Category: My Life

Saturday was a big day…I finally got to take a bath and Hubby washed my hair! I feel so wonderfully clean and relaxed after a week of having to take simple sponge baths.

I was awake early on Saturday and sat drinking coffee. I Skyped with a few people, Hubby made me breakfast and then about 10 o’clock in the morning, I fell back asleep.

My body has responded to all this surgery by being just plain tired. At first it was hard to nap, but the last two days I find myself slipping off into lala land. And the snoring!

Today my cousin is coming up to spoil me. You know, it has always been hard for me to ask for help or to accept help and comfort from others. This time I let Janet know I needed her. And like a good and loving cousin, she is coming up!

We are so lucky to have each other, and to share a relationship more like sisters than cousins. (This picture was taken a couple of years ago.)

So here I sit, hoping to mend quickly and get baack on my feet soon.

I wish I could tell you that this set of surgeries have been easy for me, but they haven’t. The first day found them having to operate 4 times to remove the cancer on my nose before they packed it up with gauze and sent me to the hotel. I hardly slept with the pain, but soon enough it was time to get up and go to the hospital.
It was snowing hard, just like I knew it would. We made it over fine, as the hotel was only a quarter of a mile from the hospital. (It was the Residence Inn and truly catered to me making my stay comfortable and pleasant. And they accept dogs, although we did not bring ours!))
At the hospital, they took me right in as I was the first surgery of the day, and the nurses got me all prepared. The Anesthesiologist came and spoke to me, explaining that they would put me to sleep for this operation, and the two doctors came in and looked at what they had left to work with. Frankly when the Anesthesiologist came back to bring me to the OR, he gave me my first injection and I fell instantly asleep.
The decision was made to take a flap of skin from my forehead and spread it over my nose. Meanwhile they stitched the top of the forehead up. There is still a flap attached to the forehead so the skin can get a blood supply.
All that means is that I must be very quiet for the next week. I go back on Tuesday to get the stitches out and then they will decide when to do the last operation to mend in the flap. That is also another surgery where I will have to go to sleep.
So I am not attaching pictures of my poor face. I know a few of you don’t do well, and these are pretty graphic. But should anyone want to see them I will forward them to you privately.
In the night Apparently my hair got all twisted and this morning I spent 20 minutes combing out the snarls. I now have pony tails like Abby Scuitto on NCIS. This way I can lie flat without my hair getting all twisted.
I am lucky that I have gotten the cancer taken care of. I know this. But  the pain is very great!
Hubby has been wonderful, truly spoiling me and making sure I have good nourishment and plenty of fluids. I’m a lucky woman!
Well, that is all for now. I need to put my head back so the bleeding doesn’t start again.

The plastic surgery on Tuesday was pretty complicated, and right now I feel very much like the Bride of Frankenstein.

The area to cover was about the size of a quarter, so they had to use a grafting process I was not familiar with.

They took tissue from the forehead, and turned it and covered the nose. So, there is a little flap at the bridge of my nose for now. I have about a dozen or so little stitches on my forehead and then, or course the graft.

But, I tell myself that the cancer is gone and I am a lucky girl!

Here is a little funny thing. As I was being wheeled in to surgery, I must have fallen asleep, as I remember nothing of actually going into the surgical suite. I also remember nothing until I came to in recovery.

Recovery will be long, but I’m prepared. I’m putting in a small photo, but if you want to see details click on it and it should take you right to it.

When you wake up today, I will be in the Operating Room getting my new nose! I decided not to bring my laptop with me to the hospital, so I am actually pre-posting this.

I’ll be coming back home later today and I will eventually unveil my new nose. I am hopeful that the cancer will be removed and the nose fixed without complications. However, they tell me that it will be a while before the swelling goes down.

I’ll have my Kindle with me and I will be checking Facebook and my email.

After Day One

It took four operations to do it, but now I am cancer free! Tomorrow is the plastic surgery!!!

My Yahoo Email account was hacked. For anyone who got an email that had a subject line of “Hot News” that was it and I am very sorry. I hardly use that address, so I have gone in and deleted all my contacts. It seems Yahoo has more hackings than other email account. Please forgive me, if you got one of those emails.

Our house sitter stopped by today and everything is set for that. The dogs were so excited to see him, and everything will be fine.

Hubby was joking today that all he hopes is that my nose doesn’t come out looking like “Voldemort’s”! Ha-Ha. Very funny. Not! But he seemed to think so.

I’ve cooked my corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots. A true St. Patrick’s Day celebration!

We’re all packed and ready to roll in the morning! I had the suitcase on our bed, and Arnie climbed inside! Lol. Think we should bring him?

First, I want all spammers to go away! I’ve been inundated with spam and it’s driving me crazy. I like a nice neat inbox and Blog page!

Saturday was what I’d like to call a whirl-wind cleaning day. I’d decided to make up a list of all I needed to do, and then try to get as much done as I could.

So I started at 8:30 AM and did everything from vacuuming my entire house, dusting, washing three bathrooms, and scrubbing all the floors in the house that are not carpeted! I also made three meals, did 5 loads of laundry, and folded it and put it all away!

My recliner is covered and I will get the pillow and sheets prepared for when I come home, but I won’t put those on until I’m actually here and can keep the dogs away.

Sunday is packing day and organizing our bags. Hubby wants to bring his laptop, and since he is coming along, I will bring my laptop as well.

Yes, a whirl-wind! But it’s looking and smelling great in this house!

