Xarelto legal case

I always get freaked out when "legal" commercials are on tv about medication that causes this and causes that, danger, making people ill or dead. Thankfully none of my meds have ever been shown. Until today. Wow. Many months ago I was put on Xarelto (clots developed within days so they took me off the Xarelto)....10 minutes ago there was an ad on tv about the medication causing strokes etc. "I" was put on Xarelto and within days I developed blood clots in my lungs...I was recently in hospital for a week regarding the clots but thank god I was taken off the Xarelto I had developed deep vein thrombosis and and pulmonary embolism...my clots ended up going away pretty quick ,Still have to be on my blood thinner injections for the rest of my life but thank goodness my doc knew to take me off the drug. It's been confirmed that was the culprit.Thank god doc got me off the drug quickly Still shocked about the ad on tv. 

Xarelto Legal Case

GOING HOME!!!!

One whole week in the hospital and I am finally going HOME!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait....waiting for Peter getting off work at 4pm....hopefully home when Young and the Restless starts at 4:30 and I think I will celebrate by ordering something for dinner.

Doctor needs to call in my fragmin, to Shopper's Drug Mart new amount and I will start those today. I heard news today that I didn't know. I had a VKU scan and it showed I have NO BLOOD CLOTS !!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!! I am thrilled, it's been so scary knowing they were there but they are gone!!!!! What a relief...

Blood clots....

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So my new task is walking A LOT!! I have to walk everyday. I will walk my building in the winter, up and down the stairs very carefully, up and down the halls...then when the weather gets better I will walk outside, slowly but surely....

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Visits

From Nikki

Saw Dr Bigshot today, things are going well....then my normal oncologist  Dr. Tomiak  came to visit SO good to see her!!!

I had a friend AnneMarie Fernie I've known since elementary school and high school, living on the base. 

I got a nice letter from my friend Venessa Arthur via email...

Flowers from my friend Nikki Roe, beautiful purple roses, lavender baby's breath and purple statice

My best friend ever Denise I've known for 40 years...

Went down to visit my old friend Tammy who works at the hospital

Ran into an old daycare dad Kevin and got a hug

I got a phone call from Lorraine Byron a lifelong Stanley friend

My nurses and medical team  are amazing...nurse Delainey, PCA Cathy and Shannon and student nurse Jessica

My dear friend Sharen came to visit as well

Met some one named Christa whose boyfriend knew Tammy's husband and met Tammy...what a small world and is now a facebook friend

I get to visit a lot of student doctors, what incredible staff....

I HOPE I mentioned all the people I know who have taken part in my life...of course so many people on facebook are so special to me...

                                    Beautiful flowers from my family Gerbera daisies and baby's breath

*************WARNING************* Very detailed, naked photos

So I will begin with the large infected tummy area. I may have posted already about this but it's worth repeating  again. About a month or so awhile ago, I had to go to ER to deal with a red hot, burning, raised area on the right side of my hip. The blood had accumulated and it had to be removed with 5 large needles and given meds to clear it up. Seems to have just taken a few days and all was better.

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I then had an issue on the left hip and found an area that was hard and doc said that eventually in a short period of time, being black and purple it would likely reabsorb and quickly clear up, which it did.

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On Friday January the 16th I had a regular appointment with Dr Lollar to see how things were going. Seems most was okay, but there was a large hardened area of blood and I had to keep an eye on it. She told me to watch it and hope it would shrink. If it went softer within 24-48 hrs nothing needed to be done....Turns out it did not soften and the blood began to harden so we had to go to ER. It appears that blood is spreading all over my left hip, my back and a bit down my leg.

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We are trying to figure out why the blood amount is going down. So far I have had 6 blood transfusions. Blood should be around 120 mine was 80 something which is okay but now dropping to anywhere from 50-60. Each time it drops I have to take 2 fusions, it raises but then drops again. This is why I am still here. Not happy but have to stay.

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So I will now show you the photos that my friend Samantha took for me. They are naked. The nurses drew with a red marker around the blood filled area. The blood will begin to clear a bit and the skin will begin  to turn more normal creamy white, that is a good thing. Hopefully this will clear over time. If you look closely the clearing parts no matter how small, it's a good thing but it's slow. That's really all that can be done in addition to the blood being added. Slow, slow, slow. Where you see the red marker and the white/cream portions showing, that is VERY goof, we hope it continues to clear

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Sorry for the detail but I have always said I would post  any photos or make comments that are completely honest................Thank you so much for your love, support, prayers and caring regarding my cancer, it means everything to me,

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~~Velda~~
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Appointments

8 Medical appts coming up....3 to Ottawa and 5 in Kingston over the next 3 months I'm sure more will be thrown in..Love and appreciate Dr Malone, Dr Tomiak, Dr Lollar, Charity my incredible nurse and all my plebotimists who love to stab me and the girls at MRI in Ottawa.....Thank goodness Peterbought me a gorgeous calender to help me keep track...I use highlighters to keep specific things together, makes it easier..... And thanks to Peter for taking me to Ottawa and BIG KGH appts and the volunteer drivers for taking me to my monthly and smaller appts at KGH

KGH  Cancer Clinic

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Ottawa General Hospital Cancer Clinic

 

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MRI -Ottawa

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X-ray KGH

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NOT my pamidronate, but this is the same one I get every month, takes 2 1/2 hours to drain into my chest then the nurse Michelle comes to my house to remove it.

