Head Lesion

Hi Guys,
Quick update! I went to the dermatologist today which is a routine check for me. A couple of issues were pointed out. I have had this head lesion for a while. It was cultured and had some evidence of fungal infection and so I was started on anti-fungal cream which seemed to help for a while. Then it started getting even more mucky.....seeping and oozing blood and quite painful. This has all be over the last 12 months. I finally thought something had to be done about it and so when I went for my routine check today, I showed the dermatologist. He took one good look and told me that he definitely thinks it is some sort of carcinoma.......skin cancer....and that it needed to be biopsied straight away. So after chatting a bit he did a biopsy and sent it off. I should know by Thursday at the earliest as to what type of carcinoma it is and what we want to do next. I have been reassured that it doesn't usually spread and cutting it out will solve the problem. He said that they would get me into a plastic surgeon because of it being on my scalp and all.

On my left hand I have also had this lesion since my first IVIG infusion way back when Isaac was 10 months old. It builds up with a scab and then bleeds and breaks down.....and then builds back up.....he doesn't think it is cancerous but could be changing to a cancerous lesion...so he wants to cut that out too!

Otherwise, hehe....I am clear of any other problems. Once all these lesions are removed, I should be fine and safe. That was my appointment.

Tomorrow I see the OB/Gynae about something.....hopefully that will go well.

Well, if you didn't catch the goss about Alan and his graceful fall down the stairs, please go to the entry before this one to read about his adventures. While it was sore, it also was funny. Love ya Al!
Love Charisse

Trying to Maintain Dignity???? Did it work????

The Dreaded Stairs!!!!!! They are actually steeper than they appear in the picture! Read below for what happened.

Hello People,

Well we had a slight drama at our house last night. I was ready to hop into bed at 1130pm at night and heard a grunt and then a loud clunk at the front door. Came out of the bathroom calling to Alan, my husband, if everything was all right. Only to find him hobbling around groaning and half crying and giggling all in one. He announced that he had tumbled down our front, garden steps, head over heels, literally. It wasn't very funny but once you hear the circumstances around the fall....it is funny. Anyway, Alan's body went into shock quite quickly and he was shivering and shaking and his face went So white and his hands and feet lost all their colour and went really white. When someone is in shock all the blood supply is sucked and re-diverted to the major and important organs in the body to keep them going. So everywhere else you lose colour. He had major grazes! I had to help him lie down with his feet up on the couch because he had lost so much colour and was kind of hyperventilating as well. I wrapped a blanket around him...lay it on top..to try and help the shock and then went about cleaning his grazes that had blood and skin pulled off. Our steps are rock and kind of a slate finish....and he also took out 2 garden lights as he tumbled down. He hit his head a little but, thankfully, not too much. So I went about cleaning them with antiseptic. It took about 30 mins for the shock to go and him to feel a little better but he was still pale and very sore. He is tied and quite sore and uncomfortable tonight. We don't think he broke anything....Praise the Lord! I should take a picture of his graze on his leg. It is big.

The reason why this all happened is that he was taking the bin out the front at 1130pm at night for it to be emptied early the next morning when the garbage truck came around. He went out in only his undies....hehe and a top. Yep, Alan said I could share this....hehe. Because he was only going out in his undies, he turned off all the lights to the garden outside so no one could see him....darkness...then at the top an ambulance arrived for our neighbours and he got distracted with some concern and being nosey. He attempted to walk down the steps while looking over his shoulder and lost his footing. Honestly, I was calm at first to help him but the reason why he fell and the fact that he was only in his undies was hilarious and I could not stop giggling. I am very glad he is ok though. So because he wanted to maintain his dignity, it led to him falling down the stairs...I don't think he maintained his dignity very well, do you??????

Isaac is forever running up and down these stairs and I have no been able to tell him, "look at what happened to daddy. You need to be careful on the stairs or this could happen to you too!" Isaac cringed when looking at daddy's war wounds!