I got my surgical dates today. They’re getting me right in on March 18th for the Mohs Surgery and the next day I will have the reconstructive surgery. It’s good to get it over with, but then I found out that no one can go with me.

Hubby will drive me over in the morning on Monday and drop me off for the first part of the surgeries. He’ll drive back to spend the day and night with the dogs, and then on Tuesday he will pick me up after the plastic surgery.

The good thing is that on Monday I intend to enjoy a nice Mexican meal at one of our favorite places! (Or maybe order take-out!)

Anyway, now I go into planning mode. I need to pack, (lightly) write two blog posts, as I am not bringing my laptop, (just my Kindle) and make sure Hubby has foods in the house that he can cook for himself and for me.

Strangely, I am actually caught up on laundry, and will only need to dust and vacuum this weekend.

I do need to get out a sheet set up for my chair, as when I get home I will need to be sitting up to sleep for a week or so. This means that Hubby gets the dackels all to himself in bed! lol!

The dackels all go to the Vets on Thursday for their annual check-ups, so unfortunately I will probably miss my visit with Savannah on Friday, as I will need to grocery shop then.

Too busy, I think! Oh well, after the surgery things will quiet down for a little while.

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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It was a busy weekend! Crazy busy! Loaded with work, cooking, laundry and planning. Oh yes, and then there was the phone.

We’re one of the few, who has kept their land-line. The last few days I’ve noticed a hum on the line, and this morning it just was terrible and I could hardly hear the person calling. So Hubby and I spent about 2 hours troubleshooting the problem, and it came back to the fact that it was the phone companies problem, not ours!

So, Hubby called them and they will be here by six o’clock tonight. I hope this will fix the problem once and for all!

Friday the Plastic Surgeons office called and switched my appointment to Monday at 8 AM! This means I must get up at 5:45 to get to the other side of the state for the appointment. Ah well, at least I get in there faster. The appointment they canceled was for this coming Wednesday.

It is bright sunshine and 44 degrees here this Sunday afternoon! Just beautiful! I could say goodbye to Winter and just go right into spring.

1. My real life friends came through with another question this week so thank you real life friends. When you’ve eaten in a restaurant do you complete their comment card? Do you take online surveys highlighted at the bottom of store receipts?

I do. I was even offered free juice, or coffee, or a free appetizer, when I answer restaurant comment cards. These people really want to keep you coming back, as times are tough and many people are not going out to eat right now, or if they do it is to a fast food place.

2. The (US) ban on women in combat was lifted at the end of January. It will probably be next year before specifics are worked out, but its been reported over 200,000 front line positions will eventually open up to women. Your thoughts?

This is a very tough question. I hope the women will be well vetted before they are allowed in the field. I would worry about their overall strength. Also I freely admit, I am such a girly girl, I would be in a corner crying and afraid in the combat battlefield.

3. In looking back at all the blog posts you’ve written, what’s your favorite post title?

Welcome Sweet Savannah Rose!

4. What’s worse-overly permissive parents or overly protective parents? Did your own parents lean more to the permissive or the protective category? If you’re a parent where do you fall?

I think overly permissive parents are worse. Their kids never learn limits. I was pretty strict with my girls. I guess I had expectations that they behave in public places, and treat other people with respect. I also do not think I was over protective. The girls did so many things and I tried not to be a nervous nelly!

5. Candlelight-moonlight-firelight-bright lights in the big city…which one’s your favorite?

Firelight. I’ve been lucky that since Hubby and I have been married we have had a fireplace in our homes. I hope it will always be this way.

6. Dr. Seuss’s birthday was celebrated on Saturday. What’s a favorite book you remember (Seuss or otherwise) from your own childhood?

Make way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey was my favorite book. My grandparents lived in Boston and I often walked down at Boston Public Gardens.

Did books play an important role in your growing up years? Explain.

Yes. I’ve always loved to read! I also loved to make up little storybooks. When my cousin had a little girl, I made up coloring books with little stories in them.

7. To quote Dr. Seuss…

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.”
from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Share something funny you’ve recently read, seen or heard.

That question is a bit hard. It has been a rough few days.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Wednesday I am off to meet my Dermatologist Cancer Surgeon. He will explain what I will need done and tell me if he thinks I will need reconstructive surgery. Hopefully, I won’t. More than anything, I just want the surgery over with so I can get on with my life.

Good Tuesday to you all.

I spent the greater part of Monday working on paper work. Yes, paper work! Can you believe it? In this day and age, when everything is done on the computer, I actually had to sit down and fill out paper work in long hand!

Oh, my aching fingers!

However I finished it quickly, and then began my attempts to FAX the paper work. Well, that was an exercise in frustration! It took me 4 times before I finally got through!

After that I worked at making lunch, going to get the mail, picking up some groceries, and now making dinner. All in all, sort of an ordinary day!

But it wasn’t. I was thinking about my friend Margarita and how I simply cannot believe that she is gone. How I will miss her and how no one else will ever fill her place in my heart.

I know she knew of my love for her. After she was diagnosed I spent one afternoon with her before she left for Florida (and her family) with her. I held her and told her how much I loved her.

Isn’t it funny how sometimes people will pass and you feel sad, but it is not life changing. Then someone will pass who is like family, and you somehow know that life will never be the same.

I’m so lucky to have a group of women in my life that I love and who love me like this. It reminds me of what is really important in life.

Hubby has been wonderful. He has been so supportive of me during this time. I am blessed with him too.