Dear friends and family,
Gabrielle here. I survived double number three yesterday! We were a little nervous at first when my blood counts came back and my neutrophils (the part of your white blood cells that fight infection) where 50 points below the minimum amount required to get chemo. They had to consult the oncologist for what to do. She decided to let me get the full double chemo but on Mon, Tues, Wed of this week I have to get a shot in my stomach every day of a drug that stimulates my bone marrow to make more white cells and neutrophils. We can do these shots at home so Daniel will get more practice (he used to do my blood thinner shots in my stomach for four weeks post surgery).
The chemo took five hours and we watched the movie Juno and played Scrabble. I drifted in and out of Juno as the benadryl they give you to prevent reactions to the drugs made me sleepy. Near the end, we got the GREAT news that my CA-125 ovarian cancer tumor marker in my blood had dropped again! Remember when we started it was 142, after the first three-week round of chemo it was 32, and yesterday, after two rounds, it was 27.4! Yipee! The oncologist said our goal is to get it to 20 or less. Thanks for praying!
Right after the double, Daniel and I couldn't resist the sunshine so we walked Green Lake! Then last night, the kids and I went to the Seattle Symphony to hear Vivaldi's Four Seasons. This was Renee's Christmas present to me and we had no idea I would have cancer or that our concert would fall on double chemo day! But there was NO way I was going to miss this concert. I debuted my wig and put on make-up and real clothes (not sweat pants!), and we had a wonderful time. The concert was magnificent and refreshed our souls.
Today (Sat.) has been fine up until about 4 PM. I ate a normal breakfast and lunch and had a one-hour walk with Steve from Richmond Beach up through Innis Arden, relishing the sunshine. But around 4 today I kind of hit the wall. A little queasy now and quite lethargic. We had toyed with going out to dinner and a movie (date night--kids gone), but instead, I think we'll stay home and eat soup and watch something on tv. I'm a cheap date!
Thanks to all of you who have sent cards this week and to Kristi who brought dinner on Wed. and to Jennifer who is bringing dinner tomorrow night! What a blessing to experience such kindnesses. And please keep the prayers coming. I feel them so powerfully as God is answering so many prayers and being so near and dear to us daily.
Love to you all,
Gabrielle
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
3/7/13 Perfect Day/ Hole-In-Wonderfuls Round 1!
Hello all! Daniel here! Sorry for not posting in awhile! Here is the post my mom alluded to previously regarding our super fun day on Monday 3/4/13! :-)
Since my mom and I have both taken leaves from the work force, we often say to ourselves, SNOW DAY!!! As a child I always loved snow days, as a college student I loved them even more (postponing tests, delaying homework, canceling labs etc.)! Since my mom has been working at SPU she has come to love snow days as well, because when the students get a snow day so do the staff/faculty! We cozy up with hot chocolate, walk around the winter wonderland (Queen Anne was particularly striking in the snow-pocalypse a year ago), and enjoy the unexpected time of peace and relaxation. My mom and I have come to think of each of these days of chemotherapy as just a bunch of snow days! Time to relax and rest and enjoy life as best we can.
I asked my mom, since we have all this time off, "Do you think we should start a new hobby?" She chuckled and asked, "like what?". "Bowling?" I said. To which we both chuckled. Not our cup of tea. But we thought more about it and decided miniature golf would be the perfect hobby! We both love miniature golf, it is somewhat active, but not too active, perfect for chemotherapy patients. We decided that we would go to every minature golf course around Seattle, which we quickly realized wouldn't take too long, so now we want to do every miniature golf course in the pacific northwest. (If you know of any courses, please let us know!) My mom even came up with a smashing name for our new club, "The Hole-In-Onederfuls"! Copyrighted/TM/AllRightsReservedByGabrielle ;-)
Our first course was "Rainbow Run at Willows Lodge Golf Course" in Redmond (their website). It was gorgeous! Very beautifully landscaped, this 18 hole miniature golf course features 4 different climates, and holes named after beautiful natural locations around Washington state. My favorite feature was one hole which had a huge cave you putt and walk under. The moment you walk into the cave, a bear growls at you! Terribly exciting! Although I think the bear was more of the pre-recorded variety than the claws and fangs variety. My mom suggested we take a picture at each course to remember it, and we wanted to bring our good friend Mrs. Potato Head to join us. So here is the first of many pictures of us at a miniature golf course with Mrs. Potato Head!
