April greetings from the town of Prunedale! No, it's not Kelly. It's Nicole. I've been nominated, and graciously accepted, the role of ghost writer for Kelly. Apparently she feels like she is in the same league as famous writers and politicians...
I had the opportunity to go visit Kelly about a month ago. Well, it wasn't exactly an opportunity. It was me forcing myself on her with an I don't care that you don't want visitors, I am coming and you don't have a choice! I hadn't seen her in about 3years and I was tired of waiting for an invite. I had the pleasure of finally meeting David (and seeing his amazing vehicle in their garage!) Kelly and I spent several great hours together on a Saturday afternoon. She was in fantastic spirits, I'm sure she worked hard to get that way for my benefit. We laughed together and cried a little. It was just so good to be with my friend again. Her smile can light up the room like it always did and her laugh is still contagious. Her memory is sharp, and she remembers details of situations and stories that I can't recall. And she was the one with the brain tumor! (Perhaps it was also that I was happily cocktailing through many of our fun times together...)
On to the details....
She just had a few moles removed. One was fine, but the one on her head was found to be cancerous. Her reaction? A shrug....of course it was cancer. The doctors are 98% sure they got it all, and think that the cause was all the radiation.
Kelly is heading back to Houston from April 12-15. She will have more scans and tests and then meet with the all of her doctors to learn what her current situation is in relation to the tumors. She's very anxious to just go and get it over with. Just wants to know. She was supposed to go over a month ago, but David got sick and they had to postpone, so the wait has been longer than she'd like. Getting all the tests, doctors appointments, etc... lined up for a week is not an easy task. It took alot of energy and effort to get it done, but in typical Kelly fashion, she made it work.
Even though she might not respond, she loves getting email, pictures and mail and hearing what everyone is up to. I will update the blog for her after she returns from Houston!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Summer Time Update
Guess who? Finally an update direct from the source, it’s me Kelly! I figured everyone would know it wasn’t the witty sisters’ (Marla) pen in hand, however I need the therapy so please suffer reading my attempt at updating “the blog” Kelly style!
Over the last year, while I was pretty much “comatose” my family thought it humorous to use me as the butt of many of their jokes. Okay, I admit most of the stories were not only true, but they are pretty funny too! Yes, I am still Mean & Fat as described by my middle sister however, there are several updates since my last blog written by Marla.
Readers Digest Health Update: As most of you know (Praise God!) brain surgery went well and after 4 weeks at MD Andersen I was released to rehab back in California. Unfortunately weaning off the steroids put me in bed for 6 1/2 weeks until the Dr’s changed my meds. Hooray! Finally, within 2 weeks of taking me off the steroids I started to feel like a real person again - for the first time in two years.
As usual I returned to MDA in early July for my regular scheduled tests which had been delayed by 2+ months because of the steroid withdrawals. Hubby David, my niece Liz who has been helping me at home since January, sister Char (as in sibling, not the nun kind) and I flew to Houston for the usual fun of flipping me on & off MRI tables, scanners and X-ray machines. The results were generally OK. The tumors on my liver, spine and chest wall have stabilized showing no growth since the last scans. The brain tumor shows some slight enlargement since surgery in Feb, which could be as a result of scar tissue from the surgery. The Neuro-surgeon wants to re-scan in 3 months before making any other decisions relative to the brain. The area of some concern right now is on my lung which has grown over the last 5 months. I will be starting chemo sometime next week and will stop this annoyance in its' tracks! Good news - I’ve been on this chemo (Temodor) before and was able to tolerate it pretty good. AND, maybe, just maybe, I’ll drop a few lb’s (a girl can always dream) during this treatment.
After MDA, Char, Liz and I swung by Hansen farm (Marla’s house) and were able to visit Dad Casas for a few days. Although the trip was brief, it was great to spend time with Dad and the Hansen clan. Rachel’s children are growing up so fast, I wish we all lived closer so we could see them more often. Seeing Dad was good but sad. He still makes me smile and laugh, but at 89 he is really not the Charles Casas, “Uncle Charlie”, most of us remember. He’s now a frail little old man.
