Good news all around: I am back home

I didn't have to go to the hospital today. Yay!

Dr. Rubin said that she liked the softness in my calf. She added that before it was hard, like an infection, and she thought 'something' was growing there'. Neither she nor the nurses were too concerned that I missed yesterday's treatment nor that I missed it because I could barely move my leg.

Mia, my friend, stayed with me for while, then left to do other things. I think I fell asleep when she left. I woke up to Dr. Rubin leaving the room because she didn't want to wake me up. I explained that I took all of my of my drugs today so that I could take the ambulance. The doctor and nurses all laughed at this comment. I think I did well; Dr. Rubin only had positive things to about me and my knee. I think I forgot to mention some things, but I can call with questions. They even easily renewed all of my prescriptions.

When i was told that i could leave, I had to wait about an hour for the ambulance to pick me up. Sara, one of the chemo nurses, waited with me for most of that time. I said that I had had a friend to take across the street to chemo on Monday, because it is across the street and if the EMTs do it, it counts as a separate trip and the nurses were often busy so I had to wait a bit. Sara, the nurse, said for me call them because someone was likely to be free and could take me; her comment brought tears to my eyes.

When we got to my apartment, Nicole was already there and helped us in. Nicole brought me some food so the pain drugs would absorb faster. It is so hard to eat when I am not hungry and feel nauseous from pain, but she definitely helped. Then I slept for a long while. Ken came over with some sushi.

Things are much now than they were this morning when I was sure that I would be hospitalized. Tomorrow, my pick up time is at 12pm, so I can sleep in for a little while.

Location:Home

Today's worries; Yesterday's struggles

I am worried that when the EMTs come I won't be able to go with them. Also, I am worked that if I do go with them I will be hospitalized. Bleh!


Yesterday, when the EMTs came, I had trouble sitting in their stair chair. It hurt my left leg to much to press against the metal frame, even with a pillow under it. I had trouble using my left leg on Saturday and Sunday. Monday was not much better. I tried hard to get myself "ok" in the chair, not even comfortable, but couldn't do it. I took all my pain meds, too. I vomited, I think from the pain. Eventually, dispatch contacted my EMTs and said that they either needed to take me or they needed to move on. I said to move on, since I still couldn't do it.

I rescheduled my appointments, Chemo is today. Radiation is tomorrow. My friend, Mia, who was going to help me get across the street from Radiation to Chemo, came to my apartment with some food and drinks. Her presence helped me. I was feeling like a failure and she pointed out that I wasn't.

The nurse came to redo my bandages. A nurse comes daily to change my bandages, but today's visit was more of an ordeal, partly because she didn't give a warning so I could time my drug intake. Anyway, I could not move my leg easily or without excruciating pain when she first started working on it. Eventually, I was able to bend it my foot was on the ground and my knee "was pointed at the sky". The nurse rebandaged it in this position and seemed frustrated that I couldn't do that the whole time. I don't even want to think about any illness or injury to Righty.

Today I hope and pray that I can take the stair chair. I am worried that I overworked myself so much that Dr. Rubin may hospitalize me. Yesterday I was terrified at that possibility. Today I accept it more. Today, I can move it much better with less pain, but it was a struggle to function. My friends helped me all night. I am fuzzy on details, as the nurse suggested taking them every 4 hours, instead of when I felt pain.

Location:E Passyunk Ave,Philadelphia,United States