No answers yet!

- August 13, 2012

Wow this has been a busy week and we are getting closer to answers about my fevers. Tuesday I had a urethra dilation because of complications from my cancer radiation 23 years ago. I spent the morning in a local hospital where I worked 23 years ago. My urologist told me" I have a urethra from hell." He spent over an hour on trying to find my bladder and then finally found it and put a foley catheter in which will stay for at least 3 weeks he said! I thought 3 days was enough--but I am getting used to it and the good thing is I can drink as much iced tea as I want and not have to go to the bathroom every hour! Ha! To sleep straight through the night is also a new experience!

I went to see the infectious disease doctor this week and she thinks I have TB--not pulmonary--so I am not contagious--but somewhere in my body. So more tests were run and I am going for a CT scan tomorrow which they will compare to the one done in April in Zimbabwe to see if there are still lymph nodes there and if so they will biopsy one to find out what is going on for sure.

This week my fevers were better but still a lot of fatgue. I was able to go to our local fair and walk around to see the flowers and the hall where they try and sell you things! I had my picture taken with President Obama and wife as you can see! That was fun. Also ran into Bob and Rose Coibion--Chidamoyo alumni who were down from Sacramento area visiting friends and family. Bob spent 3 months with us this year doing building projects and also did more building of shelving units for the new building he did after he got back home and put in the container on the way to us now! How great to run into them!

Also it has been a warmer week here so have been sitting out in the sun and enjoying the heat and yesterday went swimming which was nice. Everyone heads indoors for the airconditioning and I sit outside enjoying the warm weather! Getting me ready for summer in Zimbabwe which will be on its way soon!

I have enjoyed having lunch with old friends and people who have come to Zimbabwe and celebrated with my brother Dennis and sister-in-law Kathy Rose their 38th wedding anniversary on Friday night.

This weekend I was scheduled to fly to Long Beach in southern California to celebrate the 85th birthday of Jim Minnis, my former forwarding agent and a 5 time alumni of Chidamoyo! Unfortunately, I had to cancel and miss all the fun until I feel better. He had a great party and over 100 people came. I hope to be able to fly down and be with them soon!

I went to both services at church today and enjoying seeing a lot of my church family. Afterwards I went with Bob and Rose and Mike and Rita Runyan for a wonderful Mexican food lunch. My doctor I saw this week asked me if I am losing weight and I said I was until I got here to the US and she said "yes, that is what we are famous for!"

This week I also got together with nurses I worked with here 23 years ago. Most are still working or nearing retirement so it was great to have a wonderful lunch with them and get caught up with everyones life!

I'll be in touch as I learn more. It was great talking to old friends on the phone this week and making plans to hopefully see people before I return. The date for return is on hold for now--but I keep dreaming of returning soon to Zimbabwe! I am very much homesick and almost have my shopping list done!