Everyone has been reminding me that I haven't posted on my blog since March. This is the reason why. In the beginning of March I thought I had an upper respiratory infection because I was sneezing, blowing my nose and had a cough that sounded like a seal and seemed to come up from my feet. It's still going on and it's more than 2 months. Lately I have been getting worried that maybe it's pneumonia or full blown cancer. I was more tired than usual and was perfectly happy to sit in my lazyboy after working out or playing golf. I was accomplishing nothing during that time. I think all the coughing, sneezing, and nose blowing was sapping all my energy. I tried to keep hydrating with Smart Water (it has electrolytes), but it didn't seem to help. Some friends told me it was allergies and others asked me if I had seen a doctor about that cough.
My PET Scan was due in April and I just had it on the 14th. In the October scan I had 3 lymph nodes that were lighting up on the PET Scan, but this time I have one. I honestly had a meltdown in the doctor's office and it was caused by a number of things the biggest one being THE COUGH! Second thing was I had an 11 o'clock appointment with the Oncologist for the results. Knowing I would be kept waiting for a long time, I decided to do my workout class and leave a half hour late for my appointment. While I was near their office I received a call asking me if I remembered I had an appointment. I told the lady I was on my way and would be there in a few minutes. It was 11:05 at that time and I arrived 10 minutes later. As soon as I arrived they put me in an examination room and kept me in there long enough so I had to use the rest room twice, so more than one hour. I was getting more upset by the minute. Why do I have to come in more than 2 hours before I see the doctor? It's getting to be like the airport.
At first I was upset that I had a suspicious lymph node. I feel that I've been doing all I can to get a better result. But basically I just ran out of good attitude. The doctor spent a great deal of time with me and I appreciate that.
By the time I got in my car and started home my head started to clear. Then I realized that this one lymph node is new and the three I had 6 months ago are gone. I must be doing something right. I'm still taking Tarceva and it's working. By the way all my organs are in good shape.
I'm so sorry that I had the meltdown. The Oncologist didn't deserve that. It was the cough that has been chipping away at my patience. I need to make amends with my doctor and also let him know that waiting in the examination room is no picnic. The room is cold and drab. Just leave me in the waiting room where there are people to watch and talk to. I could bring my Yoga mat and do something healthy.
My energy level hasn't returned because I'm still coughing and the only way that will stop my doctor tells me is to get in a boat and park it in the middle of the sea.
My apologies for not posting sooner. I hope you'll understand now that you know what was going on.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Two Doctors in One Day
Both of my appointments turned out perfectly as if I had planned it and here's why: the Radiation doctor doesn't keep me waiting very long but the Oncologist keeps me waiting 1 or 2 hours. My appointments were an hour apart with the radiation doctor in the lead. I didn't have to do much waiting in both offices. I think I'll always set it up that way if possible. It also saves me a lot of driving.
All is well as far as the Radiation doctor is concerned. He always tests my mental and physical responses. So far I can find my nose with my index finger and my leg pops up when he hits my knee with the mallet.
The Oncologist was disappointed with the two blood tests because whatever numbers he was hoping would go down instead went up slightly. He thinks that I may have some kind of inflammation in my body, maybe even from the fall on my bike because my right leg and right elbow still are not healed. Good news I'll be having a PET Scan in mid April and it will be for the full body.
I'm still feeling great and wear myself out pretty well with all my activities. It's helped me a lot to do Yoga again. What a great stretch and since I can't have massages, it's the next best thing to having one. I was told when I did try to get a massage that there is a fear that working the muscles will make the cancer cells travel to different areas of my body. I don't know if it's true but since the seed was put in my mind I don't want to take a chance.
Don's cousin and his wife will be leaving this weekend. We certainly had a lot of fun with them and also with 2 other couples who all graduated from Don's high school and a couple Don knew from the Danish Club in Detroit. It was a mini reunion with lots of laughs and good stories.
Charlie came for a fast weekend when he was standing up for a wedding in Phoenix. We enjoyed every minute he was able to be with us. I think he misses the weather in Phoenix among other things. I hope the east has had all their snow as well as I hope Phoenix has had all the rain for a while. We need the water but....
