1/1/11

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. I'd like to say it's because I have been feeling great and busy with the holidays but it's really been more about this feeling of treading water.

I finished my last scheduled chemo on December 21 and I am going up to Mayo January 10-13. All my numbers have remained steady, meaning not much change from when I went up to Mayo in September. Dr. Gregory has prepared me for the possibility that I may not be in complete response. That does not necessarily mean I will continue on the same treatment going forward. I still may be able to switch to some type of maintenance program or maybe they'll suggest I try something different entirely. There is still the chance I am in complete response. Dr. Gregory is looking at the numbers we have here at RUSH and more detailed tests like a bone marrow biopsy are to be done at Mayo. I have to say though that I appreciate her candor because she knows how devastated I was last September.

I am down considerably on the steroids and my face is a little less round although my body is still shaped like a barrel so I have no waist. I don't miss that crawling out of my skin feeling and I think my roid rage is less, but I do miss the extra energy I had. I get tired more quickly and out of breath with very little exertion. This can make me quite cranky. Matt wasn't feeling well right after Christmas and you often don't appreciate how much someone does for you until they are not available to do it. By the time he was feeling better I was wiped out.

Thanks to the largess of David and his family we are in Moonlight Basin Montana just on the other side of the mountain from Big Sky. We have gotten a ton of snow which has been great but unfortunately yesterday the temperature was well below zero and neither Matt nor Fox ventured out. I of course remain snuggled in the condo reading and watching HGTV. The temp is supposed to go up to a balmy 3 degrees today and as it is our last day everyone (sans me) will give it a go. It is so beautiful here and we are not so high in the mountains that I have been particularly bothered by the altitude. Then again, as I mentioned I haven't done much other than lounge around since we've been here.

A funny note. When we were boarding the plane in Chicago there were a number of flights near our gate going to warmer climates. As we boarded I was a bit slow and the rest of them family were way ahead of me. When I got to the door of the plane I found Ben there waiting for me. He was afraid I'd hopped over to one of the beach vacation flights. Does this boy know his mother or what! It's great to be loved.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best for 2011.