February Break.  A time to refresh and renew.  Mostly.

Except here.  Here it’s a time to go as hard and fast as possible to get as many things done as possible.

Some of those things are Cowden’s related.  Some are real-life related.  Some are both.

Each could probably take a full entry or more.

But, for now, just in the last 10 days…

Last Thursday, was root canal 4 of 4.  Ninety minutes in the chair for a nerve I don’t think is gone.

Friday I spent the morning at pre admission surgical testing for an upcoming vascular surgery.  6AM appointment.  By the time I was leaving at 8, they had already begun to tell me I needed to find a primary care doctor to fill out “clearance papers.”  A whole lot of nonsense about “comorbidities” with Cowden Syndrome.  I felt like I had “cooties.”

Friday afternoon I went to two appointments with Meghan.  Each left more questions.

While I was in the car the head of PAST (Pre Admission Testing) called to tell me without additional clearance, my surgery was cancelled.

Monday the dogs, both of them had all day trips to the vet.  One had her teeth cleaned, and the other 22 staples in her side to remove a tumor that’s been there for almost 18 months.

Tuesday some work began in our basement- a long overdue upgrade to a leaking shower.  It would take days, and my husband needed to stick around just in case.

Tuesday we went back to NYC to Meghan’s neurologist to have another brain MRI.  Lesion is stable.  The tumor board will review it on 2/28 – Rare Disease Day – and if all concur, she will have 6 month brain MRIs for at least 3 years.  We talked a lot about headaches, and got a suggestion for a natural migraine relief I’m hopeful about.   The head congestion persists despite “clear” sinuses and the headaches are relentless.

After I dropped her to swim, right from the city on Tuesday, I called my surgeon’s office to discuss what had gone wrong to cause the cancellation of my surgery.  I was very surprised to hear things had rectified, in ways that confused me greatly, and I was no longer cancelled.

Having given up my ride, and anxious about the way things had been handled, I took an uneasy Uber trip to the hospital for my arrival time.

I should have been late.  They were.

My 11:30 OR became 3:45, and the day was pretty much poorly done all around.

It’s over now – and truly is a long enough story if I tell it, it will need its own entry.

Thursday and Friday I did what I could to rest.  Saturday was Silver Swimming Championships.  In the Bronx.  With a 6:30 AM arrival.

There was also a 2 hour line for a well-deserved sweatshirt.  In my stockings.  3 days after vascular surgery.

We made it back to Staten Island in exactly enough time for her to change her clothes, brush her hair, and grab a sandwich on the way to theater.  She’s begun working with a lovely group, SICTA, performing “Once Upon a Mattress” this spring.  She made it in 10 minutes before rehearsal began and kept at it till I picked her up at 4:30.

Sunday was Saturday – take two.  Minus the sweatshirt line, with the addition of some rain.  In the dark.  To the Bronx.

But, two days.  Two events.  Two best times.  This is what makes it worth it.

And, I was home in time to get April to the vet for her newest ear infection.  Felix was going to go, but the flex hose behind the dryer split…

And in 12 hours I’ll be on my second class of the day.

It should be easier than this.  Today I’m wiped out.

I keep vowing to write more, and I keep failing.

#beatingcowdens

is exhausting.