Another CT Coming UP

It's not until Tuesday the 27th, but already I am dreading it.  Not the SCAN, for that's easy as pie.  No, it's the waiting for the results.  I try hard to live for today, but the spectre of the scan and its results can't be so easily dismissed.

The last scan, on the 23rd of September found the Pulmonary Embolism, for which I am massively grateful, for if it had not, I would probably not have survived through the weekend.  And so, though a PE is a horrible thing, it was the CT that saved me, and thus, it shouldn't be such a thing of dread.  It really is a GOOD thing, and I must remember to be optimistic and BELIEVE that it's going to give us some fantastic results.

Plus, I will finally, I hope, know why the hell my leg is causing me so much pain.  And if we know, then we can fix it!  So it has been said, so it shall be written. :)  I loved "The Ten Commandments."

Can we be done with Winter, now?  I'm tired of being cold.  Gads, I am SUCH a wimp. :D

Tomorrow for Christmas, we're having a roast of rib eye, which we are going to VERY, VERY carefully cook, since it was freaking expensive.  The last thing you want to do with this baby would be to over cook it.  Too bad I can't rent Bobby Flay or someone of his ilk.

I got a booklet in the mail from Genentech, who makes the Xeloda.  I liked the part that said something to the effect, "You've been on this drug for some time, now."  Oh yeah, baby, you can say that again.  Genentech sent me a whole bunch of stuff with my initial prescription; a pill dispenser, so you could pop your 4 AM and your 4 PM poison pills in this thing and not forget to take 'em.  As if.  But I use it.   There was also a really good booklet about what to expect from the side effects, and how to deal with them.  It really was a good little package of helpful, relevant... stuff. ;)

Anywho, since the scan will be on Tuesday, we are going to move our Camptosar infusions to every other THURSDAY starting next week.  I think that will be best in the long run, because then I'll have the weekend to rest up.  I managed to get somewhere in the range of 38.2 hours of work in this past week, and that's only because those damned painkillers made me so sick.

Well, to all of you Christians out there, let me wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, and to everyone, Peace, Good-will, and may you get everything you deserve from life.

I Love Fall

I think Fall is by far my favorite season.  Even here, we have leaves changing colors; certainly not as showy and impressive as over in New England, but it's here, nonetheless.


Today, I'll be heading off to see the oncologist at 1PM, then if all is well with my labs, I can have my Camptosar infusion.  How amazing that after being so skittish in the beginning of this treatment regimen, now, I WANT it!  Doesn't matter that it makes me nauseated; it's saving my life, and I want it.  Oooh, that sounds like a three-year-old, doesn't it?  I WANT IT!  :D


On the other hand, this means the beginning of my Xeloda cycle, too.  You know, I'm exceedingly lucky, because other than the nausea, I'm not getting the more harsh side effects from these two chemo drugs.  Oh well, yes, there IS that little problem with blood clots, but I was lucky there, too!  That Pulmonary Embolism was found before it killed me.  That's luck!


But perhaps, luck has nothing to do with it.  I know I have so many supporters out there; family, friends, even strangers I have never physically met.  With all those prayers, good mojo, best wishes and love, you know that HAS to play a part in my so-called 'luck.'  And I am most appreciative of every bit of support that comes my way.


Our house is now decorated for Halloween.  We have a HORRIBLE giant spider on the front porch, and his web is full of plastic cockroaches.  I kinda helped out yesterday, putting cockroaches in the web, but frankly, they kept sliding and looked FAR too real for my taste, but in the spirit of the season, they are perfect.


Jane made another batch of cupcakes yesterday with my favorite Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting, but instead of cocoa powder, which we didn't have, we used Mexican Chocolate... with cinnamon.  Holy carp, these cupcakes are to die for.  And if I eat too many, I will. :)  The cake part is spice cake, too, so believe me, the Mexican in us is VERY happy with these cupcakes.


So that's it for this post.  All is well, and if anything comes up at the oncologist today, I'll let you all know.


Love, hugs and kisses, too!

Nurses Are Awesome

About 100 years ago, my aunt Lorraine would take we girls to Hawaii every summer.  One year,we were on the Big Island, I think on the Kona side, and we found a restaurant we loved.  Now, granted, there was Auntie with three comely young ladies, and that habitually got us fine service, but at this particular establishment, the service was impeccable.
While I may have  forgotten the name of the place, I will never forget the entire experience of dining there.  I've been feeling the same appreciation for the nursing staff of the 4th floor here at Banner Baywood.

I'm a good patient when it comes to compliance, but I acknowledge that when it comes to complaining about things like pain, or any kind of discomfort, I suck.  I was not reared to complain...ever, and so when I'm asked if I'm in pain, I will invariably tell you 'no.'  And this can kill you.  Pain usually happens to warn you of something, but I have been attributing pain of late to being an expected consequence of chemotherapy, and just dealing with it.

Now, with the blood clots it's become very apparent that I *must* learn to tell my doctors about pain and anything else I can perceive as being beyond the norm.

So it seems that I will be here until Tuesday.  There was some discussion among my docs of implanting a filter to keep any more Pulmonary Embolisms from occurring, but instead, I may end up on blood thinners long-term.

In Hospital

This morning I headed to Ironwood Cancer & Research Center for my CT scan.  When I got home my oncologist called to tell me to get to my hospital's ER...the scan found a blood clot in my lungs.

But, he also told me that there was tumor shrinkage!  It looks like we are getting great results from this chemo.

Anyway, I am now in Banner Baywood and will be here until Tuesday, probably.  I'm on a heparin drip, hopefully disintegrating the clot.

Take care, all.  I love you.  :)