Diane goes for a ride

The latest from DMo this AM:

"I'm wiped out. I need a lot of sleep right now. I'm trying to get caught up with "my stuff " in the am-after that-I gotta rest and sleep. Phone calls are good-I just can't talk for very long.

After visiting the surgeon Chad took me for a ride-that was so great-it was beautiful yesterday-and he took me to a Stewarts Root beer Stand-with car hops!!!! I had a gigantic root beer float-ate all of it! We ordered...kielbasa sandwich, 3 perogies, 1 chili dog, 1 plain dog, french fries, onion rings and 1 large root beer. We brought all that stuff home-I had 1 bite of everything-Chad ate all the rest. Then we both slept-and I think Chad went into a food coma-he's still sleeping!"

Diane is making her follow up rounds with the surgeon and others, she needs to start the Gleevac soon.

Resting at home

Diane went home Sat evening, and is resting and adjusting to home life. Chad brought her some waffles, which tasted very spicy to her new taste buds.

We're all glad she's out of the hospital, and heading for her next stage of recovery.

There's no place like home

As of 1 p.m., Diane was still being prepped for release. They took out the sutures and most of the remaining tubes this morning. There are a few more things to do, including plenty of paperwork and doctors' instructions on what's next. Once that's all through, Cari will take her home and get her settled.

We don't know how soon D-Mo will see the blog for the first time, but keep your comments and good vibrations coming. She won't be ready for visitors for a week or so, and she'll gradually catch up on voicemails and emails.

We're looking forward to posting the next update, once we hear she's home safe and sound.

Free at last?

Today is Diane's first day without antibiotics. She passed "all their f-ing tests" yesterday, her white blood cell count is normal and if she stays fever-free overnight they're going to release her in the morning. Woohoo!

Her taste is still off: most foods taste chalky or too salty or have no flavor at all. Raisins and carrot cake taste spicy, "The frosting was fine, but the cake was so spicy I thought I was on fire." D-Mo is going to wait about a week to see if her over-/under-sensitivity resolves before taking any medical steps.

She doesn't have any instructions from her doctor yet, but but expects "my life will be totally different." For one thing, Diane will be shopping for new clothes. Her tumor officially weighed in at 17 pounds, plus she lost additional weight by not eating for two weeks. Wait till you see her high cheekbones! She's also kicked her smoking jones. And once all the tubes are out, she's looking forward to "zipping around like Zippy the Pinhead."

Diane says, "I'm very happy. I wanna go home and wanna get back to my life." She won't be ready for visitors for a week or two, as she wants to get settled in, catch up on paperwork and figure out what she needs to do and what she's able to do.

We'll continue to use this space for updates and will shout out if D-Mo needs any help.

Today is Chad's birthday, he's working today, DJ-ing tonight, and looking forward to seeing his mom in a more relaxed setting than the hospital. Diane's release will be a nice gift!

Thursday's Update

Diane is close to getting sprung from the hospital. Her various doctors are trying to agree on when to pull her "tower of drugs", but there's a real good chance she can get sent home this weekend. She underwent another CAT scan last night to make sure everything's tight, she should hear today.

Diane has a question for the blog: Her sense of taste is wacky, nothing tastes like it should, and she wants to know if others have had the same issue after hospitalization. Folks we know have had a period of adjustment after not eating for a long time.

Maybe it's just the hospital food.

A welcome phone call

Diane called this morning, first time since pre-hospital. She sounded really upbeat and had a lot of good news. She's having her first solid food today and if that goes well she'll be able to go home on Friday. She'll also get unplugged from the "tower of drugs" this afternoon.

Yesterday, "I had farina, yogurt and some crappy custard -- I couldn't eat it! And I had imitation Jell-O. I need the real thing!" I bet she'd rather have margaritas with her fellow pool rats.

D-Mo's blood pressure has been fluctuating and her cardiologist is on the case. Diane says, "It goes up or down due to emotion more than anything." It spikes if she's "pissed off -- if, say, a jerky nurse comes in." Fortunately, Diane gets along with practically everyone who crosses her path, though there is an exception or two.

She'll see her main doctor, Dr. Forte, in a month or so, "and start dealing with the cancer stuff."

D sends her best to everyone and says thanks for all the good wishes. She'll be reaching out more and more as she grows stronger and feels better.

A message from Mike Lee and Rebecca Harris-Lee for families of students

Dear Students of Diane Moser:



As most of you know Diane does not get paid for teaching when she is not

teaching - there are no sick days! Please join us in insisting that the

lessons missed during her medical leave need not be made up. Any good

employer would continue to pay through this medical leave and she is much

more than an employee to us. She treats our child as her own family and as

such we plan to pay her in full for lessons in May with no deduction for

lessons missed in April. Please reply to this post with an "I will" so that

she knows to bill you in full for May.



- Mike Lee & Rebecca Harris-Lee