Saturday 03//26/11

I’ve been feeling pretty good these days. Except for the symptoms of what I thought was a bladder infection that I have been dealing with since Jan. I have been on four different antibiotics with no results. The last culture and sensitivity that was done this past Monday was negative so there is no infection. I have an ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys scheduled for next Tuesday. Once that is cleared up, I will feel almost “normal” again.

I’ve been working in my sewing studio and starting to finish some quilting projects that are almost done but need applique or quilting and binding. I have one quilt that I will be entering into the fair this year. I still need to quilt and bind it. I’m going over to Cristy’s house today so she can help me put the back together. Perhaps I can get it quilted next week.

I’ve been working on my dissertation as well. I think I have one student to interview next week. He will be the first one.

I have been trying to keep as active as possible. Sitting in my chair stewing about my health does no good and much harm. I drive myself to my appointments and to shop. Lindsay still takes me to chemo. I have my next chemo appointment on April 1.

I’m eating well and for the most part am in good spirits.

Again, I thank all of you for your continued support, encouragement, and love.

Hugs,

Dar

Thursday 03/17/11

This has been kind of a tough week. Had chemo last Friday and a blood transfusion on Tuesday. I haven’t had any nausea or vomiting (good meds) but I just generally feel weak and blah.

On Monday, Lindsay and I went to a hair place and I ordered a wig. I still have my own hair but it is getting thinner and thinner. I was ok with it while I was trying on wigs and when I ordered it. But later Monday night I was pretty emotional about it. Thanks to Shannon and his patience I was able to stop the crying jag and get to sleep.

After we did the wig store, Lindsay took me down to UCI for my post op. The doc said everything is healing nicely and I don’t have to see him for 3 months.

On Tuesday, Betty picked me up from the house at 7am and took me for my blood transfusion. She stayed the whole day except for when she went to get us Subway sandwiches and to pick up SkipBo and Uno cards. We played cards all afternoon and it made the time go so much faster. Thank you, Betty! They started the transfusion at around 10am and it finished about 3:30pm. I had two units. My hemoglobin went from 8.3 prior to the transfusion to 10.7 after. Still low as 12.0 is the low end of normal, but much better. The chemo does not discriminate between good cells and bad cells. It just kills all of them. But it takes less time for the good cells to grow back so hopefully after chemo is over the good cells will take over and I’ll be healthy again.

Tuesday evening Sean and Cory came by to visit and to make dinner. I guess I was pretty tired cuz I fell asleep in my chair a couple of times while they were here. It was really great to see them.

I have been concerned about taking a shower alone in the house, but yesterday I got it done with just a text to Shannon telling him when I was getting in and when I got out. Then I got in my car and went to the pharmacy and the store. I was really tired and weak when I got home but I was feeling good that I was able to begin to do more things independently.

Lindsay and Wes are supposed to be here today. Wes takes care of the critters and some of the outside chores and Lindsay will be doing some housecleaning.

Tomorrow I go for a blood test at the oncologist’s office and then I’ll go hang out with Lindsay at her house for a while. I have a massage in the afternoon. I went to the acupuncturist to talk about treatment; however he suggested I wait until chemo is over. Said I have too many things going on physically to start acupuncture now. So the massage will help to get the body fluids moving and balancing for the time being.  

So that’s my week so far. Seems like it’s been 2 weeks long. I’m hoping next week is better.

Hugs,

Dar

  

For Sunday 03/13/11

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. I took the nausea meds as prescribed and had no problems there. Just feel like I have heartburn. I was able to eat enough and I did most of the laundry. Still have towels to finish. I can do a little at a time and then I feel a bit light headed so I go and sit for a while.

Today (Monday) I go to the outpatient dept of the hospital up here to get type and cross matched for the blood transfusion tomorrow. After the outpatient visit today, Lindsay is taking me to my final post op visit with the doc down at UCI.

Betty is taking me to the outpatient center tomorrow at 8:30am for the blood transfusion. She will drop me off and then run her errands. It will be later in the day when she picks me up. I’ll bring the SkipBo cards in case they let her back with me to hang out.

That’s about all for now.

Hugs,

Dar

For Saturday 03/12/11

Yesterday was not that bad. I took the nausea meds as prescribed and these seemed to take care of any symptoms. I was able to play in my sewing studio for a couple of hours in the afternoon before getting really tired and weak. I was able to eat, which is always a good thing. It seems that the evening times are more difficult. I guess my energy level peaks in the afternoon and loses steam in the evening. I try to watch fun movies or read a fun book to keep my mind off of the discomfort. Shannon introduced me to Angry Birds, a game on my phone, so I’ll play that as an added distraction.

Tomorrow I go for my finial post op visit with the doctor at UCI.

That’s about all to report for now.

