Roller-coaster Ride

The past few weeks have been CRAZY! (and of course I couldn't figure out how to blog from my phone!)

When Lisa was here (now my Mum instead) she was pushing me fairly hard to get out and do 'normal' things. Like one Saturday we rode the c-train up to the mall to grab some groceries, and stuff them in a back-pack to bring home. Which is what I blamed my extreme stiffness and shoulder/neck pain on the next day. Until the Monday after when I started vomiting and could not keep water down.

Back to ER! I bounced around there for a couple of sleepless days/nights. Was treated to CT scans, spinal taps, and multiple attempts to get blood from my non-existent veins. Basically I became a very ill pincushion in the first couple of days before they decided to get me onto broad-spectrum antibiotics (I also had a great fever that made me fairly delirious).

The docs finally found me a room back up in nuerosurgery and decided that the MRI and CT scans showed that there may be a cyst of infection, and that the space where my original tumour had been removed was getting bigger instead of smaller, so yet another surgery was required.

This time around was much less difficult to get over than the first surgery. I have NO sense of time in the initial recovery unit when I woke up, but I was able to speak clearly with the nurses there, see what the room looked like, ask questions, etc. After the first surgery I was unable to name the month or open my eyes, so this time felt very good.

My hold up this time (I was in hospital for my longest stay yet - 2.5 weeks!) was a combination of the cultures they took needing to grow something so they could narrow down the number of IV antibiotics they sent me home with - I was on $7000 worth of meds/mo for ten days, no way could I afford that without any coverage (had to drop U of C so not covered there anymore)! All worked out though, am now on one affordable IV med (plus pills) and thankfully my status as a student & single parent for the past few years did qualify me for the Adult Health Benefits through the government here. Thank-you taxpayers!

From the time that they finally grew a bug (can't remember what infection I have, just that it stems from something commonly found on peoples'hair follicles!) it took 3 more days for me to get out. Talk about frustrating!!! BUT, at least I was able to get my radiation mask finished for TBCC treatments to start in a week or two (after they call with dates/time), have been taught how to change my med bags daily, and have a homecare nurse scheduled for 2x per wk.

It all just took a LONG time to sort out! Plus one of my pic line ports was blocked from the weekend until the day they let me leave (about 5 days I think), which is a huge no-no for sending someone home. Oh well.

Through it all I've had some great support, plus have been able to talk to my baby every couple of days. so proud of her and how well she is doing both in school and socially. I love her resilience and am so glad I have been able to raise such an awesome little girl :)