Anyway, some other stuff. I ended up getting really sick this week. On Sunday I knew I was coming down with something and by Tuesday I was really sick with a flu type bug...the shivers and body aches and generallys really sick with no energy...this led to a worse day on Wed where I could not get out of bed until 12 midday. I felt really sick that day and was scared that things would get worse. I have had my flu shot this year and today when I saw the doctor with my IVIG, she thought I could have had the flu, but because I had the injection I had a less severe bout which is still severe for me. I was amazed when I woke on Thursday that I was marginly improved. NO body aches and no shivering. I felt like I had a slight cold and that was it...with some loss of energy...and today I feel better again. Praise the Lord that it has improved and didn't last long.

I had my IVIG infusion today and things went well. I hope the reaction is minimal this week.

Isaac is much better now. Still a runny nose but his energy levels seem to be almost at his normal.

Another huge thing that happened with me this week is that one of my nannies resigned indefinitely due to some things going on in her life. I am very saddened and have felt a bit strange. I hate it when it happens suddenly and I always wonder if I have done something to offend them. However, we are good friends. I don't want to lose that.....but I am scared I will. I do miss her. So we have been having a nanny relieve for now but she is rather new to nannying, but a quick learner and a nice girl. She is 19. Although, I am relieved to say that my permanent nanny of at least 3 years is still with us....she just does different shifts. I don't know how I will do without her when she is a fully qualified teacher next year....I know I will cry. However, she and I see each other socially now as well. I found losing a nanny so suddenly quite traumatic.

I did my nursing talk at the school where my permanent nanny is doing her placement right now. Thbe kids were only 5 and 6 year olds and loved it. I involved them as my volunteer patients......I brought in a dressing pack and bandages and my volunteer patient helped me to demonstrate all that...I did Danielle, my nanny and friend, blood pressure in front of the class and some kids came up the front to use my stethoscope and listen to their own hearts. I wore my uniform and talked all about that and what I do and where I work. I had colouring in sheets for them to do as well. It was fun and really good for me to be involved in something like that. I felt satisfied to help the kids and help Danielle....she is a dear friend and so loyal to me. If you read this, Danielle....I love you heaps. The class gave me a card and chocolates for coming in. That was so lovely.

My ENT appointment went well this week. Nothing weird in my mouth or anywhere. The weird problem I have with swallowing isn't happening right now......but when it happens again the doctor said I must come in as soon as possible and they will scope me while I feel that way to find out what is going on. I decided not to have a PET scan because of the radioactive stuff they use and my marrow can do without any unnecessary radiation in the state that it is in with pre-leukaemia.

Well, I think that is all for now.

Thanks for checking up on us!

Love Charisse

What's been happening?

Hello People,

well it has been a good week. I did lap swimming on Tuesday, worked on Wednesday on the gastroenterology day surgery ward, prepared for a nursing talk on Thursday and looked after Isaac who was home from school sick - on Friday.

Work was excellent this week. The unit has gotten so big. This is the first time I have worked in the updated unit. It has two procedure rooms and a recovery and lots of other things. There are 11 staff members whereas when I worked permanently in gastro, there were only about 4 staff members and one procedure room and one, small recovery. I had a great time.

On Tuesday this next week I am doing a small talk about being a nurse at a primary school for the receptions and year 1's. They are aged 5 and 6. I will be talking about what I do as a nurse and doing activities with them. I have colouring in activities and have my BP machine and stethoscope and dressing packs/bandages and thermometers and oxygen masks and all sorts to show them. It should be fun.

My health is going really well. I have had quite a lot of energy lately and am taking full advantage of that. With FA you just never know when sickness or exhaustion or anxiety will stop you from doing things that you want to do.

It is great to be able to swim laps once a week. It makes me feel so good. I have also been reading some great books and have started up with my knitting again.

There are other exciting things going on that are keeping me busy as well.

Mum and dad are now in South Africa on a holiday and missions trip. I will miss them. Mum will be gone for 6 weeks, and dad for 7 weeks.

