Debi Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Well, I actually made it back home... Here's a bit of trivia...What does a fugitive murderer who is wanted by the FBI and the subject of a massive manhunt AND yours truly have in common?? Give up? ...we both stayed at the same Doubletree Hotel in Virginia Monday night. Yes, once again, my luck surfaces!!! My coworker happened to be staying in the adjoining room from him. I was on the next floor since I had a non smoking room. Well, long story short..my coworker was called by the FBI and told to evacuate her room and I decided to leave mine since I was directly over him. Sat in the lounge until 3 am watching the SWAT team, FBI, about 5 different types of law enforcement and the Police Negotiators walking through the lobby. Of course there were lots of other displaced people there too..and the hotel provided quarter beers for the inconvenience. Of course I don't drink OR smoke so sat there in the haze of smoke watching everyone else get drunk!!! But didn't feel comfortable going back to my room with the SWAT team underneath me. Finally, after 5 hours they threw smoke bombs in his room and the SWAT team broke the door down with a battering ram. It was a nightmare. Of course, next morning when we went to work, everyone was giggling because it had made news all over the area and they all knew we were at the Doubletree. Thursday night we were eating dinner and the left side of my face and neck blew up until I looked like a bullfrog. It was completely numb so I went to an emergency care center that happened to be right next to the restaurant (coincidence?? ) I was afraid that it was a lymph node or something and I was going to be stuck in a strange state and not be able to get home to my son..I was terrified. By the time I got to see the doctor (2 hours later ) the swelling was pretty much gone but she was able to see some of it. It originated above my jawline so she said it was not my lymph node and she could almost guarantee it had nothing to do with cancer. She said it looked like it was my salivary gland (can't remember the name of it) and that it might have flared up for some reason since it happened when I was eating. It was okay the next day and I will mention it to my doctor but I'm not that worried since it was not a lymph node. The entire trip was one crazy thing after another including the trip home but won't bore any longer! We had alot of down time during the week so we were able to do the tourist thing and see alot of sites around the area. Required alot of walking and although I did get out of breath at times, so did my coworker who is 14 years younger than me and smokes. I would say we were pretty even and maybe I even kicked her butt a bit in the walking area...at least I know I did at the airport. Kind of made me feel good that she tired before I did and I had to wait for her to catch up several times. My suitcases were also really heavy and the one didn't have wheels but I had no problem (or at least no more than anyone else would have) carrying it. I get discouraged alot about where I am in my recovery with my aches and pains but bottom line is, I've come a long way from those first weeks after surgery and this trip helped to show me how far I have come.... I'm glad to see that it looks like it has been a relatively quiet week on the board and hope all are doing well......sorry for the novel!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Girl, What a trip! Glad to see you made it home in one piece! The agency I work for cannot afford to send me to conferences anymore due to budget cutbacks. That is o.k. by me! I hate being away from home. I am so glad that both ordels ended on a good note! PLus, I am quite proud of you Deb for making the trip!!! I think you proved to youself that you can do anything with determination. Take care, Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norme Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Debi, what a trip! The bad guy was probably sleeping while you were sitting up in the smoke filled room. I hope he gets life..... What happened to you are the restaurant sounds a little like an allergic reaction to some food. Sure glad you are better now. Tell your boss the next time you want to have the conference at Disney World. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 It's good to have you back. We all missed you in the chat room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 That doctor may have been talking about inflamation of the parotid gland. That is the same one that you can get the mumps in. I had the mumps as a child. Years later when I was in my early twenties I remember on the way home from work I quick stopped at McDonalds for a Big Mac . After a few bites I noticed my face swell up on one side. Gradually it went away and I thought it was really weird. I was telling my husband about it and eating again and it started to swell again. I went to the Navy Hospital in Key West ( my husband was in the navy) and they told me I might have a stone partially obstructing the duct of my parotid gland. They told me not to eat anything but crackers and bland cereal for a couple of weeks so I would not stimulate the saliva to run . They said that was what the swelling was) I did and I have never had a problem like that again. What a trip you had It sounds like it would make a good TV show. Welcome back Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Yep, we