Life is always a journey... here is mine!

Tina... MY LIFE SAVER!!!! :)

My wonderful family who came to visit me often!!! :)

Well it has been a crazy two weeks in the life of Catherine Mortimer. :) Whats new huh?! Since November 6th was my last post it only seems fitting that I start out with the happenings of the night of the 6th and the wonderful day of Saturday, November 7th, 2009!

The night of November 6th I went to Walmart with Emily and Richard. I drove but could hardly see on the way there. When we go into Walmart I had to ride the little cart thing around because my head hurt too bad to walk. What an interesting experience that was!!! Then we got home and they went to a movie to which I actually declined to go to. I NEVER do that but I was seriously not feeling good. After that, I really do not remember what happen. I do not remember talking to my sister Tina and my mom that night. I went to bed early hoping that would make my head feel better.

The morning of November 7th I woke up with a pounding headache. Now remember... I do not really remember much but Im going of off what I have been told. My mom said I talked to her that morning and told her I felt like I had crickets attacking my head. I told her I was getting in the shower to see if that would make me feel better and I guess I also told Emily and Richard... Im sure they all thought I was weird!

So... I get in the shower and I remember thinking to myself, I think Im going to pass out. I passed out the first time and while I was trying to stand up Tina opened my bathroom door to tell me she was there. Then she asked what I was doing and I didn't know what to say to her. I was so confused as to why she was in my bathroom. She said I didn't look like myself and she went to Emily and asked if she knew I passed out. HAHA Tina is SO funny. From there, Tina and Emily had to help me out of the shower and get some clothes on take me to the ER. Walking out of the door, all I could say was make sure you grab my camera, yeah Im weird, I know!!! I really have no memory of all this...

I get to the ER and Tina said I was put right back into a room and from there they did all these tests. I had an MRI and CT scan of my brain which revealed I had a blood clot in my brain that was about 9 inches long that went through my transverse, sigmoid and jugular vein. I was told that my grandma, uncle, Tina, Peter, Melissa, Emily, Richard, Bishop Henry, and Ben Barazza were all there... too bad I don't remember ANY of this!!! I also had my first Ambulance ride and Peter rode with me. I guess I talked to Nate in the ambulance and he told me to have them turn on the lights and sirens. Man, I wish I could remember this. HAHAHA

I was taken to the Neuro ICU at the IMC in Murray, Utah. When I got there I do remember being bombared with questions from the Neuro doctor. All I could say to him was, "I don't know!" He then went and asked who found me and Tina explained to him she did and all he said to her was, "Well it's a good thing you did because she would have died 30 minutes later!" Poor Tina... first she saw me take my second fall, takes me to the ER, and then has a doctor say that to her... what a trooper and a LIFE SAVER!!!

Side note: I have the BEST family ever!!!! Tina, Melissa, and Peter stayed at the ICU until about 12:30 am with me!!! Then, my dad flew out on Sunday to be with me. Since my mom works a pretty set schedule now she had to stay home which gave my dad the opportunity to be with me again! :) I LOVE IT!!!

Man do I look wonderful in the ICU!

Can I just say... the ICU is NOT my favorite place. I was the most alert patient there and I felt like I was a bother since I had to be help to the bathroom anytime I needed to go. I was hooked up to so much stuff that my dad called The Tree of Life! HAHAHA My IV that was put in my right arm just kept giving me problems so a nurse tried to put an IV in my left arm and it felt like it was on FIRE!!! Then of course I had the slowest nurse EVER trying to fix it. I was seriously about ready to rip the IV out myself because it hurt SO bad. Oh man... then the bathroom... I just had a curtain! HAHAHA A curtain?! How embarrassing!!!! :)

On Sunday, November 8th, 2009 Emily and Richard came to the hospital in the morning to be with me. It was GREAT!!! They kept me company along with all the craziness of doctors, nurses, tests, etc. Rosey and Jake also stopped by when church got over. It was so great to see her and meet Jake. However, not the best look to meet someone in a hospital gown. HAHAHA Anyways, It was just great to have people there to be with me until my dad got to the hospital. When I got done with an Xray on my back Emily and Richard left and my Grandma, Uncle and dad got to the hospital. It was so GOOD to see them all!!!! :)

Monday, November 9th, 2009 I had the coolest nurse. Her name was Brooke and she was from Ohio so we bonded instantly. She was just so nice and caring and easy to get along with. :) She gave me the great news that I was getting moved out of the ICU and to the 7th Floor!!! Room 724... In the ICU I was 424 and for my second surgery I was in room 1124... Interesting huh?! BUT, FINALLY!!!! I was so excited to be in a normal with a door on my bathroom and a private shower. It was great to be moved and then Rosey came to the hospital. It was SO fun to have her and my dad there with me. She stayed from about 3pm to almost 9pm. It was so fun to just hang out with her and laugh. I love that my dad and her get along so good and we can just all have fun together.

The only injury I sustained from falling in my shower, a bruised foot!

