July 21 -- After Leslie activated the "network" yesterday to send birthday messages my way, she still had one surprise up her sleeve. When I arrived home at about 6:30 - bearing the spectacular birthday feast our friend Lindsey had prepared for us - Leslie was looking weak and short of breath. Even before I put down the food, I'd asked if she was OK.


It turned out she'd already put in a call to her doctor to report being short of breath. Amazingly, her trusted surgeon and wonderful PA were still in the office and diverted us from a an ER trip, bringing us into the empty clinic.

Leslie's lungs sounded good, but they wanted to get a new CT scan to rule out new embolisms (hard to imagine on her mega-dose of blood thinners). Dr. Yamada demonstrated her clout by getting Leslie into a private room instantly, and we wheeled across from clinic to hospital.

Emily wonderfully packed up my birthday dinner and brought it to us...arriving just in time for them to tell Leslie she wasn't allowed any food. Thankfully, Leslie didn't mind if I ate, so I enjoyed Lindsey's perfectly cooked pork tenderloin and sides, and Emily's carrot cake.


They picked up Leslie for the CT scan around 11:15 and we were back in the room by midnight (bonus: the icy CT labs have heated blankets). Due to a hospital-wide shortage of cots, I slept on the floor until 3 am, when they turned up a cot (not sure I want to know what causes a cot to become available at that hour). Leslie didn't sleep well, and the first round of med students arrived for rounds at 6:30, so we will both doze today, I expect.


The CT scan looks fine, so the good news is no emboli. Of course, that makes Leslie just what my brother-in-law Joe says you don't want to be, when it comes to doctors - interesting. The first doctor to visit said they want to keep Leslie overnight once more for precaution (releasing her tomorrow straight to chemo, we imagine), but it's not official until we hear from Dr. Yamada.


Locals, check in with me as the day progresses. If we do have to stay, visits might be welcome!


On the other hand, given the 100 degree heat and our underpowered home window AC units, staying here does seem like an extreme but effective way of keeping cool!

Update!

Home again! They didn't find any reason for the shortness of breath,  > but ruled out all the nasty possibilities, and addressed a shortage of  > electrolytes they discovered along the way. My breathing has eased  > up, and both David and I are looking forward to a good night's sleep  > before tomorrow's chemo.

June 7 -- Woo hoo! Leslie's being sprung! On the hottest day of the year so far...98 with a heat index of 104.

We will retreat to the air conditioned bedroom and sip iced tea and eat Popsicles.

After recovery time from the transport, Ms. Hornig will be receiving visitors in her salon. Those able to ignore clutter are warmly invited.

June 6 -- I'm spelling David in his role as daily correspondent. (not really; you've already gotten his report)

Happy to say that I am feeling very much on the upswing today. Recovery got off to a good start, then took a left turn into the land of blood clots, poorly controlled high blood pressure, and accompanying shortness of breath and enervation. Today feels way better, and I'm finally to the point of anticipating with pleasure going home in the next day or two. And I'm finally eating!

David has been an absolute champ throughout this difficult time. He's quick to supply a cool washcloth when I need it -- and trust me when I say that going cold turkey on the estrogen is no picnic. He supports me on walks, takes care of all manner of small details, comes back to hospital late at night when I need a kiss and a hug, runs interference with the hospital staff, washes my hair, and even is mastering giving me shots of blood thinner!

He is absolutely holding to his wedding vows -- the part about in sickness as well as health -- and I couldn't be more grateful to and for him.

Reading your emails, talking to you on the phone, and visiting with those of you nearby is a great lift. Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts.

June 6 -- Sorry not to send an update last night. While most primary teachers know 16 ways to get out of participating in PE, Leslie apparently missed that professional development course and was found yesterday to have two pulmonary embolisms. Her blood pressure had been rising, and she was short of breath after doing far less than she'd done the day before, so they sent her down to CT.

We were quite a scene in the hallway outside the scan, waiting for transport back to the room. It was freezing cold, and both of us were wrapped in multiple blankets, looking like refugees in Siberia.

Last night, she felt miserable, so I came back in and slept in her room. Today, she is 1000% better - has an appetite, went for a good walk, even had a sponge bath and hair wash (amazing what that will do for attitude). For those thinking about an iPad, here's an unheralded function: you can use the front camera like a mirror, for brushing hair! What will they think of next?

Treatment for the PEs is upping the dose of blood thinner, so they want to keep Leslie one more night to see how she responds to that, and if her BP comes down to stay. Cross fingers for good numbers and going home tomorrow, though with a forecast of 90s and humid, maybe the air conditioned hospital is the place to be!

Leslie plans on writing directly to all of you this morning. Stand by.

