Tuesday, August 18, 2009

and the wait continues...

I ended up taking Ty down to PCMC yesterday. I couldnt get a hold of her dr and ended up having them page the resident on call. I didnt know what else to do and was at my wits end.

The Dr I spoke with was very nice... said that was odd for her to swell up and wanted her to be seen but the ENT dr's werent in clinic. He told me to bring her down to the ER and we'd meet him there.

On the way down our regular Dr's nurse called me and said he called her and told her some different things to do and I told her that we were already heading down there and we were meeting with the resident. She called the Dr back and he said that was a good idea. Right when I got off the phone with her, the resident called back and said he spoke with Dr Muntz and he wanted us to meet the resident in the clinic so we didnt have the wait or the expense. Sounds good to me!

Within 5 minutes of us getting there the Dr came in... looked at her, had her do some facial excersises, etc. He said that the little bit (less than 25%) they had to leave due to where is sat with the nerves didnt shrivel up and die, but instead is trying to work and now has an infection. He wants her on meds for 10 days and then back to see the surgeon in 2 wks and we will see then what he wants to do.

The whole thing is odd... I still dont ever hear of this and of course it's my daughter who has the problem... so I guess nothing should suprise me. I am wondering if he is going to want to go back in and remove the remainder of the gland, but I guess we will cross that bridge when we get there.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Breast Cancer Night at the Raptors

Longtime Ogden Raptor fan raising money to fight cancer costs
By Roy Burton
Standard-Examiner staff

OGDEN -- Kathy Gallegos opened her home to the Ogden Raptors. Now the Raptors are opening their home to her.
Gallegos and a group of fellow cancer patients are raising money to cover medical expenses and related costs by asking for donations for tickets to the Raptors game on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at Lindquist Field.
The Raptors will take on the Helena Brewers at 7 p.m. that night, but the fight against cancer continues every day.
Gallegos, a 51-year-old breast cancer patient from Layton, had a bilateral masectomy last November and began chemotherapy in January. She completed chemo July 1 and began radiation treatments this week.
Gallegos and her husband Mike, longtime Raptors fans and season-ticket holders, hosted Ogden players in their home in 2004 and 2005, including Ramon Troncoso, now a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"We've sponsored players, we've sold food from our family restaurant, from (Manuel's) El Burrito, at the Raptors' stadium for one season and we've since then become tailgating fans," Kathy Gallegos said, and they continue to hold tailgate parties at Lindquist Field before Saturday games.
Wednesday's fundraiser will benefit Gallegos and four other families she knows through her employment at the Internal Revenue Service. The group is asking for a $5 donation for each general admission ticket and is starting a foundation called Saving Second Base: Cancer Relief for the Ogden Valley Patients to provide stop-gap assistance until other foundations can step in with help. Donations can be made by calling Kathy at (801) 814-6710 or Mike at (801) 814-6709.

"Some of us have good jobs, we think we have good insurance, but it doesn't cover sometimes everyday living expenses like your lights and your gas," Gallegos said.
The fundraiser allows them to get money immediately into patients' hands "so they can maybe keep the lights on," Gallegos said. "There are other places that you can go to get financial help, but it doesn't seem to come fast enough. It's more like a trickledown."
The event came out of an offer from Raptors team president Dave Baggott to Gallegos.
"Dave came up to me and said that he understood that there are extra costs that go along with cancer treatments," Gallegos said. Baggott offered the tickets and promised he could have them printed in three days. "It was shocking for me to have somebody that's only known me as a fan come up to me and say, 'This is what I have available, I understand that you're not the only one and there's other people out there that need help.'"
Baggott said the Raptors are happy to help.
"We gave them a night at the ballpark, printed up 5,000 tickets and gave it to them to sell at whatever value they want and we have asked for nothing in return," Baggott said. "Hopefully they'll sell them all, raise some money and be in the ballpark to do some awareness for breast cancer. It was the right thing to do."
Cancer patients fight through stacks of paperwork and bureaucracy and have lots of ugly conversations with health care providers, even as they fight the disease, Gallegos said. "What I mean by ugly is, it's like pay now or else we don't treat you. Even though I have a good health insurance and I have a good job. You'd be amazed at how important is for that dollar to come before you get your care. We just want to put some hope someplace, that not everybody in the world is like that."

Reader Comments:
I think this is wonderful. I am proud to be a season ticket holder for the Raptors when I see the owner and team giving back to the community.

My mom has battled breast cancer twice now... has gone through a lumpectomy and mastectomy, has done chemo and radiation... Thankfully, now her hair is coming back and she is on the mend. I can only wish the same for all the others who are going through this.

I hope this fundraiser has a GREAT turnout and the city of Ogden can help support those who are going through this terrible disease.

Good luck and God Bless, Kathy.
Lisa Williams

Huh?

I got a phone call on Saturday morning that started out "Mom, my lump is back on my neck."

This was a call from my 9 yr old who was spending the weekend at her dad's. Immediatly I think she means the left saliva gland has an infection b/c 6 months ago we had the right gland removed. I start rattling off things she needs to do, warm compress... tylenol, decongestant, etc. "Mom, did you hear me? My lump is back... how can I have a lump where there is no gland???" HUH??? Oh, she meant on the right side. Uh, well... I dont know. I told her to keep doing those things and I'd look at it when she got home Sunday night and if needed, I'll call the Dr on Monday morning.

I didnt hear back from them all weekend and honestly I forgot about it. When I went to pick her up last night, she was so swollen. She said the swelling was getting worse but nothing was coming out through the duct (although I am not sure if she has a duct anymore). We drew a line around it so I would know if its getting bigger or not, gave her some medicine, and but her to bed... only to hear her moaning all night. Poor thing.

This morning she woke up and had a hissy fit from hell. She did this "I'm in pain and your not helping" dance around the kitchen. I felt terrible... all I could do was give her more Tylenol and pray.

I am going to call the ENT at Primary Children's first thing this morning... this doesnt make sense to me. Did they not get all the gland during surgery? Does it grow back? What can we do?

Keep little Ty in your prayers... I hate to see her like this and I know she is so frustrated b/c she thought she didnt have to deal with it anymore.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Here's your post, Amy!

Amy reminded me today that I havent blogged in a month. It's not for lack of things to share, I just dont have enough time in my days!

I went to Moab with the "Mamas" at the end of July... just got home from Family Camp at Luther Heights with the kids... spent many a night at the Raptors games... Gonna go to Vegas and Moab in September.

I just need to dedicate some time to share all my stories and pictures... maybe this weekend (don't hold your breath just in case!)