Hugs,

Dar

Friday 03/11/11

Chemo was uneventful today. Yeah! Arrived at 8:30 and left about 3:30. My hemoglobin went up from 8.3 to 8.4 so at least it is going up. I have to go to the outpatient unit of the hospital on Monday to do a type and cross match and then Lindsay is taking me down to UCI for my final post op visit with the surgeon. On Tuesday, Betty is taking me to the outpatient unit so I can have 2 units of a blood transfusion. I guess it takes 3-4 hours per unit so it will be another long day. But Lindsay is working that day so she can come down from the ICU and visit with me throughout the day. She said I will feel a whole lot better after the transfusion. I feel pretty good right now. My potassium was a bit low so Lindsay has ordered me to eat a banana a day. J My albumin was up to 3.4 so it has almost doubled. It is still under the “normal” parameters but as long as I keep the protein intake up I should be ok. Oh! And the CA125 was 102! Normal is under 35 but when I was first diagnosed it was 204 and after surgery it was 143. So it is going in the right direction.

That’s about all for now. Hugs to everyone!

Dar

Thursday 03/10/11

I understand now why I’ve been so tired. Lindsay took me to the oncologist’s office for the Wed blood tests prior to the Friday chemo and my hemoglobin was down to 8.3. It’s supposed to be above 12. So I’m anemic. After the chemo on Friday I will probably have to have a blood transfusion next week. Yesterday I was given a shot of Procrit, which is supposed to stimulate the growth of red blood cells. If it does its job, I might not have to have as many blood transfusions.

If the chemo is killing off the red blood cells it means it is also killing off the cancer cells so I need to be grateful that it is working and take these setbacks as they come.

The schedule goes…on the Wed before the Fri chemo I have blood tests…Fri is chemo…the next Fri I have blood tests…the next Fri I have blood tests…the next Wed I have blood tests…and then Fri I have chemo. Chemo is every 3 weeks with blood tests every week.

I went to my quilt guild meeting on Tuesday night. Betty picked me up and we had dinner with some of the members and the speaker. I was really tired after the meeting ended at 9pm but I was so glad to see so many wonderful friends.

Today I will get my stuff together for tomorrow. I have to be at the oncologist’s office at 8:30am and will probably not be done until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. So I need to bring things to do, my quilt from my friendship group, and snacks and drinks for the day. Lindsay will drop me off and then come back and pick me up. Today I also need to hem a pair of pants for Shannon and if I feel up to it I may try to work in my sewing studio. Wes came over yesterday and spent the night. He will be leaving this morning to go back down to Long Beach. He said he will be back on Sunday.

On Monday, Lindsay will be taking me back down to UCI for a final post op check-up with the surgeon. Tomorrow is 7 weeks since the surgery.

Hugs to all of you!

Dar

Sunday 03/06/11

Friday after I posted I really started to go stir crazy. I had been housebound for almost a week. I called Lindsay and asked her to come over. I was so tired of being alone and I finally understood the meaning of being bored. So she came and picked me up. It felt so good to be out of the house and in the beautiful sunshine. We went to Target for about an hour and a half. I had to sit down three times to rest, but it was good for me to be out. We went to Lindsay’s house and while she went to pick up Taylor from school, I sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Taylor had an after school function so Lindsay came back by herself. We went into the house and just talked. We left her house around 4 and stopped at the pharmacy to pick up an rx and then home. Shannon was home at 5:30. It is so great to have him home that early. At his other job he wouldn’t get home until around 7:30. Now he leaves an hour later in the morning and gets home 2 hours earlier at night. Friday ended up being a really good day.

Yesterday was an even better day! I drove for the first time in a couple of months. Shannon and I went to lunch and I almost finished the whole meal. Then we went to a quilting store in Apple Valley so I could get some light fabric for the mystery quilt my quilt guild is doing, and then we went through the car wash. By the time we got home I was really tired but excited.  I now feel confident to drive by myself. It gives me a huge sense of independence. Last night I ate almost a full serving of spaghetti and some salad. It feels so good to get hungry and then actually be able to eat a decent size meal.

Wes is supposed to be here today to take care of cat chores and a few other things this morning. Shannon and I may go out later this afternoon (I’ll drive J) to the store to get a few things.

Hugs to all of you!

Dar

Friday 03/04/11

Today is 6 weeks since the surgery. I am still a bit sore but I am moving around with no problems. Still feel weak and I get tired quickly. But yesterday I did two loads of laundry, emptied and filled the dishwasher, worked on my dissertation research, looked through my stash for fabric to start the Pine Needles Mystery Quilt, cut some fabric and then decided against the combinations, and made spaghetti for dinner. That was probably the most productive day I have had thus far. I do something and then need to sit down and rest, go to the next thing…sit down and rest. I know the more I do, the more I’ll be able to do. I have two more loads of laundry to do today and hope to get into my sewing studio for a while this afternoon.

Next Wednesday I go to the oncologist to do blood work and then next Friday will be my 2^nd Chemo treatment (with new drugs).

I continue to feel your encouragement, support, and love. I am so grateful to have your thoughts and prayers.

Hugs,

Dar

Thursday 03/03/11

Not much to write about. Some days are better than others but mostly every day I feel better. I’m concentrating on eating. I don’t want to lose any more weight. I also have more energy when I eat enough. But that continues to be a challenge.

That’s about all for now.

Hugs,

Dar