It was not a happy week. I spent most of it in my jammies. I started to feel better by Friday. The major excitement of Saturday was losing a crown. Well, I didn't exactly lose it, it just came off the tooth. I saved the crown. Sunday was sad. The 49ers came so close to winning. At least they have never lost a Super Bowl. There is always a bright side to everything.
So today. Got up around 8 and had breakfast. Went back to bed and listened to NPR till it turned off at 10. Ally and I went grocery shopping. I was very grateful to have her muscle power to get the groceries upstairs. Noon was the dentist to have the crown reseated. Janis came at 2 to take me to chemo. Platelets just barely made it. Red count was 8.4. The Procrit hasn't kicked in yet, so I have an appointment for a transfusion on Thursday. That will work out. My hair appointment is on Friday, and the extra blood will give me the energy to walk from BART to Union Square. I'm not planning on feeling super this week, but I'll get through it.
I had time for a little rest after chemo. 6:30 brought the first band practice of the year. We read through most of our tunes. Next practice is next week. I was pooped, but band practice always pumps me up, no matter how bad I feel. Yay Ceili!
Now I'm ready to rest. I turned in two hats today. Janis would like one, so she gets the one I'll finish tomorrow. If I feel up to it, I can go to Koffee Klatch in the morning--if not, I can snuggle under the duvet. That's it for now. A long day for me.
xxooxx
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Chemo 5.1A
I am now on Gemcitabine, trade name, Gemzar (easier to pronounce and remember). I started the day with a trip downtown to see Mark, my therapist. Time with Mark always makes the day better. Winter has finally come to Northern California. The air was crisp. I wore thermals, a hat and gloves, and was pretty comfortable.
Vicki was the Minion of the day. It was good to see her. She is the one who gave her mother and me our birthday party last year. I don't think I've seen her since then, but always see her on Facebook, so it's sort of hard to remember. It was a really quick appointment. I had labs done yesterday, so they didn't need to check that. Red count was 9.5, so the Procrit seems to be doing its job. Bad thing about Procrit is that they can't give it to me through my port. The shot hurts. The visit started with pre meds, then 2000 cc's of Gemzar--looks like it should take forever to infuse, but it goes in really fast--you can almost hear it going "Glug, glug, glug..." The flush the port after the chemo is through glugging. My platelets aren't bad, but I did try to exsanguinate when they took out the needle--always exciting. Last comes the Procrit shot in the tummy, "see you next week," a visit to the bakery for petit fours, and then home for a nap. I'm feeling a little nauseous and tired, but no pain. We'll see what tomorrow brings. The only thing on the schedule is a hair cut--postponed twice, once because I didn't have the energy and last week because my stylist's father died. My hair is still thinning on top. Back and sides are pretty full. I think it will enjoy the attention of a cut and style.
I got a surprise when Vicki came to pick me up. There was a package for me. It was a quilt from the woman in Connecticut for whom I made wool mittens in December. She loves her mittens. I love the quilt. A happy match.
xxooxx
Vicki was the Minion of the day. It was good to see her. She is the one who gave her mother and me our birthday party last year. I don't think I've seen her since then, but always see her on Facebook, so it's sort of hard to remember. It was a really quick appointment. I had labs done yesterday, so they didn't need to check that. Red count was 9.5, so the Procrit seems to be doing its job. Bad thing about Procrit is that they can't give it to me through my port. The shot hurts. The visit started with pre meds, then 2000 cc's of Gemzar--looks like it should take forever to infuse, but it goes in really fast--you can almost hear it going "Glug, glug, glug..." The flush the port after the chemo is through glugging. My platelets aren't bad, but I did try to exsanguinate when they took out the needle--always exciting. Last comes the Procrit shot in the tummy, "see you next week," a visit to the bakery for petit fours, and then home for a nap. I'm feeling a little nauseous and tired, but no pain. We'll see what tomorrow brings. The only thing on the schedule is a hair cut--postponed twice, once because I didn't have the energy and last week because my stylist's father died. My hair is still thinning on top. Back and sides are pretty full. I think it will enjoy the attention of a cut and style.
