Been meaning to do an update (I can hear the comments, groans & pejorative mumblings Tim, Brian, Brennan, Phil et al - actually al, I'm sure you are not of the same acrid mind set, & I appreciate that.) But, as you can see, we've been busy. (Phil says the white follow-spot-looking image is his halo which was dragging due to the hour.)
First, I must thank Paul for the Valentine rose. Saturday, the 14th, Tim, was a "rose day". We say a novena to St. Thresa & on the 9th day, if you see a rose unexpectedly, your prayers are granted. We were at Philip & Robyn's house Saturday and it seemed that we were showered with unexpected roses.
Today we rode out to Virginia Oncology in silence. Leenie was hav ing some pain & had NOT brought her pain patch (which was due to be changed @ 3:30) & of course I went off on how foolish it was to presume that both treatment & her visit w/ Dr. Cross would be finished (having begun @ 1:00 but late) by 3:00 so she would be home in time to change the patch. ("NEVER leave home without your pain meds!. . . "HOW could you just assume everything would be on schedule!" and other soothing, helpful comments in that vein)
But. We visited w/Dr. Cross who was pleased w/ her blood work, wt, pain control (up to that point but not to worry, "I'll have the nurse give you some IV Dilaudid during chemo. Is this man heaven-sent or what?), overall tolerance of the effects of Chemo Cycle I and looking forward to doing CT & PET scans NEXT WK - after today's treatment has time to take effect - to determine whether the disease has progressed (new regimen) OR responded nicely w/ shrunken nodes (another cycle w/ same meds). And she will be seen by Dr. Scott Williams, the radiation specialist who performs non-invasive surgery w/ radiation to remove the piece of mass that is pushing on C5 and causing her arm pain. THIS SURGERY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CANCER IN THAT IT IS NOT A TREATMENT FOR IT. RATHER, IT IS TREATMENT OF A SYMPTOM WHICH HAS CROPPED UP FROM THE ORIGINAL RADIATION & INVOLVES THE NERVES INNERVATING THE ARM & SHOULDER.
Soooo, she had a yummy sub & tea during chemo (after the IV dilaudid) and seems physically comfortable, glad to be finished with chemo and emotionally trepidatious - understandably - but plans to take her anti-anxiety med as prescribed until she has some info next week. (Now, we just take it when we're going to have an MRI or have to think about bills, forms - anything except napping or reading.)
And that's the truth. Lorane
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