She best's me once again!!!

This is Colleen's sister Lori posting for her while she lounges away in the hospital recouping from her surgery. I have worked so hard over the past few years to develop weird and unusual maladies to stump and befuddle people. Then once again my sister trumps me!
From the last post.... Colleen met with her oncology surgeon. He told her that he felt they should try to take out the primary tumor and by the way they could fix the hernia that she didn't even know she had.
Saturday, Lige, Colleen and I went out to dinner at the Outback where we had a great meal. (Her last until who knew how long) the last thing she ate was a beautiful, delicious banana at just before midnight Saturday. Sunday she spent the day cleansing her system in preparation for the resection. Mom came over to my house to eat on Sunday so as not to torment her by eating in front of her.
Today Mom and I took her over to St. Vincent Hospital at 10:30 am. She got all checked in and we waited until 1:00 when they were to take her in for slicing. At 1:00 they came in and said that it would be another hour, so Mom and I went and ate lunch. When we came back she wanted to know everything we'd eaten. 2:00 came and they said that it would be another hour, so we waited and I snuck out and took a nap. 3:00 came and we were told that there had been an emergency that had dirtied all of the surgery rooms so they were cleaning one and would come for her soon. Finally at 4:00 she was wheeled off for surgery. We went and ate dinner in the cafeteria with Lige. At 6:00 our pager buzzed that Dr. McDreamie was ready to talk to us, so we left our trays and scraps with Lige and ran off to meet the Doc.
He said..... He opened her up and found that the tumor was much more invasive then expected. He tried to do some slicing to remove some of it, but it started to bleed pretty badly, so they stitched and glued until it stopped. He decided that it would be too dangerous to take it out. "Well", we said "how about the hernia, were you able to fix it?" "Well, he said, "That is the weird thing." "When I went looking for it, I couldn't find it. There is no hole in her abdomen." (What did I say about her one upping me?) He did have a couple of ideas of what it was, but no to the hernia fixing. What he did do was take a biopsy of the primary tumor so that they could determine for sure that it is a carcinoid. He also took a piece of one of the blemishes on her liver for biopsy, then he closed her up. We finally got in to see her at 8:00.
She hurts pretty badly and was nervous about staying at the hospital by herself because after surgery she tends to stop breathing when she falls asleep. So I came on home and Mom is staying the night on the handy recliner that flattens out into a twin sized bed. She can guide the straw into Colleen's mouth when she needs a slip and slap her when she forgets to breath.
Mom suggested that since Colleen will be stuck with the tumor in her tummy for the rest of her life she'd better name it, so we are having a contest to name the Carcinoid. All are welcome to participate, she will judge the names and pick one when she comes home. The winner will get a special little something. *G* She will still be in the hospital for 4 - 9 days. The things that they will be watching for is to make sure that the tumor doesn't start bleeding again and that the incicion starts to heal properly without infection.
A nice thing that happened was that the night orderly-nurse came and asked if we were Mormon. When we said yes he asked if Colleen had had a blessing because he could do that for her. How sweet we said, Lige had given her one on Sunday, but she said that she wouldn't mind another one, so he'll take care of her. She wouldn't mind visits from locals in a couple of days. Right now she is sad and hurting.
The nice thing about them not doing the resection is that she won't have to do the "white" diet for a month. She'll probably be able to eat whatever she wants when she comes home. Spagetti with hamburger and mushrooms plus German chocolate cake from the diebetic bakery is at the top of the list.

I go under the knife!

I just read my long-time friend Mechelle's great limmericks from the last post. I laughed until I had to take a drink. :)

Dr. Patil said that my oncology surgeon, Dr. Wolf has movie star good looks. AND HE DOES! Dr. McDreamieWolf gets to look under my hood! I'm so excited. Well, not really because I have to do one of those 24 hour fasts with a nasty drink to "empty me booty". I said that..."empty me booty". He didn't say that. But he did say that I have a hernia. He said "do you know you have a hernia?", as he was palpating my tummy. And I said "why, no, I didn't". And then he said, "Yes, it's right here. I can fix that for you when I do your carcinoid." And I said "SWEET! Two-fer!" And then we went to the next room and looked at the CT scan which clearly showed that I have either a hernia or a black hole in my belly.

(Hey girls, did you catch that Dr. McDreamieWolf is going to "do" my hernia?)

Dr. Wolf will remove the primary site carcinoid, which is next my small intestine, laprascopically. However, he will also remove the part of the small intestine that it is in contact with. It's just a small section, but I'll have to be in the hospital for 5 to 6 days. After which, I'll be home for possibly the rest of December. At work, they said "Isn't it lucky you can work from home?" I agreed.

The reason for my staying at the hospital for so long is that there is a slight risk that they may have left a hole when the small intestine was stiched back together. Wouldn't that be embarassing for a niece or nephew to be sitting at dinner with their favorite aunt and her suppurating belly?

