Saturday...October 31st...2009

Day 5 of the 8 day cruise....day 2 in Key West....

Fantasy Fest grand parade tonight....we sail at 11:30 pm for Cozumel....tomorrow is a day at sea....so no BLOG..maybe no connection in Cozumel the day after either.... and the last day is at sea also.

ps....Go Yankees!

Here's Mrs. Wood.......

I've been to Key West many times in my life, but never when it's been this crazy! Such a diverse group of people live in Key West, and somehow they all get along and like at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Key West folks all go crazy together on Halloween weekend. It is definitely a site to see, and now I can take it off my bucket list. I've always been too scared to go to Mardi Gras, but I figured this was a little safer. There are hardly any crimes here as they is only one way off the island (except by ship of course).

I've been so pleased that I've caused no drama this cruise. I've definitely been a little too physically active in the last day, so I'm wearing out fast and will probably sleep through our sea day tomorrow. We went into town this morning and will walk in again after dinner for the parade before we sail away at midnight.

Love and gratitude........Linda.....
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Friday....October 30th...2009

Day 4.....of the cruise....Day 2 was at Nassau...day 3 was at the private out island...Day 4 is Key West....

Linda is feeling well..taking plenty of naps....we are walking a lot...good exercise....6 laps around the top of the ship today...adding one lap a day...lots of walking on shore too.

Fantasy Fest in Key West was WAY beyond what we expected....it is crazy out there....people are in coustume...many many just body painted...and that's it!.....tomorrow is even crazier with the big parade and all.

The pictures below tell it all....

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Tuesday...October 27th....2009

Day 1 at sea......great cruise...great day...
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Monday....October 26th....2009

Wonderful day at the beach......Mrs. Wood is energized and doing well....tomorrow we board the cruise and head to Nassau.....

Sunday....October 25th...2009

We are in Fort Lauderdale.....with friends Frank, Grace and Joe....tomorrow we go to the beach and then Tuesday we board an 8 day cruise.

Tonight we ate at the local pub here at the hotel...Linda had the snow crab special and ate an entire one pound serving of crab plus cole slaw...and butter and all...good girl!!!!!!

Here's Linda:

That was one of the best meals I've had in a long time and only $8.95! It was also one of the messiest. It's a good thing I don't care about gaining weight, because I probably had a cube of melted butter with it!

I'm feeling really good right now since the side effects of the chemo have all worn off and glad I am going on this cruise right before my next infusion. So hopefully I'll do fine for the entire cruise as long as my blood levels remain good.

Friend Claudia called from the Staples Center in Los Angeles where she flew to watch her son Chael fight with the number 2 UFC fighter (cage fighting) in the world and he won! How exciting for them both. He used to be available to watch on VERSUS TV, but now he's on Pay per View. http://www.ufc.com/ChaelSonnen

It's been a long day of travel south to Miami, so I'm off to bed.

Love and gratitude......Linda.....

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Saturday...October 24th...2009

Sunny Florida...as friend Ernie (#1 Ernie) would be know to say: "It don't get better than this!"

Sorry we took so long to BLOG...things were a bit hectic the first few days..but we are "situated" now....

Tomorrow we leave for Miami with friends Frank and Grace...Penny...then Tuesday we board a cruise ship for 8 days with many folks we know going....should be great times...

Last night we went to dinner with Kim and Ernie (Ernie #2)...and then dancing...not a typo...dancing! Bob and his band attracted a lot of folks..old time tunes...had a great time....

Linda is doing well....

Friday....October 23rd...2009

We are in Florida....!!!!! Nice weather...warm sun....great plants...we are just happy to be here!!!!

Linda is doing well...some nerve pain...caused by the chemo...the Oncologist said it lasts 8 to 10 days.....some low blood pressure issues also....caused by the chemo as well.

We are set up for an appointment with the Oncologist here in Florida..so all should be well....

The trip down was tiresome but uneventful......Mrs. Wood behaved herself......

We cleaned up our lanai and planted a few new plants...looks wonderful...pictures tomorrow.

