Not doing well

So here's the short of it,

I have 3 occlusions in my right arm, and my underarm is so sore, and I have a fever that won't stay down.

And here's the long

I really don't know what I was thinking last night.  Maybe it was just my stubbornness (which my mother says was apparent before I could speak), but I had every plan of waking up this morning and going to work, albeit a little late.  I was scheduled to do two presentations for our new teachers.  About 3:30 this morning I was feeling so awful, my underarm was terribly swollen and hot, and my eyes and urine were burning - so I went to take my temperature.  It was 99.8  - I stayed home, and believe it or not there were folks there who took care of the presentation just fine, thank you very much!  Here's a shout out to my very capable competent co-workers.  I am lucky to work with such a good team.

I called my doc, and stayed in the bed until just before time for my radiation treatment.  Actually I did get up in time for a shower.  I was pretty ripe since I'd spent since Friday night mostly in the bed and (I hate to reallly admit this to a larger group) did not even change pajamas.  I probably would have felt better if I had done at least that much sometime on Sunday.  Anyway about an hour before I went for radiation, the doctor's office called and told me to stop in after my treatment.  Alan was able to take me, I was glad for that.  In radiation I told the techs.  They had the nurses come look.   Every one poked and proded, and they told me that I needed to be sure not to leave without Dr. Schlabach looking at me. They all speculated that my port was infected.   The radiation was a little uncomfortable today.  My right armpit, which has nothing at all to do with the radiated left side is so tender and sore that it hurt to put it up over my head for treatment.  And there's something about the muscles...a workout goddess would probably know this... but raising my arm caused not only the armpit area to hurt but also caused cramping in my mid back.  I'm sure there's some connection - muscle connection that is.

Alan rolled me in a wheelchair up to Dr. Schlabach's office and they saw me right away.  I have never seen the office so full.  Apparently all the doctors were off on Thursday and Friday and they were working to get all the people in who didn't get in early last week.  Anyway, Dr. Schlabach took a look and pretty quickly told us that we needed to know this afternoon what's going on and get some resolution.  He ordered an unltrasound (stat) and they sent me over.

At the vascular untrasound wing, they told me I had just squeaked in under the wire, of having to go over to the emergency room instead of during office hours.  Well first of all the ultrasound tech couldn't understand what she was seeing in my jugular vein.  The port threads through the jugular and down into the chest.  When I had all that coughing back whenever it was, the end of the port jostled out of place and it's snaked back up into the jugular.  She said she had never seen a port like that before.  By the time we were almost at the end of the procedure - she ultrasounded my jugular, my arm from the elbow up  and the armpit - she must have been feeling pretty comfortable with me, and told me that I had several clots beginning under my arm and occluding the veins all the way down to the elbow. That's causing my high fever, the swelling,  the pain, the weakness, the everything.  At least for now I'll blame everything on it!

Back up to Dr. Schlabach's office.  Lori, bless her heart stayed behind.  They told me the news and prescribed a daily injection.  I wrote down the name but can't remember where.  I'll get this every day until my clot is where it needs to be. It's another shot to the belly..

I just took my temperature at 8:30.  I have 101.4  I can't take any more advil, switching over to Tylenol.   Tomorrow my doctors will speak, and right now it sounds as though they will remove my port and I'll get my next 27 Herceptin treatments in my right hand or arm.  I've already called in sick and will stay in bed tomorrow until I get up for my doctors appointments. I should have some symptom relief in 12 to 24 hours if all goes the way it should. So tonight I'll keep the hot pack nearby and just rest as I can. 

 Thank goodness Mom came to the rescue for dinner plans.  She's fed us a lot these weeks and months.   I had been craving some cabbage soup and she had some ready.  We called when we left the hospital and she had it ready by the time we got there.  It really hit the spot! It's one of her just made up on the spot recipes and it's posted over on her blog


I'm awfully tired, awfully sore, and just generally feel awfully awful!  All good wishes, meditations, prayers, and positive thoughts are greatly appreciated.