Food, glorious food

I borrow my title from the musical "Oliver", one of the musicals we did while I was in college and for which I did the choreography. Fun memories.....

We left home Monday evening to drive to the city for my Stanford appointment on Tuesday. It was good to see my doctor there again. He decided that I should have 4 more cycles of treatment and then another bone marrow biopsy. So, if there are no interruptions, I will complete those by the middle of January, have my biopsy and by the middle of February we should know the results. Yesterday afternoon (Friday) I got the results of the Free Light Chain blood test, which showed there has been good progress so far at reducing the cancer load.

After seeing the chart notes from the infusion center at the hospital, my Stanford doctor said the number of neupogen shots needed to be reduced. He wanted to see how my bone marrow would recover on its own, and that if my white blood count does drop too much, to try just one shot.

It has been a good week. I’ve been able to get out and walk 1 – 1½ miles everyday, and because my blood counts were good on Tuesday, I’ve been able to get out and have a bit of social life. I’m not looking forward to weighing at my appointment with my local doctor next Tuesday cause we’ve eaten out every night this week: a stop at my favorite little restaurant along I-5, Granzella’s, on the way to the city on Monday; out with Jen and Jeff on Tuesday night; dinner with my cousin and wife on Wednesday (Happy 70th, Norman!); birthday club dinner with my girlfriends on Thursday night (Happy Birthday, Charlotte!); out with good friends on Friday night. And that doesn’t include the wonderful food at a wedding reception last Saturday and brunch with the bride’s family on Sunday. However, it will be back to smaller meals and blander food the next 2 weeks as I try to keep my stomach happy while dealing with chemo drugs. But, a little more fun before the drudgery begins again. This afternoon is a trip to the pumpkin patch with our grandson and then he will spend the night so Jeremy and Holly can have a night out. Then we’ll deliver him home in the morning on our way to Ashland, Oregon. We’re going to “officially” celebrate our anniversary and will have brunch and see a live show at the Oregon Cabaret Theater. We always enjoy the great entertainment and musical talent. Afterward, we’ll drive just a little farther north to Medford and visit my aunt (my mom’s sister) at a convalescent home and have dinner with my cousins before we drive home.

Now the trying process of chemo begins again for the next two weeks. On Monday I will be having a port inserted. On Tuesday morning I will see my local doctor and then begin treatment again in the afternoon. It should be much easier and not take so long with the port, as much of my time was spent waiting for them to successfully access a vein. My doctor at Stanford said the port could be removed once we see how I’m doing in February. His opinion was that it didn’t necessarily need to be permanent.

Please pray that all will go smoothly on Monday during my procedure having the port inserted.