Last week I had an MRI of the abdomen and got the result today. So far, so good! Here are the findings: "Artifacts along the anterior left hepatic lobe may represent surgical clips. The liver is otherwise homogeneous. The gallbladder is not identified suggesting contraction or resection. [Note: My gallbladder was removed last January during my liver resection.] The pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands and kidneys are normal. No osseous metastasis or lymphadenopathy detected."
Conclusion: Status partial left hepatic lobe resection. No metastasis.
What this means is: There is no detectable cancer in my body at this time!!
Next week I have a PET scan. That will be better at detecting lymphatic involvement and will look for suspicious increased localized metabolic activity which could indicate tumor growth. I'll get that result next Friday, September 11th. Check here for updates.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
My Crazy Week
My goodness, now I have a bit of time to sit still and breathe. So… here’s what I’ve been doing.
Last week was my final chemotherapy treatment. I was fatigued as usual until the weekend. Last week we also had people here rebuilding our pondless waterfall in the back yard. We just were never happy with the first one and should have hired the right people in the first place. The new water feature has lots of planting areas on it so last Friday I went to Summer Winds Nursery and purchased a lot of plants to go around it.
So, the plants were planted on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. In conjunction with that (unrelated, however) Theo got sick on Sunday. From Sunday through Wednesday midnight, we took him to the vet 5 times in 4 days. Here’s a summary of all that:
• Last Sunday he was having bloody diarrhea, so we took him to his regular vet at Adobe. She determined he had “colitis” and sent him home with an antibiotic.
• On Monday he started vomiting and not eating, so we returned with him to Adobe in the evening, around dinnertime. While he was there he started to seem to feel better so we brought him home without any additional treatment.
• On Tuesday he seemed very uncomfortable all day, very restless. When we went to bed he would come sit by our bed, he wouldn’t lie down and go to sleep. He was very restless. Also, his lower abdomen felt firmer than usual so we got out of bed and took him to the emergency vet on Dell Ave to check for early bloat. The vet there took an x-ray and that showed some strange gravelly substance in his stomach plus lots of gas in his intestines. He gave him an injection of a Pepcid AC-like stuff and an injection of a pain medicine. Bad move. When he got home he was even more unsettled, was running from his bed to my side of the bed, over to Dave’s side, back to his bed, to his other bed, looking at us funny, looking for phantom ants on the floor, and started scratching himself like crazy. I called the vet and they said he may be “loopy” because of the narcotic pain medicine. He eventually settled down but kept scratching all night.
• On Wednesday morning we got up and found fur all over the place, upstairs and downstairs, plus he still seemed very uncomfortable. So, Dave took him back up to Adobe. They re-took x-rays. The gas was better but still there. The stuff in his stomach was still there. The vet told Dave that when dogs get uncomfortable pressure in their stomach and intestines they scratch their bellies. He gave him 2 liters of fluids and sent him home. All day Wednesday, though, he was very unsettled, was whimpering and whining, kept scratching himself non-stop. From time to time he would settle down (was probably too exhausted) but when we went to bed he was much worse. So, back up to Adobe at midnight on Wednesday. This vet actually looked at his skin and found it red and blotchy. (We kept assuming his discomfort was his stomach, but it was his skin.) It looks like he was having a severe allergic reaction to one of the injections, probably the narcotic. His breeder said narcotics give HER hives and hallucinations, and it sounds like this was what Theo was going through. Anyway, we told the vet that Theo was just up there that morning and the vet didn’t evaluate the itchiness at all, and if he had we would have been saved the midnight trip, plus Theo wouldn’t have had to suffer all day. She didn’t charge for the office visit Wednesday night, which was the right thing to do. She gave him a steroid injection and sent him home with Tamaril-P (antihistamine + steroid) to treat the allergic reaction for the next few days. When we got home he was no longer scratching and we all actually got some sleep.
So, this all started with a GI issue that was compounded with an allergic reaction. I felt so bad for him. Luckily he’s feeling better now but is exhausted. So am I! He needs to rest a few days.
We don’t know what started the GI thing, or what’s in his stomach. The bloody diarrhea could also have been caused by stress, perhaps, since contractors have been here the last 3 weeks working on the office and various other things. On top of it all he went on a group dog walk last Wednesday and could have picked up a bug from another dog. We will never know but the important thing is: he’s getting better. We hope it stays that way but we will be keeping a close eye on him for a few days.
Two days ago (Wednesday) I went to get an MRI. I will get the report on Monday when I go to see my oncologist. I’ll let you know how that goes. Plus, I have a PET scan in a couple of weeks.
Today I am finally going to pay some attention to the house. Maybe I can get the laundry done, sort through the various piles of papers hanging around the house, trim Theo’s toenails, etc. Luckily this weekend will be quiet so maybe I can get caught up on things. And if I don’t? Well, for the first time in a long time, there’s always next week!
