Lots of info and it is all good!

Hello from soggy PoCo

This one may get a tad long, it is a couple of weeks worth! Has been a while hasn't it!

Last week was Brian's birthday, so we went to the Saint St. Grill for his dinner - we both love the place, good food, atmosphere and service. And as usual we had a wonderful time!





Have had the usual side effects from chemo since the last treatment! But that is ok, they aren't strange ones!! The worst one is the fatigue - it gets worse with each treatment. And I went and got my H1N1 flu shot on Monday and today my arm is almost back to normal!!


Just a cutie of Ryan








Met with a counsellor at the Vancouver Clinic - man that building is morbid and depressing! It is an old building - but you can see feel the difference between it and the one that I go to!! I don't have to go back and see her till January which is great. The one thing I don't understand though, they have this lovely roof-top garden area - lots of seating, plants and trees. Now remember, this is the Cancer Agency. They have a closed off garden area - for smoking!!! In a building that has no smoking signs all over the place!!! Will have to ask about that one - makes no sense to me!

Got some great books, dvd's and cd's from the FVCC and the cd's are meditation type and they are great. So they will have to go back next week.

Went to a women's focus group and found a group I could really belong to. Women living with metastatic cancers. There were five of us the last time - which is much smaller than normal. They are a great group. They even have their own book - great reading. I was going to go this coming Wednesday but will be unable to make it. More about the reasoning a little later.

Saw Dr. P on Tuesday. Tumour markers are down about 100 points - they are down to 213. Wahooo!! Liver ultrasound looks good, still has the 6mm spot on the lower left lobe and another spot on the left kidney. The heart ultrasound looks good for me, it is pumping a little harder than it would for regular person, but hey, it is pumping and that is what counts!!! He is cutting me off the Carboplatin - it has run its course for me. The neuropathy is getting worse in my hands and arms - and that is not fun at all. None so far in my feet and I am very glad about that! So that will make the chemo sessions shorter. He is booking another CT scan after the 6th set of treatments. He is not sure if he will put me back to the two week break or keep me at the three week break. Guess will find out next Thursday when I go for chemo. Once I have the next chemo, then it will be decided what course of action will be taken. What type of chemo - there are still lots of options and cocktails out there or take a break from chemo and then start again - it is all a wait and see what happens!!


Tuesday also included a visit to Meghan's OBGYN - her last one before the arrival of Madelynn. He had scheduled her c-section for Monday Nov 2nd at 11am. That got changed today - now it is on Wednesday Nov 4 at 9:30. The Anaesthesiologists are on strike! Hadn't heard about that. Dr. Ho figures the baby will weigh in between 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 lbs. So I am in the running for the weight pool!!! Megz will be so glad to get this baby out!!!!

After the doc appointments, we went off to the pumpkin patch! We had a lot of fun and so did Ryan - walking through the fields after the hay ride down to them! Muddy but not so muddy you got stuck!! Ryan found one large pumpkin and then decided it wasn't the right one..... and then Gammie found one and he said it was the right one..... it had to weigh 30+ pounds..... try carrying that round thing - I rolled it part of the way! Then he found a nice little one that he could carry and that would be his. And I got a wee one as well. When I paid, was told we could pick a mini pumpkin or gourd as well - so we got 6 pumpkins and three hayrides for $12... not bad, huh!














Chemo day! Dick took me today - a friend from way, way back - met him in 1976. We lost contact as you do with so many friends, moving around and different marriages etc. But we have reconnected and he offered to take me today. Several of the nurses came and chatted with us in the waiting room - Trace, Lesley and waved to three or four of them. Then Darlene called my name. First time I have had her but seen her lots and she was there when I had the first allergic reaction in round 1. Also had a chemo nurse in training, Michelle. They both asked lots of questions. My hemoglobin numbers are starting to drop again. Michelle called Dr. P to let him know in case he wanted to book a transfusion. He let me go with this one but have a feeling another transfusion is coming my way. My neuts were good 1.5 which is still very low, but better than before - remember, they were 0.03. Got the premeds into me and they are making me more drowsy than normal - mouth and brain don't always communicate and I feel like I am slurring my words. It was an uneventful chemo session - we love those ones! Though over in Pod 2, things were a bit more exciting as someone had an allergic reaction to their drugs! My fellow patient Marilynn was there in the same pod as me and right beside me, so that made it a lot of fun!! Poor gal had to be there for 7 hours - yech!!Meghand and Ryan stopped by for a mini visit - I had forgotten my camera, so she came with hers - she had to come to the hospital anyways to get blood work done. The nurses and patients loved Ryan.


Tomorrow, I go to the FVCC for a stress relaxation series - so that should be good - medication, relaxation and putting them all together. Will let you know how that turns out.


Next chemo is Nov 5 and Mila is coming with me - now that will be an interesting session for those of you who know her! I will have her just meet me at the clinic as I will have Meghan's vehicle - I am babsitting Ryan while she is in the hospital.

I know it may seem like harping, but I do not hear from anyone other than maybe 1 or 2 that call me on a regular basis. I miss getting the phone calls. Or if you are far away - email. The house gets lonely when you are by yourself. Jokes are good, but would like to hear how you are doing. Would love a visit if you are this way during the week - I know it is hard as most of you are working. The phone will go days and not ring - have to pick it up to see if it is still working!!! So, please give me a call - the excuse I don't know what to say, doesn't cut it anymore... I have cancer, I am dealing with it! Let me know how your kids are, the dog, fish, cat, husband, exhusband, weather and work are doing! Even how your next door neighbours gout is doing!!! And also, put something on the blog to let me know you read it - same thing, doesn't have to be about me - your garden, weather etc..... And thank you to Lois for calling last night - from Trail - we had a lovely chat for over an hour!

Hugz
Roni