Linda had a difficult time doing a blood draw at the Oncologist again today..took three tries again...the blood count was up a bit so the transfusion and Procrit seem to be working..she got another Procrit shot today....she is doing well.
"Dat's" about it.....
In the Wing's seminar last Saturday, we were asked to do a metaphor of a belief that we hold that is limiting and when changed will bring tremendous energy to our lives. Linda's limiting belief is that there is not enough time left in her life. The metaphor in her life is a "watch"....ie..the watch shows there is time....even though there are things going on in her body, she is living in the present and knows she does have time for a whole lot of things...
One of the other participants sent her an email saying she loved Linda's watch as a metaphor and that it reminded her of a song by Jimmy Buffett entitled "Breathe in Breathe Out Move On".The song is about hurricane Katrina but really about a watch that reads "now" and "the time is now", "breathe in", "breathe out" and "move on"......"the past is gone" and in my words, "the future hasn't come yet"
Breathe in, Breathe Out, Move on
(Jimmy Buffett)
I bought a cheap watch from a crazy man
Floating down canal
It doesn't use numbers or moving hands
It always just says now
Now you may be thinking that I was had
But this watch is never wrong
And If I have trouble the warranty said
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
And it rained, It was nothing really new
And it blew, we've seen all that before
And it poured, the Earth began to strain
Pontchartrain leaking through the door, tides at war
If a hurricane doesn't leave you dead
It will make you strong
Don't try to explain it just nod your head
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
And it rained, It was nothing really new
And it blew, seen all that before
And it poured, the Earth began to strain
Pontchartrain buried the 9th Ward to the 2nd floor
According to my watch the time is now
Past is dead and gone
Don't try to shake it just nod your head
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
.
Thank you Cindy...that is really special and well worth sharing....wow!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday...April 29th....2009
Home again!...back from the Oregon coast by way of Portland looking at some condos and stopping to wish Marlin, Linda's brother, a happy birthday...Linda is doing well...tomorrow she receives at Procrit shot (for red blood cell production) and that's it...chemo again next Thursday.
Some pictures from the last couple of days.....
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Some pictures from the last couple of days.....
.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday...April 28th...2009
Steve, Nancy and Linda are touring a winery at Nehalem Bay while I am "stealing" their wireless signal ...Pictures...Jim and Jenn ..brunch on Sunday before we came to the coast...Linda beside herself watching the Blazer game Sunday night...and beautiful sunsets.
Linda is doing very well..lots of energy..either the company or the transfusion..or both...
Linda is doing very well..lots of energy..either the company or the transfusion..or both...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday..... April 27..... 2009
Here we are in beautiful Seaside, Oregon with great friends having a great time. The four of us haven't gotten together since shortly after I was first diagnosed almost two years ago, and what a shame, as we always have such a good time together. Nancy and Steve are out for a drive and stopping to pick up seafood for tonight's dinner (We are pigging out while we are here). I've already had a morning nap to keep my energy up for all the fun we are having. We played two games of "Five Crowns" last night and I won them both (no chemo brain for me!) I've already made chocolate chip cookies yesterday and sweet rolls for breakfast so that they won't forget why they invite me along. ha ha.
Love and Gratitude
Linda
Love and Gratitude
Linda
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday....April 26th....2009
Getting ready for brunch with son Jim and daughter in law Jenn...then off to the coast with Steve and Nancy....back to Portland on Wednesday to look at three condos.
Had a great Wings Seminar yesterday...Linda held up well and we both came away glad we had made the trek to Eugene.. It is unusual to have a one day seminar...and we gained a lot in the one day. It was "Change Your Mind...Change the World".This 1-day seminar explored this transformation.....learning the skills to do something different, create new patterns and live with intention going towards what one wants. ...I liked the statement..."when I change, there is a ripple effect" and " I wanted to change the world but found out the only thing one can be sure of change is oneself". Another was "when the door open, go through it".
The seminar was a great review for both of us about focusing on ourselves and what we want to see in our lives and the world......that is how change is made in the world....
A little "gift" in the seminar was a sharing by a participant who has a "feel good binder" where she has kept past letters, awards, etc. for herself.....and when she feels down or...she takes out the binder as a reminder of what she has achieved and more....great idea!
An.jpg)
yway, on to the beach with friends.
ps.........Wings Seminars...... http://www.wings-seminars.com/ We highly recommend it to all.......check out their web site....
