Don't get cocky about the VOMITING

Well, apparently I was feeling a little cocky about the vomiting last week because on Sunday it stood up, knocked me square on the ass and said "Hey, remember me? Don't think you are getting off that easily!"

On Sunday I woke up feeling very good and decided that I would switch to taking my nausea medication from every 6 hours to "as needed". Why not try every 8 or 10 hours you ask. Well, I was feeling cocky that's why. So now finally three days later I'm starting to bounce back.

Right now I am still on some pretty heavy duty pain medication, in the form of patches. I change the patches every 72 hours. At the worst I was at 75 micrograms and taking vicadin. First I cut back on the vicadin, then I've slowly been decreasing the strength of the patch. One of the joys of pain medication this strong is that you have to step down how much you are taking. If you go too fast all sorts of fun things can happen like hallucinations. Though that sounds fun I had plenty while doped up in the hospital I don't need to go back anytime soon. Seriously feeling people touch you when no one is in the room not a comforting feeling. I digress. I have cut back to 37 micrograms. Tonight is a patch change night and most of the dinner (Grilled Salmon and tater tots by mouth not tube!!!) conversation focused on whether I would go down to 12 or 25 micrograms.

The conversation at dinner started with discussing how in the next 10 days I would be ready to return to Houston and watch Baby Chang all day by myself. I thought that by now I would be ready to take on night time duties but I am still pumping food through the tube each night. Not exactly conducive with a 10 month old who doesn't sleep through the night.

Dad Chang is convinced I need to go to 12 mg, Mom Chang 25 mg, me I'm on the fence. They are both convinced that each time I relapse is right after I change the patch. Though there is a partial pattern I'm not convinced entirely even though I know one of the side effects is nausea/vomiting. In my world if vomiting is listed as a side effect I seem to be right there waving to the porcelain gods. So the idea of getting off the constipation, vomit inducing pain meds is extremely attractive, going too fast is extremely scary. I was hoping writing this would sway me one way or the other but alas the fence has only gotten more in the way (did I just mix metaphors?).

In other news the weather in Denver finally gave us a brilliant sunny day. At 81 degrees we got to spend time in the garden. Baby Chang got over her fear of grass and turf. Yes, believe it or not there is a turf putting green that Dad Chang put in the back yard. A retirement present. Sadly the gardening was enough to put me back in bed for a couple hours but the vitamin D did wonders for my mood and apparently Baby Changs.

Tomorrow is a day for swimsuit shopping. I've been attempting since I first got here to find something suitable but I've struck out. I'm hoping to be able to take Baby Chang swimming with her cousin and Aunt on Thursday. It doesn't really matter what size you are swimsuit shopping blows! In fact getting skinnier hasn't made any shopping easier. It has just made life more fun to say "I had to return size 4 jeans because they were too big." Don't hate me it was the brand. My new pants which fit snuggly are definitely size 6 petite (getting skinnier does make you shorter apparently).

So you'll have to wait with baited breath to see 1. which patch to I switch to and 2. does she find a swimsuit!