3/25/18

This has been a week of highs and lows.  I want to start with the highs--because that should always be our focus in life!  Right?!

Last Monday we finally had a free day to do some sightseeing.  We visited the New York City Library in midtown.  What an amazing building.  The artwork in the museum is like a library.  The Rose Reading room is as long as a football field.
 I was enchanted by some of the book bags in the gift shop.  (Yes a gift shop in the library).  The quotes on them made me think of Rachelle and her love of books, libraries and reading.

 Is this not a perfect vision of paradise?                                                                                                                                                                                   More people should heed the advice to think before they speak.


Right behind the library is Bryant Park.  This is the location where Chad, Scott and Rachel went ice skating.  The rink is now gone, as you can see below.  It is now dirt, but I suspect they are putting in sod for the summer.

 After Bryant Park we ate at Whole Foods and then rode the subway to the 9/11 Memorial.  We weren't allowed to take photos inside the museum,  but it was fascinating.  We spent more than two hours there.  It was both sobering and inspiring.  The ponds outside are in the exact "footprint" of the two towers.  The museum actually goes under the south pond.  You can see remnants of pillars and foundations.   Spencer is standing in front of some of the metal pieces. 

On Wednesday we had our 4th Nor'easter in the last three weeks, or as some fun weather forecasters called it the "Four'easter".  This time we got about 7" of snow here.  But out on Long Island they had 20".  The side picture is when I had to venture out into the storm.  It was hard walking with the wind and storm blowing in my face!
There were two fun stories on the news on Wednesday night.  Schools were closed that day.  One was of a couple of policemen who engaged in a snowball fight with the kids in the neighborhood.  The kids were really pouncing them good.  After the fight ended, the policemen passed retrieved a bag of mittens and gloves from their patrol car and passed them out to the kids.  Another story showed a policeman lying on the ground beside a little kid while they both made snow angels.  Great PR for the police who took time to enjoy the snow and bond with children on their beats.

Unfortunately for me, I had a doctor's appointment that day.  I rode the bus across the park and walked about 10 minutes to the office.  It was snowing hard, but I trudged on.  I'm glad I went.  It was determined that I would benefit by moving forward with the septoplasty surgery--repairing my nasal septum and trimming the sinus cavities and reconstructing some so that I wouldn't continue having recurrent sinus infections.  It was scheduled for Tuesday the 27th.  I was glad to have a plan because I'm really tired of having so many infections.

The next step was my pre-op appointment to be cleared for surgery-- for blood work, EKG, and chest x-ray.  I did that on Friday morning.  By Friday afternoon I received a phone call from Dr. Ian Storper (ENT doctor) and later the PA from the pre-op appointment informing me that I was NOT a candidate for surgery.  Dr. Storper was very concerned.  He had already called a Hematologist, determined that he would take Medicare and called in some favors so that he would see me next week instead of the typical several weeks out for a new patient appointment with a specialist in NYC.  It was very challenging getting the actual appointment made.  I have to return to ENT on Monday to sign a release of information form so that the blood work can be sent to the Hematologist.

What I was told was that my blood work is indicative of CLL or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.  For those of you who are numbers people, here are the numbers shared with me over the phone (I hope I wrote them down correctly--I'll get an actual copy tomorrow).  My hemoglobin is 8.9 (norms are 12-15), hematocrit 28.9 (norms 34-45), platelets 65 (norm 115-400) and RBC 2.42 (norms 3.8-5.5).

I will see the hematologist, Dr. Gregory Mears, on Wednesday at 1 PM.  I don't anticipate that I will have lots of answers on Wednesday.   I suspect I will undergo additional testing--probably a bone marrow test and more blood work.

This has been very sobering and I have felt somewhat weepy on occasion.  But most of the time I try to stay upbeat and either distract myself or look at the positive.  I'm in Manhattan where specialists are available and known to be highly skilled.  I know everything is in the Lord's hands.  But I have the responsibility to follow through and meet the situation head on.  I appreciate the addition of your faith and prayers in my behalf.

Love,
Jeanine