Thursday, January 24, 2008

Thoughts on Wegmans (again!)

Well, I had previously posted about Wegmans, and I won't retract all that I said---I still can't see myself coming out of there with a cart full of groceries. I prefer to shop for most of my groceries elsewhere. BUT, I was searching for the phone number for the pharmacy at our local Wegmans store, and when I googled "Wegmans," I saw that my blog came up as one of the top searches. I want to make sure I give Wegman's a "fair shake" in case people google them and find my blog! I have to say that their photo processing area has become my favorite place to get prints of my digital photos. I LOVE their area there. They have some of the fastest computers (for photo processing) in the area, and a new and different and FAST and efficient way of editing all my photographs (I usually wait until I need to clean off my memory card, so then I need to edit and process sometimes over 200 photographs!)---and they have chairs to sit on during the processing! Another good thing about Wegmans: Their food is BEAUTIFUL in their marketplace area! (even if you don't buy any!) A feast for the eyes! Some of their prices are very competitive, so it is possible to get some decent bargains there. Also, as noted on Anna's JRA blog, they are able to order in injectable Methotrexate (when my usual pharmacy in a competing grocery store didn't even try to see if they could order it). Another good aspect . . . if you want some Asian food, but don't want or need a whole lot, they have an Asian bar/buffet, where you can take as much or as little as you want to (and eat in their lovely cafe area!)

Monday, January 14, 2008

Hope for Eye Cancer . . . clarifying some of the details

It was so nice to receive an e-mail or two from Melanie Gilbert, thanking me for including my mom's story in my blog. She was so helpful in giving me some clarification on some details which have become fuzzy in my mind (and my mom lives an hour away from me, so she wasn't here as I was typing, so I had no one to remind me of some names). My mom's surgery for her ocular melanoma was performed by Dr. Jerry or Dr. Carol Shields (I can't remember which one was my mom's surgeon). I just know that both Dr. Shields are some of the foremost experts in their field, having written books and articles galore! The name of the Eye Institute is the Wills Eye Institute, in Philadelphia. I went to visit my mom there while she was being treated. It's not too difficult to find (even though I took a wrong turn at one point and ended up crossing the bridge to New Jersey before turning around!). Melanie also gave me some two links to share. If people are looking for stories of hope for eye cancer, or uveal melanoma, or ocular melanoma stories and information, try www.seeacure.com, or http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ChoroidalMelanoma/ .

Some of you may also have noticed the comment on my last blog by a another eye cancer survivor named Lynne. I will start a new list of links on the left side of this blog, for anyone looking for hope after eye cancer diagnosis. Please feel free to comment or e-mail! I can't always promise that I will reply immediately, but I do so very much appreciate the feedback!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Hope for Ocular Malignant Melanoma Diagnosis

Several years ago, my mom went for a regular eye checkup. She needed new glasses. Upon examination, her eye doctor said he saw what appeared to be a "freckle" on her retina, and advised that she make an appointment with a retina specialist in town. The retina specialist gave a thorough exam, and immediately referred her to the best eye specialists in the country (at the Philadelphia Eye Institute), because he said she had malignant ocular melanoma. Well, any diagnosis using the words "malignant" and "melanoma" is scary to say the least! Never having heard of such a diagnosis, I immediately set out to research this on the Internet. Every website I found (personal and professional) offered very dire information. The majority of personal websites (this was before blogging became popular) were basically websites in memory of a loved one who had died after a short journey with ocular melanoma. I told Mom, "Don't research this on the Internet until you talk to the specialists!"

Very long story made short: Mom received treatment for the melanoma. The specialists placed a tiny piece of radioactive plaque right onto the tumor itself for a short period of time. Although a recuperation period was inevitable, Mom did very well. Her tumor shrunk (and has continued to shrink . . . the specialists say this is excellent---they didn't want the tumor to shrink too quickly or too slowly). She has continued to travel to Philadelphia for a regular check up. Her latest checkup was Wednesday, and everything continues to look fine! (several years later).

The retina specialist and the specialists in Philadelphia told Mom that every detail was so "lucky." (We're people of faith, and we prefer to see it as God's plan for this situation--I don't believe in "luck.") Many people do not get a diagnosis until the melanoma has advanced far worse than Mom's little "freckle" on the retina. We were "lucky" that Mom went in for a regular eye exam when she did. We were "lucky" that the retina specialist was well acquainted with the experts at the Philadelphia Eye Institute, who had written books and are still on the cutting edge of treating ocular melanoma. We were "lucky" that my parents live within three hours of Philadelphia and not across the country.

As an extended family, we were sitting around the dinner table weeks ago, and talking about Mom's ocular melanoma, and I was telling everyone about the Internet research that offered no hope at all. I was saying "Someone needs to put information out there that offers hope---telling stories of people who have survived and thrived after such a diagnosis. The general consensus at the table was that maybe I should do that! While I don't really have enough time or information to do a blog or website entirely about hope after a diagnosis of malignant ocular melanoma, I can at least tell the short version of the story in this blog, and hope that interested people will be able to find it. There is HOPE! Ocular melanoma is not necessarily a death sentence.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Happy New Year!


First blog post of 2008! I finally feel rested up after an exhausting month of December! So many things going on, and almost too many things for which I was responsible. There were times right before Christmas when I thought I should probably get some sleep, but I had too much adrenaline, and couldn't rest. Christmas was different this year, since Mom ended up going to the local emergency room for some intestinal problems. At least she didn't need surgery, as some of us were thinking she might, and she's much better now! Tracey and Donna and I (along with help from hubbies and kids) were able to get Christmas dinner together and on the table, and we tried to be good hosts to the various relatives who came by. Mom said later that she was feeling so badly that she actually didn't even worry about any of the details taking place (she left for the ER after Christmas Dinner was over), or whether we got everything accomplished. She said later that we did a fine job, but we told her we didn't want to do TOO good of a job without her!

I need to change some things next year (although right now I don't know quite what!). I just didn't feel in the right spirit for Christmas, and I wasn't in the right mood to truly celebrate Jesus--the Reason for the Season. Realizing and acknowledging that fact is the first step towards making some changes.

One good thing I was able to do this Christmas break was to convince some adults to create a Facebook page! I had set up an account several months ago, and at the time, I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. But Abby opened an account (I decided to get more involved so that we could learn the ropes together!), and as I developed my page and added more stuff, and explored some pages of people (and some applications that can be added), I realized that Facebook needs more adults, and more of a Christian presence. As my sister-in-law says---it provides accountability for our young teens and adults, knowing that their parents/aunts/uncles are also on-line. I like the networking aspect, and the fact that I can be in touch with nephews and nieces and let them know I'm thinking about them, and being a little more involved in their lives, even though we live a distance away. It's also been fun to connect with some college friends from the past.

Enough "chatting" here for tonight . . . I need to finish this and start my chat letter to family and friends. I skipped last week (I was on vacation!), but I need to get back into routine this week!