Char, Liz & I returned to Calif 7/14, and have been trying to get back into the swing of things. I finally started Physical Therapy (AGAIN!) last week. One key goal is to be able to walk up a stair (even w/a walker) so I am no longer a prisoner in my bedroom, Never, EVER, did I think walking up a stair would be a goal, but trust me, when you can’t walk, goals change, as well as, life perspective.
Thank you for all the cards, letters and prayers. They have kept me smiling, positive and overall HAPPY. My best wishes, love and support to you and your families.
Hugs and kisses,
Kelly
Over the last year, while I was pretty much “comatose” my family thought it humorous to use me as the butt of many of their jokes. Okay, I admit most of the stories were not only true, but they are pretty funny too! Yes, I am still Mean & Fat as described by my middle sister however, there are several updates since my last blog written by Marla.
Readers Digest Health Update: As most of you know (Praise God!) brain surgery went well and after 4 weeks at MD Andersen I was released to rehab back in California. Unfortunately weaning off the steroids put me in bed for 6 1/2 weeks until the Dr’s changed my meds. Hooray! Finally, within 2 weeks of taking me off the steroids I started to feel like a real person again - for the first time in two years.
As usual I returned to MDA in early July for my regular scheduled tests which had been delayed by 2+ months because of the steroid withdrawals. Hubby David, my niece Liz who has been helping me at home since January, sister Char (as in sibling, not the nun kind) and I flew to Houston for the usual fun of flipping me on & off MRI tables, scanners and X-ray machines. The results were generally OK. The tumors on my liver, spine and chest wall have stabilized showing no growth since the last scans. The brain tumor shows some slight enlargement since surgery in Feb, which could be as a result of scar tissue from the surgery. The Neuro-surgeon wants to re-scan in 3 months before making any other decisions relative to the brain. The area of some concern right now is on my lung which has grown over the last 5 months. I will be starting chemo sometime next week and will stop this annoyance in its' tracks! Good news - I’ve been on this chemo (Temodor) before and was able to tolerate it pretty good. AND, maybe, just maybe, I’ll drop a few lb’s (a girl can always dream) during this treatment.
After MDA, Char, Liz and I swung by Hansen farm (Marla’s house) and were able to visit Dad Casas for a few days. Although the trip was brief, it was great to spend time with Dad and the Hansen clan. Rachel’s children are growing up so fast, I wish we all lived closer so we could see them more often. Seeing Dad was good but sad. He still makes me smile and laugh, but at 89 he is really not the Charles Casas, “Uncle Charlie”, most of us remember. He’s now a frail little old man.
Char, Liz & I returned to Calif 7/14, and have been trying to get back into the swing of things. I finally started Physical Therapy (AGAIN!) last week. One key goal is to be able to walk up a stair (even w/a walker) so I am no longer a prisoner in my bedroom, Never, EVER, did I think walking up a stair would be a goal, but trust me, when you can’t walk, goals change, as well as, life perspective.
Thank you for all the cards, letters and prayers. They have kept me smiling, positive and overall HAPPY. My best wishes, love and support to you and your families.
Hugs and kisses,
Kelly
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Everybody Sing! ~ There Once Was A Girl By The Name Of Kelly Jeanne
This is Marla. There, you have all been fairly warned. Seems Kelly has decided to make my life a living nightmare until I agree to update her blog again. It's almost like having my mom back every time the phone rings.
"Hello?"
"When are you going to update my blog?"
"Uh, hello to you too. So how are you feeling?"
"Don't change the subject and by the way, why haven't you called?"
Yep, the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. So, here is the latest on Kelly Jeanne. Hey, that reminds me of a song my dad use to sing to her every morning. He would come into our room, flip on the light and start playing our toy organ whilst crooning the following:
"There once was a girl by the name of Kelly Jeanne and oh boy was she ever mean."
And people wonder why the Casas girls are so screwed up. Anyway, back to the latest medical update. Now, you need to understand medical updates can come in many forms. For instance, I could give you the boring medical terminology for what Kelly has been enduring over the last few months but where's the fun in that? So instead, I will give you the gory and yet fascinatingly funny folderol. Let me start with facial hair removal.
