Joys and concerns

[Kim, Cookie Master]

Please keep my best friend "Katrina" in your prayers. Her ex husband is causing grief and problems. I don't want to go into too much detail, but he is double digit arrears on child support, and it has been years since he has truly spent time with the kids 14 and 12.


He is a horse's patoot and is in need of a sound,well you fill in the blank.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

On a lighter note, CONGRATS to my "niece" Leigh who graduates high school today! She will be going to college in the fall and wants to be an art and music therapist. I am so proud of her, I could burst!

[Kim, Cookie Master]

BRAGGING "AUNT" TIME!

As mentioned my "niece" Leigh graduated on Tuesday. What I did not know,is that my niece graduated 7th in her class of a 100+ (it's a HUGE Catholic High School), wore 5 honor cords, 2 tassels (one honors the other her school), was awarded 2 Presidential letters for Excellence, was one of 5 students inducted into the Academic Hall of Fame, and was the only student awarded the Medal of Educational Excellence by the Sister of Notre Dame.

If I wore buttons, they would be bursting!

[Kim, Cookie Master]

My grandma was admitted into the hospital yesterday. Since Monday she has had shortness of breath and swollen legs (she refused to give up playing cards Monday and Tuesday so she told my mom "let's wait and see). Mom took her to Urgent Care and they in turn called her cardiologist after running and EKG. He had her admitted. They feel it is heart failure of some type. As far as I know, as of last night, she will be fine and should be able to come home today or tomorrow. The added stress right now is that the particular hospital in question does not have a good family history as grandma lost 2 siblings there and this is also where my dad died.

The nursing home/assisted living/home health care aid discussion is up and running.

I am shell shocked, scared and barely holding it together.

[Lucy]

Kim wrote: "My grandma was admitted into the hospital yesterday. Since Monday she has had shortness of breath and swollen legs (she refused to give up playing cards Monday and Tuesday so she told my mom "let's..."

Will keep you and your grandma in thoughts and prayers!

[Narzain]

It goes without saying, but I am here for you. Anytime, anyplace.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

Thank you both.

Update: I talked to her cardiologist yesterday. A combination of things are going on. Age is a factor to ALL of this. She has internal bleeding, which we know, but they don't know where. To do the exploratory surgery may cause more harm, and it also nay not be fixable. She has a clogged minor artery (again, we knew this) and now has A-Fib. and related heart failure. The treatment of blood thinners will exacerbate the bleeding, and the milder ones will not prevent stroke. She should be released in a few days and should be able to go to physical rehab before coming home, but for how long she will be home, I don't know.

I fear that I will not have her much longer and I am not ready for this, not yet, not now.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

She is going in a rehab facility today, the same one she was in last time. She said that she doesn't want to be alone anymore, so assisted living or a home aide will be the end result here. It's still very scary and nerve racking.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

Rehab transfer was delayed until today. Yesterday we were told that grandma has a bad heart valve. This morning she was transferred to I.C.U. She is full of water. They said she is comfortable.

I can't stop crying.

At least the last thing I said to her was "I love you."

[Kim, Cookie Master]

We are in a holding pattern now. Yesterday, I went out to see her in the afternoon and said my good-byes and let her go. By the time we left,her blood pressure was back up, she had eaten most of her dinner and was watching television. She has been designated as comfort care (which is a fancy name for hospice style) as she has a DNR. The facility that was supposed to handle her rehab said that since we are in the system already, that they can place her in their comfort care location should she need to be moved.

I told her I loved her before I left and she said, " I love you too."

Now I'm numb and crying.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

This will be one of my last updates for a while. As of yesterday, grandma was sitting in a chair eating breakfast when mom arrived. She will be moved today to the same facility she was originally supposed to go to on Tuesday. How long she will remain there I don't know. They may move her to another place as needed. She is officially in hospice care now.

On Tuesday, she told the nurse, " I want to die. Let me die. Unplug me." She is and was not on anything except oxygen. She said "Let me die." again while I was there, and yesterday she told her cardiologist that she was "ready to meet her maker."

I know she's tired and she has earned this, but I am hoping that she can make it to 96 next month and then slip away quietly.

Selfish I know, but still it would be nice.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

I got a job. I will start on Tuesday, and will work 2 days per week (Tues. and Thurs.). I will have 3 children 2 girls and 1 boy (in that order) 6,3,8 months. It is still sinking in.

[Narzain]

Woo to the hoo!

[Kim, Cookie Master]

The job feel through, so I didn't get started. Yay. On top of that,I've gained 5 pounds and a med student made me cry yesterday.


I cant' wait to get into the pool!

[Narzain]

Play in the pool, play in the pool!

[Kim, Cookie Master]

I'm a day early, but I would like to ask for happy thoughts tomorrow as my grandma turns 96.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

O.K. gang, this is hard, so please bear with me. I have been sitting on this for a week now because I didn't want to say anything until I saw the doctor yesterday.

I have to make the appointment today, but I have to go in for a mammogram and ultra sound because I found a lump in my right breast.

Last Monday, I was supposed to be getting dressed and as is typical, I started to entertain myself by playing with my boobs. Yes,guys,we women to in fact play with them. I was playing "droopy boobs" where I lift them up to where they are supposed to be and let them drop down. I felt something. This lead to my performing my monthly exam which I was going to do later in the week anyway. Since I was at Narzain's I had him see if he felt it too. He did.

I was able to find it every day in the same spot, so I told the doctor yesterday. He felt it too. He said that I am fibrous in this area and he is not panicked, but feels that we should have a picture of it.

So there we go.

I will keep you all posted as soon as I know what is what.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

I go in today at 2:00 p.m. Fingers crossed.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

I want to thank all of you who prayed and sent energies.

I am happy to report that I am 100% fine.

*whew!*

[Narzain]

Seldom has happier news been heard!

[Kim, Cookie Master]

Please keep Carrie, my best friend's sister in your thoughts and prayers. She will be undergoing a surgical biopsy on March 18 based on the results of her recent mammogram.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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, Cookie Master]

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.

[Paul, Ace cake baker]

Oh ugh. /comfort dearheart.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

Thanks. It is NOT fun!:(

[Kim, Cookie Master]

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.

[Paul, Ace cake baker]

Thoughts and energies still with you dear

[Kim, Cookie Master]

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!

[Paul, Ace cake baker]

Sorry about the delay with the new suit, but YA-HOO! MUCH better than a staph infection :)

[Kim, Cookie Master]

True, too true.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

I am going to the Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday, 7/15 for a full work up. A dermatologist I saw out of pocket suggested strongly that I do this as my hives triggered a skin condition of unknown origins. Yay.

[Kim, Cookie Master]

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.

[Paul, Ace cake baker]

Sending ENORMOUS huggies!