All is well as far as the Radiation doctor is concerned. He always tests my mental and physical responses. So far I can find my nose with my index finger and my leg pops up when he hits my knee with the mallet.
The Oncologist was disappointed with the two blood tests because whatever numbers he was hoping would go down instead went up slightly. He thinks that I may have some kind of inflammation in my body, maybe even from the fall on my bike because my right leg and right elbow still are not healed. Good news I'll be having a PET Scan in mid April and it will be for the full body.
I'm still feeling great and wear myself out pretty well with all my activities. It's helped me a lot to do Yoga again. What a great stretch and since I can't have massages, it's the next best thing to having one. I was told when I did try to get a massage that there is a fear that working the muscles will make the cancer cells travel to different areas of my body. I don't know if it's true but since the seed was put in my mind I don't want to take a chance.
Don's cousin and his wife will be leaving this weekend. We certainly had a lot of fun with them and also with 2 other couples who all graduated from Don's high school and a couple Don knew from the Danish Club in Detroit. It was a mini reunion with lots of laughs and good stories.
Charlie came for a fast weekend when he was standing up for a wedding in Phoenix. We enjoyed every minute he was able to be with us. I think he misses the weather in Phoenix among other things. I hope the east has had all their snow as well as I hope Phoenix has had all the rain for a while. We need the water but....
Monday, February 22, 2010
Another Month Another Blood Test
At the end of this month or the first day of the next I'll be going for my monthly blood work. I'll see my Oncologist a couple of days later. I think I also have an appointment with my Radiation Doctor. We made the appointment in November of 2009 and I had no 2010 calendar so I'm not certain what the date of that appointment is. I guess on my "to do" list I need to write to call his office and find out. I would hate to miss it because he's a busy guy with lots of information.
Dennis arrived for the weekend. We made the most of it: exercise, golf and eating in and out. I invited Gary and his family for Brunch on the Sunday before he left. I also invited Don's cousin and his wife who are renting in this development. I wasn't sure Dennis or Gary would remember them, but they did. As usual I made Belgian Waffles and that made Ben very happy. Don's cousin made Danish Aebleskiver (pancake balls) for us on the other side of the kitchen and Sophie especially loved the "donut holes" as she called them. Dennis left after lunch the next day.
Charlie has traveled to Phoenix a few times this year. January was the first time when he was here for meetings and social functions. We picked him up at the airport and had a nice early dinner out and drove him to his hotel. The rest of his time was spent on business.
In February we received a call from Charlie and Beau telling us they were in Phoenix at the airport on a one hour layover to Hawaii. Their area was hit hard by the snowstorms so all flights and airports were closed for nearly another week extending their vacation in Hawaii. Luckily they didn't miss any work time because all businesses were closed in the DC area. On the flight back we had time to have dinner out with them while they were staying at Beau's brother's house. They had to stay another two days in Phoenix because of cancelled flights and closed airports as the next snowstorms arrived. So all in all it was an unusual vacation for them.
It seems like the holidays have gotten longer and longer. It used to be just Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year but it seems like we're just as busy and gone for the two following months. I certainly am not complaining because it's been a wonderful time and lots of fun. In the back of my mind I keep thinking when am I going to get the tax papers in order for the CPA?
I'm off to Kickboxing today and later a trip to Cave Creek with Don, his cousin and wife. It's been a while since I had a chance to shop there and always a treasure hunt.
Hope all of you have either shoveled your way out of the mountains of snow or if AZ enjoyed our rainy days.
Dennis arrived for the weekend. We made the most of it: exercise, golf and eating in and out. I invited Gary and his family for Brunch on the Sunday before he left. I also invited Don's cousin and his wife who are renting in this development. I wasn't sure Dennis or Gary would remember them, but they did. As usual I made Belgian Waffles and that made Ben very happy. Don's cousin made Danish Aebleskiver (pancake balls) for us on the other side of the kitchen and Sophie especially loved the "donut holes" as she called them. Dennis left after lunch the next day.
Charlie has traveled to Phoenix a few times this year. January was the first time when he was here for meetings and social functions. We picked him up at the airport and had a nice early dinner out and drove him to his hotel. The rest of his time was spent on business.
