Survivor!

On January 10, 2001, my sweet husband, FabGrandpa, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. It was the worst day of our lives. We were stunned! We cried, we spent hours just looking at each other, holding on to each other, crying, trying to talk about the unspeakable. That is a day neither one of will ever forget. It was just the beginning. Today, I am so proud to say, "My husband is a 9 year survivor of cancer!" Let us all rejoice!

Oral cancer is something I had never heard of until that day. But look at this:

"More than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. Of those 34,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only half will be alive in 5 years. This is a number which has not significantly improved in decades. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, endocrine system cancers such as thyroid, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma). If you expand the definition of oral cancers to include cancer of the larynx, for which the risk factors are the same, the numbers of diagnosed cases grow to 41,000 individuals, and 12,500 deaths per year in the US alone. Worldwide the problem is much greater, with over 400,000 new cases being found each year. 

The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development. Often it is only discovered when the cancer has metastasized to another location, most likely the lymph nodes of the neck. Prognosis at this stage of discovery is significantly worse than when it is caught in a localized intra oral area. Besides the metastasis, at these later stages, the primary tumor has had time to invade deep into local structures. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous because in its early stages it may not be noticed by the patient, as it can frequently prosper without producing pain or symptoms they might readily recognize, and because it has a high risk of producing second, primary tumors. This means that patients who survive a first encounter with the disease, have up to a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer. This heightened risk factor can last for 5 to 10 years after the first occurrence. There are several types of oral cancers, but around 90% are squamous cell carcinomas."    (from the website of the Oral Cancer Foundation)

FabGrandpa's cancer was found early, because it was on his tongue and visible. He had gone to the dentist for a checkup. His dentist told him he needed to go to an oral surgeon without delay. The next day, he was in the oral surgeon's office having a biopsy done. A week later we got the devasting news.  He was lucky that they found it so early, one factor that I am sure has contributed to his 9 year survival.

The exam for oral cancer is simple and painless. It can be done by a dentist, oral surgeon, ear-nose-throat doctor, or a general practitioner. All you have to do is ask your doctor to do it next time you go. 

 

"Besides a visual examination of all the tissues in your mouth, your doctor will feel the floor of your mouth and portions of the back of your throat with his fingers, in the search for abnormalities. A thorough oral screening also includes indirect examination of the nasopharynx and larynx, and involves manually feeling the neck for swollen lymph nodes, and other abnormalities such as hardened masses. Your doctor will also check the mouth for white patches, red patches, ulcerations, lumps, loose teeth, and review your dental x-rays for abnormalities. Be sure to tell the doctor if you have been a tobacco user in any form. Tobacco use is implicated in more than 75% of all oral cancers. After the physical examination of your mouth, if your doctor finds any areas that are suspicious, he may recommend a biopsy. This is simply taking a small portion of the suspicious tissue for examination under a microscope. 

You should always contact your doctor or dentist immediately if you notice the following symptoms in yourself or a loved one:

• A sore or lesion in the mouth that does not heal within two weeks.
• A lump or thickening in the cheek.
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth.
• A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the throat.
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing.
• Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue.
• Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth.
• Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable."
  

Want to help us celebrate FabGrandpa's 9 years of survival? Make a $9 donation to the Oral Cancer Foundation today!  But even if you don't make a donation, make yourself a reminder to get an oral cancer screening the next time you see your doctor or dentist. It could save your life.

A Trip To My Hometown

We haven't been "home" in about 18 months, so we were overdue to visit there. Last weekend, we loaded up the truck with computers, suitcase, and sandwiches, and hit the road for the 200 mile trip. 

Our first stop was at the mall, because Fabgrandpa needed a new winter jacket. He melted his old one in a commercial dryer when we were volunteering at Unicoi State Park back in 2007. He didn't need one last winter because we were in a pretty warm place, but, as we have discovered, Alabama is COLD! Oh, and let's just say that planning a quick trip to the mall two weeks before Christmas is BIG mistake.

After we got out of the mall, we drove over to Becky's hair salon to get prettied up. She is the best "hair-doer" I have ever known. We always get our hair done by her when we come to town. (Of course, she IS my daughter, and NO I am not biased in my opinion. he he he).  FabGrandpa went first.

 

Then it was my turn. Becky cut off about two inches, trimmed my bangs, and then styled my hair. I always feel like a pampered princess when I go there. 

Here we are, all dolled up, and FabGrandpa in his new mall jacket.

This is something I DON'T miss on a daily basis: lots of traffic. It was raining, too. And don't think that all this is from Christmas shopping--no, it is like this all the time in Douglasville. 

 

Remember last year when I lost that diamond?  When Becky came to visit us at the Grand Canyon, she took my rings home with her, and had them repaired, complete with a new diamond. The jeweler cleaned and shined them up, so that they look better than ever! She gave them to me when we were at the shop, and I cried like a baby. She is too good to me!

