Pragmatist
Pragmatist

This is the first time I've spoken publicly about my breast cancer; lots of one-on-one, though.

The topic actually was about Megan as my care-giver after surgery. I think the experience brought us closer, but she still tells me that she loves me lots, but doesn't like me much. Thanks, kiddo, you can be unlikeable, too.

I came home with a beautiful bouquet of roses, baby's breath and some other flowers, in a cobalt blue vase, a gift to the speakers.  Everyone there got a big mug, a pin that declares us as Survivors attached to a poem entitled Hero. When we registered, we were given a raffle ticket. I put mine in my purse and forgot about it.  However, when it came time for the drawings, I remembered.  For the first time in my life, I won something with a raffle ticket: a purple wrist band with the word H O P E incised in it, and a Starbucks card. I don't know how much it's worth, but there's a notation that it never expires. I guess I'll have to take it to Starbucks and find out what it's worth.

There was also food.  Lots of good food. And desserts. Oh, yes, desserts. The only downside to the buffet was the weak iced tea. Ah well, one shouldn't be ungrateful for freebies. Excellent freebies, in fact.

After the meeting was over, several people came to me and said they enjoyed my speech.  I don't know why I didn't think of it, but I should have had a Toastmaster with me, and I could have gotten TM credit for my speech. Maybe I can give it again in a regular TM meeting.  We'll see.

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I started to write about my ER experience last night, and about the time I ready to click on The Button, my screen went black, and everything was lost.   So I'll try again here.

I thought the itching and rash could be from the iodine contrast used in the CT Scan I had Wednesday, but since I didn't start itching until Thursday evening, it seem unlikely.  I'm pretty sure there wasn't any allergen in the meal served by my friend on Wednesday evening. So what was the problem?  I didn't come up with an idea until much later.  Friday night, in fact.

By mid-afternoon Friday I was so miserable with the itching that I called 911.  The rash started on my chest Thursday night. Friday morning it had spread to my left hip, and started down my back to the buttocks.  As the day progressed, so did the rash until it went all the way around me, and surrounded the belly button, too.  I wanted to tear my skin off, the itch was so bad!!  Later in the day, the rash migrated to my shins, so I'd say I was pretty well covered.

I really should know better, but I went to the ER without a book. Four hours of people watching can get boring, too.  The Paramedic gave me a shot of Benadryl before taking me to the ambulance.  I was having panic-breathing problems, similar to asthma, but strictly stress in origin.  In the ambulance, while going over a rough part of the road, the Paramedic started an IV line in my hand.  How they are able to do that without destroying the vein is a miracle to me!

In the hospital, eventually, I was given IV prednisone and antihistamine. The doctor wrote a prescription for Atarax (antihist) and prednisone to be taken 40mg for 4 days, then 20mg for 4 days, then back to my regular dosage.

It finally occurred to me what the problem might be.  I was started on Lisinopril, a blood pressure regulator. I looked it up in my Pill Book, and there it was. Side effects may include rash and itching. How about that?!  I think that's the problem, but the Atarax is maybe overcoming the effect of the Lisiniprol, and when I quit taking the Atarax, I think the rash will come back with a vengeance.  Wait and see.

I got home about an hour after candle lighting, so my Sabbath candles weren't lit this week.  I'll light an extra candle next Friday night to make up for missing this past week.

That's the saga of my weekend.


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