Seems steroids make people grow facial hair. Not a bad thing in men. Could be a great thing in women if they are looking for work in a circus. Kelly, having lost her drive to work, did not find the suggestion of Barnum & Bailey amusing and chose rather to go the waxing route. Being barely able to walk, she was delivered like a wrapped package to the closest salon where the very nice Vietnamese workers tenderly cared for her every need. First, they did her manicure and pedicure. It had been six weeks since she had been able to have them done and come to find out, this is disastrous when you have fake whatever they put on your fingers. Again, not being a beauty queen myself, I opt for the chew em off style so please forgive my ignorance regarding such earth-shaking matters. Anyway, once her fingers and toes were back to looking fake .... I mean normal .... they proceeded to suggest a full facial waxing because she was "fuzzy" from the steroids. Of course, Kelly agreed knowing that fuzzy would never cut it in beauty queen world so the waxing commenced. This is when the nice Vietnamese ladies stopped speaking English and began rapid-firing Vietnamese to one another. Seems the wax had burnt Kelly's paper-thin steroidal skin leaving her a lovely shade of fuschia. Kelly felt fine and didn't understand what all the fuss was about until she returned home to David's, "What the hell happened to you??" Again, another reason for au natural. I'm just saying!
That was the last outing Kelly had over the next few months as she has been absolutely miserable coming off the steroids. I believe her daily mantra to Char for weeks on end was, "I think I'm dying." She only said it to me once. Might be due to my reply of, "Big deal, we're all dying. Life is hard and then you die. Feel better?" Of course, her typical Mom guilt-laden reply was, "You are going to feel really bad for being so mean to me when you're standing at my graveside" to which I replied, "Nope. If you go first I'm gonna look down at ya and say, she was damn lucky to have me." Sisters. It's a good thing!
Anyway, things are finally looking up. Kel is feeling better. She isn't quite ready for company but she loves email so write. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
"Hello?"
"When are you going to update my blog?"
"Uh, hello to you too. So how are you feeling?"
"Don't change the subject and by the way, why haven't you called?"
Yep, the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. So, here is the latest on Kelly Jeanne. Hey, that reminds me of a song my dad use to sing to her every morning. He would come into our room, flip on the light and start playing our toy organ whilst crooning the following:
"There once was a girl by the name of Kelly Jeanne and oh boy was she ever mean."
And people wonder why the Casas girls are so screwed up. Anyway, back to the latest medical update. Now, you need to understand medical updates can come in many forms. For instance, I could give you the boring medical terminology for what Kelly has been enduring over the last few months but where's the fun in that? So instead, I will give you the gory and yet fascinatingly funny folderol. Let me start with facial hair removal.
Seems steroids make people grow facial hair. Not a bad thing in men. Could be a great thing in women if they are looking for work in a circus. Kelly, having lost her drive to work, did not find the suggestion of Barnum & Bailey amusing and chose rather to go the waxing route. Being barely able to walk, she was delivered like a wrapped package to the closest salon where the very nice Vietnamese workers tenderly cared for her every need. First, they did her manicure and pedicure. It had been six weeks since she had been able to have them done and come to find out, this is disastrous when you have fake whatever they put on your fingers. Again, not being a beauty queen myself, I opt for the chew em off style so please forgive my ignorance regarding such earth-shaking matters. Anyway, once her fingers and toes were back to looking fake .... I mean normal .... they proceeded to suggest a full facial waxing because she was "fuzzy" from the steroids. Of course, Kelly agreed knowing that fuzzy would never cut it in beauty queen world so the waxing commenced. This is when the nice Vietnamese ladies stopped speaking English and began rapid-firing Vietnamese to one another. Seems the wax had burnt Kelly's paper-thin steroidal skin leaving her a lovely shade of fuschia. Kelly felt fine and didn't understand what all the fuss was about until she returned home to David's, "What the hell happened to you??" Again, another reason for au natural. I'm just saying!
That was the last outing Kelly had over the next few months as she has been absolutely miserable coming off the steroids. I believe her daily mantra to Char for weeks on end was, "I think I'm dying." She only said it to me once. Might be due to my reply of, "Big deal, we're all dying. Life is hard and then you die. Feel better?" Of course, her typical Mom guilt-laden reply was, "You are going to feel really bad for being so mean to me when you're standing at my graveside" to which I replied, "Nope. If you go first I'm gonna look down at ya and say, she was damn lucky to have me." Sisters. It's a good thing!
