I have a flash back to a joke that I once heard about a woman who was going to see her Gyno and was running late and gave herself a wash with her daughter's face washer and ended up with glitter decorating her giny like she'd been bedazzled by fairies...
It's been 7 months since the operation to scrape, burn and cut cancer cells from my cervix. After the surgery the surgeon had a brief chat to me and said that he was happy with the outcome and that he did have to cut a fairly large chunk out of my cervix and performed a dilation and curettage (D&C) while I was on the table.
Three (3) months after the operation in October I had to see Dr N for a check up and for her to give me the results from the operation which indicated that all the cancer cells had been captured, killed, burnt and it was looking positive :) However I did have to heal for six months before I could have another pap smear.
So, fast forward six months to February, I've just been to a formal funeral.. I've been standing in the soaring 36+ degree heat for at least four (4) hours in full dress uniform (including woolen vest). I am sweating like a sinner in line for confession and feeling a little woozy.
Why didn't I bring a bottle of water... In fact, why didn't ANY of my colleagues bring water? There were at least a thousand of us standing in the heat at attention for an extended period of time.. It's a wonder one or more of us didn't drop like a fly!
So, I have to leave Donny's funeral early to get to the hospital to see Dr N. On the way there I have the air conditioning in the car going at full belt so that I am not smelly and sweaty when I get to the hospital.. Wishful thinking? Probably! I had to stop on the way there and buy two bottles of water to rehydrate otherwise she may have me passed out in the stirrups! (don't try and imagine that cause it will just have you in counselling for the next 12 months!).
Fortunately I found parking easily for a change (the gods must have been with me) and I get there just in time. Dr N is prompt as usual and was a little shocked at my appearance and questioned the "pomp and ceremony" in which I was dressed.
Dr N is one of those Doctors who really seem to care. She is very friendly and easy to talk to. I have to admit that I've been very fortunate when it comes to all of my specialists and my GP.
So, Dr N and I have a chat.. We discuss my test results again, she explains the procedure that she is about to perform which involves a scrape of cervical cells, testing them with a few different solutions including vinegar and iodine to see if the cells react. If they react there is still cancer present, if they don't I am essentially cancer free!
So, a test of the cells comes up with no reaction... I hear Dr N give a little giggle (holy crap have I got glitter?) and she tells me there is no reaction! I could just hug her (if I wasn't on the table in a compromising position) Dr N also tells me that my cervix has healed well and looks "beautiful"..
So, Dr N does a pap smear.. Results come back to my GP in a fortnight, however, essentially going by preliminary tests, it's pretty safe to say that I am footloose and cancer free! How chuffed am I!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Bring on the swiss cheese!
To be honest, I was really apprehensive about my latest visit to Dr H. Frankly I was expecting doom and gloom and took the whole week off work so I could wallow in self pity.
Dad, Aaron and I wonder on down to the Hospital. This is Dad's first experience with any of my medical appointments. Mum wasn't able to attend due to a Dr appointment of her own, so she sent Dad instead. It is also a good opportunity for a Daddy Daughter visit to Bunnings :). I am only allowed to go to Bunnings with adult supervision otherwise it could get expensive.
Anyway.....
So, we wonder in.. Wait for about half an hour and I help a lady with her bracelet that she can't put on (god alone knows why she thought the doctors waiting area was a good idea to put in on, but, anyway...).
Dr H calls my entourage and I in, introductions are made.. He remembers Aaron and seemed interested in meeting Dad, asked where Mum was and then it was down to business.......
So, I have one additional lesion in a frontal lobe.. However, after my 90 minutes in the tunnel of doom and a syringe of contrast, what lesions I have in my brain are NOT active. Effectively making my MS stable! No, but wait, it gets even better! As a bonus, I do not have any lesions in my spinal cord! Yay!
The lesions that I have have remained stable, they have not expanded nor have they shrunk. Apparently lesions could disappear all together.
Technically because I am stable, Dr H sees no point in putting me on Meds because I have not had any other obvious "episodes", which could include numbness down one side of my body, weakness in a limb or another situation as before when I have Optic Neuritis (swelling of the optic nerve resulting in loss of vision)... BONUS! He however wants to see me if I have another episode and would like to monitor my progress on a six monthly basis. We had a discussion regarding diet and vitamins.. Which resulted in me giving him a run down of what vitamin suppliments I am on, including 2000 international units (IU) of Vitamin D which most MS patients seem to be lacking. However, he has insisted on a blood test to check my vitamin levels.
