First, the good news: Chuck is doing very well with his liver transplant. April 29 will mark the one year anniversary of his transplant at the Mayo Clinic. He's showing no signs of rejection, is off 80% of his medications, and his follow up tests and visits show him to be a super star. He's back to photographing birds every morning with my son, even in minus 5 degree weather, so that pretty much says it all. My avatar pics are of his birds.
Now for the bad news: I've mentioned before having a surface melanoma on my arm removed in October of 2021. An "in situ" mole of no consequence where all the melanoma 'was removed successfully'. This was a result of having a dozen beauty marks on both arms blow up like balloons after the 2nd Covid shot, grow scabs on them, and when the scab fell off, the beauty mark disappeared entirely. Except for the one. And all of it was not successfully removed after all, as a few cells must've escaped into my body and caused metastatic stage 4 cancer in my lymph nodes, liver, and bones. I went to the ER 3 weeks ago for excruciating pain in my left side where a CT scan with contrast was ordered. The cancer was discovered at that time, and I've spent the last 2 weeks in testing. The cancer is not in my brain, thank God.
The Oncologist told me there is immunotherapy available now for malignant melanoma. 2 types at once, administered via IV (no port) every 3 weeks x4. That's the goal. To turn on my immune system to kill off this cancer. 50% of immunotherapy patients are alive 2 years later. Idk what the percentage is at the 5 year mark. I've avoided doing research bc I'm overwhelmed enough already.
I'm having tremendous pain in my spine, ribs and liver, where the cancer is the worst. The Oncologist gave me some heavy duty pain meds and told me to wait it out until the IV starts kicking in to relieve my pain. He said I would live less than 2 months without treatment so my first treatment is tomorrow morning. The side effects can be gnarly and these infusions WILL kick my butt, he said. I'm ready, I think. Ain't no beauty mark gonna take ME down at 65! 😑
I'm useless at home, so Chuck is doing everything. Laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, driving to appointments. I have a housekeeper coming in to do the heavy cleaning and my stepson and his wife are cooking 7 dinners for us and bringing them by on Saturday. I have to make sure HE'S not overworked during this treatment process to where he gets sick. He's already overcome with worry and shock over all this as it is. I'll ask my stepson to repeat that meal making plan, too...they want to help & we need help.
We've had a lot to deal with the past year, and now my issues, which were there all along, just not apparent until recently. We wouldn't have been able to handle TWO of us sick at once anyway, so this is how it had to play out, I suppose.
The one bright spot I hold onto here is the dime I found on the floor of the ER room I'd been in ALL DAY where there was no dime on the floor. And when the gal was wheeling me back into the room from the CT scan, there it was. I kicked it across the floor to Chuck and he said, "what's that?" I said, "it's a dime from dad, telling me everything will be alright." He was speechless. Dad used to send me dimes all the time after he died in 2015, but stopped the past few years. I have a whole piggy bank full of them.
We can use all the prayers we can get right now, friends. I believe in prayers, in miracles and in signs from our deceased loved ones that they are with us in tough times. If you do too, please send up some prayers for Chuck and I right now.
Many thanks.
Lea, wishing you all better days ahead. Sending lots of love and prayers ~
But in the meantime, please take good care of yourself and know that there are many of us who continue to lift you up daily in prayer.
We are all trusting that this too shall pass, and that you'll be feeling more like yourself very soon. Hang in there.
Thanks for asking about me, ladies. I'm trying to hang in there.
My Uncle Ronnie:same!
My Aunt: terlet, for sure! 🚽
LL,
Thank God for the mercy of a bit of improvement of the dizziness and headache!
Also, is there an Italian-American who doesn’t have an “Uncle Joey”? He lied about his age in order to enlist in the Navy right after Pearl Harbor. Managed to live into his 90s despite a lifetime of smoking. He was a tough old bird. We called him the O.G. (original gangsta).
So glad that you’re feeling a little bit of relief.
Hugs, prayers and love sent your way!
Love you Lea. ((((Hugs))))).
RD, I hate it when you go to an estate sale with your eye on something just to find it was JUST sold a minute earlier. Ugh. At least you picked up a few shells and did some other shopping.
Geaton, my uncle Joey still says toidy toid street.....lol.
Penny4, thank you for the prayers. GG, thanks for keeping up with the thread, it's a lot I know.
To everyone else, I appreciate the uplifting words.
Geaton, Whenever I need a laugh, I get out my My Cousin Vinny DVD. I’ve seen it countless times and it still makes me laugh. As a Bronx Italian I can relate big time.
You are treasured here on this site!
So afterwards we went to Athleta,J Crew and DSW for some back to school shopping. I truly look forward to the time you are better and able to get out but it can be frustrating. There was alot more in this house but none of it appealing. Some high end jewelry. A Miriam Haskell necklace for $100.00 but it wasn't that interesting. I didn't get anything for myself but we had a nice excursion of sorts.
Just wanted to say hello, thinking of you and of course, sending prayers for your awful dizziness to ease up.
Actually, to hell with easing up, you have done your tour of disturbing dizziness. I would like to see your dizziness completely disappear!
Although, I know that you would be grateful for any amount of relief. It’s been so long that you have been dealing with this crap.
I'm laughing over here and totally understand 🤣
And, as always, for the dizzies to just calm down!
Glad your iron levels are okay. Tapering off is a slow process and is the only way to achieve this goal.
I wish that you could speed up this process and feel better. I will be so happy when you begin to feel like yourself again.
As always, I send my love, prayers and hugs your way.