Saturday, July 30, 2011

And a PINK Fedora

Nancy and Jane came home with a Pink Fedora today.  It's exactly the same as the purple, yet in a very fetching shade of pink.  Thank heavens that opens up many more fashion options for all those exciting chemos and doctors visits. :D


We had a great time today, doing an all-sister run of World of Warcraft dungeons.  Today we did one we hadn't done before, and it was such fun figuring out how to take down one of the bosses.


I was the healer today.  :)  I started playing healer classes way back in City of Heroes.  That was when I had breast cancer.  I found it very therapeutic to run around healing people, even as I was counting on my doctors to heal me.  But, I hadn't played my priest as a healer in quite a while, so I was a bit rusty at the outset, but settled right down into a decent rhythm.  Yes there were a few deaths, especially on that one boss, but once we got him squared away, the rest of the dungeon went swimmingly.  The main thing is, we had fun!  And, Wendy was with us, which made it even better.  I think we should make Saturday dungeon-running day.  ;)


Monday I have to go get my pre-chemo blood work done, and then Tuesday I go in for my Camptosar infusion, and start up the Xeloda pills again.  That was a fast week off!


Now off to bed for me.  Enjoy your Sunday, my friends. :)

Friday, July 29, 2011

A Visit with The Pulmo

My morning appointment with my pulmonologist, Dr. S, went very well.  He says despite my severe lung disease, they are holding up well through the chemo and the past radiation.  All's stable on the lung front, and thank the gods for that!

Dr. S says every time he sees me he is amazed at how well I seem to be tolerating the chemo.  I told him about the two new chemos and the clinical trial.  It's too early to tell but I did mention that the referral pains were gone, now.  I hope that's a good sign.

Left there, and decided that since I was up and dressed, and now hungry, I should stop and get some breakfast.  So, my sister Nancy and I went to Crackers and Co.  I had the California Eggs Benedict.  Oh, yes, some of my favorite things:  Avocado, eggs, bacon, and spinach!  While I can still eat, I relish things like this.  It was a great morning!

While I was there, Dr. S asked me how I was doing emotionally.  Boy, my doctors all seem very concerned about my emotional state!  I told him I was fine; that I had discussed hospice with Dr. F and my oncologist had said we still had options, so Dr. S was happy with my answer. :)  And, I don't see him again for six months, unless something comes up.

I will admit, though, that between the visit to the pulmonologist and the breakfast, I am exhausted.  I took the walker today; didn't use the scooter.  You know I want to stay on my own two feet for as long as I can.  And while it's certainly good for my psyche, and good for my physical well-being, walking does take its toll on me.

And on that note, I think I'll go see if I can't take a nap.  I didn't sleep well last night, so I can probably use a good forty winks or so.

Live long and prosper!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

It's Chemo Week Off!

Already I have discovered my appetite is back.  I want really, really GOOD raviolis.  Which is weird, since I rarely eat raviolis.  I guess cravings don't make any sense; you just know you want something.

Hey, have I mentioned that I'm sick to death of squash?  We learned a great lesson this year on the farming front:  try not to plant too much of any one thing. ;)  Yes, the squash are still producing, but I think Sunshine Acres is going to be getting all the rest.  I can't even LOOK at squash right now...lol.

Still, we have probably 25-30 chili pepper plants of various varieties and I don't have a problem with them.  You can dry them, you can use them in every meal under the sun, you just can't get sick of chili peppers!  Oh, and the tomatoes; how amazing that we did it all right this year.  The flavors just explode in your mouth.  When you cook with them, it's stunning.  When you eat them just as is, with a little salt and pepper, heavenly. 

I just need the larger chilies to mature, like the pasillas.  I am dying for a spectacular chile relleno.  I wonder if I could manage a trip to Tia Rosa's restaraunt this week?  Despite it being my chemo week off, I'm still kinda weak from the chemo week ON. :D 

Good lords, it is time for bed and all I can think about is food.  See what happens when the chemo stops for just a bit?  But, I think this chemo is working.  And I say this because those referencing pains in my throat and shoulder are all but gone.  Yes, I had something very like a muscle spasm in my shoulder today, but it was way different than the 'normal' pain.  Still, it's early in this cycle, and while I do not want to get my hopes up, I refuse not to be optimistic.  I can be just as big a pollyanna as anyone else!

