I saw Dr. Patterson on Tuesday, he was pissed that I was upset with everyone.  He said it wasnt his fault nor his problem that I didnt have insurance and can we agree to that and not talk about it anymore.  Well.....don't you hate it when they are so smart and get's to the heart of the matter right now and stopped my pity party, well almost.  So 6 CT scans 3 one way and 3 in contrast, upper body.  Blood work and ready for Moffitt.  Next item is to get my insurance policy number so that i can get the papers rolling at Moffitt. I am finished with Holy Cross for now.  I told the girls at infusion,  thanks for making it so easy, I will not be back.
One thing I got from the treatment is an awareness of my luck.  It might be a big resection surgery, but all in all my treatment time and hopefully my recovery time will be brief and relatively painless and finished and OVER.  Ill get my gray hair back with white streaks, better and fuller than ever.  Beware, I might never shave my legs again.  I am returning scarfs, to me no cover is best.  A hat or scarf would have to be a fashion choice, not a cover up.  I still dont have any big earrings,  I would go shopping but it's a chore and there are "people" there.
Geesh....A.D.D.......So today was the last day of chemo.  God help me stay positive..  here is what happened,  I got a call from my angel-nurse Dr. Onstad office saying the CT's are scheduled on Oakland Park Blvd and they are only $200 cash. For all 6!   And the bloodwork from Monday is good enough to use for the CT's.  So check that is done.  Blood work for Moffitt on 10/4 get them to fax and i will hand carry the discs and the blood report that will save mucho money and folks that pulls me out of the the pity party.  Your prayers are leading me to the right people when I need them. I have to be grateful for all the people pulling for me.  I have to grateful I am not in a whales stomach.  I am grateful and mom is here.  And Paul is here always for me and loves having mom here.

I am feeling good.  Tired, but good.  We will be on Pompano Beach tomorrow, power walk. Linda, Me and Mom,  hope I can keep up.  Then bridge.  Then sleep.  Love my dogs Here is the Pommy his name is Huff and Puff.

"Even I have watched Bob Hope hoof-it.  Love dancing love to dance.  if i could run away i would dance and exercise, my favorite part of the bridge cruise is going to the gym and using the treadmill watching the ocean with meds of course.  i get really sea sick!!  my second favorite thing on the cruise is putting on my music and power walking the promenade deck. bridge everyday and good meals.  thanks for brightening my day.  love you.  xoxo"
This note to a favorite angel-nurse who is trying to keep me calm with distraction.  Having money troubles.  I need 6 CT scans.  I will see if the insurance can get involved, but if the time frame is wrong or if they deny 6 CT scans then I go forward anyway.  I think I will need all the money raised for me.  And I thank you! By the way, by some miracle my blood work for August is no charge!  Prayers and angels.  Now  I just need the policy # and my next call will be to Moffitt to see what is covered over there.  My next appt with Holy Cross Doc Patterson is 6 weeks away.  Healed and busy and busy taking care of myself.  
Happy New Year, I wish you a peaceful fast.  I didnt want to blog today, but I am filled with emotion and feel a need to share.  

Stomach still messed up.  Got up early and took a few pills.  The tumor is making itself known.  Headache and scalp is still sore.  Hair is falling out still I think, but I have the fuzz I showed last time.  Today bridge club. Tomorrow blood work,  see the doctor on tuesday,  chemo on thursday.  Then a week to get strong, see  the docs in Tampa, hope to have surgery soon after the 10th of October.  Its coming fast.  I have no idea what is covered by my new insurance but all appointments have been made and if its covered then fine.

Approved and covered as of October first!  PCIP is for me.  Today the $505 check is mailed to National Finance Center in St. Louis, Mo.  What does it cover?  I have no idea, but I got it, and in time for surgery.  Chemo today.  Board meeting 3:30 PM.  Things are going very well at the club.  Lots of fun events.  A benefit 10/1, one for 11/4.  Hopefully, I will be self sufficient again soon.  Thanks to you all for your donations.  Whatever tests and treatments are needed I will do whether covered or not.  Next I need to watch for my cancelled check, at which time I can get an ID # .  Then I guess I call Moffitt and tell them.  