June 4 -- Even Goldilocks only had to sleep in three beds. When I go in tomorrow morning, we'll see whether I find Leslie in the room where I left her tonight, or in another, one corridor over. Somewhere around midday today, Leslie started feeling that her heart was pounding, and in looking into this the doctors heard Leslie's long-standing PVC (premature ventricular contraction). It's been well explored and no one seems especially worried about it, but given everything else, the doctors wanted to keep an eye on it -- by transferring Leslie to a bed in the cardiac unit where they can do overnight cardiac monitoring.

This would be Leslie's fourth bed -- the first was tooooo hard. No, wait a minute. The first was a single room equipped for radiation therapy, and was needed for that purpose. The second was a double room that they'd promised would be blocked as a single for Leslie, but they needed the extra bed. The third has been perfect, and she likely would have been released from there had they not wanted to watch her pulse...and she may still be. When I left at 9:30 tonight, they had yet to find a cardiac bed for her. Chances are good that, in true hospital fashion, they'll wake Leslie in the middle of the night to move her.

In any case, Leslie is likely to be released tomorrow sometime. She has accomplished the key task required for release...and this is where fourth graders come in. To get out of the hospital, you must...fart. Do not pass gas, do not collect $200. To put this in terms Leslie would appreciate, she was until this afternoon like Sarah Palin -- she talked a good game about boosting domestic gas production, she just didn't actually accomplish the task. No longer, though.

Not much new today, otherwise. They are still tweaking Leslie's pain meds, but mostly she's comfortable except in two situations -- when she burps (fourth graders ride again!) and when I make her laugh. These both cause painful spasms. One of these stimuli can be easily controlled; now, if only there was a blocker for humor.

More wonderful visits today; much appreciated and will be even more important in the days to come cooped up at home. Leslie still tires easily, but she's good about saying when she's worn out.

More soon! Thanks for all the "karma rockets" headed our way.

June 3 -- Today was a combination of not much happening and lots happening. At the start of the day, Leslie was connected to an IV line, catheter and an epidural painkiller line. This afternoon, she is tube free...unconnected. This morning, Leslie was on clear liquids, now she no diet restrictions (though not a huge appetite). She's been for two good, long walks, the first with a nurse and the second just with Emily and me and a friend.

The switch to oral pain meds has her a little sleepy, but when she's up she's quite alert and upbeat. She's had really nice visits today, friends and colleagues, including one who brought a very thoughtful selection of science and gardening magazines.

The best odds are on going home Sunday. Tomorrow is an outside possibility, though only if Leslie is eager to go home, which she isn't. Monday is possible if recovery slows at all.

Four people today have said how great Leslie looks -- two doctors and two laypeople. I tend to agree, but I think I'm a non-objective observer. It's good to hear from others.

That's the news from Camp Leslie, where all the women are strong, good looking and above average.

June 2 -- Not much new to report this morning. Dr. Yamada doesn't expect to have the pathology report until next Wednesday at earliest, a long time to wait but as my friend Jeff (Chief of Surgery here and former bandmate in "Supreme Pontiff") says, Leslie's job right now is to heal from the surgery; all else will come in time.

Leslie slept pretty well and is looking forward to having her nasal tube out this morning. This will make her more comfortable and significantly easier to kiss. Pain level is pretty low and her goal for today is to walk a bit. I hope she'll be ready for visitors this afternoon!

June 1 -- Not a lot new to report, but I expect that some of you may be eager for an update.

Leslie had a comfortable night once they got her into a private room around 12:45 am. I stayed here, on a cot, and can testify to the usual hospital hourly wake-ups. The strangest was an intake interview at 2:30, with questions about drug and alcohol use, if she felt safe at home, and more. I assume this has to be completed within a window after admission, but I'm not sure I'd trust 2:30 am answers!

That said, the staff here is great - friendly, warm, efficient, skilled.

We saw the surgeon early, but without any new answers except her confidence that she had removed everything necessary. We still await the pathology report to know if she is fighting one source or two.

Leslie has been lucid and chipper, except after a medication for itching from the bandages, which made her sleepy and a bit loopy. Her pain level is very low, and she was enjoying music and email on her new iPad!

She met her goal for today this afternoon - sitting up in a chair (and getting herself to and from it). Big "ups" to Jessica for training her into fighting trim; she is already eager for your perfect balance of push and encourage.

She should start being ready for visitors or calls tomorrow. More as I know it.

May 31 -- It was a very long surgery for Leslie, but she came through it well. She was still in post-op recovery when we came home for the night, but her doctor reported that she'd done very well, and wouldn't need to spend the night in the ICU.

They found the anticipated uterine cancer, but also found what the doctor called "intra-abdominal spread" that may indicate another cancer. The pathology report will take a day or two to process, so next steps won't be clear for a little while, though an aggressive chemo course is anticipated. The doctor was confident that she was able to remove all visible growths, very important to prognosis and recovery.

I'll be in early tomorrow morning. I hope in time for rounds, and the doctor expects Leslie to be pretty alert. At that point, since you all know Leslie well, you can anticipate that she'll begin asking the questions and directing strategy!

More as we know it, and thanks again for your messages and thoughts.