josigirl13
josigirl13's Cancer Blog
November 15, 2007
| Quelle Dommage!! | Views: 2590 |
That is all I have to say about being back in the hospital. On Tuesday evening I was just getting home from a long day of blood transfusions, which usually make me feel like a new woman (perhaps its having someone else’s blood in my veins :)), only to feel fairly lethargic and lay on the couch watching TV for much of the night. I had spiked a low fever during my transfusion, just low enough so as not to have to call the doctor. I took some Tylenol and was done with it. I felt fine, no chills, no sweats, no headache, no problem. Yeah right. At around midnight when I finally hauled my lazy ass off the couch and into the bed I took my temp. Uh-oh. 102.1 Have to call the doc. Whoever is on-call is going to be soundly sleeping and wondering why I hadn’t taken my temperature earlier in the night. WELL, they must have been REALLY sleeping because 30 minutes later still no call-back. Like the diligent lawyer I am (follow up, follow up, follow up) I called again and Brian at the answering service politely put me on hold while he phoned the doc. Meanwhile my temp was up to 103.3. When I finally get the on-call doctor on the phone he asked me for my white blood cell count about 8 times. I couldn’t figure out if this was because it was incredulously low (does not inspire confidence) or if he was still sleeping while on the phone with me (does not inspire confidence). I basically had to tell him to tell me to come to the hospital. I know this is what MY doctor wants to happen, I want to take some tylenol and a sleeping pill and call it a night. So at 1:00 am early wednesday morning I was admitted yet again to the lovely hotel SGH. Or “lockup” as I like to call it.
Confident that I will only be here less than 24 hours, I don’t pack anything, only the essentials: my ipod, a crossword book, my CSC tips book, bottled water. As it turns out you CANNOT avoid lenghty hospital stays by not packing. They did some blood cultures to try to find the infection that is causing my fever, they put me on some IV antibiotics until they figure it out, they did a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia (clear, thank goodness), and said good night. The next day my doctor said I could go home on Thursday (obviously a little joke in his mind) but that is just NOT going to happen. I will be stuck here for at least the weekend and if the fever persists then it will be longer. Quelle dommage! This is a little french saying meaning “what a bummer” which I always thought was a funny phrase to be learning in French class and have always wondered whether the french even use it. probably not. they probably have something involving swear words. i wish i knew THAT phrase. my current English favorite is: FUCK CANCER. Cancer, quelle dommage. There, a combo! :)
Peace, love, and give thanks for your thanksgiving.
Josi
06.22.08 - 
Sara 
Lan 
Kasia 
Thanks for your support -
Ah Josi, that just SUCKS! Really does. I hate hospitals too and am doing all I can to avoid ending up there again. It really is like lockup. Girl, hang in there. You’ve got Thanksgiving and all that food to look forward to. Hugs…Grace
That sucks! Sorry to hear you’re in “lock up” again. Feel better soon!
When are you going to be in Key West? We’re going ot be there for New Years…I seem to remember January, but perhaps later. Let me know if we will cross paths!
Jan 5-12th in Key West. 50 days and counting!
Like your new phrase. As childish as it seems, I can not bring myself to even say, or at times spell the c word. On top of getting the disease, I appear to be mental. That actually may help me.
Regarding your chemo, I had to go 5 days a week 8 hours a day for 3 weeks, then one week off to make a cycle. I see you also are going for about 8 hours a day. If you don’t already, though I’m pretty sure you must, look into a chestport. I had a double placed inside of me. They plug the chemo needles into the receptacles of the port (box) under your skin, where the tubes run to the aorta. Chemo through the veins in the arms burnt our my veins too quickly. Anyway the port, what’s cool about it, is when the nurse leave the room, you can open the drip suckers up high. I was able to, bny opening both of my tubes up, cut off up to 2 hours of my chemo time.
As for the hospital, do whatever you can to stay away from them (within reason of course)/ I mean, living with “it” sucks but the alternative of not living> sucks worse.. ANyway the prob with the hosp is they tell you to rest, but every firckin 45 minutes they are either sticking a needle in my ass, a thermometer in my mouth or a cuff around my arm. Then they ask if I slept well.
I’ll leave you with my pissed off moment My oncologist tells me all of the shitty things you get told with such a disease, less than a coinflip I’ll make it, and I’m in my 30’s,then about ten minutes later tells me I have a bad attitude. Is she fing kidding me.
Anyway, please keep hanging in. I’m told a positive attitude helps, you may want to try that, I seem unable to do so. And no matter what they (the labcoat peep ) tell you, it isn’t Gospel. I was told to make arrangements, ie less then 50/50 chance they said, and i’m here, and I’m a “guy”. We all know (I admit it) females are MUCH MUCH stronger than we are, so you will be fine. I’ll say a prayer for you. For some reason I stopped being able to pray for myself, but still able to do so for others.
Hi Josie, I love reading your blog, we did a toast to you the other day at Jo’s cheese pump party for Alia’s fundraiser. you are an inspiration as are Alia and Jo.
an old friend of mine from High School has a 3 yr. old girl that is under going chemo right now for (ALL-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia… if you get a chance everyone please read it, I nearly had tears in my eyes.I can only imagine how hard it is for a 3 year old to comprehend this illness.
http://www.shmc.org/index.php/articles/1130
They use it dude, at least their were frenchies saying Dommage when I was there circa 1996. I think you could say Cancer, Va-t-en! that would be more street.. I will work on a precise translation for you. Heard you are released.. from a little birdie… YAY YAY YAY
Hi Josi,
I believe the word you are looking for is “Merde”—the naughty little F word. Sorry things are so tough, I hope you’ll be able to head home to MN for the holidays. We will continue to pray for you!
We miss you,
Kim (and Chris)
Hey baby! I missed you yesterday. Meant to call you. Well it doesn’t sound like such a pleasant experience and all, but you’ll make it. You’ve got amazing friends to help you through it. call anytime. Hope you had a FAB thanksgiving. I lurrv you
kisses
doot
p.s. nathan hated the french fry dipping sauce. i think i should dump him….but not really
lady-I totally got my mom’s gravy recipe.. I am researching where to buy turkeys in key west.
This does suck Josiane ! I HATE cancer so much! I am praying for you everyday Josiane. Sue
Hey Josi! Just wanted to drop you a line to say I was thinking about you! :) Happy Holidays!
Hi Josiane. My name is Lauren and I just joined blogforacure. I also have A.L.L. Do you have B-Cell or T-Cell?