Happy birthday to me...

It was a Keystone Kops kind of day. Woke up at 7:15 and immediately started coughing and wheezing. Realized that going to a garden for the day would be a biiiiig mistake, unless I wanted to cough, blow my nose and hack all day. So, I had breakfast, spent some time with a heating pad on my lower back (which is not getting any better since I can't stop coughing and give it a break), and decided we would rent some vidoes and watch movies all afternoon. Got in the car and headed to the video store, only to find it closed two months ago. I guess it's been a while since we rented a movie! Headed back home, had lunch, opened my cards (thanks everyone!), cried at the one my mom sent, spoke with mom for 45 minutes, then decided it was nap time. Napped for two hours, visited Lydia G. for an hour while Ed picked up dinner, then had an upset stomach and could barely eat. I didn't even have my birthday pound cake! We decided since it turned out to be a not-so-great day, we would make this my birthday week. We're hoping to get at least one really good day out of it. I'm very grateful to have celebrated another birthday, but it could have been a little bit better. We finally had birthday cake yesterday and watched a movie. All in all, not a great weekend, but not too bad.

I started the Lyrica last night, but it's too soon to tell if there will be any benefit. The doctor said it would take a few days, so we'll see what happens. I showed Ed the literature on the neurostimulator and we both agreed that it is not an option that we would like to try. For one, I wouldn't be able to have any MRIs, and there is the possibility of infections, shocks, interference from certain equipment, etc., not to mention the implantation of the device, which is not small, somewhere in my chest. The MRI issue is the most important, as that is how the radiation oncologist tracks my skull and clivus tumors. I'm not giving up that test for The Cough.

Someone on the list I belong to wrote about a doctor out in California that does some very aggressive lung surgery. I may look into that. Supposedly he will review a patient's case without seeing you. If he thinks that surgery is possible, then you make an appointment to see him. That, of course, is still a last resort. I really don't want to give up my right lung, and I have a feeling that would be the only way to remove this tumor in its entirety.

I'm feeling extremely tired the past few days and will be interested to see what my hemoglobin reading is tomorrow. The iron is not helping, so they are going to have to try something else. I'm not scheduled to see anyone tomorrow, but I may have to insist on seeing the nurse. I'm sleeping a lot (see two hour birthday nap above) and that's not a good thing.

Beautiful weather out here, but the tree pollen is at its highest level, with grass and mold not far behind. Ed and I are both suffering from seasonal allergies. I'll be very happy once the bulk of the stuff has bloomed and all the green pollen is gone.

Have a great week!