Ok, before I think up more food items to crave, I'm going to play a little more World of Warcraft, then get to bed.  I'm having fun with my undead Rogue, Ynez.  I rarely play her, but today, I got her to level 84.  Maybe it's all tied in with the weird cravings!

Love, hugs, and prayers for good health and long life to everyone!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Only 8 More Xeloda for this Round

I made myself a grilled pepper jack cheese on sourdough with sliced, fresh tomato.  Gotta have something hearty in your tummy before you start taking your Xeloda.  I did my four morning Xeloda along with a B6 and two Turmeric caps.  I have to take four more Xeloda with dinner tonight, then four more with breakfast tomorrow and then I get a week off!  It's not a complete week off; I need to visit my pulmonary doc on Friday.  :)


Last night the Valley of the Sun fell asleep to the sounds of a good summer monsoon.  Lots of wind, rain and thunder and lightning.  It was noisy and yet comforting in the familiarity of nature doing its summer thing.  And gods know we needed the rain.


I finished reading "A Dance with Dragons" by George RR Martin.  It was more of the same, which isn't a bad thing.  But, listen dude, some of us don't have EIGHT YEARS to wait for your next installment, so I respectfully request that you get cracking and get "The Winds of Winter" published.


Jane's scheduled for her colonoscopy tomorrow.  When you have a strong genetic link to that cancer, colonoscopies are something you do with alarming frequency.  My great grandfather, grandfather, father, and oldest brother all died from colon cancer.  My cousin Diane told me that her mom, my Aunt Annie, also had it, although she survived it.  But no one in my family ever had breast cancer, nor esophageal, nor adrenal gland cancer.  I always did have to be different. :D


Now, I'm off to brush my teeth and play a little World of Warcraft then maybe take a nap.  I feel a bit tired today.  Love to all, and be happy today!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Tortilla Soup

There is nothing better guaranteed to produce an appetite in me more than my sister Jane's Tortilla Soup.  I can smell the aromatics even back here in my bedroom.  She makes machaca chicken first, and then at the last moment assembles the actual soup.  It's an all-day venture, very soulful and full of love.   The link up at machaca is actually a recipe for machaca beef, but Jane's is similar for chicken.


I wonder why I always get bone pain with chemo?  I took a Naprosyn, and that took the edge off it.  It makes walking very uncomfortable, but I don't want to become a lump, either.  Happily, I have no symptoms of Hand-Foot Syndrome as yet, nor do I have the warned about Diarrhea. I do have the beginnings of one mouth sore, but even that's feeling alright at the moment.  I wonder how it will enjoy Tortilla Soup? :D


Yesterday I asked for something I normally NEVER want:  I wanted a slice of a very decadent chocolate cake.  Of course, Jane went right out and found me one from AJ's.  I only have a couple of bites of it at a time, so this could last for a week. :D  And it is OH so decadent, rich, moist, bringing great happiness to my taster.


So, for the week upcoming, I have to do the eight Xeloda pills until Monday, and then Tuesday, I only take the four with breakfast, then I get a week off.  But Monday the 1st of August, I have to go get my labs done, and Tuesday the 2nd of August it's back to Ironwood for my next infusion of Camptosar again and more than likely, a shot of Aranesp, which is the one I had to sign paperwork to acknowledge that they had warned me of all the risks.  Well, duh.  I die if I don't get it, pretty much, so if it kills me... c'est la vie.


Anywho, next week should be a piece of cake... hmmm... ummmm... cake.  Stop that!  So, I shall rest up and get my strength back so that I can go into round two of this regimen able to deal with the side effects. 


Love to all, hugs, kisses and stay healthy!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Cumulative Effects of Chemo

Food is an abomination right now.  But sleep is coming pretty easily.  My stomach feels like it's tied in knots, and nothing tastes good.  Nancy made me a garden burger for lunch, but I could only get two bites down.  I did eat an entire Sargento Pepper Jack cheese stick, though.  YAY for protein.