Had a great Wings Seminar yesterday...Linda held up well and we both came away glad we had made the trek to Eugene.. It is unusual to have a one day seminar...and we gained a lot in the one day. It was "Change Your Mind...Change the World".This 1-day seminar explored this transformation.....learning the skills to do something different, create new patterns and live with intention going towards what one wants. ...I liked the statement..."when I change, there is a ripple effect" and " I wanted to change the world but found out the only thing one can be sure of change is oneself". Another was "when the door open, go through it".
The seminar was a great review for both of us about focusing on ourselves and what we want to see in our lives and the world......that is how change is made in the world....
A little "gift" in the seminar was a sharing by a participant who has a "feel good binder" where she has kept past letters, awards, etc. for herself.....and when she feels down or...she takes out the binder as a reminder of what she has achieved and more....great idea!
An
.jpg)
yway, on to the beach with friends.ps.........Wings Seminars...... http://www.wings-seminars.com/ We highly recommend it to all.......check out their web site....
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday...April 24th...2009
Today was a big day...we arrived in Portland last night and this morning looked around for possible relocation places, should our house in Sisters sell.
Linda's appointment at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) was at 2:30 with a leading lung cancer specialist...
What did we learn.....
Linda's treatment was progressing quite well...they were very pleased with her progress ...and said they wouldn't have done anything different.
They are getting everything together should we relocate to Portland and said it would be easy to transition.....
There were no clinical trials coming up that would fit her case...and they described for us how the trials worked and the different types.
They answered questions about diet and anything special which would enhance recovery or make things work better. They said keeping a positive attitude, exercise and keeping weight were the most important...they said there was no scientific evidence that a certain diet or regimen or...other than the above would help cure/control the cancer.
They talked about how this cancer will progress in answer to Linda's question.....emphasizing each person is unique and there is no way to predict how and when things will happen. Linda is in the first "line of defense"...with the effort being to control the cancer....at the end of the 6th cycle (she is in 4 now), the Oncologist will continue perhaps two more cycles, use one of the chemos in a maintenance program, stop all together with a scan every three months ...or...or.
Eventually there will be a move to a second line of defense and then a third as the cancer overcomes the treatment...it is not a matter of "if"..it is "when".
Again, they were very pleased with her progress to this point.
They said eventually the cancer will be in a different place like the brain or the bone and that will be the critical point....so Linda is committed to a good attitude, exercise and diet and will do her part to control this cancer...
The Oncologist suggested that your part is to provide love and support and understand there is no "magic" to make things different....no special diet..no special place to go for treatment...or..or...
Linda was quite satisfied with the meeting as were the two Oncologists...I forgot to mention we actually saw two Oncologists..the first one reviewed his findings with the second who talked with Linda also.
We had dinner with Linda's dear friend Claudia, who is a sweet lady. We had lots of fun at PF Chang's and only quit early as Linda and Dave drive to Eugene early in the am for an all day Wings Seminar. Sunday we head to the beach at Seaside with two friends, Steve and Nancy, to spend a few days telling old stories and lies....
.
Linda's appointment at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) was at 2:30 with a leading lung cancer specialist...
What did we learn.....
Linda's treatment was progressing quite well...they were very pleased with her progress ...and said they wouldn't have done anything different.
They are getting everything together should we relocate to Portland and said it would be easy to transition.....
There were no clinical trials coming up that would fit her case...and they described for us how the trials worked and the different types.
They answered questions about diet and anything special which would enhance recovery or make things work better. They said keeping a positive attitude, exercise and keeping weight were the most important...they said there was no scientific evidence that a certain diet or regimen or...other than the above would help cure/control the cancer.
They talked about how this cancer will progress in answer to Linda's question.....emphasizing each person is unique and there is no way to predict how and when things will happen. Linda is in the first "line of defense"...with the effort being to control the cancer....at the end of the 6th cycle (she is in 4 now), the Oncologist will continue perhaps two more cycles, use one of the chemos in a maintenance program, stop all together with a scan every three months ...or...or.
Eventually there will be a move to a second line of defense and then a third as the cancer overcomes the treatment...it is not a matter of "if"..it is "when".
Again, they were very pleased with her progress to this point.
They said eventually the cancer will be in a different place like the brain or the bone and that will be the critical point....so Linda is committed to a good attitude, exercise and diet and will do her part to control this cancer...
The Oncologist suggested that your part is to provide love and support and understand there is no "magic" to make things different....no special diet..no special place to go for treatment...or..or...
Linda was quite satisfied with the meeting as were the two Oncologists...I forgot to mention we actually saw two Oncologists..the first one reviewed his findings with the second who talked with Linda also.
We had dinner with Linda's dear friend Claudia, who is a sweet lady. We had lots of fun at PF Chang's and only quit early as Linda and Dave drive to Eugene early in the am for an all day Wings Seminar. Sunday we head to the beach at Seaside with two friends, Steve and Nancy, to spend a few days telling old stories and lies....
