i was so afraid he would poke my eye with the tweezers but he was very gentle and reassuring the whole time. Me? I whimpered and cried because it hurt so bad even with the numbing agent in my eye. He also did it with my contacts on... and this time, he removed about 12 on the left and about a couple on the right. I'm glad that's over with. Tonight, when Mahal put the ointment in my left eye, he said that it looks cleaner and it was easier to put the ointment because there was no barrier to keep it out.
I saw my patient today. I walked in their house and they had their tree all set up with very nice decorations. The baby & I sat on the floor under the tree. It was nice coz they had the lights on. I told the Mom & GM that I like sitting there working with the tree lighted up. I haven't had the energy the last 3 years to put up a tree or decorate for the holidays so it was nice to just be able to sit there and enjoy the tranquility it brings.
after that, I came home and rested... and did some work at the end of the day... i'm very sleepy now and if I have alot of typos, please excuse me. I'm very sleepy and I can't see a thing because of the ointment in my eye. till next time :-) UPDATE: respiratory bacterial infection is almost completely done and my voice is back. I've taken antibiotics for 5 days now.. pretty potent stuff. The gastroenteritis is still there in terms of stomach cramping and nausea. Today after treatment, the nausea was pretty yukky. Thankfully I found some ginger candy that a friend recommended from Trader Joes. At least it gave a distraction because the candy is very spicy.
I'm very sleepy & I'm falling asleep trying to type.. so if there are alot of mistakes, please excuse me. take care :-)
After that, I had to hurry to get to my eye doctor's appointment. Contacts are doing well and looking well. It has been hard trying to figure out which lenses would work for me. This fluroperm seems to do the trick so far. Dr. Russo suggested that I order n extra pair to take on the mission trip. I didn't know how my eyes would adjust to the contacts so I ordered an extra pair of glasses instead. The lenses do feel better compared to the other ones but it still moves out of position when I blink. At least it doesn't go to the very corners anymore like the other ones and if it does, I have a rubber suction to take it out. A pretty nifty device. He said the eyelashes at the bottom lid were really poking my corneas and he's afraid that it would infect my eye. So, even though I did not want to and he put like 4 drops of anesthesia in both eyes, he plucked my bottom eyelashes. I really wanted to screen!!! and I wanted him to stop. But, he is concerned about scratches in my cornea. Such a horrible thing to go through. Not as bad as being awake during eye surgery but bad enough. I told him I will ask Dr. Yoo to surgically remove the inner layer of my bottom eyelashes, that way I don't have to go through this again. i was so afraid he would poke my eye with the tweezers but he was very gentle and reassuring the whole time. Me? I whimpered and cried because it hurt so bad even with the numbing agent in my eye. He also did it with my contacts on... and this time, he removed about 12 on the left and about a couple on the right. I'm glad that's over with. Tonight, when Mahal put the ointment in my left eye, he said that it looks cleaner and it was easier to put the ointment because there was no barrier to keep it out.
I saw my patient today. I walked in their house and they had their tree all set up with very nice decorations. The baby & I sat on the floor under the tree. It was nice coz they had the lights on. I told the Mom & GM that I like sitting there working with the tree lighted up. I haven't had the energy the last 3 years to put up a tree or decorate for the holidays so it was nice to just be able to sit there and enjoy the tranquility it brings.
after that, I came home and rested... and did some work at the end of the day... i'm very sleepy now and if I have alot of typos, please excuse me. I'm very sleepy and I can't see a thing because of the ointment in my eye. till next time :-) UPDATE: respiratory bacterial infection is almost completely done and my voice is back. I've taken antibiotics for 5 days now.. pretty potent stuff. The gastroenteritis is still there in terms of stomach cramping and nausea. Today after treatment, the nausea was pretty yukky. Thankfully I found some ginger candy that a friend recommended from Trader Joes. At least it gave a distraction because the candy is very spicy.