Mom beat me on this course, but only by 2 strokes, so I thought it was very close.
The sun was out, we were golfing, geese were flying overhead, the landscaping at Willows Run was very beautiful, and for a few hours I didn't think about stupid cancer even once.
As we finished up, it was around lunch time, and after 18 holes (with no golf cart), you can imagine we were quite famished. I remembered reading in the paper that "Dine Around Seattle" had just begun that day, which features fine dining restaurants offering 3 course dinners ($30) and 3 course lunches ($15). So we decided we may as well stop for a bite to eat at the Barking Frog! Neither of us had been before, and I typically shy away from any restaurant more expensive than Than Brothers Pho, so this was a real treat for me! My mom had cauliflower Soup with curry crème fraiche and chili oil, braised Lamb Pita with red onions, roma tomato, cucumber, tzatziki, harissa, and garlic-oregano Fries, and for dessert, dark chocolate pot de crème with sour cherry gelee and chocolate biscotti. Delicious! I had Grand Marnier prawns with mixed Greens, lemon grass vinaigrette, Columbia River steelhead with wild rice cakes, pickled vegetables, tarragon beurre blanc, and for dessert I copied my mom because we are both chocolate addicts. Everything was amazing! So delicious and so much fancier than our usual lunch of humble sandwiches.
We came home from our amazing adventure and relaxed while our stomachs settled. The sun was still shining and we were in the best of spirits. I am so grateful for this wonderful day I got to spend with my mom, and I am very thankful to God for blessing us with these little surprises of joy along this health journey. Perhaps I am giving away my inner-nerdiness here, but when I stood on that golf course (albeit a miniature one) and looked into the heavens with the clouds parting and sun shining, I thought of the words lady Galadriel says to Frodo in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as she is giving gifts to the band of travellers:
And you, Ring-bearer,' she said, turning to Frodo. `I come to you last who are not last in my
Since my mom and I have both taken leaves from the work force, we often say to ourselves, SNOW DAY!!! As a child I always loved snow days, as a college student I loved them even more (postponing tests, delaying homework, canceling labs etc.)! Since my mom has been working at SPU she has come to love snow days as well, because when the students get a snow day so do the staff/faculty! We cozy up with hot chocolate, walk around the winter wonderland (Queen Anne was particularly striking in the snow-pocalypse a year ago), and enjoy the unexpected time of peace and relaxation. My mom and I have come to think of each of these days of chemotherapy as just a bunch of snow days! Time to relax and rest and enjoy life as best we can.
I asked my mom, since we have all this time off, "Do you think we should start a new hobby?" She chuckled and asked, "like what?". "Bowling?" I said. To which we both chuckled. Not our cup of tea. But we thought more about it and decided miniature golf would be the perfect hobby! We both love miniature golf, it is somewhat active, but not too active, perfect for chemotherapy patients. We decided that we would go to every minature golf course around Seattle, which we quickly realized wouldn't take too long, so now we want to do every miniature golf course in the pacific northwest. (If you know of any courses, please let us know!) My mom even came up with a smashing name for our new club, "The Hole-In-Onederfuls"! Copyrighted/TM/AllRightsReservedByGabrielle ;-)
Our first course was "Rainbow Run at Willows Lodge Golf Course" in Redmond (their website). It was gorgeous! Very beautifully landscaped, this 18 hole miniature golf course features 4 different climates, and holes named after beautiful natural locations around Washington state. My favorite feature was one hole which had a huge cave you putt and walk under. The moment you walk into the cave, a bear growls at you! Terribly exciting! Although I think the bear was more of the pre-recorded variety than the claws and fangs variety. My mom suggested we take a picture at each course to remember it, and we wanted to bring our good friend Mrs. Potato Head to join us. So here is the first of many pictures of us at a miniature golf course with Mrs. Potato Head!
