SCCA Visit

 We just got back from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Chuck had a CT scan today to see what the cancer is doing. He drinks a bunch of 'contrast' that highlights the areas being scanned. I'm not allowed to go back with him for this procedure so I just hang out in the waiting room.

Lake Union - My view for today

We go back tomorrow to get the results. Thankfully I'll be able to go to the back room with him, meet with the doctor and sit with him while he gets his infusion. I'm anxious... well, not anxious like nervous just... I can't wait to get the results. I want to know what that mean ol' cancer is doing!!

Saturday Snippets - Add More Things to the List

Beth and I had eye appointments yesterday and we found out she has Keratoconus in her right eye. It causes the cornea to become misshapen and thin. Plus she has Amblyopia, or Lazy Eye in her right eye. With Lazy Eye the brain and the eye don't work well together and after a while the brain just ignores the visual input of that eye. Her previous doctors have never mentioned any of this or tried to correct it! I can't imagine what her vision is like! So now we're going to see a specialist in a couple of weeks. 

Keratoconus

Amblyopia

 

 A friend called to tell me her son has melanoma and is going to have the same treatment as Chuck. We talked for about a half hour and thankfully I was able to give her some positive information. Things really have been going well for Chuck and when we hung up she wasn't as nervous as she was before.

 Chuck's sister R had back surgery a month or so ago and was released from rehab this week. The doctors say she can't live alone anymore so she asked if Diana could fly out and help her clean her house a little and help with PT. She basically wants to prove to the doctors that she can live alone. Diana rearranged work and was on a plane the next day. What Diana didn't realize was R has become a hoarder. Have you seen those shows on TV? Yep, just like that. Diana has discretely sent us some photos and oh my word. Poor Diana is trying her best to clean areas of this house in preparation for the nurse and PT on Monday. R is very strong willed and is refusing to let Diana toss anything out. There's no place for Diana to sit let alone sleep there. Thankfully she talked R into going to a hotel for a couple nights. I was up during the night last night, praying (and worrying, I'll admit it) about Diana's health and what she might come across. When I got up I texted her:

Do not go back into that house!

You need to book the hotel for quite a few days

When the nurse sees the house, she won't go in. 

 PT definitely won't happen. 

When they come to the door, explain the situation

After a lot of back and forth, Chuck got time off work, booked a flight and I was driving him to the airport at noon today. He's going there to help Diana stand up to R. (R doesn't know he's coming.) They've got to get R into assisted living even though she puts up a fight whenever Diana has brought it up. It's her doctor's orders! I don't know what our options are but I told Chuck they may have to give R an ultimatum and just say goodbye if she refuses. It breaks my heart to think she'd stay there when she can't walk (she had a severe stroke many years ago) and is recovering from surgery. It's really a sad situation. And if R does go to assisted living, we'll then have to try to get her house cleaned (Diana called a company and they told her it would be between $5000-$7000) and then try to sell it. It's going to be difficult no matter what happens there this weekend.

 2020 just keeps throwing us curve balls! 

I'm so glad the Lord is in control! He still has a plan for each one of us and is working even when we can't see it.

Blood Draw

Beth sees her endocrinologist about every 6 months and in between, we take her for blood draws so the doctor can adjust her medicine if needed, before the next visit.

This time I had Allie with me but she did great! It's been a long time since I took a preschooler to the doctor! I had books and snacks, tried to be prepared for anything. But she did great!

Beth was only in there for a few minutes anyway, so that was good. She was willing to go in by herself this time. Usually she wants me there, even though she doesn't need me there. Needles don't faze her at all.

Heading upstairs to the clinic.

 

Waiting for them to call Beth.

Not sure WHAT Allie was doing with her eyes.

She's such a goober.

 

One of the Joys of Parenting

Beth has been asking me (for a while now) to call the doctor about her pinky toe. She keeps saying it hurts. So I finally made the appointment for today. It went something like this:

Dr: Does it hurt when I touch here?
Beth: No.
Dr: How about here?
Beth: No.
Dr: Hmm. How about if I squeeze right here?
Beth: No.
Dr: It could be an ingrown toenail. But that would be very painful. It could be 'this' or 'that'. We could have her go down for an xray and rule out 'this' and 'that'. Beth, when did it first start hurting?
Beth: When we were on vacation.
Dr: And when were you on vacation?
Beth: (Stares at floor.)
Me: September.
Beth: When I wore my crocks.
Me: That's right. She complained of her toe hurting then.
Dr: Has it been hurting since then?
Beth: No.
Me: (What?!??!?)
Dr: (Big smile on her face) I won't schedule any tests right now. Mom, why don't you keep an eye on it and call me if it starts hurting again. (Tries to keep from laughing.)

