Ahhh, Tooth is Covered

What is it with teeth, or your mouth in general, that makes your tongue seek out and obsess over even the slightest change?  Maybe it's just me. :D


Dr. Baker fixed me up, using a clove flavored putty-like substance as a temporary cover over the crumbling filling.  It's hard as a rock now, but it WAS putty when it went into my mouth.  It took approximately 15 minutes total, with my drive over and my drive back home.  It's good to have a dentist just around the block.


Later, I had my appointment with Dr. Tsai, the Radiation Oncologist.  She says I don't need to see her anymore unless Dr. Fastenberg thinks she's needed.  She checked my lungs, as she always does and was happy with the air movement.  I did tell her I'd had several infections since the beginning of this round of chemo, as well as four ocular migraines in one month.


She told me that Dr. F was thrilled at how well I was tolerating the chemo.  HAHAHAH, that means I haven't been hospitalized.  But I did tell her about the horrible pain and that I can tolerate it because I know it won't last.


So, I'll tell all this again to Dr. Fastenberg on Tuesday before my next infusion.  Monday I go for my pre-chemo blood-letting.  Can't wait to see those results, since I didn't do the Neulasta shot.


We woke up this morning to TV news 'copters circling the neighborhood.  Sadly, a house fire took the life of an elderly gentleman, although he managed to get the woman who lived with him out to safety.  I knew this man, vaguely.  In my younger days, I used to do a lot of volunteer work in my city.  I remember very well the day he stood up and called the city council 'whoremongers.'  And that was just the tip of the iceberg for this guy.  But he certainly was a citizen who felt strongly about community involvement.


Of course, being a very hot, very smokey fire, and because we were in the middle of an Ozone Health Watch, I was having a hard time breathing well today.  Again, thank the deities for my Albuterol and the nebulizer.


Since I had such a trying day, I think I'm going to go have a glass of red wine.  Just kidding about the trying day, but not about the glass of wine. :D


Be safe, all, be well, happy and may you always have many hugs in your future.

Another Chemo Adjustment

Well, not an adjustment to my chemotherapy, but how I have to adjust to my chemo. :)  Saturday a filling in my tooth started to crumble.  Although it feels like the Grand Canyon when I run my tongue over it, you can't really see it.  It doesn't hurt in any way, either.


So, anyway, I called my dentist this morning, and they said, "well, you really need to talk to your oncologist first before we touch you."  Alrighty, then.  I called Ironwood and talked to one of the nurses and she looked at my chemo regimen and told me that as long as they were going to do a quick temporary fix, and if I did it toward the end of the week, we should be OK.  So, I'm going on Thursday and we'll see how it goes.  As for any other dental procedure; not until after the chemo is over, and then not for six to eight weeks after.


I'm saddened to say that I lost a beloved cousin over the weekend.  Helene was a Sepulveda that ended up in Hawaii.  We found each other years ago via Ancestry.com.  The minute I saw her, I knew she was family.  She was like a hybrid of my two aunts, Cee Cee and Lottie.  A tiny woman, full of strength of character; a dynamo of energy.  She had just been diagnosed with Stage IV Bone Cancer.  Rest well, now, Helene.


I've got a friend from work coming this afternoon to help me with my handicapped placard renewal.  Despite having your doctor attest to your permanent disability, the placard needs renewing every five years.  I certainly understand why they do this; to prevent fraudulent use by people that are in no way incapacitated.  We just have to sign it and have it notarized, and that's where Judy comes in.  She's an angel; how kind of her to come to my home to help me out. :)


Well, Ned Stark decided finally, that family was more important than his honor, but his timing couldn't have been worse.  And thus, he lost his head in last night's second-to-the-last episode of "Game of Thrones."  Ned, you idiot.


And that's it for this post.  I'm sending love to all, and please give someone a hug today, if at all possible.

