Hexalen®, restart days: finished the meds, 4th month

Today

I finished my meds for this month

Celebrate

Hexalen®, restart days 5-12, 4th month

Oh, My Aching Leg, 2010

Mixed media, abt 12 x 12 inches

Opening day reception of "Cancer and Creativity" is March 23rd

at Premiere Oncology Foundation

in Santa Monica, California

The exhibition will include work of nearly 30 people

and

this is one of my contributions

As I write today

I have two more days of my 14-day prescription of

Hexalen® chemotherapy capsules

The biggest issue has been the changes in my right leg

Oh, my aching leg

hexalen®, restart day 4, 4th month

6 Capsules a Day, detail

Four month ago in art therapy class,

I created this

I had never been on oral chemotherapy drugs

and the issue was on my mind

In twelve days

this piece will be on display at

Premiere Oncology in Santa Monica

Currently the eight capsules a day

are a non-issue

This make me very happy,

especially since the meds are

bringing down my tumor marker

hexalen®, restart day 2, 4th month

It's Official!

I'm back on my famous meds--

My ChemoCaps

The week delay in taking the eight capsules a day

has resulted in a normal white blood count

Also my tumor marker, the CA-125 continues to drop

as a result of the oral Hexalen® chemotherapy meds!

As of this afternoon,

the two happiest people are my oncologist

and

yours truly

Hexalen®, days 7 & 8, 4th month

Did I tell you just how wonderful

it feels

to be free from the 4-hour reminders

to take

my ChemoCaps...

This extended week of NO meds*

really opened up the excitement of

discovering relatives, both living and deceased

With the help of Ancestry.com

and

the inspiration from two genealogy programs on national television,

as of this week

I'm now in contact with two people who

are distant cousins on my father's side of the family tree

Gotta also say,

If it weren't for other "new" family members interest in genealogy

I would feel like I'm out on a limb by myself

* My blood count was too low last Monday so my oncologist told me to return in a week for another blood test--that's tomorrow. If my numbers are UP then I will begin swallowing my two weeks of cancer killing capsules

Hexalen®, days 5 & 6, 4th month

My grandmother Josephine Petra J.

probably around 1920 when she was in her early 20's

I wore the same necklace when I was married

nearly 70 years later

note: Since day 2 of this 4th month, my oncologist directed me to delay taking my ChemoCaps until my blood counts are improved. In three days I will return for another blood test.

Hexalen®, days 3 & 4, 4th month

Yesterday, after my MRI, the 16-block walk to the Pacific Ocean was just the thing to do: beautiful weather and healthy exercise.

But on my return, first via the bus and then a brief two block walk to my car, I tripped. OMG, I was just one block from my car!

Two people rushed over to me as we all watched myself slowly move through space and come to an abrupt stop on the cement.

The worst part of this is that the scraped and bloody knee belongs to my lymphedema leg.

Hexalen®, day 2, 4th month

Today:

1. Take two ChemoCaps with light breakfast

2. Opps, nauseous. This is the first time with these meds. Take anti-nausea pill

3. Back to bed to rest

4. Physical therapy on leg followed by photo of ChemoCaps in therapy room

5. Back home to take a nap due to side effects of drug

6. Lunch: gotta be careful. No problem with 1/4 sandwich

7. Swallow two more ChemoCaps

8. Drive to see oncologist: 30 minutes from door to door

9. Blood draw

10. Chat with doctor

11. CA-125 tumor marker is down! On January 5th it was 510 and a month later CA-125 was 53! Truly exciting results!

12. Stop taking ChemoCaps because white blood count is too low

13. Return to doctor's office in a week for another blood check

14. Pick up a few items at the market

15. Take nap #2 because of the fatigue from the ChemoCaps

16. Go on the Internet, read emails, and check Facebook

17. Review genealogy materials from cousin. WOW! Here is a picture of my grandmother when she graduated from high(?) school

18. Create a Food Network inspired dinner. YUMMM

19. Telephone conversations with friend and cousin

20. Create entry for blog

21. Stretch

22. Clean up

23. Go to bed and remember, no eating or drinking in the morning: MRI check-in at 7:55am

Oh well, maybe tomorrow I'll have time to work on my art projects. Opening Reception of Art Exhibit is in three weeks at Premiere Oncology.