"The Lab is Down the Hall and To Your Right"

Beth and I both had doctor's appointments today. We see the same doctor (we LOVE her!) My appt was at 12:00 and Beth's was at 12:15. We both went into the room together.

I'm having issues with my legs, it feels like my bones ache. Plus some lower back pain.

Beth is having bouts of incontinence and she needed lab work done for her upcoming appointment with her thyroid doctor. Beth did great sitting up on the table. A little nervous but not too bad.

She also had to pee in a cup, no easy task, let me tell ya!! But she did it.

Then we both headed to the lab. Beth said she wanted me to go first and as I sat down in the chair she says, "Try not to faint mom." Gee, thanks Beth. So I had the nurse lay the chair back. Just in case. :)

Beth was a rock. She sat in the chair and told her, "I don't like to look." The nurse laughed, "I don't either!"

I then went to get xrays where they took some pictures of my back.

Beth has a follow up appointment in October. I'm so glad we're finally getting these health issues taken care of.

On the way to the car, we took off our bandages and decided we were going for yogurt!

Our Lake Wobegon

It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon. Oh wait, nope. Wrong story.

Chuck and I have been in and out of the hospital this week (out patient) undergoing various tests and procedures. I had a physical a couple weeks ago and the doctor found a lump on my thyroid. So today I'm doing an iodine scan. I went in this morning and took the iodine pill (still not glowing green though) and I'll go back this afternoon for the scan. Hoping and praying that it's nothing. That the lump is benign. Don't even want to think about the other option.

Chucks... just routine 'over 50' stuff.

Diana and I took Beth to Athletics on Saturday. She had such a bad attitude! Beth acted like she didn't want us there. Kept hiding her face. Wouldn't participate. Everyone walked, jogged around the track and Beth... meandered. So Diana and I went and sat in the van. Thinking that would encourage her to work harder and she did! Her attitude changed and she began pushing herself.

So we got back out of the van. We wanted to cheer her on and watch her practice. She did okay after that. We tried to pretend like we were ignoring her and she tried to pretend like we weren't watching her. Ahhh, can you feel the love?!

Beth is taking part in the youth choir dinner theatre this weekend. It's to help raise money for their ministry trip to London in 2012. (Not sure if she's going yet.) Because she's just joined (and they've been working on this for months) she just has a small part, helping to gather tickets one of the nights. The show takes place in the 20's. Yep, the 20's. Have you ever tried to find a dress and hat from the 20's?! We found a hat and plan to go out again tonight or tomorrow for an outfit. It'll be interesting. But, she's so excited about it! And you know how it is, when your kids are happy, you're happy!

Well, that's all the news from our Lake Wobegon, where the men are strong, the women are good looking and the children... all have a little something extra!

Doctors Orders.... Kinda

Beth is still having a hard time going to sleep at a decent hour. So the other night I went downstairs and told her what the doctor said.

I told her that doctors did a test with two people. One slept for 5 hours, the other slept for 8. Then they both woke up. The person who only got 5 hours was sleepy and grumpy and didn't do a good job at work.

The person who slept 8 hours was happy and was strong and did well at work. So doctors tell us that we need 8 hours of sleep. Everyone needs 8 hours, me, dad, Aunt Debbie, Aunt Kathy, our neighbors, our friends at church. Everyone.

I told her we can use math to find out when she needs to go to sleep. We know when her bus comes every day and we know when she needs to wake up. So we count backwards from then.... and we find out what time she needs to turn out her light and go to sleep!

And it's worked two nights in a row!! Woo hoo!

So.... I sort of made up the part about the test. But I'm sure there were tests done somewhere to determine a good nights sleep = 8 hours! Right? And it's working! Ya gotta give me that! :)

Can Anyone Out There Relate??

Our family doctor referred us to a specialist for Beth's thyroid. I called the clinic to schedule an appointment with the endocrinologist but was told they are not accepting new patients with Medicaid.

I called our doctor to get another referral and was told by the person answering the phone that I needed to first find a doctor that will take Medicaid. She gave me the number to the referral service.

I called them but got the answering service. They are open... the exact hours I am at work. I left a message for them to call me.

I then got a letter from the clinic saying they received a referral from our doctor and they are trying to get a hold of me. I called them and was on hold for more than 10 minutes. I had to hang up. My lunch was over and I had to get back to work.

Then someone from the clinic left a message with me saying they deal in internal medicine and cannot help with the thyroid. She left the name and number of an endocrinologist that does take Medicaid.

I called him.... and got the answering service.

Please excuse me while I go scream into a pillow.