 

From the beauty shop, we drove over to visit my mother. That's her Christmas tree there, and if you look, on the shelves behind the tree is a huge collection of Santas.  We had a nice visit, then left to meet Becky and her true love for dinner.

 

That's the happy bride to be with her guy, Rafe. He is a very nice guy. We'll be proud to call him our son-in-law. The wedding won't be until February, 2011. That's still quite a ways off, but hey, I still haven't bought my mother of the bride dress. I'm still looking. 

 

We finally made to the motel, a Holiday Inn Express. The room was very nice for the money. It even had a big screen TV. But FabGrandpa spent most of his time in the room playing Left 4 Dead. He said there wasn't much on TV to watch, anyway.

 

The next morning, I got up and went back to my Mom's for breakfast. My sister came over, too, still in her pajamas. We spent a couple of hours talking girl talk while FabGrandpa slept in at the motel.  

After having breakfast with them, I went to Cracker Barrell to meet my daughter, Emily and niece, Nikki for another breakfast.  I had not ever met Nikki before, well, except for when she was a tiny baby. My sister "found" her on Myspace a couple of years ago. I have not been in town when she was since then, so we arranged to meet last weekend. It was nice to meet her. She is a gorgeous girl, and smart too, just like my daughters. She spent 6 years in the Air Force and is now in school to be a medical technician. I didn't get a picture, though, I was so busy talking I just forgot!

After the second breakfast (yeah, no wonder I am so fat! But, honestly, I only ate a little bit at both of them), Emily and I went fabric shopping. I spent a LOT of money, but I had specific projects in mind, and still didn't get everything I needed. Yes, yet another fabric trip is in the planning. 

Emily and I decided we did not want to do any other shopping after the fabric store, so we went to her house and just hung out. My grandson, Spencer, thanked me again for his quilt. He is so cute, don't you think?

I made this bag for Emily and gave it to her while I was at her house. She loved it!

 

 It is big enough for her teacher self to tote books and papers and pencils and stuff. I made a matching zippered pouch to go with, which of course I have no picture of.

 

There's Spencer again, trying to figure out how to take my picture.

 

And Emily's Christmas tree, in her living room with her new floors. I love it! She has redone the entire house since I was there the last time. I

 

We left Emily's house and met up with FabGrandpa and Becky at Longhorn Steakhouse, one of our favorite places to eat. I had a salad, no croutons, no dressing, a ribeye medium rare, and a baked sweet potato. No gluten anywhere, and it was delish! There's FabGrandpa with Emily.

 

 And me with Becky
 

And me with my dinner date, Spencer. Spencer's Dad was there too, but he does not want me to show his face, so I won't.  We had such a busy weekend, but it was fun, and we'll do it again, soon.

A Simple Pleasure!

We left the trailer behind this weekend to go visit the family in our hometown. It was a 200 mile drive, mostly through the countryside in Alabama. Back in the days when I still ate a gluten filled diet, when we traveled I would make a picnic lunch so we could eat in the truck. Egg sandwiches, with potato chips, and maybe some fruit. But since we stopped eating gluten, we haven't had that simple pleasure. But guess what? since I have all that Udi's bread in the freezer, I surprised FabGrandpa with egg sandwiches:

Now that might not look like such a treat to anyone else, but to us, it was wonderful! It just seems like such an intimate thing, for me to make a sandwich for my sweetheart on a trip out of town.

FabGrandpa Installs A Shelf

My "place" in our trailer is at the dinette. And the seat has become my office desk. It is where I have had a stack of "stuff" for about six years. You know, the stuff that would normally be on your desk if you had a house:  bills and other important papers that need attending to; notebooks; maps; pens and markers; books and magazines I'm reading at the moment. I get so annoyed by having that stack of stuff there that I went out and bought myself an organizer shelf. 

 

This morning, FabGrandpa (who is feeling much better, thank you to all those who have asked) installed it on the wall. It was a perfect fit for the space I had.  There are three shelves and a small drawer. 

 

I couldn't put it as high up on the wall as I would have liked because the window trim wouldn't allow for the drawer to be opened, otherwise, I am really happy with this small modification to my space!

 

Just look how much better it looks!  There is room for my camera and the USB cable for it in the drawer. I bought a little photo album for 97 cents to keep my ever growing collection of business cards in, too! 

 

So this:

 

Now looks like this:

 

Getting organized is so much fun!

