Wish I Were Here

gardenrooms-4

                                     image via sfgirlbybay

Craving warm weather, a clean uncluttered, remodeled house, fresh highlights, shaved legs, lovely outings with friends, a date with my husband and a personal chef. Can someone get on that, please?

Did I ever tell you my Darling (capital D intended) across the street neighbor had to go through the same mastectomy BS at basically the same time I did? Isn’t that beyond weird? I don’t think I’ve mentioned it. Probably for privacy purposes. But I don’t think she’d mind at this point. We have had each other to compare notes, complain, etc. which has been really comforting. We have the same plastic surgeon too. Anyway, send out some magical booby love to her today. She got her final implants and is free of those horrible expanders. Congrats, B!

Talking about “beyond weird”, it’s also bizarre that my mom got her diagnosis a month after mine but I think there surely had to be a reason. You can’t imagine what this is like until you’ve been through it. I got it first so I could help B and Mom.

Silver lining, people, silver lining.

My next and final surgery is April 14th. That’s when the doc will put the finishing touches on. To avoid creepy perverts, I’ll say “knipples.” (thanks Mrs. R!) They will take skin from my belly to make knipples and attach them. After they heal, the areola will be tattooed on. I’ve seen his work and it looks so good. No sensation anywhere but they’ll look right.

Sigh.

I’m over it.

I’m over everything, actually. I’m dead tired and the activity never stops.

Met with my rheumatologist a few days ago and she was all a twitter over the new drug, Benlysta. I might be able to start it late summer. It is administered through IV (which takes an hour) once a month. Kind of a pain in the ass but if it makes my lupus better? Bring it.  Plus, one less pill! And the news from the trial is VERY good. Minimal side effects and lots of improvement! Everything else checked out fine. I mentioned all of the normal shit I have been experiencing: hair loss, nose sores, blue numb hands, crazy fatigue, brutal hip and knee pain and RLS.

She smiled and said “Yup. That’s lupus.”

“Yup.” I said.

She asked if I wanted something for the RLS (Requip, which lists this as one of the side effects: You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking this medication.)

Unusual urges to gamble? In addition to being super sleepy (which it does). So, I would be a super sleep,y sex craving gambler? I’m laughing just typing this….

“God, no.” I said. “Please no more pills. I’ll deal with it.”

I peed in a cup and they took a bunch of blood per usual and in 3 months I go back to do it all again. All in all, a successful trip to the doc.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you. Slainte! I’m making Bangers and Mash for dinner tonight in honor of my fellow Irishmen.

3 comments:

Sheri Nugent | March 17, 2010 at 9:39 PM

Bangers and mash!! When I lived in England for 9 months, I ate nothing else!

Beth | March 18, 2010 at 7:38 AM

You have been indispensible to me and I know your mom feels the same way. You are amazing and brave and helped me through this in ways you'll never know.

Mel | March 18, 2010 at 8:21 PM

That picture is delish...