Some NASTY juice I had to drink for a contrast test on my abdomen.

The Keith's, Abe's, and Rosey came to visit me. (I think we broke the limit of 2 visitors)

Flowers from Devin and Lori!!! :)

My beautiful pictures from Shooter and Alaina!!! :)

I look WONDERFUL, NOT!!! Tessa, Brent and Tina came to visit me too!!!

Heidi Smith TOTALLY surprised me and came to visit me as well. We had a great LONG visit, I LOVED IT!!!

After my Spinal Tap I was not allowed to move for 4 hours!!! This is how I drink my smoothie! :)

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 I was moved from the 7th floor to the 9th floor. :) Room 925... just one room over from my usual view. I was kind of thrown off from the normal view I was use to but it was great to have a different look. :) This was the Medical Oncology floor. I was told I might be moved back to the ICU and all I did was hope and pray I would not be moved back to that place!!!!!!!! I was hoping to go home on Friday but my dad said I would not be moved to another floor if I were going home the next day... Dang it!!!

Addy came to visit me as well!!! It was GREAT to catch up with her!!! :)

My new look with a backwards hat. HAHA

Emily, Richard (with his gloves), and Michelle came for a visit full of laughter. :)

On of the best things ever was being able to iChat with my mom and brother almost everyday. Tina and Peter let my dad and I use their MacBook to the whole time I was in the hospital. I makes such a difference to talk to someone through video rather then just on the phone. I LOVED every second of it. It was so fun to show my mom all of my nurses and keep her up-to-date with everything that was going on. It was also cute to watch my mom and dad interact on the computer. It was a true showing of how much they love and respect one another, not to mention how much they missed each other. :)

Seriously, iChat was the best thing ever invented. If anything this is what changed my mind about Mac's. Two thumbs up baby!!!

Heather a great roommate of mine came to see me before her night shift on the 7th floor!!! Who knew?!

Kaylee!!! The best nurse EVER and great friend I made while going through all this!!!

On Sunday, November 15th, 2009 I was FINALLY released from the IMC. Although it was a nice stay I was SO excited to finally be able to leave and go home. :) I am hoping that was the last time I would ever have to be hospitalized and go to the IMC resort, as my dad refers to it. :)

I didn't write about ever day I was in the hospital because quite frankly, I don't remember everything that happen every day. However I do want to say I had that BEST Nurse Practioncers. Dave and Susan!!! Not mention Susan was from Menomonee Falls, WI!!! I had Dave most of the week and he was just the best ever. He explained everything so good to my dad and I and we understood everything that was going on. I think he was by far the BEST medical doctor I have ever had at the hospital. It was great.

Also, my Oncology doctor, Dr. Jolles came to visit me EVERYDAY!!! It was so nice to know that he cared that much about my situation that he came by everyday to inform me of who he was talking to and just to see how I was doing. :)

Just some side notes: In an 8 hour period, my WBC count went from 1.9 to 26!!! That threw everyone off which then I had to do all these different tests. Come to find out, it was mostly the shot I was given the day after my first Chemo apt. :) Below is a list of ALL the tests I had done while at the hospital:

Spinal Tap

Chest X-Ray

Pelvic X-Ray

Contrast CT Scan of my Abdomen

MRI of my Brain

2 CT scans of my Brain

3 EKG's

Ultrasound of ALL my veins (Arms, Heart, Legs)

I just want to say... I really do appreciate everyone who came to visit me (not pictured Bishop Henry, Ben, Dan Schwab, Lisa and Chuck Jensen, Grandma and Uncle Gary). It meant a lot to know people cared about me that much that they would take time out of their day to come see me!!!

Up until today not much has happen. Melissa and I went to do dinner at Chilis and I got the Potatoe Soup... it had no flavor what so ever to me. :( I even had her put her green onions on mine and I could taste nothing. Its amazing to me how much my taste buds have changed!!!! Tina also cooked me dinner and it was Cheese Pototoes, yeah those had no taste too. The only thing with taste was OJ... but I have to be carefuly with that stuff since my GERD has been acting up like crazy lately and causing a lot of pain!

Andrea and Aaron also cooked me dinner!!! :)

I went to see Dr. Jolles today and he had to do an exam on me. Gotta love those!!!!! He requested information from Dr. Johannason about the extra fluid I have in my abdomen. Until I get to a point where my WBC count is high enough, I can not get that drained. :(

My next stop was Cutlers Deli in Bountiful. Grandma and I went there for lunch and my sandwich kind of had a taste to it but not really. Man this eating tasteless stuff is getting annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My last stop of the day was to get a CT Scan of my chest. I had to have more dye injected that makes you feel like your are peeing your pants. (Weirdest thing in the world) Now its just a matter of time to see what those results say since I hurt to breathe!!! Emily was so kind to come with me and we stopped by the mall after to get some hats. :) Hopefully they dont look too bad but all I care about is my head staying warm!!!