So, I ended up in the ER on Saturday morning!  Why was this bound to happen?  Let’s back up a little bit.

As I wrote about earlier, Chase has had a cough since September.  Thankfully, it’s finally starting to clear up.  The allergist said that he had walking pneumonia although I’m not convinced of that.  I’m pretty sure it was allergies or a persistent virus.  Every child at the kids’ school seems to sound exactly the same – like they smoke 2 packs of Marlboro Reds per day!  On Black Friday, my aunt and uncle had Jameson and Chase out bopping around for the entire day.  When they arrived home with the kids, Jameson was crying and telling us that her ear hurt.  I knew right away that she had an ear infection.  At the same time, Cameron started with a runny nose.  So, Sal and I took both kids to urgent care at 6pm on Friday since our on-call pediatrician’s office wasn’t available to see sick kids.  Great, right?!!  Jameson was diagnosed with a double ear infection and a sinus infection, but Cam, thankfully, was fine.  There are a lot of germs in the Sciandra house right now!  Our house needs to be fumigated with Lysol and bleach!!!  And, I’m sure that the 60 degree weather in December isn’t helping any of this, either!

This past Friday, my right ear became insanely blocked all of a sudden.  About an hour later, it started becoming really painful.  I called my oncologist’s office around 4:30pm and they were kind enough to wait to close up for the weekend so they could see me.  I saw a nurse practitioner who told me that I, too, had an ear infection.  I’m allergic to Amoxicillin, so she gave me Cipro.  I’m pretty sure that she was trying to go as broad spectrum as possible.  Needless to say, 2 doses of Cipro 750mg didn’t do Jack!  I had a fever on Saturday morning, my right ear was draining, and it hurt like hell.  Gross, I know.  I couldn’t get out of bed.  Sal paged the on-call oncologist who told him to take me to the ER.  I haven’t felt this sick in a very long time and I now know why kids cry when their ears hurt.  The doctors were very nice to me in the ER and provided me with 3 warm blankets since I was freezing.  I looked pathetic, I’m sure!  …..no make-up, beanie cap, yoga pants, sneakers…..I was screaming sick, cancer patient!  A culture of the fluid from my right ear was obtained, they did a CBC along with a bunch of other blood work, swabbed me for strep throat, swabbed me for the flu, sent me for a chest x-ray, and did a urinalysis.  One good thing about having cancer is the doctor calling ahead to the ER so you don’t have to wait and the ER docs are always over cautious!  Talk about perks!  I’m a little peeved that I’m not getting as much rest as Kate Middleton…..and I have cancer, but that’s a separate issue!!  Anyway, I received IV fluids, IV Azithromycin, and was sent home with a prescription of Azithromycin for 5 days.  I’m slowly on the mend.  My right ear is still completely blocked but it’s not hurting as much.  I’m still scheduled for round 7 of Taxol and Herceptin tomorrow morning since my counts are good.  I’m so happy that I don’t need to miss a treatment.

I have many other things to report on, too, so bear with me!

Jameson lost her very first tooth on Friday, November 30.  She actually pulled out her bottom front right tooth while she was in school!  That kid is a trooper!  The tooth fairy didn’t visit our house until Sunday night, though, because Jameson wasn’t ready to part with her tooth just yet.  We told her that the tooth fairy wouldn’t come until she’s ready.  She was psyched when the fairy finally came!

I cancelled all plans for this week to make sure that I’m not overdoing it.  I bought tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC for this coming Saturday a while back and I really don’t want to miss it.  I can’t wait to see the expression on the kids’ faces when they see the tree at Rockefeller Center and experience the show for the first time.  It’s our first time taking them to New York and I’m pretty sure that I’m more excited than they are!