I slept until almost seven AM, then I got down my plethora of pills with two pieces of toast.  And then I went back to bed and slept until Noon.  My strength is gone, and I'm wandering the house using a walker again.


Actually, I think I hear my bed calling out to me again.  "Come, sleep!"  "Rest more!"  Oh the temptation.  I don't feel sick while I sleep, but who wants to sleep away their life?  But I am so tired.


I'll post more tomorrow, or the next day.  I'm tired and I don't feel so hot.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

I am the Epitome of Compliance

I think I must be every doctor's dream patient.  I am compliant ... obsessively compliant.  I may be naive, but I figure if a doctor tells you to do something, you should do it.


For years, I monitored my breathing with a little contraption that measured peak expiratory flow and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second. (FeV1)  I had data out the wazoo, and trending charts back to 2003. :D  Ok, granted, that kind of fell by the wayside when I got this cancer, because it was all I could do to cope with THIS.


But now, I can obsess about new things, i.e. how much water I am drinking, getting those eight Xeloda tablets down every day, and the two B6 and the Turmeric (which are kinda hard to get down.  Stop making HUGE capsules, people!)  All these things I write down as I take them, keeping my date book by my bedside.  Yes, the glucose levels are recorded there as well, and I am happy to report that this morning I was down to 113.  The decadron has definitely left the building. :D


Oh, and the lotion and emollient thing!  According to the Patient Information sheet my oncologist gave me on Xeloda, I need to put an emollient on my hands and feet five to six times a day, and especially before bed.  I love the Emu oil, I have to say.  You use so little, yet it stretches one slight pump of the bottle to both hands and feet.  No scent, thank the gods, and it absorbs quickly.


One of the common side effects of Xeloda is mouth sores, so of course, you have to pay extreme attention to your dental hygiene.  Because I tend to get very dry mouthed from the chemo, I use a moisturizing mouthwash from Spry that contains Xylitol.  The Patient Information said that I should avoid Citrus fruits and juices, tobacco, and... NOOOOOOOOOOO!... spicy foods.  Dr. Fastenberg assured me that that part didn't apply to those of us of the latina persuasion.  If you grew up and grew and immune to it, eat it. ;)  Phew!  Dodged that bullet. 


In any event, today I feel pretty darned good.  I feel strong; much stronger than yesterday.  If I can get this chemo regimen through to completion, and it works to at least control this cancer, I will be so very happy.  


Here is Jane on a hunt for squash.  We put a basket up on the wall for the neighbors behind us and then she returns it empty with a sweet thank you note.  It's good to share. :)


Well, I'm taking each day as it comes, keeping on top of side effects as best I can and hoping this is the one that does the trick.


Love to all!



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Xeloda with Dinner, Xeloda with Breakfast

Best not get confused with all the pills I'm taking...lol.  Especially after last night's lack of sleep, thanks to my old pal Decadron. :P

I started the Xeloda last night.  Took them over the course of my dinner, one at a time, since they are a little on the large size, but there was no problem.  Later, took my first B6 with my normal night time stuff:  Singulair, Protonix, Lipitor, Zantac, Magnesium and Iron.  That was fine.

This morning, I had my Muesli and took four more of the Xeloda, again, with plenty of water over the course of my meal.  Then it was time for Januvia and Glipizide, again thanks to my friend Decadron, which raised my glucose to 218!  Holy guacamole.  Then I started my Turmeric Caps.  These are a little bigger than the B6, but I got them down well enough.  Dr. F looked up the interaction potential of taking it and gave me the go-ahead.

I also asked him about Henna usage.  Check out this link for more information.  Dr. F said he's good with that. :)  Yes, my hands are feeling a bit warm, but my feet seem ok so far.  I'm using Dermasil mostly during the day, then night time I use the emu oil.  This is all so weird.  But I have a good feeling about this combo.  Well, let me clarify, I have good MENTAL feelings about this combo of chemo...the physical is not so great, but I shall persevere. :D



Can you believe we're still getting tomatoes in 110 degree weather and there are still tons on my plants?  Putting the shade cloth and the 4 inches of mulch really helped this year.   Ok, they are not beautiful, by any means, but damn(!), are they delicious!

