I created this site to let people know about some health issues that have come up for me and to ask for your support while getting through this next phase, and because it is nearly impossible for me to ask for this help but this is for Elsa as much as for me, if not more. In March of this year I was feeling unwell in a way I had never felt before and a nurse line suggested I go to the ER and have my gall bladder checked. I did have some stones and inflammation, but there were other issues that came up in the CT scans. I went home that night after medicine helped me feel better but was back in the ER a week later. Follow ups determined my gall bladder did not have to come out at this time but they found a growth on my heart that needed more tests. Other things will have to wait until later in the year. In true Lori form, I kept this to myself for months while I went through more scans, but when they diagnosed an atrial myxoma or benign heart tumor, I started telling family. The good news is that this one in a million tumor was even found and that is it benign, the bad news is it requires open heart surgery to fully remove all traces. I have been doing more tests and prep for the Wednesday July 8th surgery with tomorrow being the last pre-op appointment. For the next week I may be up to short visits in my neighborhood, but will have to wait and see how things go to decide about hospital visits and when to start after that. We have been scrambling to get the apartment ready but years of exhaustion have taken their toll. I haven't even been able to accept some help that was offered as I don't know what I would have people help with yet. Hopefully we can still get it together in time. My parents arrive Monday, with my dad staying until Saturday and my mom staying until July 21. Elsa will stay with an aunt and uncle in town while I am in the hospital. When my mom leaves I will be adding more needs like rides to the doctor, meals, laundry and cleaning help, and walking buddies, but we will post anything that comes up before then. Jaimee has graciously offered to help with this site and updating people as things change when I can't. I found some good websites that lay out the recovery process and timeline if you are interested: https://www.cardahealth.com/post/open-heart-surgery-recovery https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-you-can-expect-as-you-recover-from-heart-surgery Thankfully my heart, arteries and lungs are in good shape otherwise, I have low blood pressure, and do not take medication for anything so it should be relatively straight forward. Previous updates and writing have laid out what I had been thinking about before this came up, but everything is on hold for a while. And while the construction is taking away from our love of the neighborhood, we will most likely just renew our lease in October, though we are longing for more green. (We have to decide in August and I am not going to be up to planning a move at that point). Financial matters are a big part of this as I will be on almost half of my pay for the up to three months of recovery needed, as well as a Ch 13 bankruptcy to deal with that started with Elsa's health issues. Grateful for health insurance and short term disability, but it will still be tough. All of this may be TMI for some of you and it feels like that to me, but as I have mentioned before I am trying to learn to ask for help, share my story, and mostly make sure that none of this falls on Elsa's shoulders. I know everyone has troubles and things they need help with so I truly appreciate any support and kind words you can offer. Reach out here or for my cell or I am on Linked In, Instagram, and What's App or at [email protected]. Take care of each other out there and go the doctor if you don't feel good!
We do not have food allergies or dietary restrictions at the moment, but Elsa has some specific food needs and I might too after surgery. But nothing spicy and no seafood generally. Will update as we find out.