Last week was my final chemotherapy treatment. I was fatigued as usual until the weekend. Last week we also had people here rebuilding our pondless waterfall in the back yard. We just were never happy with the first one and should have hired the right people in the first place. The new water feature has lots of planting areas on it so last Friday I went to Summer Winds Nursery and purchased a lot of plants to go around it.
So, the plants were planted on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. In conjunction with that (unrelated, however) Theo got sick on Sunday. From Sunday through Wednesday midnight, we took him to the vet 5 times in 4 days. Here’s a summary of all that:
• Last Sunday he was having bloody diarrhea, so we took him to his regular vet at Adobe. She determined he had “colitis” and sent him home with an antibiotic.
• On Monday he started vomiting and not eating, so we returned with him to Adobe in the evening, around dinnertime. While he was there he started to seem to feel better so we brought him home without any additional treatment.
• On Tuesday he seemed very uncomfortable all day, very restless. When we went to bed he would come sit by our bed, he wouldn’t lie down and go to sleep. He was very restless. Also, his lower abdomen felt firmer than usual so we got out of bed and took him to the emergency vet on Dell Ave to check for early bloat. The vet there took an x-ray and that showed some strange gravelly substance in his stomach plus lots of gas in his intestines. He gave him an injection of a Pepcid AC-like stuff and an injection of a pain medicine. Bad move. When he got home he was even more unsettled, was running from his bed to my side of the bed, over to Dave’s side, back to his bed, to his other bed, looking at us funny, looking for phantom ants on the floor, and started scratching himself like crazy. I called the vet and they said he may be “loopy” because of the narcotic pain medicine. He eventually settled down but kept scratching all night.
• On Wednesday morning we got up and found fur all over the place, upstairs and downstairs, plus he still seemed very uncomfortable. So, Dave took him back up to Adobe. They re-took x-rays. The gas was better but still there. The stuff in his stomach was still there. The vet told Dave that when dogs get uncomfortable pressure in their stomach and intestines they scratch their bellies. He gave him 2 liters of fluids and sent him home. All day Wednesday, though, he was very unsettled, was whimpering and whining, kept scratching himself non-stop. From time to time he would settle down (was probably too exhausted) but when we went to bed he was much worse. So, back up to Adobe at midnight on Wednesday. This vet actually looked at his skin and found it red and blotchy. (We kept assuming his discomfort was his stomach, but it was his skin.) It looks like he was having a severe allergic reaction to one of the injections, probably the narcotic. His breeder said narcotics give HER hives and hallucinations, and it sounds like this was what Theo was going through. Anyway, we told the vet that Theo was just up there that morning and the vet didn’t evaluate the itchiness at all, and if he had we would have been saved the midnight trip, plus Theo wouldn’t have had to suffer all day. She didn’t charge for the office visit Wednesday night, which was the right thing to do. She gave him a steroid injection and sent him home with Tamaril-P (antihistamine + steroid) to treat the allergic reaction for the next few days. When we got home he was no longer scratching and we all actually got some sleep.
So, this all started with a GI issue that was compounded with an allergic reaction. I felt so bad for him. Luckily he’s feeling better now but is exhausted. So am I! He needs to rest a few days.
We don’t know what started the GI thing, or what’s in his stomach. The bloody diarrhea could also have been caused by stress, perhaps, since contractors have been here the last 3 weeks working on the office and various other things. On top of it all he went on a group dog walk last Wednesday and could have picked up a bug from another dog. We will never know but the important thing is: he’s getting better. We hope it stays that way but we will be keeping a close eye on him for a few days.
Two days ago (Wednesday) I went to get an MRI. I will get the report on Monday when I go to see my oncologist. I’ll let you know how that goes. Plus, I have a PET scan in a couple of weeks.
Today I am finally going to pay some attention to the house. Maybe I can get the laundry done, sort through the various piles of papers hanging around the house, trim Theo’s toenails, etc. Luckily this weekend will be quiet so maybe I can get caught up on things. And if I don’t? Well, for the first time in a long time, there’s always next week!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I'm Still Here!
I know I need to post again - I think about this daily but have been WAY busy. I'll do it next week. Promise! You know why? Because I can! I don't have chemo next week!!!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Hanging In There - 1 More To Go
I am on the upswing of my 11th chemo round and have only 1 more to go. The oncologist increased the amount of 5-FU these past 2 times which has caused me to throw up, but only on day 1 (Monday). The rest of the week I've just been sleeping a lot. My energy is slowly returning. Luckily my appetite has come back mostly, enough to eat a 1/2 cheeseburger yesterday!
So, last week I went back to my hometown (Wichita Falls, Texas) for my 20-year high school reunion! David and I flew out on Thursday and while we were in the DFW area we met up with my sister Krystal, her mom Fredia (Krystal's really my 1/2 sister but she feels like a full sister to me!) and Krystal's little girl, my niece, Abbye. We had a wonderful Tex-Mex meal and sat around and chatted for a while. I was really impressed with Abbye's patience with all the grown-up talk.
