A Year Later

It has been a year, and I recently got another cancer scare. The right side of my chest was all red with some kind of infection. But when I went to the doctor, he said it look like metastisized cancer. I took antibiotics (levaquin) and it started subsiding. But then flared up again. So he took a biopsy and last week over the holidays I had to wait for a week to get the results. Thank God, it isn't cancer. But we don't know what it is. I also had a reaction to the levaquin. My ankles (aquilles tendon) had been hurting ever since i started taking it, but I didn't think it had anything to do with the antibiotic. Well I have found out since that it affects the tendons and can even pop the tendon off the bone. It can last for years. So I have the ankle pain, and tendon pain in my knee, and also on my shoulder! i am really getting tired of falling apart!!

I've had a good year, though. After the surgery, I seemed to rally, after becoming anemic and taking iron. I have been painting alot and enjoying my studio. I managed to buy a mobile home because the prices are so low now, and I am so much happier being in my own place. The low income place was full of crazy old ladies....I could write a book about that place! It would have killed me to stay there much longer. I live on very little, but as long as I can paint I am happy.
My daughter calls on my birthday and I call now and then to ask how things are going. I haven't seen the grandchildren at all...Oh wait, I did go down to their place to see my 16 year old grandaughter ride her horse in a show, and spent time with the twins. I felt so sad, because it felt so good, and I knew this wouldn't happen much. It was almost better not having had the experience because I miss them more.

Why aren't I screaming?

This is a picture of the Dr. removing fluid from my chest. I am hoping this is the last time, but I may have to have it done again next week. I am numb because of the surgery, so I am just relaxing and having a talk with him.

Meet Dr Bradshaw

Felling much better and looking better

This is me having my favorite drink o thai Ice Tea up in Nevada City. Just a half hour drive from here. Felt like a vacation. I spent some money at an Buddist store and had a great day getting back into "real life".

I am still going to have fluid taken out of my "chest" because of not having drains in, and I hope my body starts being able to absorb it so I don't have to have drains put in. I have planned a trip to Mexico on the 1st of Feb and I don't want anything to hold me back. I will be staying in an RV park north of Puerto Vallarta in La Panita. Picture of the sunset at night is up top of this blog. I am looking forward to getting out of here and all the trama drama.

Back in the hospital for infection

I hadn't been getting better and now I know why. I probably had been carryiing around that old infection somewhere, and it was causing me more pain than i should have been having. the other night, linda looked at my chest (it is now a chest, not a breast) and it was red, with creeping red lines. i called the doctor on call, he said just take an antiobotic i happened to have, and come see my doctor the next day. but thank god for linda, she talked me into going to the ER anyway. turned out i had a 101 fever....so i have been staying there getting IV drugs over the new year. Happy New year.

I am personallly dealing with my old deamons of "wanting to be taken care of, and no one wanting to take care of me". As a young person...not good, but as a get sick and old, it becomes a scary reality. Did I create these illnesses out of my fears??? what do i do now? there is nothing I can do. It is the way my life is and I guess I can only go through it as gracefully as I can. I have no family support left, and the person, Jeanne, who I had trusted and probably put too much pressure on, flew the coop. It was my image and my need that i created what I thought would be a "best friend" and I could know would take care of me so there is no blame on her. She has to look at it from her issues and needs. but I have to find a place within that can stay out of fear and get on with my life!

Dealing with the cancer has shown me alot of my fears and needs and who is there in the end. My friend Linda, who is too sick to help me, was the only person there for me. I know how hard it was for her, and it has brought us closer together, but could also fracture our friendship. I fear that when she needs me, I won't do it right, or something will not be done to her picture of perfection...not trying to say anthing about her, it is more of my thing....it is my fear that I cannot do it right (I am babbleing on because of pain meds, but without, I caannot type without pain, so it is a toss -up)

I am going to have to write more on this when my brain is functioning. Off to bed to rest.

LEft breast and view from the middle

right breast sliced