Betty’s Week

Betty’s Week
By Betty Shearer

It’s been a while since I’ve written a column – in the last one I was talking about the groundhog seeing his shadow and me taking a fall coming out of the church, which was February 6.
Since then I’ve had several traumatic experiences. First I got some very sore places, mainly bruised ribs on both sides – very painful. All the scans and x-rays show no broken bones, but I was told that ribs, no matter how there are damaged, take a long time to heal and they are painful.
I spent 10 days in the house completely snowed in. As most of you know, I’m a people person and with this personality not seeing a face for 10 days was horrible. Phone did work and I was so grateful for it. Friends and family called on a regular basis, asking how I was. Didn’t dare tell them how much I was hurting because I knew they’d try to get me off the hill and to a doctor – did not want to endanger a life on the those treacherous roads.
I had plenty of food and my appetite was not really hampered – just pain caused me not to want to eat much. Snow was beautiful, but it soon became something I did not want to see again for a long time—maybe never. I had no sleet or ice – just the powder ski type snow. However, with my driveway so shaded it took a long time to clear.
Finally, last Monday morning Bill and Jimmie got up the hill and took me to visit Cinnamon. She immediately saw a problem and got an appointment for a scan in Oxford. The fluid build up was tremendous and very painful. I was immediately sent to the diagnostic center for a CAT scan and then an appointment was made for Tuesday to remove the fluid.
This caused apprehension, as I didn’t know what it entailed and neither did Jimmie, who was in the emergency room with me. All I’d been told was that they’d insert a needle in my abdomen, and I could just imagine the worst. While waiting blood was again drawn, an IV entrance made, and an X-ray and another scan was done.
I’m happy to report that everyone I dealt with was super nice and very efficient. When the procedure time finally arrived Jimmie had to stay behind in our room. I was all alone in uncharted waters.
I’m so happy to report that if you’re ever faced with fluid being drained, it’s not bad. The doctor finds the proper position for the needle, then deadens the spot. The only thing I felt was a pin prick that stung a little. The needle was inserted and all you feel with this is a little pressure. The bottle is hooked up and the fluid is siphoned off – took only a few minutes. Then a band aid was placed over the puncture wound of the needle hole and I was taken back to the room. You are observed for a couple hours to make sure there are no complications – that’s it.
We arrived at the emergency room about one p.m. and was released about 7. Jimmie and I had eaten a sausage and biscuit for breakfast, and for some reason skipped lunch, so we were starving. Our driver, Bill, picked us up at the entrance and asked. “What now?”
The answer from both of us was, “find food.” We did at the new McAlister’s Deli and it was excellent. This day was not bad at all, however the outcome of the test was not as great.
In the fluid cancer cells were found. More blood work was done and this indicated cancer somewhere, probably ovarian. Yesterday, Monday, I had an appointment with the cancer center in Baptist East to discuss my options.
The doctor says, “I don’t sugar coat anything.” I’m sure you have ovarian cancer. The good news is that it’s not showing up on any of the scans, so it’s probably in the early stages. He said I have two options – chemo first and then surgery or surgery first and then chemo. He suggested chemo first.
Again, he said I have another option with chemo, take three massive doses or nine lesser doses. First option was once every three weeks and second was once a week for nine weeks. He stated that as healthy as I am, I’d probably tolerate the massive dose and I would have one down week and two weeks together to get back to par. I selected the three doses. Then in early May I’d have the surgery.
Again came his, “I don’t sugar coat.” He says chemo is not fun. You have to sit in a recliner for five hours, bring a good book or some sort of entertainment. You will lose your hair, lose your appetite (but you must eat), and feel lousy for several days each treatment. The plus side is that you will not have to shave your legs or go to the beauty shop. Visiting with him was a wonderful experience and I feel very confident in his care. He set up an appointment with an oncologist in Oxford, so we do not have to travel to Memphis for chemo. Will see him Friday and go from there.