For those interested in what a lesion looks like, I have included some pictures of my brain and circled the obvious lesions in red.
Dad, Aaron and I wonder on down to the Hospital. This is Dad's first experience with any of my medical appointments. Mum wasn't able to attend due to a Dr appointment of her own, so she sent Dad instead. It is also a good opportunity for a Daddy Daughter visit to Bunnings :). I am only allowed to go to Bunnings with adult supervision otherwise it could get expensive.
Anyway.....
So, we wonder in.. Wait for about half an hour and I help a lady with her bracelet that she can't put on (god alone knows why she thought the doctors waiting area was a good idea to put in on, but, anyway...).
Dr H calls my entourage and I in, introductions are made.. He remembers Aaron and seemed interested in meeting Dad, asked where Mum was and then it was down to business.......
So, I have one additional lesion in a frontal lobe.. However, after my 90 minutes in the tunnel of doom and a syringe of contrast, what lesions I have in my brain are NOT active. Effectively making my MS stable! No, but wait, it gets even better! As a bonus, I do not have any lesions in my spinal cord! Yay!
The lesions that I have have remained stable, they have not expanded nor have they shrunk. Apparently lesions could disappear all together.
Technically because I am stable, Dr H sees no point in putting me on Meds because I have not had any other obvious "episodes", which could include numbness down one side of my body, weakness in a limb or another situation as before when I have Optic Neuritis (swelling of the optic nerve resulting in loss of vision)... BONUS! He however wants to see me if I have another episode and would like to monitor my progress on a six monthly basis. We had a discussion regarding diet and vitamins.. Which resulted in me giving him a run down of what vitamin suppliments I am on, including 2000 international units (IU) of Vitamin D which most MS patients seem to be lacking. However, he has insisted on a blood test to check my vitamin levels.
For those interested in what a lesion looks like, I have included some pictures of my brain and circled the obvious lesions in red.
Question:
What would happen if a moth fell in love with a butterfly (or vice versa)?
The moth sleeps all day... The butterfly sleeps all night...
The moth sleeps all day... The butterfly sleeps all night...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Vale Donny Deppeler 31/01/2011
What a funny ol' fella was Donny!
You were an institution mate! You will be sadly missed.. I will miss your big hugs and kisses and the cheeky voice on the other end of the phone. I will miss your requests for a date and marriage even if you were old enough to be my father..
I am glad you died doing something that you loved. I guess it would have been the way you wanted to exit this world, behind the wheel of your favorite vehicle wearing your uniform proudly.
RIP Donny x
You were an institution mate! You will be sadly missed.. I will miss your big hugs and kisses and the cheeky voice on the other end of the phone. I will miss your requests for a date and marriage even if you were old enough to be my father..
I am glad you died doing something that you loved. I guess it would have been the way you wanted to exit this world, behind the wheel of your favorite vehicle wearing your uniform proudly.
RIP Donny x
Wanted for questioning
Tuesday I get a phone call from the Police...
They have Jason's phone records and they are investigating his death. They note that I am one of the last people he called before he passed away.
I get asked a series of questions and informed that I may have to come in for further questions.
Now I am thinking that there may be foul play involved with the death of Jason. Not only that, is has dredged up feelings and emotions that I was starting to get over since his death.
I am once again at a bit of a loss. Perhaps it's time I visited him.
They have Jason's phone records and they are investigating his death. They note that I am one of the last people he called before he passed away.
I get asked a series of questions and informed that I may have to come in for further questions.
Now I am thinking that there may be foul play involved with the death of Jason. Not only that, is has dredged up feelings and emotions that I was starting to get over since his death.
I am once again at a bit of a loss. Perhaps it's time I visited him.
Random act of kindness
On my way home tonight I figured it had cooled down enough to get a tank of fuel, plus I was down to possibly only 50kms of fuel left which inspired me to pull into Caltex to fill up..
This particular Caltex is very popular and has approximately 5 rows of bowsers.. This means there is about four (4) bowsers per row.. Of those 20 bowsers there is only one (1) diesel bowser. I drive a diesel.