.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday...April 22nd...2009
Linda went to St. Charles today for the blood transfusion.....to deal with the anemia....it took 3 hours....no immediate changes for the good yet....so who knows. Linda gets time off now as we are in the second week of cycle 4 with the chemo for this week having been given yesterday....next week she has the week off and will begin cycle 5 on the 7th of May.
Tomorrow we head to Portland with the meeting for the second opinion at OHSU on Friday...Sunday we head to the coast at Seaside for some R&R with friends....
Tomorrow we head to Portland with the meeting for the second opinion at OHSU on Friday...Sunday we head to the coast at Seaside for some R&R with friends....
.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday...April 21st...2009
Where do we start?
A "normal" infusion day producing a lot of stuff....
Linda went in for her infusion..2nd week of cycle 4 of 6 cycles....she had a series of questions so we met with the Oncologist, following the infusion.
First...to deal with the anemia which shows the red blood cell production has dropped again another very small amount means the red blood cell production inducer shots have yet to "kick in"...so tomorrow she will go to the hospital to receive a blood transfusion...to " kick start" things.....
Friday we go to Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) to start her second opinion and to set up things should we sell and move to Portland....today we talked again about it with the Oncologist and went to Central Oregon Radiation Association (CORA) to get the past scans on disk and to the Cancer Care of the Cascades for documentation of care to this point, including all chemo infusions etc., to take to Portland.
Lastly, Linda discussed some vertigo and imbalances she has started to experience...this could set off alarms, meaning something has moved to the brain...her brain scan 10 weeks ago was clear. The Oncologist explained it could be a variety of causes....one type of chemo Linda is receiving could be causing it...it could be the anemia.....or it could be cancer....rather than jump to a conclusion, Linda will receive the transfusion tomorrow and watch her symptoms for a few days ..if the imbalance and vertigo continue then another brain scan is in order....we shall see and not jump to any conclusions unwarranted.
Linda is pretty worn down...but she's watching the Blazers play again tonight and has not yelled too much yet as the Blazers are playing better defense, etc..
Next...Dave....Had his followup PDT visit with the Dermatologist...that was the photodynamic therapy done months ago to kill pre cancers on the face and scalp...there was an additional concern (on Dave's part) as he got a sunburn skiing yesterday....where was the sun screen ...you ask?...such a logical and reasonable question...Yes...he did pack it....yes it went to the mountain....no...he didn't use it....why....he forgot. The dermatologist was "ok" about it....Dave thought he was going to get chewed out..a gentle reminder of the need to use it followed....
Outcome?...a couple of pre cancers on the lip and one on the forehead..marked improvement from past exams....PDT worked....followup in 6 weeks to look at the lip again.
Next...Sadie...horrible piles and blood in the house when we returned....the good news is we had a vet scheduled for late today....she has colitis....why....unknown....why is it continuing....the medication Sadie was to take every day was not done properly...so it is not a surprise she had become very sick again....why?...no finger pointing...we suffered another big bill today and more medication....this time the directions will be followed and she will be a healthy puppy again...
That's about it...Dave skis in the am with his sunscreen on and then gets Linda for her transfusion at the hospital...Thursday, Linda goes to her local cancer support group and then we head to Portland for a few days followed by a few days with friends on the coast to rest and reflect on old times...
A "normal" infusion day producing a lot of stuff....
Linda went in for her infusion..2nd week of cycle 4 of 6 cycles....she had a series of questions so we met with the Oncologist, following the infusion.
First...to deal with the anemia which shows the red blood cell production has dropped again another very small amount means the red blood cell production inducer shots have yet to "kick in"...so tomorrow she will go to the hospital to receive a blood transfusion...to " kick start" things.....
Friday we go to Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) to start her second opinion and to set up things should we sell and move to Portland....today we talked again about it with the Oncologist and went to Central Oregon Radiation Association (CORA) to get the past scans on disk and to the Cancer Care of the Cascades for documentation of care to this point, including all chemo infusions etc., to take to Portland.
Lastly, Linda discussed some vertigo and imbalances she has started to experience...this could set off alarms, meaning something has moved to the brain...her brain scan 10 weeks ago was clear. The Oncologist explained it could be a variety of causes....one type of chemo Linda is receiving could be causing it...it could be the anemia.....or it could be cancer....rather than jump to a conclusion, Linda will receive the transfusion tomorrow and watch her symptoms for a few days ..if the imbalance and vertigo continue then another brain scan is in order....we shall see and not jump to any conclusions unwarranted.
