C-DIFF, or something like it

So, for the past two weeks I've been dealing with mostly on again, but sometimes off again, symptoms that have me concerned that the C-Diff is recurring.  If you don't recall, I had a nice bout of it after my mastectomy in November.

This has not been so bad, but in duration alone I began to get concerned so I finally emailed Dr. Chui (on a Sunday....I'm horrible.....and he wrote me back....because he's wonderful!)

In no particular order, the cause could be:

  * recurring C-Diff
  * some other GI bug
  * a reaction to metformin (which I may or may not be taking in my clinical study)

I confess I'm torn: if it's the C-Diff, it's a quick course of antibiotics and it's gone, which is good.  BUT if it's the metformin it means I'm actually taking metformin, and not a sugar pill...which would be cool to know, since I want to do everything I can to kill the cancer!

However, in order to determine the cause of my distress, I had to pop on in for another fabulous lab test.

And you know what's worse than having to give a stool sample, I learned this morning?

NOT HAVING ONE TO GIVE.  I had to sit in the lab for almost an hour waiting for nature to take its course.  Once again, the lab techs were super-duper-nice, but it's just so humiliating!!!  "Any minute now!" I kept saying, patting my stomach.  Guh.

My "BRAT" diet is obviously helping with the problem so that's good, especially because I am supposed to attend a conference the rest of the week.  The good news is, the conference is local so I will be sleeping in my own bed while I hopefully recover.

And you know me: I took a picture today at the lab--

I say it again: IT'S ALL SO GLAMOROUS!

In other news, I got my hair cut.  I went to a "curl" specialist trained in the Ouidad techniques.  I guess the bummer of that I had failed to consider was that we would CELEBRATE my curls as opposed to eliminate them.  So I still look like an old lady who went to the SuperCuts and asked for the hot-pink-roller perm special....and I still hate it....but I have better products in it.  I really, really, really can't wait for it to grow out.  Even though I'm fairly convinced the grow-out will include a few months of ungodly poof-i-ness, the weight of longer hair will help.  And for most people the curl is temporary anyway so: FINGERS CROSSED.  I don't mind a little wave, but this is RIDICULOUS!

On the plus side, we've had three beautiful days in a row here in Portland (though that's supposed to end tonight) which has lifted my spirits!  Once I get this gastro-intestinal situation under control, I might just start EXERCISING again!