My Christmas Joys

Tyler and Jenna continue to give me joy, especially at this time of year.

Merry Christmas from BC/BS

Blue Cross Blue Shield sent me greetings12/16. Told me they would no longer pay for the avastin that has been keeping my cancer at bay. And they were not paying for July-Dec treatments. Each treatment cost $10,165. With treatments every three weeks, August, for instance, had two treatments that month. I get to write a letter protesting their action. And then they will let me know what they decide. Ho Ho Ho. Since the FDA disapproved the use of avastin for breast cancer, I thought having ovarian cancer made me exempt. No, BC/BS is refusing the drug for ovarian, breast and respitory cancers (lung). Even though the study it is based on was only on breast cancer. I put a call into my doctor at Mercy as I can't keep running up this kind of debt. Can you imagine how many people all over the country this impacts?

Megan's 35th birthday dinner

Megan chose Bertucci's as her eatery of choice for her 35th birthday. It was the restaurant chain's 30th birthday week as well. So we walked in adorned with birthday balloons. Appropriate. Alex took this photo of Tyler, Dylan, Megan, Jenna and me before we went home for cake and present opening. Megan received a lot of bling highlighted by Dylan's gag gift of squirrel underpants for the Squirrel Decency League. Of course, she and Alex had given him all sorts of vitamins for older folk when he turned 30 on Nov. 1!

Tyler goes to ER in ambulance

My grandson really is getting to know ambulances and EMT/firemen. Five days after Tyler turned five he accidentally put his right hand thru the small glass plane next to the front door. He was knocking on the window to greet his best friend Luca and family who were coming over for dinner that night. The glass broke and he cut his wrist. Megan thoughtfully wrapped the wound in Saran wrap and called 911. The neighbors opened the door thru the broken pane and came in to help. They took Jenna home with them while the EMTs taped up the broken pane and checked Tyler's wrist. En route the ER with EMT Jeff, he was invited to their firehouse when he was recovered. Guess Tyler really impressed the EMTs with his (recent) visit to Firehouse #1 for his birthday. ER doc had a hard time getting the skin flap unfolded and needed 10 stitches. Tyler earned a sticker. Megan needed OJ as she felt faint after all was done and her adrenalin level plummeted. .

Lotsa November birthdays

Dylan turned 30 on Nov. 1, Perrin was 18 Nov. 2 and Tyler is 5 as of 11/11/11. Busy time for our family. And that's just the tip of the celebrations. Tyler had his birthday party at a fire station and kids got to climb on ambulance and fire truck and tour the fire station. Dylan's birthday was more low-key. I was sick on his birthday so I handed him my credit card and let his friend Marybeth take him to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Then we all celebrated on Tyler's actual birthday on Veteran's Day with T's favorite grilled cheese sandwiches and Dylan's favorite red velvet cake. At the fire station I got to hold Rachael Hamm Plett's daughter Evie while she took son Xavier to checkout the fire engine. More fun.

Happy Halloween

Dylan phoned to ask what Ditto weighed. He was at Target buying a Halloween costume for the dog. What a hoot! Not sure Ditto knows how cute he looks but, like a shark, did keep moving so it was difficult to get a decent photo. He'll be dressed up to greet Trick or Treaters; I'm scary enough as I am.

Am battling a cough which only sets in when I talk or try to sleep. Not fun. Have to stock up on some OTC meds. Port decided to cooperate last Thursday after months of being difficult. So I managed to get out of OPC by noon. Filled up car with gas and picked up a supply of Halloween candy. Saturday was cold rainly and snowy in some areas so SIL Hugh who had been at Campbells for more than a week to design shelves, paint and do chair rails in their downstairs rec room and Alex's office, decided to not drive to Massachusetts in the horrible weather. Good call as Eastern seaboard was hit with snow, icy roads and fallen trees. Sunday Campbells, Hugh, Dylan and Marybeth, and I enjoyed brunch before he headed home on Halloween under sunnier skies.