Linda is pretty worn down...but she's watching the Blazers play again tonight and has not yelled too much yet as the Blazers are playing better defense, etc..
Next...Dave....Had his followup PDT visit with the Dermatologist...that was the photodynamic therapy done months ago to kill pre cancers on the face and scalp...there was an additional concern (on Dave's part) as he got a sunburn skiing yesterday....where was the sun screen ...you ask?...such a logical and reasonable question...Yes...he did pack it....yes it went to the mountain....no...he didn't use it....why....he forgot. The dermatologist was "ok" about it....Dave thought he was going to get chewed out..a gentle reminder of the need to use it followed....
Outcome?...a couple of pre cancers on the lip and one on the forehead..marked improvement from past exams....PDT worked....followup in 6 weeks to look at the lip again.
Next...Sadie...horrible piles and blood in the house when we returned....the good news is we had a vet scheduled for late today....she has colitis....why....unknown....why is it continuing....the medication Sadie was to take every day was not done properly...so it is not a surprise she had become very sick again....why?...no finger pointing...we suffered another big bill today and more medication....this time the directions will be followed and she will be a healthy puppy again...
That's about it...Dave skis in the am with his sunscreen on and then gets Linda for her transfusion at the hospital...Thursday, Linda goes to her local cancer support group and then we head to Portland for a few days followed by a few days with friends on the coast to rest and reflect on old times...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday....April 19th....2009
Slow, warm day today..we stayed home instead of attending the memorial we had planned to attend..not enough energy.
Linda is ok...looking to Tuesday and confer with the Oncologist...
The Silent Generation are people born before 1946. -
The Baby Boomers are people born between 1946 and 1959. -
Generation X are people born between 1960 and 1979. -
Generation Y are people born between 1980 and 1995.
Why do we call the last one Generation Y?
Linda is ok...looking to Tuesday and confer with the Oncologist...
The Silent Generation are people born before 1946. -
The Baby Boomers are people born between 1946 and 1959. -
Generation X are people born between 1960 and 1979. -
Generation Y are people born between 1980 and 1995.
Why do we call the last one Generation Y?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday....April 18th...2009
Today was a day of rest....sorta....Linda fixed a delightful breakfast for the neighbors across the creek....and I ate too many cinnamon rolls...and forgot to take pictures.....we also went to Hoodoo Ski Area....about 25 minutes from the house to get my new skis adjusted.....
The rest of the day has been sitting in the sun and now watching the Trailblazers play their first playoff game against Houston....we are a ways down....it needs to turn around...as Miss Linda is getting a bit loud...yes..she yells when the Blazers make mistakes....and ....and
Linda is still very anemic..it shows in her "steps"...I wanted her to go in yesterday and get a transfusion..but she is holding off till Tuesday...there she goes...she just yelled again...we are down by 12 points in the second quarter.
More tomorrow.....
Yesterday we had to go to Linda's 1.5 million dollar spec.....to do a few things.....pictures below...man...we need a sale....anyone interested?....there she goes ..she just yelled again..we are down by 1o points......
Now she's here in the office yelling about that "Chinese guy"....ie Houston's center (Yau Ming)....she says "he's 8 for 8....it isn't fair!"
The rest of the day has been sitting in the sun and now watching the Trailblazers play their first playoff game against Houston....we are a ways down....it needs to turn around...as Miss Linda is getting a bit loud...yes..she yells when the Blazers make mistakes....and ....and
Linda is still very anemic..it shows in her "steps"...I wanted her to go in yesterday and get a transfusion..but she is holding off till Tuesday...there she goes...she just yelled again...we are down by 12 points in the second quarter.
More tomorrow.....
Yesterday we had to go to Linda's 1.5 million dollar spec.....to do a few things.....pictures below...man...we need a sale....anyone interested?....there she goes ..she just yelled again..we are down by 1o points......
Now she's here in the office yelling about that "Chinese guy"....ie Houston's center (Yau Ming)....she says "he's 8 for 8....it isn't fair!"
.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday...April 16th....2009
Trip to Bend today..then on to Brasada Ranch..then to Redmond..then home.....we accomplished a lot...got Linda toget her hair cut short...with it being a bit sparser than normal she does look much better with shorter hair..she agrees after fighting it for a month. She held up well today but indicated she felt like she had ankle weights on today...she has gone to bed early.
Schedule...
Friday..relax..nothing pressing to do....some sun time for sure...
Saturday..relax..nothing pressing to do...some sun time for sure...did I mention it is supposed to be 80 degrees? I might ski if they arrive in the UPS tomorrow from South Tahoe...
