Good Morning...extra long blog entry ahead...

First a little catch up…Mike and I had a mostly mellow weekend with Maggie going to Portland this time. She had a great trip living with her friends and running with Michael and Eva…makes it a little harder each time to move back in with mom and dad…oh well, the laundry fairy lives here (not there) and the price is right! But I get it. I moved back in with my mom and dad to save money for the trip that brought me to Seattle…However, sorry mom, but Mike and I are way more cool than Ken and Jane!!! Ha! just kidding, mom, you are super cool and so was dad!

Friday we had some awesome trick or treaters! Emma had the brilliant idea to trick or treating here so I got to see Emma and Mason and dad Joe (had not seen him since diagnosis!)  and the flock of scary creatures they had in their group (sweet little Harley was with them…so good to see her)! Then Genya, Tim, Ian and Noa came by so we got to visit with them for a bit! It was great to have some Pathfinder and some Salmon knocking on the door! All in all we had more trick or treaters than usual, it was quite entertaining. And I can’t leave out our first trick or treater of the night, our baby neighbor June dressed as a June bug!!! So Cute!

Sunday before the rain or the football, we went for a walk through Lincoln Park. We took the high road first to go through the woods…so lovely. Then down the long steep path at the north end so we could walk the beach path next. It was such a great morning, and we were not the only ones with such a great idea! We saw Ginny and Amy (Pathfinder Turtle (and more) moms) and had a nice visit and hug fest! Then on the beach I saw my dear Miles who is now in the 4th grade Eagle Clan. He was with his dad, heading up from the beach. This is one sweet boy, always has been. I got such a dear hug from him. I was asking him about the Eagle Clan and his sister and his mom and he almost cut me off, in the sweetest way, asked, But how are YOU, Janet. So dear! Made my day! It was great to see him and his dad.

After Lincoln Park we walked down to the Fauntleroy Creek look out which is up the steps due east of the ferry dock. Up stream Fauntleroy Creek, through the park on Barton, is where we release our salmon fry every spring. I had recently received an email from Judy (the stream and salmon queen) that there were spawners spotted. So, we had to go see. From the overpass you cannot really see but a peek of the stream as it is overgrown with plants native to the habitat (thanks to Judy). But what was so lovely was the welcome back salmon banners and streamers that I have to assume some class came and put up on the fence. Judy is involved with many schools in West Seattle to help keep the Salmon in the Schools program running. It is so powerful to have salmon eggs hatch in a tank in the center of our building every year, then the kids get watch them, feed them and then release them in the spring! Now, fry that were released a number of years ago are finding their way back…so cool! If you walk down Judy’s driveway she has a white board with information about when she will welcome you into her back yard to see the salmon more closely. If you live in West Seattle, this is definitely a great family field trip! Have to post a couple photos...

The rest of Sunday was football (go hawks!) and cooking. I was feeling pretty good and wanted to get a few things done before chemo week.

Lizzy and June joined us for Sunday dinner (Vince is still in Austin…we miss you Vince!). It was a lovely evening.

Monday…one day til chemo…last day of good energy for a while…so many choices… 

New jeans won the battle of what to do with my time. I was desperate for new jeans…strategy Gap first (like the old days) and if that fails, fred meyer on the way home. i knew i couldn’t handle any large dept. stores or thrift stores.

The mall, even with one store in mind is EXHAUSTING!! It had been a while since I’d been inside one…I remember why! But mission accomplished! I tried on more pairs than I wanted to but found one good pair…that is all a girl needs (especially a girl who spends most days and evenings in yoga pants!!)!

I had to go to Fred Meyer anyway and that store is so huge…just another

way too exhausting task…oh well! That was all the energy I had for that day!

Tuesday…chemo day…

So I have a love hate thing with chemo. I love it because according to my last scans it is doing the job! I open my heart and body and self to the chemo. I welcome it in to do the job it needs to do.

As it pours into my body everything just starts feeling weird. I had felt perfectly fine that morning. Good energy, ready to go. 

First stop is to draw blood. I had a lovely young woman for that task. We chatted while she prepared the tools for the task of accessing my port. She was done in no time and left my port accessed for treatment.

