Wednesday, January 27, 2010

10x The Triumph


"Clean as a whistle."

That's all I needed to hear hugging Dr. Black. I've undergone numerous MRI's, but this one in particular had me especially on edge. The proof was before my eyes as Dr. Black scrolled past clear image after clear image on the computer.

Proof I still had nothing upstairs, well tumor speaking that is!

Meningioma-free.

Ten times the triumph.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Doggone It


Doggone it.

I'm reeling from another devastating diagnosis. Ten years ago it was my own--a meningioma brain tumor. Now it's my dog's. My firstborn. Koufax my crutch. The yellow lab who cheered me on and encouraged me during my brain surgery recoveries. He nudged me to get off the couch. Always reassuring me that I wouldn't be alone on this journey.

Three days ago I sat in the vet's waiting room doing that agonizing wait thing associated with all waiting rooms. Waiting for what? My world to collapse again.

The gut just knows when something's not right. Been there, done that too many times. With myself, my kids, now Koufax.

The long face.

Weight loss.

Insatiable thirst. In winter?

Such a sudden onset too.

I lost track of how many times I swallowed my heart. Eyes welling up over and over again preparing myself for the worst case scenario.


One word.

Diabetes.

Followed by another language I'm quickly crash coursing-- blood glucose curves, insulin, ketones....

What was that?

Needles?

Twice a day?

It's manageable.

So many questions. The answers are carefully explained, but I can't retain what I know I need to know. To remember.

How does a healthy eating and active dog get diabetes?

More common than you'd think.

For Koufax, simply a case of bad luck. That's the thing with Koufax and me, it's always been that way.

Meningioma.
Epilepsy.
Lipomas.
Thyroid.
Diabetes.

We'll stop now, thank you very much.

Now it's my turn to be Koufax's crutch.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Ten Times the Trouble...

Yes, it's that time of year again. Not the dead of winter during Colorado's known coldest month. Nor making only-to-be-broken resolutions. I stopped making those years ago. It's that time of year when I brace myself for the inevitable and pricey date with one very intimidating body of steel and magnets. An MRI.

People still ask if I get nervous even this far out from my ex-roommate's eviction and the answer is always yes. And perhaps even more so this time because when I take the strapped down plunge next Wednesday, I'll find out if I can proclaim I've been meningioma-free for 10 years.

Until then, this tenth MRI is ten times the trouble and...

Anxiety.
Angst.
Biting nails.
Butterflies.
Cold sweats.
Distress.
Dread.
Edginess.
Fidgeting.
Fright.
Goose bumps.
Hebbie-jeebies.
Ill at ease.
Jitters.
Killing time.
Kleenex.
Letting air out.
Misery.
Nail-biting.
Obsessing.
On pins and needles.
Panic.
Quivering.
Restlessness.
Strain.
Stress.
Suffering.
Suspense.
Tense.
Torture.
Trepidation.
Unease.
Upset.
Ventilating.
Vexing.
Waiting.
Worried stiff.
X-ray--clear?!
Yes or no in my head wondering about the results.
Zapped energy all the while waiting.