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.

Christmas at the Campbells

Dylan and I took our presents to the Campbells on Christmas day. Tyler played Santa Claus delivering the packages but also wanted to unwrap them all. Enjoyed a low key day before the Campbells flew to Florida to visit with Alex's family. Alex was up in the wee hours after their flight thru NC was cancelled due to heavy snows there. He managed to book the family on a direct flight to Orlando from Reagan, flying out just before the airport was closed. I managed to get their Pilot home to Round Bay just before the snow storm slammed our area.

The Campbells, Oma and the Jones Boys

While Fareeba was in Dubai seeing about her late father's estate, Brian joined Dylan and me in going to the Campbell's for Christmas eve day. Tyler and Jenna were thrilled as they each had an uncle to play with.

Campbells at the Annapolis Boat Lights Parade

Dylan joined the Campbells at the Parade of boats in Annapolis Harbor. Everyone decorates them with lights shaped like angels, Christmas trees, etc. Fortunately they were invited to a party near the water so could go inside when they got cold and try to keep the kids from eating too many cookies. Brother Brian and SO Fareeba arrived at the party after the Campbells and Dylan had left to get the kids in bed.

CA125 hovers in the 90s

At least it's double digits but barely. While above normal (0-35), my couple of cancerous nodes are still considered stable. Replaced the side/back deck and added an adjoining new front deck recently. Plan to get the siding powerwashed and the trim painted in the spring so the house will be refreshed. Cold weather is coming after hitting the Midwest and states south of us. We'll celebrate Christmas at the Campbells watching Tyler, 4, and Jenna, 19 months, enjoy their gifts from Santa. The next day the Campbells fly to Florida to visit his family for a week. While they are away, I plan to curl up with a good book and a warm blanket. And take care of three dogs, two geriatric and the other who has difficulty sharing his "mommy." Blessings to you and yours for Christmas.