Next stop, Dr. Kaplan. While we were checking in he was heading out from his office into the lobby and met us with open arms. I gave him a hug, as that is what I do with open arms, and we had a good morning exchange. I was his first patient and he was quite chatty. I really like this guy, he is a good man, for sure! I had more questions than usual, as I’ve spent some time on this computer machine and I’m finding terms and treatments I don’t understand. I asked him and was prepared to ask him to tell us more or to direct us to more information but both Mike and I felt like he gave us full answers. He was open to questions and some discussions. I respect that he is a busy man, I so appreciate this time.

The plan…I have the same chemo cocktail waiting for me as 3 weeks ago. The same as always just leaving off the zeloda (i tremble at the word!!!).

Then Thursday, November 20 I have a scan. November 21 we have an appointment to discuss the scan. Tuesday, November 25 I have chemo scheduled, as usual, but that may change depending on the scan results. November 25 is Thanksgiving week, so I asked if I could move chemo up to the 21st after the scan results, but no, I cannot do it that soon. So if I have chemo, it’s kind of a drag for it to be Thanksgiving week…but I’m grateful that I’ll probably have my full diet  (other than gluten) back by then!!! I will be able to sit and eat small bits throughout the day and have a very good excuse to sit back and watch the show. And I do mean a show. Thanksgiving with Mike’s family this year is looking to be a minimum 35-40 and could be more! I’ll find a tiny corner, not too far from the food or the action, and just enjoy!!

Food…

We met with Mary, one of our dietitians yesterday during chemo. She is very sweet and knowledgeable. We added plenty of new things to my diet, though it is best if I just add one new thing a day, so I can make sure there is nothing my gut is finding too irritable. But, I really think I’m over that struggle. My system is doing quite well, thank you! But I continue to be cautious and follow her rules. I err on the side of careful! Right now I can have most veggies cooked (no broc, cauliflower, cabbage or the like), no raw veggies (so no salads yet). But I can have cooked greens! I can have most fruits peeled, without seeds. I can add a little spice and I can have corn tortillas, so egg tacos are in my future!!! I continue to limit dairy and I continue to be gluten free, though sometime, maybe after thanksgiving, I’ll give gluten a little try. I could eat wheat prior to all this, though, I know full well, it would make me bloated and uncomfortable if I ate more than a bit of it. But, I could eat it fine…so I shall eat it in bits of moderation in my future! I am sure. Pizza and wine are in my future, though just a tiny bit of each!!

During and post chemo my most prominent side affects include fatigue (I almost napped during chemo and stayed on the couch all night!), and the tingling in my feet and hands and my strong aversion to stepping on or touching anything cold or even just cool. This starts happening mid-chemo, this time I remembered to bring gloves with me for the trip home. I also have a gravel thing going in my eyes and throat. My throat hurts a bit and my eyes feel swollen and if I cry, it is quite uncomfortable. (Note to self…don’t open cards from sweet people when you get home from chemo…Melissa, so good to hear from you…so sweet! I loved your thoughts, wishes and memories and it was worth a couple minutes of owie eyes!! And, I miss you too!)  And then there is the buzz that starts…I feel it coursing through my body, a little electric tingle. I try to focus on the positive…that is the medicine working. The electric buzz is just starting to buzz. I also got the bonus shot at the end of chemo that boosts your white blood count and makes your bones ache…not really feeling that too bad yet, though I did take the claritan that is supposed to help with that pain. So all in all I’m doing ok.

Here is a bit more for those who do not mind a little TMI about hormones and women. I assume most of you reading this far don’t mind a little TMI or you’d have stopped reading my blog long ago…any way…here we go…TMI ahead…

Shockingly, up until cancer, at the young age of 58 I was still having my periods (I warned you…TMI). Cancer seems to have taken care of this issue for me…but now, all of a sudden I am thrown into menopause and I’m having hot flashes. So here I sit, unable to touch any part of my body with cold or even coolness and then I’m suddenly sweating bullets… I just have to laugh. But like I told Betty last night I have the luxury of pulling off my socks and pulling up the bottoms of my yoga pants to my knees any time I want. I now understand ladies, when you’d run over to my classroom window and fling it open while the rest of us were bundled up! It all makes sense to me now! 

TMI is done!

OK, I’m pooped and I hear my couch calling my name. So sorry for the extra long babble!!

Thank you all for the continued love that keeps coming our way in so many different ways. I feel held up by all of you. And I am so grateful for each of you.

Love and Peace and Good Health to you all

Janet