Good News

All is Well-ing

Garden, Health, Theatre

To start, I’m fine. I believe I mentioned earlier that I had an infection at a surgical site which went away and then immediately came back worse. Very bad. Approaching sepsis. (During this, the bathroom renovation went belly up and two vacations were canceled.) However, it is gone now, I’m getting my strength back, and I feel better than I have in a very long time. I mowed our postage stamp size front yard yesterday. =)

I think I might’ve mentioned I was working on an adaptation of 1728’s The Beggar’s Opera. Didn’t work out. I was enjoying the work, but the details, places, people, customs and occupations of 1728 London are all things that would have to be very clearly explained to a modern audience. That would result in a well-over-two-hour musical, it could possibly prove tedious, and that’s not what I’m after. I’m after small, meaningful, and fun.

So I’ve started something else. At this point, I’ll say that it is a two person musical (plus the non-speaking pianist character) based on the local stay of a very famous, very fun, very complicated person from the 1920s/1930s. The first 15 minutes is currently being read by a few people. Interestingly, it’s revealed itself to me as about 75% sung and 25% spoken. I’m having a good time.

The garden is at peak!

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And of course, I’ve already got a good amount of herbs in hanging and drying. A few stalks of sage, basil, oregano, and thyme so far.

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Today is a rest day! You have a great day too!

Resting is as Resting Does

Health, Home and Renovation, Musician

Not much different going on around here. As I’ve said, I’m a half inch better every day. At this point, I’d say I have 3 feet to go. Considerably better though.

I notice it in the little things. I realized my tailbone was healing because I can now lean back in a chair, rather than sitting stock straight upright like a schoolmarm on alert. I’ve been making my own food. Meds have been lessened. I can sit on the bed pretty much however I like (because it’s squishy).

Speaking of, Jonathan had the thought and is leading the charge redoing the master bedroom. Big changes actually — we are taking out a large section of the built-in closet/king bed/shelves. It’s a big room, so we’re going with the old-fashioned “bed in the middle of the room” thing. Of all styles, we arrived at Scandinavian. Simple and cozy.

The new bed, lamps, and rug (on my blue wood plank floor =)

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I’m excited to be going back to work in a few weeks — to both the church and teaching. I’ve pulled out some fancy organ music. You all know very well I wouldn’t play my first Sunday back without some pomp and circumstance! Although, not the actual song that title. That would be weird.

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Hope everyone is well, and as always, thanks for your comments and kind notes. They’re very much appreciated!

Listen to Mama

Health, Mobility, Personal

Hello, friends!

All is well-ish here, and days are generally the same as the previous. I keep myself entertained-but-resting.

There is indeed healing progress, and it is indeed slow. I like to say I get a half-inch better each day, but I have six more feet to go.

I took my first drive today! One month anniversary of coming home? I think? I had a few prescriptions to pick up, and it’s a short distance on smooth (for Westchester) roads, so the pharmacy seemed like a good trial run.

It was fine. Just about what I expected. It hurt, but not disturbingly so. I don’t remember the drive completely unpleasantly, so we’ll call it a success. It made me feel good about returning to work in September.

Next week I’m back to no-restrictions food. I can now stand up without completely using my arms. I’m newly able to roll over to my other side without wincing or yelling, so again … progress!

If You’re Squeamish, Stop Here

I know it’s probably hard to comprehend the surgeries. I’m purposely vague about them at best. However. In the following, I am going to be much more specific. I think it’s worth talking about, because there’s a serious lesson to be learned.

Funny how they don’t tell you until afterwards, right? The lead doctor explained afterwards that it was a long, very “rough” operation. Open surgery (not laparoscopic), two different entry sites, three or four procedures involving three surgeons with different specialties.

My colon and part of my large intestine were removed, and the tumor was removed with them. Stents were put in tubes (and later taken out) to protect particular valves and stuff, and in other cases, bits and bobs were just removed altogether. Things were rearranged, reattached in different places, lots of internal muscle was gone through back and front, and then sutured back together. Staples in front came out a week after surgery, and I still have stitches in the two different sites. A bit of tail bone was taken out to be double-checked with a biopsy.

This followed a year+ of a horrible syndrome (worse than the cancer, honestly) called LARS that I ended up with from the first surgery. It happens to many, but wasn’t mentioned very much beforehand. Maybe a few sentences during an early consultation. In the midst of it, two of the doctors said it was the worst case they had ever seen. I didn’t eat solid food for about a year.

So, knowing what I know now, I have something important to say.

I mention the surgeries (etc) in detail to push you — stay up on your tests. Get the colonoscopy. If you’re over 35, listen to that nice Katie Couric and get the colonoscopy. You’re asleep. You won’t even know it happened. If you’re adverse to having something stuck up your butt while you are under sedation, keep in mind — you’re gonna have more things than you know what to do with stuck up your butt if you get sick.

Get the test. This cancer is trending younger and younger. I’m regularly seeing people in their thirties in my surgeon’s waiting room. Regularly.

The C Word

Health

No, no that C-word.

I had some great news this week that I need to share.

I was very, very ill a year ago. Four operations, one over eight hours. Four months of two kinds of daily treatments with extreme side effects. A bag for four months that my stomach juice went into. I think you can probably see where I’m going with this. I was quiet about it, very few people knew.

It’s gone, and I am without a doubt the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. So, I don’t name it anymore. I’ve found another way of talking about it — I make fun of it.

This illness starts with a C and rhymes with “prancer.” So we’ll just call it that. Prancer. They rank it too, according to how much it’s moved around — one, two, three, four. I had Page Flea Prancer.

When you have Prancer, you often have a blob. The blob starts with a T and rhymes with “bloomer.” I had a Big Bloomer. There’s a number they measure called your Bloomer Marker. Average is below 3.0 to 5.0.

I had a CAT Scan on Monday and saw my Zoologist yesterday. Absolutely clear. There are no cats inside me. My Bloomer Marker level was 1.38 — way great! I’m one year Prancer-free. =)