Saturday, September 12, 2009

How Are We Doing?

Lots of really nice bloggers and friends ask me how Don and I are doing and here is the most honest answer I can give you:

Don - He still struggles daily with all of the strange and changing side effects from the meds he is on. Last night - he was up and down all night long with leg cramps again. I lost count of how many pills he takes per day and am not sure how he can keep up since some are taken twice a day and others are taken once a week - still others are prescribed to be taken "as needed". He misses having the energy he had only last year - tiring easily. Many times though he pushes through his fatigue to finish a job started. I cannot thank him enough for this..especially when the job at hand has been one of my chores while I was recovering. We have our eyes set at the end of the tunnel - which for us will arrive in December when he can get off of the chemo. We know that there is a 50% chance the Hep.C can return over the following 6 months, but we choose not to talk about it. Don taught me something to tell myself when I get into stressful situations ... "Cross that bridge when and IF you get there!"

I don't know if you know this...but I left Don a couple of years ago. We were separated for almost a year. I moved in with my Father during that time and we were days away from being divorced. God changed Don. That was probably easy compared to God getting me to soften my heart! ha ha. Don told me that God used the situation (me leaving) to completely change him because He knew Don would need me during this time. Neither of us knew Don was ill when we got back together. We do not know what the future holds....but you know what??...we will cross that bridge when we get there!

Julie - It has been almost 6 weeks since my total hysterectomy. I thought I would have been further along in my healing than I am. I feel tons better, but just not 100% yet. I have not ridden, but I would have tried if it had not been raining every day. I have a burning sensation between the old appendectomy scar and the new lower bikini cut scar. The area also swells - especially if I have done anything physical. I frown about it because it looks really strange if I am not wearing girdle type panties under light weight clothes. You probably already guessed this - but I am very very strict on myself about the way I look...the physical shape I am in. I have not had plastic surgery ..unless you count a scar removed from my face when I was in first grade!

I went 12 days without any kind of hormone deficiency symptoms. Day 12 though was D-day for me! I started having hot flashes that stopped me in my tracks. It would start with a tingling feeling above my ears. Then I could literaly feel my pores fill with fluid just before I was soaking wet. They were so severe that although I was drinking plenty of fluid, my urine started to darken! I went to the doctors office. Because I object about the way the PMU mares are treated - I wanted to get on synthetic hormones. She prescribed pills. I started taking them immediately. They did NOTHING for me. I doubled the dose without permission ...with little relief. At the worst..I had over 30 hot flashes in one day and, in part due to someones insensitive joke during this time...I was bawling my eyes out for 2 days straight! My doctor called in a new prescription for an estrogen patch. Within 12 hours, I was feeling back to normal again.

I have lost about 6 or 7 pounds. I am not sure how much of that was my uterus though - since I was told it was 10 times the normal size. My waist is smaller, but the area below my belly button pooches out a bit. Because of this - some of my clothes are still uncomfortable. I hate that.

I am not aging well ...am I?

4 comments:

bj said...

O, I am so glad to hear that, altho there's days when neither of you feel strong and well, you both are forging along toward a much happier, healthier life...TOGETHER!!
I do remember you saying you had left Don at one point...I am sorry you all had to go thru that but sometimes, we are brought to our knees before we can get up and go forward.
I wish you all the best of luck..and with God beside you, I know ya'll are going to be ok..
love, bj

vivian said...

Julie, you are beautiful, you look great... dont worry about aging. not yet anyways! I think you had said somewhere before that you and don had split for a bit. I'm so glad youre back together and caring for each other. I think it must be meant to be.
I'm glad youre getting better everyday. When do you return to work? that may help you to feel more normal, I suppose.. but then again.. might tire you out too!
anyways.. take care of yourself and your hubby! I know you will.
hugs
vivian

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

Make the most you can of each day together, Julie. Life is so very precious. My Vann left us on Sept. 2. Sophie and I miss him terribly. Still praying for you and Don.

Sometimes It's Good said...

I think you are doing great...I bet the Dr. tells you that too. It just takes time and taking care of yourself. I'm praying for Don, too, that he'll be fine once the chemo is over. Don't worry about aging...in 20 years you'll think you were a baby.
Hugs, Susan