Mom beat me on this course, but only by 2 strokes, so I thought it was very close.
The sun was out, we were golfing, geese were flying overhead, the landscaping at Willows Run was very beautiful, and for a few hours I didn't think about stupid cancer even once.
As we finished up, it was around lunch time, and after 18 holes (with no golf cart), you can imagine we were quite famished. I remembered reading in the paper that "Dine Around Seattle" had just begun that day, which features fine dining restaurants offering 3 course dinners ($30) and 3 course lunches ($15). So we decided we may as well stop for a bite to eat at the Barking Frog! Neither of us had been before, and I typically shy away from any restaurant more expensive than Than Brothers Pho, so this was a real treat for me! My mom had cauliflower Soup with curry crème fraiche and chili oil, braised Lamb Pita with red onions, roma tomato, cucumber, tzatziki, harissa, and garlic-oregano Fries, and for dessert, dark chocolate pot de crème with sour cherry gelee and chocolate biscotti. Delicious! I had Grand Marnier prawns with mixed Greens, lemon grass vinaigrette, Columbia River steelhead with wild rice cakes, pickled vegetables, tarragon beurre blanc, and for dessert I copied my mom because we are both chocolate addicts. Everything was amazing! So delicious and so much fancier than our usual lunch of humble sandwiches.
We came home from our amazing adventure and relaxed while our stomachs settled. The sun was still shining and we were in the best of spirits. I am so grateful for this wonderful day I got to spend with my mom, and I am very thankful to God for blessing us with these little surprises of joy along this health journey. Perhaps I am giving away my inner-nerdiness here, but when I stood on that golf course (albeit a miniature one) and looked into the heavens with the clouds parting and sun shining, I thought of the words lady Galadriel says to Frodo in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as she is giving gifts to the band of travellers:
And you, Ring-bearer,' she said, turning to Frodo. `I come to you last who are not last in my
thoughts. For you I have prepared this.' She held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved
it, and rays of white light sprang from her hand. 'In this phial,' she said, `is caught the light of
Eärendil's star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about
you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.
Whenever I feel like all the other lights are going out, God gives me just enough light to remind me that things will work out.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
3/5/13 Tuesday Morning Greetings
Dear family and friends,
Gabrielle here. Well, this last week has gone pretty well! I haven't been too sick and I'm up 3.5 pounds from my lowest, rib-showing "Hollywood starlet" weight! Basically, on any day I'm not nauseous I'm eating as much as I can. Then when I get my double chemo this Friday and am sick for three days, my body can sustain the three days of NOT eating!
I also have some extra good news to report. That mystery pain on my ride side/flank area is GONE! Hallelujah! Another prayer answered. Thanks SO much for praying.
On the hair front, I am now doing strategic "comb-overs" to hide bald spots. So pretty darn soon I will get a buzz-cut and get to start using my awesome hat/scarf collection.
We are enjoying a great PBS detective series that takes place in England during WWII called Foyle's War. We are on season two of six seasons. My energy wanes by evening so having something fun to watch is a real treat.
At the double chemo this Friday, the start of round three, they will check my CA125 tumor marker again. As you recall, after round one it went from 142 to 32. The doctor wants to see it get to 20 or under. I am eager to see where it is after two rounds of chemo and pray it continues to fall! I'm also eager to see what my hematacrit is this Friday to see how long the one pint of extra blood is lasting. Before the blood transfusion I was at 26. After, I was at 30. Let's see what it is this Friday. You know those baby pools where you guess the weight and height the newborn will be and on what day and time it will be born? We should do the same with CA125 and hematacrit numbers!
Lastly, yesterday, the beautiful sunny day the Lord made for us to enjoy here in Seattle, was a really fun day. I am going to leave you with that teaser and let Daniel tell you about our day in his post later today. What a great reminder that in battling cancer, as in all of life, there will be ordinary days, some really bad days, and some really amazing days. Not every day in the life of a cancer patient is horrible, as Daniel's report will show you. Thanks be to God for strength and peace to get through the bad days, for the routine and calm of the ordinary days, and for the immense joy to be found in the really great days like yesterday! May you all have at least one GREAT day this week!
