Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Bad News, Good News
So after Christmas, I had a holiday hangover and was rubbing my head. I felt a bump on the top of my head. I have had several basal cell carcinomas, so at my scheduled dermatology visit, I asked my Dr. to look at it. He said he did not like the looks of it and took a biopsy and sent it to the lab. So a week later, BAD NEWS, he called and said it was a melanoma cancer.
When the nurses were getting my "history"-- I had spent my entire youth outside as we lived in Fresno, CA on a grape farm the made raisons. Sunscreen was not even invented, and I didn't wear a hat very much. I am also fair skinned (1/2 Danish) and my grandfather on my dad's side died of skin cancer. Also, there is cancer on my mother's side of the family. So I am pretty set-up to get skin cancer :<.
I was referred to a specialist, and on Feb. 13th they shot radioactive dye into the site, and did a cat-scan. They marked where the dye showed up- on my left neck and jaw. Then on Feb. 14th I went into surgery. They took out lymph nodes and the cancer site on top of my head. It was about the size of a deck of cards and 1/4 " deep! (Now you can honestly say I am a few cards short of a deck!) Didn't know you had that much skin and muscle on your head! Then I went in every week and they scrubbed the site to take off old scabbing and encourage growth. OUCH! Then about a month later, a patch of skin was taken of my front thigh and grafted to the top of my head. (John offered to donate a patch of skin off his back so that I would have hair on the spot!) When doing the surgery, a nerve was bruised/ damaged, so I have a lazy bottom lip on one side. It seems to be getting better, or I am getting used to it. Makes me look MEAN! John says I look like Steve McQueen! Thanks John!
GOOD NEWS-- all the pathology came back NO CANCER ! So we got it before it spread!
So the graft took and I am healing and feeling better everyday! Ruth called the other day and asked how I was feeling. I told her that I got tired easily and that I still had some aches and pains. She said "Mom! That's just because you are old!" So yes, I am old but feeling better every day. Thanks Ruth.
I feel really loved because everyone has been so kind and so concerned! Neighbors brought in meals for weeks after every operation! And everyone is so kind! I even get compliments on the hats that I wear! Thanks! B
When the nurses were getting my "history"-- I had spent my entire youth outside as we lived in Fresno, CA on a grape farm the made raisons. Sunscreen was not even invented, and I didn't wear a hat very much. I am also fair skinned (1/2 Danish) and my grandfather on my dad's side died of skin cancer. Also, there is cancer on my mother's side of the family. So I am pretty set-up to get skin cancer :<.
I was referred to a specialist, and on Feb. 13th they shot radioactive dye into the site, and did a cat-scan. They marked where the dye showed up- on my left neck and jaw. Then on Feb. 14th I went into surgery. They took out lymph nodes and the cancer site on top of my head. It was about the size of a deck of cards and 1/4 " deep! (Now you can honestly say I am a few cards short of a deck!) Didn't know you had that much skin and muscle on your head! Then I went in every week and they scrubbed the site to take off old scabbing and encourage growth. OUCH! Then about a month later, a patch of skin was taken of my front thigh and grafted to the top of my head. (John offered to donate a patch of skin off his back so that I would have hair on the spot!) When doing the surgery, a nerve was bruised/ damaged, so I have a lazy bottom lip on one side. It seems to be getting better, or I am getting used to it. Makes me look MEAN! John says I look like Steve McQueen! Thanks John!
GOOD NEWS-- all the pathology came back NO CANCER ! So we got it before it spread!
So the graft took and I am healing and feeling better everyday! Ruth called the other day and asked how I was feeling. I told her that I got tired easily and that I still had some aches and pains. She said "Mom! That's just because you are old!" So yes, I am old but feeling better every day. Thanks Ruth.
I feel really loved because everyone has been so kind and so concerned! Neighbors brought in meals for weeks after every operation! And everyone is so kind! I even get compliments on the hats that I wear! Thanks! B
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010
Another great year! As you can see we love playing in the snow! Charlie and Andie have to include their little buddies-- Tigger and of course, Andie has her play cell phone! Might be an important call!
Doesn't Saydee look like a yummy doll? Love those cheeks!
Emily loves to snowboard! A girl after my own heart!
The whole fam-damily!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sept. 9, 2010 Is A GREAT DAY! Milo joined our fam!
Grand Children are the BEST!
Sorry to bore you, but I know my grandkids are the BEST!
Don't you love Saydee's chubby cheeks! She has them at both ends! If I may quote my favorite oldest son John, FAT is cute until you are 8 years old!
WE have an abundance of grand daughters and they are FUN and full of life! One day Charlie walked in wearing her Tinkerbell costume and I said "Hi Charlie!" She looked at me and said-- "Grandma, I'm Tinkerbell!"
Our grandsons, Eddie and baby Milo are the calm ones of the bunch!
WE went camping with Charlie and Andie and family-- Of Course, we brought horses. Andie took a shine To "Jack" our black fox trotter gelding. She now includes him in family prayers and asks Grandpa "How's Yack?"
Morlin and I slept in the horse trailer and the girls and John slept in their camper. The next morning, Charlie, 3 years old, wanted to see our "Camper". When I opened the trailer and she saw all the horse poop, she was pretty disgusted! "Grandma B-- you slept in there?"
After a early morning ride, we ate breakfast. Of course, Business was pretty upset that he was NOT invited and helped himself!
WOW! I need to catch up! ICHO Convention- Eureka, NV -- 2010
Last fall 2010, Morlin and I attended the ICHO (Curly Horse) Convention in Eureka, Nevada! We met some wonderful people, listened to great discussions and watched a great demo on Indian horse gear by Mitch. My favorite part was going to the Peter Damele ranch. In earlier times, they were big horse breeders. They had captured some local curly wild horses and had included them in their herd. One severe winter, most of their horses died-- except the curlies! One of Peter Damele's favorite stallions was a curly stud that was super friendly and gentle.
The ranch was out in the middle of nowhere-- alias Eureka, Nevada. They had built their farmhouse and outbuildings out of rocks and cedar logs. The roof was cedar thatch layers with mud plastered over it. They had updated the ranch house and added a metal roof on top of the thatch! Neat! They had used the local rock on their house, water trough and out buildings. Behind and west of the house was a spring with a creek flowing through a meadow deep in grass.
The ranch was so far-out that they were totally off -the-grid! --whether they liked it or not! There were alot of windmills, batteries.... KINDA NICE!
But the BEST was when we saw a bunch of wild horses running just south west of the ranch! It was cool to look at them in the binocs and see their curly manes and tails blowin' in the wind! FUN! FYI - they are the spec in the middle of the photo! The three sorrels in the front are curlies!
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