Anyway, I was informed that my still-existent arm pain will be around for a while. Much of my pain is now gone, but my funny bone will be physically healing for up to a year. The pain is from arm muscles hurting from accommodating my deformation. Speaking of which, I should rest my arm for the coming week.

I have a text book cervix... and other fun ditties

In the midst of all this cancer stuff, I had to go in for my annual obgyn exam. My PA, Christie, asked me if I would allow a student from George Fox University to sit in on this exam. So, I told her that if this gal wanted to see me in all my exposed glory, then she deserved what she got.

As Christie was getting a sample from my cervix, she called the student over.

"Have you ever seen a cervix?"
"No, I haven't."
"Colleen, can she take a look?"
"Sure she can."
"Ok, this is what the cervix looks like."
"Wow, its just like the text book."
"Yes, it is. It's a text book cervix."

And so, another chapter in my life is written. Much like my nephew, Kevin, I have a text book cervix.

Tag, I'm it too!

Post the rules on your blog

*Write six random things about yourself
*Tag six-ish people at the end of your post
*Let each person know he/she has been tagged
*Let the tagger know when your entry is up

Six Random Things About Myself
1. I like to tape peoples cell phones shut and then call them
2. I've owned two motorcycles
3. I've danced on the Vegas stage show of "Nudes on Ice"
4. I'm nude under my clothes
5. I used to play the trumpet for fun
6. I can imagine seeing my sister Lori flapping in a west coast storm like a wind sock because she chose to wear overalls

I tag Channi, Kathy, mommy, Lori, Barb, and Gloria and whoever else feels like doing this tag.

Butt Shots it is! No Chemo

I can't believe that I just did a whole column about my latest updates and then closed the browser window without saving! :( So, now I have to rest, make some puzzle, eat a piece of sugar-free german chocolate cake and start over again. I'll think I'll work on the easy part, leaving all the green vegitation for mom.

In short for now, no chemo, but will get monthly sandostatin shots for about a year. Carcinoid primary site may be surgically removed, we'll know more on 10/28/08 about that. I'll have this for the rest of my life, which is expected to be a long and fruitful one. The shots will make the carcinoids go inert, making them stable.

Later!

My Bossie Sister Lori and Auntie Susan....

...are making me update the blog when all I want is to luxuriate under my cat, who would be keeping me conveniently warm. But he'll be still there, whereas my auntie and sister will also be there, but won't be bugging me. So...

The Octreotide scan of last week was kind of funny. I had to lay on my back with my hands and arms folded above my head for up to 2.5 hours. Knowing that it would be difficult for me to hold that position, the good looking med tech (named Brent) asked me if I'd like him to wrap tape around my wrists together, to help keep them in place. I've had enough scans and have had to "hold a position" without help to know that I really needed the help. After all, how can I take a nap and hold my position? So, he wrapped tape around my wrists, when they were placed above my head. I also have a warm blanket covering me, which was very nice.

Brent was adjusting my position under the scanner, which I was laying under, when he said "can you show me your crotch area?" He needed to know where it was as a reference for the botton of the scan placement. Obliging him (not ogling him), I moved my bound hands down in the direction of my "crotch area", but couldn't reach over my tummy's summit, so I had to sit up (such as it was) to get over the tummy summit. All the while I was thinking, I can't wait to blog about how he wound my wrists up together and then asked me to show him my "crotch area" over my warm blankie. Task accomplished! And then I did nap, and it was A-OK. I went back the next day for an additional few scans and then I was done.

I had my second radiation treatment today, which went well. It took me 45 minutes to drive to and from the hospital (which is only 10 minutes away from where I work) and only 5 minutes to do the treatment. Go figure.

I'll continue these scans until October 20 (Monday), going in every morning. On this coming Friday, Mom and I will find out about the primary cancer site treatment. I believe I'll be getting chemo for about 6 months, based on the scenario where it isn't a carcinoid. When I was getting my Octreoscans, I could see the image forming and there wasn't a carcinoid in it. It will only show a carcinoid, not a small cell carcinoma.

I've been getting regular calls from Providence Cancer Care staff to check in on my well-being and to see if I have questions or need anything. Also, I will be getting an appointment soon with a nutritionist, who will go over my special needs diet during the chemo treatment (taking my diabetes into account).

Well, I need to retire to the couch to watch a movie. :)

I'm a tattoo'd hoochie-momma!!!

Today, I started radiation and my arm hurts. I'm not sure why. They had to give me three small pin sized tattoos around the spot that is being radiated. You would hardly be able to tell them apart from my old people dots. The procedure was painless, but my skin is slightly sore, like a sun burn and my arm just hurts, like I've been using it all day. So, this entry will be short tonight.

This coming Friday, mom and I will be going to see Dr. Patil to get the rest of the diagnosis and treatment. I'll write a lot more maybe tomorrow...

I'm going to sit now and be very quiet.