Thursday, October 15, 2009

MRI Friday

I am having an MRI on Friday to see what is going on with the tumor in the psoas muscle. Specifically, we are going to "rule out spinal cord compression."

I have been in low level pain for a week. At night, I can't lie on my back, on my stomach, or on my left side. Luckily, Advil and Tylenol have taken care of the pain for the most part, although I do wake up around 3:00AM every night in pain because at some point I rolled over into a painful position.

If I stand up straight, my pain level jumps from a dull aching 1 to a serious 4. So if you see me and notice that I am walking sort of slumped over to the left, that is why. Slumpy is comfy! [Oh, that is awful.]

The really great part is that when I am sitting in my ergonomic office chair at work, I am comfortable and nothing hurts. I forget about being sick, and I completely focus on work. As I have said before, sometimes I forget to go home! ;^) Thank God I do not have a job where I have to stand up straight.

Dr Reidel suggested that the pain might be radiation recall, which is when you have radiation followed by chemo -- and during the chemo, the radiation side effects (redness, pain) come back.

Easy Chemo was very easy today. We definitely killed some cancer cells today. I got another Aranesp injection (hemoglobin at 9.4). The best part was when my nurse teased the pregnant nurse who dropped my Neulasta shot, asking if she wanted to give me this shot too. I love the idea that I helped add a story to the Treatment Room folklore.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hang in, Love. I just don't know how you do it - well, maybe I do - babysteps and one thing at a time...this weekend if Jon's pancreatic cancer walk in st louis - he is doing the one mile as that is all he is up to - his sister is also doing it...will send loving vibes your way and hope that the MRI has some easy-fix answers...love and hugs, susan

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, Take care. Thinking of you and sending lots of loving thoughts your way. Carol (Q.)

Anonymous said...

Hey Karen,

Thinking of you today...it is almost November, you know what that means!
Hoping your doc is right.

Kathy
from Kent=)

Unknown said...

We're so glad your hip pain has lessened. Maybe it will be like having a toothache until you see the dentist!

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen,

I got your voice mail last night and will be thinking positive thoughts for you until you get your news on Monday. Love you lots and lots and give Lou a hug for me too. I agree he is a great guy and terrific barbequer too.

Love you, Debbie P. and Jim

Anonymous said...

Hello,
Just a post to cheer you up as you have asked but your stories are so enlightening it cheers up everyone else too...keep up progress...I need that eyelash stuff too but so far I pencil them in--sometimes good, others times not too good...oh well, it's Halloween who will notice. Love ya" Mrs. S. from the hood...

Anonymous said...

oops I thought you said eyebrows...:)