Saturday, September 27, 2008
It's a miracle!!!!!
Chris went to the house today, first time since the storm. OUR HOUSE DIDN'T FLOOD!!!! turns out our house is high enough, less than another foot of water would have done it. We are on 8 foot pilings. The breaker box was under water, as was the air conditioning unit so there are issues there. The big tree in the back yard(avocado) fell on and destroyed the fence and we lost a lot of roof tiles, but we have a place to live.
Friday, September 26, 2008
We're safe
Sorry it's been so long without an update.
We are safe, warm(cool) have food to eat, a place to sleep and are staying with people who love us. Chris and the bunnies and I have been here in Mineola for 11 days.
Today I went for my second chemo treatment while I've been here. Tyler is the closest place and Dr. Basile took me over. She is really great and so is the facility they have there. I've been really tired with the chemo and the stress of being homeless... I actually am tolerating the chemo pretty well. This last time I had a couple of days of "good" and felt good for the wedding of Matthew and Savannah on September 20. Yes, I danced at the reception. It was really nice and we had planned to come, just not under these circumstances. You should have seen me scooting around ( yes, I use a wheely cart) at Target looking for something to wear... I left Galveston with 2 changes of clothes and some pajamas - needless to say no wedding wear. Don't worry, I am no longer clothes-less I got a cute shirt and some socks from the Red Cross and Patti sent me some clothes fron El Paso. Thanks Patti!
Tomorrow, Chris is going back to Galveston to see what shape the house is in. Neither of us thinks it is gone... The question is how much of the stuff in it and the interior is ruined. Today Chris spent the day amassing all the stuff they recommend you bring with you, work boots, first aid, bug spray... He's in knots - understandable. Paul, my brother in law, bless him, is taking him back to Galveston and then to Michael's in Houston to pick up our car. Micheal and Donna have finally freed the cars from the blocked/jammed garage. I don't think they have power yet.
My school district and job are of concern. The district has said they are paying us at least to the end of the year, but they also have said that we may or may not start school on October 9. I am concerned about my treatments and naturally where we are to live if/when we go back. My mom is worried that with my compromised immunity that I shouldn't go back too soon. There are also rumors that my school will be closed and others open... All the housing projects on the island have been destroyed so we may not have any students. So much we don't know.
We do qualify for an hotel through FEMA but we're staying put. We should know a bit more after tomorrow.
We are safe, warm(cool) have food to eat, a place to sleep and are staying with people who love us. Chris and the bunnies and I have been here in Mineola for 11 days.
Today I went for my second chemo treatment while I've been here. Tyler is the closest place and Dr. Basile took me over. She is really great and so is the facility they have there. I've been really tired with the chemo and the stress of being homeless... I actually am tolerating the chemo pretty well. This last time I had a couple of days of "good" and felt good for the wedding of Matthew and Savannah on September 20. Yes, I danced at the reception. It was really nice and we had planned to come, just not under these circumstances. You should have seen me scooting around ( yes, I use a wheely cart) at Target looking for something to wear... I left Galveston with 2 changes of clothes and some pajamas - needless to say no wedding wear. Don't worry, I am no longer clothes-less I got a cute shirt and some socks from the Red Cross and Patti sent me some clothes fron El Paso. Thanks Patti!
Tomorrow, Chris is going back to Galveston to see what shape the house is in. Neither of us thinks it is gone... The question is how much of the stuff in it and the interior is ruined. Today Chris spent the day amassing all the stuff they recommend you bring with you, work boots, first aid, bug spray... He's in knots - understandable. Paul, my brother in law, bless him, is taking him back to Galveston and then to Michael's in Houston to pick up our car. Micheal and Donna have finally freed the cars from the blocked/jammed garage. I don't think they have power yet.
My school district and job are of concern. The district has said they are paying us at least to the end of the year, but they also have said that we may or may not start school on October 9. I am concerned about my treatments and naturally where we are to live if/when we go back. My mom is worried that with my compromised immunity that I shouldn't go back too soon. There are also rumors that my school will be closed and others open... All the housing projects on the island have been destroyed so we may not have any students. So much we don't know.
We do qualify for an hotel through FEMA but we're staying put. We should know a bit more after tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Hurricane Ike, Yikes!!!!
