Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Sorry for Being Gone For So Long!!!!

Strip District In Pittsburgh

Famous Prumanti Bros. Sandwich Restaurant

You're in Steeler Country


Steeler Country



Great Seats - 5 rows up from the field




The Ketshup Bottles Open and Pour Out when the Steetlers Score


The fans go all out for their Steelers


T
The Steeler Hall of Fame Wall


Erin's Baby Shower 10-23-11
It's all about PINK!!!!


Baby Cash and Auntie Mary



Hailey's First Toto


Erin and Tory

Thank you so much Tory for the beautiful baby shower



My Pride and Joy

Little Markie



It's November 1st and I can't believe its been 5 months since my last post. So much to say and so much to show.


Well all the good news first! I am going to be a grandma again. A beautiful grand daughter, named Hailey Lee Douglas is expected into the world sometime between December 5th and December 15th. Everyone knows how much this means to me. To be a grandma again is the best moment of my life. Little Markie is now 19 months and is such a joy. I watch him every Monday and the moments I spend with him are so precious. I can only imagine how it will be with two. I dream about her almost every night. I hope she looks like Erin, although in my dreams she does. Erin's girl friends gave her a baby shower and I got to go out shopping for the first time for girl clothes. Yes I went crazy. I told Erin when she brings Hailey over to stay at Nana's house be sure to bring at least 5 changes of clothes so I can play dress up. Little Markie is now saying words like "please" "baby" "bubbles" and many more. I think he says "Nana" but it comes out kind of funny. I know he loves me by the way he looks at me. His little eyes stare at me and when he sees me he runs to me and gives me hugs and kisses. I'm the happiest Nana on this earth!!!!



I haven't done much traveling since the big motorhome trip. Just short trips to the lake and in October Mark and I went to Pittsburgh to see the Steelers and Penguins play. I had sooooo much fun! The people are sooooo nice. Mark was so excited to show me all the places he visited in his last trips. It was just what we needed. I hope to go every year!



I'm excited the fall and winter months are coming because this is my favorite time of the year to be at the lake. There is no one there and I can walk all around with my puppy. I drop Mark off at his favorite place ie: casino and I have the day to myself. It works for both of us. I spend my time watching Burlesque, Under the Tuscan Sun, Sex in the City and more for at least the 20th time. I swear I see different parts each time I see them over. I read my "food network" magazines, which I really enjoy. I have even been doing so many different recipes. Max and Mark are really loving it. I made a Cocoa Pork on Sunday with Cole slaw and BBQ sauce. Mark loved it. It gives me peace to cook for my family. I enjoy it so much!



As for my health. I'm stable at this point. I was really having a hard time with my lambha light chain number. It was going up (172) and Dr. Schrier was getting concerned. He decided I would have to go on chemo every week, take the steroid every week and have it injected into my stomach called sub-que instead of infusion into my arm. He said they were having much success with sub-que. So two months ago I started the new treatment plan. My numbers have dropped from 172 to 128. I have had some side effects that are good like my numbness isn't as bad and the nausea isn't as bad too. I still have the side effects at the end of the week like I have the flu but by Saturday its all gone.


I had my 3 year annual heart biopsy in September. I had a NER (no evidence of rejection) and no amyloid in my new shared heart. They also check my arties for any blockage and there was none. So my biopsy was very positive except I ended up in the ICU for three days. The doctor had a problem during the biopsy where the sack around my heart was punctured and I started bleeding inside. They rushed me to ICU and thank god they knew what to do it didn't cause any damage to my new shared heart. I have had terrible pain since then on my left side near my heart. They have done CT scans, Echo Scans and blood tests. All have come back negative and the heart is functioning great. The pain they think is from the doctor inserting the cath for the drainage of blood after the biopsy. Maybe he did something to a muscle but I can tell you this that at the beginning of the week on Tuesday the pain was gone and by Thursday it was back. The pain was so bad I couldn't breathe and was so worry about the heart. We discovered that when I went on Dexadron that the steroid helped with inflammation and by the time Thursday came the drug was gone and the pain was back. So now I'm on 40 mg of Dexadron on Tuesday and starting Thursday on 30 mg of Predisone with taper. The pain is gone but for how long I don't know. I was so depressed after the biopsy because I was feeling great a month ago. I have to be strong and continue with my treatments. I am having surgery next Thursday on my finger which I have a piece of glass in it, what fun! I have been seeing annual doctors for exams like eyes, skin and on November 15th I will have a bone density test. I keep falling and they want to be sure my bones are not weakening. Every waking moment is devoted to taking care of this body. My sweetheart husband has been such a positive force in my life. All he asks is "are you happy". He goes out of his way to do little things to be sure I'm happy. It's working!!!!



This month is my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. We will share Thanksgiving with the family at brother and sister, Joey and Rachel's house. It is so much fun and this year we have new additions to the family. Joey's daughter, Shannon gave birth in April to Cashious (Cash). He is so cute and is just now sitting up and cooing at us. Little Markie will be into everything (food I mean) and just 8 months to go for Anthony and Laura's wedding. I'm so blessed to have such a loving and caring family. I'm going to enjoy every moment.



Please enjoy the pictures and I can't promise to update more cause I'm out there "ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT!!!


Love,


Debbie

1 comment:

Judy Lessard said...

Debbie, I am so happy to see your post. I was SOOO worried when I did not see a post, nor you answer my phone calls back. Glad you are still "enjoying very momment". Take care girlfriend, and I just updated my caringbridge site tonight also. Love, Judy Lessard