28 November 2010 Time to sing the John Denver song again

I'm leavin' on a Jet Plane..................oooooooooooooooh yes yet again.----gives a whole new meaning to "That time of the month" :-p Keep-Her, my niece Amber who is my everyday caregiver and I are off to NIH at Bethesda MD again for another round of testing and further treatment. We are hoping for a smooth flight and no hassles with security any where.

Amber and I are both feeling much better. Although I still have a nagging hanging on cough from my bronchitis, but it is much better than it was.

14 Novemeber 2010 Cycle Five -- minor set back

Due to illness (mine and my care giver’s) we are not flying back to NIH/NCI this week for treatment. Since next week if Thanksgiving holiday week, we are now scheduled to fly back on 28 November 2010.

Both of us are feeling much better. I just have the nagging cough that hangs on after a bout of Bronchitis. Hopefully that will also leave soon.

Thursday 11 November 2010 Cycle Five Treatment None--OFF Week

Thank all those who have served and continue to serve.

Well this is my OFF week and unfortunately so will next week be. I must have had a premonition at my last visit to NIH/NCI as I asked them how do I handle illness if it should coincide with a trip back there----- I have come down with the “crud”. Just as I was getting over my Bronchitis, my darling husband brought me a lovely gift-----the “FLU” or Norovirus ----trust me whichever it was, was NOT nice. It has a very very short incubation period of about 36-48 hours and then you get both ends going at the same time with a vengeance. My Granddaughter was so kind as to come over on the weekend and care for me when I was so ill, as Amber was out of town. I could hardly walk, I had to resort to the Wheelchair to get around in my house I was so weak. She went home on Sunday and by Monday evening the poor child was sick. Amber came home from her Softball World Series Tournament (they came in 5^th out of a field of 37) and by Wednesday morning she’s down with the flu also. She wasn’t even here for the worst of mine----but it’s in the house obviously. So I called NIH/NCI and told them what was going on here----they said not to come out next week. They’ll call and reschedule me for another time. So I’ve been trying to get all my reservations for next week cancelled and follow up appointments cancelled as I don’t know when I’ll be receiving my next treatment.

That should bring you all up to date for this week...sigh....Hope none of you get this lovely thing.

My quote of the week is: I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

Wednesday 03 November 2010 Cycle Five Treatment Three

Since Amber is out of town at her ball teams World Series Tournament in Sunny Las Vegas, Mack was my driver for today.

It was a short and sweet appointment. Got me in there BEFORE it was my scheduled time, took one nurse one try to get the IV started, Chemo came up in a timely manner. Was hooked up infused, flushed and out of there in a little over an hours time......UNHEARD of!!!!!

this is a picture of Mack's little dog. He came with the Name Brewster, but Mack hasn't decided what to call him yet. Shadow, Sparky, Buddy are a few of his choices so far. He's a Rat Terrier mix

Wednesday 27 October 2010 Cycle Five Treatment Two

One of my pet peeves with people who blog is not keeping them updated on a regular basis.......now who is calling the kettle black here.... Well my excuse is I’ve been SICK!!!!

No! I wasn’t sick from the Cancer treatments----well maybe that was part of it, as my immune system is weakened from all the chemo. I came down with a VERY bad case of the cold/flu that turned into Bronchitis. Amber and I spent 10 hours in the ER on Monday night, while they tried to decide whether or not to admit me to the hospital and ran one test after another on me. What a fun place to spend an night NOT!!!! In the end they sent me home with antibiotics and an inhaler to use to help me breathe. Within 24 hours of antibiotics I was (as one friend put it) 1000% better.

Now to get rid of the nagging cough that hangs around forever and ever.
Wednesday, I saw my Oncologist and he said it was ok to go ahead with the Chemo treatment this week. I’ve had the same “normal” to me type of reaction this week as I’ve been having all along.....wide awake for 36-48 hours after steroids and treatment, then I sleep for the next 36-48 hours pretty much----Good thing that’s the time that the University of Oregon Ducks play----the WIN if I sleep

GO DUCKS!!!

17 - 20m October 2010 Cycle Five Treatment One

Went back to NIH at Bethesda MD for another treatment. Things are progressing slowly. No real news to report this time around. Had a slight reaction to the vaccine this trip (small nickle size rash, intense itching for two days)----was told that was "good news" means it's working-----OK if you say so.

Update on the Netbook---they had it back to me, repaired, the same week that we shipped it out for them to work on. Now to put all the information BACK onto it. sigh..... As I told my granddaughter it's like getting a new cell phone (which she just did) need to reprogram it all over again.

05 October 2010 Cycle Four Treatment Three

Had my chemo treatment and so far everything is going well. No major side effect just tired when I come down off my steroid high. Took one nurse one try to get in today. Had a yucky tingly taste and tingly tounge in my mouth about 5 min after Chemo started. This lasted all thru the infusion and for about hours after wards.

Netbook up date----shipped it off to the factory to be repaired. we'll see how long it takes that to happen.