[Cursillo] Judy Z update #4

Sat Feb 16 17:48:28 PST 2008

Thank you for passing on the update...Our prayers continue to be with Judy, her doctors and caregivers.? Blessings to all . .

Patty

-----Original Message-----
From: AnneAbdy at aol.com
To: cursillo at oregoncursillo.org; prayer at stjamestigard.org; quilting at cluttergutter.com
Sent: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 5:11 pm
Subject: [Cursillo] Judy Z update #4

This is a little late - but important none-the-less. Anne

?

Dear All,

?

??? I have now? finished my third treatment of Chemotherapy--two days in Redding at Mercy Center Hospital and one shot at Fairchild in Yreka.? The weather was great for driving despite the snow on the ground and the ice threatening on my doorstep.? Since this was my second out-patient treatment, I felt much more in control and things went faster.? The nurses in the unit are wonderful--they rearrange schedules to get me in and out as quickly as possible so I was finished by 3:30pm on Wednesday and by 11:30 am on Thursday.? They know all our names and try to seat us where we prefer.? We also get box lunches for patient and guest so that is simplified.

??? 

??? I am doing well.? The doctor said so on Wednesday when she told me the mass in my abdomen had shrunk from 13 to 9 in diameter--which much reduced the volume and she could not feel it as she had be able to on my first visit.? She now doubts that there was any cancer in my neck; none of the scans showed it.? I no longer have nausea or vomiting and I have learned to take the 5 prednisone tablets each day for 3 days in apple sause--last time they caused me to vomit.?When I am asked about side effects I say no to almost everything and I have learned to cope with the one--diarrhea. ?I still have a bit of hair which a friend tells me is cute.? It stands up in the back and covers my whole head, but scantily.? So, I have several hats for warmth.? I even ordered a wig from the American Cancer Society catalog--but it will be brown with red highlights--they were out of white and I think I was once that color!? I am hoping that my eyebrows and eye lashes will stay as they have so far.
 ? I have never learned to do much with makeup.

???

??? ?One advantage of this process is that I have lost quite a bit of weight--30 to 40 pounds so some of my clothes don't fit very well.? A trip to the Hospice 2nd hand shop with another friend? found for me 4 pairs of pants (including jeans) and three tops for less than $25 in size 18--a size I haven't worn for over twenty years I think.? I guess they also changed sizes during that time.

?

??? I am overwhelmed by the support my family and friends have given me during this time.? My sister Jan has visited me twice from Vancouver, WA.? She took me to my first out-patient treatment and helped me decorate for Christmas.? Getting the lights on the tree had stumped me.? Janis continues to bring me excellent food, clean my house when I go to chemo and recruit her husband Ted to shovel my walks and driveway--all things I put off even when I am healthy.? Jean Krueger continues to be my health advocate and took me to Redding this week.? My sister, Joy, is flying into Medford and renting a 4wheel drive car to take me to my next chemo Feb. 5-7.? We hope to attend the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Ash Wednesday service at All Saints in Redding while we are there.? That time my doctor's appointment is at 8:30 am, a bit early for a start from Yreka, especially if the weather threatens.? Fortunately I have been able to stay at the Mercy Hospitality House on their campus wh
 ich has microwave and refrigerator as well as space for two people at very reasonable cost--less than $20 per night.? The only problem is that they are sometimes full, but I've haven't been left out yet.

?

??? Medi-Cal still hasn't come through, despite being past their 45 day limit, but I have finally figured out why.??The local Human Services office?couldn't understand whether I was eligible to withdraw all of the $12,000 I have in a TIAA-CREF Traditional annuity (I can't), but because they didn't understand it they set it aside and didn't contact me for further information.? I hope with multiple calls to New York, a FAX asking for information directly to Human Services and an appeal that doctors, pharmacists and hospitals are getting impatient, I can finally get an appointment and eventually a card so I can then cope with more paperwork. I need to learn to harass people and not trust human institutions to operate as their paperwork says they will.

?

??? I am also feeling much better than I have for months.? Though I have limited energy, I can walk farther than last month.I usually eat less?than I used to--I hope that continues. ?I do sleep and rest more than I do in my normal schedule but it is a relief to give myself permission not to worry about the things I have been procrastinating about.? I have been listening to the folks who tell me to take care of myself..? One treat I am giving myself is the Epiphany West Conference At Church Divinity School of the Pacific.? I have attended it?almost every year since I graduated from seminary, so the other participants and the seminary community are an important part of my experience of the wider church.? It also falls in the middle of my chemo cycle so I should have enough energy.? However, I realize that I still need a place to take naps or collapse during the day, so I needed housing on campus which was really beyond my budget.? And then an unsolicited check for $500 was give
 n to me by my parish, St. Mark's in Medford.? I made the call that day and got the?last room on campus.? Blessings come in many forms.? Ted and Shirley Ridgeway who have visited me in the hospital, kept in touch by e-mail and offered me housing when I need it will help me break up the trip to Berkeley so I can drive 2 hours to Redding and then three hours on Monday rather than my usual 5 in a rush.??

?

??? I thank you all for your prayers.? I am sure they have helped to make this as calm and relaxed a process as possible.? When I haven't been able to pray in a very disciplined fashion I have counted on all of you.? You have worked miracles.?Please keep it up and help me to learn how to accept all this help without a feeling of guilt.

?

Faithfully,

?

Judy Z.

?

?

Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

_______________________________________________
Cursillo mailing list
Cursillo at oregoncursillo.org
http://ns1.imaginata.com/mailman/listinfo/cursillo

________________________________________________________________________
More new features than ever.  Check out the new AOL Mail ! - http://webmail.aol.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://ns1.imaginata.com/pipermail/cursillo/attachments/20080216/a5590a38/attachment-0001.html