Sunday..relax..nothing pressing to do...will attend a memorial for a dear lady who gave a lot to the National Ski Patrol......
Monday...Reality check.....
Schedule...
Friday..relax..nothing pressing to do....some sun time for sure...
Saturday..relax..nothing pressing to do...some sun time for sure...did I mention it is supposed to be 80 degrees? I might ski if they arrive in the UPS tomorrow from South Tahoe...
Sunday..relax..nothing pressing to do...will attend a memorial for a dear lady who gave a lot to the National Ski Patrol......
Monday...Reality check.....
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday....April 15th....2009
Linda is doing well today after the big chemo day yesterday and the fiasco the day before with the scan. She got multiple calls from CORA, the company that did the scan on Monday....they have been very apologetic....erased all costs associated with the scan (those buggers are over a thousand but we have no cost as Linda quickly filled our "stop loss" this year....so no out of pocket....does save the insurance company money). They have also communicated with the company that provided the safety alarm system that didn't work...etc...etc. They also have a plan in place to use Linda's oncology nurses for the insertions and then head over to the scan.
So they are concerned and have gone out of their way to communicate...beats most of the communications one has these days....we've been over a month getting a pair of skis from Tahoe by UPS and getting carpet backordered through Home Depot....
Linda is tired..took a 2 hour nap....the anemia is the main cause...
So they are concerned and have gone out of their way to communicate...beats most of the communications one has these days....we've been over a month getting a pair of skis from Tahoe by UPS and getting carpet backordered through Home Depot....
Linda is tired..took a 2 hour nap....the anemia is the main cause...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday...April 14th...2009
We went to a Livestrong (Lance Armstrong Foundation) dinner tonight...Defeat Cancer (Diet, Exercise, Family, Education, Attitude and thriving), part of the St. Charles Cancer Care Program.
The speaker is a 30 year nursery worker and expert.....his whole life ....7 days a week is with plants...and he doesn't see it as work...
His message while discussing plants and all that associates with gardens and.....:
You are in charge of your own vessel.
You set the sail.
You adjust that sail.
Someone is always better than you.
Someone is always worse than you.
Adjust for a better life.
Gardening can be part of the puzzle (of a successful life).
It can put a smile on your face.
Share some flowers.
Give some herbs.
We all have a chance to make a difference in our lives.
Get off the "pitty pot" and "flush".
Refuse to give up.
You (doctors) had your chance to kill me.
Taking it too easy doesn't work too well.
Doing things keeps you going.
This was a very inspirational and insightful evening, drawing upon the garden and work associated with a sucessful garden and its relationship with life.
Not a bad way to spend an evening.
PS..I was looking for an appropriate cartoon to illustrate the story above associated with gardening....could not resist this "inappropriate cartoon"....
.
The speaker is a 30 year nursery worker and expert.....his whole life ....7 days a week is with plants...and he doesn't see it as work...
His message while discussing plants and all that associates with gardens and.....:
You are in charge of your own vessel.
You set the sail.
You adjust that sail.
Someone is always better than you.
Someone is always worse than you.
Adjust for a better life.
Gardening can be part of the puzzle (of a successful life).
It can put a smile on your face.
Share some flowers.
Give some herbs.
We all have a chance to make a difference in our lives.
Get off the "pitty pot" and "flush".
Refuse to give up.
You (doctors) had your chance to kill me.
Taking it too easy doesn't work too well.
Doing things keeps you going.
This was a very inspirational and insightful evening, drawing upon the garden and work associated with a sucessful garden and its relationship with life.
Not a bad way to spend an evening.
PS..I was looking for an appropriate cartoon to illustrate the story above associated with gardening....could not resist this "inappropriate cartoon"....
.
Tuesday...April 14th...2009
"D" Day Today..."D" stands for "Defeat"...defeat cancer that is...
We met with the Oncologist.....Linda said "Do you have good news..I don't want to shoot the messenger"...the Oncologist, Dr. Kornfeld said "I have good news"...
The scan showed "marked improvement"...not just improvement... "marked improvement".
He went on to say that there was reduction in the left lung tumors, decreased size in the small tumors in the right lung and decrease lymph node cancer and decrease in lesions in the one lesion in the liver and the one lesion in the spleen (if they are cancerous). He said the reduction was 30% on a side which is good...this means a 60% reduction in volume of the tumors.
This means the cancer is responding to the treatment. He went on to say that it is not so important as to where the cancer is and how much or how many organs or...as opposed to the response to the treatment...that is, if one has cancer in one organ and there is a negative response...that is the worse case.
Linda's immune system is good.