Love,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle here. Well, this last week has gone pretty well! I haven't been too sick and I'm up 3.5 pounds from my lowest, rib-showing "Hollywood starlet" weight! Basically, on any day I'm not nauseous I'm eating as much as I can. Then when I get my double chemo this Friday and am sick for three days, my body can sustain the three days of NOT eating!
I also have some extra good news to report. That mystery pain on my ride side/flank area is GONE! Hallelujah! Another prayer answered. Thanks SO much for praying.
On the hair front, I am now doing strategic "comb-overs" to hide bald spots. So pretty darn soon I will get a buzz-cut and get to start using my awesome hat/scarf collection.
We are enjoying a great PBS detective series that takes place in England during WWII called Foyle's War. We are on season two of six seasons. My energy wanes by evening so having something fun to watch is a real treat.
At the double chemo this Friday, the start of round three, they will check my CA125 tumor marker again. As you recall, after round one it went from 142 to 32. The doctor wants to see it get to 20 or under. I am eager to see where it is after two rounds of chemo and pray it continues to fall! I'm also eager to see what my hematacrit is this Friday to see how long the one pint of extra blood is lasting. Before the blood transfusion I was at 26. After, I was at 30. Let's see what it is this Friday. You know those baby pools where you guess the weight and height the newborn will be and on what day and time it will be born? We should do the same with CA125 and hematacrit numbers!
Lastly, yesterday, the beautiful sunny day the Lord made for us to enjoy here in Seattle, was a really fun day. I am going to leave you with that teaser and let Daniel tell you about our day in his post later today. What a great reminder that in battling cancer, as in all of life, there will be ordinary days, some really bad days, and some really amazing days. Not every day in the life of a cancer patient is horrible, as Daniel's report will show you. Thanks be to God for strength and peace to get through the bad days, for the routine and calm of the ordinary days, and for the immense joy to be found in the really great days like yesterday! May you all have at least one GREAT day this week!
Love,
Gabrielle
Saturday, March 2, 2013
3/2/13 One-Third Done!
Dear Friends and Family,
Gabrielle here. Happy Saturday! I am having a happy Saturday as I celebrate the fact that yesterday I completed chemo #6 (end of round two) which means I am one-third of the way done with chemo! Yesterday's treatment went very smoothly. My counts were pretty good due to the extra blood I had been given last week. After chemo and lunch, Daniel and I had a 45 min. walk at Richmond Beach. It was windy and we enjoyed watching all the kite surfers. Then last night my sister Marti and her husband Merle came up for dinner. The nausea has been very mild this past week and I've had a good appetite! This morning Steve and I had breakfast then went for a one-hour walk from Richmond Beach up through the hills of Innis Arden. I can't tell you how good it feels to have that blood in me and to have the strength to walk! In a little bit, Steve's mom is coming for a visit and then Daniel, Steve, and I are going to see The Life of Pi. Steve and Daniel both loved the book so hopefully the movie won't disappoint. After all that--I will rest!
My very short, very thinned out hair is still here. I haven't quite gotten to the point of being ready to shave it off. My eyebrows and eyelashes are hanging in there as well. Go figure!
I want to share a few Scriptures with you that have spoken to me this week. Last night, when I took off my pink paper ring from the banister that counts down the number of days left until chemo is done, the number on the ring said 90. Ninety more days. You can endure anything when you know it has an end date! The Scripture on the inside of the ring was 2 Cor. 12:9: "But he said to me 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I don't think anything has brought me to a greater understanding of this verse than cancer. It can sap every last bit of strength from me on the bad days and I wonder on those days if the chemo will kill me before the cancer does! But in that state of utter weakness, Christ's power rests on me. When I am weak, He is strong. Like that poem of the footprints on the beach. When there is only one set of footprints, He is carrying me. I am filled with gratitude for His help every day, and especially on the days my strength is gone.