Got my flu shot

It's fall. Got my flu shot for the season and mourned the loss of Steve Jobs to pancreatic cancer. Lloyd only had two months. But was 72. Can you imagine what Jobs might have accomplished in another couple of decades? Received my 38th treatment of avastin and will continue on it thru the holiday season.

It begins with Halloween and then heads into multiple family birthdays in November and December. Megan gave my grandkids a treat of "Booberry Cereal" which is only available this time of year. She got the kids their Halloween outfits which she had them try on. Going to change out of Jenna's skeleton outfit, Jenna warned her tummy felt funny. Then blueberry vomit. A second episode while running her to the bathroom provided more of a trail on the light carpeting. Plus on Megan's new ivory sweater. While Alex is away at a 4-day conference. Fortunately the hot pink skeleton outfit is pristine again as is the sweater and carpet. I reminded Megan of the time she projectile vomited pink stuff all over the walls of my bedroom. What goes around comes around it seems.

Thought for the day

People frequently send me prayers, sayings, etc. but I read one I really liked. It is a dedication author Nora Roberts wrote in a book entitled, Three Fates.

"May the tapestry of your lives be woven
With the rosy threads of love,
The deep reds of passion,
The quiet blues of understanding and contentment,
And the bright, bright silver of humor."

CT scan results "stable"

Got the results of the CT scan taken on 9/15/11. "Impression: 3 stable lesions in the chest, two at the right hemidiaphragm and one subxiphoid." Says the two right hemidiaphragmatic lesions appear to be stable since 5/09, however, the subxiphoid nodule is currently stable but larger since 10/09. You'd think they could put these in English so one can understand them better. Essentially I'm still here. And hopefully will be around a lot longer. Thanks again for all your continued prayers and kindnesses.

5th anniversary of OVC surgery

This past Sunday Megan gave me a coin-like silver keepsake she had bought on their recent trip to Charleston, Hilton Head and Savannah. It has a ribbon-shape on one side and an angel on the other. Appropriate because Monday is the 5th anniversary of my ovarian cancer surgery 9/26/06. I returned Ruby to the Campbell house after her week at Chez Jones and enjoyed spending time with Tyler and Jenna, both who weren't born when I had my surgery.

Port decided to give blood

At OPC 9/15/11 both sides of my port worked finally. This speeds the process as avastin isn't prepared until after the lab gets the results. Was able to get 1/2 hour of avastin but needed 2 grams of magnesium which takes an hour to go in by IV. Got done just in time to go to radiology and drink doctored orange juice needed for my CT scan. Managed to get gas and pick up soup at Panera and still be home before rush hour traffic. My CA125 went down 12.5 points to 150.5. It's been zigging and zagging between 140-160 which Drs consider stable.

Am dog sitting Ruby this week while Megan and Alex are at Hilton Head Resort in SC. Kids are overnighting with day care provider M-F. Megan says she's enjoying being able to speak in complete sentences while she relaxes with Alex. No wonder they're relaxed. Look at the view from their room.

Tyler visited by tooth fairy

Tyler, who is just two months shy of 5, was visited by the tooth fairy last night. Because he wanted coins, she left four quarters to save or spend at the dollar store. Which do you think he will do? LOL. Jenna, 2 in mid-May, now wants new teeth too. But she got a big girl bed and new bedding instead.

Quick trip to MO/IL

Along with more than 60 friends and relatives, surprised my cousin Deanna and her husband Paul Nelson for their 50th anniversary celebration. Their four children, spouses, and nine grandchildren as well as her brother and family, arranged the surprise party at a restaurant in Kirkwood, MO, this past Sunday (9/4). Flew into STL Friday shortly after noon and niece Diana picked me up after her tennis tourney from 9-noon in STL that morning. My jr high, high school and college BFF Barb and her husband Jim Kadlec drove down from Naperville for an overnight stay to visit. Went out to dinner Friday night also with elementary school BFF Lynnette Bass. Saturday morning Diana, 9-yr old daughter Kate and I joined cousins from the Heberer side at breakfast and surprised my 86-yr-old cousin Gerry Boeschen. She blithely remarked, "So planes fly both ways, huh?" She and twin daughers Sharen and Karen and cousin Terry and wife Roxy had been out to visit in Maryland multiple times since my OVC3C diagnosis five years ago. Ali, Diana and Duane's middle daughter who is a freshman at Missouri State on a softball scholarship, came home for the weekend and celebrated her 19th birthday (actually on 9/11) Saturday night. Cousin Dennis Hoffman, wife Julie and daughter Ellen picked me up for the 50th anniversary surprise party on Sunday and returned me to Diana's after a nice visit at Deanna's and Paul's house with all the kids & grandkids. Talked to so many relatives and friends my brain was on overload when I got back home to BWI Monday afternoon. Rain started as Megan, Alex, Tyler and Jenna picked me up and we went out to dinner. Lovely trip. Lovely to visit with everyone.