Sorry it has been so long since we have been able to blog.
We spent Saturday and Sunday at Michael's with Selena getting sicker with no air conditioning. About 5 million people were without power with an estimation of up to 4 weeks for full restoration. I called Selena's brother Steve on Saturday to come get Mum and take her back to Austin so she could fly back to Tampa, Florida on Monday, Sept 15 and I called my sister Lori on Saturday to ask if her husband Paul, could come and get me, Selena and our two bunnies. He got there about 4pm and took us about 250 North of Houston to a small town where I grew up called Mineola, Texas. My parents and my sister and her family live there. We got to my parent's house at 1030pm Sunday night. We spent Monday, September 15 at the American Red Cross Shelter in Mineola getting some clothes because we didn't pack very many. We also went to WalMart to get some food for Selena and the Bunnies. This evacuation has been hard on all of us but especially Selena and Coinin. Coinin has had a really upset tummy for days with really yucky 'skunky' diarrhea. Bet ya'll didn't know that bunnies have skunk glands! Selena hasn't been skunky but she's been really tired.... ;)
We live in a Storm Survivor house. This means that it survived the Great Storm of 1900 which to this day is the worst natural disaster to ever hit the United States. Between 8,000-12,000 people died on Sept 8, 1900 in a Category 4 Hurricane that almost wiped Galveston off the face of the earth. If our house survived that we felt pretty good about it being alright until we read in the Galveston Daily News that The East End Historical District where we live was hit very hard with most houses taking in 2-4 feet of water. If that is true then that means that there was 10-12 feet of water on the street. My house is built on 8 foot piers. I am sure the house is still standing just fine, but if it took in that much water, everything we own is going to be ruined. Oh well, it is just stuff. I did get all my photos and the title to my house, my insurance papers and my Macintosh with all my recent digital photos and music. I will miss my collection of Broadway CD recordings that I have collected over the last 20 years. I have about 1000. Maybe I can at least wash the discs off and rip them into my computer. If the water was that high the entire house will have to be gutted because the sheet rock will have 'wicked' the water all the way to ceiling and also started to mildew the wood. I sure am glad we left. There was never any doubt we would, but still, I thank God I am not there now with Selena. She is feeling pretty fatigued right now. Way too much stress. By the way, I am feeling pretty fatigued too...
That's all for now.
Qua'nisha still has a couple of videos she wants me to post.
THE STORM
We rode out the storm at my Michael's house. The power went out at 12:15AM on Saturday morning. The wind was unbelievable. It sounded like a thousand demons screeching outside. Things kept going 'thump' against the house. It was very hard to sleep even with very little sleep the night before and sleeping pills. We got up around 6am Saturday morning to a big thud. His house was hit very hard. Three trees fell on it. Two huge ones trapped the cars in his garage and one huge one leaned over onto it and punched a hole in the side and top of the roof and rain was leaking into the house. Another tree fell into the pool in the back yard and completely filled it.THE DAYS AFTER
We spent Saturday and Sunday at Michael's with Selena getting sicker with no air conditioning. About 5 million people were without power with an estimation of up to 4 weeks for full restoration. I called Selena's brother Steve on Saturday to come get Mum and take her back to Austin so she could fly back to Tampa, Florida on Monday, Sept 15 and I called my sister Lori on Saturday to ask if her husband Paul, could come and get me, Selena and our two bunnies. He got there about 4pm and took us about 250 North of Houston to a small town where I grew up called Mineola, Texas. My parents and my sister and her family live there. We got to my parent's house at 1030pm Sunday night. We spent Monday, September 15 at the American Red Cross Shelter in Mineola getting some clothes because we didn't pack very many. We also went to WalMart to get some food for Selena and the Bunnies. This evacuation has been hard on all of us but especially Selena and Coinin. Coinin has had a really upset tummy for days with really yucky 'skunky' diarrhea. Bet ya'll didn't know that bunnies have skunk glands! Selena hasn't been skunky but she's been really tired.... ;)
GALVESTON, OH GALVESTON
If you have been watching the news, Galveston was devastated. It will be weeks or maybe even more than a month before they will let people back onto the island. The mayor said it could even be longer than that before power, gas and water is restored. We are in limbo.We live in a Storm Survivor house. This means that it survived the Great Storm of 1900 which to this day is the worst natural disaster to ever hit the United States. Between 8,000-12,000 people died on Sept 8, 1900 in a Category 4 Hurricane that almost wiped Galveston off the face of the earth. If our house survived that we felt pretty good about it being alright until we read in the Galveston Daily News that The East End Historical District where we live was hit very hard with most houses taking in 2-4 feet of water. If that is true then that means that there was 10-12 feet of water on the street. My house is built on 8 foot piers. I am sure the house is still standing just fine, but if it took in that much water, everything we own is going to be ruined. Oh well, it is just stuff. I did get all my photos and the title to my house, my insurance papers and my Macintosh with all my recent digital photos and music. I will miss my collection of Broadway CD recordings that I have collected over the last 20 years. I have about 1000. Maybe I can at least wash the discs off and rip them into my computer. If the water was that high the entire house will have to be gutted because the sheet rock will have 'wicked' the water all the way to ceiling and also started to mildew the wood. I sure am glad we left. There was never any doubt we would, but still, I thank God I am not there now with Selena. She is feeling pretty fatigued right now. Way too much stress. By the way, I am feeling pretty fatigued too...
