TERRI’S SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING TA TA’S and YA YA'S

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER!

September 2013 Archive

Last Updated:  10/21/2013 03:14 PM

Done in reverse chronicle order.  New entries on top, older on the bottom.

9/29/2013:

I know, I know, where have I been LOL!  We've been to Discovery Cove and Seaworld last weekend and tomorrow I'm going to Busch Gardens (our pass allows us 14 days entry into any of the sister parks and you know how I can't pass up a bargain).  Bill actually chooses to go to work tomorrow instead of another animal park.  Go figure LOL!  I think he's had it with animals for a bit.  I will post pictures, but I have a busy 3 weeks coming up so I'm sorry, you'll have to wait. 

Meanwhile, I did not tell everyone (I'm sorry) but I was told by a local orthopedic PA in July that I had a tumor on my hip (read below before you panic) that spread from the breast cancer cells in my blood. I was just seeing for a cortisone shot to relieve some of the pain I have from arthritis in my hips (along with knees, back and shoulders, but it was my hip that was bothering me more).  This was the same side as where they put the rod into my leg. 

I am sooo happy to announce that there IS NOT another tumor there.  Yes, there is a tumor in my thigh, and yes, I am undergoing treatment for that and I have about "2-5 years" that my oncologist stated a few months ago.  When the PA told me of another tumor that showed up so fast from the one that developed in my thigh muscle, which started after month with hormone treatment, I saw the handwriting on the wall and didn't want to tell anyone until I was sure.  I felt for sure my prognosis went down drastically.  The funny thing was that although the pain is still there, it was not hurting as much as when I first decided to go for cortisone shots.  Turns out the PA was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.  Don't worry, I have already talked to the director of the orthopedic group I was seeing and I expect to hear from her in a few days.  I should have just went to Moffitt for my cortisone shots but just figured it was cortisone shots and how can they mess that up.   I saw a doctor in that group who did my back surgery in 2011 and was quite pleased and was very comfortable with their office and staff.  I even saw my back doctor first to make sure we could rule out more disc issues and sciatica since I was also having back pain, of which he concluded it had nothing to do with my back or sciatica and it was pain in the hips.   I saw his associate who specializes in hips.   I usually see the PA and then I see the doctor when I visit that office.  Not in this case.  I saw the PA and he basically told me he's "99.9% sure it's another tumor" and to get a scooter and always walk with my walker because once the tumor pushes on my hip, my hip will fracture and I would be bedridden because they wouldn't be able to fix it.  I thought I was coming in for cortisone shots and told Bill he did not need to come with me.  Unfortunately, after being told that, I did not ask to see the MD, I just left in a state of shock I guess.  He even stated that upon seeing my films (he took an x-ray before I saw him) he had already concluded it was another tumor before he even set foot in the exam room.  Oh well, lesson learned.  My insurance pays for MDs.  I am only seeing MDs at this point forward.  It took two months of scans, x-rays, blood work, etc to find out that there is no tumor there.  My regular oncologist will be sending my films, etc to my Moffitt orthopedic/oncologist surgeon just to verify the results, but I am comfortable in saying I do not have a tumor in my hip.  It was probably a bursa sac that ruptured (from the knee/hip surgery to put that rod in my leg), or inflammation, etc.  FYI-I am determined to outlast the 2-5 years too!

Okay, so I included a few pictures from our dolphin swim.  Capricorn and Miss Jenny were our dolphins.  Capricorn is 50 years old (in the wild they would live to be approximately 20-30 years old).  Miss Jenny was younger.  You can tell her by the dolphin with the teeth.  Capricorn was older so he didn't have as much teeth.  He was over 10 ft long!   The rest of the pictures will have to wait for a few weeks!  FYI-my hair was very faded.  I didn't see the need to get it done before sun and surf in Florida.  It has since been amped up for October breast cancer month :-) 

9/15/2013:

Now for my brush with greatness!  I saw the Gator Boys!  Not only saw them, but got kissed too!  This was at Croc Encounter, right in our own backyard here in Tampa.  Special thanks for Karina for having the girls take the time for the animals to pose with me.  Also a special thanks for the Gator Boys for making my day and coming up here in Tampa so I didn't have to travel 4 hours south!  Bill-my loving husband, caretaker and driver was especially grateful for not having to drive that far!

