Round 8

Since I use the web to track myself, I thought I’d add a quick entry on Round 8. Rob unplugged me yesterday. It has been a relatively easy round. The side effects of Oxaliplatin (which I stopped taking after Round 6) seem to really be waning. The doc said it would be worse before it got better and the last three weeks have been bad. But since last Friday and through this round so far, it’s not bad. I even have an appetite. Since I lost about 5 pounds in the last two weeks, perhaps I can gain some of it back!

PS - This is Dale Earnhardt Jr even though I prefer Denny Hamlin (from Chesterfield, VA) but I can't use Denny til round 11....

Smile!

What a difference a few days makes! Friday evening, a friend took me to the Nets game. Not only did we get some great seats, but we also got a personal tour of the club under the stands which is reserved for season ticket holders and of the locker rooms. A great evening for a basketball fan, even if the Nets lost!

On Saturday, my brother and his family came to visit and my nieces stayed over Saturday night. My kids and nieces get along so well – it’s a joy to have them. We also got a chance to take a nice long walk in the woods, which is always great for the soul! And, best of all, my side effects have been minimal, my energy good and I even have an appetite! It couldn’t have been a better weekend!

So, while in such a good mood, I thought I’d share this picture Vicki took of me yesterday! I’m sending a smile your way because you guys rock and I want to share some joy. In today’s tough economic times, there’s still nothing better than good friends, good family and good food! Enjoy your week…BB

Short of Breath

The last several weeks have been difficult from a side-effects perspective. This is a bit disappointing. Among the list of annoying side effects, the one that has been the most bothersome has been fatigue. I’ve been so fatigued that I haven’t blogged much. In fact some days I take three 2-hour naps – doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else. Now, I’ve always been a big fan of the afternoon nap, but this is ridiculous.

In recent days, I’ve also had a lot of shortness of breath – as in I walk across the room and then need to sit and take a deep breath. Rob got concerned about it and called the authorities (she called my oncologist’s office to ask about it). I then got a call from the nurse telling me to go to the emergency room. So, having been “outed”, I spent the evening yesterday in the company of my friends at Morristown Memorial’s ER. I’ve been there enough now that I think if I go one more time, I’ll get a free night’s stay!

The reason for the ER trip was that shortness of breath and elevated heart rate (mine was 113 when I checked in) can be signs of a pulmonary embolism or a blood clot in the lungs. So, I got an ECG, a ride in the CAT scan machine and a chest XRay. Thankfully, all were clear. The ER doctor said that he wasn’t sure what the problem was other than a chemo side effect and that I should speak to my oncologist. He did give me an Albuterol treatment which is basically inhaling a mist through a mask. This is supposed to help open up your airways. And he gave me an Albuterol inhaler to bring home.

So, another evening at the ER - but the result was nothing life threatening so I’m thankful for that. I hope you all are well. Wake me when it's time to blog some more!…BB

Florida (Part 2)

Hey All. Tomorrow is juicing day so I thought I get out a blog before being chemically enhanced. Last week, I went back down to Florida to stay with my father for the week and enjoy some warmer weather. I had hoped for 70’s but unfortunately I timed my visit to coincide with a big cold front that moved through all week. So the days were upper 40’s - low 50’s and the nights around 30. Better than here, though. But about half the nightly news was about the weather – especially protecting the orange and strawberry crops from freezing.

I also caught a glimpse of some wildlife. Some Sand Hill Cranes came strolling across the yard one morning – a truly majestic bird. Maybe 4 feet tall, gray with a red crown. I also scared up an armadillo out of a palmetto bush while walking in the park. We don’t see them often here but my father tells me they are as common as raccoons in Florida. I also saw the rarely seen Champion Steeler Fan. There were flocks of them at the airport when I arrived on the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday. Vibrant in their black and yellow but with sagging, tired looking eyes.

So, I enjoyed the visit but am glad to be back with the family. Tomorrow is Treatment 7 and the first one without Oxaliplatin, which has a lot of side effects. I am hopeful that the side effects this round will be milder (this past round wasn’t particularly good from that perspective). And I wish you all well! BB