SELENA COMES FIRST
Today, Tuesday, September 16 I spent the morning on the phone with the three hospital systems in Tyler, Tx that have oncology divisions to see if any of them would be able to take Selena as a patient. Tyler is the closest 'big' city near us. I got one of them to take her without a consult/referral from her oncologist in Galveston. This is great considering I can't reach Dr. Markowitz. UTMB is in lock-down mode and it is not possible to page her doctor. We have an appointment with an oncologist this Thursday at 3pm. Hopefully they will take her and continue her treatment so she does not get behind.MEMBER OF THE WEDDING
That's all for now.
Qua'nisha still has a couple of videos she wants me to post.
Friday, September 12, 2008
"HUNKER DOWN"
That was the advice from the mayor of Houston. Thanks.
I evacuated Galveston at 1PM on Friday. When I got up at 7AM to finish prepping the house for the hurricane the water was already topping the Seawall and the Strand (our quaint little downtown) was flooding. There was also a lot of water coming out of the storm drains and flooding our street. That was 18+ hours before landfall!
Selena and Mum were doing fine in Houston with my brother Michael. It took me a little over two hours to get to Michael's house because I had to stop and change a tire along the way. I got a nail in the tire at some point either Thursday or very early Friday morning when I drove the car on my sidewalk and lawn to load the car because of the flooding in the street. The tire was still holding air well, but of course needed to be changed. There was NO traffic all the way to my brother house. No repeat of the awful evacuation of Rita in 2005.
Selena has been feeling OK. She is tolerating the new chemo fairly well. She is still very tired and fatigued. She slept most of the day.
Qua'nisha will have an update tomorrow.
I evacuated Galveston at 1PM on Friday. When I got up at 7AM to finish prepping the house for the hurricane the water was already topping the Seawall and the Strand (our quaint little downtown) was flooding. There was also a lot of water coming out of the storm drains and flooding our street. That was 18+ hours before landfall!
Selena and Mum were doing fine in Houston with my brother Michael. It took me a little over two hours to get to Michael's house because I had to stop and change a tire along the way. I got a nail in the tire at some point either Thursday or very early Friday morning when I drove the car on my sidewalk and lawn to load the car because of the flooding in the street. The tire was still holding air well, but of course needed to be changed. There was NO traffic all the way to my brother house. No repeat of the awful evacuation of Rita in 2005.
Selena has been feeling OK. She is tolerating the new chemo fairly well. She is still very tired and fatigued. She slept most of the day.
Qua'nisha will have an update tomorrow.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
I HATE HURRICANES
Selena and Donna left just a few minutes ago to head to north Houston to my brother Michael's house to be out of the path of Ike. Hurricane Ike is headed straight for Galveston as a Cat 2/3 possible weak 4. Expected storm surges up to 18 feet. Yuck. I am staying behind to prep the house and then leave early tomorrow morning. It is so hot outside I think I might just keel over from heat exhaustion putting the window boards up.
Chris
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Selena worked today!