In February we received a call from Charlie and Beau telling us they were in Phoenix at the airport on a one hour layover to Hawaii. Their area was hit hard by the snowstorms so all flights and airports were closed for nearly another week extending their vacation in Hawaii. Luckily they didn't miss any work time because all businesses were closed in the DC area. On the flight back we had time to have dinner out with them while they were staying at Beau's brother's house. They had to stay another two days in Phoenix because of cancelled flights and closed airports as the next snowstorms arrived. So all in all it was an unusual vacation for them.
It seems like the holidays have gotten longer and longer. It used to be just Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year but it seems like we're just as busy and gone for the two following months. I certainly am not complaining because it's been a wonderful time and lots of fun. In the back of my mind I keep thinking when am I going to get the tax papers in order for the CPA?
I'm off to Kickboxing today and later a trip to Cave Creek with Don, his cousin and wife. It's been a while since I had a chance to shop there and always a treasure hunt.
Hope all of you have either shoveled your way out of the mountains of snow or if AZ enjoyed our rainy days.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Starting a New Month and Ending my Disappointment
You may or may not know that I've been down in the dumps for the last few months. I think I'm coming out of my disappointment of not reaching remission at the beginning of November. Things had been going so well. Then I had the bike accident which my Oncologist used as an excuse for the higher numbers in my blood work results where before those numbers had been stable. Two months later the numbers were up again and he thought it was because of my mouth sore which lasted for a month and the cold I had during the last half of December. Now he's having my blood work done every month and I feel like I'm back at square one.
I've actually quit doing anything that had me feel worse about myself. One of them was Mah Jongg. I was only playing once a week and that makes it harder to be a good Mah Jongg player plus it was taxing my stamina. I was playing golf in the morning and would rush home and shower and throw a sandwich in my mouth to make it to Mah Jongg on time. I have to admit it was stressful and I'm trying to eliminate harmful stress. Also my Oncologist asked me to get more Yoga classes in my week. Adding more activities is stressful not restful. We only have two noon time Yoga classes and two 8 a.m. Pi/Yo classes. I can't get to any of them. But now that I'm changing my schedule I will try.
I'm back to rebuilding a schedule that I can live with. I'm hosting Bunco on Thursday and that's always good for lots of laughs and catching up with friends. I have Bunco twice a month, one at the beginning of month and one later in the month. I'm trying to do 3 or 4 exercise classes a week: Kickboxing, Buns & Abs, Cardio Pump and Triple Threat. They're all very challenging and will try some Yoga when I can work it in.
Don's cousin and his wife are staying in a rental house in our development. It's nice to be able to spend some time with them. They're here for 2 months and enjoying the good weather. We did have a 4 or 5 day rain like no native Arizonian has ever experienced. When I came home from a card making evening it was pouring rain in buckets and our garbage can which is normally buried under ground was sitting up on the driveway from all the flood water underneath it. It was a week before we were able to have it fixed.
I am feeling better and enjoyed hosting an evening with our wonderful neighbors. It was great fun. I especially enjoyed the cooking and baking. We've also had some fun evenings out at friends' homes. February is starting and there will be more fun things to enjoy.
I've actually quit doing anything that had me feel worse about myself. One of them was Mah Jongg. I was only playing once a week and that makes it harder to be a good Mah Jongg player plus it was taxing my stamina. I was playing golf in the morning and would rush home and shower and throw a sandwich in my mouth to make it to Mah Jongg on time. I have to admit it was stressful and I'm trying to eliminate harmful stress. Also my Oncologist asked me to get more Yoga classes in my week. Adding more activities is stressful not restful. We only have two noon time Yoga classes and two 8 a.m. Pi/Yo classes. I can't get to any of them. But now that I'm changing my schedule I will try.
I'm back to rebuilding a schedule that I can live with. I'm hosting Bunco on Thursday and that's always good for lots of laughs and catching up with friends. I have Bunco twice a month, one at the beginning of month and one later in the month. I'm trying to do 3 or 4 exercise classes a week: Kickboxing, Buns & Abs, Cardio Pump and Triple Threat. They're all very challenging and will try some Yoga when I can work it in.
