Patty's epic adventure

  4/27/22 It's Wednesday.  I just started typing this and something ran across my bare foot.  I checked under my desk, but saw nothing.  Felt like a spider.  Of considerable size, of course.  Now I want to leave my office, but I'm gonna tough it out.  It was a gorgeous day today, but I didn't get to spend much time outside.  I'm trying to get everything caught up inside.  I don't know why I expend so much effort into that, because it's never gonna happen. My oncologist advised me to get my fourth friggin' COVID vaccination, so I've got an appointment next Tuesday.  Gads.  Is this never going to end?!?  I have an appointment in town tomorrow to get my spinal stimulator programmed.  I have high hopes that this will improve my shituation.  I can stand for about 20 minutes now, but after that, I start to crumble.  I had to wait this long to get this done while my back healed. I have a few minor side effects from my n...

  4/24/22 Today is Sunday.  I haven't written for awhile, but ya'll didn't miss much.  My oncologist told me she wasn't worried about my cancer antigen results being flagged.  She said they were high last time, too.  She said every time they've checked for the antigens, they've been high.  I had no idea.  She said they hadn't gone up enough since last the time for her to be concerned.  I said I was concerned.  She understood, but told me they've never gone away.  The cancer cells have always been floating around in my bloodstream.  She once again reminded me that it's not 'if' my cancer comes back, but 'when'.  I said, 'yeah, yeah'.  My lymph node freeway is active with traffic and she's keeping an eye on my counts.  That's why she wants me on estrogen blockers and chemo pills.  I started the estrogen blocker a week ago and have been tolerating it well, so far.  My kind of cancer feeds on estrogen, it appear...

  4/18/22 Today is Monday.  I had a lovely Easter holiday with my family and hope ya'll did, too.  My cancer antigen test results came back and I was flagged too high.  I don't know much else, except that's not good news for me.  Sorry.  No funnies today.  I'll write when I have another update.

  4/12/22 It's Tuesday.  My brain is a little fried today.  I'm not functioning at 100%, but I don't know why.  No new drugs.  No alcohol.  Wait.  Maybe that's my problem.  I may need wine.  I may have just solved my dilemma.  I'll let you know.... Have you been waiting with baited breath for my shark story?  Yeah, probably not, but here it is.  At one deserted island where we snorkeled, I was out ahead of David.  He saw a large barracuda circling him.  It was about 5' long and pretty thick.  It would not leave, so he got back into the boat.  I was near the front of the boat and he climbed up on the trampoline to find me.  He told me to come back on board because the same cuda was now circling me.  So, now he's leery of those critters.   Our last night snorkeling around the shipwreck was worse - for him.  I started up one side and he started up the other.  I wanted to swim again...

  4/11/22 It's Monday.  I went to the oncologist today.  She's putting me back on drugs.  Poop.  I shouldn't complain.  I figured this was coming.  She was waiting until my body bounced back from the last round before starting again.  We're going to begin with one drug at a time.  I can't even remember the name of the new one.  She ordered it, so I'll update ya'll later.  She talked to me for quite awhile today.  We talked about choices that only I can make, but that's for later.  I got some of my labs back, but not all.  My white and red counts are still below normal, but I've come back quite a ways.  Lots of stuff was flagged, but she said it wasn't important, so I'm moving on.  I have to see a pulmonologist next.  My lungs just aren't quite up to snuff, it appears.  MRI's and infusion in July, otherwise, I don't see her again until June - unless I have an issue, of course.  So, I'm almost f...

  4/10/22 It's Sunday and I'm a bit more rested up from our trip.  It was a long flight home, with a 3 hour layover in Dallas.  We ate at Pappadeaux (sp.?) at DFW and it was delightful.  That certainly helped break up the layover. I laid or sat on the trampoline in the front of the catamaran every chance I got.  I loved relaxing out there while we sailed.  I watched dolphins play and saw tons of stingrays jumping and flopping on their bellies.  I even fell asleep a few times out there.  When I wasn't in the front, I was in the back lounging on a long cushion, watching where we had just been.  I could do that all day long.  We ate at the table outside every meal because it got a bit warm while we were there.  In fact, it was about 10 degrees warmer than forecasted.  I wore a swimsuit all day, every day.  I took 3 so they could dry in between swims, but they never really got dry.  It was so humid. We took the dingy out ...

  4/9/22 It's Saturday and I'm baaaa-aaack!  Did you miss me?  I had a wonderful time on our vacation, but I don't think David will do it again.  He just doesn't know how to do 'nothing'.  He has to be doing something all the time.  Like cleaning the hull of the boat.  Yes.  He did that. We spent 3 days in a room above a rum bar in Key West on Duval Street.  It's a lot like Bourbon street in New Orleans, but without the beads during Mardi Gras.  Lots going on.  Lots of music.  Lots of rum.....  I liked it.  It was the cutest little room.  Very old, unique.  We walked and walked and I did pretty well.  There were lots of places for me to sit down and rest.  We got an Uber from the airport to downtown and never did have a car there.  We rented a moped one day (guess who's idea this was?) and rode all over the place.  Next time, I'm getting my own.  Geez, it was hot behind the driver. A...