I got a surprise when Vicki came to pick me up. There was a package for me. It was a quilt from the woman in Connecticut for whom I made wool mittens in December. She loves her mittens. I love the quilt. A happy match.
xxooxx
Friday, January 13, 2012
Expensive Day
Sibling warning---Gretchen don't read this if you are going to yell at me!
I got up at six this morning to have my breakfast. Went back to sleep for two hours, took a quick shower, then headed off to Mills Hospital for my CT scan. I must have been really zoning out, because I missed the turn off and had to go to the next one and drive around Robinson Crusoe's barn to get to the hospital. They greeted me warmly with my quart of contrast to drink. Yum. I tried to be neighborly and offer some to the other people in the waiting room, but that didn't work. They found a vein on the first try for the IV contrast. Since I was in San Mateo, I decided that if there was a parking place around 9 Rubies, then God wanted me to go there. What do you know? A parking place right in front! I have a monster in my house that lives on #6 needles. I thought it would be safe to buy needles. They didn't have any #6 straight needles at all--so i had to get baby yarn and buttons to replenish the stash.
Came home, watched the last episode of One Life to Live--really done well and left me with a good, if sad, feeling. It was really annoying to watch commercials for the replacement show. I'm not going to watch it. Since I still needed #6 needles, I went to Cottage Yarns and got two sets of each length. And since I was there, I got more hat yarn--I put hats in the bin at the Cancer Center when I go in for chemo and they are gone before I'm done with my infusion. Also got baby yarn and buttons for the stash, you know. Stopped at the bank and deposited money then headed home. I closed the garage door and sent upstairs. When I got to the landing I heard an unpleasant noise. Went back downstairs. The garage door was closed, but I had a bad feeling. Glenn got home a bit later and couldn't get the door to open more than an inch or two. Oops. Let my fingers do the walking and called a garage door repair company, who would have someone out between five and seven. Finally took my nap.
Mr. Garage Door Repairman arrived just before seven, The diagnosis was a broken spring. Ended up replacing the spring and the rollers, which were just about dead. It cost a pretty penny. I have a five year warranty on it--hope I outlast it.
While waiting for Mr. GDR, before my nap, I got a call from my oncologist--you can start reading now, Gretchen. The current chemo isn't working. The troublesome lymph nodes are a little larger. So I start a new chemo on Tuesday. It has the same schedule, days one and eight, chemo, day 15 doctor follow-up, out of a 21 day cycle. Once again, the upshot is that I'll be there once a week for the next several months. Of course I have to be there for the weekly procrit shot. So, I have a new set of side effects to learn.
So that's it. Not really happy, but resigned. Looking forward to chemo 5.1A.
xxooxx
I got up at six this morning to have my breakfast. Went back to sleep for two hours, took a quick shower, then headed off to Mills Hospital for my CT scan. I must have been really zoning out, because I missed the turn off and had to go to the next one and drive around Robinson Crusoe's barn to get to the hospital. They greeted me warmly with my quart of contrast to drink. Yum. I tried to be neighborly and offer some to the other people in the waiting room, but that didn't work. They found a vein on the first try for the IV contrast. Since I was in San Mateo, I decided that if there was a parking place around 9 Rubies, then God wanted me to go there. What do you know? A parking place right in front! I have a monster in my house that lives on #6 needles. I thought it would be safe to buy needles. They didn't have any #6 straight needles at all--so i had to get baby yarn and buttons to replenish the stash.
