Nine, nine, nine,nine,nine, let's sing a song of nine!

That's my CA125 level! NINE!!! Anything under 30 is considered normal!
h
After I heard that news I felt a great weight lift and I was so ENERGIZED! And HAPPY!!

Jean and I high-fived and then I had my pelvic exam. Everything "felt normal" according to Betsy, the Nurse Practitioner.

They are concerned about my diarrhea. So, they are giving me a prescription for.....get this.....Tincture of Opium! Jean and I both gasped aloud when Dr. McCourt said this. I said, "sounds sinister," while Jean was thinking of a Chinese opium den, with the pot or whatever it is, with the hoses coming out of it.

Anyway, obviously they think they need the "big guns." We'll see how that goes.

I can't operate heavy machinery when I take this...no driving. Given my history of getting loopy on the mildest of drugs like that, I think I should avoid the blender!

I came home and the diarrhea started up again....I went to bed and slept for a few hours. I'm hoping they can stop this diarrhea and I can get some sleep.

They think this problem is more related to my gastric by-pass and not the cancer, chemo, etc. It is a rare side effect of one of the chemicals I'm getting. So, hopefully, it is happening just because my system got all riled up and when it calms down it will cease.

I don't really mind it now...just knowing that my cancer level is so low puts me in a place where I can tolerate anything!

Nighty night!

Trying to regain my serenity about going to the doctor tomorrow. For some reason, I am really nervous about what I'm going to hear. I haven't felt this way before in this whole process.

I shouldn't say "for some reason" I know the reason. Tomorrow I should get my the results of the CA125 test they did the last time I was at chemo. It would show the effect that the first round of chemo had on the cancer. I'm hoping it shows that it has knocked it down significantly.

The "for some reason" is really more about me not feeling the confidence that I used to feel. Maybe it has something to do with not having Dr. McDreamy any more...although I do like and respect Dr. McCourt. Maybe it's because I really feel tired and run-down most of the time. Something is making the experience this time around feel different...I have to admit it, I am not as confident.

I want to be confident and I'm hoping that the old feeling of kick-ass confidence comes back. I'll bet if I get good news tomorrow my confidence level will be flying high.

Jean is coming with me to the appointment. That's different, it's usually Sandy or Lynne. Well, Sandy is working tonight so she won't be in any shape to go on a road trip. Lynne has to work, so she's out. Jean is willing to go along even though it may be "bad news" tomorrow. I consider anything less than a significant drop in the CA125 level.

Of course, I exaggerate. I will consider any drop in the level as a good sign.

But I really want it to drop a LOT...under 30 would make me very happy.

The next episode in this melodrama coming up tomorrow night....

Nighty night!

Not much going on here, except more snow that we don't really want, or need. I suppose if we have a drought this summer, I'll be regretting that last sentiment. That's the breaks. Deanna and Lorraine came by Sunday. I took the opportunity to get out. I drove down to Norwich and we picked up pizza and brought it home for lunch. Of course, Maria called me while we were out and now thinks that I'm out galavanting all over town!

It was nice visiting with those two gals! They had gone on an eagle watch and had some great pics and videos. I downloaded them onto my computer. A cormorant had dropped a fish and two eagles were fighting over it. I tried to post it here, but for some reason it won't. I'll try again another time. Bummer...it's a great video.

The Husky guys are coming back with a vengeance! They have won three in a row now, including over #3 Villanova and #7 WVa...which was the game last night. I'm hoping they pull the comeback of the decade and win the Big East and go far in the NCAA tourney. I have two dogs sleeping on my lap. The same two who were snuggled up to me all night. Bubbles and Rocky, of course! Bubbles still growls at Rocky and is very possessive of me, but I note that once Rocky gets in the bed, she snuggles up to him, just as she snuggles up to me. It's sweet, really. I haven't watched much of the Olympics the past few days...I'll have to check out the American hockey team. They beat Canada the other night...maybe they'll keep on going. Now I'm listening to Howard on the computer....later I'll read some more of Ozzie's biography. I'm too cool for school.... Later!

Let's see...nothing much happening in a house where one of us gets to go out everyday and the other one is stuck at home...pretty much.

I guess I can make stuff up. Who would know?

Anyhoo, I've been watching some Olympic coverage, catching up on old "Hoarders" episodes, hollering at Rocky to stop all that barking and running back and forth to the toilet.

I've already gone on and on about the toilet and I, so I'll spare the details. Suffice it to say, the throne and I are still having a love affair.

