Carmens First Blog
ALOHA,
THS IS MY FIRST POST! YOU ARE WELCOME TO ADD A COMMENT.
CARMEN
posted by Carmen Dragon @ 12:47 PM
Sunday, September 11, 2005
THS IS MY FIRST POST! YOU ARE WELCOME TO ADD A COMMENT.
CARMEN
About Me
- Name: Carmen Dragon
- Location: Kauai, Hawaii, United States
I had been a harpist and music teacher living on the island of Kauai for 7 years, and then my lung collapsed as of May 2, 2007. I had to be wisked off the island, taken away in oxygen and sent to Stanford Medical in Palo Alto, Calif. After 3 gruelling weeks of draining my lung, a chest tube inserted, and biopsys, ct scans, etc. they came up with cancer in the lining of my lung and the lining of my abdomen. treatment will begin as soon as they know what and where it came from.
Previous Posts
25 Comments:
I love it. You're on your way to becoming a blogmeister. Adding pictures is fun.
I will happily help you edit it.
Love Ya, Cris
HI / ALOHA CARMEN:
HEY: I found out that I'm fortunately, a long-time member of www.blogger.com - a blog I don't think I ever utilized... so now's obviously the time. GOOD !
- - For all reading my blog to Carmen...
- - Question.. have any of you heard Carmen play the HARP? From the very first day she brought that BIG harp home to our Malibu Home back in the sixties (?)... I couldn't believe the magical sound created by her sensitively, and lovingly plucking each string with her devinely inspired, talented fingers, and in turn, that harmonious vibration filling our entire home with healing vibes !!
- - AN IDEA: Let's all now hear in our hearts more of Carmen's magical playing, and envision the sending of each string's vibration to the CORE / HOME of the universe's naturally, eternally healed state. DONE !!
Love always, DARYL (an older bro).
Daryl, THAT MADE MY DAY!
HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE.
As I am disabled, not driving yet, etc. I found a cute Catholic church in Los Altos, St. Simons, which my best friends, Patricia O'Herlihy, Lynda Wagner, and Vikki Volearts drove me to last Sunday. I went out on a limb and called the church to ask for a ride. Guess what!! They're picking me up today for a nice Catholic mass at 9:00 am. Praise the Lord!
love, Carmen
Latest update:
Carmen will be moving in on Mon. Memorial Day, with her son,Quincy: his wife, Jen, and 2 grandkids, Drew and Katie, until she finds work and a more permanent situation.
I am so happy to hear that Buhn....Drew and Katie are going to love all the stories you are going to read for them....and the babysitting, the morning hugs....etc. Boy I miss my grandson, Thurman Fionn. Stay strong and know we love you. xoxoo Trisha
I just want to leave a huge Mahalo (thank you) to Larry Myers for the beautiful prayer he left me today. He is a pastor from the Vineyard church in Malibu that I went to South Africa with in the 80's, and we ministered to thousands of people in huge churches. The local people there found me a harp, and I was able to play healing music...it was unbelievable. Larry is a wonderful violinist.
Latest update:
Tomorrow, Fri. Chemotherapy begins at 8:00 am. They still don't know what kind of cancer, so it's a little experimental at this point.
aloha,
Carmen
Fri. May 31, 2007
Today was my first chemotherapy treatment at Stanford Cancer Center, infusion dept.
Woke up at 7:30 am, was in uniform at 8:00 ready to be zapped. Took vital signs, connect IV, and then an injection of benadrel, and some other calming stimulants to calm me down, as I am anxious. I am listening to my favorite IPOD song: '"He Knows my name", and it is calming me down. This process takes about 1 and a half hours. They do this because in the old days, you would be completely nauseaus if you hadn't had these new calming drugs.
9:30 am: Injection of Taxol and Avastin. These two drugs treat: breast, lung, ovarian (same as Fallopian, colon,and rectum cancer. Avastin is usually given in combination with other medicines to treat cancer. We still don't totally know how or where it came from but it looks like it's lungs first, and then possibly the old Fallopian tube cancer which I thought I beat in 1998. It has been cytolotically diagnosed as; Right Pleural Mass, CT-guided fine needle aspiration, metastatic poorly differentiated non--small cell carcinoma. The Dr. said we may never know the primary source, it;s so complex....well at least it beats the Kauai report.
After one minute of the Taxol/Avastin combo, I had a severe allergic reaction. I got all the classic symptoms; extreme pain and a burning feeling along the whole abdominal cavitiy down to the pubic bone. Itching, hot and cold chills, shortness of breath, numbness, tingling, burning pain in hands and feet. nasuea, and almost vomited. the worst pain was in my lower back....it was excruciating. I told the nurse I couldn't take it, so she took the IV out. What next.....? The nurse said I could wait one hour and try the whole process again, and "challenge" the drug. Hmmm, I've always liked a challenge...."I think I can, I think I can, I think I can": from ( The Little Engine that Could.) and guess what, I COULD! The second treatment worked like a charm, and I slept throught the whole process.
My new caretaker, Saundra picked me up from Infusion and took me back to my sons house in Mountain View. she will be juicing for me every hour of the day, because my immune system is going to be very sad with few white and red blood cells. Juicing gets the nutrieints driectly into your blood stream, and the green vitamins have the most iron, so I'm excited, because Saundra also likes to juice, and owns the same juicer that I have.......synchronicity, God?
I've been home almost 2 hours from chemo, and I feel good right now.....tired but happy.
love to all of you,but especially for Mark and Donna's prayers for me today. love you!!
