Discharged

St. Pius X Catholic Church, Billings, MT.  This is what the church looks like now, remodeled since I was there.

I was discharged from the hospital on Sunday, Jan. 19th.  After checking in at 2am on Tuesday, Jan. 13th, it was great to get out of the hospital and back home.  Before leaving I received my third dose of Chemo and began to feel sick.  The doses to complete my first round of chemo would take place at the Billings Clinic on Monday and Tuesday.  The six week schedule for my radiation treatment was established and set to begin the first week of March.  There is a lot to cover during those six weeks, blanket radiation treatment is miserable.

     
My oncologist was Dr. Kelker.  I selected him based solely on the fact he was good at hitting my veins with the butterfly needle used for access.  My mom would be all over him when he didn't hit my vein the first try.  I can remember her telling him point blank, "don't forget why we picked you," and giving him a stare that somehow didn't make him self combust. 


My mom could be intimidating and used her assets to her advantage. At 5'11" she looked eye to eye or sometimes down on most she spoke with.  Her medical training and medical trained friends aiding her, gave her the knowledge to call BS when needed.  She told me her personality really wasn't that assertive and confrontational prior to my sickness.  That changed quickly, like in the first ten minutes I was sick, and she developed a style of her own.  Some may have confused her of having rabies at times, but she protected me in every way possible.  That is how the name of this blog really applies to her, the instinctive affection she displayed.       


Now at home, the word had spread about my situation.  I guess by land line, maybe letters (?), if you can imagine.  Having a large family was a great source of strength for me.  A strong Irish Catholic group, faith in that I would be healed was high.  I was attending St. Pius X Catholic School (K-8) which was also a tremendous support net.  The students really rallied behind me and never made me feel uncomfortable, even as all my hair began to fall out.  I would need all the help I could get, as the fun was just getting started.    

Jan. 19 - Home from Hospital, Chemo: Dactinomycin & Cytoxan