HEALTH UPDATE #17 or 18

Hi Everyone,

No chitchat, today.  I was admitted to Mayo last Friday after a spontaneous bleed all around my right eye resulted in a purple shiner that traveled half way down my right cheek.  Within minutes, that surprise was followed by a spontaneous, gushing nosebleed, lasting throughout the four hours in which I remained in an ER cubicle awaiting a bed to be vacated in the hospital.  Platelets and Hemoglobin numbers way down.  Transfusions of both necessary.  And another unit of red blood cells transfused on Sunday.

As I’d been running fevers during my hospital stay, which saw my body alternate between shuddering rigidly and soaking my pillow with sweat, a CT of my lungs/abdomen was ordered, the results of which showed non specific pneumonia in upper lobes of both lungs.  Several teams of specialists, conferring over all of my symptoms, came to believe that a small amount of blood going down my throat during Friday's profuse nose bleed may have been aspirated into my lungs, irritating them to react, causing fever to act as a signal that something was amiss, because air is the only thing ‘allowed’ into each lung.  (Too bad the gatekeeper went AWOL on that starless night when the first sarcoma cells snuck into my right lung and took up residence, like squatters, who have continued to multiply though none of the little buggers have ever applied for permits.

At any rate,  Monday was the first day Will was allowed into the hospital (after leaving me in a wheelchair with a nurse at the entrance to the ER).  Thankfully, Monday saw the one/visitor/day rule go into effect.  We were so glad to be together.  Our days apart were harder for Will, because I was asleep most of the time.  I can’t imagine the depths of loneliness experienced by patients, who, having been hospitalized for extended periods of time, did not see family and friends when no visitors were allowed for sound reason.  Whereas sound reason is based in logic, emotion is more likely to catch fire when combustible sparks of fear, confusion and frustration combined, create anger swirling around inside our brains, highlighting, yet again, need for conscious awareness of maintaining balance in all things.

Yesterday, Tues., saw me bound for home.  So good to be here, together.  No energy, yet, whatsoever.  Still too anemic.  Even so, I was able to write this update, today, so mental energy must be revitalizing.  Wheelchair has replaced walker to get from bedroom to living room.  Hopefully, my bone marrow will kick in, soon. 

On an up note, CT showed my tumor as having shrunk (over the last month) another cm from top to bottom and from side to side, hopefully separating itself more from the outer lining of my heart.  So that news was a silver lining, for certain.

And friends are texting and calling Will with dates in hopes of nourishing our bodies and nurturing our hearts with tempting meals.  So once, again, my spirit’s awareness of our good fortune rises like the Phoenix with one exception—though I may crash, again and again, I do not burn.🙋🏻‍♀️

Head wearied.  Just enough fuel left to ask how are each of you faring as quarantine goes on?

Prescription—Stay well.  Stay safe.  Stay sane.
Unlimited refills

❤️❤️❤️Annie

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