Hi Everyone,
Thanks for continuing to check the blog for updates. I went back to my house Friday night and will most likely stay here with visits to Bonnie during the week. She is still very much in the recovery phase and is coming along nicely with the exception of pain management. This is an area that we are still trying to get a grip on. The pain meds she has (2 kinds) are not really working so it is very difficult for her to get any relief. Tomorrow, she has a phone consult with her doctor and will discuss the pain issue with them in the hopes of getting something that will work. I do have her on one of my whole food products that she has been using to help her sleep (works great!) and am now having her take one during the day to help take the edge off. It is my hope that tomorrow we can get a resolution to this very draining issue.
For now, Bonnie will continue to rest at home, watch bad daytime TV and hopefully get some much needed sleep. We visit Dr. Mcdreamy on Wednesday for another check up, and expect to continue to get his seal of approval on her recovery.
Our next big appointment is on Monday, June 17th, when we visit the oncologist to get details on her chemo treatment. I will be sure to update the blog once we get some definitive information. I hope to also learn something about any possibility of radiation, as we are still unclear about that.
So, I will continue to post blogs, but for the next week, they may be a little more infrequent. Please continue to check in, even for my sarcastic jokes:)
As far as visits go, feel free to call her directly and see what she is up to. Once we get the pain level down, I'm sure she will be much more receptive to visitors.
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. This is a long road we are all on, and I'm so happy to be able to walk this with my sister as well as all of you!
XO,
Heather
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
At Home update
Hi Everyone,
Bonnie is coming along nicely. I think we have a routine established, which involves morning walks around the hood in her bathrobe and light socket hairdo, sipping tea while wandering around the house in "stepford" fashion, followed up with some drug induced hallucinations and a nice morning nap. Repeat. This is my life...:)
This morning we had a visit with Dr. "Mc" (you know the rest). Boy, did we both miss our hospital wake up call by him! He gave his stamp of approval on her progress with more instructions of continued rest and limited use of her arms. This is a very important phase of her healing, and I'm thankful to all of you for your patience. You all know Bonnie - if I give her a walk down to the corner, she thinks it means a trip to Disneyland. Needless to say, the good doctor wrote us a scrip for the stronger pain med, which really improves her ability to rest and heal (especially when I slip her a couple of extras just for fun!).
Bonnie will be up for some visits tomorrow. In order to keep her resting, we decided to keep "visiting hours" to 10am - 1pm. She has good energy once she is awake and I have knocked her around a bit. She does get tired towards the afternoon and thru the evening. It will be at least another full week or so before she will get clearance to drive or have full range of motion with her arms. And then...watch out!
I will continue in my roll as Nurse Ratched, however, I will be in and out this weekend. Hopefully, I will be able to meet those of you that I have not met yet.
On a serious note, Bonnie and I are very different in that she is clearly and extrovert and loves to meet new people. I am the opposite, being the shy, quiet one. For 50 years I have wondered why on earth she would need so many friends, while I am so very happy with my 5 (I made 2 new ones in the last 10 years) lifelong friends. With the out poring of love and support from all of you, I now understand how blessed my sister is.
See you all soon, I hope!
Nurse Ratched
Bonnie is coming along nicely. I think we have a routine established, which involves morning walks around the hood in her bathrobe and light socket hairdo, sipping tea while wandering around the house in "stepford" fashion, followed up with some drug induced hallucinations and a nice morning nap. Repeat. This is my life...:)
This morning we had a visit with Dr. "Mc" (you know the rest). Boy, did we both miss our hospital wake up call by him! He gave his stamp of approval on her progress with more instructions of continued rest and limited use of her arms. This is a very important phase of her healing, and I'm thankful to all of you for your patience. You all know Bonnie - if I give her a walk down to the corner, she thinks it means a trip to Disneyland. Needless to say, the good doctor wrote us a scrip for the stronger pain med, which really improves her ability to rest and heal (especially when I slip her a couple of extras just for fun!).
Bonnie will be up for some visits tomorrow. In order to keep her resting, we decided to keep "visiting hours" to 10am - 1pm. She has good energy once she is awake and I have knocked her around a bit. She does get tired towards the afternoon and thru the evening. It will be at least another full week or so before she will get clearance to drive or have full range of motion with her arms. And then...watch out!
I will continue in my roll as Nurse Ratched, however, I will be in and out this weekend. Hopefully, I will be able to meet those of you that I have not met yet.
