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.