Hi,  I just spoke with the PCIP people.  I am 24 hours away from approval.  When I call and get approved, I should also get the name and address of the Insurance company where I will send my down payment.  Then I should watch the bank and when the check clears then call PCIP again to get them to find my ID# for insurance claims.  All of that since it takes about 4 weeks to get an insurance card and I might need it before that.  I said yes, I will....So I will have to stay on top of this, I will probably call back tomorrow too.  Just cant wait to get covered! Going to see Dr. Patterson today, I will need to know where to get the cat scan and when and what the blood work is needed for.  Dr. Onstad will probably be involved getting the work done here before I go 10/9. Btw, Sue the nurse who draws my blood every Monday at Dr. Onstad's office is a buckeye, and brilliant at finding my vein.  One little jab, no marks afterward, brilliant.  I hope the doctors are impressed with the chemotherapy and get this done asap. 
To the club today and Wednesday.  Just love to play this game!  Thursday chemo.  Mom is coming to town next Thursday.  I plan on playing with her everyday.  Cant wait.  She will stay with me.  It's like bridge camp when you live my life with me.  I assume we will exercise in the morning.  I am totally out of shape.  Been busy, been tired, been eating salty stuff,   We will probably walk at the beach since our street is dug up so bad there is no way to walk around the park! 
God Bless and Happy New Year!!

Haven't blogged for awhile.  Had chemo on Thursday 11:30 now so my morning and my afternoon is shot and of course seems like I just never wake up!  Been at the club everyday since and am looking for my first good nights sleep.  Been in a trance for the last couple of days.  
I had a wonderful call from Marcia Greenstein, she told me there are more donations and she has another $1500 to give me from the Miami Shores game where Alan Minton is the director/owner.  That makes a total of $3580 from the Miami game and Marcia, with her competitive nature wants to have the best take for the trust.  Well, 31 tables at Pompano, $4200,  13 tables Miami, $3580.  I think you win!  But I know she wont stop.  Anyway,  very humbling, very nice and very much appreciated!!  Love to you all.  Scarfs and hats right now, really getting whispy.   Knuckle bumps please, my appointment in Tampa is 10/9.  I hope to hear from PCIP this coming week that I am approved and October will be covered.  Hopefully he will do the surgery right after he sees me.  Chemo has shrunk the tumor, it has receded.  Hopefully, hopefully it won't be as big as he says.  Keep praying for me.  I need them very much too.  Love to you all.  Stay well.  See you tomorrow at the club.  Happy New Year!!

  

Chemo delayed a day.  No room at the Inn.  I will be directing at the club Wednesday.  Huge success yesterday in Miami Shores.  Thanks to Alan Minton, Marcia Greenstein and those who were so generous.  $2000 collected, 13 tables.  Wow!!   I feel a little on edge so I hope everyone is calm tomorrow.  I think I will take an anxiety pill before I go.  Finished the puzzle and started another.  Blood work was again perfect.  Rhoda Schreider was operated on today, I will deliver her get well card on Thursday at Holy Cross.  Stay well ok?  Love to all of you.
 

Wow, what a day it was yesterday!  Sunday 9/9 benefit was a huge success.  One bad thing, some people were upset with the $20 entry saying "they had already donated".  In fact, Saturday morning I invited a student to the brunch and she said, "you know I already gave a donation"  I was floored, I told her I knew that, but the brunch alone was worth over $20 with lox and shrimp and gourmet bagels and cheese blintz souffle, salads, homemade mandel bread and it was a benefit party.  Nope, no go.  Ok, now on to the happy stuff,  31 tables filled with people who love me!  The event raised $4200. That takes care of the next 3 chemo treatments!  I was and am so overwhelmed that I could not talk!  Someone mentioned I was gaining weight, yes I am,  however, in her experience the chubby ones survive - she included herself since she is a survivor.  Not everyone knows about the knuckle bumps.  Today I have a slight tickle in the back of my throat.  Giving blood today, Dr. Patterson tomorrow, chemo on Wednesday.  I think I will take a little vitamin C right now.  I dont take anything that might interfere with the treatments. Vitamin C today should be okay.
My sweethearts that helped with this event, I thank you.  Incredible job.  The folks who made it so much fun, I thank you.  Today Paul and I are going to Miami Shores - Alan Minton's game. Another benefit with my friends in Miami.  Cant wait!! Alan is a terrific chef, lunch is included.
I feel terrific!  I hope to hear I have insurance this week.  I will call tomorrow.

