Yesterday I got the call. The results from my biopsies.
Everything is just fine! YAY!! My Dr. even said that because my paps have been normal my whole life and I don't have HPV, I can just continue my regular annual exams rather than an every 6 month routine that is norm with abnormal paps. I have to go back in 6 weeks to be sure that all of my sutures are gone and I'm fully healed, but other than that, she feels that the polyp was just "one of those things" that was local but unusual.
About an hour after the call, after I had made all of my calls and texts, I burst into tears. Tears of relief, tears of joy, tears of stress - I don't know. I guess I didn't realize how much I was stressing over these results.
So, while 2012 had it's ups and downs, hopefully this is a sign that 2013 is going to kick ass!!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas 2012
Twas the night before.....what? Ugh, I won't be starting out my blog with that...
With my surgery scheduled 4 days before Christmas, I was panicked that I wasn't going to get everything finished, but I did! I only had David for a couple of days prior to Christmas Eve (because of my surgery), so we crammed in a TON of Christmas activities in one night! After work, I grabbed David from daycare and we were off to see Santa and hit Winter Wonderland at the PIR. Once those were done, we were crossing over the river and saw that the Christmas boats were out. I quickly veered my car to go see them.
This was the first year in a long time where I was still shopping a few days before Christmas. NOT what I like to do. It would also help if I had opened the boxes that came in the mail from my online purchases before retail shopping. Saturday night had me running to TRU at 9pm to return something that I purchased twice.
David asked Santa for Beyblades. Santa came through except for 1 specific Beyblade that was requested. Santa never found it - (I)he looked at many stores, but it was OK, David wasn't too disappointed. Also, David wanted to change his bedroom to be Angry Bird - which surprised me because up until 3-4 weeks ago, all he could talk about was Spiderman. A new comforter, sheets, blanket and poster transformed his room. His Birthday is in a few months, so I'll be looking for wall stickers to enhance the look even more. Santa got me a new body pillow (NEVER buy the cheap pillow from IKEA - it doesn't last long). I almost blew the Santa fantasy because I wrapped the body pillow from Santa, but the new cover I got from it was wrapped from my dad. David noticed. He commented "Mommy, how did Grandpa know that Santa was getting you a new pillow"? YIKES! Think fast!!! "Grandpa didn't know, I told him that Mommy had a pillow and needed a new pillowcase for it". PHEW! He bought it.
I decided that David has many toys, so this year I focused on games that we could play together. Sorry, Jenga, Uno, BananaGrams and Perfection were purchased.
Enjoy the pics!
I just realized that I didn't get a picture of the Beyblades!! DOH!!
Today is Christmas and I don't have David. It's been a relaxing day - I'm trying to get my house cleaned. Later I'm heading out to the movies with a friend - The Hobbit.
Addendum: Geesh, It's February and I just realized that I forgot to talk about the tree. I thought I talked about it, but I guess not.
I've always gotten a live tree - from a lot. This year, with funds being tight, I heard about a tree farm that has trees for only $20. AWESOME!! In early December, I had a cold (yea, I've been sick twice in as many months), but on a Saturday I mustered enough energy to get out and get a tree. David and I went out to the tree farm, sloshed though the mud, saw in hand and found our tree. Onto my knees I went and started sawing. And sawing. And sawing, sawing, sawing....OMG! I was about 3/4 of the way through the trunk and I just couldn't progress. I didn't have anymore energy left. What's a girl to do? Find a man who's walking around and ask him politely to help. YAY!! Then I saw that the farm has people driving around picking up trees to bring to the tie up area....no need to schlep that thing back. My tree was shaken, bagged and put into the trunk of car for me.
With my surgery scheduled 4 days before Christmas, I was panicked that I wasn't going to get everything finished, but I did! I only had David for a couple of days prior to Christmas Eve (because of my surgery), so we crammed in a TON of Christmas activities in one night! After work, I grabbed David from daycare and we were off to see Santa and hit Winter Wonderland at the PIR. Once those were done, we were crossing over the river and saw that the Christmas boats were out. I quickly veered my car to go see them.
This was the first year in a long time where I was still shopping a few days before Christmas. NOT what I like to do. It would also help if I had opened the boxes that came in the mail from my online purchases before retail shopping. Saturday night had me running to TRU at 9pm to return something that I purchased twice.
