moving, scrubbing, carpeting cleaning - ugh

Gee.  I am tired.

This entry will be short.  John and I have to get up early to move in the morning.  It was the only day we could get the moving van.  So we have just tomorrow to move everything.  We will have to hustle.  

The next day I'm going to have to clean the apartment.  Scrub the whole thing down.  I have a friend to help.  Oh, joy of life, doing the whole apartment should be fun!  But with two of us, it shouldn't be too bad.

The next day (that's Saturday) the carpet cleaners are coming.  I'll have to be over at the apartment for that, b/c I need to get the receipt from them to take to the apartment office to turn it in.  So it will be a sit around and wait.  

I think I won't be as tired next month, LOL.

But I'll be sad.  B/c my computer is going to be in storage for a month.  John and I will be staying with my parents for a month, while our new apartment is waiting to become available in September.  Ughhh!  I merely hate the thought of not having access to my computer whenever I want it, LOL, for the  month of August .  I may be able to do some entries from my Dad's computer, but, I can't include any photos, etc, for over a month.  And I won't have as much computer time.  So if I don't update much, don't be concerned.

Okay, well I guess that is all I have for now, b/c it is getting late.  

Oh, one more thing.

The other day, well on July 22, I was given the honor of this little award.  

                            

I felt kind of good about it, because I was chosen for this award among nominees from the whole blogosphere, by a panel of judges.  I was dumbfounded when I got it! 

Okay, perhaps I shouldn't have even mentioned it, LOL.  But I did.  Mentioned it?  Heck, I even put this thing in my sidebar, LOL! 

Okay, on that note, I better get off to bed.  I have a big three days ahead of me, LOL. 

Uggggghhhhhhhh, no photos for over a month!  And photobucket is making me mad!  I think it is actually eating some of my photos.  I can't find some that I put on there.  Has that been happening to anybody else???

Love you all muchly,

Krissy :)  

Tags: moving, scrubbing, carpeting cleaning, computer withdrawl, Blog of the Day Award, Best Blog of the Day, BOTDA, award, bragging

monday morning question

         

Go to the google search engine.  www.google.com   Type in your name and then the word "likes".  Without the quotation marks.  

What does the search engine say that you like?  (name a few things) 

 

My answer: 

Krissy likes 7-11 nachos and naps.

Krissy likes to bite snakes. 

Tags: Monday Morning Question, nachos

John is OK

Hi you all.  John and I got back from Hershey today.

I'm feeling grateful tonight.  Grateful that it looks like John's cancer is not back.  That was the decision made by his oncologist at yesterday's appointment.  

Actually, Dr. C. thinks John is doing quite well.  All tests have come back negative.  Dr. C. decided not to do the biopsy b/c there was no sign of cancer.  

John's labs (counts and levels) were also exceptionally good.  Except for the red cells.  The Hemoglobin and Hematocrit were much too low.  

They were almost low enough to get a blood transfusion (red blood cell packs).  

We are hoping he will not start to need to get blood transfusions again.  He hasn't had to have them since February.  This meant that the Hemolytic Anemia was probably gone.  Now we are wondering if the Hemolytic Anemia could be back again.

What does this mean?  Well, we will take it one day at a time.  Perhaps a spleenectomy?  Who knows.  We are not even going to think about that right now.  We have packing and moving to get through, LOL.

Right now John is getting Arinesp shots (very similar to Procrit shots, you may have heard about them on TV) to help raise his red blood counts in hopes that this will stimulate their growth.  If that occurs, then maybe he won't have to be transfused.

Actually, John is looking pretty good, and getting stronger every day.  I was pretty worried about him about a month ago, but now the fevers have stopped and he says he is feeling really good.  Praise God for that.

Sorry I alarmed you all.  My bad. 

Ok, I have to get back to my packing.  I know I told you all I would tell you how my sleeping is going.  But I don't want to make this entry too long.  I just wanted to tell you John was ok. 

Suffice it to say that the sleep thing has been hard.  First hard, then easy, then hard again.  Last night I guess went ok, but I kept having nightmares.  I could hear the pressure of the air (from the hose of the sleep apnea machine) in my dreams, and dreamt all kinds of weird things.  One of the things I dreamt was that a grenade exploded in my face.  Another thing I dreamt was that I was a baby in my mother's womb.  This is all b/c of the sounds of the air and the pressure from the machine.  I DO NOT like the weird dreams, LOL.  The night before I dreamt I died.  I DO NOT want to have these dreams, LOL.  I just want to be normal.  On the other hand, I don't want to die from stopping breathing w/o the machine.  Oh well!

Ok, I must run.  John is waiting for me.  Love you all,

Krissy :) 

Tags: no cancer, transfusions, Hemolytic Anemia, sleep apnea

it's been stressful...

Ugghh, it is too early to be up!  I am often up this early, but, for some reason this morning, I am just so tired and I can't seem to get going. 

The reason I am up so early is b/c John has an appointment with Dr. Claxton in a litle while.  Yes, we are at Hershey again, LOL.  We got here yesterday.  Hopefully we will leave tomorrow.  If all goes well.  I think all will go well b/c John is looking and feeling a lot better than he did  two weeks ago. 