Another verse I love is one that Renee gave me. This verse has helped her through her trials of double hip surgeries and years of hip pain. And speaking of Renee--she is still VERY sick with a bad flu that is bordering on pneumonia. Please pray for her to be healed soon. I miss her and can't be around her when she's infectious. :-( Anyway, the verse she gave me is Psalm 71:20: "Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up." I'm sure many of you are also going through troubles many and bitter and my prayer is that you will also claim this verse and trust God to restore your life again, as I am trying to do every day.
Lastly, my friend Becky sent me this verse that helped her when she was going through difficult times. Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Amen to that!
As you pray for me this week, please pray about next Friday as it's the dreaded "double chemo" day, which is inevitably followed by three days of horrible nausea and weakness. But after that one is done, I'll only have three more doubles to endure. Thank you for your prayers, cards, flowers, meals, and all manner of encouragement. I love you all!
Love,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle here. Happy Saturday! I am having a happy Saturday as I celebrate the fact that yesterday I completed chemo #6 (end of round two) which means I am one-third of the way done with chemo! Yesterday's treatment went very smoothly. My counts were pretty good due to the extra blood I had been given last week. After chemo and lunch, Daniel and I had a 45 min. walk at Richmond Beach. It was windy and we enjoyed watching all the kite surfers. Then last night my sister Marti and her husband Merle came up for dinner. The nausea has been very mild this past week and I've had a good appetite! This morning Steve and I had breakfast then went for a one-hour walk from Richmond Beach up through the hills of Innis Arden. I can't tell you how good it feels to have that blood in me and to have the strength to walk! In a little bit, Steve's mom is coming for a visit and then Daniel, Steve, and I are going to see The Life of Pi. Steve and Daniel both loved the book so hopefully the movie won't disappoint. After all that--I will rest!
My very short, very thinned out hair is still here. I haven't quite gotten to the point of being ready to shave it off. My eyebrows and eyelashes are hanging in there as well. Go figure!
I want to share a few Scriptures with you that have spoken to me this week. Last night, when I took off my pink paper ring from the banister that counts down the number of days left until chemo is done, the number on the ring said 90. Ninety more days. You can endure anything when you know it has an end date! The Scripture on the inside of the ring was 2 Cor. 12:9: "But he said to me 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I don't think anything has brought me to a greater understanding of this verse than cancer. It can sap every last bit of strength from me on the bad days and I wonder on those days if the chemo will kill me before the cancer does! But in that state of utter weakness, Christ's power rests on me. When I am weak, He is strong. Like that poem of the footprints on the beach. When there is only one set of footprints, He is carrying me. I am filled with gratitude for His help every day, and especially on the days my strength is gone.
Another verse I love is one that Renee gave me. This verse has helped her through her trials of double hip surgeries and years of hip pain. And speaking of Renee--she is still VERY sick with a bad flu that is bordering on pneumonia. Please pray for her to be healed soon. I miss her and can't be around her when she's infectious. :-( Anyway, the verse she gave me is Psalm 71:20: "Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up." I'm sure many of you are also going through troubles many and bitter and my prayer is that you will also claim this verse and trust God to restore your life again, as I am trying to do every day.
Lastly, my friend Becky sent me this verse that helped her when she was going through difficult times. Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Amen to that!
As you pray for me this week, please pray about next Friday as it's the dreaded "double chemo" day, which is inevitably followed by three days of horrible nausea and weakness. But after that one is done, I'll only have three more doubles to endure. Thank you for your prayers, cards, flowers, meals, and all manner of encouragement. I love you all!
Love,
Gabrielle
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
2/27/13 Mid-week update
Dear Family and Friends,
Gabrielle here. This will be brief since Steve pretty much told you about my week in his last post. I am SO glad to be rid of the infected abdominal port that has given me nothing but grief since I got it in January. It's 3:30 PM Wed. and so far today, no pain pills other than ibuprofen! Hooray! I "think" the horrible pain on my right side is going away too now that the port is out. Maybe it was referred pain from the infection and/or port.
