Just returned from my usual Friday errands-o-rama and listened to a voicemail from Smooky (I like the "y," dang it). She says when she's feeling perky, the Internet connection gets spotty, so she just phoned it in. Cancer Correspondent is on duty!
Here's the latest:
She received her second infusion of stem cells today, apparently STRAIGHT FROM THE FRIDGE. For some unknown reason, CoH does not have a stem cell warmer. So..imagine getting a grape Slurpee injected into your veins. Brrrr.
Heck, you'd think the Crock Pot people would come out with a model for medical use!
The blankets didn't help much, so during her infusion Susan ended up shivering like the poor little match girl in those Victorian novels. Can one drink a hot toddy during a stem cell infusion? Must Goggle for answers, stat!
Susan got a laugh from this: I read story in People magazine today about a morning show anchor who has breast cancer. She has a good attitude, but sometimes she feels sorry for herself. When this happens, her family calls her Chemo Sobby.
That is all for now.
Keep those comments coming. Smooky would prefer to skip the morphine, but she is ADDICTED to comments.
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17 comments:
That does sound free-eeeezing. Susan, just imagine that you're warm and cozy (even if it feels like snow) and instead of Doc Forman, you're wrapped in fur with Zhivago. That'll heat you up!
I've finally licked my internet connection problem. The well-meaning IT guy brought me a too-long cord that degraded service. Now I'm back to a strained neck but a working internet.
That Doc Zhivago coat would have felt pretty good this morning.
I'm surprised that the floor doesn't at least have a blanket heater. I was doing some research to see what it would cost to donate one and they range anywhere from the el-cheapo-$2,000 one-blanket style to the deluxe $9,000 model that's more like a Sub-Zero.
When I gave platelets at UCLA recently, they gave us warm blankets AND warm little squishy balls to hold. I'm thinking that's sounding a bit pornographic. They were filled with saline, people. Really!
Chemo Sobby.......funny.
Hey Sis, is it time to post the '60s picture of you and Charlene? You know, the one with you in the "flip". It was taken at one of those instant photo booths. Let's see, the routine was usually, jump in, sit down, pull the curtain, put a quarter in the slot, hope you sit back in time for the first pic, look in the mirror, make at least one goofy face, jump out and wait for the pictures to fall out of the gizmo. People that walked by always smiled 'cause there was usually some commotion going on inside, all you could see were feet below the curtain. Laugh, flash, giggle, flash.....normally 2people involved.
Sounds like you're getting along good. Have George bring you a nice warm brick to put in your bed.
Ooh, Margaret! You're getting me all excited!
Looking forward to the Charlene pic., bro.
I decided to walk on the ocean once it was frozen when I lived up north. DUH. Even though many many people were out a much greater distance then I was, I happened to pick a weak spot and......yes, fell through. The salt water just under the frozen ocean top was COLD. Travis grabbed my arm and saved me, so it's all good. (Mom, if you're reading this for the first time, your reaction right now is why I didn't tell you before!) But it sucks when you are plucked out of the freezing water to then have your clothes turn to ice while still attached to you b/c of the temperature.
Why am I writing this? B/c that experience shed NEW LIGHT on the definition of the phrase: bone cold.
At least mine was localized! I can't imagine that all over, head to toe. I feel for you!! Can you snuggle with your honey in the hospital bed? It may not help your blood, but may warm the heart!
love, Tara
I guess they thought that if the garlic stem cells were warmed up someone really might eat them.
Hospitals have electrically adjustable beds, but not electric blankets?
Maybe they heard about those dreams you've been having and decided to make you too cold to sleep? Or maybe they were afraid the dreams would turn really hot (they definitely seemed headed in that direction) and decided to stave that off by lowering your body temp?
I just had to write something more because the crazy "word verification" test which appeared after I posted my last comment was "dlylbux".
Why do they have these tests on some sites? I think I heard somewhere that the tests are meant to weed out computerized responses. But how many computers try to post comments on blogs?
And why do they call the test a "word verification" test anyway? Not one of the letter combinations I've seen so far even remotely qualifies as a word, unless you happen to be speaking with your tongue glued to your palet.
Also, why do they make the letters all tilted and twisted? Can computers read "dlylbux" if it isn't tilted and twisted? I can't read "dlylbux" even if it's written in Times New Roman, straight up. Unless I pretend my tongue is glued to my palate.
The instructions say "Type the characters you see in the picture above". Well, what is it, a word or a picture?
Frankly, it would be more fun if it were a weird, twisted picture. Then you could really have a good time, like a kid looking at clouds in the sky. Maybe you'd see some characters like "dirty old men" or "baby kissing politicians" or "girls running around in fancy dresses with no hose or shoes on". No computer would see things like that.
Do you know what I saw (or imagined) when I read (or tried to read) "dlylbux"? A pickle with antlers. But if I'd written that in the word verification rectangle, I'd be booted off as a computer, trying to sneak onto a blog. How stupid is that?!?
Brrrrrrrrr. You'd think after suffering the indignities of this experience, the hospital would not only provide you a Zhivago-fur for your toes...they'd provide the fine doctor Z to snuggle with you! Just a thought from your dirty minded pal...;)
hi susan liza and i just wanted to wish you well i mailed off the cord to you ans some pixs also best howard
Wishing you all the warmth that hot rocks and strong sunshine can possibly provide. Whoever said hell is hot has never been really cold.
In addition to blanket warmers, you might check into getting them a hot-air-flow blanket. Not sure what these are really called, but one time after I had surgery they gave me this multi-layer blanket plugged into a machine that blows hot air inside it. Sort of like a blanket/blow dryer combo.
Interesting psychedelic dream. Not sure what it means. Do we have a therapist on the blog? Or do dreams under the influence not count as your true subconscious?
I can't believe they stress your body out by making you expend all that energy to warm up ice-cold fluid going into your veins! What, your poor body isn't stressed enough already trying to recuperate from the chemo? And no blanket-warmers at CoH? That's unbelievable. I'd be willing to contribute to the cost of donating one. We might have a SmookieNation miracle on our hands! ;-)
This brings to mind those stories that are done by doctors who become hospital patients and suddenly see all the flaws in the system that they never even imagined from the "other side" of the bed. You could probably write a great one!
Mrs. Duck:
Why do they have these tests on some sites? I think I heard somewhere that the tests are meant to weed out computerized responses. But how many computers try to post comments on blogs?
There are computerized "spam-bots" that go around posting spam comments (such as advertisements) on blogs. If you let them, they'll totally clog up the comments pages.
But apparently the spam-bot technology cannot read "word verification" tests like we see here where the letters are twisted and non-standard, so that at least screens out some of the spam.
Hope you are doing better today, Susan!
Lisa C.
If Burke Williams advised COH, they'd have provided you with pre-warmed, cozy polar fleece blankets and shawls (or that hot air flow blanket, which sounds divine), hot herb tea, and a warm aromatherapy mist (or might that carry germs into the air?). It probably wouldn't cost much, and it would make everyone feel more comfortable and emotionally satisfied. You're going through enough unpleasantness as it is.
Mrs. Duck, I'm with you about those word verifiers. They drive me crazy because half the time I can't make out the letters. Sometimes I have to play verifier roulette until I can recognize all the letters.
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