Carmen
Oh Babe.....You are AMAZING!!! We all find at some time in our lives what kind of strength we have and Buhn you sure have found yours. I am so proud to have you as my close and very dear friend. Stay strong so we can all learn from your spirit. All my love, Trisha
Hi Buhn,
What news... I'm glad to hear that the second time around seemed to go well. Also it's good to hear the Saundra is an experienced, supportive juicer and caretaker. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Love you, Vicki
Hi Buhn,
What news... I'm glad to hear that the second time around seemed to go well. Also it's good to hear the Saundra is an experienced, supportive juicer and caretaker. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Love you, Vicki
Dear Carmen.........You are awesome. I knew you had the strength to do anything. You have a strong spirit within you and I know you will beat this. My prayers are with you. Your friends are with you all the way through this process........love you.
Bonnie
Carmen,
i am moving to the woods in 2 days where my fella and i have a small farm - and today i ordered spores for maitake mushrooms. I would like to innoculate an honorary "Carmen Dragon is the raddest role model i ever had - funky, arty, brilliant, independent, hot mama who made the hugest impression on me when i was growing up" miatake patch - and then of course i will overnight the mushrooms your way - fresh and yummy and ready to saute up into a delicious immune boosting supper....
p.s. if you haven't already look up maitake... looks miraculous!
p.p.s. they sell them at trader joes - but they call them "hen of the woods".....
i love you so much,
caela
Dear Carmen....Daryl and I are packing up and heading to Prescott tomorrow. We have been thinking about you all day....how are you feeling after your chemo? Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, is undergoing chemo for a recurrence of his colon cancer, and he is working at the White House every day. Elizabeth Edwards, Senator John Edward's wife, is out there campaigning for her husband while she undergoes chemo for breast cancer. I just saw her on TV tonight....she looks great. You can DO this! Daryl and I know you are strong both physically and spiritually. Let us know how you are doing. From reading your messages, I can tell you have many friends who love you, and love is healing! TONI
Aloha Leftover:
Been thinking of you all week and want you to know that so many of my friends and family have asked about you. Your spirits are high I know you will be very Zen with your treatments..giving it your complete concentration and observations! So I am sending more prayers and hugs to you. I still chuckle when I think of the four of us getting communion..only for you Carmen!!!
Much love, Lynda
Yatzee:
Glad you are doing so well. Great to hear your voice. Love that Kelly and the kids are coming up this weekend. Remember our fun times 9 years ago going to the hospital singing Hawaiian songs? Wish I were there to do the same this time. I loved hearing from Daryl about your first big harp...you are amazing behind those strings and pedals. Mom says hi. Love you lots....see you on the rock candy mountain tonight!!
Aloha, Yatzee
Morning Buhn....Thinking of you always. It was nice to see Caela blogging you too. Hope you had a good weekend with your family. Wonderful that Kelly et al came up. Love and miss you as always. xoxoo Trisha
Heh Buhn....how you doing? THinking of you. xoxoo Trisha
LATEST CARMEN UPDATE: JUNE 4, 2007
As you can imagine, I have very little strength or energy after the chemotherapy treatments.....I won't give the gorrey details for now, let's just say it's "brutal".....anyway, On Fri. May 31, I had my first treatment of taxol....it was an IV that went in me for 4 hours......After 3 grueling days of side effects, I'm somewhat back to "normal". If it weren't for the love and support of Quincy and family, I'd proably give up. To quote Tony Tennille: "Love Will Keep us Together." That's the bottom line folks.
I love all your comments, and am only sorry I cannot respond to each of you, due to a very huge lack of energy.......Please don't give up on me.
love,
Carmen
Ps Last night, I dreamt of a fish, music, and a new lover....
I think that ='s Jesus. A good sign.
Dear Carm
I am so sorry you have to go through all of this. I know you are strong and we are with you through this whole ride..........I am glad you are feeling back to normal today. I know it is a rough rode to travel, but you have the strength to make it over the bumps along the way. Know that myself and all your friends love you and are so proud of your courage. I know it is not easy for you. Rest and listen to some beautiful music........always thinking of you.much love, Bonnie
Hi Carmen.... Have Caela send you those Mitake Mushrooms for your immune system. They are supposed to be really good. You are a lucky girl to have your love of music at this very difficult time in your life. I hope your grandkids are giving you a smile or two each day. We are all thinking of you and love you dearly. xoxoo Trisha
hi carmen:
got your blog from donna K. everyone at North Shore Community Church loves you. we pray and thank God for you and your return to God Health, daily.
You are in our family forever.
love,
elaine
Hi Elaine,
Congratulatons! You are my first Kauai friend that figured out the blog....everyone there is telling me they don't know how to post. Maybe you can give us some posting instructions so I can hear from Kauai.
Calif. seems to "getit"....they're so high-techy over here!!
thanks for the prayers.
love,
Carmen
Ok... For those not knowing how to get onto the blog. You go to the home page and at the top of the page on the right you click on "sign in". Then you create an account. It doesn't cost anything so please go on and sign in for Carmen. LOve you Buhn...It was great hearing from you today. You have a wonderful outlook which gives us all strength. xoxoo Trisha
Sending you heaps of Aloha
just wish you could put it in your chemo
to speed up your recovery
God Bless
malama Pono
a hui hou
in friendship
Bev Osen
Hi Buhn.... So the hardest part of the blog os to figure out which post to make a comment on. Hope you had a nice visit with Kris. It was so cool that she was able to come up to visit you. I guess you are heading back to Mountain View in a couple of days for your next chemo. Just know we are all thinking about you and hopefully you can get some strength from that. I love you so much. Keep up the good work. You will get over this and enjoy..... Love you. xoxo Trisha
Post a Comment
<< Home