Cancer lessons

You know, you always hear about people who've had cancer saying that it was actually a "blessing." I don't know if I'd go THAT far, but you do learn a few things, such as:

• Enjoy each new day (and night!) ... Every day truly IS a blessing. And, it's an opportunity to do something you enjoy, and an opportunity to do something nice for someone else.

• I know it's a cliche, but DO NOT sweat the small stuff. Seriously. Unless somebody's bleeding, or crying, or hurting, just let it slide. Plane's late? Listen to your iPod. Sleep. Talk to somebody. Traffic jam? Listen to music. Better still, sing along with it! Loudly! (Please don't sleep.) Have to work late? Be glad you have a job and give it your all!

• Laugh. A. Lot. (Even at work!) Don't see anything funny? Make something funny ...

• Help somebody. Do a chore, or something "not in my job description," or send a card, or say a prayer, or make a donation. Just do it.

• Appreciate people. Tell them you love them, or you love what they did, or what they said. Don't wait. Let them know now.

• Say yes more than no.

• Be open to learning something new. Try to have an open mind about things. See the world with "new eyes."

I'm SO not perfect, and having cancer hasn't made me perfect. I'm still a "work in progress." But, like you, the older I get, the more I experience, the more I learn. Growing old isn't a curse. It's the ultimate blessing!

Until next time ...

P

Portless once again

Wow, "Port-a-Paula" (thanks for that, Kathryn) is, once again, PORTLESS!

My chest is a little sore where the portacath was removed, but, dang!, it feels SO GOOD to be getting back to normal, as in pre-cancer back to normal.

Even though they put me totally under anesthesia to install the port, they kept me awake to take it out. A little unsettling, but I'm sure this is just the way it's done ...

So, yesterday I reported to B-J West at 7 a.m. and got registered and prepped into a lovely hospital gown, and actually walked into the operating room and climbed up onto the table (weird, I'll probably have nightmares about this later), where a doctor and nurse proceeded to clean off the chest area, numb me up with lidocaine-in-a-syringe, then drape the area so I couldn't see what was going on (thank you, God!).

And, after about half an hour of feeling the doctor pushing and pulling and stitching and gluing -- and ongoing conversation about our kids, our jobs, our religions, our trips, the news of the day (um, Tiger Woods!), and how every Friday night is the nurse's "husband-hunting" night, ha! -- it was all over and I was free to go. Yes, free. Of the last cancer paraphernalia. YES!!! (Now, if I can just get rid of the ever-so-slight numbness in my fingers and toes ...)

So, please join me in lifting a glass of your favorite beverage tonight and we'll all toast to my port-less-ness! Cheers!

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Janine (yesterday) and Kathy (today)! Love you both!

Until next time ...

P

The eyes don't have it

Shingles, that is. So, after I was diagnosed with my latest malady, I went online to see if shingles can harm the eyes (since my shingles is in my right eyebrow and darn close to my right eye). And what did I find out? That if the shingles do get in your eyes, you can GO BLIND! Aaaaaaccccckkkkk! (That, according to the Mayo Clinic.)

So, of course, right that very minute my right eye started to sort of hurt and sting, and I was convinced the shingles virus was doing a number on my eyesight, so I called my eye doc and got in, like, two hours later (virtually all of my doctors know what a hypochondriac I am) ...

And I'm happy to report that the eyes do not have it, but was told to toss my current contacts and case anyway, just in case ...

So, whew, dodged yet another bullet ...

And I'm also happy to report that I got a ton of Christmas shopping done this weekend, so no stress there, either!

Until next time ...
P

Illness du jour

So, guess I'll be going into the roofing business, now that I've got a case of SHINGLES ...

Yes, I'm thinking of renaming the blog "Paula's setback after setback after setback," or "Paula's illness du jour," or "What the heck is Paula complaining about now?"

Anyway, yes, I've got the shingles, very mild, just a small patch in my right eyebrow area. Luckily, I already had a doctor's appointment yesterday (my annual skin-cancer check), so he diagnosed the shingles, telling me that there's really not much I can do, basically just let it run its course, some 14 days, and that I won't ever get them again!

So I'm thinking that maybe this is a good thing, a small price to pay for lifetime immunity ...

Until next time,
P