Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Having a rough month...

Definately can't wait for the brighter days that I hope are ahead.  Jerry, Flapjack and I are all having procedures this month and I am so overwhelmed it is difficult to get out of bed. 

Flapjack was diagnosed with a Stage 4 heart murmur and has been on Enalapril for 2 weeks and double dose antibiotics for one week to prepare for his skin biopsy on a very troublesome spot on his stomach that

went from non existent to the size of an irregular shaped quarter in less that a month as well as a biopsy of his Lymph Nodes which are swollen from head to tail.  The Lymph Nodes have me most concerned being a Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor myself.  Some people don't understand the depth of our love for our dogs, but not having human children, they are our kids.  Because of his heart murmur and his being a senior, anesthesia is riskier.  We are also concerned about the cost of chemotherapy and don't think we will be able to afford it.  Estimates are $800 per treatment and a minimum of 4 treatments.

After Flapjack's procedure on the 14th comes my turn.  The next day I go in for an unplanned hysterectomy after the OBGYN found tumors on my uterus.  My last PET scan was a year ago and showed nothing so they are most lkely Uterine Fibroids. However, Hodgkin's Disease is a Lymphoma that leaves me immuno supressed and more susceptible to other cancers.  So while it is unlikely that I have Leiomyosarcoma it is a higher possibility than in someone who has never had cancer. That makes me worry not so much for myself, but for Jerry.

Finally, towards the end of the month it is Jerry's turn.  While he's not having surgery per se, his procedure does involve anesthesia and is invasive.  While the reasons for his procedure and not because cancer is suspected, it can be there along with other things.

I might not feel as bad if I hadn't suffered from Heat Exhaustion on Sunday which just drained me and left me fatigued.  We thought we were doing everything right, going out at 9 AM, coming home at 11; Staying hydrated; being in a shady area. 

However I forgot to take into consideration the anti-seizure medication I had to start taking this year.  The medicine causes your sodium levels to drop to dangerous levels and I usually compensate by having a high sodium meal, but I haven't had much of an appetite lately do have just been eating yogurt and Jello, so this in addition to the 100-108 degree days we've been having (which normally don't occur until July/August) was a recipe for trouble.  Oh and did I forget to mention I lost my car keys at the park and had to do a grid search to find them until I was ready to vomit!  Duh!

So right now I'm worried about 3 members of my nuclear family being seriously sick at the same time, all being under anesthesia in the same month which carries it's own risks, plus the move, packing, hiring movers, finding temporary health insurance for Jerry & I, in addition to the regular day-to-day stuff.  I am definately feeling it.

Jerry is so supportive and bends over backwards to make me feel better, but I wish I had an extra set of hands around sometimes to help me sort and pack.  I just get so tired.  Of course if anyone comes back with cancer, the move is off until further notice.