"Hello Michelle, this is Dr._ calling..."

At the Farmers Market

March 2010

It is hard not to be alarmed when my oncologist called. He never calls unless I have left a message for him. He just called.

It is Friday morning and I'm planning a little trip.

"I'm concerned that your CA-125 is rising," he began.

Since I was in for a check-up two days ago and blood was drawn, he was concerned with the results that just came in. When I saw him on Wednesday, the plan was to begin taking the 6th month of my ChemoCaps (8 Hexalen capsules a day for 14 days). Up until last month the medicine was bringing down the CA-125 tumor marker.

As a result of this decrease, I have been feeling pretty healthy and confident.

But on Wednesday, when I asked what April's CA-125 was, he reported, "65." I knew it was up from the previous months, but I quickly responded, "Oh, a hiccup!" (I'm thinking, the number just went up and then it will drop--right! But it didn't drop THIS month either.

Two days ago the plan was to have a PET scan in a few months, depending on the results of my monthly blood draw. STOP THE PRESS!

My doctor of six years is calling in for an immediate insurance approval for a PET scan, asap.

"But Doctor, I'm planning on taking a little trip, can I still go?"

"Sure, Go and have a good time!"

We both chuckled--the quality life of a person with cancer is so often determined by the results of the monthly, or regularly scheduled scan and lab work.

Right, sure,

celebrate! With this hanging over my head...

OkOkay,

Think the big picture:

He is catching this early,

There are more chemotherapy medicines to help extend my life, as he is treating me,

But, why did I throw-up two days ago? This has happened twice in the past two years of chemo.

What's that ache in my hip?

What will the new chemo be like?

But he is catching it early, or is he?

Ovarian-type cancer has a mind of its own...

...Go and have a good time...

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

Today

I finished my meds for this month

Celebrate

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 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.

Hexalen®, day 1, 4th month

Presenting...

the fourth month supply of my cancer-killing meds

This photograph is the before

...Before I started swallowing them

two at a time, four times a day

During the next two weeks we will...

Go on walks

'hang around'

seek adventure

and take my medicine

I'm looking forward to your companionship

Bye for now

Okay, Where is the water?

14 Days off: #5

Me 'n my meds

have found some pretty interesting spaces to be

We have stopped to smell the roses

Looked at the ocean blue

Sat next to a design or two

and now

Spend this moment with you

Hexalen®, day 14, 3rd month

Today I finished taking my

112 ChemoCaps*

-14 days of 8 capsules per day-

Tomorrow will be the first of 14 days

-no oral chemotherapy-

Who knows,

maybe I'll feel like I'm

cancer free...

at least for two weeks

* my term for oral chemotherapy capsules

Hexalen®, day 13, 3rd month

Every afternoon I take a nap in my hammock

I systematically relax areas of my body

I exhale tightness

Then

I

visualize

gold healing energy

throughout my body

Part three of three

hand painted paper to be used in a collage

mixed media

February 2010

Hexalen®, days 11 & 12, 3rd month

The Chinese Year Year

and

Valentine's Day

are

near

Celebrate Life

Hexalen®, day 10, 3rd month

Thanks for stopping by

Friends

and

Family

are

Important

to

ME

Hexalen®, day 9, 3rd month

Gold has been the healing energy for me during the past two years

as I relaxed and napped in my hammock

on a daily basis, sometimes two or three times a day

Tomorrow in art therapy I will be asked to use the

three hand-painted sheets of paper

to create a collage

bye for now

Part of three of three

hand painted paper to be used in a collage

mixed media

February 2010

Hexalen®, day 8, 3rd month

Today no rain, just a bright winter sun

Billowy clouds

followed by sunset, beautiful as always

One more week of medication before I begin

the 14 days of no drugs

Just say "Yes!" to drugs!

Part of two of three

hand painted paper to be used in a collage

mixed media

February 2010

Hexalen®, day 7, 3rd month

We have had rain and now the bright winter sun is shining

Billowy white and gray clouds

dot the afternoon sky

Time to take dose three of ChemoCaps,

bye for now

Part of one of three

hand painted paper to be used in a collage

mixed media

February 2010

Hexalen®, day 6, 3rd month

Sculpture by

Gilda Schwartz

with

Two Hexalen® capsules

taken four times a day

Sculpture, 2 of 4

about 1998

approx 7 x 7 inches

Ms. Schwartz's art was previously

featured on December 16, 18, 2009

Hexalen®, day 5, 3rd month

I'm nursing a cold today

Hexalen®, day 4, 3rd month

Another beautiful view of my

daily medicine-

My ChemoCaps!

p.s., Today, after Writers Workshop, seven of us decided to go out for dinner. We had such a good time, kinda like a dinner party, and realized we want to do this on a regular basis.

Hexalen®, day 3, 3rd month

Say, "Hello ChemoCaps"

"Hello, and I'm glad you are visiting our blog. Michelle is creating these daily postings so you will have a better understanding of what she is doing these days.

Yesterday she visited the oncologist who is treating her for the peritoneal carcinoma.* He again identified the return of the redness in her hands and feet as Hand and Foot Syndrome. The other side effect that was discussed was the return of increased fatigue.

Blood was drawn, as usual, and it seemed pretty normal, considering the chemotherapy medicine that is going through her body.

Oh, what about the CT scan, you ask? It will probably be done in March or April.

Thanks for stopping by, and come again.

*Did you know she has two oncologist? The other one is the sarcoma specialist who is monitoring that area on her thigh where the sarcoma tumor was removed. This is also the doctor to ordered the physical therapy to improve the strength in her leg--the hamstring muscles were damaged by radiation to the upper leg.

Hexalen®, day 1, 3rd month

112 ChemoCaps

As I took my first two capsules for this third month

I heard a voice inside my head say,

"Time for a party!"

That is such a change from the first month when I

questioned and feared the many stated side effects

True,

the Internet has plenty of information on this topic

but,

side effects are often unique to the individual

So today, I opened myself up to 14 days of

celebrations,

events,

parties, and

swallowing 112 capsules

It turned out that today my grandchildren,

their other grandmother,

and I spent the afternoon at the Getty Center.

We ate,

drew,

walked/ran & sat,

listened to the water,

looked at fossils in the rocks,

and had a wonderful time.

Yes, today was a celebration!

I will look for fun events in each day,

even if I create them!