Linda is continuing to become more anemic..she received a shot of Procrit again today (to stimulate the creation of red blood cells.)...she will receive a shot every week until we see him again. If this is not enough, she will go in for blood transfusions. The net affect of this is tiredness.
Linda will not see the Oncologist again for three weeks...she is to continue on the same course of treatment for at least three more cycles as the cancer is responding to this treatment. There will be another scan at the end of the 6th cycle (ie 9 weeks).
He said the screwup (our word) yesterday with the contrast is diminishing..there was still swelling today but not as dramatic as yesterday...the Oncology nurses were appalled and a bit disgusted....as they work with injections all the time...Linda is a tough one for injections and infusions...we have never gotten a clear answer as to why she doesn't have a port....(a different permanent system for infusions rather than finding veins each time for infusions, blood draws etc. etc.).
How does Linda feel ..."Grateful"...
Does this mean the cancer will go away...no...but it can go into remission....and then a maintenance program of chemo is established....will it rear its ugly head again...most likely....some day..we hope for some day not too soon...a long time away.
Linda got a "nutty bar" (her fabvorite) at Costco to celebrate (hey, what do you mean saying I'm cheap?)
We came home for Linda to get a nap and then back to Bend for a "Defeat Dinner" ...sponsored by the Livestrong program...Lance Armstrong Foundation...
.
Some pictures from last week....Linda and Dave at the hockey game last Thursday in Tampa....good friends Neil and Terese (she just won 2.5 million on the slots at the Indian Casino) and Linda flying back to Oregon (as opposed to the last trip).
.
We met with the Oncologist.....Linda said "Do you have good news..I don't want to shoot the messenger"...the Oncologist, Dr. Kornfeld said "I have good news"...
The scan showed "marked improvement"...not just improvement... "marked improvement".
He went on to say that there was reduction in the left lung tumors, decreased size in the small tumors in the right lung and decrease lymph node cancer and decrease in lesions in the one lesion in the liver and the one lesion in the spleen (if they are cancerous). He said the reduction was 30% on a side which is good...this means a 60% reduction in volume of the tumors.
This means the cancer is responding to the treatment. He went on to say that it is not so important as to where the cancer is and how much or how many organs or...as opposed to the response to the treatment...that is, if one has cancer in one organ and there is a negative response...that is the worse case.
Linda's immune system is good.
Linda is continuing to become more anemic..she received a shot of Procrit again today (to stimulate the creation of red blood cells.)...she will receive a shot every week until we see him again. If this is not enough, she will go in for blood transfusions. The net affect of this is tiredness.
Linda will not see the Oncologist again for three weeks...she is to continue on the same course of treatment for at least three more cycles as the cancer is responding to this treatment. There will be another scan at the end of the 6th cycle (ie 9 weeks).
He said the screwup (our word) yesterday with the contrast is diminishing..there was still swelling today but not as dramatic as yesterday...the Oncology nurses were appalled and a bit disgusted....as they work with injections all the time...Linda is a tough one for injections and infusions...we have never gotten a clear answer as to why she doesn't have a port....(a different permanent system for infusions rather than finding veins each time for infusions, blood draws etc. etc.).
How does Linda feel ..."Grateful"...
Does this mean the cancer will go away...no...but it can go into remission....and then a maintenance program of chemo is established....will it rear its ugly head again...most likely....some day..we hope for some day not too soon...a long time away.
Linda got a "nutty bar" (her fabvorite) at Costco to celebrate (hey, what do you mean saying I'm cheap?)
We came home for Linda to get a nap and then back to Bend for a "Defeat Dinner" ...sponsored by the Livestrong program...Lance Armstrong Foundation...
.
Some pictures from last week....Linda and Dave at the hockey game last Thursday in Tampa....good friends Neil and Terese (she just won 2.5 million on the slots at the Indian Casino) and Linda flying back to Oregon (as opposed to the last trip).
.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Monday....April 13th...2009
Did I ever tell you that Linda Lou thinks up new things to have me worry about...I mean strange thinks that only happen once in a "blue moon"?
Well she did it again today.....
Linda went in to get her scan done to see how the cancer was progressing...or "degressing"...or "ungressing"......anyway they put the "contrast" by infusion into her vein....and started the process of scanning...she immediately felt extreme pain in her arm and they stopped things to take a look.....low and behold, the contrast was not going into her vein, but rather into the soft tissue in her arm...the needle had come out of the vein or...or....
The tech said he had only seen that once on the three years he had been there. Linda was scared because of the look and feel of the arm....
