Quick Update

Well, I learned to give myself an insulin shot today. Took a few minutes to build up the nerve, and then, due to nervous reflex, pulled it back out again as soon as I stuck myself. However, because it didn't hurt, I quickly reinjected myself and pumped in the practice saline solution. I got instructions on how often, how much, etc. I will be using injector pens which are quite neat. They contain enough insulin for many shots and all I do is put a new needle on the tip. I am giving my shot in my upper leg, didn't want to try the stomach yet. I am hoping this chemo isn't going to mess with the diabetes too much. Actually it is the 80 mg. a day of Prednisone that will do it.

Then after coming out of the clinic. Discovered I couldn't move the car. Seems a hose in the transmission broke on the way and all the fluid drained out. Actually before I went in, I knew something was wrong because I barely made it there. Anyway, my son-in-law, Marc, and his boss came and rescued me. We got the car to his shop and then they took me to get a rental car.

An hour or two later I got to meet the surgeon who will be doing my breast implant...er, portacath. I really, really liked him. He took lots of time to explain it, had a sample device and answered all my questions. Great bedside manner. Actually it will be placed up near my collar bone on the left side just under the skin and the tube will be threaded down from there, under the skin, into an artery. It can stay in for two or three years or even longer. I will be having the surgery first thing Thursday morning. I have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. He said I should be able to make my oncology appointment across the street at 10 a.m. with no problem. Amazing. The only thing is that I can't drive for 24 hours because of the sedation. That means that Cheryl will have to drive us to the airport that afternoon to meet my brother and mother at the airport. She hates driving in Austin traffic. But, she will do fine.

Friday morning, my youngest daughter, Cindy, is going in for her second heart surgery. The day before Thanksgiving, they zapped nerves in the upper chambers of her heart to try to control the erradic beats. This time they will zap some nerves in the lower chambers of her heart and if that doesn't do the trick, will take her back in to insert a defibrillator. Similar to a pacemaker, except it shocks the heart when it starts going wacky. She will spend the night in the hospital and Jonathan, her 11 year old son plans to spend the night there also. She has told her husband he doesn't need to come home from the oil fields in New Mexico for this, but I won't be surprised if he does show up.

Very busy week! Next week my fun begins as they begin trying to cure, or at least contain my lymphomania. :-) Continue to keep all of us in your prayers, as I know you have been doing. We can tell! Thanks.