Rejected

Warning: this post may contain a sarcastic edge. But I have cancer, so I have those privileges, right?

Today was kind of a rough day medically speaking. I woke up, after a restless night, with what I think was ultimately just really really awful heartburn. My PICC line had been swelling and tender all weekend, which it was supposed to stop being around Friday, so we called into the office and the nurse set up for me to have a sonogram this afternoon to check it out. This was to be at the same place I had my CAT scan a few weeks ago, and sure enough, when I'm at my tired-est, down-est, least present-able, I get the same overly perky receptionist from last time. This is the woman who had assured me that the gag-inducing Barium was "not that bad" and that "it wasn't the contrast that made me have 20-trips-to-the-toilet-diarrhea; it was my body's reaction to the contrast." Today she wanted to know if I'd done anything fun lately. I held my tongue instead of saying, "Yes, why, just last time I was here I got diagnosed with ovarian cancer, had major surgery, and started chemotherapy. It's been a real hoot!" This is the only medical professional I've encountered whom I don't find at least pleasant - it's a good track record, but irritating to have to deal with her again.

Fortunately my tech was pleasant and sympathetic, and I got very close to falling asleep on the sonogram table (why do they dim the lights?). Unfortunately, they found I had a blood clot and sent me straight to my doctor's office to have the PICC line taken out - like a long train of spaghetti coming out of my arm - and put me on blood thinner, with a bugs bunny band-aid to boot. Unfortunately, this means I'm going to be on blood thinner for a while and now have to stop (or at least really moderate) my Vitamin K intake. Vitamin K is in things like, oh . . .

brussel sprouts, kale, green tea, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, liver, soybeans, certain beans, mustard greens, peas (black eyed, split, chick), turnip greens, parsley, green onions, spinach, and lettuce

. . . just those green leafy vegetables and everything that I usually eat. Huzzah for Coumadin!
Unfortunately (yes, this is sentence #3 beginning with that word), I will also have to have a lot more blood work done to regulate it. And, to get the chemo into my system, unfortunately (#4), for now it's back to poking me every day to start a new IV.

I had a long nap this afternoon and a pleasant evening - some friends brought over supper, somewhat miraculously free of Vitamin K - and now I need to go to bed so I can go in tomorrow. Happy Monday to all, I suppose.