Survived 5.8 earthquake & hurricane Irene

So there I was sitting in my basement office at USNA with my feet on the floor. The carpeting over cement was moving. A TAD ensign and I looked at each other and had a WTF moment. Everyone had to evacuate. Fortunately it was a beautiful day so wasn't a hardship to stand outside until we got the all clear to return. That was Tuesday. By Friday we were unplugging our PCs and putting all the electronics on our desks in case of flooding. Saturday night Ditto and I slept in Dylan's queen bed in the basement in case a tree fell on the house. It didn't, but one did on my neighbor's three houses up the hill. My backyard neighbor had a poplar limb the size of a huge tree land between their garage and tool shed on the black top where he usually parked his truck. Fortunately he moved it that night so only damage to their patio wall and fountain behind the garage. Lost power Saturday night at 10:45 p.m. and it still isn't restored (Tuesday). Dylan stayed in Annapolis. He lost power but got it back Sunday night. Last night he took all the shrimp, etc. out of the freezer into a cooler. He plans to cook a lot of shrimp pasta alfredo. USNA only lost some large trees and several lamp posts. An interesting week to say the least.

2-year anniversary on avastin

Started on avastin, a biological that does not harm good cells but acts to starve cancer cells by limiting each cancer cell's blood supply, on 8/20/09. Tomorrow will be my 2-year anniversary on the treatment. And next month, 9/25/11, will be the 5th anniversary of my ovarian cancer surgery. Grandson Tyler (4+, b 11/11/06) wasn't even born when I started chemo and Jenna (2, b 5/15/09) arrived after I had had 12 doses of taxotere and carboplatin, 5 doses of topotecan, and 4 of doxil. Since she was born, I've had 3 doses of cisplatin and gemzar and 12 of toxol. The single digit treatments were stopped when they proved ineffective. All of the chemos had nasty side effects and killed good stuff along with the bad. Thank you for all your prayers and support. I'm still here.

Feel like a pin cushion

Went to Weinberg OPC (outpatient clinic) for my follow-up blood draw 11 days after avastin treatment. They run labs to see if all is o.k. Nurse Karin stuck a needle in the medial port but it refused to give blood. So she added TPA (kinda a rotor-rooter liquid that is supposed to clear the blockage) and we waited for it to work. No luck. Added another dose of TPA. Waited. Again no luck. So stuck a needle in the lateral port (essentially there are left and right accesses in the one port). It, too, refused to provide blood. By this time the lab guys were gone so no more TPA. So I suggested we try a vein in a hand. Numerous chemo treatments have done a number on my veins so after providing a little less than one tube of blood, the vein "blew." So Karin called nurse Pauline in to help. She managed to find a cooperative vein inside my left elbow. Got two vials of blood. Finally. Yeah! Went home with multi-taped guaze over the various holes. Am surprised I didn't have bruises. Hopefully with two doses of TPA percolating in the medial (inside) port, it will give blood when I go for treatment on 8/25/11. Fun and games in the OPC.

Chemobrain exists

My brother Dave called me yesterday from where he lives in Plano, TX, to say he'd seen an article discussing researchers, doctors taking a closer look at cognitive effects of cancer treatment and wanted to send it to me to read. I told him I'd not only known about chemobrain but used it for years as an excuse when my mind goes funky. Can't think of a friend's first name? Chemobrain. Forgot where you put something? Chemobrain. I don't have to worry about dementia or alzheimer's. It's chemobrain! My blanket excuse. How convenient.

