Back to Houston

The days are just flying by... and yet it seems like so much has happened in the last few. Tuesday I saw the surgeon in Dallas and she said that I was "healing nicely". She also mentioned that it is normal following this type of surgery to have "zero stamina"... I told her that I had found that out on my own! Dr. Leverton was an absolute angel... I am so thankful for the care that she provided at just the right time. Her office also responded very quickly to send my records to MD Anderson and as a result, instead of taking another 2 weeks, I got a call from them the same day (last Tuesday) that they wanted to see me on Friday!

My youngest son, David, flew to Dallas Wednesday morning and drove me back to Houston the same day. It was a little hard to leave Dallas - I was having too much fun with Monica, E and Garrett!! But it was good to see my own home again - I hadn't been there since before the hurricane! Vixi (my dog) was super excited! She wasn't sure what was going on!

Yesterday (10/17), I started my journey as an official patient at MD Anderson. My son, Nick, stayed with me the whole day - the kids are really great at tag-teaming me!! MD Anderson is the best - it is also huge and has so many patients that it can be very overwhelming, especially to us "sick people"! My new doctor, Chris Garrett, is excellent - he explained the options and the statistics... I won't bore you with the technical stuff.. but I'll be taking two types of chemo once every two weeks for 6 months. Everyone responds differently to the drugs, so he can't really tell me what to expect. I'll start my first treatments next Friday. So I guess it's one-two-three-go...

After meeting with the doc, he sent me on my way for a day of testing. I was there from 7am until after 5 and it was incredibly tiring. The nurse handed us a print out of my schedule with where we needed to be and what time and what test... I felt a little like it was my first day at college.

Just a funny side note: Nick is still recovering from a broken foot (a souvenir from his brother's bachelor party).. he is just off his crutches and is still walking with a cane - but he went with me to all my appointments . At one point, one of the nurses told me that I'd have to wait outside... she thought HE was the patient!

Nick carried two backpacks and a laptop and was studying and working the whole day, and he still kept me and the hospital staff in line! If it hadn't been for him, I'd probably still be sleeping in one of the waiting areas. There was a problem with the ct scannners.. and they had 3 or 4 waiting rooms full of patients waiting for the tests. Somehow they just forgot me... Nick managed to get the ball rolling, not just for me, but for all the folks waiting with me. He better be careful or they'll end up offering him a job!!

On the way home, we stopped for some Greek food at Nikko's (I LOVE the potatoes).. It was the first food I'd had since the day before so it was fantastic! I had hoped that after my appt. I might get over to Ros and Paul's for a house concert - Jed, Mason & Hugh are some personal favorites of mine.. But by the time I got home from the hospital, it was all I could do to pull myself into bed. As Nick left (to go to work!)... Gordon "tagged into the ring" and stayed with me last night and today before flying off to Brazil for work! Now David is back here with me!

Everyone has been thoughtful and caring - there is no way for me to express how much it has meant to me. I am so blessed. I have so many family members and friends who are offering to help, and I appreciate every one of you more than I can say... Please know that I would love to see each and every one of you, but I am very tired and really do need some quiet time.

Practically speaking, this is not going to be an "easy fix"... unfortunately, it is going to be a real journey. I looked around that hospital yesterday and it just broke my heart to see so many people, most of them a lot worse than me. But at the same time, I saw folks with such courage and determination - people who were willing in the midst of their own personal trials, to offer directions, a word of encouragement, or share their warm sense of humor. I think I will learn a lot at MD Anderson.