Checking Out The VA in Tuscaloosa

Since FabGrandpa is a veteran from the Viet Nam era, he is elegible for health care through the VA.  It can be a little bit of a hassle, because every time we move to a new location, he has to be "enrolled" at the facility in the new area before he can be see by a doctor. He needs to have surgery for a cataract this winter so, at the very first opportunity I had after we got here, I called the VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. The person I talked to told me that someone would come out to our house and help us fill out the paperwork involved in the enrollment. 

I was very surprised by this, as we have dealt with the VA on several occasions, in Maryland, Georgia, and Arizona, and this was the first time anyone offered such personalized service. The day the nice young man was supposed to come, Tropical Storm Ida was pouring buckets of rain on us. He called to reschedule, and showed up at the appointed time, here in the middle of no-where, as promised.

The guy told us that it would take a few days to get the enrollment done after he took the paperwork in, but we would hear from them to set up the initial appointment for a physical and lab work.  FabGrandpa has been sick with what he thought was a cold since we got to Alabama on November 1.  Thursday, he got up and told me he felt like he needed to go to a doctor. Since he NEVER says that, I thought it would be prudent to find one. 

We drove up to Tuscaloosa to the VA Medical Center. We walked in and requested that he be seen by a doctor. He was taken right up to the first floor. The nurse on duty up there sent him for lab work and a chest X-ray, and told us to be back as soon as possible. She said they had made him an appointment for 3:45, but if we got back sooner, they might be able to see him sooner than that. 

So, off we went for the lab--it took all of 5 mintues. Then, we went to X-ray, another 5 minutes. Since it was 12:30, we went down to the cafeteria to eat some lunch. We got back up to the first floor at 1:45. As soon as we walked up to the check in desk, the guy told us they were ready to see FabGrandpa! 

Turns out, he has pneumonia and bronchitis. They gave him a prescription for Ciprofloxasin and one for a strong cough medicine. We'll go back in week for them to check him again.  In the meantime, he is a cranky patient. I threatened to get a stick last night if he didn't straighten up, but I filled him up with fried chicken and ice cream. And it wasn't gluten free.

I Got A New Camera!

I have been using my old camera since 2003? I think. I got it when we lived in McAllen, Texas, and we left there in January 2005. It has been a good camera, but it was time for a new one, because it has been acting a little fickle for a year or so. It just turns itself off at will, or doesn't take pictures whenever it doesn't feel like it. And while I haven't missed any truly important shots, I just wasn't happy with it anymore.

When I found out that I was to receive a cash award from my job, I decided to use that money to get a new camera. So, when I saw that the money was in my bank account, we went to Tuscaloosa yesterday to get a new one.

Since I took this picture in a mirror, it is backwards. This is a Nikon Coolpix S630. It is 12 megapixels and 7X zoom.  And when I took this picture:

 

the readout on the LED screen said "Did someone blink?". That cracked us up! Now I still wonder how the camera knew that FabGrandpa blinked. I was soooo excited to find out it has a setting for taking pictures of food. Since you KNOW I love to take pictures of food almost as much as I love to eat:

pancakes

bacon

BBQ salad

It does a pretty good job with landscapes too. This was taken with the "night-time landscape" setting. It was almost dark outside when I took this photo.

 

And it was after dark when I took this one. 

I think I am going to have lots of fun with this new camera. As soon as I figure out how everything works.

Ah, The Joys Of Kidney Stones

The first time I had one, I had no idea what was wrong. I just knew I was in pain, lots of pain.  I was divorced at the time, and my 15 year old daughter was sleeping in my bed with me because she had seen a spider in hers--and we ALL know girls of any age won't sleep where they have seen a spider.  I got up in the night to go to the bathroom and was not able to walk back to the bed, a mere 10 steps or so. I crawled over to the bed and woke Becca up, and said "You are going to have to drive me to the hospital." 

Her eyes got as big as saucers. She was more afraid of driving me to the hospital in the dark than she was of seeing me there writhing in pain on the bedroom floor. She did the next best thing--she called my son, who no longer lived at home, and told him he had to come and take me to the hospital.

When I finally did get to the ER that night, they took me right in, before any of the other people who had probably been waiting all night. They took several X-rays (this was 20 years ago, okay? I also had health insurance back then). When they determined that it was a kidney stone, they hooked me up to an IV for saline solution and a morphine drip. Ahhhhhhhh, Morphine was my friend!!!  They also kept me overnight for observation, then sent me home with a device to strain my urine. You know, so I could catch the sucker and examine it closely so I could get to know the enemy.

That first kidney stone was a big as one of those black watermelon seeds, similarly shaped, except it had jagged teeth along the edges--a real mean S.O.B.   Now girls, I gave birth to my son in an Army hospital in Germany in 1971.  Natural childbirth is what they believed in over there at the time. Seth weighed 10 lbs, 8.5 ounces. And that experience did not hurt as bad as passing that kidney stone. I am just saying, I would rather give birth with no drugs than  have another kidney stone. 

