We live in a time of quick fixes, fast food, and I want it now!
My procedure went incredibly well and yet I have not climbed Mount Everest, yet.
I had both juggulars balooned and my Azygous vein in my chest (that did smart a little)Ouch! I said under the influence of Valium.
I spoke with the Dr. Siskin. He said "call me Gary." Incredibly nice docs and nurses. I can't say enough about them. Excellent place to go for angioplasty.
Dr. Mandato and a nurse Practitioner (Chris) did the procedure. They were awesome. Today I woke up and did not feel like I had been hit by a truck and that's a good thing. Baby steps. That's what it is all about . And hope.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
I am typing in the dark. This won't go on for long - my eyes are bugging out. Today is Nov 1st - the big day. I'm going to take my camcorder with me to the procedure to see if they'll let me roll it while they fish around my veins. This is what we have come to - this is the new normal in operating theatres; "say can I bring some high tech equipment in with me while you do your work, honestly it's small, it won't get in your way." We are so bold these days, like Americans. And guess who is doing the angioplasty procedure? Big bold Americans, and I couldn't love them more. I am looking forward to meeting Dr. Mandato. We joked about George Clooney playing him in the movie. I think after this whole CCSVI/MS veins versus auto immune madness settles down and doctors begin to publish their work, there must be a movie made. it will be a co-production with the U.S. and Canada of course.
Lon is going to record me walking down the hall today. Maybe I'll try to run, yeah right. You know, I'm feeling fine. I have come to terms with this. But if I can lose the fatigue that would be awesome. Whatever, I'm just going down the road. I stuck my thumb out to the passing cars and one stopped. Thanks for the lift buddy, don't mind if I do. Stay tuned....more to come.
Peace out,
Sher
Lon is going to record me walking down the hall today. Maybe I'll try to run, yeah right. You know, I'm feeling fine. I have come to terms with this. But if I can lose the fatigue that would be awesome. Whatever, I'm just going down the road. I stuck my thumb out to the passing cars and one stopped. Thanks for the lift buddy, don't mind if I do. Stay tuned....more to come.
Peace out,
Sher
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Fundraiser & Brother Mike
It is Thursday Oct 28th. We leave for Albany Sunday (Halloween).
I got a call today from Nancy, a Nurse Practitioner in Albany. She advised me to take the Valium, because "it'll take the edge off." So I think I will. Sister Mary says to do it just for the high. Once she had to take Valium and it stayed with her 'til the next day when she found herself giggling in her aerobics class and feeling no pain.
My Mom held a fundraiser for me by contacting my siblings and gently twisting their arms. This is why it is awesome to come from a big family. Well wishes and inspirational thoughts all round. With a big family you don't have to go far for a fuundraiser. And it will help immensely. Now that takes the edge off.
My brother Mike just called. We have a special connection. He's going on a spiritual retreat on the Magaguadavic river and I get that. He has a camp that he built on that river and for a month he is going there alone to get back in touch with himself and the river. The Magaguadavic is a spirit place. You can feel the purity and peace. I think it changes people. You can be close to God there - if you only listen. Michael is going there to listen.
I got a call today from Nancy, a Nurse Practitioner in Albany. She advised me to take the Valium, because "it'll take the edge off." So I think I will. Sister Mary says to do it just for the high. Once she had to take Valium and it stayed with her 'til the next day when she found herself giggling in her aerobics class and feeling no pain.
My Mom held a fundraiser for me by contacting my siblings and gently twisting their arms. This is why it is awesome to come from a big family. Well wishes and inspirational thoughts all round. With a big family you don't have to go far for a fuundraiser. And it will help immensely. Now that takes the edge off.
My brother Mike just called. We have a special connection. He's going on a spiritual retreat on the Magaguadavic river and I get that. He has a camp that he built on that river and for a month he is going there alone to get back in touch with himself and the river. The Magaguadavic is a spirit place. You can feel the purity and peace. I think it changes people. You can be close to God there - if you only listen. Michael is going there to listen.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Surrender
Surrender. I love that word. I said a prayer to St. Joseph today and that was part of my petition. Can you pray for more than one thing in a sitting? I prayed for peace in my heart and for the ability to surrender to the will of God. And I think it's working. Then I looked at a small prayer sitting on my dresser across the room -it sits like a little book etched in glass. It was from Charlotte. Imagine that. I have carted it with me from house to house and it has survived. It is the Serenity Prayer, you know the one. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." So my day has started off on the right foot. And this all before I have let the dogs out and sang to the the girl.I sing her "Morning has Broken" mostly every day. Today is Tuesday and on Sunday we travel to Albany, New York. On Monday November 1st I will have the angioplasty procedure. Monday is All Saints Day and my friend Father Mark says that's a good thing. He says all the Saints will be praying for me. Cool. Father Mark is one of the good guys. I wish they were all like that.
Peace out,
Sher
Peace out,
Sher
Thursday, October 7, 2010
October 7, 2010 and countdown to Liberation!