can get stones in the Parotid. I've known a few people who have had to have the stone removed because they wouldn't pass or break up on their own. Deb, I think you should get it checked out by your doc at home just to make sure it's really a stone and really gone. It can cause permanent damage to the salivary gland if the problem doesn't resolve itself. I have Sjogren's Syndrome, and the salivary glands along with lymph nodes and lacrimal glands are basically under attack by my immune system. This is something you should not just let go without further investigation. Best wishes, and I'm really, really glad you are safe after your ordeal with the bad guys and the good guys, too! Fay A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 ...and you were worried about the PLANE! Good to see you back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Wow Debi, I think trouble follow you! Glad to see you back and alive and kicking. I missed you in chat also. Take care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 Thanks for all your replies and I apologize for not making chat or emailing those of you I email. Donna..that is the name of the gland..the parotid gland! I love this board, you can come on here and someone has heard of whatever you may have!! Fay, I will definitely tell my Onc about it..I have an appointment in a couple weeks for my 3 month check up and will mention it to him. Am so sorry that I haven't been in touch since my last post. On Monday I found out my boss was leaving and within 24 hours he had resigned and left. I had mixed emotions over his departure. He called me Tuesday evening after he had cleared out his office and when I hung up I cried for about 1/2 hour. I haven't cried in a very long time even when I found out about my cancer. Although my boss has made many mistakes and not always done the right thing, he called me every day I was in the hospital and at least 3 times a week while I was recovering. That's something that you can't forget no matter what some one might have done. Anyway, am really tired..have wanted to cut back on my stress at work and now there is added stress and responsibility. I'm working long hours but actually am feeling good other than the soreness that I get when I'm fatigued. Today, my coworkers said I was starting to list again when I walk and I noticed that I do that when I get worn out. Its the front of me, my ribs, my breastbone and down my right side...it gets so sore and I start favoring it. Yesterday, at one point, I was literally gasping for breath because I was running all over the place the entire day. But you know what? I feel so alive right now. Even limping, and gasping... I feel good...if that makes sense!! I tried breathing on the spirometer (?)..that breathing thingy I got at the hospital...and I am a little over 3500 now. I remember in the weeks after my surgery how I struggled to get over the 500 mark..I never thought I would be able to do it!! So I am feeling pretty good overall and just hope that it will continue. Thanks again for all your replies and Becky...I didn't get into the plane ride in my post...that was another LONG story that I spared you all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Debi, I know folks who have both lungs who have never had cancer who can't go 3500 on the spirometer! That's fantastic! I do understand about listing to one side when we're tired and stressed. I do it, too. I'm still sore, but it gets easier every day. You hang in there....I admire your stamina, and drive, and I keep telling myself that if you can work like this I'll be able to do so, too, someday soon. Fay A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 Thanks, I feel better now...I was kicking myself that I couldn't make it to 4000 on the damn thing..wasn't sure where I am supposed to be!!! I had this terrible nurse...I called her Nurse Ratchett after my surgery...she kept telling me that I wasn't even trying when I couldn't get above 500. Her relentless critisism didn't make me get over 500, it just made me feel that there was something wrong with me because I couldn't get above it. When I got home, I remember the day about a week later I finally was able to get 750 on the thing. Well Fay, we may not be able to run any races yet but we'll get to where we need to on our own time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 I really do know what you mean about feeling like a failure for not hitting 500 after surgery. This one doc kept telling me "We don't know WHY you are having such trouble breathing." a few days after my right lung was removed, as if I were some how not trying hard enough to breathe. He forgot to mention to me that just before my breathing became labored I had developed a pleural effusion on the left side, and that the lower part of my left (and ONLY) lung had collapsed. Seems to me that that's a pretty darn good reason to end up on supplemental O2 and not to be able to go too high with the spirometer. Can you imagine? There I am trying like heck to inhale and I'm being made to feel as if I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG, or rather deliberately NOT doing something correctly. We will get there on our own steam, Debi, huffing and puffing and I don't even care that I sound like Thomas the Tank Engine! Fay A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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