"The vital components are Hydrobun and Oxybun..."
"And I sensed a great, infinite scream pass through nature."
"iBunny"
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Mum update
Well I finally commited myself to a return to Bradenton. Am going on Sept 15 as thats when my good friend Kathy B is off and can pick me up in Tampa. For those of you who have flown in and out of Tampa it can be very difficult to get all the way down to Bradenton without spending a fortune so I am very grateful that she is willing to come pick me up late at night.
So I am planning to try to work a bit at SMH and go to a conference as I need 75 CEU's to get/keep my certification with AANC, and get this they have changed the name AGAIN so I am now Donna M Gray PMHCNS-BC. That's a pia to write every time I sign anything. That stands for Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist- Board Certified. Sounds impressive but is only worth what you make of it.
The job at UTMB is on hold as they go thru some shuffling and downsizing, but they tell me they are interested and will get in touch soon.
Selena and I went and got manicures and pedicures on Friday and I also got some waxing done. I really like the shop so IF I do move I will have a place and an esthician to keep me pretty. Selena thinks my tattooed eyeliner is lovely but she wouldn't do it for anything. Me I love it and
as that esthician calls it I " wake up pretty".
Chris has been down the last 4 days but is up and out tonite and perhaps will clean the bunnies.
I made an alfredo dish with whole wheat rotinni noodles and ham, broccoli, carrots, and onions and parsley. It was yummy and everyone including Selena ate two helpings.
Am rereading or rehearing the Twilight series on my new ipod. The finale is soo good. Chris just finished it and he found it great also. Selena is stuck on book one, Twilight, but plans to hear more as soon as she can concentrate well enough to enjoy them. Becka tells me she is on book 2 New Moon and loving them. Sandy L has read the first three and plans to experience Breaking Dawn when she returns from Australia.
Tonite I have Selena's sewing machine out and am doing some mending and pant shortening for them and a bit of my own mending. Exciting life I lead. Whee!!!
So I am planning to try to work a bit at SMH and go to a conference as I need 75 CEU's to get/keep my certification with AANC, and get this they have changed the name AGAIN so I am now Donna M Gray PMHCNS-BC. That's a pia to write every time I sign anything. That stands for Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist- Board Certified. Sounds impressive but is only worth what you make of it.
The job at UTMB is on hold as they go thru some shuffling and downsizing, but they tell me they are interested and will get in touch soon.
Selena and I went and got manicures and pedicures on Friday and I also got some waxing done. I really like the shop so IF I do move I will have a place and an esthician to keep me pretty. Selena thinks my tattooed eyeliner is lovely but she wouldn't do it for anything. Me I love it and
as that esthician calls it I " wake up pretty".
Chris has been down the last 4 days but is up and out tonite and perhaps will clean the bunnies.
I made an alfredo dish with whole wheat rotinni noodles and ham, broccoli, carrots, and onions and parsley. It was yummy and everyone including Selena ate two helpings.
Am rereading or rehearing the Twilight series on my new ipod. The finale is soo good. Chris just finished it and he found it great also. Selena is stuck on book one, Twilight, but plans to hear more as soon as she can concentrate well enough to enjoy them. Becka tells me she is on book 2 New Moon and loving them. Sandy L has read the first three and plans to experience Breaking Dawn when she returns from Australia.
Tonite I have Selena's sewing machine out and am doing some mending and pant shortening for them and a bit of my own mending. Exciting life I lead. Whee!!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Selena was sick all day
Selena did not feel well today and did not make it to school to work her 1/2 day. :(
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Not so good day
Yesterday we went to the emergency room (Gastrointestinal tract issues-which can be serious) but it turned out to be nothing. They were very nice to me there and put me in a private room so I wouldn't catch anything, but "fun" I wouldn't call it.
I slept all day today and my joints are achy -yes, they warned me about that as a side effect from the Paclitaxol. Got a headache too. Got up to try to prep for tomorrow(I go back to work 1/2 time) and the remote system into my school district isn't working. Guess I'll be tap dancing... No, I do have a plan, but I wanted to hand out some papers including my syllabus and some permission slips.
When I woke up (the first time) today Coinin was in the living room! For those of you who know our bunnies, this is a major development. Since Toki died two years ago there has be NO adventurousness in the bunnies, so this is big... Shortly after he saw me he scampered back to his own turf. I was so proud (sniff).