I picked up some more "friends" on Facebook this week. One is Jo-Ann, who Sandy and I met on the cruise. We traveled to Central America to meet someone from Putnam! Another is a nice person who remembers me from high school, but I don't really remember her. It's all good, we are going thru a similar experience, chemo-wise...so that automatically makes her my friend. That's the criteria nowadays.

Rocky is getting cabin fever. He picks up his toy de jeur and bangs it on my legs, wanting me to play tug with him. He growls something fierce as we do this. When I try to pull it out of his mouth to play fetch, he goes nuts! Then, when I tire of this boring game, he barks at me incessantly. When I let him outside, it's only a matter of time before he's barking like a nutcase at something in the yard...usually the people next door. I have to get up and get him back in the house, where he gets the toy again and the whole process repeats itself.

It's no wonder I'm exhausted after being up a couple of hours!

Well, that's my days lately. Checking the computer, listening to the police radio on my iPhone, chasing Rocky, the toidy and sleeping!

I do have that copy of Ozzie Osbourn's biography sitting upstairs. I should start reading that. And I did order a copy of a cookbook by Julia Child that teaches you different cooking techniques and explains cooking terminology. When that comes, we'll start experimenting with recipes.

I'll let you know how that works out.

Nighty night.

Going down to Jean's for dinner tonight. Taylor and boyfriend, Andrew will be there. First time I'll have a chance to chat with him. I'm looking forward to it.

We got snow the last two nights. Sandy cleared the driveway yesterday with the snow blower. Left it alone today. I don't think we got that much last night. It looks pretty out there, but we are sick of it already.

Last night I felt so sick after supper. I took a nausea pill and went ustairs....it was 8pm! I took a shower first and it felt so good to lie in bed. Sandy came up a little after 9 and I went to sleep. Got up around 10:30 this AM. The medicine worked pretty good...I didn't throw up and the other pills kept the diarrhea down to a dull roar. I only got up about four times in the night.

That's real progress.

The Huskies (both teams) had good games the other night. The guys beat Villanova and even though it was painful to watch at times, I'm glad I did. The women had their hands full in the first half with Oklahoma, but I never doubted that they would triumph in the end. They let OU rattle them for some reason. Something Geno can work on with them.

It is looking more and more as if there could be another match-up with Tennessee looming in the NCAA tournament. I think UT will be up there in the standings, along with Nebraska and Stanford.

The Huskies next challenge will be when they take on Notre Dame at South Bend, the last game of the season. Should be interesting...with that little lephrachaun dancing around, aping for the camera! Actually I like him...met "him" a few years ago at Gampel Pavilion.

Recently I have heard that there are some people who read this blog who are going thru chemo, or have been through chemo. I'm thinking maybe we will want to start our own little "discussion group" or "support group" separate from this blog.

If you are in the above group....going thru or have been through chemo, and you are interested in such a group....email me at: anyeyeball@aol.com I'll set up a mailing list group.

If you are not in the above group and want to join (you know someone who is going thru chemo...or, you think maybe you'll get cancer sometime....just to see what it's like....) email me too!

Now I'm going to take a nap so I can enjoy tonight's experience!

Nappy nap!

Some things I've noticed

My nails are a lot stronger...and growing longer. I take this as a good sign. Just before I was told that the cancer was back I was wondering about it...because my nails were so rotten. On the cruise Sandy had to remove half of one of my thumbnails for me because it was just chipping and splitting so much. I was afraid that it would go to the "quick" and I would lose the whole thing.

Today I felt very energetic when I got up. First time in a long time. I got dressed and went out and filled all the bird feeders and suet holders and then hauled the trash can and recycle bin back from the street to the garage. Then I went and made my breakfast.

And last night I was able to haul the full trash bin and recycle bin up to the street. By myself.

Another thing....my hair is growing back faster than last time. I hope this is not a bad sign, but only a sign of how good Tresemme is. Last time I lost my hair I didn't use Tresemme until my hair was really growing. This time I had it to use right from the get-go. Janet had told me that Tresemme is really good for these kinds of things. I hope it's the shampoo that's doing it and it's not a sign that the chemo isn't working.

Next treatment should be a wicked one. The third one and the sixth one usually are. If it's not, I'm really going to wonder. Unless when I see Dr. McCourt next week she tells me the good news that my CA 125 has gone down. When I got the results of the first test that they did after my surgery, my level had gone up from 63 pre-surgery to 95 post surgery. I expected it would go up, due to the fact that the cancer is fast-growing. I was happy that it hadn't gone over 100.

This time the test will show the results of the first chemo. Last time around it dropped significantly. I expect it to do so again this time.

And I look forward to Round # 3 kicking my ass. I welcome it!

I also am looking forward to being able to work out in the yard and come in, all sweaty and dirty. That's sounding really good to me.

