Yesterday my second sleeve and gauntlet were delivered to my door. My therapist took these measurements and ordered through another company. I wish we had done this in November! They are a perfect fit. Today I visited the therapist to get my night time compression. It is a "puffy" sleeve that just velcros around my arm, and then I pull a tighter, thin fabric in the shape of my arm over it. I also wear an isotoner gauntlet off the shelf from Gould's Medical Supply with it to keep my hand compressed. It is going to save me so much time not wrapping nightly and rewinding bandages every day! It is a funny thing to look forward to, but I am actually looking forward to trying it out tonight.
The swelling in my hand is worse, so I have three appointments next week for massage therapy to see if we can reduce the swelling.
On the home front - Sarah has moved back home until her wedding, so we are enjoying her company. She also brought her whippet, Oni (rhymes with phony), with her, and we are enjoying Oni, too. Oni loves our fenced back yard. Sarah did not have one with her apartment.
Emily leaves for Greece tomorrow and returns May 15th with the UL Honors Program. I am so excited for her! We have her itinerary on the fridge, and I plan to keep a map of Greece in the kitchen so I can follow her journey.
After my appointment today, Mom treated me to a movie (she also treated me to lunch beforehand). We saw Expelled. It is a documentary about evolution vs. intelligent design, and I think it is a must see!
Katie has completed all her paperwork and medical forms, shots, etc. for Anderson generally and for the nursing program specifically. All that remains for her to do is pack in August.
One extra prayer request: my dad had double pneumonia last month, and it left scar tissue on his lungs. The doctors are warning that he needs to be extra careful from now on and see them at the first sign of cough, sore throat, fever. Please pray that he will manage his health wisely, and not overdo - those of you who know my dad know that he loves to be busy, so it is hard for him to take the time to rest.
Thanks for prayers!
Jan
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Prayer Requests
I know I sound like a broken record, but I am requesting continued prayer for:
- abdominal pain and my upcoming surgery - It is hard to walk around much, even wearing a binder, and I still require pain medication, which I would love to be free of, so that I could drive again and get some independence back. I miss hopping in the car when I want or need something. Surgery will happen after my vacation - I'm not missing England! I'm also praying that I will be recovered for Katie's college move - August 28th and Sarah's wedding - September 13th.
- strength - It is slowly coming, but I want to be able to "do" graduation and keep up with my family in England - this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us.
- learning to deal with my arm - I am realizing that I will deal with lymphedema for the rest of my life, and it hits me hard some days. Some women wear compression 24/7 for life; others only when the swelling flares up - I am asking God if I could be in the second category. I am trying to be consistent with my massage, exercises and compression, and I am learning to cook with latex gloves on and to deal with other ways to handle day to day situations with my "different" right arm and hand. I don't currently have full function in my hand or my elbow.
-depression - I have some bouts with this due to the issues above, plus the tamoxifen intentionally throws me into menopause to get rid of any remaining estrogen in my body. I guess the bright side is that I will get all of this finished at one time!
Thanks so much for remembering me.
Jan
- abdominal pain and my upcoming surgery - It is hard to walk around much, even wearing a binder, and I still require pain medication, which I would love to be free of, so that I could drive again and get some independence back. I miss hopping in the car when I want or need something. Surgery will happen after my vacation - I'm not missing England! I'm also praying that I will be recovered for Katie's college move - August 28th and Sarah's wedding - September 13th.
- strength - It is slowly coming, but I want to be able to "do" graduation and keep up with my family in England - this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us.
- learning to deal with my arm - I am realizing that I will deal with lymphedema for the rest of my life, and it hits me hard some days. Some women wear compression 24/7 for life; others only when the swelling flares up - I am asking God if I could be in the second category. I am trying to be consistent with my massage, exercises and compression, and I am learning to cook with latex gloves on and to deal with other ways to handle day to day situations with my "different" right arm and hand. I don't currently have full function in my hand or my elbow.
-depression - I have some bouts with this due to the issues above, plus the tamoxifen intentionally throws me into menopause to get rid of any remaining estrogen in my body. I guess the bright side is that I will get all of this finished at one time!
Thanks so much for remembering me.
Jan
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
My sleeve/gauntlet
Several have asked about the sleeve and gauntlet, and I realized I forgot to post the outcome! I have a sleeve and gauntlet that are not perfect, but "doable", and I am ordering a modified second set. This time I am ordering through another vendor, hopefully with better results. I will also get my night time compression wear in about three weeks or so.
I will be six weeks out of radiation Friday, at which time I am supposed to start feeling better. I still have a great lack of energy, but I am trying to be as "normal" as I can.
Bryan, Katie and I went to Thunder last Saturday, but booked a hotel room in case I could not stay outdoors for long. We ran into my sister, her husband, and my nephew, who were there with another married couple and a friend of my nephew's, and I did manage to stay out the whole evening. Even though it was freezing cold, my brother-in-law had all kinds of outdoor gadgets in a backpack. He made us popcorn, cocoa, cider, and even furnished a tarp that we could all fit under when it began to rain! I loved the evening, but was glad to get the the hotel and straight to bed. The next two days I had zero energy, but it was fun.
This past week was spring break, so we got back to work yesterday. Sunday I made out Katie's lesson plans for the remainder of the year - my last plans of 17 years of homeschooling! It has really gotten me to thinking about how different my life will be next year. I am hoping to have the energy to return to school - I have registered for two classes. I also hope to begin swimming again, but I am not sure if I can resume mandolin with the gauntlet. I will have to play around with it at home and see how I do.