David asked Santa for Beyblades. Santa came through except for 1 specific Beyblade that was requested. Santa never found it - (I)he looked at many stores, but it was OK, David wasn't too disappointed. Also, David wanted to change his bedroom to be Angry Bird - which surprised me because up until 3-4 weeks ago, all he could talk about was Spiderman. A new comforter, sheets, blanket and poster transformed his room. His Birthday is in a few months, so I'll be looking for wall stickers to enhance the look even more. Santa got me a new body pillow (NEVER buy the cheap pillow from IKEA - it doesn't last long). I almost blew the Santa fantasy because I wrapped the body pillow from Santa, but the new cover I got from it was wrapped from my dad. David noticed. He commented "Mommy, how did Grandpa know that Santa was getting you a new pillow"? YIKES! Think fast!!! "Grandpa didn't know, I told him that Mommy had a pillow and needed a new pillowcase for it". PHEW! He bought it.
I decided that David has many toys, so this year I focused on games that we could play together. Sorry, Jenga, Uno, BananaGrams and Perfection were purchased.
Enjoy the pics!
I just realized that I didn't get a picture of the Beyblades!! DOH!!
Today is Christmas and I don't have David. It's been a relaxing day - I'm trying to get my house cleaned. Later I'm heading out to the movies with a friend - The Hobbit.
Addendum: Geesh, It's February and I just realized that I forgot to talk about the tree. I thought I talked about it, but I guess not.
I've always gotten a live tree - from a lot. This year, with funds being tight, I heard about a tree farm that has trees for only $20. AWESOME!! In early December, I had a cold (yea, I've been sick twice in as many months), but on a Saturday I mustered enough energy to get out and get a tree. David and I went out to the tree farm, sloshed though the mud, saw in hand and found our tree. Onto my knees I went and started sawing. And sawing. And sawing, sawing, sawing....OMG! I was about 3/4 of the way through the trunk and I just couldn't progress. I didn't have anymore energy left. What's a girl to do? Find a man who's walking around and ask him politely to help. YAY!! Then I saw that the farm has people driving around picking up trees to bring to the tie up area....no need to schlep that thing back. My tree was shaken, bagged and put into the trunk of car for me.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
I don't remember flossing there!!
On Thursday, I went into the hospital at an unGodly hour of 5:30am with surgery scheduled at 7:30. My friend, Trina, dropped me off (thank you to her for getting up so darned early and having to be at work later that morning) and I was checked in.
Even without food, caffeine or drugs, I was in fine form! I made most of the staff laugh that morning. My Dr. came in to explain the procedure and how recovery will be. She mentioned that there will be stitches and I shouldn't be alarmed if at some point some of the threads come out - not all dissolve. As she said this, she demonstrated the length of a stitch being about 3 inches long...I cracked up. After she mentioned that, I replied with "No, I wouldn't be alarmed. I would be puzzled because I would think 'Huh, I don't remember flossing there'". First her face was of shock then she registered what I had said and she burst out laughing! Good sign that she was awake and ready.
My IV - HA!! That was a procedure in itself. My nurse was very nice and she came with the heat pack and asked if I wanted the numbing meds. After having close to 15 IV's during the course of being pg with David, I know what they're like and don't really bother me much. No, don't need the numbing meds. I always let my nurses or phlebes know that I have veins that collapse easily. DO NOT touch the wall of my vein or it's done. She got the needle in the first time, no problem. She drew blood from it and taped it well. However, it was the fact my hand was covered in blood after all of that which I shook my head at. What a mess.
I met with all of the necessary staff and off I went to the OR. I moved to the OR table and had the oxygen mask placed over my nose and mouth...YUCK, smells awful and noted it. The anesthesiologist threw out some big chemical words for it being the plastic mask that stinks. The nurses chuckled at him and I stated that he really shouldn't use such big words before 11am. After a struggle with the armrest of the table, he injected my IV with meds (which stung!!) and said...'Nighty night'.
I woke up 1 hour later in my room. Within 10 min, I was up, feeling like I was drunk, but up. Then the cramps started. OY!! Think of your worst menstrual cramps you've EVER had....double that. I was given 2 vicodin and sent on my way by 10am.
OH MY!! Krista has some stories! We stopped to get some breakfast first because I hadn't eaten since the night before. It was while my stomach had food in it that the vicodin hit me. I still had to go to the store to get my prescription which was a 25 min wait. So, we wandered the store...me wandering more than her. I did manage to paint my thumb nail with some nail polish - what?! how else are you to know if you like the color. I was lucid enough to realize that I already had that color at home. Still, I'm sure I was pretty funny to watch and talk to.