And, as soon as I am able, I'm going to haul those boxes of old work stuff I have upstairs and in the cellar out and get rid of it. That's going to be good too.

I have a plan.

Later! GO HUSKIES! Beat Oklahoma!

Five Guys

That's what I did last night....

Just kidding!

Took a chance with my cell counts and went to Five Guys in E Lyme for lunch today with Sandy, Ryan, Jean and Frank. First time I've been there. I didn't make it the last time the gang went.

I had the little cheeseburger, with mayo and sauteed mushrooms. I also ate about a half a cup of fries. Everything was delish! Loaded with calories, but delish!

We went back to Frank and Jean's and played Cat-opoly (like Monopoly but all about cats) and I won! FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! I have played Monopoly since I was around seven...and have never won. I take it back....I quit playing when I was around 45...because I NEVER WON!

Well, today was my day...because I beat Ryan (who is usually the Monopoly mogul), Jean and Sandy. Later we played that rummy game...Phase 10. Didn't have the luck with that one. I got fatigued and had to go lie down and then the running to the bathroom started.....

I spent the rest of the afternoon and actually right up to this point in time (8:30) treking back and forth to the toilet. Even Rocky stopped getting up and joining me, after about the fifth time.

Sometimes I am amazed at how full of shit I am. Is that a grammatically correct sentence? Who gives a shit? HA HA!

Oh, Ryan is doing a lot better. Still recuperating from his concussion. He is still a bit "fuzzy" his Mom has noticed. He doesn't hurt anymore he says, but he still has to limit his texting, computer, no video games, etc. He had Sandy measure him today...and he was so excited that he gained a quarter of an inch in a month. He has one and three quarters of an inch to go to reach six feet! And to think I used to carry him around on my hip. He towers above me already.

Sandy did well in the job interviews. She had two interviews and both women seemed really happy to meet her. The big boss told her just that..."I am SO HAPPY that I got to meet you."
I know one thing, when I was interviewing people, I only made that statement to someone that I was planning to hire.

I guess they have seven applicants for three positions. That's not much. The first woman told Sandy that she saw her best fitting into a job that they haven't posted yet, but will soon. The position would be the liaison with the laboratory.....a place where Sandy worked way back when she first started at the hospital. She is really excited about maybe getting one of these jobs. It would be interesting, she would have an office...which is something she has ALWAYS wanted...she would work with computers, which she really likes....she thinks she would love this job.

She knows several of the nurses that they have already hired in some of the positions. I'm sure that they would recommend her...everyone who works with her has nothing but huge respect for the job she does, her work ethic and her professionalism. I know she is going to get one of these jobs and I think that for the first time in a long time she is going to love her job.

The Olympics is keeping us amused. We watched Apolo Ono win the silver medal last night, as we lay in bed. When we were assured that there would be no challenge to the race and he had indeed won, we turned out the light and went to sleep.

We sleep with the window open every night, unless the temperature is going to get waaaaay down. Well, when I washed the big comforter last year, I forgot to put the tennis balls in the dryer when I put it in to dry. The result was horrible....the down inside the comforter bunched up inside the shell...in lots of wrong places. We have tried to shake it down and have had some sucess, but I am left with basically no cover from the comforter in big spots on my side of the bed.

We have a down blanket under the comforter and we have a mattress warmer on the bed. Most nights the blanket is all I need...the hot flashes keep me pretty warm. But the past few nights, man oh man...it's been a veritable roller coaster ride----first I wake up soaked from the night sweats, get up and go to the bathroom, where I shiver....then I come back to bed and freeze, until I wake with the night sweats again and repeat the process.

I'll be so happy when it's warmer out.

I look at the back deck longingly...dreaming about having my morning cup o' joe out there. Soon.

The Huskies (guys) officially suck. Mike DiMauro has the theory that they have recruited great athletes, but poor bball players. I agree. These guys can leap out of the gym, but they think ally-oops are the number one option on offense; couldn't catch a pass if their lives depended on it; can't shoot foul shots (not enough action); and in general, have a severe lack of fundemental skills.

The women, on the other hand, are often sheer poetry in motion. Tina Charles owns the basketball court now...no one can touch her. Watching her and Maya out there is absolutely enthralling. Some people complain that the games are dull because the team doesn't lose. How can it be dull when you can watch these women play ball? Sure, we can just about bet the farm that they will win....but getting to the win is worth the watching. And there are no ally-oops to be seen.

My agenda for the upcoming week is to watch the Olympics. Good thing I have them to keep me occupied.

Nighty night and GO USA! GO HUSKIES!!!