I am also really glad I got the blood yesterday. It takes forever for it to drip into you, but we watched Runaway Bride and played Scrabble, so the time passed pleasantly. I feel so much better today! Pink cheeks (instead of white), energy, not dizzy when I stand up, etc. Thank you to every one of you who donate blood so people like me can have some!
I enjoyed a wonderful luncheon with my friends Jan and Sue today. Jan brought the delicious meal and we celebrated my b-day (belatedly) and Sue's b-day (next week).
Now I am about to put on my rain pants and coat and go for my exercise walk with Steve, who got off work early today! While we are out, Daniel, who just returned from the gym, will be making us chicken pot pies for dinner. He is doing everything in his power to fatten me up! My mom will join us for dinner too, but alas, Renee is very ill with the flu, so can't come over yet. Please remember her in your prayers if you will.
Lastly, I wanted to share this Scripture and thought from my friend Laurie. It is from Isaiah 43 and it inspired me.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior
Says Laurie, "The nice thing about the storm he calmed when He was in the boat with the disciples on the sea was that they saw Jesus' power. But this reminds me of His presence when the storm doesn't subside and we still have water up to our necks or smoke in our eyes."
I've had days in the last two months with water up to my neck and smoke in my eyes and I can say with 100% certainty...He has been, and remains, with me through it all. Thanks be to God!
Love,
Gaby
Gabrielle here. This will be brief since Steve pretty much told you about my week in his last post. I am SO glad to be rid of the infected abdominal port that has given me nothing but grief since I got it in January. It's 3:30 PM Wed. and so far today, no pain pills other than ibuprofen! Hooray! I "think" the horrible pain on my right side is going away too now that the port is out. Maybe it was referred pain from the infection and/or port.
I am also really glad I got the blood yesterday. It takes forever for it to drip into you, but we watched Runaway Bride and played Scrabble, so the time passed pleasantly. I feel so much better today! Pink cheeks (instead of white), energy, not dizzy when I stand up, etc. Thank you to every one of you who donate blood so people like me can have some!
I enjoyed a wonderful luncheon with my friends Jan and Sue today. Jan brought the delicious meal and we celebrated my b-day (belatedly) and Sue's b-day (next week).
Now I am about to put on my rain pants and coat and go for my exercise walk with Steve, who got off work early today! While we are out, Daniel, who just returned from the gym, will be making us chicken pot pies for dinner. He is doing everything in his power to fatten me up! My mom will join us for dinner too, but alas, Renee is very ill with the flu, so can't come over yet. Please remember her in your prayers if you will.
Lastly, I wanted to share this Scripture and thought from my friend Laurie. It is from Isaiah 43 and it inspired me.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior
Says Laurie, "The nice thing about the storm he calmed when He was in the boat with the disciples on the sea was that they saw Jesus' power. But this reminds me of His presence when the storm doesn't subside and we still have water up to our necks or smoke in our eyes."
I've had days in the last two months with water up to my neck and smoke in my eyes and I can say with 100% certainty...He has been, and remains, with me through it all. Thanks be to God!
Love,
Gaby
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
2/26/13 Abdominal port out, a unit of blood in
Steve
To continue on the sea voyage metaphor, the going has been a little rough the past few days. As Gabrielle mentioned, over the weekend, she got word that the abdominal port was infected and needed to come out [aside…this “port” is not the left or larboard side of a boat, nor is it a safe haven from a storm, but rather the access part for the drugs…oh to have that safe harbor about now]. I was reminded of that silly song about Port Out, Starboard Home..P-O-S-H from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Supposedly it speaks of the origins of the word posh, but it is indeed a mystery to me why so many people on that boat would need to have their abdominal ports out. Though Gabrielle indeed was sitting on the starboard on the way home. So here's to port out, starboard home for Gabrielle!
She went in yesterday and had the pesky piece of hardware removed. She needed to go to the operating room (OR in Grey’s Anatomy speak) but didn’t need to be knocked out, just had some sedation. Dr. M. said it was indeed infected and was glad that she had had the port cultured a second time just make sure that she wasn’t missing anything. I am reminded of a line from a Sherlock Holmes story I recently read. Sherlock finds a telltale clue in the midst of a field and holds it up to all astonished observers. They wondered why they had missed it and he had found it. He retorted that you have to really look for something. That’s what Dr. M. did…she really looked for that infection a second time and we are glad she did. She’s thorough.