On a serious note, Bonnie and I are very different in that she is clearly and extrovert and loves to meet new people. I am the opposite, being the shy, quiet one. For 50 years I have wondered why on earth she would need so many friends, while I am so very happy with my 5 (I made 2 new ones in the last 10 years) lifelong friends. With the out poring of love and support from all of you, I now understand how blessed my sister is.
See you all soon, I hope!
Nurse Ratched
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Day 1 at home - Finally
Good Morning Everyone,
It's a great day to be home! After a delightful stay at Scripps Memorial (aka: Marigold Hotel), where Bonnie received incredible care from very loving and sensitive people, we checked out yesterday afternoon. We had lots of help there, but our favorite nurse was Jordan. She was funny and kind and really knowledgeable. You would never know she has only been a nurse for 8 months. We had a ball with her!
We arrived home early last night to a delicious meal, warm shower and ice cold vodka. Oh yes, Bonnie came home too:) She was so happy to be back in her own home and resting comfortably in her bed. The evening ended with lots of meds and sleeping pills (yes, I shared mine with her).
This morning started off without our usual wake up call from McDreamy. What a let down that was! Instead, I wake up to puppy breath in my face and Bonnie wandering around the house. After some breakfast, a quick stroll down the street in her bathrobe (really??) and throwing the ball for Charlie as if I was a major league pitcher, we went back home. Trying to get Bonnie to relax and go back to bed once she is up, is a bit like herding kittens. I'm sure you get the picture. We will spend today resting, watching movies and keeping her so medicated, I get a break.
Tomorrow we go see McDreamy for a check up - at least I have that to look forward to:)
Love, Nurse Ratched
It's a great day to be home! After a delightful stay at Scripps Memorial (aka: Marigold Hotel), where Bonnie received incredible care from very loving and sensitive people, we checked out yesterday afternoon. We had lots of help there, but our favorite nurse was Jordan. She was funny and kind and really knowledgeable. You would never know she has only been a nurse for 8 months. We had a ball with her!
Once released, we had a visit with the surgeon who confirmed that Bonnie has Stage 2A cancer. She removed 23 lymph nodes and only 2 out of the 23 showed any cancer in them. This is all great news and we were very happy with these results. In 2 weeks we go to see the "poison doctor" to discuss chemo treatment (chemo is definite since there is cancer in the nodes). We will also have to meet with the radiologist to see if she needs any treatment there. We don't have any more details until after these meetings take place. For now, the protocol is rest, rest, and more rest (ya right - have you met Bonnie??)We arrived home early last night to a delicious meal, warm shower and ice cold vodka. Oh yes, Bonnie came home too:) She was so happy to be back in her own home and resting comfortably in her bed. The evening ended with lots of meds and sleeping pills (yes, I shared mine with her).
Tomorrow we go see McDreamy for a check up - at least I have that to look forward to:)
Love, Nurse Ratched
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Check out day!
Good Morning Everyone,
Yesterday was a challenge but we ended up increasing her pain meds which made a big difference. Bonnie was able to get comfortable towards the late afternoon and had a good night of rest as well. The staff here is so great and they are really supportive of a patients need for sleep.
Our morning started off around 7am with room service. This morning's special was a "lovely" bran muffin, followed up with smelly "astronaut" eggs. You know the kind - powdered eggs with some luke warm water mixed in. Delicious! Luckily, I brought some homemade breakfast bars (Bonnie is finally accepting them) and we still have some yummy snacks that various friends have brought over.
Around 7:30 McDreamy visited to check her progress and everything looks really great. He is really pleased with how she is healing and that there is no bruising. I wonder why he gave me a weird look when I asked him to check my "dressings"? We have instructions (ok - I have the instructions as Bonnie is too stoned to remember anything) to get her home, showered and comfortable.
As today is check out day, we will be unavailable after 12 noon. That will give Bonnie time this morning to visit with people, get in a good nap, and be ready to go by 3pm. After check out, we go right over to see her surgeon and get the results from the pathology report and hopefully more details on chemo and any possibility of radiation. I don't expect us to have her home until around 5pm or later.
If possible, I will try and post another update tonight regarding the results, but it will depend on how much time it takes me to get her settled in. Otherwise, I will update in the morning.
As Bonnie's body is still reeling from the surgery, it would be best if we held off on home visits until this weekend. Because she is so loaded up on meds, it's hard for her to understand the impact of all of this on her body, so I have to keep her rest time the main priority. I know she loves hearing from all of you, as I read her your texts, emails and blog comments. We both continue to be grateful for all the love and support. Thank you all for being so patient in regards to the visits. I know it's hard for all of you to not be able to see her, but I know she will also want to shower, wash her hair and have Marcia put on her "baby Jane" makeup so she can look presentable:)
Thanks again and love to all!