Anyway, things are finally looking up. Kel is feeling better. She isn't quite ready for company but she loves email so write. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Beauties, Bovines & What A Girl Wants
Seems a threat has been made against Queen F&M. She called me today and firmly stated that I “must update the blog and be funny” in order to thwart the attack of the enemy. That’s right. David has threatened to update the blog unless I do it and we all know what happened last time he did that….. Fat, mean, deaths door, etc. I repeatedly told Kelly she was more than capable of doing her own blog plus she is much funnier than me and these are her friends anyway.
Her response, as usual, was, “You know what I’m hearing? Blah, blah, blah blah, blah!”
So fine. Here I am, updating the Queen’s blog. Some of you will be delighted to once again enjoy my sardonic wit and wisdom while I am sure others will respond with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Either way, lay the blame on the Queen.
Before I give Kelly’s latest medical update, I must get something off my chest. On my last day with Kel last week, she asked me to place her scarf on her head in order to cover her scar. As I was attempting for the sixth or seventh time to accomplish this task, she looked at me in the mirror and calmly stated the following:
“I think you need to go back to milking cows.”
Having gone through six weeks of her steroidal abuse and knowing my escape was near, I let the comment slide. Now that she has insisted on using my writing skills once again, I feel it only fair that I address her parting shot.
Dear Kelly~
If anyone ever doubted you had a brain tumor, they would surely no longer wonder at the validity of that claim based upon your request for ME to do any type of beautification procedure. It has always been a well known fact that I can saddle a horse, birth a baby, grow a garden, cook for an army and milk a cow. But what on God’s green earth would give any sane person the idea that I know anything about manicures, mascara or tying scarves? Have you seen me?? For future reference, I am the short, round sister that usually has dirt under her nails and smells like the barn. The old gal is the one that you want to ask for if looking good is your goal. Ask for me if you need your horse saddled, your butt wiped, or your in labor.
Love ~
Mar
One last thing. Kelly keeps saying she does not know how to repay me for staying with her. She has a bad habit of thinking this way, that she has to repay a kindness. Last year she sent me so many boxes that the neighbors thought I was “seeing” the UPS guy. I have given this great thought and have finally figured out what it is I want and deserve for putting up with…..I mean for helping Kel this last go around.
I want you to get up out of that bed everyday, shower and get dressed, realizing how loved and blessed you are by God and so many others. I want you to go to therapy even when you don’t want to and work until you think you are ready to pass out then go a little further. I want you to get everything there is in this life that God has planned for you. I want you to focus on what’s good and right in your life, even on the days when it’s nothing more than the cat loves you. I want you to be happy and healthy and live. Really live! Shut the TV off. Go outside. Plant flowers. Milk a cow! Ask God to show you something new and exciting everyday. He is not done with you. This is just the beginning, so begin again!
I love you ~
Her response, as usual, was, “You know what I’m hearing? Blah, blah, blah blah, blah!”
So fine. Here I am, updating the Queen’s blog. Some of you will be delighted to once again enjoy my sardonic wit and wisdom while I am sure others will respond with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Either way, lay the blame on the Queen.
Before I give Kelly’s latest medical update, I must get something off my chest. On my last day with Kel last week, she asked me to place her scarf on her head in order to cover her scar. As I was attempting for the sixth or seventh time to accomplish this task, she looked at me in the mirror and calmly stated the following:
“I think you need to go back to milking cows.”
Having gone through six weeks of her steroidal abuse and knowing my escape was near, I let the comment slide. Now that she has insisted on using my writing skills once again, I feel it only fair that I address her parting shot.
Dear Kelly~
If anyone ever doubted you had a brain tumor, they would surely no longer wonder at the validity of that claim based upon your request for ME to do any type of beautification procedure. It has always been a well known fact that I can saddle a horse, birth a baby, grow a garden, cook for an army and milk a cow. But what on God’s green earth would give any sane person the idea that I know anything about manicures, mascara or tying scarves? Have you seen me?? For future reference, I am the short, round sister that usually has dirt under her nails and smells like the barn. The old gal is the one that you want to ask for if looking good is your goal. Ask for me if you need your horse saddled, your butt wiped, or your in labor.
