Hi cutie...I'm awake with this mad itching going on ...it feels to be just UNDER my skin and relentless so I figure its a good time to email you in between the scratching. I feel like I'm going to scratch my skin off! It's enough to create madness...running into the ocean or jumping off a cliff to stop the insane itching! I think it could be a chemo side effect.
Here's an update from me...all your burning questions answered... I'm in Portland, have been here since last Saturday after my chemo. I kept Mabes so the kids could clean their place Saturday night. Avi came up Sunday night and then he and Ryan did almost all the moving together on Monday... the two of them got most everything moved in...
I've been going over every day at four so Ryan can go run then sticking around to keep Mabel busy while they unpack boxes and settle in. I fixed dinner last night and ate with them then took off after Mabel went to bed.... probably do that again tonight.
I plan to be in Portland till Wednesday morning then headed back to Eugene to see the doc on Thursday and get another chemo drip on Friday. Avi went back this past Wednesday. A long stretch up here by myself.
Saw the oncologist here on Tuesday...Avi hung around for that. The doc here felt it was best for us to stay with our doc in Eugene until there's a decision regarding two studies that I may be eligible for. The study in Seattle is an antibody that attacks the specific pancreatic cancer antigen. There's a radioactive component to it and I'm not real clear about all the details. Someone from that group will be calling me to set up an appt. to meet with the doctor up there who is leading the study. We will talk, he will look at my records and help me determine if it's appropriate for me. That should happen within the next two weeks.
There is also a vaccine that targets the tumor and it's available here in Portland I'll explore that option as well but probably not unless the Seattle study doesn't work for me.
Right now I'm continuing with the chemo I started in august. It's called gemcitabine or gemzar. It isn't clear yet how effective it's being cuz my tumor counts went so high at my first blood draw. However, the doc here says that's to be expected if your body is dumping lots of dead cancer cells...they get read as part of the count. I have another draw Thursday in Eugene and they'll do another tumor count then which will tell us if it's going down and the chemo is working.
I've been feeling really good over all still. I had cramping and diarrhea till one am Wednesday evening but none tonight. I get cramping but haven't had much of the diarrhea. I also get really tired and wear out fast usually the third and fourth day after the chemo.
Ok....if I haven't answered all your questions ask away. I'll bet you're sorry you asked in the first place...this has turned into a novel.
Don't you take off to see Bethany soon? Is it next week? Give her a hug and hello from me. Send any preggers pictures you take. What a sweet time for her...and so much new going on! It'll be fun for you to be there and get a clearer picture of her life now...her surroundings and routine. Is she going to be working at all or will she get to be a stay at home mom? Or does she even want to be a stay at home mom?
The sugar journey continues. I'm mostly doing really well about keeping sugar out of my diet. I do occasionally slip or have a bite of something yummy. Mostly I really, really miss fruit!! I could pig out on fruit every day but I only have a bit of fruit every once in awhile...may be three or four times a month. It helps to know that it starves those ridiculous, stupid cancer cells and I'm visualizing them being crazy for sugar so they go after the chemo like candy...that's my story!
Avi and I are talking about coming down during an off chemo week the end of October...the 27th or so. We want to see all of you and also spend some time in LA with his family. We shall see. If I get into one of the studies here that could throw all the balls in the air again but we are making a plan anyway. All plans are susceptible to changes based on the weather these days.
Hope you're getting some time just to be, enjoy your grand kids and John and restore yourself.
March 1948 - February 7th 2013
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