too excited, too soon!

The excitement over the drain being out didn't last very long!

Lets see, that was a Monday that the drain came out. On Thursday I went to the Dr. to get my Herceptin, and they say "looks a little red, better go downstairs and see the surgeon". Isn't it nice they are all in one building? so, they look and say "it looks a little red, isn't it great we noticed nice and early" and they put me on antibiotics. Friday I have an early flight, so I get up at 4 am and look to see if it is worse, and it actually looks a little better. "It will be fine, and I am just going to be gone overnight" I say to myself.....and off I fly, have a nice luncheon in Oakland, and go to a meeting all afternoon and at 9 PM drive out to stay with my parents over night. Wake up at 1 am, and have a mess on my hands. Turns out I had two abscess in my chest (oh, those damn drains) and one has ruptured the incision from my surgery. So, wake up my parents and drag them out of the house in the middle of the night to take me to the hospital. The ER doc starts talking about antibiotics and a couple days in the hospital and I am already thinking how to bust out of the place sooner. Luckily it is where my mom has all her surgery done, and so they call in her breast surgeon and by 9 am they are prepping me for surgery. From here is where I can't believe the story, because I cant believe I pulled it off. Surgery started at 10, and the surgeon tells the team that our goal is to have me headed home that night, home to Seattle, not just home from the hospital. So they got me all cleaned out and stitched back up, I woke up in recovery about noon. With, I am crushingly disappointed to tell you, not one new drain, but TWO! and the one placed right where the open abscess was is twice the size of the old one. anyway, by 12:30 they call my mom to come pick me up, and by about 1:30 I am back at my parents house. At 5 PM I headed to the airport, and flew home, where Bert picked me up and had me back home by 10 PM. Amazing.

Sunday morning I went with the family to see the tulips as we had planned, and I have to say, I felt great. I don't know what they did differently to knock me out for surgery, but no "hang over" feel at all. Kenley had a great time playing in the mud at the growers, and it was so great not to have missed it! By Sunday night, I was pooped though. Threw everyone out and went to bed. Every big muscle in my body felt like we had run a marathon. Hm, go figure!

Monday was a quiet workday, and then Rachel and Kenley arrived to stay with us for the week while Michael was out of town. Bert was in charge on Tuesday and Kenley and I both enjoyed a long nap in the afternoon. Wednesday was down to see my surgeon, who pronounced everything healing well, and removed one drain and the stitches. Did tell me that I can't fly for one more week though, so I will not be in VA until Wednesday instead of Monday next week. It felt like my penance. Went to Propeller club and had a nice visit with a bunch of friends. Thursday back to the Dr. again for my shot.

Friday my brother and the sun both arrived for the first time in a long time! We enjoyed a nice dinner at shilshole bay, with a fabulous sunset over the Olympic Mountains. Seattle at its best!

The drain is Dead!