I slept all day today and my joints are achy -yes, they warned me about that as a side effect from the Paclitaxol. Got a headache too. Got up to try to prep for tomorrow(I go back to work 1/2 time) and the remote system into my school district isn't working. Guess I'll be tap dancing... No, I do have a plan, but I wanted to hand out some papers including my syllabus and some permission slips.
When I woke up (the first time) today Coinin was in the living room! For those of you who know our bunnies, this is a major development. Since Toki died two years ago there has be NO adventurousness in the bunnies, so this is big... Shortly after he saw me he scampered back to his own turf. I was so proud (sniff).
Friday, September 5, 2008
Good day...
Yesterday I had my first dose/course of Paclotaxil and although it made me feel a little asthmatic, I tolerated it well. This was the 1st of 12 weekly trips to Paclotaxil land.
Today was pretty good. I had more energy than I have had for a while. Mum and I went for manicures and pedicures (I was very careful and wouldn't let Amy trim my cuticles!) then for lunch at Queen's BBQ and THEN to the library. Even when I got home and tried to nap (I felt like I should) I had trouble going to sleep! Maybe the steroids they gave me with the chemo are still doing their thing. The doctor said the side effects for this kind of chemo start 2-3 days in. I'm hopeful I won't have any. I start work 1/2 time next week and am hoping today is a trend...
Today was pretty good. I had more energy than I have had for a while. Mum and I went for manicures and pedicures (I was very careful and wouldn't let Amy trim my cuticles!) then for lunch at Queen's BBQ and THEN to the library. Even when I got home and tried to nap (I felt like I should) I had trouble going to sleep! Maybe the steroids they gave me with the chemo are still doing their thing. The doctor said the side effects for this kind of chemo start 2-3 days in. I'm hopeful I won't have any. I start work 1/2 time next week and am hoping today is a trend...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Selena the Cat
Selena moves from place to place to sleep like a kitty cat. . .
Selena the Kitty in the chair . . .
Good couch Kitty . . .
Back to bed sweet kitty . . . >^..^< :)
Selena's Excellent Adventures
Selena felt good on Monday Monday, Sept 1 and Tuesday, Sept 2. Like Qua'nisha said in her video blog, we were very glad that Gustav missed us. Selena was in no shape to evacuate...
Selena's Excellent Adventure for Monday: She was able to sit through the ENTIRE movie CARS by PIXAR. We really enjoyed the movie and it was exciting that Selena was able to concentrate through the entire move and pick out the cute little details that they put in the movie.
Selena's Excellent Adventure for Tuesday: Selena went to get a massage with her chemo massage therapist. We ate steak for dinner (gotta give her protein) and then she took a shower and I shaved her head and gave her a foot massage.
We have Dr. Markowitz the oncologist tomorrow to start the next phase of the chemo: Paclitaxol.
Let's hope it will not be as bad a Phase I.
Peace and Blessings to you all.
Alegria
Ramadan Mubarak
Selena's Goodies II ~ Dr. Hope
This is the second gift the my sister Lori and her husband Paul and two daughters Ashley and Emily sent to Selena.
He name is Dr. Hope and she is a bunny surgeon that they sent to help take care of Selena while she has cancer and also to give her hope. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gift that it made me cry when I saw it. Thank you Lori, Paul, Ashley and Emily!!!
Selena's Goodies I ~ The Notebook
This is a beautiful notebook that Lori and the girls made for Selena to keep track of all of her cancer related information. She had a smaller notebook that she had already filled up. She had underestimated how much information we were going to be collecting. It is sometimes VERY overwhelming. Lori said in her note that she was sorry that the notebook was so big. It is GREAT that it is so big.
It is pink on the outside and has a big HOPE button on it. It has a big velcro pocket on the outside and it zips close. It has a handle to make it easy to carry to the myriad of doctor appointments and chemo treatments
It has little pockets on the inside of the front and back to hold pens and pencils and other stuff (like Kleenex and chapstick) and a pencil bag at the bag.It is a really thoughtful gift and Selena really appreciated it. She certainly will get a lot of use out of it.
Monday, September 1, 2008
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