His fevers are gone (for now), but they will still want to figure out where the "fevers of unknown origin" came from.  John has been getting tests done and so far the tests have not shown the cause of the fevers.  

Dr. Claxton will probably do a bone marrow biopsy today, hopefully the LAST test in the serieies, John says (he is sitting next to me helping me write this). 

Okay, about John getting the biopsy.  Dr. Claxton has already said that it is very unlikely that the cancer has come back.  He is just doing the bone marrow biopsy because he has to be sure. 

Wait a minute.  This is weird.  I am sitting here calmly typing this, like it's no big deal.  Why?  I don't know.  What else am I going to do?  If anything is wrong, I can't change it.  Besides, we don't know there is anything majorly wrong.  Still on some level I am upset, or scared, or tired, or all of the above.  I'm fine, but I'm also all of the above.  Sometimes I wish I didn't have so much stress. 

I'm only telling you all this because I don't want you to be the last to know.  If it turns out he does have something serious, I
want you all to know, b/c you have been there from the beginning.  John and I debated at first whether we should say anything, until we knew what his diagnosis was.  But then we thought it would be better to just be open about what is going on.  Because you all deserve honesty.  Okay, I'll spit it out.  With these fevers of unknown origin, one third of the time it is b/c the cancer has returned.  

So Dr. Claxton has decided to do a biopsy.  At first Dr. Claxton  wasn't going to do it, b/c the last bone marrow biopsy had such stupendously good results (remember that?  it went to the Mayo clinic and it showed that John's chromosomes had even switched back to normal, and that he was 100% donor). 

But the biopsy before that one showed immature cells.  Which isn't good.  Rember that?  Remember at that time the oncologist said it must have been some medicine John was getting (Neupogen) that skewed John's test results, making it look like he had cancer when he didn't.    

Well, Dr. Claxton has decided to go ahead with the bone marrow biopsy.  Just in case their was an incorrect reading of the last biopsy which was very hopeful and showed remission.  In which case, horror against horror, his cancer is actually still here.  

Bust most likely the fevers are being caused by something else.  I think.              

The fevers could be caused by any number of things, but what's most likely is a viral infection according to Dr. Claxton.  He said that with a lot of viral infections, all you can do is let them run their course.  John is sitting here feeding me the information about the viral infection.  Funny, I don't remember Dr. Claxton saying that.  See what happens?  You hear the big C word and you get so scared. 

So in a little while we will be off to the hospital (we are staying at Hope Lodge).  John will get some lab tests done.  He is also going to have to get a "type and hold" b/c his red blood cell count is too low.  A "type and hold" is like a "type and cross match", which means John's blood is drawn, and the lab tests his blood to see what blood on hand would match John's blood.  If John's blood counts happen to be real low, this will mean he will need to get blood (some red blood cell packs) this trip.  Hopefully, it won't happen, and I doubt it will.  But it appears there has been a little downward trend in his counts.  He may start needing blood (red blood cell packs) again.  I hope not.  I hope the Hemolytic Anemia is not back.

What if I told you he looks really healthy, LOL?  HE DOES!  That is all I can say.  Just wanted to tell you everything.  Not throw it on you all the sudden w/o any explanation, later on.  If we would have to do something like that.  Let's all pray NOT.   

We'll keep you informed of everything that's going on.  The biopsy test results probably won't be back for three or four weeks. 

Switching subjects, the packing is exhausting us!  I never thought moving took so much.  Gee, I've done it before, but I don't remember it being this tiring!

I am also throwing out a lot of things.  Very emotional!  It feels like I am throwing out my life, LOL!

Changing the subject again, without a segue, LOL, I have wanted to tell you all about how the sleep apnea machine and my sleeping has been going.  And my daytime alertness (or lack thereof).  I just haven't had the time to post an entry about this.  I have had so much to do.  But I will post an entry.  If not in Hershey, then when I get back.  Probably when we get back home, b/c we are hoping to leave for home tomorrow.

Ok, must run, we are off to the hospital very soon.  Hope everyone is doing well. 

Love you all, Krissy :) 

Tags: bone marrow biopsy, blood, hemolytic anemia, cancer, cancer I hate you, packing, sleep apnea, CPAP machine, still staying positive!

my LOLCat

 

           

 

Joe over at Magic Smoke inspired me to make a LOLCat.  That's a Laugh Out Loud Cat!  

I used LOLCat Buildr to do mine, but you can use any site that will help you make a LOLCat. 

Here's the directions:

Take a picture of a cat doing something cute. Then make up a caption--something witty that the cat would be saying if cats could talk. Bear in mind that cats can't spell all that well and that they're not so hot on subject-verb agreement either. Photoshop the caption onto the image, and post your creation on a blog. What you get is lolcats: lol for laugh out loud, cats for cats.

In case you were wondering, the above is my Maine Coon cat Michael!