Heather
Yesterday was a challenge but we ended up increasing her pain meds which made a big difference. Bonnie was able to get comfortable towards the late afternoon and had a good night of rest as well. The staff here is so great and they are really supportive of a patients need for sleep.
Our morning started off around 7am with room service. This morning's special was a "lovely" bran muffin, followed up with smelly "astronaut" eggs. You know the kind - powdered eggs with some luke warm water mixed in. Delicious! Luckily, I brought some homemade breakfast bars (Bonnie is finally accepting them) and we still have some yummy snacks that various friends have brought over.
Around 7:30 McDreamy visited to check her progress and everything looks really great. He is really pleased with how she is healing and that there is no bruising. I wonder why he gave me a weird look when I asked him to check my "dressings"? We have instructions (ok - I have the instructions as Bonnie is too stoned to remember anything) to get her home, showered and comfortable.
As today is check out day, we will be unavailable after 12 noon. That will give Bonnie time this morning to visit with people, get in a good nap, and be ready to go by 3pm. After check out, we go right over to see her surgeon and get the results from the pathology report and hopefully more details on chemo and any possibility of radiation. I don't expect us to have her home until around 5pm or later.
If possible, I will try and post another update tonight regarding the results, but it will depend on how much time it takes me to get her settled in. Otherwise, I will update in the morning.
As Bonnie's body is still reeling from the surgery, it would be best if we held off on home visits until this weekend. Because she is so loaded up on meds, it's hard for her to understand the impact of all of this on her body, so I have to keep her rest time the main priority. I know she loves hearing from all of you, as I read her your texts, emails and blog comments. We both continue to be grateful for all the love and support. Thank you all for being so patient in regards to the visits. I know it's hard for all of you to not be able to see her, but I know she will also want to shower, wash her hair and have Marcia put on her "baby Jane" makeup so she can look presentable:)
Thanks again and love to all!
Heather
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Day 2 hospital update
Good Morning All,
To back up a bit and update you on the surgery results: after her surgeon was done yesterday, she came to tell Tom and I that they did find cancer cells in the lymph nodes. They took out as many nodes as they could and they are now in for testing. We will get those results tomorrow afternoon when we meet with Dr. Wild after checking out. We do know there will be some form of chemotherapy, but we won't get details on that or radiation until tomorrow afternoon. We are disappointed about the chemo, but realize that things could be worse.
We had a pretty good night. Bonnie was able to rest despite the monitoring by the nurses. She is getting great care here and everyone is very friendly and helpful. We changed up her pain meds as the original one wasn't working very well, so we are making some progress.
Our morning started with drool on my pillow, Bonnie's hair looking lovely, and a very early morning visit with McDreamy. He is really happy with her progress - no bruising and tissue is nice and pink and healthy. We are due to see him again tomorrow morning before she goes home (I'm waking up extra early to at least get mascara on both of us!).
Bonnie is in more pain today, but she is respecting her body and getting lots of rest. We went for a nice walk around the halls (no - I didn't leave the back of her gown open) and her drains are working nicely. I visited the cafeteria, and I am happy to report they carry lots of fresh, healthy foods, fruit and teas. Of course, I was slightly tempted to bring her a doughnut:)
We will limit visitors today, due to the increase in pain and added need for rest. The girls spoke with Bonnie last night and they are feeling pretty good her being here. They will come visit her later today/tomorrow.
I will get another post in as soon as I can get a connection tomorrow morning. It's a little difficult, as they don't have WiFi.
Thanks again everyone. I'm passing along your text messages and blog comments. Thanks so much for the love and prayers!
Nurse Ratched
To back up a bit and update you on the surgery results: after her surgeon was done yesterday, she came to tell Tom and I that they did find cancer cells in the lymph nodes. They took out as many nodes as they could and they are now in for testing. We will get those results tomorrow afternoon when we meet with Dr. Wild after checking out. We do know there will be some form of chemotherapy, but we won't get details on that or radiation until tomorrow afternoon. We are disappointed about the chemo, but realize that things could be worse.
We had a pretty good night. Bonnie was able to rest despite the monitoring by the nurses. She is getting great care here and everyone is very friendly and helpful. We changed up her pain meds as the original one wasn't working very well, so we are making some progress.
