Pizza, seriously??

So, once again, just to get attention, I decided to become neutropenic again last week and check myself into the hospital. Pastor Hobby asked me why I was in the hospital and I told him that I missed the food. Yea, well here's the story. Two weeks ago was treatment #4. Mom and I went to lunch on Wednesday and by Thursday I was once again on the couch. Dad was scheduled to come up the following Tuesday to take mom home since she had been here since my last hospital visit on the 10th. I got through the week with fatigue and low grade fevers. Monday rolls around and here we go again. The fever went up over 101 so into the doctor I go. They check my blood but not through my port (which is painless). It wasn't in a giving mood, so no blood. In the arm the needle goes. The reason I got the port is so I wouldn't have to be stuck in the arm each time. Anyhow blood looks good, white counts are where they're supposed to be so I'm sent home with antibiotics. Sherry my nurse said if the fever reaches 102.5 to call. Great. Home I go. I woke up on Tuesday with no fever but a pounding heart. By the way, Lori is in Disney at this point having the time of her life. I've told mom if she calls to lie and tell her I'm fine, which she did. Tuesday was spent on the couch monitoring my fever closely. Dad arrives about 2:00 and by the time mom got home at 3:15 from picking up the boys, my fever was back up to 102.5. I called the doctor and they told me to come in immediately. Long story short, blood work comes back and I'm neutropenic again and my blood pressure is up to 183 over 102. My heart rate is up to 123. Yep, back to the white house (which is what the doctor calls the hospital). I get into the room at 5:00 and by 5:30 I'm a little irritated that no one knows I'm here yet. At least no one came to the room to start IVs or anything. So, I buzz the nurse. By now it's 6:00 and mom has gone home to feed dad and the kids. The tech comes in the room and asks very sweetly, "What can I do for you?" Seriously??? I'm sitting here for an hour and no one has come in to start anything on me. Finally, the nurse comes in to draw blood for a culture on my port since it hasn't been giving blood. No go. No blood. They can't start fluids or antibiotics until my port is cultured to make sure there's nothing funky growing. So, I sit for another hour and a half and cute little Dustin comes into the room to take me for a chest xray. Mind you I've been in that room for over 2 1/2 hours and still have no fluid flowing into my sick little feverish veins. Not to mention I'm feeling really really crappy. So, down to xray. I swear it felt like I was being wheeled into the bowels of the hospital. Not to mention I've got to wear a surgical mask to reduce the risk of infection. Dustin parks me in the hallway outside the radiology room and tells me he'll be back to pick me up. Picture a 46 year old bald, feverish, no makeup, puffy faced, masked lump sitting in a wheel chair wrapped up in blankets with a pink Cowboys hat on. Now, if that's not pitiful, nothing is. A puppy stuck in a storm drain with half a tail and one eye wasn't as pitiful as me. So, as I'm sitting there in the hallway breathing 102.5 fevered breath into the Darth Vader mask they've given me to avoid germs, I hear the two radiology techs ordering pizza. For real, I'm in the hallway, and they're ordering pizza. Then, they start to discuss how much each will owe for the pizza. Yes, old baldy with the Vader mask is still in the hallway getting more and more irritated. Finally, one of the techs comes out in the hallway and says, "Mrs. Medlin?" Are you kidding me, who else would be sitting here breathing hot breath in the #$%#$ mask??? So, as politely as I could I said, "Hold on now, make sure you've got your pizza order in, I wouldn't want to get in the way of your dinner!" His reply to me was, "We're just glad we get to eat." Those of you who know me know what I could have said, but luckily for him, I didn't have the strength. After all of this, my IV was finally started at 10:40. So, after 5 hours and 40 minutes I had my first dose of antibiotics. Well, the next morning when Dr. Ayrons came in to see me, I had to tell him of my experience. Within 20 minutes I had the patient rep and the Director of Imaging Services in my room taking my statement. Now, let me explain. I'm a big fan of eating. I have nothing against it, but don't leave me sitting in the hallway breathing hot breath and just wanting to lay down while you get your dinner order straight. What they should have done is come into the hallway, tell me they'd be right with me and go in the closet and finish your dinner order so I don't have to hear it!!! Anyhow, the radiology department brought me a gift for my trouble. I was number one patient until I left on Friday. I guess they didn't want another butt chewing. It's great to have a doctor who will kick some butt for his patient. Thanks Dr. Ayrons!! Love the pictures! But, the most important thing about being sick last week is Dr. Ayrons told me that my last two treatments were cancelled!! My body just can't handle the chemo, so I'm finished!! Yay, no more chemo. I'll still be taking the herceptin until March but that's just a hormone blocker and won't make me sick. So, of course the first thing I did this morning was call my plastic surgeon to schedule my booby surgery!! Man, I'll be sportin' this summer.

So, that's where I've been. Mom was here and was once again a life saver. Those of you who have moms who will do anything for you, don't take that for granted. My mom lives 4 hours away and still drops everything and comes when I need her. What a blessing.

I can't believe school is out next week! What a year it's been. Oh, by the way, if anyone needs a couple of boys this summer, let me know!

Be well, my friends. Say something kind and unexpected to someone. It might just make their day.