Now, off to pay some bills, and then I think I'll try to take a nap.  I love you all, and send hugs and wishes for good health and happiness.


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

And We're Off!

I told Dr. F about the pain, and he said both were common referral pains from esophageal cancer.  He also said he's changed up my new chemo regimen.  Now, I shall be doing the Camptosar  every two weeks, and take the Xeloda pills for one week, with a week off.  This would be an easier regimen on me.


For my pre-meds, we have once again decadron, but now also atropine and zofran.  No more Herceptin, since it wasn't actually making inroads in the control of the cancer.  And it's not approved for use with Camptosar, anyway.


Atropine makes me a bit woozy, or at least I'm attributing my wooziness to it. :)  I just wish I didn't get so darned anxious about new chemos.  I mean, so far, so good on this one.


Here's a shot of Jane working on the most vicious jigsaw puzzle ever.  By the time we were done with my infusions, there was a volunteer and another chemo patient helping her.
Look at that concentration!


So, now I am home, and I was told to take my first four Xeloda pills with tonight's dinner.  Oh joy. :)


And that means, before I go to bed, I must slather on the emu oil onto both hands and feet.  I predict much sheet washing in my future.


Love to all!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Some Problems

I've got pain in my shoulder and throat.  The throat pain is on the right side, near my collar bone, and the shoulder is right side as well.  Coughing is painful, and if you know me, I'm a big cougher, due to my degenerative lung disease.  Strangely, nose blowing and ... sorry,... belching, is also painful.  But what really gets my shoulder is the nose blowing.  Yet, normal breathing, even taking the deepest breath I can, hurts neither my throat, nor my shoulder.


So, we'll be discussing this with Dr. Fastenberg tomorrow.  Maybe I just have a pinched nerve somewhere.  Yeah, that's the ticket. :D


Here's a photo of a Paladin and her Seahorse.  It's pretty rainbow-bright in the depths of Vashj'ir.  Luckily, you get a spell cast upon you that allows you to breathe underwater... HANDY!


And now, it's off to bed for me.  Aetna called to say Dr. F had sent them the paperwork for my leave, to which I replied, "Holy Moses!"  Remember the last leave?  That was a little stressful, but it looks like this batch of paperwork didn't get lost in the shuffle. :D


Sweet dreams to all, and may you give and receive many, many hugs.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Hand-Foot Syndrome

The Apothecary Shop sent more literature with the Xeloda pills.  I had already gotten a sheet from my oncologist, provided by Roche Laboratories, the pills' maker.  The listed side effects are mouth sores, Hand-Foot Syndrome, Heartburn, Nausea and Diarrhea.  Pretty much the norm for most chemos, but I hadn't heard of Hand-Foot syndrome.  It's not peripheral neuropathy, which you can get with Taxol, and affected me more during the COLDER months.


There are several things you can do to help lessen the symptoms of Hand-Foot, one of which is to use Emu Oil.  Well, I found it at Sprouts, and I hope no Emus were harmed in the making of this product.  My debit card smoked a little from it, but if it works, such is life.  You can't take it with you, you know. ;)  Another thing you want to do, and which my oncologist recommended, was to take 100 mg of vitamin B6 twice a day.  And I need to keep my hands and feet as cool as possible.  Hee Hee... desert... 106 today..oh boy. :P


And I did indeed wear my purple fedora to Sprouts today, and made a friend of another shopper who greatly admired my stylish chapeau.  I found lots of goodies to tempt my appetite, and stocked up on garden burgers.  When I purchased the B6, I also got some Turmeric capsules, but I don't want to take them until I talk to my oncologist on Tuesday.  Turmeric is supposed to be a cancer cell killer.  And you know, at this point, I'll try it.  I doubt it can hurt, but I have to run it by Dr. Fastenberg first.  