They ended up doing the scan without the contrast...and treated her with ice and heat....and had her keep her arm raised above her heart......we think they call the condition "contrast medium infiltration"....and has to be closely observed.....
We have been back twice today to the doctor in charge as the swelling is continuing....she also has called him this evening...he is not so concerned about the swelling but rather if there are other reactions which haven't yet been observed....if they do, off to the emergency room we go....
What a day...again....
Tomorrow we see the Oncologist..who will review the scan plus look at the affected arm...
We have an early photo of the condition..look closely to see the swelling ..and then imagine it three times as long (from just above the wrist to the armpit....) this late in the day...6 hours after it happened...
How is Sadie? Thanks for asking..she is off her food and on scambled eggs and chicken....she is much more active as a result..the company manufacturing the dog food is sending a sample bag and once we return the sample of the dog food, they analyze it in their lab and in an independent lab at the same time....
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Well she did it again today.....
Linda went in to get her scan done to see how the cancer was progressing...or "degressing"...or "ungressing"......anyway they put the "contrast" by infusion into her vein....and started the process of scanning...she immediately felt extreme pain in her arm and they stopped things to take a look.....low and behold, the contrast was not going into her vein, but rather into the soft tissue in her arm...the needle had come out of the vein or...or....
The tech said he had only seen that once on the three years he had been there. Linda was scared because of the look and feel of the arm....
They ended up doing the scan without the contrast...and treated her with ice and heat....and had her keep her arm raised above her heart......we think they call the condition "contrast medium infiltration"....and has to be closely observed.....
We have been back twice today to the doctor in charge as the swelling is continuing....she also has called him this evening...he is not so concerned about the swelling but rather if there are other reactions which haven't yet been observed....if they do, off to the emergency room we go....
What a day...again....
Tomorrow we see the Oncologist..who will review the scan plus look at the affected arm...
We have an early photo of the condition..look closely to see the swelling ..and then imagine it three times as long (from just above the wrist to the armpit....) this late in the day...6 hours after it happened...
How is Sadie? Thanks for asking..she is off her food and on scambled eggs and chicken....she is much more active as a result..the company manufacturing the dog food is sending a sample bag and once we return the sample of the dog food, they analyze it in their lab and in an independent lab at the same time....
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Linda tonight..you have to look closely..the picture doesn't show the true swelling..all the way up to the armpit....and down to the wrist....we will be glad to get to the doctor tomorrow to have it looked at..
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday....April 12th...2009
Happy Easter...a bit cool and a bit of rain here in Central Oregon..
Linda's big scan is in the am..she has to drink that awful scan stuff in three batches beginning tonight....Tuesday am we meet with the Oncologist to hear the results.
Our dog has been sick..yes...Sadie the Lady has been ill....we think now it is a new bag of dog food we bought shortly before going to Florida....she has been on the same "stomach sensitive" dog food for 4 years....recommended by a Vet....when she eats some she gets ill..take her off it...she is fine....Linda is calling the manufacturer to see what they say tomorrow.
Linda's big scan is in the am..she has to drink that awful scan stuff in three batches beginning tonight....Tuesday am we meet with the Oncologist to hear the results.
Our dog has been sick..yes...Sadie the Lady has been ill....we think now it is a new bag of dog food we bought shortly before going to Florida....she has been on the same "stomach sensitive" dog food for 4 years....recommended by a Vet....when she eats some she gets ill..take her off it...she is fine....Linda is calling the manufacturer to see what they say tomorrow.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Saturday....April 12th...2009
Well .....we are home..and not a bad first day back...the weather was pretty nice today...not the 80's we are used to but upper 50's and clear.
Linda did well on the trip back....as we had two layovers.....the wheelchair worked great again.
Today Linda is thinking about her test on Monday and results with the doctor on Tuesday...it is very obvious that it is affecting her....she is wanting the best and knowing there are other possibilities......
Linda did well on the trip back....as we had two layovers.....the wheelchair worked great again.
Today Linda is thinking about her test on Monday and results with the doctor on Tuesday...it is very obvious that it is affecting her....she is wanting the best and knowing there are other possibilities......
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thursday...April 9th...2009
We're packed..ready for early morning trip to the airport.....seeing friends this am...heading to hockey game tonight....seeing friends for dinner prior....this socializing is work!
Oh...and some "sun time" today.....
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For you race fans....lunch with PTsmom yesterday.....she is a delight....hey Viv.....smile will you?
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wednesday.....April 8th...2009
Dave thinks I've been boring ( we should be so lucky, huh?) so I'm doing the blog today. It's kind of nice to have a little time free of drama just meeting with friends for lunch, dinner, or some card playing. With only another day left before we head back to Oregon, we're cramming in as many friends as we can.
