Lets Post our Daily Exercise

Karen: Hope you are feeling as good as you can.

Celiac: Your trip sounds awesome! Sorry it ended with an upper respiratory infection but glad to hear your lungs are clear.

TT: Restaurant meals are getting bigger. I usually take half of my meal home (unless I'm very hunger).

Ruth: Great WWW picture!

Dh and I spread 50 bales of pine needles around the house and areas in the yard on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lots of squatting. Walked/ran today.

Weather is crazy here - it's snowing now - after mid 80s T,W and 80 with clouds yesterday. It's gray and cloudy and minus the snow, looks like the midwest out. It's cold and damp.

Celiac - DH met DD#2 in Italy later February for very action packed 6 days. They stayed in Rome and went to Florence, Naples and the Almafi coast. A few ideas are candle sticks, challah cover, challah board. Is she into jewelry? I'm very partial to the hamsa so a necklace with a hamsa or start of david.

Uneventful getting the 2 shots. My CBC is good enough to get the treatment but my lymphocytes are low as is the MCH (anemia). WBC is dropping at the lower end of normal limits. I had to ask the phlebotomist if there were labs and when she checked she said she needing them all as the Hematologist likes the labs a week before the appointment and I see him for monthly visit next Friday. 4 vials - CBC, CMP, tumor marker for medical oncologist on Monday and not sure what other labs.

Good virtual visit with Nephrologist. We've know him for several years even before he as my doctor. He's a great person as well as doctor. A couple meds that I need to take (none of the chemo specific drugs) are hard on the kidneys, but he said the kidneys take a back seat to me. Acyclovir is one in particular that is hard on the kidneys but he said I must take it so we'll deal with kidneys. He also said he Hematologist will watch the kidneys "like a hawk". He said he doesn't want to overwhelm me with doctors so next appointment is in 4 months. He was seeing me annual before this and 1.5 years ago he said PCP could now follow. He agrees that it was smart to bring him back in to follow.

The two chemo injections make me tired, I feel like I'm moving in slow motion and stomach a little unsettled.

Saying bye to DD#2 will be harder than normal this trip. One her flight is at 5:45am Sunday morning so she will take an Uber at 3:15am to the airport so lots of hugs before we go to bed. She won't go to sleep as she will worry that she will oversleep. She hasn't lived by us since September 2016 when she left for her gap year. She hasn't spent any summers here as she worked at a camp in 2017 for the summer in upstate NY, but since she comes in the fall for the holidays and in the spring for Passover. We try to go in the summer and during my winter break. But who knows when our next visit will be. I'd love to go before the Stem Cell Transplant but who knows if they'll let me travel so far. Also, I wonder about travel insurance. She was such a blessing and help this trip, her presence will be missed even more. I have a card for he, that I think I'll put in mail today. It's a blank card do plenty of room to write her a letter.

Still waiting on results of nuclear medicineCT scan. Labs from this morning should be ready later today or over the week-end. Medical oncologist Monday morning and virtual visit with Endocrinologist Tuesday afternoon. Then no appointments for a few weeks.

As I've mentioned before, I've only been at this school since February 13th, but I feel like I've known the team forever - our fit is seamless. I got a sweet text from the principal. I don't see her every day as she is so busy and is also responsible for another school.

I put up the challah dough before I went for chemo and DD#2 shaped them into rolls and then took care to put egg wash and "seasoning" on them - zaatar or everything but the bagel. She will cook the sides - green beans and lukshin kugel (noodle kugel). We make it "salt/pepper" as we don't like sweet kugel. DH will grill turkey necks for DD and himself as well as 1/2 turkey breast for everyone. I asked DD if she wanted to bake and she said there was still enough in the freezer that I made. I was hoping she would bake but I guess, I can bake on a Friday morning before I leave for chemo.

I think that's all for now. Have a great day. I ate a small challah roll when they were still warm, so not hungry for lunch.

EDIT:

Went to hospital portal to get test results from Wednesday. There is an adenoma on my right inferior parathyroid. Two options are watch and see or remove 1 or more of the glands. Will see what the Endocrinologist says Tuesday. Of course I will run it by hematologist when I see him next Friday. I may also ask medical oncologist his opinion on Monday. We have a very good friend who is a retired endocrinologist who has seen my other labs and DH will share these results with him.

Have a great night and Saturday.

Karen, I imagine DD#2 is in the air by now. So glad she could come home & I am sure it was very hard to see her go again.I went to Yoga Strength yesterday morning & then on a field trip The mom of DS's fiance opens a greenhouse in the small town in which she lives in May/June. She buys her plants from a larger greenhouse but has been wanted to visit another greenhouse a couple hours away to get more ideas (and maybe a new supplier). She invited her daughter, one of her friends & me to come along and we had a wonderful afternoon of walking through their many buildings, admiring plants & smelling dirt! I will go to yoga again today.

Welcome, akj!

DD#2 made it home safely. The house is quiet. It was so wonderful to have her here and I miss her already. I guess, I never get used to being empty nest!! DS stopped over last night. He lives about 10 minutes away, but works 60-65 hours/week so we don't see him often so it is always a treat to see him.Gave him the latest updates as I hadn't talked to him since last Monday.

Been up since 4:00am and finally got out of bed at 4:30! When I slept it was good, but just not enough. Fell asleep reading on the sofa. I think it was 1:00am when I got into bed and woke up once to pee and then again at 400.