As I am pulling in, some dipshit of a woman is driving a little white Mitsubshi Mirage in front of me with her left hand indicator on, but she is veering to the right. She is confusing not only me, but another guy in a ute in front of me. She clearly has no clue where she is going, she is obviously looking for the right place to get her fuel.
Where does she end up? At the one and only diesel bowser! Seriously, she has numberous others to choose from, yes she goes directly there! Meanwhile, ol'mate in the next row has a flat battery on his Toyota Hiace. Blokeybloke the Plumber tries to give him a hand, but the jumper leads won't reach.. So, I wind my window down and offer my car... Plumber fills his car and decamps
Now, my car (Dorry) is only 2 years old and I don't even know where the bloody battery is! So, I position Dorry close to Ol'mate's van and pop the bonnet and we proceed to look for the battery. This is when I realise that Ol'mate is not only partically blind, but deaf too!
So, I have my head under my bonnet, yelling at Ol'mate over the diesel engine looking like a fool because I don't have a clue where the battery is.. I locate what I THINK is the battery and just to be sure check the user manual which isn't all that "chick friendly" however it did have pictures which didn't really mean much.
Enter random blokey stranger who informs Ol'mate that we shouldn't be doing this with my car because it will fry my computer (no shit Sherlock!) but I do recall my mate Jen telling me that either the negative or the positive has to go on first, but I cannot remember which one.
So, Ol'mate thanks me very much for my time and I get back into the car to fuel up and my place in line has been taken by a monstrosity of an Audi (Mosman Tractor)... It's owner has finished fueling and is walking back with mobile in hand, he appears to be texting.... So I wait.. He is still texting while standing at his car door.. Texting... Texting... I'm thinking "get in your fucking tractor and drive off moron so other's can fuel up".. Texting.. More texting, this goes on for what seems like 5 minutes.. Finally he gets in the car, and stuffs around with the seat belt.. I am thinking "any moment now...", so after he fixes his make up and adjusts the mirror he is off and I realise that the price of diesel has gone up since I first got there.
DOH!
This particular Caltex is very popular and has approximately 5 rows of bowsers.. This means there is about four (4) bowsers per row.. Of those 20 bowsers there is only one (1) diesel bowser. I drive a diesel.
As I am pulling in, some dipshit of a woman is driving a little white Mitsubshi Mirage in front of me with her left hand indicator on, but she is veering to the right. She is confusing not only me, but another guy in a ute in front of me. She clearly has no clue where she is going, she is obviously looking for the right place to get her fuel.
Where does she end up? At the one and only diesel bowser! Seriously, she has numberous others to choose from, yes she goes directly there! Meanwhile, ol'mate in the next row has a flat battery on his Toyota Hiace. Blokeybloke the Plumber tries to give him a hand, but the jumper leads won't reach.. So, I wind my window down and offer my car... Plumber fills his car and decamps
Now, my car (Dorry) is only 2 years old and I don't even know where the bloody battery is! So, I position Dorry close to Ol'mate's van and pop the bonnet and we proceed to look for the battery. This is when I realise that Ol'mate is not only partically blind, but deaf too!
So, I have my head under my bonnet, yelling at Ol'mate over the diesel engine looking like a fool because I don't have a clue where the battery is.. I locate what I THINK is the battery and just to be sure check the user manual which isn't all that "chick friendly" however it did have pictures which didn't really mean much.
Enter random blokey stranger who informs Ol'mate that we shouldn't be doing this with my car because it will fry my computer (no shit Sherlock!) but I do recall my mate Jen telling me that either the negative or the positive has to go on first, but I cannot remember which one.
So, Ol'mate thanks me very much for my time and I get back into the car to fuel up and my place in line has been taken by a monstrosity of an Audi (Mosman Tractor)... It's owner has finished fueling and is walking back with mobile in hand, he appears to be texting.... So I wait.. He is still texting while standing at his car door.. Texting... Texting... I'm thinking "get in your fucking tractor and drive off moron so other's can fuel up".. Texting.. More texting, this goes on for what seems like 5 minutes.. Finally he gets in the car, and stuffs around with the seat belt.. I am thinking "any moment now...", so after he fixes his make up and adjusts the mirror he is off and I realise that the price of diesel has gone up since I first got there.
DOH!
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