Warrior Mode Activated

  Is it Tuesday yet? I am still shocked at how fast last week went, but then, I was high on pain meds most of the week. This week is simply crawling. Monday was awful due to me forgetting to take my meds on time but I'm beginning to feel a little better each day, and happily no longer taking the strong pain meds but relying on my usual meds plus some Tylenol. I am still quite uncomfortable, mainly with the cast. It is driving me crazy and oh joy, on Tuesday I get another one. I hope to try and convince them to just put me straight into the boot instead. I am so claustrophobic, and I realize it may seem silly to say a cast triggers me, but it does! It's like the panic of having your limb caught in something you cannot escape from. *sigh* I didn't realize it would affect me this way. I've had a cast on both my arm and my leg when I was a teenager and although it was uncomfortable, it didn't make me want to scream and rip it off, LOL! I have had to do some deep breathi...

  Well, here I am after yet another surgery...my fourth in 2 and a half year's time. I am impatiently waiting for the pain to subside enough to be able to concentrate on the healing part. I'm not gonna lie...this really, really hurts.  For those of you who don't know, I had ligament reconstruction in my right ankle. After literally 40 years of spraining my ankle over and over again, crutches, braces, casts, cortisone shots, my ankle was simply done. It got to the point that I was injuring my left "good" ankle trying to make up for the weak right one. So, surgery was my only option.  I arrived at NHRMC at 5:15am to check-in and get ready for the surgery. It took them nearly an hour just to get checked in and in my room. After getting me all ready, the anesthesiologist came in to talk with me. I am apparently labeled as "difficult to intubate" and he looked worried. This did not boost my confidence, to say the least. He went back and forth between, "m...

What is worship to you? I’ve been thinking a lot about that this past week after a worship service that I am quite certain I will not forget.    We have a young man on our worship team now that I have known since he was about 10 years old. He’s a very energetic, charismatic, insanely talented young man who has overcome so many battles, including alcoholism, and is now such an inspiration to us all...more so than I think even he realizes. He is a walking miracle. He was hopeless, helpless, and broken and so many have prayed for him over the years. To be leading in worship now with him on our team is changing us all for the better. You cannot watch him worshiping and not be joyful. His joy practically bursts forth out of him and spreads to those around him.    I feel like a lot of times we worship standing on the other side of a door that we have locked shut. But when this young man worships, he throws the door wide open and stands in the very presence of God, throws h...

 Last night, I graduated from my Cardiac-Oncology Rehab Program (CORE) at NHRMC! I have learned so much from this wonderful program started here in the Cape Fear region by my cardiologist. I really wish it could have continued on for another 6 weeks or so, but I have gotten a lot out of the last 12 weeks. My goal is to continue with what I've learned, create a plan, and keep on keepin' on. I feel better but I am not done by any means. This weekend I intend to sit down and make an intentional plan to continue strengthening my heart through exercise. It is a bit daunting knowing that I now have to take responsibility for that myself. I am not normally very self-motivated, to be honest.  I will be going back to Physical Therapy for my arm beginning next week. Out of one program and right into another. As a reminder, I have lymphedema in my right upper arm and side due to lymph nodes being removed during my double mastectomy in 2018. It is hard to believe that it was over 2 years ...

 I am now halfway through my Cardiac Rehabilitation! Thankfully, the good days have outweighed the bad ones. *Note to self, do not take the blood pressure medicine that lowers your already low blood pressure just before exercise!! I take that med only because my Cardiologist says he NEVER wants my blood pressure to be high. I don't think that is going to be an issue any time soon. I have never had high blood pressure. It is always stupidly low! (Last week 84/60 after taking the medicine just before exercise...oops!). My "normal" is usually around 98/65. Anyway...another lesson learned.  They are ramping things up now and it is definitely getting harder. Last Thursday, I did 25 minutes on the treadmill at 3.3 mph. Thought I was going to fall over and fly off the back of the treadmill, but I survived! After that, we did the weight machines. Wow am I a weakling now, but I enjoyed it. Lastly, we did a bit of relaxing with some Yoga. I nearly fell asleep during this part. I fe...

  Let me start off with a brief update on the Cardiac Rehab thus far. I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago. My heart rate went crazy and it felt a bit like my heart was flopping around in my chest. I have had a few instances of this in the past, but nothing to this magnitude. I was a little worried given that I do have some heart damage from chemo, so I called the nurse who then sent me to the ER just to be safe. After many tests and about 6 hours, I was finally released to go home. My cardiologist believes it was due to my potassium being low. I will see him again on the 23rd of Dec. so that he can "remedy this issue and talk about the implications". As of now, I am feeling much better and all my Cardiac Rehab Sessions have gone very well. The nurses seemed pleased with my progress. Hooray! Now on to the celebrating!! Today I have officially hit the 2 year mark!! On this day two years ago, the last of the cancer was removed from my body! I remember my Oncologist sayi...

 I arrived on time for my 2nd session and was very pleased with myself.  The gym is on the top floor of Cape Fear Heart Associates.  When we first arrive, we go in and retrieve our clipboards and, if there is a yellow mark on our chart, we have to get weighed. I was told this is because we either have or are at risk for heart failure. Any sudden weight gain is troubling as it could mean a worsening of the condition. There on my chart was the dreaded yellow mark. That was a bit of a reality check. I do not have it, but I am at risk due to the damage done to my left ventricle by the chemo.  We then go sit in our assigned chairs (about 8ft apart) situated around the gym and wait for the nurse to come by and take our vitals. I find myself sitting there reminding myself of my weight over and over again because we were asked to remember it and tell it to the nurse when it's our turn. I'm afraid I'm going to forget, so I just keep repeating it to myself in my head, LOL....