I feel great! Too bad I have a treatment tomorrow.

I have not been writing so much lately. I tried to use this time when I feel good (better than I have felt all summer actually) to get chores done and run necessary errands. I even went into school today to make sure I will be ready for work next week. By the time I am finished in the afternoons, I am spent and not interested in writing. Steve said that I am like my old self. I feel like my old self. That will all change tomorrow.

Mary North, who teaches with me at Patrick Taylor, will sit with me in the chemo room tomorrow. The treatment should last about 2 and a half hours. I told her to bring her laptop so that she can get some work done (free wi-fi at Ochsner), but we will probably spend most of our time trying to solve the world's problems. Unless I get too tired. They start my drip with benadryl. I get a little loopy at the beginning of the treatment. It is not too bad by the time I leave, though I wouldn't want to drive myself home.

I have only one 14 day course of the dreaded Xeloda pills left to take. That starts tomorrow. Then on August 12th that will be it for me. Thank goodness; I really hate the hand and foot troubles that I have had with that drug. Then I get to find out how my body responds to a whole new set of medicine.

Hey Book Group -- Thanks for the cool cap

I was so touched when I was presented this hat at the June meeting of my book group. It really took me by surprise. I always try to be correct and write thank you notes, but I didn't really know how to deal with thanking a group of people for a gift. So I sent out an email to all the members, since that is how we communicate.

I also thought it would be nice to share this in the blog and let everyone see me wearing my new hat. Thank you Book Group for the hat and support. You all are great!

Smooth Sailing

Okay, it is not totally smooth, but this cycle of treatments has been the easiest so far. I haven't had much to write here because I have felt so much better this third cycle than the first two cycles. I went to the doctor's office today to show them my hands. My condition is considered a grade 2 reaction to the drugs. That means they will lessen the amount of drugs that I will be given during my fourth cycle. I am all for that. These drugs are strong!

Everyone has been so complimentary of my hats and scarves that I wear to cover my bald head. That's nice, but it is hot out there. We just returned from a dog walk, and I wish that I could have gone without a head covering. Now I am hot and miserable. I sort of have a peach fuzz covering my head and to me it is unattractive. I am just not liberated enough to go au naturale.

When I report to school on August 6th, I will be on day 7 of my 4th cycle. Since the students don't arrive until the 11th, I should be able to handle the meetings and low key events that happen before the first day with kids. I will have the 5th through 8th cycle of treatments after school starts. I will be given a different cocktail of drugs than I am taking now. The side effects may be different, and I may or may not be able to tolerate them as well. The doctors cannot tell me how my body will react. I am anxious about it , but everyone says that I should take one day at a time.

My book group chose a book with a character that gets breast cancer. That took me by surprise. Luckily, it was not a major focus of the book because I may not have been able to get through it.

A Week Since Last Treatment

As you can see in the picture my hands are peeling. This only hurts in the places where it is very red like where my thumb meets my palm. Yes, it is very unpleasant and hurts in places on both hands. Ick. Anyway, the doctor has stopped the pills again until my hands improve. I go see her next week to find out if I need to continue to take the Xeloda. I hope that I will be finished for this cycle.

I feel crummy, but Steve keeps reminding me that I am doing so much better than the first two cycles. My stomach seems to be better and I definitely have less queasiness. So maybe this is what I can expect in the next cycles.

I report back to work in three weeks. I hope that I can do it. I hope that working will help me keep my mind off feeling lousy.

Trees Grow in Houston

Here are Chris Cunningham and Jo Ann Moinet standing on the deck outside Jo Ann's Houston apartment. What a gorgeous setting! Who knew you would find this in the concrete jungle known as Houston, TX. The apartment is located in the neighborhood known as the Heights. It was a wonderful neighborhood made up of trees, sidewalks and craftsman cottages. We spent our mini-vacation shopping and visiting and eating. Jo Ann treated me to a dry pedicure which was so relaxing. A full pedicure is one of those luxuries that I cannot indulge in during my chemo treatments. I have to worry about infections.

On Tuesday night we had a delicious Vietnamese dinner at Vietnam on 19th Street in the Heights. Joan sitting at the head of the table
always orders for the group. She did good. Starting on the left and going clockwise around the table are Andy, Rick (Joan's husband), Jo Ann, Annie (who used to live in NOLA), Chris, Joan, Mary Stuart (who used to live in NOLA), me (in my head scarf), and Ryan (Andy's son).

The trip was a great success! I think that we should plan a repeat for next summer, then I can sleep in the closet instead of Chris.

On Thursday, the 10th, I had my third chemo treatment. All went well and today is okay. However, the Saturday after is when it all hits my system, so I am bracing myself for a difficult weekend. I will keep you up to date.

The Kahn Women Are All Survivors!

Here we are: my mother, Felicia Kahn (diagnosed with C 2 years ago), me (diagnosed with C April 11, 2008), and my sister, Felicia "Taffy" Michelson (diagnosed with C 12 years ago and thyroid cancer in 2007). My sister came to spend the holiday weekend in New Orleans with us. The photographer is Pam Knight from Durham, England who was also visiting over the weekend.

We are standing in the patio of Feelings Cafe where we had just enjoyed Sunday brunch.

I'm getting costly cancer drug for free

There was an extensive article about the drug Avastin in the New York Times today.   Click here if you would like to read it. This drug is part of my clinical trial. It has been used on advanced cases of C for years; now they want to see if it works on early stages of C. I am a guinea pig for that. Luckily, I don't have to pay for it. 

ACSCAN Bus visits New Orleans

Yesterday my mother and I went to see the American Cancer Society Community Action Network Bus. The bus is traveling to 48 states before arriving in Washington D. C. on election day. The idea is to raise awareness for the need for congress to provide funding to the fight against cancer. Here is a link to the American Cancer Society website==>http://acscan.org/bus/

We found a small spot left on the side to write a message and sign our names.