Tags: lolcats, Maine Coon cat, Michael, i'm on your floor waitin to trip u, blogplugs

i got me a sleep apnea machine

I have been missing in action for awhile.  There is so much I want to write about.  But I have been busy packing.  Wow, talk about work!  I don't know how some people do it in just a few days.  Of course I am being a little meticulous about it, so it won't be so difficult when I get to my new apartment to put everything away.  I have to hurry up and finish though.

It's almost bedtime.  I am a little nervous tonight.  Today I finally got my sleep apnea machine!  I have to have one with a face mask as opposed to just the nasal kind.  This is b/c my pressure is so high (13).  The respiratory therapist who was showing me how to use the machine, put a face mask over my face to show me how it would feel.  Then she turned it on 13.  It felt so smothering and so hard to breathe that I almost had a panic attack.  I just wanted to rip the thing off.  Strange, in the hospital I didn't go into panic.  But in this one I was going to go into real PANIC. 

So she went and got another face mask one that only covered around the nose, but still accepted the pressure.  It was somewhat hard to take, but much better!  I dropped the pressure to 4 to start, and it felt great!  I almost fell asleep then and there!  The idea is that the machine starts out on the air blowing at a pressure of 4, and slowly goes up to 13 (which is pretty foreceful).  But it takes 20 minutes to get to pressure 13.  The ideas is that by that time you are asleep and you don't notice the full pressure.  

I hope it works and I don't go into panic mode, LOLOLOL.  Because I stopped breathing 104 times, if I remember correctly, in 4 or was it 5 hours, during the test I had a few months ago at the hospital.  I need the machine.  I better relax tonight and not panic!

Okay, I got to run now.  I will be back soon.

Love you all,

Krissy

Tags: packing, sleep apnea, sleep apnea machine, panic

rockin' bloggers

                        

Wow!  This is way cool!  I was awarded the Rockin' Girl Blogger award by Celeste of My days and thoughts.  I have never been told that I rock, LOL! 

Now I am supposed to pick five other women who Rock!

Kathy rocks!  In her journal One Summer's Day she shares honestly about herself.  That takes bravery.  She also shares helpful and interesting information.

Sylvia rocks!  Her journal Ye Olde English Posy is never boring.  It is filled with her breathtaking photos of the English countryside.  Check out her journal and you will see that Sylvia is a strong and compassionate woman, and a wonderful caregiver to her husband.

Sonya rocks!  And she does it Southern style!  She is taking life on at full speed.  You go, Girl!  In her journal MySouthernHome, you can follow her exciting life. 

Grace rocks!  You can get an immediate glimpse of her sense of humor from the title of her journal, My Llama Wears Army Boots.  I just love it!  Go and check her out.

Verna rocks!  If you check out Verna's journal you can read about how she worked her way through nursing school, and is now an RN.  She is one exceptionally strong and rockin' woman! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

                        

Okay, so there was someone that I really wanted to choose, when I first got this award, who I think is an exceptional blogger.  The problem was, he is a male, LOL.  Okay, so rules don't stop me, LOL.  I am going to choose him anyway!  Kellen, I choose you!

Kellen, you rock!  I discovered your journal, Faith in Roman Catholicism, almost by accident.  I have been reading it ever since.  Your faith and your interesting journal is a must read.

This award was created just for you, Kellen.  Perhaps you will want to put it in your sidebar, and also do an entry choosing five men you think Rock too?

Love you all and congrats,

Krissy :)

Tags: Rockin' Girl Blogger, Rockin' Man Blogger, blogplugs

There's no place like home *clicking heels*

Hi!  John and I got back from the hospital yesterday.  Gee, we were there for over three weeks.  When we left, I didn't think we would be staying that long.  John went through many tests, and they never did figure out what his "fevers of unknown origin" were from.  He had fevers of around 102 degrees for about 3 weeks in total.  That's something else.  Combined with the fevers in the past, the doctors are a little concerned, even though the fevers are not present for the time being.  John and I have to go back in about two weeks to check out the results of a few final tests, and then he may get another test.  Hopefully he will not have to stay in Hershey, or get checked into the hospital for awhile.

Because this isn't a good time.  We are in the process of moving.  I am packing up the apartment now, so that if we get called back to Hershey, we will be out of this apartment, by the due date.  I am actually working (packing, etc.) on July 4, LOL.  Doesn't matter anyway, I don't have anything else I want to do.  It is actually freeing to be out of Hope Lodge and doing something I want to do.  I REALLY appreciate it's service, but I was getting bored there and wanted to get on with my life.  There were so many tests, and we didn't get out.  The most we did was walk to the end of the driveway, LOL.

Maybe John and I will do something tonight, on the 4th of July.  They have some fireworks here rated best in the country.  I don't really feel like going out though.  Perhaps I will watch them on television.  Gee I am getting old, LOL! 

I just asked John what he wanted to add. Like how he was feeling.  He said yesterday he felt "disoriented".  "Being three weeks in Hershey and then suddenly two hours later we are back here.  And everything is different.  And adjusting to a new schedule and new things to do."  

He said this has happened to him before coming back after a long stay.

I feel sort of the same way.

But we are glad to be home.

I hope we stay home for a long while, normalcy would be great!

Love you all, Krissy :)    

Tags: fevers of unknown origin