Love ~
Mar
One last thing. Kelly keeps saying she does not know how to repay me for staying with her. She has a bad habit of thinking this way, that she has to repay a kindness. Last year she sent me so many boxes that the neighbors thought I was “seeing” the UPS guy. I have given this great thought and have finally figured out what it is I want and deserve for putting up with…..I mean for helping Kel this last go around.
I want you to get up out of that bed everyday, shower and get dressed, realizing how loved and blessed you are by God and so many others. I want you to go to therapy even when you don’t want to and work until you think you are ready to pass out then go a little further. I want you to get everything there is in this life that God has planned for you. I want you to focus on what’s good and right in your life, even on the days when it’s nothing more than the cat loves you. I want you to be happy and healthy and live. Really live! Shut the TV off. Go outside. Plant flowers. Milk a cow! Ask God to show you something new and exciting everyday. He is not done with you. This is just the beginning, so begin again!
I love you ~
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I May Be Fat, But You're Ugly And I Can Lose Weight
Today was the first day out of the hospital, so we decided to sleep in. As fate would have it, Kelly had to use the bathroom at 6am and then Dr. Weinberg’s office called around 7:30am asking if she could come in. Obviously, this day had more to offer than rest and relaxation.
After a quick breakfast and showers, Kel and I headed off to Dr. McDreamy’s for her appointment. The report was good and they are weaning her off the steroids. This is a very good thing ……. for all of us. Steroids are a bad thing! As David so poetically put it way back in the beginning, they make you fat and mean. Let me give you an example:
Last night Kelly said, “You need to give me my shot and then help me to the bathroom.” Sounded simple enough. I had done it many times in the recent past. It seemed like a safe enough request. So, I got her shot and asked if she was ready to which she said yes. So I gave her the shot, again, like I have many times. Her response is usually benign such as, “Thanks.” Not last night!
“You hurt me! Why are you so mean to me?”
I tried to hide my deer in the headlights look and responded as calmly as possible, “What did I do? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Then the waterworks started and I was informed how much nicer the nurses were and how mean I was and something about wishing she had a BB Gun right then. I slowly backed away having dealt with wounded, crazed animals before. You never turn your back on em.
Thinking today was a new day with a new start, I tried to forget about last night and hope for the best. As I said earlier, the morning seemed to go just fine with a good report and later a nice lunch together. Once back in our room, we took a little nap and then when it was time to get up, those darn steroids kicked in again. Kelly’s back was hurting so I suggested she move into a different position to which she suggested I move closer so she could kick my lower extremity. The final straw was the following comment.
“I am going off my steroids and I am going to lose this weight and you're still going to be a chunky monkey. Then I am going to kick your a** and then you’ll be sorry.”
That’s the last time I ask for one of her cookies.
After a quick breakfast and showers, Kel and I headed off to Dr. McDreamy’s for her appointment. The report was good and they are weaning her off the steroids. This is a very good thing ……. for all of us. Steroids are a bad thing! As David so poetically put it way back in the beginning, they make you fat and mean. Let me give you an example:
Last night Kelly said, “You need to give me my shot and then help me to the bathroom.” Sounded simple enough. I had done it many times in the recent past. It seemed like a safe enough request. So, I got her shot and asked if she was ready to which she said yes. So I gave her the shot, again, like I have many times. Her response is usually benign such as, “Thanks.” Not last night!
“You hurt me! Why are you so mean to me?”
I tried to hide my deer in the headlights look and responded as calmly as possible, “What did I do? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Then the waterworks started and I was informed how much nicer the nurses were and how mean I was and something about wishing she had a BB Gun right then. I slowly backed away having dealt with wounded, crazed animals before. You never turn your back on em.
