Next up

I should qualify the last Benadryl-fueled post, by explaining that a) its not completely over - still got six weeks of radiation to go and b) I had hoped to go for big laughs by including a file with the actual sweet voice of Roy Orbison singing the words "It's over..." but this was beyond this blog's (and this blogger's) technical limitations.

Anyhoo, yesterday was amost (dare I say it) fun. My bloodwork is within degrees of normal, weight stable, blood pressure a little high, Oxygen 100%, pulse 75. Which is all good. We took cookies in for the nurses and it was hugs all round as I left. I'll miss those guys. We then went out for a celebration lunch at Evoe where Kevin obliged us with the most delicious salads and omelettes.

For the record the Benadryl + steroids + wine combination does not make for an easy night of sleep.

Apparently I'll be phoning Dr. Bader next week to determine the next order of events: port removal, radiation and the like.

And so.....

In the words of Roy Orbison.......it's over.

Errr......

I just emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a white towel and my husband told me (while laughing) that I look like one of those pedigree cats that has no hair. Sigh.

Last chemo today. Thank God.

Serious Observations

Some conversations with my friend and colleague, Mark, led me to conclude the following (and I can change my mind at any time, by the way):

::When thrust into this situation, I don't think you need to relate to your surgeon. He may be as mad as a snake but as long as he's not a complete a-hole it doesn't matter. You're not going to need much in the way of bed-side manner at this stage since you're going to be asleep for the longest stretch of your relationship with him. You just need to be in agreement on a course of action, and for him to be a precision cutter with a meticulous eye for detail.

::You do need to relate to your oncologist. You're going to see him a lot, and during some very difficult times. More importantly, you need to relate to the oncologist's nurses. At the end of the day, you will be sharing the more personal (gross) details of your side effects with them. And, in general, they have had more intimate experience with more cancer patients for longer than anyone.

::This is a deeply personal experience. Although many people continue to volunteer tips and stories about their's (e.g., the drunk lady at the opening of the new Ann Sacks showroom last week whose eyelashes fell out and grew back twice, apparently), no one has had the same as mine. I guess it's the same with the disease itself - no two cancers are alike.

I shall opine about radiologists some time in the next few weeks when I might know what I'm talking about.

Armstrong's Endorsements

This blog in no way endorses the viewpoint of some of the advertising that may appear herein. In fact, the blogger would like to take this opportunity to endorse Jeff Merkley for US Senate. And, in fact, Obama for President. Also David Wu, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader for US House of Representatives. And pretty much straight down Democrat party lines for everyone else. Thank you.

Safeway Redeemed

Last night Erika the checkout guy (yes, he's a guy named Erika) told me I look fabulous which was really nice because I know I look like a cancer patient, especially now my eyelashes are falling out.

Minor Observations

The magazines in the oncologist's office are, for the most part, good and current (OK, I did find a Sunset from December 07 the other day.) Presumably this is because people spend a lot of time there. Sometimes there are donuts and cookies. I'm guessing these are provided by grateful patients. I should probably take some tasty thank-you treats with me when I go in for the final session (which is, by the way, October 29th should anyone want to throw me a big party some time soon thereafter.)

Chemo VII: Uneventful

I considered inventing some side effects to impress Dr. Urba but he takes all input very seriously so that would have been, most probably, inappropriate. Nothing much has changed: weight stable, blood pressure average, red blood cell count within reach of normal etc etc. I do get very itchy hands at times during the cycle but that's to be expected (apparently.)

And the first pre-meds I receive in the infusion room include a big bag of Benadryl so I'm basically knocked out for the whole process. If something interesting happened I missed it.

The next and final treatment might be more compelling. Then, hopefully, I'll get a better understanding of what happens next (port removal and radiation.)

Chemotherapy: Upsides

1. System-wide annihilation of cancer cells.
2. License to eat whatever you want whenever you want (example: ice cream sandwiches for breakfast.)
3. No bad hair days (but there is the occasional bad turban day.)
4. Never having to shave one's legs.
5. Bathroom time greatly reduced (top benefit for husband, especially.)

Downsides: too many and too gross to mention here.

Overheard in the checkout line at Safeway

Clerk: "Would you like to round up your total with the difference going to finding a cure for breast cancer?"
Man: "I've got enough problems without having to worry about women."

Nice.

Diversions IV

::Evoe - This is the new bistro/cafe/tasting room in Pastaworks on Hawthorne. I've lunched there three times now (twice on consecutive days.) Casual dining with exquisite food offering - salads, charcuterie, soups, sandwiches and, importantly fried items. The grilled cheese sandwich is to die for. Plus you get to watch the chef in action. Good theater.
::Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares - I'm not sure I like Gordon Ramsey but I've become obsessed with this show in which he visits failing restaurants and attempts to turn them around in an unfeasibly short period of time. It has made me rather suspicious of restaurant kitchens, hence my current preference for the open options (see above.)
::Brideshead Revisited - Nowhere near as good as the 1981 TV series with Jeremy Irons, this film version of Evelyn Waugh's 1945 novel bills itself as a "poignant story of forbidden love." I had thought it was about the disappearing tradition of aristocracy and the outworking of God's grace in people's lives. Maybe that doesn't sell films.
::The Duchess - I was really excited to see this film version of the book Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire which kick started my ongoing interest in 18th century aristocracy. And I do think that high praise should go to Ralph Fienne's portrait of the duke. Best performance, however, must go to Keira Knightley's eyebrows which truly dominate the action. Seriously. Never seen anything like it.

Chemo VI: Groundbreaking

As I neared the end of the Taxol infusion and realized that it had only taken 1.5 hours, Nurse Laurie told me some interesting news: since my last treatment some research has been published demonstrating no difference in patients who had received Taxol over three hours or one hour. The research was, apparently, spearheaded by my very own Dr. Urba. So I am one of the first patients to receive the treatment in this newly-approved "fast" time. Naturally I was relieved to get out of the clinic earlier, but I was a bit unnerved when Laurie exclaimed "I can't wait to see how this turns out for you!" So now I'm anxiously awaiting a new slew of side effects (see September 9 posting: Paranoia.)

In other news my mouth has cleared up and my red blood cell count is on the increase so I'm back to being only slightly anemic. Taxol is, as they thought it might, taking much less of a toll on my system.