Wah! (Like a baby)

It's surreal. I am actually volunteering to have all this crap done to me. I know I could refuse at any time. The consequences would be very bad, so I won't refuse.

Today's fun was another catheter placement. Dreading it. No more easy showers. Wah. Dancing back oh hold. Wah. More dangling lines. Wah. More to manage. Wah. I miss the easy days already. Wah. I'm a baby.

And then I tell myself to suck it up. It could be worse. Don is still in the hospital for his broken arm. Another good thing is I finally took an oxy pain pill. This should be "fun."

This one is as big as a firehose so the stem cells being transplanted will not get damaged. This catheter tunnels under the skin and connects to a very large vein in the neck and then follows the natural path of the vein so the end of the catheter is in the large blood vessel in the chest.

This was my first experience with any kind of "surgery" or sedation. What a surreal experience. I got put on a table, exposed my right side chest, cleaned, tube shoved up my nostrils (1/8 of an inch-Wah), paper hat and mask put on me, and draped with a cloth. Then a whole bunch of people did their jobs. I could feel pressure of what was going on. It felt like 4 distinct places. Pressure, no pain. Then, a little later they cleaned me up and helped me get my stylin' gown on. Then I was wheeled in a chair to the recovery room for about 45 minutes. Just enough time to check vitals and have a snack and coffee. I was starving since I had no food or water since the night before.

Care for the catheter is about the same as the PICC line:  don't get it wet an don't feed it after midnight. No. Wait. That's for Gremlins. For a catheter: keep it clean and dry and no excessive sweating. I had better inform my hot flashes to quit.

Look! A special "Widget" gown! I can't wait to wear the real Widget again.

(The blue cross is a centering mark for the 8 rounds of radiation next week.)

We stopped in at Blood Services and saw this:

So let us know before you go and we will give you a card.

Today I completed the last of gifts. It has been fun! I will call them all Birthday gifts for my new birthday which will be October 17 th with my new immune system. (Google it - some people do call it a new birthday).

Thanks to Robyn and Mark for the second half of the intended gift! Oops! Missed that earlier!

It seems to be a theme: Sandy and Jimmy sent the Orange throw to compliment the tea. Much appreciated!

From M.L. is the cup and Dunkin coffee and socks. Thank you!

Finally, from the Sims is a gift bag for the whole family. I had to test the candy that was clearly intended for Kent. It's fresh and yummy. There is no way it will be good by Halloween, so we must finish it fast. No problem there! Thank you Guys!

This is going to be an early bedtime since I have clinic tomorrow. Then Sunday is my last day off for a very very long time.

I have an electric sign up sheet ready to go for "drivers needed." I will send you the link if you email me and it will have detailed information.

Thank you in advance!