Thinking today was a new day with a new start, I tried to forget about last night and hope for the best. As I said earlier, the morning seemed to go just fine with a good report and later a nice lunch together. Once back in our room, we took a little nap and then when it was time to get up, those darn steroids kicked in again. Kelly’s back was hurting so I suggested she move into a different position to which she suggested I move closer so she could kick my lower extremity. The final straw was the following comment.
“I am going off my steroids and I am going to lose this weight and you're still going to be a chunky monkey. Then I am going to kick your a** and then you’ll be sorry.”
That’s the last time I ask for one of her cookies.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
We Are So Outta Here!
Kelly has had two solid days of MRIs, Cat Scans, Blood Tests plus who knows what else. Tomorrow morning she will have OT at 8am followed by another MRI and then she will be officially released. Upside, she is out of the hospital. Downside, she is trapped in a hotel room for the next two days with me. Wahahahahaha!!
They removed her stitches this afternoon, so her look has deteriorated back to normal. This leaves me with very little material to bag on her appearance. All in all, it has been a great six weeks with my sister. She once again has come out smelling like a rose even though the odds were on her becoming a permanent stinkweed.
David arrives on Friday and he and Kelly fly home on Saturday. Bob picks me up on Friday night so we can head back to Oklahoma. I sure do miss my kids, grandkids, critters and even the Old Spaniard, as Sarah calls him.
Thanks for allowing me to keep you all updated …… not that you had much choice. Watch for my tell all book coming out later this year titled:
Kelly, Dearest: The Truth Behind The Legend
They removed her stitches this afternoon, so her look has deteriorated back to normal. This leaves me with very little material to bag on her appearance. All in all, it has been a great six weeks with my sister. She once again has come out smelling like a rose even though the odds were on her becoming a permanent stinkweed.
David arrives on Friday and he and Kelly fly home on Saturday. Bob picks me up on Friday night so we can head back to Oklahoma. I sure do miss my kids, grandkids, critters and even the Old Spaniard, as Sarah calls him.
Thanks for allowing me to keep you all updated …… not that you had much choice. Watch for my tell all book coming out later this year titled:
Kelly, Dearest: The Truth Behind The Legend
Monday, March 2, 2009
Every Party Needs A Pooper That’s Why We Invited Kelly
Seems MD Anderson is obsessed with, how do I say this gracefully, well, with poop. One of the doctors actually did his thesis on IT. He’s proud of this! IT is such a big deal here that they check daily, several times a day really, to make sure you did IT. This, needless to say but I shall say it anyway, has led to some alarming circumstances for Kelly.
Kelly is not a daily IT doer which has MDA ready to flush out the details of why she is not a daily doer of IT . This has actually become a battleground between the MDA North and Kelly’s South. I, being a very regular daily doer of IT , have even offered my services to Kelly, for a small fee. She thought about it but declined stating she is not a quitter even of IT .
Things got so bad for a few days that MDA stooped so low as to slipping her IT mickeys with disastrous results. After three days with no forward movement, they brought in the big guns, Milk of Magnesia. The results were explosive leaving Kelly battered, bruised and ticked off. The North had delivered the final blow to Kel’s South and IT wasn’t pretty. I know because I was the war correspondent on duty that day.
A meeting on neutral territory was called with the following outcome. No more weapons of mass destruction will be launched on Ms. Pittner’s South and she will be allowed to go back to her normal IT schedule. I am just happy this war has ended because as we all know, war stinks.
Kelly is not a daily IT doer which has MDA ready to flush out the details of why she is not a daily doer of IT . This has actually become a battleground between the MDA North and Kelly’s South. I, being a very regular daily doer of IT , have even offered my services to Kelly, for a small fee. She thought about it but declined stating she is not a quitter even of IT .
Things got so bad for a few days that MDA stooped so low as to slipping her IT mickeys with disastrous results. After three days with no forward movement, they brought in the big guns, Milk of Magnesia. The results were explosive leaving Kelly battered, bruised and ticked off. The North had delivered the final blow to Kel’s South and IT wasn’t pretty. I know because I was the war correspondent on duty that day.
A meeting on neutral territory was called with the following outcome. No more weapons of mass destruction will be launched on Ms. Pittner’s South and she will be allowed to go back to her normal IT schedule. I am just happy this war has ended because as we all know, war stinks.
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