Joys and concerns

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

My best friend's sister, Carrie will need a surgical breast biopsy on March 18. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

It is cancerous. Slow growing. They were only able to get to one of the growths in her biopsy. Carrie will see the oncologist today and will have surgery on 4/3.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

Carrie had a lumpectomy yesterday and is home,resting. It is felt that all of the cancer was removed, but she will still have radiation after her incisions heal.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

My Aunt MaryAnn (my dad's sister-in-law) is in Ohio State Hospital. She is having surgery today. One of my dad's sister's called yesterday to tell us that Aunt MaryAnn's bowel tract has become detached from her body and is just floating there. She is weak already so....sorry just trying to deal here.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

I am pleased to report that all went well and that my aunt will be going to rehab, for which she is beyond thrilled,upon her release. My aunt is very social and knows pretty much everyone, so she will do well. She has been to this facility before for other rehab so it is a known quantity.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

My aunt may not be as a good as we thought. Due to massive lack of communication from my family amongst themselves and them to us, it turns out that she now has an infection not only in her incision, but internally as well, which is unusual but not improbable.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

My mom talked to my dad's sister D. yesterday and I talked with P. on Sunday. My aunt Maryann is not awful but she is not good either. They did move her to a nursing home and as of Friday she was back in the hospital due to stool in her stomach. She has been transferred to a different hospital that has a open wound department,as this is what she has. They feel that with time,she can heal, but with nothing to attach to, it is hard to "fix" it. It may be up to 6 months or more before she is healed. She is weak, but aware.

My cousin Brandon, who is I want to say about 19, had a bi-cycle accident and is not well. He is not sure how he ended up in the street. A witness pulled her truck in front of him to force traffic away from him as he was on a very busy street. He was aware enough to give his dad and mom's number and they got there before the rescue squad. He has a concussion, and something is not right with his frontal lobe. He cannot have any kind of stimulation what so ever, not even a book.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

I now have a staph infection. I was diagnosed yesterday with one. I evidently have been battling this for a month or so, not knowing what it was and figuring it to be my dermatitis,thinking it was just traveling. I have two "blisters" the size of butterscotch buttons on my left fore arm, and two spots on the side of my left fore arm, and one spot on my chest, near my heart.

I am fine,and on medication. I am not contagious, but I am not comfortable as I ITCH! but I will be fine.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

As an update on my Staph infection, I will keep it as simple and non gross as possible. My blisters ended up being the size of quarters and as high as stack of 3-4 of them. These were side by side and made moving my arm hard. They let go Thursday evening and I have been keeping a gauze dressing on them since Monday, changed daily, to pad them and keep them clean. I am now in pain, as they are healing and every time I move my arm, it hurts, so typing is fun.

I am right handed and I never realized how much I use my left arm and hand for things until now. I will end my antibiotic on Sunday and have to call for a same-day appointment with my regular doctor on Monday to follow up on this and see if I need to extend my antibiotic.

My life guards are threatening to put me into a bubble.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

It seems that I do not have a staph infection after all, but a topical allergy that a histamine blocker will take care of. I broke out in 3 more itchy spots last night and was able to see the doctor an hour and a half ago. As far as the blisters, I can safely put on neosporin and take regular Claritin as needed. Geez a loo! And I just got my new swimsuit last week and I haven't been able to try i out yet! GRRRRR!

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

I went to a dermatologist at my own expense a week or so ago. He feels that I need a full work up, head to toe. I am going to the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday, 7/15 where I hope to get answers.

[Kim, Wild-eyed Bibliomaniac]

I had biopsies done,have stitches for the first time in my life (not handling that well, as I am squeemy) and will have to wait until next Friday to have them taken out.