Odd Day

For quite a bit of the day, I felt really tired, and every time I tried to get up and walk around my house, I got dizzy.  I think it's because I have some sinus issues and I might have screwed up my inner ear.  The tired is more than likely because I didn't sleep well last night; waking every hour or so.


Once I had some dinner, I felt quite a bit better.  We just made Mufulettas, although I couldn't have any fresh veggies on mine due to the risk of bacteria.  OH the things you learn when you have cancer and are doing chemo.  And instead of the tapenade, we used the Mexican Pesto I had made earlier in the week.  We froze what we didn't use in those Chicken Packets. :)  Of course, the bread was whole, multi-grain and very delicious.


Funny, I've been to New Orleans twice, and never had a Mufuletta there.  Got sick from the high humidity and its effect on my lungs, though, and ended up coming back to Arizona and going to the ER both times.  But, I ADORE New Orleans, and if you EVER get the opportunity to visit, please do; you won't regret it.  Ignore those folks from "Top Gear." :D


I need to buy stock in the Kleenex company; I'm running through tissues like crazy.  Drat that fire, and for everyone affected, I keep you in my prayers.  It's so sad to see so much beauty burning away via an act of human destruction.  One can become so distressed at the capacity of humans to be evil, but we can't let ourselves only see that evil, despite how we're constantly inundated with the media's evidence of it.


I think I'll head to bed early... like right now. :D


Be well, be safe and appreciate the amazing world around you and the wonderful people who grace your lives.

Chicken Packets

It's still Spring for a few more days, and plenty of time to use that nice grill out in the back garden.  So today, it's Chicken Packets with ... wait for it... squash(!) and my version of Mexican Pesto. 


Using that lovely black opal basil that has grown so beautifully, I added pine nuts, olive oil, chili peppers, cumin, garlic, salt, smoked Spanish paprika, and Parmesan cheese.  It's turned out to be a fantastic pesto!


We just spread it over the chicken and the squash, wrapped 'em in foil, and now they are out getting yummy.  But we are again inundated with squash, and so Jane's taking a bunch to work tomorrow.


I'm getting some new and exciting chemo side effects, now, but I won't bore you with the details.  And the second week's fatigue is catching up with me, now.


Beth, my friend from Maryland, I am doing the 7 day free trial of Rift.  I'm on Plutonus.  Look for Doranella the Dwarf. :)  Your peer pressure did me in; that and my own curiosity.


Ok, so I'm not feeling fabulous, but I'm not feeling hellacious either, and so, life, in general is good!  Take care, all!

The Gift of Normal -- kinda

When you’ve been feeling absolutely awful, getting back to some semblance of normal is an amazing gift.  Though getting to sleep took some work, i.e. had to get up to drink some coconut water because I was getting foot cramps, once I got to sleep, it was blissfully uninterrupted until Mr. Sun showed up a little after 5AM.

Today, there is just sporadic pain, and I’m so much in a better place, mentally.  My plans for this evening:  Watch Master Chef, then go to bed.  Exciting, eh? :D  But I need to catch up on my rest, and sleep is so good for what ails you.  Now if it could only cure cancer. :P

Oh, and apparently, I am not the only person on earth that thinks Ned Stark (character from George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones) is a moron.  If you haven’t read the books nor seen the HBO series, you won’t get these, but .. oh yeah, they are right on.  Alas, there are only two more episodes for this book.  They are not going to be very happy ones, either.  Oh well.

Just got off the phone with my oncology nurse from Optum Health.  It's a new one, Patty.  I like her.  We talked about how to manage the pain, and I'm going to talk to Dr. F about taking some Benadryl on the Thursday following my infusion, and see what he thinks about that.  Man, I just don't want that damned pain killer nausea and vomiting again. :(

So, until next time, take care, sleep well, have happy dreams and be kind to someone random. :)

Squash Soup with Chicken

Yesterday sucked.  I couldn't take the pain anymore so I took the Vicodin, one every four hours... I think I got down four of them before I got so sick even my Compazine got barfed up.  I haven't vomited in years; it's not pleasant, especially when you consider it's got to come past my tumor.  