Came home, watched the last episode of One Life to Live--really done well and left me with a good, if sad, feeling. It was really annoying to watch commercials for the replacement show. I'm not going to watch it. Since I still needed #6 needles, I went to Cottage Yarns and got two sets of each length. And since I was there, I got more hat yarn--I put hats in the bin at the Cancer Center when I go in for chemo and they are gone before I'm done with my infusion. Also got baby yarn and buttons for the stash, you know. Stopped at the bank and deposited money then headed home. I closed the garage door and sent upstairs. When I got to the landing I heard an unpleasant noise. Went back downstairs. The garage door was closed, but I had a bad feeling. Glenn got home a bit later and couldn't get the door to open more than an inch or two. Oops. Let my fingers do the walking and called a garage door repair company, who would have someone out between five and seven. Finally took my nap.
Mr. Garage Door Repairman arrived just before seven, The diagnosis was a broken spring. Ended up replacing the spring and the rollers, which were just about dead. It cost a pretty penny. I have a five year warranty on it--hope I outlast it.
While waiting for Mr. GDR, before my nap, I got a call from my oncologist--you can start reading now, Gretchen. The current chemo isn't working. The troublesome lymph nodes are a little larger. So I start a new chemo on Tuesday. It has the same schedule, days one and eight, chemo, day 15 doctor follow-up, out of a 21 day cycle. Once again, the upshot is that I'll be there once a week for the next several months. Of course I have to be there for the weekly procrit shot. So, I have a new set of side effects to learn.
So that's it. Not really happy, but resigned. Looking forward to chemo 5.1A.
xxooxx
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Scratch the Tour de France
I know, I know, it was on the list of things I really want to do, but I started blood doping today, and that's against the rules. My red blood count was 8.4 before the last transfusion, 10.4 last week before chemo, and 9.4 today. I signed the paperwork for Procrit injections, and they start them if you are below 10. I guess that's the reason I've been getting tired. I'm supposed to have a scan sometime this week--just waiting for them to call me to tell me when--and that will determine whether or not I keep up with this round of chemo. The shot wasn't really fun, since it was in my tummy not in my port. Janis, who was my driver today, asked if I wanted a lollipop. Might have helped.
The tree is gone, the ornaments are put away, and the furniture is back in place. Is there anything sadder than undressing a Christmas tree? I hate taking it down. It was so pretty this year and smelled so good. It is an even number year, so the nativities may stay out. They aren't a fire hazard, so that's really OK.
Had a visit from and old (but young) friend last week. She's visiting her family--lives in New Jersey with her 2 year old daughter. I've known her since she was seven when we both started studying with the same violin teacher. It's hard to believe that she's all grown up now.
I'm working my way through the yarn but not fast enough. It is still exciting to watch the socks grow.
That's about it.
xxooxx
The tree is gone, the ornaments are put away, and the furniture is back in place. Is there anything sadder than undressing a Christmas tree? I hate taking it down. It was so pretty this year and smelled so good. It is an even number year, so the nativities may stay out. They aren't a fire hazard, so that's really OK.
Had a visit from and old (but young) friend last week. She's visiting her family--lives in New Jersey with her 2 year old daughter. I've known her since she was seven when we both started studying with the same violin teacher. It's hard to believe that she's all grown up now.
I'm working my way through the yarn but not fast enough. It is still exciting to watch the socks grow.
That's about it.
xxooxx
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Good night, no wretching
Had Chemo 4.3B yesterday--just barely squeaked past the blood test with 89 platelet count. They had quite a discussion before they decided to give it to me anyway, I don't do well with the concept of failure. I was very precise taking my post chemo Zofran. It must have worked, because everything stayed down and I don't feel like a wet dishrag today.
And now, life is so exciting! I have 12 more days before I get more poison. Woo Hoo! Maybe I" increase the joy by paying bills today--way cool. Oh, and I'm back to my 10 items a day. Remember that? 10 items a day that I put, throw, or give away. I can do it.
xxooxx
And now, life is so exciting! I have 12 more days before I get more poison. Woo Hoo! Maybe I" increase the joy by paying bills today--way cool. Oh, and I'm back to my 10 items a day. Remember that? 10 items a day that I put, throw, or give away. I can do it.
xxooxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)