I poured myself onto the couch and slept most of the day. I would sleep about 40 min to each hour. Krista was on the other couch and stayed with me for most of the day - leaving around dinner. I was delivered dinner by another friend and I was in bed for the night by 8pm and slept until 8am the next day. WHOA! Perhaps staying up most of the night on Tuesday and Wed. had caught up with me.
Friday was a bit better. Minimal cramps - no vicodin just Ibuprofen. Although, a short trip to work and the store had me down for a 2 hour nap that afternoon. Again, I poured myself into bed around 9 and slept until 8. I'm on the road to recovery. I have several restrictions for 6 weeks - one being no baths. I LOVE A HOT BATH!! especially this time of year. Boooo!
I will possibly have my results this week, but more than likely the first week of January. This is the REAL nerve wracking part.
Even without food, caffeine or drugs, I was in fine form! I made most of the staff laugh that morning. My Dr. came in to explain the procedure and how recovery will be. She mentioned that there will be stitches and I shouldn't be alarmed if at some point some of the threads come out - not all dissolve. As she said this, she demonstrated the length of a stitch being about 3 inches long...I cracked up. After she mentioned that, I replied with "No, I wouldn't be alarmed. I would be puzzled because I would think 'Huh, I don't remember flossing there'". First her face was of shock then she registered what I had said and she burst out laughing! Good sign that she was awake and ready.
My IV - HA!! That was a procedure in itself. My nurse was very nice and she came with the heat pack and asked if I wanted the numbing meds. After having close to 15 IV's during the course of being pg with David, I know what they're like and don't really bother me much. No, don't need the numbing meds. I always let my nurses or phlebes know that I have veins that collapse easily. DO NOT touch the wall of my vein or it's done. She got the needle in the first time, no problem. She drew blood from it and taped it well. However, it was the fact my hand was covered in blood after all of that which I shook my head at. What a mess.
I met with all of the necessary staff and off I went to the OR. I moved to the OR table and had the oxygen mask placed over my nose and mouth...YUCK, smells awful and noted it. The anesthesiologist threw out some big chemical words for it being the plastic mask that stinks. The nurses chuckled at him and I stated that he really shouldn't use such big words before 11am. After a struggle with the armrest of the table, he injected my IV with meds (which stung!!) and said...'Nighty night'.
I woke up 1 hour later in my room. Within 10 min, I was up, feeling like I was drunk, but up. Then the cramps started. OY!! Think of your worst menstrual cramps you've EVER had....double that. I was given 2 vicodin and sent on my way by 10am.
OH MY!! Krista has some stories! We stopped to get some breakfast first because I hadn't eaten since the night before. It was while my stomach had food in it that the vicodin hit me. I still had to go to the store to get my prescription which was a 25 min wait. So, we wandered the store...me wandering more than her. I did manage to paint my thumb nail with some nail polish - what?! how else are you to know if you like the color. I was lucid enough to realize that I already had that color at home. Still, I'm sure I was pretty funny to watch and talk to.
I poured myself onto the couch and slept most of the day. I would sleep about 40 min to each hour. Krista was on the other couch and stayed with me for most of the day - leaving around dinner. I was delivered dinner by another friend and I was in bed for the night by 8pm and slept until 8am the next day. WHOA! Perhaps staying up most of the night on Tuesday and Wed. had caught up with me.
Friday was a bit better. Minimal cramps - no vicodin just Ibuprofen. Although, a short trip to work and the store had me down for a 2 hour nap that afternoon. Again, I poured myself into bed around 9 and slept until 8. I'm on the road to recovery. I have several restrictions for 6 weeks - one being no baths. I LOVE A HOT BATH!! especially this time of year. Boooo!
I will possibly have my results this week, but more than likely the first week of January. This is the REAL nerve wracking part.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Bad Wedding that wasn't?
On the eve of a momentous occasion in Washington state of gay marriage being legalized, I thought I was a bar, but it felt more like a bad wedding.