Don's cousin and his wife are staying in a rental house in our development. It's nice to be able to spend some time with them. They're here for 2 months and enjoying the good weather. We did have a 4 or 5 day rain like no native Arizonian has ever experienced. When I came home from a card making evening it was pouring rain in buckets and our garbage can which is normally buried under ground was sitting up on the driveway from all the flood water underneath it. It was a week before we were able to have it fixed.
I am feeling better and enjoyed hosting an evening with our wonderful neighbors. It was great fun. I especially enjoyed the cooking and baking. We've also had some fun evenings out at friends' homes. February is starting and there will be more fun things to enjoy.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I've put it off long enough
So December was a questionable month for me. It was promising in the beginning but then I had a side effect from the Tarceva, a mouth sore. Normally they come and stay for 10 days and don't interfere with life as I know it--just an irritation. This one kept getting worse and worse so finally I stopped taking the Tarceva in the middle of the month hoping it would heal. It did but for 2 weeks I was unable to eat anything much. Finally a week after January started it was healed.
During December just a few days before I quit the Tarceva I came down with the cold that's been going around. It was more annoying than anything. By the time January started the cold was well on it's way out.
I had an Oncologist appointment at the end of December and it was not one of those uplifting events that I've grown to expect. It took an hour to drive to his office and I sat in the waiting room and examining room for 2 hours. Fortunately my sons gave me an iPod for my birthday and I spent a lot of the time trying to amuse myself with my new toy. What I didn't do was write down a list of all the things I needed to talk to him about. We did discuss my latest blood test. Some of the numbers that have been stable for a long time are up and that's probably not a good thing.
I'll be getting blood work done every month to see if the numbers become stable again. Now that my cold is gone and my side effect is healed it may make a difference. I'll still be seeing my Oncologist in 2 months from my last visit and he'll have 2 blood tests to compare by then. Keep your fingers crossed.
During December just a few days before I quit the Tarceva I came down with the cold that's been going around. It was more annoying than anything. By the time January started the cold was well on it's way out.
I had an Oncologist appointment at the end of December and it was not one of those uplifting events that I've grown to expect. It took an hour to drive to his office and I sat in the waiting room and examining room for 2 hours. Fortunately my sons gave me an iPod for my birthday and I spent a lot of the time trying to amuse myself with my new toy. What I didn't do was write down a list of all the things I needed to talk to him about. We did discuss my latest blood test. Some of the numbers that have been stable for a long time are up and that's probably not a good thing.
I'll be getting blood work done every month to see if the numbers become stable again. Now that my cold is gone and my side effect is healed it may make a difference. I'll still be seeing my Oncologist in 2 months from my last visit and he'll have 2 blood tests to compare by then. Keep your fingers crossed.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Best wishes from our Extended Family at Sophie's Cocoa and Crafts Party on December 23.Bottom: Diane, Ben, Diane's mother, Ann, her friend, Eddy, me with my craft project, and Sophie.
Second row: Dennis, Terry Ann--my childhood friend, Kim--Diane's long time friend, Beau--Charlie's partner, and Charlie.
Third tier: Don and Gary.
You can tell by the smiles that we had a wonderful time at Sophie's celebration. She came up with the concept and we had all the fun.
Backtracking from earlier in December, I came down with a side effect from the Tarceva although at first I didn't realize that it was one because it didn't happen in the same place as usual. Usually it was on the roof of my mouth but this time it was on my gums. By the time I did I was unable to eat anything but soft foods starting just after my last post on December 7th. I stopped taking the Tarceva on the 19th and now I'm still eating soft foods but the pain in my gums and cheek are less. It's been a bother because Dennis arrived on the 18th and I wanted to do so many things while he was here. Charlie and Beau arrived on the 22nd and by then I had the cold that is going around here: hot and cold, lots of sneezing, free running mucus and a general malaise. Don who hasn't had a cold in many years gave me this one. He's over it now so I'm hoping I will be within a day or two. Or just about the time Dennis, Charlie and Beau leave.
My house is a wreck and I'm not concerned because this gives me the perfect chance to get rid of some clothes and closet items and give the whole place a total cleaning.
Obviously I wasn't able to do my Christmas cards this year so I thought you might excuse me and accept the good wishes and photo I sent you through the blog. I'm hoping I'll be able to get some cards out next year. I really love doing it but it helps if I feel well.