FYI:  The temp down here is still in the 90's and humid. 

KISSED BY THE GATOR BOYS!  JIMMY IS IN THE BLACK HAT, TRE IS IN THE BROWN HAT.  STANDING BEHIND US IS JIMMY'S BROTHER ANDY, IN THE RED SHIRT IS SCOTT, BUT THE GENTLEMAN IN THE LIGHTER BLUE SHIRT I DO NOT KNOW WHO HE IS.  CAN ANYONE HELP ME? 

THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE WE GOT ON OUR CAMERA.  THE WOMAN TAKING OUR PICTURES DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE SHUTTER TO CLICK.  I HAVE REQUESTED PICTURES FROM ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER.  WE HOPE THEY RETURN MY MESSAGE!

I AM TRYING TO GET THE BLUE TONGUED SKINK TO STICK OUT HIS TONGUE.  OHH, IT WAS MY FIRST FACE PAINTING SO I JUST HAD TO GET A PINK RIBBON!

AND IT WORKED!  HE USES THIS IN THE WILD TO ATTRACT PREY. 

HE REALLY HAS SUCH PRETTY COLORS.

THE ABOVE IS A KING SNAKE.

THE ABOVE SNAKE IS A RAINBOW BOA.  YOU REALLY CAN'T APPRECIATE THE COLORS IN HIS SCALES WITH THIS PHOTO.  IN THE SUNLIGHT HE WAS JUST GORGEOUS! 

THIS IS JELLYBEAN!  HE HAD THE COLORS OF A RED CINNAMON JELLY BEAN AND ALL THE SWEETNESS OF ONE TOO!  HE IS A RED TEGU AND YES, HIS CHEEKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FAT!

AN OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT!

AND A CLOSE UP!

9/11/2013:

A big thank you to Jean at Creature Castle in Brandon, Florida for her time and patience with me!

OH COME ON!  YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THEY ARE THE CUTEST THINGS!  THESE ARE BEARDED LIZARDS. 

THE ABOVE PICTURE IS A BABY IGUANA! 

AND THE ABOVE AND BELOW PICTURE IS A TORTOISE.  AS IN LIVE 100 YEARS AND GET TO BE AS BIG AS BOULDERS!  COOL, AREN'T THEY?!  AND NO, I'M NOT STONED LOL!  I WAS JUST LISTENING TO JEAN'S ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS.  LET'S CALL IT A CONCENTRATION LOOK :-)

9/10/2013:

This past week I've been a busy girl!  Bill was in St. Louis so I took the opportunity to go scouting for animals to hold! 

My first stop was on Tuesday at 1, 2 Tweet Birds in Brandon Florida.  A huge thank you to Alexa and Savannah for their time and patience.  If the twins ever need cuddling (or any of the other birds), don't hesitate to call (813-655-3738)!  I had such a blast but I think Einstein bonded the best with me LOL.  By the time I left, Einstein was on the couch telling me his troubles and I had him all calm and happy!

THE ABOVE PICTURE IS ELLIOTT AND HE'S DOING HIS WING TRICK!

THE MACAW IS MAXWELL! 

THE FOLLOWING ARE "THE TWINS"  EINSTEIN IS THE ONE IN MY LEFT ARM, COMING UP CLOSER TO MY FACE.  HE WAS WHISPERING HIS PROBLEMS TO ME.

THE OTHER REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.  BUT EINSTEIN HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH STEPPING ON HER TO GET HER OUT OF THE WAY.

HE'S TELLING ME THANK YOU!

AND NOW THEY ARE BOTH A HAPPY SET OF BIRDIES!