When Sorrows Come ...

"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions." - Shakespeare

I actually feel bad about posting the latest news, after everything went so well following my surgery three weeks ago.

I am experiencing another setback.

On Monday, we traveled to Nashville for my followup appointment with Dr. H. It went extremely well. My staples were removed, I asked a few questions, and we set up a followup appointment in three months. Dr. H encouraged me to make progress on the NIL, adding some weight on a regular basis until I reach full weight-bearing on it.

We were almost home when the pain hit, a terrible, piercing pain over my right shoulder blade. It was excruciating, worse with every breath. I tried everything from placing my arm over my shoulder to ibuprofen and a pain pill to ice packs and a heat pad. I was so desperate that I even called the home health agency's night nurse to ask for advice. She said that I sounded "anxious" and to alternate ice and heat while trying to relax.

I finally fell asleep. By Tuesday morning, the pain came and went with each breath -- especially a deep one. My regular hh nurse called, and I explained the situation to her. She called Dr. D, who suspected a pulmonary embolism and sent me to the hospital for a battery of tests.

I spent all of Tuesday and Wednesday (got home at 10 p.m.) in the hospital for tests: x-rays, CT scan, EKG, PE study, etc. Thankfully, there is no blood clot and no signs of a heart attack. Unfortunately, they did find the probable cause of my pain. There are two lung tumors that have grown substantially; one is pressing on my heart and the other is blocking the main pulmonary artery in my right lung.

I won't bore you with the details right now, but I will begin radiation treatments on those two tumors on Monday, May 14th. The treatment will be risky, due to their location. Accidental radiation to my already-damaged spinal cord could cause permanent paralysis, and there could be damage to the blood vessels in the area or to my esophagus (which would probably rectify itself after the treatments are completed.)

I will have 10 - 15 treatments over the next several weeks.

As if all of this is not enough, I am a little concerned about my healing leg. I can feel a movement in the lower part of the femur (where the prosthesis meets the bone), as if it is shifting up and down as I walk. I called the surgeon's office, and I was told that as long as there is no pain, everything should be okay, and to call back if it starts hurting or my leg falls off. (Okay, okay, but you get the picture!) I'm still very nervous about that leg.

I'd like to "sign off" with a catchy, happy, upbeat comment, but I just can't think of one right now. It seems like the crises are piling on top of each other quickly, with little time to recover from one before the next one hits. I'm tired, overwhelmed, and scared.

Please pray for me as I face this latest battle.

Thanks for caring!