Thank you for all the lovely Christmas cards which I'll be reading over and over again and maybe get ideas for some of my cards. I enjoy them all and am grateful you keep me in your thoughts.
Monday, December 7, 2009
New Photo
I noticed last year that my profile photo was dated but didn't have any idea how to change it. Today I took a chance and went to the right place, changed the photo and saved it so it will be there for a while.
Our second Thanksgiving was as much fun as the first. Since I'd had a dress rehearsal nearly two weeks earlier I was able to walk through all the steps with ease. My 5 year old grandson, Ben, was the first to arrive. He came in and said, "Hi Grandma, what's for dinner". I answered, "Turkey" and he replied, "Turkey Again!" That was his second Thanksgiving too. I think he was hoping for Belgian Waffles.
My friend TerryAnn, her husband, John and mother-in-law also named Maria, arrived from Tucson after being stuck in traffic for quite a while for their Thanksgiving Dinner with us. Maria is 94, a year younger than my mother who just turned 95 and they have birthdays about the same time. She's still able to travel all the way from Canada to Arizona and will enjoy the sunshine for awhile.
Right now we're having a 2 day rain storm and I can hear the wind howling. I don't want to look outside because I'm afraid my landscaping may be in my neighbors' yards. We're happy to have rain and so are all our plants. Too bad it's so cold too. It sounds like we're having a hurricane. I can only hope our porch furniture will still be there when it's over.
I was supposed to golf this morning but when I saw the forecast: rain, wind, cold, I decided those were the three symbols of the apocalypse so I should stay home warm and snug instead. I did catch up on all my paperwork, took a long nap but didn't exercise today. Then I received an email from the person in charge of ladies league events that tomorrow's golf and lunch are canceled too because of the weather. I may be able to get my office clean with all this free time.
Don is having cataract surgery on Wednesday. The doctor will follow up with him the next day and the following week. Don is apprehensive as most people are when they have any kind of surgery. Hopefully he'll enjoy much better sight when he's recovered and I'll no longer have to yell, "Median!" to keep us off the curb.
Once Don is recovered we'll start getting our favorite houseguests and before we know it I'll be another year older and 2009 will be history. Hopefully I'll be able to post before then but it's very difficult to use my computer when the house if full.
Just in case: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Our second Thanksgiving was as much fun as the first. Since I'd had a dress rehearsal nearly two weeks earlier I was able to walk through all the steps with ease. My 5 year old grandson, Ben, was the first to arrive. He came in and said, "Hi Grandma, what's for dinner". I answered, "Turkey" and he replied, "Turkey Again!" That was his second Thanksgiving too. I think he was hoping for Belgian Waffles.
My friend TerryAnn, her husband, John and mother-in-law also named Maria, arrived from Tucson after being stuck in traffic for quite a while for their Thanksgiving Dinner with us. Maria is 94, a year younger than my mother who just turned 95 and they have birthdays about the same time. She's still able to travel all the way from Canada to Arizona and will enjoy the sunshine for awhile.
Right now we're having a 2 day rain storm and I can hear the wind howling. I don't want to look outside because I'm afraid my landscaping may be in my neighbors' yards. We're happy to have rain and so are all our plants. Too bad it's so cold too. It sounds like we're having a hurricane. I can only hope our porch furniture will still be there when it's over.
I was supposed to golf this morning but when I saw the forecast: rain, wind, cold, I decided those were the three symbols of the apocalypse so I should stay home warm and snug instead. I did catch up on all my paperwork, took a long nap but didn't exercise today. Then I received an email from the person in charge of ladies league events that tomorrow's golf and lunch are canceled too because of the weather. I may be able to get my office clean with all this free time.
Don is having cataract surgery on Wednesday. The doctor will follow up with him the next day and the following week. Don is apprehensive as most people are when they have any kind of surgery. Hopefully he'll enjoy much better sight when he's recovered and I'll no longer have to yell, "Median!" to keep us off the curb.
Once Don is recovered we'll start getting our favorite houseguests and before we know it I'll be another year older and 2009 will be history. Hopefully I'll be able to post before then but it's very difficult to use my computer when the house if full.
Just in case: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
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