Yesterday's episode of "Torchwood" was FANTASTIC!  I'm beginning to like the US cast members, but I adore the character of Gwen.  And of course, Captain Jack is the best omni-sexual character on TV.  Oh wait, I think he's the ONLY one, too. :D  So I have hopes for this season and thank you, Starz, for giving us our "Torchwood" fix!


I've got a pork loin marinating in some Tequila, lime, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire, and a little soy sauce.  And I think I should be able to risk a big old salad for lunch, since I'm an extra week out in my chemo cycle.  YES!  SALAD!  It's the little things in life that make me happy as a clam. :)


SO, get out there, have a great weekend, and love as much as you can!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

A Purple Fedora

I first wore the purple fedora to Tuesday's meeting with the oncologist, thinking I'd be having my regular round of chemo.  Since it's summer, I don't wear the hats indoors, but I have to shield my pale noggin from the summer sun, or fry.


Everyone seems to love this hat, and that includes me.  Nancy found it for me in the Walmart clearance rack, I think.  No matter from whence it came, it suits me to a T.  Even more importantly, it makes me smile.  I feel better when I wear this particular hat.


I had a call from The Apothecary Shop today.  My Xeloda pills will be delivered tomorrow.  It's both exciting and scary news.  You know how I fret about new treatments.  You'd think I'd be an old pro at this cancer stuff by now.  Still, when I had to sign several papers on Tuesday to acknowledge that the shot they gave me to build up my red blood cells could also kill me, well, you know, it's hard to be blase. ;)  But hey, I've taken another black box medication twice a day for probably ten years, and I'm still kicking.  


Also, the fact that I still care about not dying is a really good sign!  I mean if I felt depressed or just terribly sick and unable to see ahead to something good, then I wouldn't have cared about signing those papers.  So yeah, I cared, and that's MOST excellent. :D


Because I haven't been outside of my house except to go see a doctor or get poisoned, for a few months, I'm planning an outing.  No, nothing exciting; just a trip to Sprouts.  We're charging up the scooter even as I type.  I'm thinking we can go some time Saturday morning.  HEY!  I'll wear my purple fedora!  I think this is probably the best shot I have at getting out and not getting sick.  SO, beware Sprouts!


And that's it for this post.  We had left-overs for dinner... including of course, ...squash!  Hugs and love to all!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

CT Results are In

So it wasn't all bad news, but it wasn't what I was hoping for, either.  The adrenal tumor is now at 5 cm. That's about 2 inches.  Dr. Fastenberg was disappointed that the chemo regimen we had been on wasn't helping.


On the esophageal cancer front, all seems to be stable.  The main tumor has not changed, the one lymph node behind my trachea enlarged minimally, and one located near my shoulder was unchanged.  But the good news there is that there was NOTHING NEW!!!! :)


Starting next week, I will be part of a stage II clinical trial of CPT-11, which is already approved and in use for breast cancer and colon/rectal cancer.  It's known as Camptosar.  That will be an IV infusion every three weeks, but additionally, I will be taking Xeloda pills.  It will be a trial in more ways than one, and so I will be taking three months of short term disability and see how that goes. 


I asked Dr. Fastenberg point blank if I should be considering hospice and he said not at all; we still have options, and I'm still doing pretty well.  I can still walk, kinda, I can still eat, kinda, and I've still got hope.


I was so stressed out this morning, I had an ocular migraine during my consult with Dr. F.  That was... kinda creepy, and because my hemoglobin was down to 8, I had to have a shot of Procrit.  Let us hope that works well, otherwise next time, it's a transfusion and I have to go to the hospital for that. 


I'm exhausted.  It's a lot of information to digest; but I still believe that I have a chance.  Dr. F says that this trial has a 47% success rate so far.  By success, 15% have eliminated their cancer and the other 32% have their cancer under control.  I will happily take control if that's as good as I can get.  There are only 29 people in this trial.  I will be number 30.  I like that number. :)  Why so few in the trial? Because both of my cancers are relatively rare, our numbers are few.


I will start the trial on the 19th, so I get a week to rest up get strong.  And generate some red and white blood cells!  And try not to get sick.


