August 2010 I got the news that I had melanoma cancer and of all places - the bottom of my right heel.  Aug 26 the surgeon cut out my heel like a large ice cream scoop, and he cut it out clear to the bone.  Later that day, he sent me home, bandaged up, but with a gaping hole in my heel.  Surprisingly, the hole didn't hurt near as much as the lymph node groin biopsy.  I could not walk.  I had to crawl to the bathroom on my hands and knees & it still hurt like hell. 

The first time Mike changed my bandaging, I swear he about fainted.  He's seen plenty in his life and done plenty including nursing his deceased wife for 5 years before her death.  He grew up on 600 acres w/o electricity - he has seen it all.  But, my heel really took him aback.  He said that it was the most gruesome thing he'd ever seen!  I said - take pictures! I want to share this.  He looked at me like I had 3 heads.  He then took pictures! lol!

Then August 31 I went into Sandpoint hospital, which is 3 hours one way from our home, to get the rest of the surgery.  My plastic/reconstructive surgeon works mostly out of Sandpoint and felt I should be there.  I spent a week and a half in the hospital flat on my back with my foot elevated above my heart.  Then I spent a few days in a horrible nursing home until I figured out a way to be released to home.  Mike ended up getting laid off 3 months early & so would be home to take care of me, which I could not do by myself. 

He's such a beautiful heart, Mike is.  In 2003 when I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C with level 4 liver disease, he took care of me.  He stayed on district, still worked, but came home at night.  Six months of giving myself interferon shots & taking horse pill riboviran..

It took over 5 years to get to feeling a little bit healthy and normal again after that.  Then, after 2 years of feeling almost good, I was diagnosed with melanoma cancer... This time the interferon is for a year.  First, it was thru a PICC line for a month daily...now it's self shots 3 times a week for 11 months. At the writing of this, I'm on my 3 week of self shots.  I'm losing hair, losing weight (this is excellent!), and have chemo brain most of the time. Not fun, but really, these self shots are not quite as bad as 2003 so far, anyway. 

And with this, I must lay down for a bit but will continue with this life story very soon!