Our morning started with drool on my pillow, Bonnie's hair looking lovely, and a very early morning visit with McDreamy. He is really happy with her progress - no bruising and tissue is nice and pink and healthy. We are due to see him again tomorrow morning before she goes home (I'm waking up extra early to at least get mascara on both of us!).
Bonnie is in more pain today, but she is respecting her body and getting lots of rest. We went for a nice walk around the halls (no - I didn't leave the back of her gown open) and her drains are working nicely. I visited the cafeteria, and I am happy to report they carry lots of fresh, healthy foods, fruit and teas. Of course, I was slightly tempted to bring her a doughnut:)
We will limit visitors today, due to the increase in pain and added need for rest. The girls spoke with Bonnie last night and they are feeling pretty good her being here. They will come visit her later today/tomorrow.
I will get another post in as soon as I can get a connection tomorrow morning. It's a little difficult, as they don't have WiFi.
Thanks again everyone. I'm passing along your text messages and blog comments. Thanks so much for the love and prayers!
Nurse Ratched
Monday, June 3, 2013
Surgery day - update No. 1
We just met with Dr. Wild, her surgeon. She said Bonnie is doing really well and felt very positive about her part of the surgery. We are now waiting for an update from her plastics surgeon. We don't expect him to be done for another couple of hours. We hope to have more information by the end of the day. Once she is out of surgery, she will be in recovery for about an hour, then we go over to the hospital to get checked into her room.
I will try and get another update in today, depending on how things go. If not, I will definitely get another update in tomorrow morning.
Thanks so much!
Heather
I will try and get another update in today, depending on how things go. If not, I will definitely get another update in tomorrow morning.
Thanks so much!
Heather
Good Morning Friends/Family,
Today started off bright and early with the wake up call around 5am. Most of the morning was spent on regular pre-op tasks: laundry, vacuuming, throwing the ball for Charlie and making sure the hair looks good for McDreamy. After watching the girls make their own breakfast, we headed to the surgery center. There we were greeted by Marilyn, Bonnie's intake nurse. She also is a little sister and understood me right away - we bonded while Bonnie was telling stories of how she tortured me when we were young. Bonnie and I then went to get her into her operating gown and cute socks (oops - did I leave the back of the gown open?!). We then met with her anesthesiologist (another young, cute dr - I'm seeing a pattern here!) and her surgeon. Around 9:15 we walked Bonnie to her operating room doors and waved her off. Luckily, before then I had time to scrawl a note to her doctors on the front of her gown: "take care of my sister! XO, Heather, the much younger and less wrinkled sister". I'm certain the whole o.r. will appreciate the message.
Upon returning to the waiting area, we were greeted with Bonnie's prayer group. What a wonderful source of support and beautiful prayers were said. Bonnie has felt from the beginning that God was directing her thru this ordeal and she has had peace all along from that realization. Thank you ladies for your support and love.
We are now waiting for an update once her surgeon is done. This should be around 12 noon or so. Another post will follow once we get that update as well as the one we will receive later today from Dr. McDreamy.
XO, Heather (Nurse Ratched)
Today started off bright and early with the wake up call around 5am. Most of the morning was spent on regular pre-op tasks: laundry, vacuuming, throwing the ball for Charlie and making sure the hair looks good for McDreamy. After watching the girls make their own breakfast, we headed to the surgery center. There we were greeted by Marilyn, Bonnie's intake nurse. She also is a little sister and understood me right away - we bonded while Bonnie was telling stories of how she tortured me when we were young. Bonnie and I then went to get her into her operating gown and cute socks (oops - did I leave the back of the gown open?!). We then met with her anesthesiologist (another young, cute dr - I'm seeing a pattern here!) and her surgeon. Around 9:15 we walked Bonnie to her operating room doors and waved her off. Luckily, before then I had time to scrawl a note to her doctors on the front of her gown: "take care of my sister! XO, Heather, the much younger and less wrinkled sister". I'm certain the whole o.r. will appreciate the message.
Upon returning to the waiting area, we were greeted with Bonnie's prayer group. What a wonderful source of support and beautiful prayers were said. Bonnie has felt from the beginning that God was directing her thru this ordeal and she has had peace all along from that realization. Thank you ladies for your support and love.
We are now waiting for an update once her surgeon is done. This should be around 12 noon or so. Another post will follow once we get that update as well as the one we will receive later today from Dr. McDreamy.
XO, Heather (Nurse Ratched)
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