Betty’s Week
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By Betty Shearer
For the past two weeks I’ve attempted to write a column, I’ve wound up in the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford. The first week Jimmie was about to bring up the computer for me when I developed a shortness of breath, along with pain in the chest, much like the blood clots in my lungs early in this cancer journey.
Arriving at the emergency room, they immediately ran a battery of test and scans and determined I had fluid, and we assumed in the lungs. This diagnosis got better, as the fluid was around the lungs, not in them. The fluid was drawn off and it was not a painful procedure. Then I was admitted to the hospital for several days stay, where I was given an IV with blood thinner and enough of antibiotics to ward off pneumonia.
The diagnosis followed that the fluid contained cancer cells, which I had hoped the chemo and surgery had gotten rid of. Of course, we immediately thought I had a second cancer with the lung diagnosis, but the diagnosis got better as they determined the cancer was just more of the original ovarian/peritoneal cancer
So now it’s back to more of chemo which I declared I would not take. From smothering to death or being devoured by cancer, you quickly make a more logical decision–more chemo.
The decision was made to put in a permanent drain so the home health nurse or Jimmie can remove the fluid at home. To date that is working well.
That was the first trip, then last Monday I got up intending to write my column and the home health nurse discovered I had an elevated heart rate. Again I was sent to the emergency room for more tests and scans. Got out lighter on this Monday, as they determined that drawing off the fluid was affecting my heart rate.
Jimmie and I made the decision to take another round of chemo and she alerted the doctor to this – he thought he was going to have to persuade me. Had an appointment with him on Tuesday at 2:40 p.m., which was changed to 8 a.m. and the new round of chemo started. This consisted of the original two chemos, along with an additional drug which is designed to chase down the cancer cells and choke off their food supply, thus wiping them out – I hope.
I was so happy to see Sue Hardy’s smiling face as I entered the lab. Her regular volunteer day is Tuesday so she will be with me this round. Counted Tuesday as a new start so Jimmie got to stay with me – had two guardians and they took such good care of me.
This latest round of chemo had some new side effects – a couple of them pretty painful, but I’m sure as the round progresses things will get better.
Now to a farm update. Hay harvest is still in progress when they can dodge the rain and keep the equipment running. Pastures are still green and cows are nice and fat as they graze – don’t need to feed hay yet.
Caroline had missed a couple of weekend visits, as she had birthday parties, soccer and other fun things at home. We missed her and when she is not here we don’t see her cousin, Cade. Did hear one great Cade antic. Seems, Cade decided to trap a raccoon. He missed the coon, but caught a possum – a very mean critter. After catching his critter, he decided he was not going to release it by himself.
So it was to Uncle Bill that he turned. After much persuading, Bill finally agreed to transport the caged critter to the release site. There, he told Cade was on his own to get the animal out of the trap. Cade finally got Bill to let his prey go. Bill says he thought he’d never get the varmint out. Said he shook the trap, turned it up side down and it finally vacated the trap. Uncle Bill then carefully explained to Cade that if he caught another possum, he was on his own for the release. Think Cade has probably given up trapping for a while.
I hope I continue to improve. Thanks for all your cards, letters, calls,and especially your prayers.