Son Jim and daughter in law Jenn arrived in Orlando this am and went to the cruise ship and are sailing today...Monday they get off the ship and travel to our house for four days...of course we leave Sunday with friends for Miami and cruise on Tuesday for 8 days...

Tonight we go to dinner with Kim and Ernie and then go to Bob Ohlweiler's band appearance...and dancing!

The pictures are of us going to Costco in Clearwater....

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Sunday....October 18th...2009

Tonight we had a delightful dinner prepared by daughter Janine for son Jim, daughter in law Jenn and Linda and Dave.....tomorrow we look at some condos.....prepare the car for storage....visit Claudia...etc... etc... and then fly out at midnight for Florida...

Today we visited dear friends Nancy and Ginnie as well as met Bruce, a staff person with the Oregon Education Association....where we all used to work...

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Dave had a bad fall during the night two nights ago and cut his lip as well as wrenching his neck.....things are healing slowly but the neck isn't good....when will this "run" of injuries and all quit???????

Linda is doing pretty good...a bit tired and run down from the chemo...she definitely feels that she is back on chemo again...

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Everything should be set up "doctor-wise" in Florida so if there are any problems we can get help there rather than thinking we need to run back to Oregon...

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Dear Miss Kim will be picking us up at the airport....bless you.....we thank you for taking the time to get us....you are special (but you already knew that!)...

Friday.....October 16th...2009

We're in Portland...for the weekend......busy day today......

Linda went to Bend today to the Oncologist and got Zometa....a bone builder ...she has received that infusion before...this will be the last one until she returns in December (if needed at that time)....she also had her blood test done.....which they said was ok....we thought it was a bit low.....anticipated with this new chemo.

Linda then went to the pulmonologist...he "upped" her delayed release morphine as well as provided her with medication for a sinus congestion....he also increased her prevacid to deal with the belching....we shall see how all this works out.....

We have tried desperately to get a flu shot for Linda...no one has it in Central Oregon..... tomorrow we are going to a Costco in Tigard to get it....with the cruise coming up and all....she needs it....the doctor was planning on doing it but they never got the supply.....

The driver over the pass was very beautiful with the fall colors.....also Linda got everything locked up in the house for the winter....it will be December when we return. Linda made sure she took the flowers Jim and Swee Hart sent.....to enjoy prior to the flight. ..

This weekend will be for family and friends....and rest for Linda....

ps....Dave "bailed" on the steroids today...he was to take them for another 10 days but he felt like he was going to have a heart attack...things immediately calmed done.....how Linda takes these steroids day after day is beyond me....(And 20 mg vs 4 mg !!!!!!!! She is down to 5 mg per day now though.....)

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Thursday....October 15th...2009

Tomorrow it's off to Portland for 3 days .......family, friends, etc...etc.....,then Monday "allnighter" to Florida.

Tomorrow Linda goes back to the Oncologist in early am for a blood test and a shot of bone builder.....then over to the pulmonologist....this has not been her best day....she is feeling a bit under the weather...hopefully tomorrow will bring some relief.

Dave is feeling a bit under the weather also...the pharmacist said it is most likely the steroids he is taking every day (for another 10 days)....it's making his heart race and "antsy" as well as a bit clammy...be glad when that's over....

Linda noted the messages today....keep it up.....it does make a difference in her day as well as her well being.....

Wednesday.....October 14th....2009

Mrs. Wood was either "crabbie" or "crappie" today....or both......I think the cough, phloem, hoarseness and belching have gotten a grip on her.....the good news is she got a hold of the pulmonologist and he is meeting with her Friday morning to assess things. He is thinking something else such as an infection is taking place.....we shall see.....she is on antibiotics just in case.

Mrs. Wood has new tires on her car today....she should be very happy about that (what do you mean that's a "guy" thing?).

Tomorrow we start packing...of course one doesn't need much in sunny Florida....