And why is it that when you don't eat, and you're sick, your glucose numbers go up?  I see no logic in that!  So I had to take a glipizide with my Januvia and that meant I had to eat and keep it down.  I had a piece of sourdough toast.  So far, so good.


The pain today is definitely not as bad as yesterday, but I have no energy.  I went out to look at the crops, and barely got out there.  Luckily, my sisters provided a chair so I sat and rested for a while.  It's a beautiful day, but it's going to get pretty warm.


We gave a ton of squash to the neighbors yesterday, and Jane says she's going to make squash soup with chicken tonight.  Nancy made me a light green beret out of some soft, soft felt material.


I'm trying hard not to get depressed, I'm not really the type to get depressed, but dang, pain wears you down.  You just want to cry, but you're too tired to do even that.  I don't even have the strength to sit here and play World of Warcraft.  I cling to the sure knowledge that this pain is lessening, and will continue to lessen and I will get some strength back, and every day will get better.  And then it will be time to do it all over again. :D  See, that made me smile.  It's crazy, I know.


Now I think I'll go lie down for a while.  Maybe watch something on TV, maybe I'll sleep, maybe I'll read.  Take care, all.

Thursday, post-chemo

Well, it wasn’t as bad a Thursday as when I’d had the Neulasta shot, but it wasn’t a joyride, either.  I’ve got some bone pains, but nothing like the Thursday from hell.  I just don’t feel very well, and I’m finding it difficult to get the energy to get up from a sit.  I did sleep last night, though, more than the two hours of the night before. :)

The day following chemo, my glucose is whacked out because of the pre-med, Decadron, which is also responsible for the post-chemo insomnia.  Yesterday morning I tested at 178, so I took a glipizide with my regular Januvia.  This morning I was 111, so that’s a good thing.  Cancer treatments do make dealing with Diabetes a bit problematic but my PCP is doing a great job helping me through.

Didn’t feel like eating this morning, but since I have to take my docxycline and Januvia, I have to eat something.  I downed a Glucerna bar.  Well, that sounds like I made quick work of it, but it took me an hour to get it all down.

I found it a very wonderful thing to have to work with my numbers today, because they really can take me out of the misery.  I concentrate on the story they tell, make sure it’s the truth, double check, examine the logic.  I will not put out something with my name on it that isn’t right.

You know, the last round of chemo, which I had in November and December of last year, I didn’t have this total fall-out of my hair.  It was thinner, for sure, and there were patches of baldness, but nothing like this total desertion of follicles.  Is it weird that after the initial shock at the great gobs of falling locks, I really am ENJOYING being bald?  It certainly makes showers a lot faster!  Eyelashes falling out are just odd.  They get on my glasses, and I try to keep them out of my eyes.  Blech. :D

I saw the end of a documentary last night, “How to Die in Oregon.”   The portion I saw detailed a liver cancer patient making the choice to have physician-assisted suicide.  Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act in 1994.  When my mom was dying, and more than ready to BE dead, I found it inhumane that she could not be ushered from this life in a caring, dignified, painless fashion.  I could give this gift to my aged cat, but not my aged parent, and for now, I can’t even give this gift to myself.  No, I’m not ready yet, by a long-shot, but when I am, at least I know that Hospice will be my best option in lieu of euthanasia.

Ok, I know this was kind of a bummer post, but I'm feeling kind of bummed out, not really emotionally, but physically just done in.  In fact, I think I'm going back to bed now that my work day is over.  You'll probably look at this and think "what time do you start work, anyway?"  Well, the answer is, I can't sleep past sunrise, ever, so, I start working at six in the morning, and I'm done by 2:30PM.  

Love to all, and don't worry, the first Thursday post-chemo is the hardest.  Tomorrow will be a little better, and then the next day, better, and better, and better. :)