2 fer 1

Sunday August 22nd, 2010

The day started off with a big bowl of Malt-0-Meal. I never measure when making it and didn't realize how much I made, until it was done and I got full half way through it. Don't worry, I didn't add the salt like they recommended.

Cathy came by & we attended mass. The gospel was about getting into Heaven. The priest said it's like a big stadium like Soldier Field with all these different entrances, one is dark, narrow & not well kept, the others are huge, like the the Arch in St. Louis with vendors, beautiful entryways, etc.. It depends on which entrance you choose, the path to Heaven would be, of course, the dark, narrow one = more difficult to enter, but worth it, & the other entryways would lead to Hell. Then he went on to say how the people in Hell would be gnashing and grinding their teeth. He told us how a lady in the front row, without teeth, went up to him and asked, "But what if you don't have any teeth?" He replied, "Teeth will be provided."

After mass, Cathy & I, had asked the priest if he could bless me. He brought us to the sacristy and annointed me with oil and said prayers for the sick. We told him a little about my cancer, he told us that we cannot cry for what has already been done but to pray for what CAN be done. We thanked him profusely and went home.

Today was the day for our mom's side family reunion @ Whihala beach in Whiting, Indiana. Our grandma & grandpa's sides get together. Relatives came from Texas, Ohio, etc.. People of all ages. Some came for the first time. Our cousin, Damon & his wife Patti, found some old black & white pictures to see if relative could identify who's who, they had fun trying to figure that out & it brought back good memories. I LOVED the wedding picture of my grandparents, who were also my godparents. It was in a beautiful wooden frame. Another relative was working on the family tree. It's so great to see all the faces of loved ones. Tons of yummy food, yes, I watched what I ate. Thanks Viki for the special chocolate chips cookies, they are moist. Everyone was very supportive of my journey with cancer. We were supposed to end @ 5pm, some of us were there until 6:30pm, we didn't want to see each other go. One cousin, Carol, had left early to go help out @ work. She returned later on her bike and was surprised that we were still there. I told her how she reminded me of Father Joe, he was our mom's cousin & he was a priest @ St. John's. He'd show up and say mass, then we'd eat. He'd go back to the rectory and come back on his bike, nibble some more, then go back. Then he'd show up in a car with another priest to eat some more. We did the potato sack race, water balloon toss, had some kid games, a few cornhole games were set up, and of course, the goodie bags with bubbles. We had great weather, not too hot or cold. Some people strolled to the beach, to the pier or to watch the trains go by. We kept getting checked out by different officers, some rental cops, to check if there was alcohol. Of course there was, so we (not me) started putting it in Dunkin Donut coffee cups.

We got home & they unloaded the cars. We dined on leftovers. My back and ribs were killing me since I had been upright for over 6 hours straight. The lawn chair & pillow I had used @ the picnic only provided some relief. I laid down for a while. Later my friend, John, came by to visit for a bit. He left around 11pm and I crashed once I laid down in bed.

Monday August 23rd, 2010

Today my sister, Cathy, accompanied dad & I to my oncolgy appts. I had labs, then vitals. My weight today was 147 lbs. I was put in a room and Vera discussed the options that Dr. Mehta & she came up with. First, I was going to continue with the Gemzar and the other new chemo, which is a 2 hour one, will be the Eloxatin, that one that'll make me sensitive to cold so everything I touch, eat or drink should be @ room temperature. If I drink anything cold, I'll get spasms in my throat & it'll feel like I can't breathe. If I touch anything cold, I'll have to wear gloves & stay out of the air conditioning. It'll be temporary and last a few days. the good thing is, it's not as harsh on the kidneys, like Cisplatin. She also said that I should keep the appt. with the surgeons in Sept. who work with the robotic knife, they're a little more cowboyish. We also discussed that if the Eloxatin doesn't seem to work, we can try chemo pills but they're expensive, even after insurance. We discussed my nutrition regarding the low sodium diet and I was given an appt. to see a nutritionist. I wish my Aunt Remy was still alive, that was her profession. There's a new Ensure that came out with Revigor, and it's supposed to be better for me so I won't lose more lean muscle mass. Vera and Cathy were going to work out what'd be the best way for me to get it. Cathy checked if Walgreens carried it & I'd need a prescription.

I did receive a Zofran (anti-nausea pill) and a dose of Gemzar today. I popped in "Ever After" during my treatment. I love that movie with Drew Barzrymore, the updated version of Cinderella. Yes I'm a wimp, but it makes me cry and laugh. They'll give me the Eloxatin tomorrow so I could have one last day of cold things. I'm glad they did.

On the way home, we stopped @ JoAnn the craft store, for puzzle glue, an new cardboard for the puzzle Viki gave me and I found the latch hook yarn thing to keep me occupied while Marie's back in school. My friend, Adriana, also sent me some scrapbooking materials in the mail. Paul just has to show me how to unload my pics from my camera to get them developed since I can't sit @ my spot in Walgreens to do it, like I used to.

We got home & I ate a good late lunch, it was almost 3pm. I went down for a nap and slept until 6pm. I needed it. BUT I was feeling the slight bodyaches like I did the last time I received Gemzar. I checked my temp and it was 102.5 F. I took a Tylenol like the doc told me to last time. I'm writing to you now still sweating but feeling better. David made some Tombstone pizzas for dinner. I had one decent sized slice of the sausage. I figured that my sodium on my labs was a little low today, plus while breaking this Gemzar fever, I'm perspiring. I drank a few cups of ice water and nibbled on grapes. I'll wash up later, I can only do certain parts. My portacath is still accessed for tomorrow.

FYI, I'm getting a new cell phone, same number, the other one was too complicated for me with the sliding screens and something from MSNBC got on there & we couldn't get it off. I also have a request from you who call me. Not all the phone numbers transferred over from my original phone with names, so if you don't leave a name on your message, I'm not sure who called, and if you can say your name loudly, because I'll get messages and some names are similar or muffled then I'm not sure who to call back. I can pick our certain voices. Maybe my hearing is going too.

Paul just got home with my new phone, I like it already. He's showing how to work it. I learn better by demonstration. Manuals are not my thing. I'll bathe after this. Wish me luck tomorrow with the new medication. Thank you all for being here for me and my family.