A thoughtful piece from the guest speaker at the Defeat Cancer dinner the other night (a takeoff on diet and cancer but I think this can be applied to everyday life):

Recipe For Success (In Life):

1. Behavior based goal setting....

2. Power of positive thinking....

3. Embrace self love....

4. Step by step by step....

Singer Stephen Gately, a member of the Irish band Boyzone, died sadly the other day......I always loved the Boyzone song "No Matter What"...I was never sure exactly what it all meant but it impacted me......the lyrics:

Boyszone No Matter What

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back

I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know our love forever
I know, no matter what

If only tears were laughter
If only night was day
If only prayers were answered
Then we would hear God say

No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach you
What we believe is true

And I will keep you safe and strong
And shelter from the storm
No matter where it's barren
A dream is being born

No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I'll be everyone you need

No matter if the sun don't shine
Or if the skies are blue
No matter what the end is
My life began with you

I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know this love's forever
That's all that matters now
No matter what

Tuesday....October 13th....2009

Linda had her first infusion of Alimta today....she has 3 cycles of this chemo with it being infused every 21 days....Cycles 2 and 3 will be administered in Florida......

Linda talked to the doctor today about her hoarseness, coughing and belching...the best he could come up with was "cancer related" but no specific trigger or acceleration in the tumors or...or....

Linda is going to call the pulmonologist tomorrow as he was helpful before.....

Everything seems to be lined up for Florida..information is being sent down there to assist the Oncologist in picking up Linda's treatments while she is down there..should be no problem.....

Tonight was the DEFEAT CANCER dinner..interesting again....a lot of discussion about diet...eating plant foods for health and well being......

ALIMTA

Drug type: Alimta is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. This medication is classified as an "antimetabolite".

What Alimta is used for:
Alimta is used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy.

How Alimta is given:
Alimta is given as an infusion into the vein (intravenous, IV).
Patients treated with Alimta will usually require folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation to reduce treatment related side effects.

The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking Alimta:
Low white blood cell count. (This can put you at increased risk for infection.)
Low red blood cell count (Anemia).
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Poor appetite
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Numbness or tingling of hands or feet
Depression
Rash, skin irritation

How Alimta works:Cancerous tumors are characterized by cell division, which is no longer controlled as it is in normal tissue. "Normal" cells stop dividing when they come into contact with like cells, a mechanism known as contact inhibition. Cancerous cells lose this ability. Cancer cells no longer have the normal checks and balances in place that control and limit cell division. The process of cell division, whether normal or cancerous cells, is through the cell cycle. The cell cycle goes from the resting phase, through active growing phases, and then to mitosis (division).
The ability of chemotherapy to kill cancer cells depends on its ability to halt cell division. Usually, the drugs work by damaging the RNA or DNA that tells the cell how to copy itself in division. If the cells are unable to divide, they die. The faster the cells are dividing, the more likely it is that chemotherapy will kill the cells, causing the tumor to shrink. They also induce cell suicide (self-death or apoptosis).

DEFEAT Cancer Program

DEFEAT Cancer is a year-round survivorship empowerment program for cancer survivors and their caregivers focusing on nutrition, physical activity, education and inspiration. Under the direction of oncologist Archie Bleyer, DEFEAT Cancer is sponsored by St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Sessions are held monthly (except August and December) from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at St. Charles Medical Center (2500 NE Neff Road in Bend, OR, with live broadcasts to SCMC-Redmond and Burns) unless otherwise noted. A light supper of soup and salad is served free of charge beginning at 5:30pm.

Monday....October 12....2009

I promised Dave I would do the blog yesterday, but I was having a low day and didn't want to contaminate my blog with my commiserations, so I waited till today. I don't know what brought on the depression, other than that I wasn't feeling well last evening, and I let it get to me. I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself when I'm down, but I try so hard to stay in the grateful mode where I want to be.

It has been really cold here today, so I am really getting anxious to go to Florida and the sunshine. We did finally connect with a Florida doctor, so that relieves some anxieties since I start my first chemo of the new cycle tomorrow. I so hope and pray that it will be a good drug for me in holding back the growth of the tumors.