This summer, I learned about many regular clubs in the Portland area have gay/lesbian dances on specific weekends of the month. Paula and I went to Blow Pony in June and had a blast. Last month I went to Hot Flash with a friend of mine and it's for the 35 and older crowd - hella fun! So, I thought I'd try another this weekend. However, I can't always rely on my friends to be available or wanting to go with me to these events, so I decided to do something that I've never done before...I went alone. Hot Flash was a blast, so I figured I could to this different event by myself. I thought I knew what to expect. This was also an event for the 35+ crowd....um....well.....I think they need to change that age b/c there wasn't anyone under 55. OY!! Shit.
Here I got my courage up to go somewhere alone, and I walked into THIS!!? OMG! I sat at the bar and chatted up the nice bartender and texted friends.
The music - was so dated!! I really felt that I was at a bad wedding. They played the Electric Slide, John Denver, Celebration, and then....COUNTRY MUSIC - with people line dancing!! Holy hell. I just laughed. The only songs not played were the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey. I was waiting for the brides to walk through the door at any moment. Which is when my bartender man said: We're just waiting for a bride to walk in with a bad dress and her hair jacked up to Jesus! I died. What an awesome line: Hair jacked up to Jesus!!
It just so happened that last night was the Portland Santa pub crawl and the last bar they stopped at was the one I was at. Hundreds of Santa's were in the front bar waiting for the dance floor to open. FINALLY, when the part of the bar I was in was opened up to the public, the night became a blast! The good music began and dancing ensued!! Santa's of all sorts flooded the dance floor... daaamn, Santa's got some moves! I was finally glad that I went (and stayed) - even if it was alone. I was fine. I had a lot of fun, met some wonderful people and I won't be scared to attend another function alone again...although, I'm crossing THAT event off my list.
This summer, I learned about many regular clubs in the Portland area have gay/lesbian dances on specific weekends of the month. Paula and I went to Blow Pony in June and had a blast. Last month I went to Hot Flash with a friend of mine and it's for the 35 and older crowd - hella fun! So, I thought I'd try another this weekend. However, I can't always rely on my friends to be available or wanting to go with me to these events, so I decided to do something that I've never done before...I went alone. Hot Flash was a blast, so I figured I could to this different event by myself. I thought I knew what to expect. This was also an event for the 35+ crowd....um....well.....I think they need to change that age b/c there wasn't anyone under 55. OY!! Shit.
Here I got my courage up to go somewhere alone, and I walked into THIS!!? OMG! I sat at the bar and chatted up the nice bartender and texted friends.
The music - was so dated!! I really felt that I was at a bad wedding. They played the Electric Slide, John Denver, Celebration, and then....COUNTRY MUSIC - with people line dancing!! Holy hell. I just laughed. The only songs not played were the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey. I was waiting for the brides to walk through the door at any moment. Which is when my bartender man said: We're just waiting for a bride to walk in with a bad dress and her hair jacked up to Jesus! I died. What an awesome line: Hair jacked up to Jesus!!
It just so happened that last night was the Portland Santa pub crawl and the last bar they stopped at was the one I was at. Hundreds of Santa's were in the front bar waiting for the dance floor to open. FINALLY, when the part of the bar I was in was opened up to the public, the night became a blast! The good music began and dancing ensued!! Santa's of all sorts flooded the dance floor... daaamn, Santa's got some moves! I was finally glad that I went (and stayed) - even if it was alone. I was fine. I had a lot of fun, met some wonderful people and I won't be scared to attend another function alone again...although, I'm crossing THAT event off my list.
Sweet Amos Boy
On Wednesday, December 5, my wonderful kitty Amos died. He was 16 years old and dx'd earlier in the year with kidney failure.
My kitty boy, you were my Valentines Day present long ago. I already had a cat, Baxter, but I adopted him from the shelter when he was almost a year old, so I never had a kitten. You were adopted from a non-profit group in the tri-cities called H.E.L.P. - Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets. When we were told that the group had a litter of kittens, I was thrilled! You were 2 days old, your eyes weren't even opened when we went to see you and your sisters. Mom was a tiger kitty, as were your sisters. You were the only black kitty in the litter and the only one not spoken for, so you were ours! 8 weeks later we got to pick you up. OMG! You were the ugliest kitten ever!! Your fur was course, you had no fur from your eyes to your ears...UGH, I got an ugly kitten.