I still feel terrific and have wonderful clarity at the bridge table.  Thank you God!   Still praying the area that has to be removed will not be as large as I suspect.  Just the fact that he told me no hospital time is encouraging.  Moffitt Center Oct. 9 to find out the rest.  Pray! I know you are!  I thank you.  I love you.  Just talked to mom,  I want her to be here for Marty Bergen 10/1.  No need to come to Tampa for surgery, because we will head home!?  So I asked her to come here and stay with me.  Gloria could possibly pick her up and Linda could bring her home.  Villages is where she lives.  Not that far.  I love my mom. She is a wonderful lady, raising 3 girls (I was the oldest and smartest)  she had a husband that was uninsureable since he had juvenille diabetes and was disabled from a fall in his work.  He was a master cabinet maker/carpenter and kept all the neighbors happy with his remodeling work.  He made all 3 girls a cedar hope chest as a marital gift.  I still have mine and love it, its 45 years old! And its intricate and beautiful  Love you Daddy.  Dead at 55 from that horrible disease.  Anyway mom buried my dad, married my widowed uncle and buried him.  My cousins are so special related and re related.  Love you all. Love my mom,  She plays bridge, they taught me and Gene St. Jean, my xhusband.  I got to play duplicatte with each of them.  My daughter caddied and hated the manners of the bridge players, she now teaches math and plays poker,  but I put her in a game whenever I can and she has masterpoints!  (I am not surprised.)  Tomorrow is the big day.  Benefit #1. Do you think I am uncomfortable, yes I am.  This is very humbling.  However, a party is a party and I have been told it's a good time to drink!  Perfect timing, going back on chemo Wednesday for3 weeks.  Lets party, lets celebrate LIFE!!

Well well well,  interesting things happening.  First of all I feel terrific,  I have no pain, I have energy and I dont fall asleep at 8 PM.  I assume that will change next week when I go back on treatment.  So I am working.  I still CANNOT handle stress, not at all!  If the customers start fighting I start shaking.  So I will not direct too much til this is over and then probably just 1 night a week.  I have a terrific staff of directors who are capable and not lazy. Also on staff is very competent Jesse Laird who has become my Assistant Manager and my all around take over guy if need be.  So far I am doing a good job being the manager, playing as a teacher, teaching classes and taking care of my health.  Paul is a Godsend and your prayers are working.  You must keep praying however, since I still have no approval for PCIP.  You see the office where my application is in NOLA.  They just reopened yesterday. The number I have to call tells me my application is still incomplete even though i have been faxing and snail mailing them since 8/9.  She tells me there is still time to be approved by October and I should call next week!  I says can you help and expedite this for me?  She says everyone needs this insurance and unless I am dying there will be no expediting.  So there!! Am I dying?  No way!!
I still need to contact Moffitt and find out how much, how long, how many doctors, how much money will be involved with the surgery.  So far no return calls. And I just got another bill regarding the port!  Another $1339 which brings the price of the port to $5673.84!!  Still worth it.    Lil and Doc Onstad still number one angels with my anxiety about bills and small pains.  The hair is holding.  Less fell out than yesterday, the top of my head is not sore anymore!  The bottom of my foot still painful but I can walk again.   I have more scarves, I am good in that department and if no more hair falls out I will be okay with nothing at all.

So the scarf!  I loved it. And I got a really neat Hermes Scarf from an adoring and adored friend. It is so beautiful that some say I should frame it, and I might.  But I might just wear it and pretend I have another one.  Some people have TOLD me to buy a wig.  Its not going to happen folks.  2nd pic is from today, yes its really short, like fuzz, and very gray, but the forehead is really looking happy and non menacing.  The devil is in retreat.  Now to rid myself of the bad, infected, compromised skin and I should be cancer free.
Would be a nice bonus if the chemo treatments also cured me of the precancer spots on my cheek and nose.

Monday, Labor Day, my week off.  I plan on directing this week. Its been a strange couple of days.  Like I told you fatigue is present early evenings so by 9 PM I am asleep.  I ate awful yesterday and I feel guilty.  Gotta get back to real, natural raw foods.  I ate gluten all day and my feet feel the pain.  That must be the reason the ball of my left foot is so sore I can hardly walk!  Top of my head still sore, hair falling out, cant believe I still have some.  Still taking nausea meds, still have not thrown up.  Weight is up about 179. I am blaming the steroid for how good I feel,  Doc said dont be on a diet now.  Added a little olive oil back into my diet, some salmon, but too much sugar.  Mango cake in the house,  not good.  Leaving for the club soon, they can have it for breakfast and all day.
I dont expect any changes.  Happy Labor Day.  I get to play with Frany today.  I am happy.  Sunday is the first benefit at the club.   Still feels strange to collect money for me.  Ugh......