Staying cool ain't easy

Campbells just got back from Gloucester wedding and visit to Kriskos in Danvers, MA. Ruby stayed with me at Chez Jones. It was a relaxing vacation for her as she was with an old lady who likes to read at night and a 8-year-old Ditto who also is used to a pretty sendentary life style. When I took her back to Megan on Sunday, Megan threw a tennis ball and said, "Go fetch." Ruby looked at her like she was crazy.
Am still on avastin (treatment #36 on 8/25/11) with my CA125 fairly steady at 145.6 which was down 5.2 pts from three weeks ago. Still over the 0-35 normal range but Dr. considers it "stable." So I'm not complaining.
Dylan busy with social activities and work. All trying to keep cool, especially Alex who is in Dallas today expecting 108 degrees tomorrow. He's not looking forward to wearing a suit, shirt and tie in that heat. AC is necessary for life.

Megan and Alex celebrate 7th anniversary

Sunday, June 26, was Megan and Alex's 7th wedding anniversary. Saturday I babysat the kids and the dogs (I took Ditto because Dylan was at an all-day Eastport a Rockin' street/band party with friends). Megan surprised Alex with tickets to the Kennedy Center's performance of "Wicked," which both absolutely loved. Afterwards they went to dinner at Ruth Chris Steak House in Baltimore, where they annually dine to celebrate their anniversary. On their anniversary they took the kids to see "Cars 2" in 3-D. Quite a celebration.

Am still on avastin

Had another CA125 done when they took blood on 6/13/11. The count dropped 52.6 pts to 121.3 so they consider this a zig zag pattern not a trend upward. Dr. Rosenshein said they'd continue to treat me with avastin. When I went for treatment 6/23/11 my CA125 went up 8.1 pts to 129.4 but my magnesium level is 1.6, the bottom of the normal range so I didn't have to have any mag. While I was on chemo, it killed any germs in my mouth. Now after nearly two years off chemo, my gums are a problem. Now I have appointments to a periodontist. Oh joy. I get to go for scaling of the right side of my mouth. I understand this is awful. I also rediscovered why I shouldn't eat Jordan Almonds. I broke off part of a tooth so am getting a crown. It's hell getting old.

When I'm senile

Daughter Deborah sent a belated Mom's Day card in which she promised to make sure my socks match when I'm senile. I already made Megan promise to pluck two hairs that seem to sprout on my face when I'm too senile to do it myself. So what more could I ask? No facial hair and matching socks. Heaven.

CA125 spike cause for concern

Went to get my 32 avastin treatment yesterday at Weinberg. Have been on avastin with no side effects except that it's held the few remaining cancer nodules stable since 8/20/09. My CA125 jumped up 60.9 pts to 173.9 so it's cause for concern. They are doing another CA125 when I go back in 6/13 for blood work. It the CA125 continues to go up, looks like avastin is history. I'll probably go back on chemo--probably taxol or taxotere--one of the T drugs which has worked for me in the past but has done a number on my hair follicles. Those buggers have been so fried that I'll probably have to start enjoying the bald look. Keep me in your prayers.

Welcome to the family, Ruby Campbell

Saddened by empty dog bowls and concerned about food crumbs accumulating on the kitchen floor, Megan went online and found Ruby, a 1-2 year old reddish-gold cocker spaniel at a humane society in Virginia. A stray with six puppies, after weaning the pups and being spayed, the Campbells adopted her and brought her home 5/28/11. She's a lovely sweet girl who is tolerant of the kids' running, jumping and yelling and who only wants to love and be loved. She enjoys fetching a tennis ball and is learning which toys are hers and which are the kids. She and Ditto bonded when I took him over to meet her on Memorial Day. Good since Ruby will board at Chez Jones whenever the Campbells travel.