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Voted one of 12 best 2014 lung cancer blogs

My friend Laura Moreland just told me my blog was voted one of 12 best lung cancer blogs of 2014. I had no idea. The description they put on the link below regarding my blog is so wonderful, I am proud. Thank you Laura!! http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/best-lung-cancer-blogs#8


"

The Climb Sometimes the Fall

Velda is a mother of four children. She also has non-small cell lung cancer with metastases in her brain and bones. Her blog, The Climb Sometimes the Fall, conveys those very aspects of her journey with a writer’s eye for detail and emotional honesty.

Velda lets us in on her excitement about a family trip from Canada to Disney World, as well as the fear and sadness that gripped her when a trip to the emergency room threatens to derail those plans. She writes with toughness about her own treatment, and with tenderness when describing her fellow hospital patients and the nurses who care for her."

Yuck!

Unfortunately with the Dexamethosone I am on and the 2 blood thinner needles I have to take each day, I bruise VERY easily. Most of the bruises don't hurt. I have been to ER twice over time when my belly swelled really bad. I had a blood accumulation once so bad it was hot red, swollen and had to have the blood released by needle suckers  to get rid of the pressure. Wasn't fun. The second time at  ER doc said I had to just let it settle down on t's own and did nothing, it wasn't red and hot tho, just dark and huge.

Right now I have a horribly painful left side. it's hard as a rock and the bruising keeps spreading. I've been taking extra strength tylenol and some morphine. I also put a wet facecloth in a sandwich bag, freeze it and put it on the bruise. It is SO HUGE!! Hurts so bad.

Taking it easy today hopefully the hard blood accumulation in my tummy will start to soften, absorb into my tummy and go away soon.

2014-2015

I guess it's time to come to the end of 2014 updates and continue into 2015.

So Peter and I went to see STYX at the Casinorama on November 21st. We were able to visit my friend Jan and Rick in Barrie and Gina in Scarborough. It's usually only once a year so it was lovely.

Then December came. It began on Thursday Dec 4th going to Ottawa General Hospital at 4:30 pm (dislike late appts there) for an MRI, things went well. The following day Friday Dec 5th, attended KGH for an IVR new port insertion. I was glad to finally have that surgery done. It feels really good this time :)

2 FULL weeks next with NO doctor or hospital appointments. Zachary's birthday was on Dec 18th and he turned 15.

The following week I had a pammi appt on Christmas Eve and it went in really well. Then I bumped into a small problem. Apparently my blood was a little low so I had to go on an IV to have some Magnesium put into my blood. Oh well. The only thing I missed was having my wonderful nurse Michelle missing me at home to remove my pammi needle. But she showed up not knowing and I had a little card and gift for her that Zoe gave  her. I get to see her again mid January.

 My next visit was Dr T on Dec 31st, I guess I missed an earlier appt, oops, only ever missed 2 appts in 5 years. The appt was full of lots of questions and an examination and once again Dr T is amazed at hme well I am doing. She is an incredible doctor!!

Peter and I and Zoe had a wonderful dinner. We had lobster, prime rib, mashed potatoes and various veggies. It was sooooooooooooo good!!!

So I have to share a short story that came to me this morning, Jan 6th. I had decided to sell 3/4 of my wigs to make a little money. An amazing girl approached me and over about a half hour we were involved in a conversation. She offered me a payment to instead of selling them, donate them, I agreed. I am still stunned and overwhelmed. I was in tears. It is incredible how she reacted, but discovering cancer was involved in her family. Turns out This woman and people in her life are in my life. I won;t share any more details than that. I will be donating them all the cancer clinic Jan 14th and taking a photo to share. It overwhelms me what just occurred. Thank you, you know who you are!

So this month we have had rain, snow, fog, cool, freezing and ice. It's been crazy. We took a couple days doing errand and lots of grocery shopping etc.We are trying to plan our meals each wek. I am not a fan of cooking but things seem to make meals easier.

So first 2 weeks no medical appts. On Tuesday  Jan 13th we are headed to see Dr Melone  my doc. Again the appt is later in the day 3:40pm. We will take Zoe with us. Hopefully any news he needs to give me will be good news. He;s a great doctor. 

Wednesday back to KGH for an x-ray. Takes awhile, appt at 1pm but I have to drink 1 1/2 hr of medicine so it takes awhile. Hopefully I will get home in time for Zoe from school, but she knows the rules :)

The last appt planned for Jan so far is my monthly pammi appt and it;s at KGH early then home. It goes into me for about 2 1/2 hrs and then I get to see my wonderful nurse at home to remove it. Can't wait to see her.

Well life has been crazy days and quiet days. Hopefully everyone has a wonderful 2015!! Again always thank you all for your love and support. 

******* Figures, excited no appts this week, Ottawa just called and wants me tomorrow instead of next week as planned. Hopefully everything is okay. . *sigh* Good thing I like my doc*********