State of things

Post #300,649 by laura 12/4/08 3:39:04 PM Reply	State of things They took out 8 feet of ileum, one kidney, one ureter and what was left of my uterus. They also did various biopsies and cleaned out pelvic adhesions and scar tissue. All done with a robot through 5 smallish incisions in my belly that were glued closed. I didnt even need sutures. Came home with a PICC line for TPN feedings until lower GI is in working order. I am well medicated and feel surprisingly good. My former mother law has been here since last week taking care of the kids for me. I talked to the doc today and she said I am doing "remarkably well". I'm off work for at least another 6 weeks. Now the good news. The path reports and labs all came back today. Good clean margins, cancer markers in blood are NEGATIVE. Neuro scans are clean. Abdominal scans are clean. At this moment, for the first time since April 2006, I am cancer free!! CANCER FREE! I almost afraid to say that out loud for fear I might jinx it. My heart is dancing!
Post #300,650 by boxley 12/4/08 3:41:30 PM Reply	now we just need to get your but dancing :-)
Post #300,701 by laura 12/5/08 7:48:08 AM Reply	Baby steps Right now you will have to settle for jazz hands. :-)
Post #300,702 by beepster 12/5/08 9:12:51 AM Reply	Then on to the hand jive, baby! I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #300,651 by beepster 12/4/08 3:42:39 PM Reply	SAHHH-WHEEET!!! That is SPECTACULAR news. Rest easy now that stress levels are down. You have me smiling! I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #300,652 by jake123 12/4/08 3:45:23 PM Reply	That's excellent news, Laura! Get better and get back on your feet!
Post #300,654 by malraux 12/4/08 4:05:27 PM Reply	Oh, that's awesome! Wow... great news! You probably feel surprisingly good because your body knows it doesn't have to fight anything any more. Fatigue can be a huge drain, and it sneaks up on you until it's just a part of your life. When it's gone, for whatever reason, you suddenly realize what you were missing. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #300,732 by laura 12/6/08 12:31:23 PM Reply	You know, you're right about that. When functioning declines, some of us adjust and keep plugging along, not recognizing how crappy we feel. We even stop feeling sick and tired about being sick and tired because it's all we know. It just becomes normal. I think there is something adaptive and defensive about that. It's a good survival trait. And when we start to feel a wee bit better it's like the veil has lifted and the sun comes shining back in. Every little thing is to be celebrated. Being able to pee makes me ecstatically happy. It's something we take for granted, but let me tell you, when you cant pee, it becomes a BIG issue! I am grateful. My Shaman teacher came over yesterday. God Bless this woman. We went out in the yard. Snow falling. So painfully beautiful. Big drifting flakes. We forget to see the beauty of the moment. She had me lean up against the big tree in my yard and connect. Remember where I came from. Leaning up against the strength of that tree, looking through the branches, watching the snow fall. Being able to pee. I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I am happy right down to my core.
Post #300,742 by drook 12/6/08 8:38:19 PM Reply	True dat I love leaning up against a tree in the back yard peeing in the snow. What? Oh, the peeing was later? Still cool. Glad to hear the good news. -- Drew
Post #300,778 by crazy 12/7/08 1:55:59 PM Reply	Don't forget It can get you out of a DUI in some countries.
Post #300,899 by mhuber 12/9/08 6:39:07 PM Reply	A poke in the ribs Something I've been doing a lot lately is assessing the muscles on the sides of people's ribcage. None so far have complained that I caused them pain, but quite a few say I've revealed it. A substantial number go "wow - I didn't realize I was sore there!" One person mentioned the pain before I got to it. I ruined a twice-a-week regular client a few weeks back. The pain that she had learned to ignore and then forgotten about was preventing her from taking a decent breath or sleeping through the night. A good jab in the ribs revealed and then took care of the pain, and now she only needs me to work on her a couple of times a month. OK, it was about a long, slow jab in the ribs. But the treatment was absurdly simple and the change is weird. Like she's a whole other person, a slower, saner (very relative term), happier person, now that she's breathing deep and sleeping long. The stuff she was coping with was trivial, Laura, your's was major. Enjoy what you had forgotten, what not-pain feels like. Fantastic. I'm thrilled just hearing about it in somebody who I've never met.