Thank all of you for your concern and prayers – just keep praying.It’s been a while since I’ve written a column – in the last one I was talking about the groundhog seeing his shadow and me taking a fall coming out of the church, which was February 6.
Since then I’ve had several traumatic experiences. First I got some very sore places, mainly bruised ribs on both sides – very painful. All the scans and x-rays show no broken bones, but I was told that ribs, no matter how there are damaged, take a long time to heal and they are painful.
I spent 10 days in the house completely snowed in. As most of you know, I’m a people person and with this personality not seeing a face for 10 days was horrible. Phone did work and I was so grateful for it. Friends and family called on a regular basis, asking how I was. Didn’t dare tell them how much I was hurting because I knew they’d try to get me off the hill and to a doctor – did not want to endanger a life on the those treacherous roads.
I had plenty of food and my appetite was not really hampered – just pain caused me not to want to eat much. Snow was beautiful, but it soon became something I did not want to see again for a long time—maybe never. I had no sleet or ice – just the powder ski type snow. However, with my driveway so shaded it took a long time to clear.
Finally, last Monday morning Bill and Jimmie got up the hill and took me to visit Cinnamon. She immediately saw a problem and got an appointment for a scan in Oxford. The fluid build up was tremendous and very painful. I was immediately sent to the diagnostic center for a CAT scan and then an appointment was made for Tuesday to remove the fluid.
This caused apprehension, as I didn’t know what it entailed and neither did Jimmie, who was in the emergency room with me. All I’d been told was that they’d insert a needle in my abdomen, and I could just imagine the worst. While waiting blood was again drawn, an IV entrance made, and an X-ray and another scan was done.
I’m happy to report that everyone I dealt with was super nice and very efficient. When the procedure time finally arrived Jimmie had to stay behind in our room. I was all alone in uncharted waters.
I’m so happy to report that if you’re ever faced with fluid being drained, it’s not bad. The doctor finds the proper position for the needle, then deadens the spot. The only thing I felt was a pin prick that stung a little. The needle was inserted and all you feel with this is a little pressure. The bottle is hooked up and the fluid is siphoned off – took only a few minutes. Then a band aid was placed over the puncture wound of the needle hole and I was taken back to the room. You are observed for a couple hours to make sure there are no complications – that’s it.
We arrived at the emergency room about one p.m. and was released about 7. Jimmie and I had eaten a sausage and biscuit for breakfast, and for some reason skipped lunch, so we were starving. Our driver, Bill, picked us up at the entrance and asked. “What now?”
The answer from both of us was, “find food.” We did at the new McAlister’s Deli and it was excellent. This day was not bad at all, however the outcome of the test was not as great.
In the fluid cancer cells were found. More blood work was done and this indicated cancer somewhere, probably ovarian. Yesterday, Monday, I had an appointment with the cancer center in Baptist East to discuss my options.
The doctor says, “I don’t sugar coat anything.” I’m sure you have ovarian cancer. The good news is that it’s not showing up on any of the scans, so it’s probably in the early stages. He said I have two options – chemo first and then surgery or surgery first and then chemo. He suggested chemo first.
Again, he said I have another option with chemo, take three massive doses or nine lesser doses. First option was once every three weeks and second was once a week for nine weeks. He stated that as healthy as I am, I’d probably tolerate the massive dose and I would have one down week and two weeks together to get back to par. I selected the three doses. Then in early May I’d have the surgery.
Again came his, “I don’t sugar coat.” He says chemo is not fun. You have to sit in a recliner for five hours, bring a good book or some sort of entertainment. You will lose your hair, lose your appetite (but you must eat), and feel lousy for several days each treatment. The plus side is that you will not have to shave your legs or go to the beauty shop. Visiting with him was a wonderful experience and I feel very confident in his care. He set up an appointment with an oncologist in Oxford, so we do not have to travel to Memphis for chemo. Will see him Friday and go from there.
Thank all of you for your concern and prayers – just keep praying.