After the dinner with Krystal, David and I drove on up to Wichita Falls and checked into our hotel. It was late so we just went to bed.
The following morning we went over to my mom's to say hello and to grab some towels and a couple of chairs. From there we made a stop at Wal-Mart (woo-hoo!) and then made it to the first social event of the weekend: Risa's party. Risa made it all the way to Texas from Tokyo for the reunion, and her mom offered to host a pre-reunion party for a few friends. Her mom made wonderful food for us and we all lounged around the pool and had a great time.
From there David and I went to the hotel to rest up and change for the first "official" reunion activity: A "Howdy BBQ by the Wichita River". The entertainment was good, the food was great, and I really enjoyed hanging out with old friends. Unfortunately my energy ran out and we left fairly early.
Saturday morning we all met at the "Old High" for a group photo and a chance to walk around the halls. (I still need to order the group photo!!) Then David and I met my mom and my high school best friend Lidia at Stanley's. At Stanley's I was totally in love with my Beanie Burger. That's a Wichita Falls (Stanley's only) local culinary delight that's a combination of hamburger and Frito chili pie. Let me build it for you here: Put the bottom bun on a plate. Spread it with refried beans. Add the meat patty. The the craziness starts: Pile on chopped onions (which I leave off), jalapeno peppers (which I leave on!), Fritos, chili, and cheese whiz. I'm not making this up - I even called them a few minutes ago and asked them. This is yummy! yummy! yummy!!! It has to be eaten with a fork. And the perfect accompaniment: fried okra. I was truly in love.
OK, after my Beanie Burger love fest it was time to go relax for a while. Saturday evening brought another reunion activity: A light dinner and music event in a meeting hall. The music was actually a bit loud in my opinion since it made it hard talk to and hear anyone. So there wasn't much catching up to do there.
Sunday morning David and I met with a very dear friend and mentor, Charles, and his wife Jonell. It was a very nice breakfast catching up with a forever friend. After that we moseyed back to the hotel to pack, then to Schlotzsky's for sandwiches (another favorite of mine!) to take to the lake to visit with the aunts and uncles. From there it was back to DFW to fly back home Sunday evening.
It was an action-packed 4 days and I am so glad I went back to catch up with so many people!
So, last week I went back to my hometown (Wichita Falls, Texas) for my 20-year high school reunion! David and I flew out on Thursday and while we were in the DFW area we met up with my sister Krystal, her mom Fredia (Krystal's really my 1/2 sister but she feels like a full sister to me!) and Krystal's little girl, my niece, Abbye. We had a wonderful Tex-Mex meal and sat around and chatted for a while. I was really impressed with Abbye's patience with all the grown-up talk.
After the dinner with Krystal, David and I drove on up to Wichita Falls and checked into our hotel. It was late so we just went to bed.
The following morning we went over to my mom's to say hello and to grab some towels and a couple of chairs. From there we made a stop at Wal-Mart (woo-hoo!) and then made it to the first social event of the weekend: Risa's party. Risa made it all the way to Texas from Tokyo for the reunion, and her mom offered to host a pre-reunion party for a few friends. Her mom made wonderful food for us and we all lounged around the pool and had a great time.
From there David and I went to the hotel to rest up and change for the first "official" reunion activity: A "Howdy BBQ by the Wichita River". The entertainment was good, the food was great, and I really enjoyed hanging out with old friends. Unfortunately my energy ran out and we left fairly early.
Saturday morning we all met at the "Old High" for a group photo and a chance to walk around the halls. (I still need to order the group photo!!) Then David and I met my mom and my high school best friend Lidia at Stanley's. At Stanley's I was totally in love with my Beanie Burger. That's a Wichita Falls (Stanley's only) local culinary delight that's a combination of hamburger and Frito chili pie. Let me build it for you here: Put the bottom bun on a plate. Spread it with refried beans. Add the meat patty. The the craziness starts: Pile on chopped onions (which I leave off), jalapeno peppers (which I leave on!), Fritos, chili, and cheese whiz. I'm not making this up - I even called them a few minutes ago and asked them. This is yummy! yummy! yummy!!! It has to be eaten with a fork. And the perfect accompaniment: fried okra. I was truly in love.
OK, after my Beanie Burger love fest it was time to go relax for a while. Saturday evening brought another reunion activity: A light dinner and music event in a meeting hall. The music was actually a bit loud in my opinion since it made it hard talk to and hear anyone. So there wasn't much catching up to do there.
Sunday morning David and I met with a very dear friend and mentor, Charles, and his wife Jonell. It was a very nice breakfast catching up with a forever friend. After that we moseyed back to the hotel to pack, then to Schlotzsky's for sandwiches (another favorite of mine!) to take to the lake to visit with the aunts and uncles. From there it was back to DFW to fly back home Sunday evening.
It was an action-packed 4 days and I am so glad I went back to catch up with so many people!
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