RIP Daisy dog

One of the most loveable dogs in the world went to heaven yesterday. Daisy Jones Campbell, an 18-pound buff cocker Megan rescued from the pound 11 years ago, was found in their family room when the family got back from a photo session for Jenna's 2nd birthday. The kids needed a nap so Megan just told them to wave goodbye to Daisy and they went to their naps. Megan and Alex buried her in the back yard while the kids slept. Tyler still thinks that Grampy is going to heal Daisy's leg (she had screamed in pain Tuesday night and had been limping but the vet couldn't find any broken bones so suggested pain pills to see if if was just a pulled muscle). Tyler asked if Grampy would fix her and send her back. Megan had to explain that Daisy wasn't coming back. Megan and I lost our two buff cockers within two months of each other. Daisy had not had good treatment prior to landing in the pound. When Megan got her, her hair was matted 1/2 inch thick necessitating a buzz cut so she could feel her skin when she rolled on the rug. She had seizures throughout her life so you just held her and helped her orientate once they were over. But she loved and was loved by all who knew her. She will be missed.

Am hanging on

Results from 4/21/11 CT scan "Impression: Two stable lesions in the right hemidiaphram and stable lesion in the left hemipelvis." So things remain stable. Avastin treatments continue every three weeks. So far so good. Lastest CA125 on 5/12/11 went down 15.8 pts to 113.0. As long as it continues to zig zag and doesn't trend upward, Dr. considers it stable. So am hanging in there. Went thru a rough gastro period where I was having gas so badly at night I was having sleep deprivation. I did get a lot of library books read, however. I'm hoping it has calmed down as I slept thru the night recently. It's heaven.

Happy Mother's Day

This past weekend Dylan babysat with Tyler and Jenna Friday night while Megan and Alex attended a play in Towson. Jenna adores her "uncadin" as she pronounces his name. Saturday night I babysat while they went to a 3-band venue in Balto with two other couples. I spent the night and Dylan brought newly groomed Ditto over on Sunday. Megan and Alex prepared a waffle bar brunch. While the kids napped, Alex got topsoil and mulch and then he and Dylan spread it around out front of their house, preparing for Jenna's birthday party next Sunday. After Dylan had to leave for work, I watched the kids while Megan and Alex trimmed shrubs and broken tree limbs at the back. Got a lot accomplished. Dylan had gotten some huge ceramic planters for our deck and we went out Saturday to pick up plants and herbs that he set out in pots around the new deck. It looks great, especially with the new white painted adirondack chairs, stools and table Dylan placed on the front overlooking the bike path across the street. Megan framed this photo Alex had taken for me.

New port stubborn

On May 2 went to Weinberg's Outpatient Clinic to have the new port accessed and blood drawn. While still someone sore, nurses got both medial and lateral areas accessed. But no blood. Laid down, stood up, coughed, turned head, just about all but standing on my head. Nothing worked. So they shot both full of TPA (kinda rotor rooter fluid to clear the pipes). After 20 minutes, both lines gave blood. Yeah. So I don't have to write my surgeon a nasty note. I had told him to insert a GPS disk so when I'm old an senile Megan can find me. He said they didn't have them yet for people, just dogs/cats. Bummer.

Drugs and prone in bed good

My friend Ellen took me to Mercy's new Bunting Center surgery floor for my port replacement surgery 4/25/11. Great facilities and wonderfully helpful nurses/staff. Right port had gotten infected so it was removed and new one put in on the left side. You're given a coded name so Ellen could to see exactly where I was on a color-coded monitor in the waiting room. When she went to grab something to eat on another floor, she was given a beeper. Also had the key to a locker in which she had stored all my clothes, etc. Went home with a prescription for oxocodone. While it was being filled, we grabbed an early light dinner (my first food of the day) and then went back to pick up the pills. My cleaning lady had been home that day so I slipped into clean sheets, fluffy pillows and oxycodone. Ellen easily convinced me not to go to work the next day. Ended up staying home Wednesday too. Felt better except for my right knee pained me. Don't know why because I'd been off of it for 3 days. But without the oxy, I was able to take ibuprofen which helped the knee. Not fair that you get one part fixed and another part deteriorates.