Feeling a little anxious about medical oncologist appointment this morning and I haven't been anxious about these appointments in years. I know everything will probably be okay, but I also thought appointment with hematologist would be routine and low and behold the shock of my life. One tumor marker is back and it is stable so hopefully no surprises. So many things going on and I don't like not being in control or plan. I think appointment tomorrow with endocrinologist tomorrow will hopefully have some answers. Watch and see or surgery and if surgery when? After chemo? Stop chemo for couple weeks? An of course the transplant doctor in just over 3 weeks.

Going to be in the 70s today and tomorrow then cooling off the rest of the week.

Have a great Monday.

Karen: Hope your appointment this morning went well. I especially hope you sleep better tonight.

Ruth: You definitely need a slow melt!

Push mowed for 1 hour 40 minutes. Dh finished the rest of the yard. A nice cool day with a breeze was perfect for mowing. Trying not to think of summer mowing.

Didn't get out of bed till 5am. Went to bed at 10:30 and woke up at 2 or 3 then at 4 - decided I wasn't going to get up at 4 and luckily was able to fall asleep and doze for a bit.

Good visit with medical oncologist. Spent a lot of the visit talking about the MM and side effects etc. He thought I looked good and said if he saw me outside he wouldn't think anything was wrong with me. Yup, the inside and the outside don't match!!! My weight is down more - same as during BC chemo, he suggested Boost or Ensure and I said not a chance - the thought of drinking the stuff gags me!!! I told him I bought protein powder, but if i drink it, I'm not hungry. He told me to eat first and then sip on it even if it took me two hours to drink one and to try to drink 2/day. I told him I was only walking once/day many days and he said try for 2 walks/day. Keeping me on a 6 month schedule. When I was diagnosed 17 years ago, I did the BRCA 1 and 2 testing - thankfully negative. About 7 years ago, a 29 panel came out and he had me do that - a couple things showed up. Now there is a 84 gene panel and he wants me to do it as it will tell them if they need to watch me closer for other cancers! Plus it would be more information for my kids. So when I go for labs and treatment Friday, I will have the blood drawn. The company will push/fight for insurance to cover it an if insurance doesn't, he says cost is only $100 or $200 so we will pay out of pocket if need be.

DH spoke with our friend who is a retired endocrinologist yesterday and he said yes the surgery is important and needs to be done, but can wait till done with chemo. Weill see what my endocrinologist says this afternoon. He told DH to tell my endocrinologist HI!!

Another gorgeous sunny, warm day predicted for today, then turning colder, rain and even maybe snow.

DD#2 ordered me a great t-shirt before she left. It was supposed to come yesterday day but now won't come till W, TH or F says Amazon. It is kind of retro with flowers and peace symbols and says F Cancer!!! I have a photo on my phone. If no one is offended, I will post a photo.

We are going to be grandparents the end of May. We are all thrilled. It's been a long, hard road to parenthood for them! I've known since Thanksgiving because DD was giving off hints (not sure if purposeful or not) but she wasn't planning on telling us till 20 weeks. She told work after 20 weeks and as well as siblings. She didn't really make it public till she started wearing maternity clothes and people commented. I finally asked her one day how many weeks was she. They know what they are having and aren't telling - which is fine by me as I did the same with my youngest. My late mother was so annoyed. I kind of like not knowing. Hematologist says I can travel to see the baby when she/he s born if I'm feeling good. No matter how I feel, I will be on a plane to Toronto to meet my new grand baby. It will be a short visit as I have to do it between treatments. The one piece of wonderful news amongst all the crazy, lousy medical stuff with me. This is why DD#1 and SIL didn't come for Passover. She is going to get the baby a passport as soon as possible so when she feels its safe to travel with a new baby, she will come to Denver.

Have a great Tuesday.

Oh what wonderful news Karen, a welcome shining light amidst all the other issues right now. Blessings! TT

(oh and share the picture of the shirt)

Love the picture; and no matter how you feel, you do look great! 💓

The rest of my day needs to be spent organizing and packing. DH & I had a tour of the Western National Parks scheduled in 2020, which was canceled because of Covid.They are back up & running, so we are going! We fly to Phoenix tomorrow (please don't have storms in Denver, Karen, as we change planes there). Friday we meet up with our tour bus people. From there we travel to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce, Zion, flying home from Las Vegas. It will be hot in Phoenix and very cool in the mountains......so I have to figure out layers etc. I will post some pictures when I can.

Karen: LOVE YOUR SHIRT! It's perfect! And Love your beautiful smile! Congratulations are being a grandparents soon. So exciting!

Ruth: What a great trip. So glad you're finally being able to go.

Walked/ran today.

Update on my trip: today's flight is cancelled because of the Winter Storm here. ARGH! The new plan is to go out tomorrow; which means that if all things go as they are supposed to, we will arrive in the nick of time to meet up with our tour people. Geez, it makes me not want to go any place that involves an airplane! Unless they are canceled too, I will go to Dance2fit and Yoga tonight.

Glad that you are getting to the gym, Coffee! You will see the rewards physically & it's good for a person's spirits to be physically active. I hope they can get to the bottom of your medical issues. It is so stressful to not know what is going on.

I just got in from shoveling 4 more inches of snow (we have had a very long, bad winter here!). It's very windy too, but so far no flight cancellation notices, so fingers crossed that we get out (we are supposed to leave at 1:30). I will let you know. It sounds like BCO will be down for a couple days next week. Hopefully it will come back better than what has been going on since the last 'update'!

Oh Karen. I so hope you can get your nausea under control. I was given Emend plus other drugs that really helped. You haven't mentioned Emend but I thought I would tell you that it worked for me. And I hope you get back some of your appetite. I hope your nap helped!

Walked with a friend today.