Post #300,900 by malraux 12/9/08 6:53:48 PM Reply	Speaking of sleep It's amazing how many maladies lack of sleep can cause. I'm going in for a sleep study very soon. Hopefully they'll find something worthwhile. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #300,901 by crazy 12/9/08 7:18:33 PM Reply	What type of mattress do you have? I spent years not really asleep, on both regular and water beds. If I was TOTALLY wiped, I'd sleep, but that was about it. Then I got a tempurpedic mattress. The difference is incredible. Perfect support on all aspects of my body, good temp control. I stopped rolling looking for a comfy position, simply falling back was good enough, and sleep is easy. No more generalised body pain in the morning.
Post #300,903 by boxley 12/9/08 7:52:11 PM Reply	very thin futon pad on hardwood floor in a regular bed after 4 days Im crippled
Post #300,907 by Andrew Grygus 12/9/08 8:07:38 PM Reply	But, I have all that . . . . . with my 40 year old water bed.
Post #300,930 by crazy 12/10/08 10:41:42 AM Reply	I thought I did but I was wrong. I've been sleeping on waterbeds for the most part for the last 30 years. Initial feel is good, warm, supportive, but: My hips and lower back start to fall apart, there is not enough support as compared to the rest of me, and I end up tossing and turning after about 20 minutes.
Post #300,931 by Andrew Grygus 12/10/08 10:50:57 AM Reply	No problems like that here. When I first got it I had a slight bit of pain from a formerly cracked rib but that adjusted within a week. Of course I get (very mild) lower back pain around 10 hours in any bed - but it's very rare I get to stay in bed that long.
Post #300,910 by malraux 12/9/08 9:39:50 PM Reply	That's another thing I'm going to work on Dunno about a Tempurpedic, though. That's a lot of money to spend to find out it makes my back hurt (like happened to someone I know). Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #300,913 by Another Scott 12/9/08 10:24:01 PM Reply	If ya can stand feathers, a feather bed might be worth a try They can be very comfortable, but I personally don't like being constrained like that when I sleep. I don't think I'd like a Tempurpedic for that reason. Good luck. Cheers, Scott.
Post #300,935 by crazy 12/10/08 12:35:49 PM Reply	Compare body types Bman HATES them, but then again, he believes he slept on one in a hotel. How do we know he really did, or one of the cheap rip-offs? And if it was, maybe it is related to size and body type? Either way, go hang out at a store for a couple of hours. Kick back, read a book, relax. But give it a while, it is worth it to find out whether is suits you.
Post #300,909 by laura 12/9/08 9:13:32 PM Reply	Thank you! I had a massage today, btw. A coworker who is a nurse and massage therapist came over and he really worked on my back and neck. Oh my gosh, it was good! Did I mention that I'm learning reiki? My Shaman teacher is also a reiki master. It is very cool stuff.
Post #300,655 by mvitale 12/4/08 4:07:01 PM Reply	Excellent, Smithers! So glad to hear the great news, Laura. Keep it up, kiddo. -Mike "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, 1759 Historical Review of Pennsylvania
Post #300,659 by a6l6e6x 12/4/08 5:24:57 PM Reply	Wonderful news, Laura! Thank you sweet Cthulhu! :) Alex
Post #300,660 by folkert 12/4/08 5:28:31 PM Reply	Yes... Cthulhu save! He might need a snack later.
Post #300,661 by folkert 12/4/08 5:28:58 PM Reply	Good to know you aren't kicking the bukkitt.
Post #300,662 by Ashton 12/4/08 5:30:18 PM Reply	Bitchin news! (Seems another proof of karma, I wot.) 6 weeks.. for er, 'responsible.. progressive' Partying -- You Go, Girl !! Hugs, The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. -- H.L. Mencken
Post #300,665 by rcareaga 12/4/08 5:47:36 PM Reply	Woo, I say. Woo and Yay. One naturally regrets losing all that factory-installed equipment, but given the severe case of rust you were dealing with, I see this tradeoff as a plus. All best wishes. cordially,
Post #300,675 by hnick 12/4/08 8:41:12 PM Reply	Best news in ages! I'm so happy for you. Now you can enjoy Christmas/New Year since you blew off Thanksgiving...
Post #300,677 by Another Scott 12/4/08 8:54:06 PM Reply	Excellent! Thanks! Take care of yourself. :-)
Post #300,688 by mhuber 12/4/08 10:55:14 PM Reply	Woo Freakin' Hoooooooooooo Well, that's my highly technical assessment as a health care professional.
Post #300,700 by Meerkat 12/5/08 6:34:14 AM Reply	You have a talent for making me happy, you do... ... that's awesome news, with a capital awe! They said I was gullible ... and I believed them

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