Boy, did you show us wrong!! You grew into a beautiful cat who was so loving. You were definitely a lap cat and you always took the opportunity to be loved. You and Baxter were best of friends, always together cuddling. Then we moved into our first house and got our first dog, Andra. Andra was a large Malamute, who also loved you. I would come home and find you cuddled into Andra's long fur. Then, months later, we got another dog...a puppy, Oreo. You and Oreo were became best friends and companions.
When you were nine, the greatest indignity happened...a baby, but you just decided to love on him even more. You endured the toddler years of tail pulling, being carried upside down, sat on, drooled on...etc. AND that wasn't just from David, that was from all the toddlers that came over. I always expected you to jump over the baby gate and escape, but you didn't. You loved the attention. You became David's buddy. Once David moved into a big boy bed, that is where you wanted to sleep at night. You knew the routine, as soon as you heard me reading a story, you'd come running into the room and jump up onto the bed. When David would sit on the couch, within minutes, you would be in his lap.
Which is why it was so hard on David when you died. I knew the time was coming, so I tried to prepare David as best as I could. Oh man, we cried for many nights as we would cuddle you in bed. The past week you quickly declined. I made the decision and the appointment to bring you to the Vet on Thursday, but as of Tuesday night, you could no longer walk. It was time. I brought you to the Vet, pet you, talked to you, stayed with you until you were gone and then some.
Oh Amos, I couldn't have asked for a better kitty. Yes, you were a pest at times, but that loving spirit is so very missed right now. Telling David that you had died was hardest thing I had to do. He cried all afternoon, and bedtime was even worse. I cuddled him as we cried, but I'm a poor substitute for you, buddy. We miss you.
As and addendum - After much thought, I decided not to tell David that I brought Amos to the vet. He is only 7.5 years old, so I do not feel that he has the ability to know that euthanasia is a kind way to help your animal stop suffering. David knows that Amos curled up and died while I was petting him. Which is a version of the truth.
My kitty boy, you were my Valentines Day present long ago. I already had a cat, Baxter, but I adopted him from the shelter when he was almost a year old, so I never had a kitten. You were adopted from a non-profit group in the tri-cities called H.E.L.P. - Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets. When we were told that the group had a litter of kittens, I was thrilled! You were 2 days old, your eyes weren't even opened when we went to see you and your sisters. Mom was a tiger kitty, as were your sisters. You were the only black kitty in the litter and the only one not spoken for, so you were ours! 8 weeks later we got to pick you up. OMG! You were the ugliest kitten ever!! Your fur was course, you had no fur from your eyes to your ears...UGH, I got an ugly kitten.
Boy, did you show us wrong!! You grew into a beautiful cat who was so loving. You were definitely a lap cat and you always took the opportunity to be loved. You and Baxter were best of friends, always together cuddling. Then we moved into our first house and got our first dog, Andra. Andra was a large Malamute, who also loved you. I would come home and find you cuddled into Andra's long fur. Then, months later, we got another dog...a puppy, Oreo. You and Oreo were became best friends and companions.
When you were nine, the greatest indignity happened...a baby, but you just decided to love on him even more. You endured the toddler years of tail pulling, being carried upside down, sat on, drooled on...etc. AND that wasn't just from David, that was from all the toddlers that came over. I always expected you to jump over the baby gate and escape, but you didn't. You loved the attention. You became David's buddy. Once David moved into a big boy bed, that is where you wanted to sleep at night. You knew the routine, as soon as you heard me reading a story, you'd come running into the room and jump up onto the bed. When David would sit on the couch, within minutes, you would be in his lap.
Which is why it was so hard on David when you died. I knew the time was coming, so I tried to prepare David as best as I could. Oh man, we cried for many nights as we would cuddle you in bed. The past week you quickly declined. I made the decision and the appointment to bring you to the Vet on Thursday, but as of Tuesday night, you could no longer walk. It was time. I brought you to the Vet, pet you, talked to you, stayed with you until you were gone and then some.
Oh Amos, I couldn't have asked for a better kitty. Yes, you were a pest at times, but that loving spirit is so very missed right now. Telling David that you had died was hardest thing I had to do. He cried all afternoon, and bedtime was even worse. I cuddled him as we cried, but I'm a poor substitute for you, buddy. We miss you.
As and addendum - After much thought, I decided not to tell David that I brought Amos to the vet. He is only 7.5 years old, so I do not feel that he has the ability to know that euthanasia is a kind way to help your animal stop suffering. David knows that Amos curled up and died while I was petting him. Which is a version of the truth.
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