We had a home showing Saturday. Some folks from Montana that loved the house and would have made an offer had their home been sold. Same old, same old.

We have some new neighbors that moved in down the street, so I have just baked them some chocolate chip/walnut cookies and want to run them down while they are still warm.

Love and gratitude......Linda

ps...Lil' Sis is out of the hospital...radiation beginning soon...requests for her address....5701 Manzanita Ave #5, Carmichael, CA 95608.....

Friday....October 9th...2009

Not much new to report...we are still trying to get a Florida Oncologist to work with us...we try again on Monday.

The weather here is a fall Central Oregon..warm enough during the day..cold at night...the leaves are falling....it is warning us to go to Florida....

Little Sis is having a hard time sorting through things...we spent time today talking about getting a caregiver to fight the battles...run interference on things....she remains upbeat, knowing the long term prognosis is not good.....

Claudia has been visiting us as she stays in Central Oregon for a few days...Linda just loves her company...tomorrow they go to some festival thing in Sisters.....Some of Linda's other friends from her high school days, Marilyn and Betty (sisters and Betty's husband Lee too) came over from Black Butte.....we all went to dinner and had a great time.....

Where are the pictures...duh.....forgot.....

Our next few days are "paper days" in the office getting some things wrapped up....infusion day Tuesday....

Wednesday...October 7th...2009

Medical day today.....

Linda is set up for her next rounds of infusion....the first being next Tuesday....Alimta. Then she will receive two infusions three weeks apart in Florida before returning for a scan to see how the Alimta is working. The Oncologist is ready to work with a Florida Oncologist as soon as we put that together....email has not worked so we are going to start calling tomorrow.

Linda blood work looked good today and the Oncologist thought she looked good...he believes the change in her voice is cancer related as the lungs and all have been impacted....it might clear up with this new round of infusions....

Linda got her B12 shot today and starts on daily doses of folic acid tomorrow..during the infusions she takes a different steroid for whatever reason.....

Dave got a good report from his primary doctor....the cholesterol counts and all are good now...so no changes in anything.

Dave visited the foot and ankle doctor as he has had a pain in his left ankle...the doctor said it was due to the skiing accident in 1970 and that the bone was not set exactly straight resulting in an impact on the bearing of the leg by the ankle...there is a narrowing of the space and the start of arthritis.....the immediate and short term fix is cortisone shots...started today....might work for a long time.....down the road a freezing of the ankle or artificial ankle is a real possibility...time will tell....

That's it for the medical stuff....enough for a while!

Tuesday.....October 6th.....2009

13 days till we head to Florida!!!!!!!!
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The "mouth doctor" was simply amazed at how Dave bounced back...the infection was some "long named thing"....and was type "F"....and we guess type F is a very unusual strain of the infection....who cares as long as it is gone....so a "clean bill of health".....he said again that the hospital is where we would have gone had he known the extent of things and how painful it was.....we are just glad he did it...all was worth it in the end.

Tomorrow Linda sees the Oncologist to start preparations for the next round of infusions....Alimta requires folic acid and B12 prior to and during treatment..so Linda starts on that tomorrow....she will also finalize the treatment schedule...and has a few other questions for the doctor.

Step sister Vicky ("Lil Sis") has lung cancer too.....sadly, she was a smoker....we talked with her today....it has metastasized to the brain and to the liver as well as the lymph system......she seems up beat and ready to face the challenges....the brain surgeon is coming in tonight as that seems to be the number one thing to deal with.....we are committed to be in close support.

Lastly.....we got our "couples" picture from Listening Heart today....who is that old balding geezer kissing my wife??????????
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Monday....October 5th....2009

My heart is full so I am writing the blog. I am late doing it as I had a problem getting back on the internet after we left Eugene.

We had a wonderful couples seminar, and I did a good job getting rest when needed, so I am not overly tired as a result. We helped eight couples work together through their issues and learn a lot of tools for communicating. Dave and I were participants in this seminar twenty years ago shortly after we lost our ten year old son, and it was such a help to us that we volunteer to help other couples through the seminar whenever we are able.