Well, big day today. I finally got rid of the dreaded drain. It has been so long, I am not sure I know how to take a shower without having a plastic patch on me! How to actually put my arm down at my side! Let alone remembering that I can lift my arm now without having the snake bite me (or at least that is what it felt like). So, lets see where I left off when I fell asleep posting my post last weekend..... Friday night I ushered at Ford's Theatre. It was a cute little play, and I loved seeing more of the theatre, although I was so busy being the usher I didn't see the presidential box or the museum. Guess I will have to actually go get a ticket one day. Fun evening, though. On Saturday I had a fabulous lunch with all my gal pals (well, not all, missed Kiki and Carolyn!) but we had a great lunch at Jaleo's and they spoiled me rotten. Then Sheri had me over to her house, after we hit the local garden shop, hoping that it wasn't really too cold to buy flowers for pots. Of course, it still was, but it was fun to look at. Then back to Sheri's for a nice dinner with Brad. Great day! Good company. Sunday was catch up on the home front. A little gardening, some throwing out of clothes that don't fit any more and some errands. Nice day, felt good to be out in the garden, cleaning up and getting ready for spring, if it decides to show up at either of my homes! I think DC has a better chance than Seattle. Now you know why I feel asleep posting last Sunday. Whew, busy weekend. Monday starting packing at work to get ready for the big move. We are moving PVA three whole blocks! But, closer to the river, with a nice view. Will miss the atrium, and the underground garage, but there are other niceties to offset those losses. Squeezed in dinner with friend Jorge, and enjoyed a little of the nice 80 degree weather. Just a passing fancy, gone again by the time we got up the next morning. Tuesday was another busy day at the office, and then off to the airport. Amie was nice enough to drive me to Baltimore for an uneventful trip home. A little late, but the first class seat helps off set that! Nice to be home, although the weather still sucks here! Worked in PVA West on Wednesday, and then Thursday off to the Dr. for the shot in the butt. Yowee! Also went down to the surgeon's office and tried to whine my way out of the drain before the weekend. Cari, the RN, was having none of it, and I left depressed! Friday Bert and I took the day off, and headed for Port Angeles. A work day at the little house there, but we hardly minded since the sun came out, ALL the mountains came out, and we didn't even mind our chores. I would have taken pictures but I forgot my phone! All day with no calls or email, it was weird! Our friend Dee was there doing a bang up job painting the inside of the house, and Bert painted the garage door while I cleaned up the flower beds and planted some nice stuff so the front of the house looks good. Then the three of us enjoyed a nice lunch out on the driveway enjoying the day. Port Angeles, and the whole peninsula are so beautiful, its such a shame that it didn't work out to stay out there and live. Still a long way away from Seattle though, and that always makes for a long day when we go out there. Left home at 8 am, and drug our butts thru the door at home again at 10 PM. I ate my dinner that we brought home, and I was straight for bed. Worn out! Bert has one more day out there on Wednesday. But the house looks good, and we hope it will sell quickly. Saturday after I recovered, we once again decided it was too wet for the Tulip Festival, so we had "freezer cooking day" at my house, where the girls and I cook meals that make their work day dinners easier. So, two batches of soup and a batch of spaghetti. Not too exciting this time. We also took Kenley for her first haircut! She was a perfect angel (of course!). And looks really cute. Then on Sunday, once again, too wet and cold for Tulip Fest! So, we all decided to go to our first Mariner's game of the season, and Kenley's first ever. Everyone had a great time, and we were happy they closed the roof half way through the game. Kenley seems to approve of the game, and her new hat, which she wore most of the game. Today I was up and out early to get to the Dr. This time I won the argument with the nurse, and she pulled that ugly little sucker out. 62 days today since my surgery, which she says is not the record, but I think she is lying! The rest of the day was spent at my desk catching up, while Bert puts the new window in my bedroom! Can't wait.

Busy Week in DC

I arrived here early last Monday, just in time to NOT see the snow that was here on Sunday! But it was still grey and cold all week. I managed to go to the office and work a full day, and didn't get caught by John doozing off once. I was out of their at 5 PM on the dot though, and home and in bed for a "nap" by 5:30. Pretty good nap, woke up at 10:30! Amie and Jared (my roomies here in DC for those of you new to the blog) were just getting back from the airport with nephew Carl, who was here for job interviews. So we all had a quick visit before heading back to sleep.

Tuesday was a busy day getting ready for our members that were coming in and our reception Wednesday night. But, we still had time to go visit our new offices, where we are moving on April 30. Very nice, 2nd floor with a view of the Potomac out the window. I will miss my corner office and daily entertainment of the drivers going the wrong way down the one way street every day, but will sacrafice for the rest of the staff. Jen is excited about the security guard at the door to keep the salesmen and weirdos away.

Wednesday was visits to Capitol Hill for our 15 members that flew in, but I woke up really sick, who knows what that was about, and having some of the worst pain in my chest since my surgery. It seems like these feeling crappy days are like little thunder storms that roll in and then roll out again. Don't think I can blame them on drug side effects, but maybe. By the time everyone came back from the hill and it was time for the reception, I felt much better. Didnt dance a jig or anything, but better. Reception was a big hit this year, we even had a congressman come and our brand new 3-star Coast Guard Admiral. Plus all our freiends and most of our Board of Directors. So, a hit. I was glad John had arranged for me to stay at the hotel across the street! We finished up about 9 and by 9:30 I was in that big ol' king size bed with trashy TV on. Ah, luxury!

Thursday was supposed to be a Board Meeting all day, but they flew through the agenda and we out of there by 12:30! So, I took some of them downtown, and Jay, our president and I went to see the cherry trees on the tidal basin, and managed to hit dang near the peak bloom. Jay has twins that are 11, and he travels with one favorite toy from each of them. And everywhere the toys go, Jay puts them in funny little places and takes their picture. Very cute. From here the toys visited FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt and had their pictures taken there.

You will have to wait til tomorrow for my weekend. I had so much weekend it wore me out!