Yesterday started out just like any other day here at the North Rim.  I got myself up and dressed, and drove the 12 miles out to the entrance station, arriving there at a very early hour (can't say what time we open up).  I felt fine, up until about 9 a.m., when I had that old familiar feeling. The one where I usually end up writhing in pain on the floor. I called my boss and asked him to get in touch with FabGrandpa, and have him bring me one of those Lortabs the musculo-skeletal doctor prescribed me back in July.  

The boss called me back in a little bit and told me that he was sending out the medication with my co-worker, and for me to let him know if I needed to come home. So, about 10:30, the co-worker showed up. As soon as he walked in, I said "You have something for me and if you don't give it to me RIGHT NOW, I am going to knock you down!"  I took my pill, and then went out to walk the line because it was a really busy day here yesterday. The trees are turning and all the leaf peepers are coming out. I don't blame them, it IS really beautiful here.

I stayed out there long enough for Richard to have his lunch, then called the boss and told him I was going home. Then I called FabGrandpa and told him to be ready to go to Kanab when I got there in about a half hour. That Lortab doesn't touch a kidney stone pain, I have to tell ya.  I got home before he did and changed my clothes. I put on my pajamas and laid down on the bed. When FabGrandpa came in, he said, "Why are you in your pajamas? I thought you were going to the ER."  So, I got up and changed my pants. 

When we left, I was wearing my pajama shirt and jeans, and a zip front hoodie. I forgot to take my purse, my hairbrush, AND my TEETH.  You know, my lower partial plate, the one that I need for chewing if I happen to eat anything. I just wasn't thinking about anything but my pain, girls. 

It is 85 miles from our home on the plateau to the ER in Kanab. About 15 miles out, I had to stop on the side of the road and throw up. I have had several kidney stones, but have never had to throw up when I had one before. That made me just worry that there was something else wrong. About 50 miles out,  FabGrandpa got pulled over by an Arizona State Patrol for speeding. The officer walked up to the truck on my side. I put the window down and I am sure he could see my distress, as I was writhing in pain there in the seat of the truck. 

He gave FabGrandpa a very stern lecture about how our truck was not an emergency vehicle, and how he could call for an ambulance if I was that sick, but that he was not allowed to speed under any circumstances. I told him that if I waited for an ambulance it would take more time to get to the ER, and FabGrandpa promised to slow down if he would just let us go. He did, and I am thankful for that. bastard.

We finally got to the ER. I walked in and said "I think I have a kidney stone. I have had them before, and you don't forget what they feel like."  So, they took me right in, made me pee in a cup, took my blood pressure and temp, and hooked me up to an IV of saline solution, and gave me a shot of Tordol and another one of Zofran, just in case. They also gave me a barf bag. The RN told me "If you feel like you have to throw up again, PLEASE use this bag."   I understood her plea. I taught all my kids to throw up on the bed, not on the floor. It was easier for Queasy Momma to clean up the sheets. 

It took a little longer for the Tordol to work than morphine would have taken, but it did work. It eased my pain completely, and I think I slept for a couple of hours while the IV dripped out. As soon as the IV was done, I was released and sent home with a prescription for Percocet and a strainer. Yay. I get to wait for the enemy again.  

The three hour stay in the ER:  $1009, after a 10% discount for paying in full.  Dinner for two before heading home (with no teeth, see above): $26. Prescription for percocet: $18.  Having a husband who loves me enough to drive 85 miles to the ER: Priceless!  

 

 Sunset in the desert on the drive home. Crescent moon on the left. Wow!

And The Diagnosis Is:

(Me, not a happy camper at the doc's office today. Fabgrandpa said I looked like a prisoner. I told him I feel like a prisoner of my pain.)

Medial Epicondylitis. Dr. Radloff asked lots of questions, pushed and pulled on my arm, pushed on and felt of the swelled up part of my arm, took x-rays, and generally spent a lot of time with me during my appointment with her.

At one point, she said that to get the best treatment I would have to leave the North Rim, and I was very unhappy about that. But, she explained, that is because there are no medical facilities up here, and I really should do physical therapy.

So, other than physical therapy, she offered me two choices today:

1. Get a shot of cortisone in my elbow

2. Do exercises for "at home physical therapy", use ice for theinflamation and take Naproxen and Lortab for the inflamation and pain, and come back in a month to see if I am improving. If I don't improve, then she will go ahead with the shot of cortisone in my elbow.

I opted for number 2, only because I really don't want that shot in my elbow. I have heard other people talk about how painful that can be. I am already in pain, and have been for quite a while, so I am just going to do the exercised and see what happens. If I played golf, this would make sense to me, but I really can't think of what I am doing that would cause this to happen. Y'all think good thoughts for me, ok?