Our microwave blew up! Ahhhh...so annoying. I put my beanie bag in there and was heating it and it started making a horrible noise and then the strong smell of smoke and fumes....the engine burnt up I suppose.

Everything always seems to happen at once. My car has broken down! We don't know if we will need to get another car or if this can be fixed...or how expensive it is to fix. They tell us it is in the engine....so we will look into that this week. I am not allowed to drive it though. That is a pain.

We have new curtains that have been ordered for our main bedroom. They are mocca coloured and the room will look really royal. My bed spread is a mixture of gold and rusty colours. We also have invested in some beautiful paintings.....one of them will go in this room as well, adding royalty to the room. I am excited!

We had the Moulds coming for dinner tonight. They have 6 girls......wonderful family.

I am desperately trying to think of what else to update you on. This week on Friday is my IVIG again......already! Unbelievable!

Life is good.

Please continue to pray for Alicia and her transplant. Yesterday she recieved her new bone marrow cells . Now is a critical time as she has no immunity and they need to wait for the new cells to grow. The next 3 weeks are a waiting game. Alicia is 5 years old and we met her at Camp Sunshine for FA kids and adults when we were there 3 years ago.

If you wish to see her journal and updates on her ....the address is:

http://www.caringbridge.org/ks/aliciareed/

Well, that seems like it for now! I hope I have more exciting things to update on you soon.
Love Charisse

The Queen's Birthday

Hello Everyone!
It feels like a long time since I last wrote! Infusion went well a week and a bit ago. I had hardly any reaction except for my mouth flaring up a bit which is a normal thing when I have IVIG. Last week we had an extremely busy week. I am a born again Christian and do believe in the power of God. We had a series of crusades and meetings last week that we felt God wanted us to go to. It was great. A Pastor named Tim Hall was holding some meetings for 4 nights in a row. It was wonderful to just go and be at those meetings and feel the presence of God inside and out. Then Thursday night we went to another meeting and the power of God was amazing in that meeting. It was a great week.
Monday, just gone was a public holiday.....the Queen's Birthday. Of course we had no school. Alan, Isaac and I decided to go to Monarto Zoo. This is like a mini safari....you ride in a bus throughout huge enclosures where the animals run free. Cheetah, Lion, Wild Dogs (Cape Hunting Dogs), Hyena, giraffe, zebra and lots of other animals. Not as good as the African Safaris that I have been on when visiting my family in South Africa, but still fun and Isaac enjoyed himself thoroughly. Ouma and Oupa (my mum and dad) came too. It was a nice day with a picnic lunch, a tour on the bus and then to end the day....a camel ride. We thought Isaac would be way too scared....but he informed us that in no way was he scared and he even put the helmet on without any problems. So below you can see some pictures of Alan, Isaac and I going on our camel ride. It was fun, even though I felt nervous! I have been on quite a few but always feel nervous when riding some sort of animal!

Here is a picture of one of the giraffe on the bus tour through the zoo. This is a picture my mum took from the window of the bus. Yes, the giraffe was REALLY close to the window and looking in. It was great. Isaac loved how close the giraffe got. This is really how close it was! This is not enlarged!

Obviously these cheetahs are NOT real. Hehe. This is just some of the pictures they have posted around the zoo. Mum took a photo of Isaac and I posing....obviously...hehe

Another one....with a rhino.....NO NOT real! Hehe

I forgot to bring my camera but can imagine mum has more photos than just these ones that she sent me........

Mum and dad leave for Africa in a week from today...for about 6 weeks. They are going for Pastoral Ministry (yep, mum and dad are Pastors)...and for a part holiday to see mum's family since mum is South African. They will be going to different sections within Africa.......Tanzania and Mosembeak (sp?)

Anyway, no other news right now. Life carries on....trying to get some more shifts at work and more appointments...ah yes....another follow up haematology appointment on Friday....and then an ENT follow up and then a dermatology....in the next few weeks.

Update again soon,

Love Charisse