A New Day a New Hospital

I had my blood drawn at Mountain Point in Lehi this afternoon. This is my fourth hospital in 4 weeks! We just found out our insurance doesn't work at American Fork Hospital unless it is an emergency. The other three trips to
American Fork were all emergencies!

On the way home Ed bought me some ice cream to help combat my dry mouth! I washed it down with a Milk of Magnesia chaser!

My PICC has been much better today, which was great, but I'm also more tired today and have gotten very little accomplished!

We missed Richard Thomsen, who dropped by with a cute little Christmas tree! Our Ring doorbell takes videos of people who ring the doorbell, and I was conveniently able to talk to him remotely via my cell phone! 

And look at the pretty view from our front porch!

Feeling the Love

The Smiths brought over dinner tonight, which was wonderful, as Ed has been coughing and can't cook for me. I've been tired and in PICC pain most of the day, so hadn't had the energy to fend for myself! The PICC must be rubbing a nerve!

Last night the Cooks in our ward brought by stew! Our ward families in Maryland and Colorado have been fasting and praying for us, while our ward family here has been feeding us physically. The Vallejos brought us a loaf of wheat bread that was a meal in itself! I have been overwhelmed by the love, support and good wishes sent my way! Thank you all!

Barbara, Kent and Abby stopped by to visit. Abby, thought of a really great way of being of service, by cutting and trimming Whistling Prairie Christmas CD inserts!

I also enjoyed my Mom dropping by to visit on her way home from seeing my brother in Salt Lake. She volunteered to move in and take care of me. I think Ed is turning a corner, so that might not be necessary. I woke poor Ed up at midnight last night and made him call the doctor to see what I could take for the pain. He settled me down and I was able to sleep at last!

I wasn't too hungry tonight, but when I opened Darcie's pots and pans, my mouth started to water! Roast beef AND ribs! It was amazing! With soft, sweet cantalope! The hospital fruit cup was nothing to write home about!

I'm going to eat one of the lemon bars, take some pain meds and hope for a good nights rest! In the morning I'll see if I can get them to remove my PICC!

Home Again

Coda was happy to see me come home from the hospital! I wasn't much fun this afternoon, as I took a nap while I was trying to knit. She got all tangled up in the yarn!

Ed was also happy to have me home, but has a cold and a cough and is trying to keep his distance. We're back in business printing CDs to mail out before I go back to the hospital!

Ed bought me a pill sorter from Walmart. I need it! He also had to open each bottle for me, as I couldn't open a single one with my broken left wrist! He doesn't trust me (with good reason) and is going to sort them as soon as he gets better! We think I'll either be back in the hospital by Thursday or have a home treatment plan in place. We'll see.... We're waiting for more pathologists' reports!

Judy Goes Home

Judy Hopps and I are going home from the hospital to await further instructions! I have the PICC line in still (oww!) and will have to eat a low microbial diet and get my blood tested ever couple of days. I know it's just a reprieve, but it still feels nice to get sprung for the weekend!

I've been told to wear a mask if I go out in public! I wish I had one that looked like Zorro or the Lone Ranger! The hospital issue one is somewhat lacking in fashion sense!

False Labor

Dr. Konopa, the team Judy oncologist of the day, just came in to tell me the pathologists are still studying my case and won't know till next week what I have. It is definitely a B-cell leukeumia, but MCL, one of the previous options, also falls under that category.

So, tomorrow I get to go home and wait till they call me back up again! I asked why I had to come up if they didn't know what I had yet. Apparently, they thought I would be much sicker based on my white blood count!  She said I looked fantastic. I said you should have seen me before I had suffered for 24 hours with the painfully placed PICC in my upper arm!

And I was just getting to know more members of Team Judy! The dietitian gave me some good food suggestions.

The occupational therapist started working with my hand.

The Nortons stopped by to see us after a fun day at the Festival of trees!

My sister, Annette and her husband Kent dropped by after the Nortons. It was like a party! I'm feeling the love!

Our neighbors, the Knadlers also dropped by to entertain us. I almost hate to go home tomorrow!

Ed and I even had a productive day, stuffing a few CDs, just in case we can send them out!

I was starting to love my little room now that it is all decked out for Christmas. I'll just box it up and bring it back next week!

Whistling by the Manger

Ed just finished mixing our latest Christmas album. Between my broken wrist and my leukemia, we might not be able to send out CDs this year. If any of you would like to listen and/or download the new tunes, it is available at www.whistlingprairie.com/whistling-by-the-manger/!

We have some great new tunes on it, and we think you'll enjoy it!

Team Judy at LDS Hospital

Today we met some of the new members of Team Judy. Dr. Hoda, the oncologist, spent quite a bit of time explaining what B-cell prolymphocitic leukemia is. He then told us they have to wait for more lab tests to see if I have or do not have the TP53 variant of the disease, which would call for a very different treatment.

So I did not start chemo today. I still feel fine!

My nurse, Megan gave me lots of pills and explained to us the ins and outs of hospital living. She showed us where the secret stash of Lorna Doone cookies is! Yum!

I had an echo cardiogram, an EKG and a chest x-ray. I also had a PICC line put in with three ports in it. The entry point has been hurting all day, and makes me not want to use my right arm or my broken left one! I got a hot blanket an hour ago, and that helped a lot!

There has been a constant stream of people in my room, including a respiratory therapist who taught me how to blow in a tube 10 times every hour!

The nurse practioner, Bret, has been very helpful and spent a lot of time talking with us.

Visitors are welcome, but when I go out for a walk I have to wear a special robe and mask. It is very hot under the mask!

Ed has been my rock all day! He spent several hours in a hard chair filling out forms!

 My first room was on the small side, with only one chair, but when something opened up they gave me s new room.

The new room has a couch, a big chair and a medium sized chair! Lots of room for visitors! And more room for Ed to relax in tomorrow!