And so I'm hanging in here, and sending love and hugs to all. :)

Friday, July 8, 2011

Fear Makes you Tired

Now comes the waiting game.  Only it's not a very enjoyable game.  I had my CT Scan this morning.  My barium drink was berry flavored.  It was very, VERY berry flavored.  And at least it was nice and cold.  Drank that down over 45 minutes and then into the CT room I went.  


First, though, we had to go over to the infusion ward and get my port accessed, which is always a breeze, and then back we went to get that damnable scan. ;)


This one was checking my abdomen and chest; we did the first few shots to make sure everything was lined up, and then the iodine came on board.  If you haven't had iodine sent into a vein, you've missed some excitement.  It doesn't hurt, it just feels a bit warm and does strange things to certain of your 'parts.'  My problem is that it really screws up my breathing.  Which, of course, was already screwed up by the left over dust in the air.  But I had taken a hit off my Xopenex inhaler before we started and once we were finished, I took another hit.


And yes, now we wait.  I really suck at this waiting stuff.  I'm brooding.  Normally, I'm pretty good at just putting these scans out of my mind, but I think if we don't get good news, we're running out of options.  Well, unless there is some study group I can get into with 'investigational' treatments.  In some cases, these trials work very well for people.  Other people die.  It's all a crap shoot, I guess.


Anywho, I have started watching "The Big C" with Laura Linney.  It's on Showtime.  I didn't see the first season; I couldn't figure out how they could have a comedy about cancer treatments.  But I have to say, they do a great job!  Now I should go to Cox On Demand and see if I can find the first season and watch it.  


This season, she's seeing a new oncologist, played by Alan Alda.  He mentions his crappy bedside manner... oh, dude, you're a neophyte.  My mom had a cardiologist that even the nurses referred to as 'that arrogant Swedish bastard."  He could give Alan Alda lessons. :D  But he was, of course, a damned fine cardiologist.


I'm really, really tired today, for some reason.  I attribute it to fear of CT results. I need to get the hell out of that, and move on to something better.  Oh, "Torchwood" is on in about 25 minutes.  That's something I've been anticipating with happiness.  I just hope the move from the UK to the US doesn't screw up the show.  I shall reserve judgment. :)


So, I think I'll go get a glass of wine and try to chill out for the rest of the evening.  Try to reclaim my normal "whatever the results, we'll deal with it" attitude.  I can do that.


Sleep well, all.  Many hugs!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The BIG Dust Storm

I've lived here in Arizona since June 3rd of 1985, and we see dust storms several times a year.  But yesterday's... oh holy moses, that was something else!  That link shows several videos and photos.  I just was awestruck.  We weathered it well with no damage, but folks across the street from us had gates ripped out, and fence slats torn right away.


The dust lingered for SO long, and when we first saw it, it actually looked like fog was rolling in, and though we HAVE gotten fog, and that's weird enough on its own, this was obviously not fog.  


Our poor cars; they looked like they had been through a volcanic eruption.  Even mine, which gets to have the garage to itself, was still covered in dust.


So, nothing major on the agenda for tomorrow; just work, and then Friday morning it's off to Ironwood Cancer and Research Center to have my CT with contrast and of course to drink my yummy frosty barium shake before hand. :D  Actually, it's much more palatable these days, it's almost drinkable. 


We've got more thunderstorms forecast for tonight, so I'll turn off all my 'puters early and go to bed and read.  "A Dance With Dragons" should be delivered next week, not in time for chemo, darn it, but I'm just happy I'll have it!  I hope to gods someone lives through this book. :D


Peaceful dreams, all.  

Monday, July 4, 2011

Stuffed Squash

It's only 102 degrees at 3:30PM, but the humidity is up at 27%.  Oh sure, sounds pretty good to folks in places like the southern states that get REAL humidity, but it's still yukky to us. :)

Oddly, yesterday I was getting my Thursday-after-chemo leg pains.  It was very sporadic though, thank the deities.  And I had another Ocular Migraine.  At least in this round it's only been two of them.  I'm beginning to feel antsy about the CT that I will be having on Friday.  I can't tell you how hard it is to try to just keep these tests in perspective.  The results of this CT will tell me if this very toxic chemo regimen is doing me any good, or not.  I need to not think about it until Friday rolls around, and then I can be an anxious, neurotic mess until I see my Oncologist on the following Tuesday.