Need port replacement

After a round of Keflex antibiotic followed by another 7-day series of Bactrim, still appear to have a low-grade infection in the area around my right-side port. Dr. Fitzpatrick, the surgeon who inserted the original port 10/8/08, decided I needed a new port installed on the left side. As soon as he gets back from the Boston area where he's watching his son complete in lacrosse this coming weekend, he'll schedule the out-patient procedure. The old one will be taken out, discarded, the area cleaned and sewn back up. Good thing I no longer wear low-cut blouses. Am headed to Weinberg this afternoon in 78 degree weather for a blood draw to check my numbers. Next avastin scheduled for 4/21/11 followed by a CT scan. A dear friend of Lloyd's and mine, Bill Dawson, died last Thursday of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood that also took my mother in 1956.

No, thank you

Jenna continues to give me joy. Saturday after a lovely brunch at Eggspectation with Ellen, I went to Columbia to spend time with my grandkids. After naps Tyler went with Alex to get a birthday gift for a friend and Jenna stayed home with Megan and me. While we were all in the family room, Jenna stood still and looked at me. I knew what she was doing. I said, "Jenna, are you pooping?" She looked at me and said, "No, thank you." I cracked up.

Monday afternoon I went to Weinberg for my usual blood draw follow-up to check numbers 11 days after an avastin treatment. My blood pressure was down to 125 which is great because avastin tends to push it up higher. Predicted downpours didn't materialize so that was good as it was pouring the last time I drove back from Mercy. Celebrated by baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies while fast-forwarding thru much of the excess on Dancing with the Stars opener.

Buster rest in peace

Had my 28th treatment of avastin yesterday, with orders signed by Dr. Im for two more: the next one on 3/31 and then on 4/21, when I have my 30th treatment in the morning and a CT scan scheduled for 1 pm. Yesterday's CA125 was 114.1, the same number it was at my last treatment on 2/17.

Rainstorm hit our area so it was awful driving to Baltimore and back. Cancelled dinner plans because it was drenching rains with 9 knot winds. Got gas for car ($3.38/gal), Panera take-home for dinner, and picked up "Unbroken" on reserve for me at the library. Let dogs out when I went home, ate my soup with them both beside me hoping for hand-outs. Then went thru mail, paper and DVRed shows. Went to bedroom to feed the dogs and found Buster, our lovely old (possibly 17) buff cocker, dead on the rug. He had been blind and deaf for many years, but had been failing in recent months. Concerned I'd have to put him down, he made the decision for me.

Dylan buried him not too far from our original dog, Darwin. The pound estimated Buster's age as 6 months when we got him in the fall of 1994 so I listed his birth date as 4/1/94. Megan, who started college that fall, remembers that he loved to run on the bike path with her. Dylan, in junior high school, had seen him in a corner cage and wanted him. Buster had obviously just been groomed so we were surprised when no one claimed him. He was so happy to go home with us, he jumped all over the inside of the car. Buster be missed.

And the beat goes on

I've been getting flack lately for not keeping my blog current. Sorry. Initially I planned to wait until I got the results back from the latest CT scan. I got busy. Good news is that the latest results were "stable exam; no evidence of disease progression. However one of the nodes showed "slightly larger mass in the right diaphragmatic surface." We're talking 0.1 cm growth on one and 0.1 cm smaller on another. The radiologist terms this "stable." But I still don't like that anything is moving up rather than down in any mm of size. Also the CA 125 continues to go up and down between the low 90s and 119. Normal is under 35 so this means there's some nastiness still "alive." Positive side no one seems worried and there are potions still in Dr. Im's arsenal to use should things go south.

Am buoyed by Phil's prediction of an early spring. After getting 3 inches of icy snow Monday night, this can't happen soon enough. Daffodils are struggling to emerge in my yard but ground is littered with twigs/limbs down from trees when heavy snows/winds have hit.

Daughter Deborah, husband Hugh and 16-yr-old granddaughter Perrin are down this week looking at DC/Balto area colleges she might want to attend as a polysci/international relations major. Megan took the week off to join them in checking schools. While Tyler and Jenna have a way to go before they look into colleges, it gives her a view of other area offerings.