Layers of my life

Long ago Megan phoned to reserve my birthday night (1/31/09) as she said she wanted to get tickets for a surprise she wanted to take me to. I thought it might be something at the Kennedy Center or in Baltimore as she was adamant that I reserve the night. And she wouldn't tell me what it was only that I knew Alex was having two buddies over for DVDs and the 3 guys would babysit Tyler.

I had volunteered to visit Lloyd to allow Jeanne time for errands but he told me it "wasn't a good weekend." He said to come visit next weekend instead.

Megan called mid-day Saturday to verify I wasn't coming in sweats but "dressed up." She was coughing so I said, "Do you want to bag it?" She averred because she had "already bought the tickets." And I was to park in front of Alex's Pilot so we could "take her car."

Late afternoon Dylan and Christine arrived at my house with a vase of tulips and some delicous preserves as my birthday present. They were headed for a party with friends in Towson.

When I arrived in Columbia, Megan came out to make sure I didn't fall on ice. She was barefoot in flip flops. I told her she couldn't go anywhere without shoes. As I followed her into the house, flashes went off from the darkened LR. The lights went on and people who have been layers of my life waved wearing wigs and/or teal, the color of ovarian cancer.

Dylan and Christine were there; Christine helping JoAnne, who had catered the entire event, and Dylan creating signature drinks (the teal Chemopolitan and the amaretto & Starbucks coffee liquor, the Jo Joe) and tending bar. Megan had put together a scrapbook of photos and memories collected from those attending and those who couldn't.

Cousins from Illinois; daughter Deb, SIL Hugh and son Andrew from Boston; my niece & nephew from NJ; my other son from Annapolis; Joy came from an Eastern shore funeral, and myriad friends from my life and USNA were there. Grandson Andrew entertained Tyler downstairs checked on by SIL Alex except when Tyler came up to hug Mama and Oma (me).

The food was outstanding. Everyone looked great in teal. Tersheia and Diana sent flowers. Larry and Dylan wore mops as wigs; there were multi-colored clown wigs, Ellen wore a hot pink one, Martha a Hannah Montana one. It was a hoot!

I was shell-shocked. And extremely blessed.

Serous fluid

Thursday (1/29/09) went to Weinberg 4th floor (outpatient chemotherapy at Mercy Hospital) to continue my 6th chemo treatment. Nurse Pat easily found the medial lumen (inside port access) but had trouble finding the lateral (outside) lumen. Nurse Jack thought he had it but instead of blood drew out serous fluid (bodily fluids that are typically pale yellow and transparent, and of a benign nature, that fill the inside of body cavities). Guess he got enough fluid out that Nurse Linda was able to finally locate the lateral lumen.

Having two lines makes it faster to get done. Taxol depletes my magnesium (needed to keep heart and other muscles pumping) so I usually have to receive 4 grams of magnesium by IV. It takes more than 2 hours to go in. The pre-meds and Taxol usually take about 1.5 hours. If I can have the two lines going at the same time, I can get done by mid-afternoon.

Cautiously optimistic

Started the 6th series of Taxol 1/22/09. Despite the good news from the radiologist's report on the PET/CT scan, my CA125 came back up 8.4 pts so it was 39.7 which is above the 0-35 considered normal.

Dr. Im was pleased with the report which stated, "No new masses or hypermetabolic lesions are seen." It concluded with "Complete resolution of abnormal metabolic activity within the right epipericardial lymph node and portacaval node since last examination 6/9/08. Both of these nodes have decreased in size. There is currently no scintigraphic evidence of active malignancy." Have been trying to get rid of these two cancerous nodes which appeared during my last period off chemo 6/28/07 to 10/25/07.

I'm to continue chemo until Dr. Im and Dr. Rosenshein determine that I can take a 3-month reprieve. Wouldn't that be wonderful!

Good news on PET

Dr. Im's chemo assistant, Terri, phoned/e-mailed me to phone her. She said the results of my recent PET scan "are beautiful!" She's putting a copy of the radiologist's written report in my file so I can get a copy on Thursday when I go to Weinberg for chemo series 6A. She said the report stated my cancer activity level is about nil. So it looks like the crappy fingernails and balding head is worth it. Taxol is whipping my cancer's butt. Besides celebrating the inauguration of a new president, I have a personal change I can live with.

PET scan

Since it's been more than 7 months since I had a PET scan, I had one this morning. Other people had driven me to previous scans. In June my ex-husband Lloyd drove me to my last procedure. Last time the tech told me I could drive home afterward so today I went by myself. I cried en route to the scan because Lloyd has inoperable pancreatic cancer. I can't imagine him not being here.

Chemo brain

Have worn the black Ugg-like boots Megan and Alex got me for Christmas at least four times. The toes on my left foot kept being numb when I walked. Figured it was my neuropathy. Finally I decided to stick my hand in the boot. Turns out there was a fairly large wad of tissue paper in the left boot's toe. You'd be surprised how much more comfortable the boot is without the paper!

New Year's Eve chemo, party

Closed out 2008 with chemo at Weinberg (Taxol 5B) on New Year's Eve day. Nurse Pauline put in lines in both port lumens. That way I got magnesium (which I ususally need each chemo) thru one line with pre-meds and chemo in the other so I could get out earlier than usual.

While I was at chemo, the Veiels, my back neighbors, phoned to tell me our power had gone out around 10 a.m. just as they were leaving. They asked me to phone BGE to report the outage as they didn't have the number with them. BGE had already been notified. When I phoned Bill Lawrence, my next-door neighbor, he told me power had already been restored. Much of the region wasn't so lucky as high winds, fallen tree limbs, and cold temps knocked power out in many areas.

However, the Edmondson's where I was going to their New Year's Eve party, along with many of their friends and neighbors, were without power all day and had hooked up their back-up generator. Their power was restored by 6:30 p.m. so their house was toasty warm and well-lit by the time the party started. Their son and his wife and dog had to spend the night as their home in Pasadena still was without power. Food was pot-luck so JoAnne was lucky she hadn't planned to cook all day. We toasted the ball drop in NYC with confetti (yes, inside!!) and champagne with hibiscus flowers in the bottom of the glasses. Yes, we covered our glasses so confetti didn't get into our drinks. Nice way to enter 2009.