Update for week of Sept. 22 - 26,2008

Tues. - had to go a day early for my CAT scan in Windsor -
interesting experience but no pain involved!

Wed. - had to go for my regular Dr. visit - she promised me
no nausea or vomiting and wrote out a shopping list of meds
to get filled at the pharmacy - filled a whole little brown
paper bag when I picked it up yesterday. Also found out that
afternoon that I have been admitted to the experimental group
for the research drug ! Will receive that over the course of a
year - will slow to 3 week intervals when I'm done the main
ones. This also means that my CAT scan was clear, I think -
at least nothing showed up that would keep me out of the clinical
trial. No official word yet but it's good enough for me! So -
both bone scan and CAT scan are clear = no spread, although of
course it would only take one little cell floating around out there,
hence the chemo + radiation to come. But it's amazingly good news.

Thurs. - first chemo day - nervous. My app't was for 9:30 -
left the house about 8:00, in the cancer clinic for 9:15. Had to
get some blood drawn before the chemo started - problems with that
took over an hour. Some chemo meds are not mixed until you are
ready for them - more time...finally started about 11:00 a.m.
Each med is delivered separately and because it was the first time,
slowly. The first one came in three large syringes - red liquid -
known as the 'red devil' or 'red bull'. The nurse told me that my
hair would start to fall out in a few days - I said that the dr.
had said 3 weeks - she said, "That's when it's ALL gone'" Next one
could just be an IV drip, 45 min (will shorten to 30) and the last one (experimental) was also IV but 90 min.(will shorten to 60, then
30 for remainder.) These meds are all delivered through my 'port',
a little access thingy that was inserted into my right chest 2 weeks
ago - they just clip the connector into it and I have no needle in my
arm. So - it was a long day - left the clinic about 4:00, home about
5:00. But - was feeling well enough to go out briefly for
supper with the teachers' group that have been meeting for over 10
years now. Drove myself and came home early but it was good to be
with them.

Here's the best part: I've had absolutely NO nausea or anything
else - yesterday, I felt sort of heavy and worn out a bit -
like my body was saying "What the heck was THAT that just
happened to me??" but I took it quiet after I got home, slept
well and got up this morning feeling normal again - made my
breakfast, took all my pills, etc. I have to go over to the
Chatham hospital this p.m.to have an injection that will help
my white blood count stay up so that they can keep me on a 2-week
delivery schedule for the chemo. But, I feel GREAT - compared
to some of the stories I have heard,etc. I am doing extremely well.

Amy is here - came down last night and will be here until Sun. I
think. Nice to have the company - I should get sick more often !! ;-)

So - I continue to float on the river of prayers that are being
offered on my behalf and I am at peace.

Fri - needed a diversionary tactic so went shopping in the afternoon
with Amy and also attended a training session to be a Deputy
Returning Officer for the coming election...see ?
I am REALLY doing OK !