Thursday, Dec.4, 2008

It was another long day, but it went well. Up at 5:15, made breakfast and lunches, cleared the kitchen area of 'stuff' so that the cleaning lady could wash the floor - you know how that goes - set up the dog outside and left the house at 6:50. It's an interesting drive this time of year, because you start out in the dark and the highway is a moving ribbon of lights - yellow towards you, red going away, all against this black background. About Tilbury, the background starts to lighten and becomes grayish - clouds appear in the sky as darker shadows. In another 10 min., the clouds become whiter and there are patches of blue in the sky; by Windsor it is full daylight.

We arrived at the hospital just before 8:00, got a good parking place and were in the lab just after 8:00. Every second time I'm there, I have to have extra blood drawn because I'm in this clinical trial. So, in addition to the 2 tubes that are the regular draw, I have to have another 4. There's always a problem with the extra ones - no vacuum in 2 of them, so it takes longer to fill them and then the other 2 have some fluid in them which cannot get back into me, so they have to be held at a certain angle. Well, the first 2 regular ones were fine, but no so the other 4. The decision was made to get them out of my port in the treatment process.

Doctor's visit was next - she's very pleased with my progress - said I was a 'star'. Always good to hear ! We also agreed on a modification of one of my supplementary meds which should help a lot with the problems I have been having 3 or 4 days into the cycle. Then - pick up my meds at the pharmacy and wait to be called into chemo. I almost forgot to put my name in to register for the chemo!

I was called in about 10:30 and thought I was in good time. My port opened up perfectly the first time they tried it ! But then - had to get those 4 tubes of blood first, then a dose of Benydryl and a second drug which prevent allergic reaction, then a saline flush, then the steroid, then a flush, then order the chemo to be made up...all normal practice. I think I started the actual chemo about 11:30 - 4 hr. delivery because it was only my second time and they do not want to trigger an allergic reaction. This time the Benydryl really made me sleepy, so it was no problem to sit with my hands in the ice instead of reading - I had nice little 'drifts', in and out and a very peaceful afternoon. After the Taxol, another flush and then 30 min. for the clinical trial drug, Avastin. So, actually finished about 4:20, a half-hour earlier than last week.

Of course, all the while that I am getting these treatments, David is waiting, and waiting in the waiting room – from 10:30 until 4:20. It’s a long day for him, too.

We stopped for supper on the way home at what is becoming our regular place, a diner at the corner of Manning Rd. and Essex 42. They had their hamburgers on special and it sounded good, but I was surprised to find that it was just too much meat for me - odd to discover that I just don't eat that much meat at a time any more.

We were taking the mail out of the mailbox at 6:20 - away from home almost 12 hours. The dog was glad to see us and we were glad to be back home. As David said, he got me there and back once again and on time !

I continue to feel that one of the biggest reasons that I am doing so well is the number of prayers that are offered on my behalf and I thank each one of you that is taking the time to remember me. I felt at the beginning of this whole experience that God was bringing it into my life for His purposes - one of them might be to give some of you a reason to pray again and to see His answers. One of them is definitely to show me that He is actively participating in my life and that I can trust His care for me.`He is continuing to shape me into the person He intends me to be, as a potter does with clay.