I really try my best to be present at as many things as I possibly can.  When I do miss something, I’m a little disappointed but the feeling passes pretty quickly once I work through the reasons for missing in my head.  I had to miss a viewing and funeral for a very special person on Sunday and Monday and it’s not sitting well with me.  One of my late Dad’s best friends, Francis “Yogi” Michael, died unexpectedly on Friday.  He was such a great guy and will be truly missed by all who knew him.  I was told that 5000 people attended his viewing.  What a testament to a life well lived.  Mr. Michael actually dressed up as Santa Claus for my sister and I when we were kids.  I’m certain I wasn’t the only child in the Wyoming Valley to believe that the real Santa was a short, dark skinned man who wore football official sneakers!  The only thing making me feel better about missing Mr. Michael’s services is the fact that I literally ran right into him 3 weeks ago at the YMCA after Jameson and Chase’s swim class.  I had the pleasure of speaking with him for quite a while.  We were able to catch up on everything.  I’ll keep that very fond memory of Santa Claus with me for the rest of my life.

I also had to miss Sciandra Family Christmas this past Saturday.  Sal’s Mom usually hosts Christmas Eve dinner, but this year, she changed the date to December 1.  Sal’s sister, Audra, and her husband, Mark, are expecting their second child at the beginning of January, so travel for them towards the end of December isn’t a smart thing.  I’m really bummed that I didn’t get to see everyone, but I know that there will be plenty more Christmases to spend together.  Jameson and Chase still made the party and had an awesome time!

Congrats to our friends, Kevin and Cori, on their engagement.  The pic below is from their Thanksgiving 5K, hence the turkeys!  Kevin and Cori might be our reason for finally getting back to the Midwest one of these days!

I shaved my legs for the first time since August today!  Not because I’m disgusting, but because I had no hair to shave!  There wasn’t much there today, but I’m noticing it starting to grow again.  Dr. Saidman told me to expect slow re-growth during the Taxol and Herceptin treatment.  I’m also starting to sprout new hair on my head although it’s weak.  I can pull it out if I tug on it gently.  Now, I look like that creepy mean doll from Toy Story 3.  See below!

I have a feeling that there will be many more cancellation of plans in the weeks and months ahead and I hope that all of you are understanding as this begins to happen.  I’m not making any solid commitments for me or my family for the next short while.  I am trying to make things for the kids as normal as I possibly can.  I’m realizing, though, that staying strong and healthy is more important than rushing them to swim class then to a play date then to church then to dinner and then to the movies.  This is tough to manage on a good day.

I came to the realization this weekend that I can no longer do as much as I thought that I could by myself.  We need more daily help.  Sal has been in this camp from the very beginning, but I didn’t want to start feeling inadequate as a mother.  I’m already out of work, out of routine, and not doing as much as I normally do.  Taking care of my kids has been the one thing that I was holding on to – it was my saving grace.  But, I need an extra set of hands, especially between 3 and 5:30pm.  Taking care of 3 kids is a job for anyone.  I realize this.  I knew that having 3 kids ages 5 and under wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.  I, however, wasn’t planning on having cancer!  So, the quest for a “nanny” or “mother’s helper” has started.  We’re hoping to have this person in the house after the holidays.  I’m good as long as my kids don’t start referring to this person as “Mumsy”!  Hopefully, things will work out since I will need much more help around the house and with the kids after my surgery on February 1.  I won’t be able to lift anything, including Cameron, for 6-8 weeks so things should be interesting!

I never realized how much I love YouTube.  This ridiculous video, like the Honey Badger, has received way too many views!  This one, in particular, is the original interview and the auto tune remix.  It’s received close to 6 million views.  The original interview has received close to 11 million views.  What’s wrong with us?!!  I actually watched a bunch of interviews with Sweet Brown and she’s hilarious.  She’s a good sport.  Anyway, this video was passed on to me from a fellow warped and twisted individual!  And, I’m with Sweet Brown.  I have an ear infection……ain’t nobody got time for that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7UgAprdpM

I received the following quote from my friend, Lindsay.  The quote, although it’s true, is a Type A’s worst nightmare!

“You must give up the life you had planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.”  – Joseph Campbell

LIVESTRONG and God Bless!