She went in yesterday and had the pesky piece of hardware removed. She needed to go to the operating room (OR in Grey’s Anatomy speak) but didn’t need to be knocked out, just had some sedation. Dr. M. said it was indeed infected and was glad that she had had the port cultured a second time just make sure that she wasn’t missing anything. I am reminded of a line from a Sherlock Holmes story I recently read. Sherlock finds a telltale clue in the midst of a field and holds it up to all astonished observers. They wondered why they had missed it and he had found it. He retorted that you have to really look for something. That’s what Dr. M. did…she really looked for that infection a second time and we are glad she did. She’s thorough.
Sadly, in the midst of her visit to have the port taken out, they did another blood test and Gabrielle’s red cells had dropped another point to 26 (normal being 34 to about 46) which means she’s on the books for a blood transfusion today. She’ll get one unit which should bump her number up about three or four points. On the one hand it was quite discouraging…first the port, then the transfusion. We had really been hoping for some smooth sailing during these couple of single drug treatment weeks. Not so. But on the other hand, we are trying to stay positive. Perhaps the infected port was in some way responsible for Gabrielle’s abdominal pain. We are hoping that this will improve as the residual infection clears up…no word on that yet from the pretty Missus as she is still in her bunk below deck (OK, she’s above deck, but below deck is where most sailors sleep, so give me a little license here…at least she’s got better digs than the poor sap who wrote Two Years Before the Mast…before the mast was where you didn’t want to be…no turn down service, no chocolates on the bed, no drawn bath each night). The other bit of hopefulness is that when she gets a transfusion, maybe she will have a little more energy. She has been completely drained and enervated during this entire weekend. Feels faint when she stands up or walks from the living room to the family room. Want to see a little more spring in her step. Why not? Isn’t blood doping all the rage amongst certain performance athletes who have bent the rules? Look how well some of them did…till they got caught.
So, prayers for today would be for Gabrielle to have improved abdominal pain and more energy after the transfusion. It is especially important for the energy to pick up. After all, it is garbage day today and it just breaks my heart to see her crawl up on the garbage and jump up and down on it before hauling it out to the street. Last week was especially tough, what with dry heaving and all and the rain coming down so hard. So tough, in fact, that I almost put my afternoon tea down and threw open the window to tell her to do it in two trips…now that’s serious.
And that’s all the news so far on the Gabrielle front. One quick follow up story on me. For some reason, people have been loving my buzz cut. Patients glance at me and get these odd looks on their faces, not sure if they should laugh, cry or ask if I have joined the Marines. A couple of people have wanted to rub my new “doo”. I recall a picture of some little visitor to the Oval Office a year or two back. President Obama was a good sport and bent over to let the little nipper feel his hair. I haven’t been as magnanimous as the president, however as I have been charging folks for the privilege…25 cents. Made 50 cents so far! Andrea, our receptionist, asked if it was for a single time or all day. I felt generous so said “all day” and she made full use of her quarter. Every time she came back to drop off a chart or pester me in some other way, she extracted a little more value from her quarter.
I feel a little bad, however, that this new opportunity to feel the doo is limited to those who are actually physically in my presence and have decided to extend this offer to those far and wide…even worldwide, if the info on this blog counter is correct. For a limited time offer, I am opening up this rare chance to all comers for the value price of…not a quarter…not even fifteen cents…but for one thin dime! You heard me right…a dime! What else can you buy with a dime? That and a buck and a half will get you a cuppa Joe in town. Here’s what you do: scroll back to that picture of me a couple blogs back and rub my hair to your heart’s content…all day long if you so desire. At the end of your session, pop a dime in the mail and we’ll call it good. See how trustworthy I am? You can pay at the end. Of course, there are some problems to this approach. For one, it costs 46 cents to mail a letter. Can you believe it? 46 cents! So you’re actually paying 56 cents (what with the dime and all, in case this early in the morning you’re having trouble with the math). That’s the domestic rate. For those two folks in Australia who check in from time to time, it may be more. Sadly, I haven’t signed up with Pay Pal yet. But wait! Have I got a deal for you (I feel like the Ginzu knife salesman on late night TV)!….for one thin dollar…just one picture of George (sorry, I don’t take Rands, Euros, Aussie bux even though they come in such pretty colors), you can “rub the buzz” for not one week, not two weeks, but a full three weeks! You won’t find a better deal than that out there! And remember, it is all for a good cause…Steve’s afternoon tea fund while he supervises the trash being taken to the street.
