July 25, 2012
And just when you thought I had vanished, or perhaps that I was out and about gallivanting with a wild gang of French pastry chefs, I have returned to bug ya with an update on the latest happenings in the lives of Sarah and Alice Eloise. I hate to disappoint you, but I’m afraid that my story would be far more riveting had I indeed vamoosed with those pastry chefs. Anyway, now that I’ve got you hyped about pastries, here’s the factual report!
There haven’t been any major developments regarding my health status as of late. Of course I have seen my GI specialist and my hematologist/oncologist. Both are wonderful doctors, and I am so thankful to have them on my team. But unfortunately we have still been unable to adequately treat my pain and nausea. While I was in the hospital a couple years back, we made the discovery that IV Benadryl helps my pain, a big “wahoo!” moment. But in general, I respond rather poorly to medications, making treatment very difficult. So basically the typical approach toward me is to avoid rocking the boat, something I can appreciate… However it is exceedingly challenging to tolerate such intense pain!
On a brighter note, I do have a piece of cheery news. My past two Julys were spent in the hospital, and I can fully attest that it is the worst month to be hospitalized. July is when all of the brand new residents begin their first rotations. No offense to residents… Many of them are very kind and genuinely want to help! Last year they very graciously put up with my pleading to get me out of there by the weekend so that I could bring home my new puppy. But residents have a lot of learning to do, and frankly, my medical situation is nowhere near textbook! So suffice it to say, thank heavens I have avoided that situation this year!
Also, I am not-so-patiently awaiting the impending results of my DNA mitochondrial testing. They were sent to my hem/onc doc on Monday, so I expect we will be hearing from them very soon! Obviously DNA is extremely complex, and there are many unknowns within that realm. So it is certainly possible that my testing won’t reveal too much. But there are some known DNA mutations that correspond with certain types of mitochondrial disease. In this case, it would probably be more beneficial if something does show up in my results, because if I do have one of the known mutations, it could help direct my treatment. There is no cure for mito as of yet, but there are some options that have the potential to improve quality of life.
Believe it or not, we are still camping out at Krista and Tim’s house! We are nearing the end of our stay, though, as the renovation at our house is almost complete! I haven’t been home since the whole process began, so I am pretty excited to see how everything has changed! And naturally I am looking forward to cooking in that new kitchen! As much as I have loved this bonding time with Krista, Tim, and Lulu, there really is no place like home! And after all, even the funnest slumber parties must come to an end at some point. Eventually everyone could get sick of each other… But that’s certainly not the case here! (Love you K and T!)
Speaking of, that lovely pair of turtle doves have some exciting news of their own! Just a couple of weeks after I move home, they will be moving into a new house of their own! I am psyched about this arrangement… They will be living only a few minutes away from me! It’s quite clear that, after being in such close proximity with me these past months, they feel that my house, a vast 10.8 miles away, may as well be on the other side of the world. Packing up and moving is the perfect solution! Bravo, you two, a very wise decision indeed!
And that darling little Double Doodle, Alice Eloise, has made substantial progress recently! I’m a bit hesitant to even report this… I know in the past I have mentioned “breakthroughs” regarding her motion sickness and car-related anxiety, only to have her relapse with the next outing. But guys, I think we finally kicked the habit this time. I discovered that she loves a certain type of dental dog chew, so I reserved the special treats exclusively for use in the car. Alice and I began taking Magic School Bus style car trips each day with the dog chews on board. One day we went on safari in the African savanna (with cute boys), the next day it was off to Rockefeller Center to ice skate by the beautiful Christmas tree (also with cute boys). Now don’t tell Alice, but we never really left the driveway. She has a very colorful imagination. But now we have been taking REAL car rides, and have had a few consecutive trips 100% drool free! This has been our most challenging hurdle to clear as a service dog team. I’m so happy, I could write a song!
What else have I been up to these past couple months? Well, I have been feeling particularly sick, so I have been trying to keep things pretty mellow. However, I am a very project-oriented person, and my loony brain never rests! Let’s see, I’ve been keeping busy with puzzles, teaching myself French (Bonjour!), reading books, growing new seedlings, making noodles, etc. When I return home, I intend to unearth my sewing machine. It has been quite neglected since my arm has been injured. But who ever said you can’t sew with one arm? I’d like to prove them wrong.
One of my pet projects right now is garden design. It all began rather innocently. Magnanimously, even. I decided to order a peony plant for my dad for Father’s Day. But what kind of peony plant? An Alexander Fleming? Or a Festiva Maxima, perhaps? Before I knew it, I was consulting with fellow peony-minded cohorts. And then I was struck with the notion that roses would look beautiful alongside those peonies. And what about bulbous plants? It’s a slippery slope into the dominion of landscaping, my friends, and I somersaulted right on down.
Don’t you just despise melodramatics? I know I do!
Well, that’s all, folks! Au revoir!