And on that Tuesday, the 12th, I am supposed to have my fourth chemo of this round.  I'm feeling wildly ambivalent about that.  I will not lie and say my body could not really use a break from all this.  And if the results of the CT are bad, it will get its break.  But if the results of the CT are good, we'll go for chemo four, and it'll be more pain, more feeling sick,, more creepy side effects, but I would still be getting RESULTS, I would still be LIVING.

But if the results of the CT are bad, will there be anything left to do?  Let me clarify that; will there be anything left to do that I could survive?

Well, I had to get all that off my chest, and now I can move on to today's happier subject, stuffed squash!  I looked around and found a decent recipe from the Food Network, and had to bastardize it.  For one thing, there will be no oven use until... oh...around November, I'd have say.  Unless we have one of this past year's winters from hell.

Back to the squash.  I scooped the seeds from a round zucchini, a normal zucchini, an acorn squash and one I could not identify, but looks like a variety of turban squash, which is weird since I thought they were winter squash.  After getting the seeds cleared out, I put them in a large glass bowl, with about an inch and a half of water in the bottom, and steamed them in the microwave.  Each variety of the squash was done in its own time, so I had to watch them like a hawk. :)

After they were all cooked, I got out some ground, lean turkey, and with Jane's help, we made the stuffing.  Once the meat was cooked through, we added a can of original Rotelle, sea salt, cracked pepper, corn, and let it simmer for a bit.   We diced another zucchini, and a slice from that unknown turban, and added it to the stuffing along with some of the last of our collards and spinach.  Finally, we had made our favorite brown rice mixture, and folded that in as well. Oh, and I tossed in some chopped walnuts for some extra texture and nutrition.  I also love to use McCormick's blend of Greek seasoning, so I tossed a couple tablespoons of that after rubbing it between my palms.

Once we were satisfied with the seasonings, we stuffed it into our squashes, topped it with Parmesan and popped it in our Oster Toaster Oven on broil, just enough to get it all warm again and melt the cheese.  I must say it was WAY satisfying; toothsome, flavorful and SO fresh!  I love growing my own food.  On the off chance that this cancer gets cured, I think my sisters and I should go buy a small farm somewhere cool.  Dreams.... :)

Oh, and Happy Fourth of July to America.  In honor of this occasion, I watched "John Adams" on HBO with the brilliant Paul Giamatti.  In fact, I don't think there was one sub-par actor in that movie.

Back to work tomorrow for many of us.  Have a great week, and I'm sure I'll be writing again soon.  Love ti all!!!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

We Topped Out at 114

And we were thankful.  I have lived here long enough to have experienced the 120 degree mark, and I have to say, I don't care how dry the heat is, 120 is disgusting. In any event, the monsoon is beginning to move in across the valley, and though temperatures will cool, the humidity will rise, and the dust storms and thunderstorms are coming.


I had King Crab Legs for dinner, with artichoke hearts and spinach.  I am SO spoiled.  And excitingly, I slept in until 6:55 AM!!  The curtains Nancy got me yesterday seem to be blocking out that early sun pretty darned well.


Cabin Fever is striking, but this is my low white cell count time.  Yes, we have my chemo cycle all figured out.  By tomorrow, though, the counts should start coming up.  I don't know where I'd go anyway.  It's too hot. :D


Frankly, I'd really LIKE to go to work.  I missed a colleague's retirement celebration, and he was a good person, so that made me rather sad.  Lots of people are leaving of late.  I just read on Facebook that one of my ex minions is going back to Texas.  I'll miss her very much, too.  Hope is so full of life and energy and happiness.


I wonder if my hair will ever grow back.  I seem to still be bald as cue ball, and about the same hue, as well. :D  Alas.


Robin, if you are reading this, and I know you do.  Come get some squash!!!


Ok, have a lovely Sunday, folks.  Be well!

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