Home for Christmas

Those words never sounded better than this year.  I was afraid that I might be at Huntsville Hospital for Christmas, and as nice as those people are, they don't compare to my children and grandchildren.

I had a little detour this week.  Since Saturday, I have been having severe abdominal cramping.  On Tuesday, I stayed in bed but  forced myself up to go to my 3:00 radiation treatment.  I made the treatment but fainted twice in the bathroom immediately after.  Fortunately, I had motioned for Gary to come with me because the pain was increasing.  He saved me from hitting the tile floor, but it did nothing for his nerves. We had called the medical oncologist's office on the drive over requesting (actually demanding) treatment.  So when Gary got me out to the waiting room (still in my gowns), two nurses were waiting to help.  After fainting again from pain and my vitals bottoming, the Dr. decided to send me to the ER.

That was my first trip in an ambulance (and it must have been the driver's also)!  It took forever to get from CCI to HH.  After only an hour, I got a big shot of narcotics in my port and I was happy.  We stayed in ER until midnight and then moved to 4East.  I had a CT scan yesterday (yes, I drank the "stuff") and everything was ok.  Of course, as my mother used to say as she aged, "ok" isn't what it used to be.

I love my port.  Thank you Dr. H.  I did not get a single needle puncture in the hospital!  A Miracle!

Gary, Dana, Scott, Kathryn were wonderful to care for me.  Thanks, Nick, for caring for the kids and allowing Dana to help me.  The staff at the hospital was wonderful.  Thank you again for all your prayers; it means so much to me to know my name is being lifted to the Lord.

Angel-nurse JoAnn H.