I loved getting to know the couples, some from as far away as Connecticut and Alaska, and I hated seeing the seminar coming to an end and saying good-bye. Most to them came up to me to tell me what an inspiration I was personally and Dave and I as a couple. I wish every couple could have the great relationship that we have, and my cancer has only brought us closer. Who would think something as ugly as cancer could have so many gifts in it?

Sadly we got word today that Dave's step sister might have liver, brain and esophagus cancer. They are doing the biopsies now. She is known as "Lil' Sis" on the blog. She lives in California, but hope she feels our love and prayers from afar.

Love and gratitude.....Linda


Dave's Piece:

Tomorrow we start seeing the "Doc's".......first...my "mouth doc"....everything should be fine as the swelling has gone way down.....the incision has scarred over.....the antibiotics seem to be working.... then Wednesday we see Linda's Oncologist to start a Folic acid and B12 regimen in preparation for next week's infusion...he should also finalize plans for this next sequence with us.....then Dave's personal physician to see how his blood and cholesterol counts are doing....and then, finally, the foot and ankle specialist to examine a reoccurring ankle problem Dave has.

Then the start planning for the Florida trip.....

We used the Josh Groban song for Listening Heart....unbelievable.....

Lyrics to Awake by Josh Groban:

A beautiful and blinding morning
The world outside begins to breathe
See the clouds arriving without warning
I need you here to shelter me
And I know that only time will tell us how
To carry on without each other
So keep me awake to memorize you
Give me more time to feel this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today
If I could make these moments endless
If I could stop the winds of change
If we just keep our eyes wide open
Then everything would stay the same
And I know that only time will tell me how
We'll carry on without each other
So keep me awake for every moment
Give us more time to be this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today
We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here, right now, with me
All my fears just fall away, when you are all I see
We can't stay like this forever
But I have you here today
And I will remember
Oh, I will remember
Remember all the love we shared today

Saturday...October 3rd...2009

Kris King has started a Blog on www.youtube.com/kriskingblog ....listen for wonderful and insightful learning. Her personal web site can be found at http://www.krisking.org/ . Kris King is a leader in the Personal, Professional, and Organizational Development field with responsibility for Keynote and Inspirational Speaking, Team Cohesion Building, and Leadership Training/Coaching. She also owns and leads the Wings Seminars http://www.wings-seminars.com/seminars.com/ .

We've had a great time in Listening Heart...the couples workshop in Wings....we wish all couples could experience this "couple changing" workshop....we are working with eight incredible couples.....today was day 3 of the seminar and each day is an incredible journey...tomorrow the couples design and commit to agreements which they agree to coexist with....it certainly has made a difference to us when we committed to ours years ago....

Thursday....October 1st...2009

We finally made it to the Wings Seminar in Eugene.....a few bumps getting started but now we are here and fully participating...a nice place to heal....

What did we learn today.....as this is a couple's seminar called Listening Heart.....we have been helping with this seminar for the 10th time...each time seems new as we are open to the learning and where our lives have traveled between seminars.....

My favorite...."each day we wake up getting to write a new script....you can have it any way you want it."....meaning we are in charge of our lives and our relationships and can decide at any moment in time....at any age....to make a change....in our jobs....in our lives....in our behaviors....in our thinking....in our beliefs....it can all be changed....."rewritten"

We spent time working on agreements on specific behaviors to agree to to tell the whole truth in Listening Heart such as listening fully, being non judgemental, asking for clarity, etc, etc,

My favorite was the discussion on living in DEPENDENCY or living at SOURCE....I thought a lot of about this in terms of Cancer....how Linda chose to be in charge of her life....not being totally dependent on the drugs or the doctor....understanding that she is part of the healing....her attitude...her exercise....her appetite.....all part of her living at Source in the cancer world...

Tomorrow..... another day of seminar....the great news is we are parked in our RV just across the street from the seminar...how sweet!!!!!!

And this is a great place to heal....