Gladys is actually Earl.

After coming home from all the travel, I went back to the Dr. as my cough hadn't subsided and the pain in my kidneys was bad.  I got a chest x-ray that revealed fluid on my lungs (pleural effusion).  I was booked for January 20th for a CT/ and a thoracentesis (to remove the fluid).  I wasn't looking forward to a needle in the back, but you do what you have to.

January 12, I had a regular mammogram and an ultrasound booked.  Since the breast cancer was dealt with in 2016/2017, I have been regularly asking for a scan of some sort, or an ultrasound to check the area, I have heard the following:

We caught it early

You are fine....

it would be unnecessary radiation

January 12 as the exams were being taken, I asked if I could watch, if you read this blog you will understand I need to see it -- and I like to see it.  Very quickly I saw every lymph node but one looking like this:

😐😐😒😑😏😚😙😐😐😗😌😊😉

Happy, engaged, perfectly round and open.  Except one.  So, Dr. Matsua decided to do a couple biopsies, that turned into 6.  I laid there an took it like a woman....

January 20th we were still waiting on results when Kent and I made our way to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.  Again, I was ushered in by the nicest staff and I got Dr. Matsua again, that was comforting.  He told me there was enough fluid to put in a chest tube and let it drain.  They pulled 80 ccs for pathology and 1.8L came off my lungs by the time my CT was booked.  A little lab work and I was in pain but headed for home!

I came home and slept -- it was a higher priority than food, or bathroom, for first time in almost 2 months, the relief was amazing, although still feeling pain from the thoracentesis and the biopsies, it was a way better feeling than the 2 Ls on my chest!

I woke from my nap to the phone ringing, it was my family Doctor, She said, both biopsies came back with breast cancer, the lymph and the breast tissue.  So Gladys is actually Earl the Boob Guy, 2.0.

Tears. And quite frankly they haven't stopped.  She immediately sent out the referral to the general surgeon (who will remove the lumps and send them to BC Cancer for evaluation) and to the Medical Oncologist that I had previously that said, you're fine, you don't need that extra radiation....Can't wait to see him again.

So Kent and I talked.  Made some immediate plans:  To move back in together.  Kent said, through a veil of tears, we need each other, and I agree, as cheesy as this sounds, we are better together.

So we made dinner in a fog, sat on the couch after dinner, (I play jeopardy every night)...when I said to Kent, somethings not right....

I had developed a rash, which is part of this story, since last spring I have had a weird rash right across my reconstructed chest.  I went to a dermatologist in the late summer who glanced at me and said, it's scar tissue.....(that looks like a pre-pimple??)  I was disgusted with his treatment of me, so I left his office.

Now, this new rash was getting painful, like stinging nettle..... Shingles.  So, we packed up and headed to the emergency room, knowing that the earlier I can get on the meds, the better the outcome is, or at least the shorter the shingles will be around....We were seen just about midnight, the ER was very quiet, but there were some sick kids ahead of us....got the first 2 doses and prescription for the rest and some morphine to take home.

Once again, sleep was tough, it was really painful.  I would freeze it, cold compress and try to sleep.

I have spent the balance of the weekend sleeping every afternoon and sleeping as long at night (or into the morning) as my body needs.

There are more plans to make, but we have been down this road before, we know what to expect, although I have had the feeling that this one is going to be much, much tougher.