We met with good friend, Vivian Tracy (driver Paul Tracy's mom) for lunch in Channelside today. She winters just south of us in Sarasota. She heads back to Canada next week.
I set up an appointment at OHSU for a week from Friday. The big specialist isn't going to be ready for new patients for over a month yet, so I settled for a different lung specialist. The new guy still must get licensed in Oregon or get set up with insurance carriers, etc. We'll have the results of my new scan by next Tuesday, so all that can go up with me. I'm counting on good news, but am prepared for anything.
We're off to dinner with friends now, so I'll sign off till later.
Love and gratitude..........Linda
We met with good friend, Vivian Tracy (driver Paul Tracy's mom) for lunch in Channelside today. She winters just south of us in Sarasota. She heads back to Canada next week.
I set up an appointment at OHSU for a week from Friday. The big specialist isn't going to be ready for new patients for over a month yet, so I settled for a different lung specialist. The new guy still must get licensed in Oregon or get set up with insurance carriers, etc. We'll have the results of my new scan by next Tuesday, so all that can go up with me. I'm counting on good news, but am prepared for anything.
We're off to dinner with friends now, so I'll sign off till later.
Love and gratitude..........Linda
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sunday...April 5th....2009
Quiet day today...Linda is doing well...still a bit fatigued but well overall..
Taigen fishing on Friday before she went home....two fish caught....including a big catfish...and a sunfish of some type...also with her dad Chris in the pool
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Taigen fishing on Friday before she went home....two fish caught....including a big catfish...and a sunfish of some type...also with her dad Chris in the pool
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Saturday, April 4, 2009
Saturday....April 4th...2009
Company has all flown home..we will miss them all but now it's "pool time"...and "sun time".....of course some hockey and dinner with friends thrown in.
Linda is doing well...again with a nap she is great for the day....
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A picture we missed at St. Petes visit the other day was a visit to the ALMS paddock and we got to see two great people...Amanda and Holly who work with deFerren Acura Racing ...Amanda was one of our "bosses" with Champ Car for years...we miss her dearly...we wish we had the energy to work with her again...but those days are passed...and we have great memories..
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Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday AM....April 3rd....2009
Busy day yesterday...Linda and I went to St. Petersburg where they are holding the Grand Prix this weekend....we were originally scheduled to work it for a media source ......cancelled out because of Linda's illness. We wanted to see old friends who are working for the Indy Racing League which our Champ Car series merged with last year.
We were so emotionally touched and remembered good days past when we were involved...seeing how some of the stuff worked yesterday we were formally involved in...they don't hold a candle to what the Champ Car series was....and person after person reminisced how "they didn't understand at the time in Champ Car how good it was"....
Anyway..a good day...some pictures...Mark...Jimmy....Tess....Jeremy...
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The track was closed as the teams were preparing and the vendors setting up...but Dave's "smooth talking" got us onto the track and we wandered all over for many hours...with Linda in the wheel chair of course.
Who did we see:
***A fragmented "Tag" having secured his ride in the last few hours...
***Our favorite driver Jimmy Vasser who is now a car owner...
***Ziggy Harcus....Linda's favorite official who was scrambling....
***Tess..out favorite tire changer and team member..unique role for a lady
***Jeremy....doing his media work...
***Jeremy....doing his media work...
***Mark Easley..our dear friend on the McDonald's team
***Amanda Trotter...our boss of bosses...we miss her so.
***Amanda Trotter...our boss of bosses...we miss her so.
***Holly....married now so we forgot her last name...married to a great guy...
***Justin Wilson....a good driver finally getting a ride....
And more...and more....
And more...and more....
We were so emotionally touched and remembered good days past when we were involved...seeing how some of the stuff worked yesterday we were formally involved in...they don't hold a candle to what the Champ Car series was....and person after person reminisced how "they didn't understand at the time in Champ Car how good it was"....
Anyway..a good day...some pictures...Mark...Jimmy....Tess....Jeremy...
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Wednesday...April 1st....2009
April fools! It's actually Friday...lost contact with the internet so I'm backtracking to Wednesday....
Linda has been doing well.....not an enormous amount of energy...which we attribute to the chemo......attitude is great.....
We walked today...a short one with grand daughter Miss Taigen....her folks return from Disneyworld today....sugar cookies were the order of baking for the day....
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Linda has been doing well.....not an enormous amount of energy...which we attribute to the chemo......attitude is great.....
We walked today...a short one with grand daughter Miss Taigen....her folks return from Disneyworld today....sugar cookies were the order of baking for the day....
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