Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Greeting. I must apologize for not making a posting last week, especially after I said I'd do a weekly update. As it was Christmas, we stayed very busy. We got to spend some quality time with family. Mike and I decided not to decorate much (no tree), as he is scheduled to have knee surgery for a meniscus tear on January 15. That would leave neither of us in shape to do the un-trimming! Since we got to see Carrie and Keith's tree, and my mom and dad's tree, we were in the Christmas spirit.

Our children and their wonderful spouses surprised us with a blu-ray disc player. You have got to see the picture to believe how much different it is from the traditional DVD. It was a perfect gift for someone recovering from surgery. We are definitely going to enjoy.

As for New Year's eve, we are planning on staying right here and relaxing. Did you hear the wind blowing out there? The blu-ray is cranked and ready. We are going to watch Cars.

OK, I am doing very well. My pain level has decreased--I am completely off the pain meds. Although the pain is still there, it is definitely less than just last week. My breathing has improved. For the first time since surgery, I can inhale deeply without a stabbing pain in my back. I guess the biggest problem is still my hands. They remain numb and I drop things a lot. I am just hoping it will eventually improve as other patients of Dr. Sardi have indicated. In the next few weeks I have to have the filter removed that was installed to prevent pulmonary blood clots. And, at the end of January, I am supposed to return to work. I still don't feel up to that! Maybe with continued improvement I'll be ready. I do miss work, co-workers, and students!

Our appliances are conspiring against us. I was feeling like I could bake a batch or two of cookies and got out the ingredients to give it a try one morning before Christmas. My oven decided not to cooperate. It turns out we have to get a new oven--and it won't be installed until next week. (I don't recomment Maytag--this oven was on its third five hundred dollar timer!) So no cookies! However, Carrie and neighbors supplied us with some goodies. The garbage disposal then went beserk. We had to call a plumber and now it's working again--but who knows for how long.

You'll see from the posting made by Mike that I ordered a quilt hanger for the 4th mod quilt (see earlier posting). It's now hanging in the family/TV room. Posing with me in the photo is White White (aka Schneewittchen). She thinks it's her room. Schneewittchen means Snow White in German. I happened to be studying German when we acquired her. It seemed a perfectly fitting name. No one, including the vet's staff, can pronounce it though and this led to much confusion. So, she became White White, to which she answers happily. The quilt is beautiful and I will always cherish it. Thank you 4th mod. Hope you are all doing well as the semester draws to a close. I hope you will stop and visit me when I return to school.

Missy, thanks for your updates and good wishes. You are so consistent and I love reading your notes. Can't wait to see you in a few weeks. Hello to Becky and all your classmates too.

Lindsey and Doug, I hope you have had a very pleasant, relaxing, and HEALTHY holiday. It's good to know I can expect continued improvement. I hope, Doug, that things are going well for you. My family is anxious to hear how you are doing... you have been a real inspiration. I'll be sure to let you know about the survivor celebration. We'd like to meet both of you.

Here's hoping that 2009 is good to all of us. Be safe.

The Quilt from 4th Mod on New Quilt Rack; Diana and "White-White"

Seven Weeks and Dr. Sardi visit

Well, I went to see Dr. Sardi on Friday. He and his team continue to say that I am doing well. The pathology confirmed that I do have the least aggressive type of appendix cancer. This means that I don’t have to have additional chemo. Now we are in watch and wait mode. I’ll have a baseline CT scan and tumor markers taken in about six weeks. After that, I’ll be checked every six months to make sure there is no recurrence. Dr. Sardi said his longest survivor is at 15 years. So that is encouraging. There is a survivor celebration this summer and Dr. Sardi invited me… or should I say insisted that I be there. Family members too. It sounds like a big deal. If you want to learn more about the types of appendix cancer you can check out the link on the blog called “PMP Awareness.”

Today is seven weeks. I am feeling stronger and I’ve started doing some light housework as well as cooking. It feels good to be doing something other than reading, watching TV, or sleeping! I am continuing to have pain and Nick, Dr. Sardi’s PA, thinks it is probably related to the rib retraction during surgery. He says it will eventually go away. I’ll believe it when it happens. I’m hoping I just wake up one day and there isn’t any pressure! My hands are still numb as well. That is probably the hardest thing to deal with at this point as I drop things a lot and I’m not able to open pill bottles, or button shirts, or put in earrings (at least not easily). Good thing Mike is such a great caretaker! I’m getting ready to do Christmas cards and I’m wondering if folks will be able to read my writing. Well, if you get a card and you can’t read it, it might be from us!

I am still on track to return to work around February 1. Like I told Dr. Sardi, I can’t imagine that I’ll feel like working based on how I feel now. We’ll see.

I’ll continue to update the blog on a weekly basis for now. I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment or give me a call.

That’s all for now.

Six Weeks

I can't believe it has been six weeks since I had surgery. In some ways it seems like forever ago, and then again, just like yesterday. At any rate, I don't have much to report this week. No big changes. I did try to go off the pain medication--unsuccessfully. On Sunday I thought it would be a good idea to try to get through a day without it. Even though I'm still having pain, I thought I'd be able to handle it. By Tuesday, I had a splitting headache, my blood pressure was through the roof, the pain, while not unbearable wasn't at a good level. Mike convinced me that pain medication was prescribed for a reason and that maybe I'd stopped too soon. So I took the pain meds again and immediately started to feel better. So I guess I did jump the gun.

Hopefully, I will have some more detailed info after my visit with Dr. Sardi on Friday. I'm not looking forward to the drive to Baltimore (especially since there is a possibility of bad weather). I'll be sure to update the blog when we know more after the visit.

Wasn't Mike sweet to put up a picture of me? I hate to see pictures of myself--but now you can see I'm still here!

I have to thank the folks who've sent food, cards, called, visited, and had us over for dinner. If I haven't returned your phone call it's not because I don't want to. I still get a little winded if I try to talk too much. So, in good time, I will get back to you. So many people have been so thoughtful keeping us supplied with food and keeping me cheered-up.

Also, I'm happy to see comments on the blog from my students: Missy and her sister, Bethany, Micah, and Taylor! It means the world to me to hear from you. I can't wait to get back to school and see you.

And here's a nice bit of good news, fellow PMPer Doug, (see link) and Lindsey are engaged. I'm so happy for them. That is the best news I've heard in a long time!

That's all until the update.

Diana on Sunday December 7, 2008

Diana Update (from Mike)

Diana is out of surgery a little over 5 weeks now. She continues to make progress. We have been shopping (Diana calls it "walking"!) a little. She is still on meds so she cannot drive yet so I am taking her everywhere. Yesterday we visited my brother Jeff who had a massive stroke about 6 weeks ago. He is in an Acute Rehab facility in Lancaster. He has made progress but has a long long way to go. His police buddies came up from Maryland to visit with him the day before.

Diana is able to do more without getting winded. She no longer sleeps on the couch in a sitting position; she is back in bed and sleeping well. Diana goes back to see Dr. Sardi, her surgeon, next Friday (we will update the blog). She still has tremendous pressure on her abdomen so she is still on pain meds.

If someone would've told me that she would look this good 5 weeks after such a surgery I wouldn't have believed it. Thanks to everyone for the calls, visits, flowers, food, and cards. That definitely has kept her spirits up.