Oh, as an added bonus, the hygiene factor is certainly much higher through this virtual buzz rubbing. After a sweaty bicycle ride and such, I don't think Andrea really knew what she was getting into. I try and stay clean, but you never know. On the other hand, the screen rubbing is guaranteed to be as germ free as you want to make it...most likely somewhere between rubbing the bubble gum wall at the Pike Place Market and kissing the Blarney Stone.
Oh, as an added bonus, the hygiene factor is certainly much higher through this virtual buzz rubbing. After a sweaty bicycle ride and such, I don't think Andrea really knew what she was getting into. I try and stay clean, but you never know. On the other hand, the screen rubbing is guaranteed to be as germ free as you want to make it...most likely somewhere between rubbing the bubble gum wall at the Pike Place Market and kissing the Blarney Stone.
Cheers!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
2/23/13 Abdominal Port Bites the Dust
Dear friends and family,
Gabrielle here. Today we received a call from my oncologist saying the fluid they removed from my abdominal port has a staph infection. So she started me back on antibiotics and said to report to the OR Monday at 2 to have the port removed. She is going to discuss the pros and cons with me of putting another one in at a different spot--under my rib cage--versus just using the shoulder port from here on out.
Of course I'm disappointed the port didn't work out, but it has given me so much pain and grief, now I can't wait to get it out of there on Monday!
On a happier note, the pain in my right side seems to be responding to the muscle relaxer pills, so perhaps it was a pulled muscle or tendon. The only problem is--those pills make me SO sleepy! I have barely had the energy to move off the easy chair all day, though finally MADE myself go for a half hour walk.
My boss, Gordie, and his wife, Mary came over for a short visit this afternoon and it was really great to see them. They brought some nice cards and beautiful flowers. And we all ate one of Daniel's Oscar sugar cookies. Yummo! And our friend Karen from church brought us a lovely dinner of curried soup, bread, and brownies. Can't wait!
My friend Ted send me a great verse for today. It is Joshua 1:9:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
God is indeed with me wherever I go--to chemo, back to the OR, when I can't get out of the easy chair, when I go get my head shaved (probably on Tuesday). I am grateful to have the God of the universe leading my rope team!
Love,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle here. Today we received a call from my oncologist saying the fluid they removed from my abdominal port has a staph infection. So she started me back on antibiotics and said to report to the OR Monday at 2 to have the port removed. She is going to discuss the pros and cons with me of putting another one in at a different spot--under my rib cage--versus just using the shoulder port from here on out.
Of course I'm disappointed the port didn't work out, but it has given me so much pain and grief, now I can't wait to get it out of there on Monday!
On a happier note, the pain in my right side seems to be responding to the muscle relaxer pills, so perhaps it was a pulled muscle or tendon. The only problem is--those pills make me SO sleepy! I have barely had the energy to move off the easy chair all day, though finally MADE myself go for a half hour walk.
My boss, Gordie, and his wife, Mary came over for a short visit this afternoon and it was really great to see them. They brought some nice cards and beautiful flowers. And we all ate one of Daniel's Oscar sugar cookies. Yummo! And our friend Karen from church brought us a lovely dinner of curried soup, bread, and brownies. Can't wait!
My friend Ted send me a great verse for today. It is Joshua 1:9:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
God is indeed with me wherever I go--to chemo, back to the OR, when I can't get out of the easy chair, when I go get my head shaved (probably on Tuesday). I am grateful to have the God of the universe leading my rope team!
Love,
Gabrielle
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