I'm very sleepy & I'm falling asleep trying to type.. so if there are alot of mistakes, please excuse me. take care :-)
Friday, December 10, 2010
no voice
So I went to the doctor today, since I've progressively gotten more congested since Wed. It's not strep but some other kind of bacterial infection. I'm on antibiotics for the next 5 days and mucinex to help with the coughing. I've kinda lost my voice and have to talk in 'falcetto' voice since my voice is cracking every time I talk. I've been really tired and cold and generally don't feel too well. I went to the cancer center to get a new sleeve. I like wearing the sleeve because it really does make my arm feel better. I'm so glad they're there and I thank God that Frendell's got very good insurance coverage and they allow me a couple of sleeves a year if I need it. Since lymphedema is constant for me, this is actually my second sleeve this year.
So, I'm supposed to be on a bland diet since I continue to have stomach pains. So I made some sotanghon soup. I had made rice soup yesterday with lots of ginger and that's kinda all I've been eating. The sotanghon soup turned out quite well considering I really didn't know how to make it. I think it would have been much better with chicken broth. But I prefer vegetarian and it was still very tasty. I was told to just rest and take it easy until I feel better. I hope this won't get worse. I really didn't want to get sick before our trip... we're having a snow storm this coming week-end too. If I felt better, i would have tried to make some vegan cookies to eat with tea or hot cocoa. Oh well....
have a great week-end and hopefully next time I log on, my voice will be back :-)
So, I'm supposed to be on a bland diet since I continue to have stomach pains. So I made some sotanghon soup. I had made rice soup yesterday with lots of ginger and that's kinda all I've been eating. The sotanghon soup turned out quite well considering I really didn't know how to make it. I think it would have been much better with chicken broth. But I prefer vegetarian and it was still very tasty. I was told to just rest and take it easy until I feel better. I hope this won't get worse. I really didn't want to get sick before our trip... we're having a snow storm this coming week-end too. If I felt better, i would have tried to make some vegan cookies to eat with tea or hot cocoa. Oh well....
have a great week-end and hopefully next time I log on, my voice will be back :-)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Oculoplastics
Today after breakfast I was besieged by severe stomach cramps and feelings of nausea. I was breaking out in sweat and I could not finish drying my hair as I got ready to see Dr. Yoo, my oculoplastics doctor. I had to cancel two appointments, one for evaluation and the other for treatment. I finally made it to the doctor and thankfully did not have to wait too long to be seen. But the news is not good. Dr. Yoo did give me the okay to go on the mission trip, but as soon as we get back, i have to see him again and then we will schedule for another surgery to lower the left corner of my left eye. He said that it is not retracting as much as I think it is, but it is retracting and we need to do something to protect the cornea. He would also do a biopsy of the eye muscle tissue so I will have no doubts that it is indeed Graves disease. He said that the antibodies do make changes in the muscles of the eyes and this is one way they determine for sure that one has Graves disease, after all the blood work and other symptoms. This is his response to my question, "do you think that it may be something else? that I may have another kind of eye disease?" He said, "No. But the reason your eye is still getting worse is that you still have your thyroid. As long as the thyroid is there, it will still produce antibodies, even though your thyroid levels are more normal now". So, there you have it. Another surgery next year... but he said this time, it won't be as extensive or as long.
After that appointment, I then went to the lab to get some blood work done. A couple of hours later, Dr. Mahzari called me and told me that my white cell count is somewhat higher and she thinks that I may have 'gastroenteritis". My liver function is marginal as well, but she doesn't think that it is related to the problem I was having. Anyways, she wants me to call Dr. F, so I did and I was recommended to stay home and keep hydrated with clear liquids. If I'm still not feeling well in the morning, they want me to stay home. They don't think I'm contagious but since I work with babies, I must take precautions. I hope I feel better soon. I've just been resting all afternoon and I still feel tired :-(
After that appointment, I then went to the lab to get some blood work done. A couple of hours later, Dr. Mahzari called me and told me that my white cell count is somewhat higher and she thinks that I may have 'gastroenteritis". My liver function is marginal as well, but she doesn't think that it is related to the problem I was having. Anyways, she wants me to call Dr. F, so I did and I was recommended to stay home and keep hydrated with clear liquids. If I'm still not feeling well in the morning, they want me to stay home. They don't think I'm contagious but since I work with babies, I must take precautions. I hope I feel better soon. I've just been resting all afternoon and I still feel tired :-(
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)