Apr 30 Starting the new chemo/immuno therapy

A long session at the Baker Cancer Centre to begin my Taxotere and Herceptin treatments. Slow and sure was the keyword to observe me closely over 5 hours to see if I was to have any instant reactions. Fortunately not.
Taxotere can be given with Herceptin, which I'll now be on every 3 weeks for a year. That should be relatively easy with no side effects. Taxotere is a different kettle of fish, with many possible and difficult side effects but so far none. Only two more treatments of that to go. So far I still have eyebrows and lashes but that may change soon. If they do go completely, hopefully the leg hairs will follow! Smooth legs for summer would be good! And no need for a Rio bikini wax either!
I will take it easy this week, as the doc advises this is when Taxotere side effects would most likely show up. The mouth ulcers have resolved and the rash on my chest has gone too .
Finally the grass is greening, but just as spring peeks out, we have cool wet days forecast with high of +6 and low of 1 by week's end! Today will be +19. Good for walking this afternoon.
It is great to see all our birds back and robins nesting in the garden again.
Unfortunately our own bird Tikal is in spring mood - chewing its cage, paper, wood blocks, anything it thinks is nesting material. For those who know the 30+ year old Yellow Naped Amazon with attitude, this too will pass once it can sit out in the sun again. Now that I have to be more careful with cuts and scratches (especially my right arm with less lymph nodes to clear infections) trimming nails and flight feathers is more challenging.

Apr 21 Words to live by

I am having a tough week. The mouth ulcers have returned with a vengeance and I am hoping Dr. Paterson's magic mouth mix is going to resolve the problem. I've cancelled everything for the foreseeable future so I can concentrate on gargling every 3 hours and getting as many nutrients inside me through a straw!
I have been keeping a journal this year, a beautiful wee Paperblanks Spirit of Womankind book covered in vibrant gold etched graphics entitled Midsummer Night's Dream (from the gift shop at Glenbow Museum.) Today, tucked in the pocket, I found this page from my Zen calendar from Jan 11 - the day I returned home from surgery:
" We know only that our entire existence is forced into new paths and disrupted, that new circumstances, new joys and new sorrows await us, and that the unknown has its uncanny attractions, alluring and at the same time anguishing. " Heinrich Heine
It is good to know that these trying times are all part of the master plan, right? Good thing my angels are tucked in there too...

Apr 18 Something inspiring to look forward to..

I have bitten the bullet and made a decision this week to attend the Banff International String Quartet Competition with my big sis Liz from Cambridge in August/September. This is the event that finally brought my sister from England after being here 38 years! I thought 6 days of 10 quartets a day was going to be cultural overload but somehow every day brought something new, and I was even getting up early to line up for a place at the 9am pre-concert lectures! Yeah, me!
Although I will just be finished my gruelling 4-5 weeks of daily radiation, I think this will give me something inspiring to focus on. After all, these string quartets are playing their guts out around the world, getting ready for the concerts. It will be great to reconnect with all the fine people we met last time.
Thanks to Holly and Rob for urging me on - and Ted too of course, but it IS too much culture for him and he won't be joining us.
Now if we could just convince Liz's husband Clive to fly over here and join us too....
See BISQC details at: http://www.banffcentre.ca/bisqc/

Apr 18 to K Country

Despite the seeming return of winter and hint of possible snow!! again, I am off to Kananaskis Lodge and the ACDS* annual conference. There my spirit will soar mixing with people working with the people living with countless disabilities, but who have hope, joy and love to spare. I am sure mountain air and views will make this week go from blah to great.
Ted will drive me there and stay up with me so I can just veg out, relax, attend whatever sessions I am up for, and enjoy the fun of roasting Gail, our CEO retiring after 25 years at the helm of this amazing organization and its exceptional people.
* Alberta Council for Disability Services

Apr 17 Much Moxie at Moxies

After a rather trying week of post chemo, surgery and mouth ulcers back, it was a joy to get together with my vibrant EA group at Moxie's. We've known one another for over 30 years, through husbands, kids, now grandkids, jobs, bosses, breakups, and sadly the deaths of our first member, Vel, and also a few significant others. We thrive. We survive. We laugh. We cry. We are inexorably joined for ever. You are source of great joy to me. There is a book in there somewhere...

The Port

Apr 12 Port - but not from Portugal

Blown veins are a thing of the past now that I have my port-a-cath inserted just below my collar bone. It was a whole morning affair with one doc teaching another how to do it so hopefully they did a great job between them.
It's quite technical, done by a radiologist cum cutter/sticher/pusher. The catheter has to go into a main vein into the heart so mustn't be too long or short. The new ports are plastic so should not set off airport alarms. This doc made a pocket, tested it with a wet swab, removed the swab (ah, good..) then gently slipped it in. All done under local freezing so I could listen in on the whole procedure.
Afterwards I got to rest in the day unit for a couple of hours, fed and watered and observed closely. Now a couple of easy days at home. Just feels like a small horse kicked my upper chest this time, unlike the major surgery three months ago!
Today I finished my anti-nausea post-chemo drugs, which were not needed again.
Next hurdle will be in 2 weeks starting on a new chemo drug matched with Herceptin, the immunotherapy drug which I'll get every 3 weeks for a year. Hurray for a port!

Apr 9 FEC - No more for me!

Apr 9 marks the last of the 3-chemo drug sessions and apart from blowing another vein, went well. Despite squeezing an exercise ball and dressing as though for the Arctic it didn't plump them skinny veins! Carmen heated my forearm like crazy and struck gold on second try. Post holiday traffic meant they were very busy but staff there stay calm and caring nonetheless. I was through by 6:30pm and hungry for the special dinner Ted had prepared- salmon caviar and smoked black Alaska cod. And more chocolate.
Now I follow the anti-nausea drug routine for 3 days and don't expect any problems. Because I have to drink loads to run these toxic chemicals through the system, I am up every few hours at night but just lie in bed, read the paper and do the crosswords until 10! I can handle this.

Apr 5: Port-a-Cath coming...

Finally my name comes top of the list for surgical insertion of a port-a-cath. This will be implanted under my left collar bone to allow frequent injection of drugs directly into my bloodstream through a single needle through the skin. (see details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-a-Cath)
Since the last four entries have resulted in a blown vein, it will be good to have two hands free for any future infusions every three weeks over the next year. Since my chemo drugs can be very damaging to skin, veins or tissue if they escape, this is a practical way to deliver these potent drugs straight into a vein. My date for surgery is next Thursday April 12.

Apr 5 Tests and Oncology day

My third set of blood tests go well despite a week of really painful mouth ulcers (canker sores), a common problem on chemo. Dr. Paterson gives me Rx for his special elixir to hit em hard. Combined with drugstore over-the-counter remedies, progress is being made. Talking and eating with a thick tongue and ulcerated throat are hard but doc is pleased I have not lost weight. Food doesn't look so good after it's been through the blender but it keeps up the nutrition level! We manage to eat with or entertain Trina, Nancy, Justin, Michelle, Roger, Alison, Harry, Mick, Mary & Mark this week despite this setback. Dark chocolate bunnies and eggs from Bernard Callebaut are forced down! Thank god for Weetabix, Ensure and Nancy's Sherpherd's Pie.

April 2 High Tea with Consul General Wu

We enjoyed hosting newly appointed Chinese Consul General Wu, and Consuls Han and Lou for English Tea at our home. Also with past presidents Velma MacFarlane, Sheila Power and VP Hei-Ling Choi. We introduced our Chinese friends to the Easter Bunny as well as 48% milk fat Double Devon Cream on scones with strawberry jam.....Ah chocolate, ah cream.