Monday, March 31, 2014

On That Morphine Drip...

Today is Monday. I'm in the hospital one week earlier than anticipated. BLEH
So this whole past week I have been pushing it. My body tired? extremely. I just don't want to be sick though. Like this last treatment gave me a whirly. The anxiety really got to me. I'm not good at sitting at home. I'm having low back pain from my muscles becoming so weak.

On Thursday, i got to work out at the Santa Barbara Athletic club

On Friday i went to a dodgers game



Saturday I tried to re-coup.
Sunday i ran out of pain killers and had to go to the doctors to get checked out. Went to Urgent Care at Sansum, then to the ER at Cottage, and then ended up on the 5th Floor where the Oncology department is where I was Admitted. So I'm back in the hospital for a couple days :(

The Mouth Sores just got infected. I thought they were my wisdom teeth being annoying, but that's just the site of infection. So then i just thought hey ER antibiotics and pain pills then send me on my way. Apparently i was Anemic, then neutropenic . Basically my Blood Count just dropped. Around 8pm when i got to the 5th floor then had Blood waiting for me. I got 2 pints of blood for my blood transfusion.  A shot here to increase my WBC count then pills pills pills,  I could barely speak, and I'm a chubby chipmunk. oh I'm also not allowed to eat, but that's fine because i haven't in the past two days anyways. my pain was intolerable when they gave me the highest dose of pain meds, which disappear after 2 hours?? that's it? so i have to be annoying and ask the nurse for a dose every two hours. almost the max. i have a high pain tolerance, but i also have a high pain med tolerance.




Can i go home yet?

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Hey Cancer...

Can you go away now? I mean its been a real experience and all, but i'd really really appreciate my health back.

And cranking up the dose every cycle? come on, now. This cycle i slept for 2 whole days, then was semi-awake for two. Then got sick the morning i'm supposedd to  be discharged. I look like a puffer-fish. I probably have 2 extra liters of fluids just sitting in my body, and when I try to drink more water for my parched lips, I puke. PLUS, my hemoglobin is low. byebye energy.

What is my body doing to me? gahhhh..............

Monday, March 17, 2014

Uno, Dos, Tres, QUATRO!

1, 2, 3, 4!

Already guys Halftime is over!! 3 Cycles of Chemo done; Only 3 more to go!!
Last time I was here at the hospital I couldn't wait to get out so I'm hoping to have a more pleasant time during Cycle 4.

I've been MIA, meaning i've just been too busy to be sick!
It's like "wuhhhh... she has cancer?"
🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾          
        o
OLIVE
The week before last Olive and I went on plenty of adventures. Short trails, Parks, and the Beach! Hendry's Beach is AMAZING! When you access the beach and hook left, theres an Off-Lease area for dogs. Olive and I go and she has playtime with dogs her size. (The bigger ones still scare her.) Little does she know... how big she's gunna be! Boy oh boy is she growing!
Took her to the Vet on Sat and she weighed 22 lbs! Thats over double than when we first got her, at about 10 lbs 6 weeks ago!.She'll be 4 months old tomorrow :)

Anyways, the beach is Awesome! I found myself lost in time; before you know it, we had been there for 3 hours. Life is beautiful and i'm appreciating time and being in the moment a lot more. They say having a child changes you, but well I have Olive, and she's my baby. Watching her play, grow, learn and interact.

 I allow her to address her animal instincts of protection in our family. If someone is at the gate, she alerts. Our home is her territory as well as ours and she is allowed to take care of it. I also train her instinct to hunt food. This I achieve by allowing Olive to be aware of meal time by smelling the bowl and then hiding her food so she can "hunt" for it. I just place it in a different location than usual. ( in the bush, different corner, behind a box or in TJ bag). This is a great mental stimulation for any pooch!!
 

As for dog instincts, i allow for her to express those as well. For Example, She Digs in designated corners of the yard and especially the beach! Lastly,with every dog comes different personality and behavior variables due to their Breed. Olive is an Australian Cattle Dog also known as the Queensland Heeler. She was bred to herd Cows. In santa barbara, there are not many cows to herd... unless you're driving on the 154. So I understand as an Owner of this type of breed, she needs to Chase! She's a working dog and needs work to be stimulated! Tennis Balls are her favorite, we've gone through at least 10 in the last month. I also bought her a soccer ball in which she has complete dominace over. I've named the SoccerBall "COW" and when i say cow, she goes and gets the COW! Given of course, its not puppy nap time.  It's tooo ADORABLE!

She's becoming a beautiful blonde with accents of white in her underlying coat. The cutest spots on her tail and head! Her Submission is respected by the rest of the members in her family; My brother Miguelitoh, my mom Hope, and myself. She is my number one OMEGA. Her listening and response to commands is improving and we've been working on commands daily.

💤💤💤 💤 💤  
Olive Taking a Nap in my Spot on the Couch 

BEST NEWS!
Olive is 4 months now which means she was eligible for all her shots during her last visit to the Vet! Which means, she CAN VISIT ME IN THE HOSPITAL for a couple hours a day! yayyyyyyyyyyy. Gotta get the OK on my health, following a DOC signature and BOOM! Olive heaven for 2-3 hours <3



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IN Other News....
>This last week I have been studying my booty off to take a test to become a certified personal trainer Through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. (NASM)
>This morning, I took that test.
>This morning, I passed that test.
>This morning, I became a Certified Personal Trainer!


Got a lot of work ahead of me to promote myself and build a client base. But im EXCITED!

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Is everyone all caught up?

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Hiking!

 Douglas Family Preserve
 Rocky Nook Park


WATCH CUTE VIDEO OF OLIVE CROSSING MISSION CREEK AT ROCKY NOOK PARK

Sunday, March 2, 2014

So happy to be home!

FINALLY! i'm home!

SIX days later...
Being at the hospital is the worst. It feels like prison. Being stuck in a room. Being able to see the outside and not go out. The Food doesnt sound good.
Chemo is getting WORSE. I thought it would be easier?
Im getting FAT.  I thought i would just lose muscle?
And the affect it has on your mental state. You get so stuck inside your head, watching time go by.
This time in the hospital, I gave myself a mani/pedi, finished a 500 piece puzzle, studied my NASM textbook, finished all of Psych on netflix, so how did this feel WORSE even if i was busier?
The anxiety kind of over takes you, i'm on steroids that don't let you sleep at night and it's tossing and turning, staring into the night. and its LONELY. I'm SOO extremely happy to be home! My mom is within arms reach and i'm NEVER alone. Olive is by my side always and i LOVE her so much.

I'M HALFWAY DONE WITH CHEMO!!

THANK GOD!! I'm so over cancer, guys. Physically feeling like something is sucking the life out of me.