I've been working at the College and I have been so god-awful tired. Don't get me wrong, I love the work and I want to continue working there but the fatigue is a tough one. I only teach there two mornings a week but after work on Wednesday I can barely breathe. I drag my body through the campus trying to remember what it was like when I was strong. I try to conjure images of me capable and fearless. Was I ever like that? I thought I was. I have been kicked on my butt by this and still it will not take me. It will not win. Last week I had to pick up a 5 page test for 100 students. Heavy. It was pouring rain and I had a cane. A nice woman, weathered and kind, suggested I hang the blue Georgian bag I was carrying over my head. Is this funny or pathetic? The students don't care, they don't even notice. They are busy huddling under the awning and sucking on their smokes. They don't care. So I head to the car, bag over head, leather purse slung over my shoulder and cane in right hand. The weather is fierce. Wind blowing, rain stinging, god-pushing fierce. I figure this is my Everest, my mountain to climb. Epiphany. See, we all have our challenges, it is relative. I am not an Olympian. But on this day I am a survivor, and I will make it to the safety of my dry car.
I've been working at the College and I have been so god-awful tired. Don't get me wrong, I love the work and I want to continue working there but the fatigue is a tough one. I only teach there two mornings a week but after work on Wednesday I can barely breathe. I drag my body through the campus trying to remember what it was like when I was strong. I try to conjure images of me capable and fearless. Was I ever like that? I thought I was. I have been kicked on my butt by this and still it will not take me. It will not win. Last week I had to pick up a 5 page test for 100 students. Heavy. It was pouring rain and I had a cane. A nice woman, weathered and kind, suggested I hang the blue Georgian bag I was carrying over my head. Is this funny or pathetic? The students don't care, they don't even notice. They are busy huddling under the awning and sucking on their smokes. They don't care. So I head to the car, bag over head, leather purse slung over my shoulder and cane in right hand. The weather is fierce. Wind blowing, rain stinging, god-pushing fierce. I figure this is my Everest, my mountain to climb. Epiphany. See, we all have our challenges, it is relative. I am not an Olympian. But on this day I am a survivor, and I will make it to the safety of my dry car.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Today I am going to make a live appearance on daytime Television - Rogers TV in Barrie. I will be talking about MS, my play, and the AFA website which is Angioplasty For All.
Every day November first is on my mind. This is the day of my angioplasty in New York. Lonnie, Ella Grace and I will travel on Oct 31st (Halloween). I will of course pack lots of loot bags for the Grape (Ella's nick name). I imagine we will be stopping at a McDonald's or two where there will be lots of ghosts and goblins. I think this will be an amazing Halloween for her because we will take her mind off of trick or treating with her pals, and instead lavish her with junk food! Thank goodness she is only 4 and a half. She probably won't make the connection.
Gotta fly to the station. I'll write more soon.
Peace & Love,
Sheri
Every day November first is on my mind. This is the day of my angioplasty in New York. Lonnie, Ella Grace and I will travel on Oct 31st (Halloween). I will of course pack lots of loot bags for the Grape (Ella's nick name). I imagine we will be stopping at a McDonald's or two where there will be lots of ghosts and goblins. I think this will be an amazing Halloween for her because we will take her mind off of trick or treating with her pals, and instead lavish her with junk food! Thank goodness she is only 4 and a half. She probably won't make the connection.
Gotta fly to the station. I'll write more soon.
Peace & Love,
Sheri
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sept 21, 2010
Yesterday at about twenty to eleven I was wrapping up my Personal Selling class at Georgian College and I got the call. THE CALL! Beth was calling from Albany New York informing me that I have my angioplasty appointment for November first. Whew! It's all happening now.
So I have a lot to do - contact my doc for him to send medical history stuff, check. Contact Dr. Sandy McDonald so that he can send my Doppler reports, check. Find a teacher to proctor an exam for me, check. Breathe. Hope. Breathe...check. I cannot wait for the next part of this adventure to begin. I picture myself in the Santa Fe, Lon at the wheel, Elle in the back headphones on and listening to a new DVD. I will buy her lots of new stuff so that she can endure this trip. I'll get a loot bag from party packagers and lots of interesting candy to fascinate her.
Side note. My life is very very good. Make no mistake about that. I don't need an angioplasty to be happy. I have no reason to complain. But if this little procedure can give me back some energy, lift the occasional brain fog and help me walk a little further, that would be a bonus in my life. As the man once said "it's not so bad, it couldn't be worse!"
Onwards and upwards people!
Yesterday at about twenty to eleven I was wrapping up my Personal Selling class at Georgian College and I got the call. THE CALL! Beth was calling from Albany New York informing me that I have my angioplasty appointment for November first. Whew! It's all happening now.
So I have a lot to do - contact my doc for him to send medical history stuff, check. Contact Dr. Sandy McDonald so that he can send my Doppler reports, check. Find a teacher to proctor an exam for me, check. Breathe. Hope. Breathe...check. I cannot wait for the next part of this adventure to begin. I picture myself in the Santa Fe, Lon at the wheel, Elle in the back headphones on and listening to a new DVD. I will buy her lots of new stuff so that she can endure this trip. I'll get a loot bag from party packagers and lots of interesting candy to fascinate her.
Side note. My life is very very good. Make no mistake about that. I don't need an angioplasty to be happy. I have no reason to complain. But if this little procedure can give me back some energy, lift the occasional brain fog and help me walk a little further, that would be a bonus in my life. As the man once said "it's not so bad, it couldn't be worse!"
Onwards and upwards people!
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