Katie has decided as of today to attend Anderson University. She will move there August 28th.
Sarah is moving home this weekend to save money until the wedding. She will move out by September 13th, her wedding date. We will truly be empty nesters at that point, and I will need to stay very busy and make a "new" life for myself. The only negative about homeschooling is that you lose your children and your job at the same time! Pray for me to be able to look forward more than I look back, and pray that I will find the next "call" for my life. I always felt that I was "called" to homeschool, which kept us going through through times of adversity. I have no regrets except that it went by too quickly.
This month and May I will finish prep for Katie's graduation. We have 24 graduates. The ceremony will be held in the chapel at SECC on the evening of May 28th, with a reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall.
The next day we leave for our last "field trip" - the whole family is going to England and Scotland for 12 days! It will also be our last family vacation together before Sarah gets married. I am praying for energy to enjoy the trip with everyone. I am very excited about going.
Thanks as always for your prayers, e-mails, cards, letters, and calls.
Jan
I will be six weeks out of radiation Friday, at which time I am supposed to start feeling better. I still have a great lack of energy, but I am trying to be as "normal" as I can.
Bryan, Katie and I went to Thunder last Saturday, but booked a hotel room in case I could not stay outdoors for long. We ran into my sister, her husband, and my nephew, who were there with another married couple and a friend of my nephew's, and I did manage to stay out the whole evening. Even though it was freezing cold, my brother-in-law had all kinds of outdoor gadgets in a backpack. He made us popcorn, cocoa, cider, and even furnished a tarp that we could all fit under when it began to rain! I loved the evening, but was glad to get the the hotel and straight to bed. The next two days I had zero energy, but it was fun.
This past week was spring break, so we got back to work yesterday. Sunday I made out Katie's lesson plans for the remainder of the year - my last plans of 17 years of homeschooling! It has really gotten me to thinking about how different my life will be next year. I am hoping to have the energy to return to school - I have registered for two classes. I also hope to begin swimming again, but I am not sure if I can resume mandolin with the gauntlet. I will have to play around with it at home and see how I do.
Katie has decided as of today to attend Anderson University. She will move there August 28th.
Sarah is moving home this weekend to save money until the wedding. She will move out by September 13th, her wedding date. We will truly be empty nesters at that point, and I will need to stay very busy and make a "new" life for myself. The only negative about homeschooling is that you lose your children and your job at the same time! Pray for me to be able to look forward more than I look back, and pray that I will find the next "call" for my life. I always felt that I was "called" to homeschool, which kept us going through through times of adversity. I have no regrets except that it went by too quickly.
This month and May I will finish prep for Katie's graduation. We have 24 graduates. The ceremony will be held in the chapel at SECC on the evening of May 28th, with a reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall.
The next day we leave for our last "field trip" - the whole family is going to England and Scotland for 12 days! It will also be our last family vacation together before Sarah gets married. I am praying for energy to enjoy the trip with everyone. I am very excited about going.
Thanks as always for your prayers, e-mails, cards, letters, and calls.
Jan
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Wedding Dress Shopping
Today Katie and I joined Sarah as she began shopping for her dress. She looked absolutely beautiful in everything she tried on! We also enjoyed lunch together at WW Cousins between bridal shops. Just seeing her so happy today made all that surgery, chemo, and radiation worth it - just to be with her at such a happy time.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Anniversary/Wedding Date/Surgery/Sleeve
We celebrated my parents' 50th wedding anniversary last Sunday with an open house at Nunnlea. It was lots of fun.
Sarah and Paul have set their wedding date for September 13th. They are getting married and having the reception at Blackacre Nature Preserve. We drove out to look at it after the anniversary open house, and it is really beautiful.
I visited my plastic surgeon last week about the abdominal pain/swelling I am having, and he informed me that I would need another surgery to correct the situation. It involves an overnight stay, mesh, a drain to come home with, and a lengthy recovery. I will not have the surgery until June, after Katie's graduation and our vacation, which has been scheduled for months, with plane tickets already purchased. I am hoping to be back to "normal" by Sarah's wedding.
I also visited my oncologist and began my five years of taking Tamoxifen this week.
I picked up my compression garments today, and will see my lymphedema specialist next Thursday to have them approved. Two of the fingers seem a little snug, but a week's wear may improve the situation.
I feel like I am starting to regain some energy from the radiation. I still nap a lot, but I am able to do more during the day.
Jan
Sarah and Paul have set their wedding date for September 13th. They are getting married and having the reception at Blackacre Nature Preserve. We drove out to look at it after the anniversary open house, and it is really beautiful.
I visited my plastic surgeon last week about the abdominal pain/swelling I am having, and he informed me that I would need another surgery to correct the situation. It involves an overnight stay, mesh, a drain to come home with, and a lengthy recovery. I will not have the surgery until June, after Katie's graduation and our vacation, which has been scheduled for months, with plane tickets already purchased. I am hoping to be back to "normal" by Sarah's wedding.
I also visited my oncologist and began my five years of taking Tamoxifen this week.
I picked up my compression garments today, and will see my lymphedema specialist next Thursday to have them approved. Two of the fingers seem a little snug, but a week's wear may improve the situation.
I feel like I am starting to regain some energy from the radiation. I still nap a lot, but I am able to do more during the day.
Jan
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