Makeover Madness

With summer in full swing, I am feeling back to my normal self. Everyone asks how I'm feeling, and now about a month after my last chemo, I am glad to say I'm doing great! I have to monitor my energy a bit, but I have the feeling again that I would never know I had cancer if I hadn't seen the test results at my oncologist's office.

I don't know how we've lived in this beautiful south Florida community for almost ten years without joining the pool, but my kids finally bothered me enough to make us members. Now many of my days are spent by the pool watching Annabelle alternate between practicing her backstroke and freestyle, and pretending to be Ariel the mermaid. It didn't take long for my grandchildren to become indignant that Gram was observing from the shade of an oversized umbrella, so I bought my first swimsuit in fifteen years so I can join in on the splashing wars.

The new suit was just a small article in the wardrobe overhaul Mackenzie and I implemented soon after my energy was restored. We overtook Talbots and a few of my other favorite stores to buy some stylish clothes for my new post-steroids body. I've mentioned before that in order to inhibit the mal-effects of cancer treatment drugs, patients are administered steroids in combination with chemotherapy. It caused the shape of my body to change quickly, so I've spent the past few months in sweatsuits and pajamas. But now that I feel so much better, I don't want to dress like a sick person anymore. "What Not to Wear" is one of the staple shows Mackenzie and I like to watch on our stay-in days. Much like the pattern of the show, we got rid of the articles in my closet that hadn't left their hangers in years, and started from scratch. I looked fabulous at lunch today with my dear friend Patsy! And I'm excited to wear my new outfits any chance I get, so if you feel inclined to invited me out for a meal too, I promise not to disappoint!

I've been looking forward to the chic new ringlets that I knew were going to start growing in anytime now...Well, I've got some fuzz, but it sure isn't any stylish hairdo. Right now the top of my scalp feels a lot like a baby chick. It's fluffy and light, but steadily getting thicker.

Apparently, Bob was ready for a new look too. His Lincoln is on its last legs, so in true retirement age man form, he bought himself a flashy sports car. Bob and I drove up to Orlando this weekend to pick up his new convertible Mustang GT. We had a great time cruising around with the top down, and his work friends have been anxious to see the new hot rod Bob's been bragging about, but it looks like they're going to have to keep waiting. Since we got back to Fort Lauderdale, it's been raining on and off, and Bob won't chance taking his new baby out with the possibility of a thunderstorm. It looks fantastic sitting in our driveway though!

So medically speaking, there's not much to report. I have a routine appointment with Dr. Segota next week, but I'm doing wonderfully and enjoying this time of feeling healthy.

Good News!

Well, Emma et al. have returned to Virginia, leaving our home eerily noiseless. Emma's Fourth of July birthday party went off without a hitch, and I think her favorite present may have been the tissue paper filler from the gift bags. She, Annabelle, and Addison loved throwing the weightless papers in the air and dancing as they floated to the ground around them. Shannon's girls still come over everyday asking where Emma and her parents are. They miss their playmate.

Friday's celebration was made all the more enjoyable after the weights were lifted from my shoulders at Thursday's oncology appointment. Dr. Segota said my lung tumor has shrunk about 2mm, and the cancer in the rest of my body looks stable - meaning it has not changed in size. The fact that the cancer has gotten slightly smaller is remarkable considering 50% of people in my situation are dead six months after diagnosis. Here I am seven months from diagnosis and my condition has improved! We asked Dr. Segota what she thought about the amount of time I have left, and she said she is confident I will live at least a year beyond my diagnosis. She added that whether that means little more than a year or two and a half years, only God knows. How true. Still, I am happy to tell you that all of your prayers and support have helped me to fare far better than most people with stage 4 lung cancer. Praise God!

I will undergo the usual tests again in 2-3 months to see if the cancer has progressed, and then in 3 month intervals until a change is noted. Whenever that happens, we will delve into the possible treatment choices. I would be tested to see if I qualify for a promising clinical study, and if that is not for me, there are multiple chemo options on the horizon. We will cross that bridge when we get there, but for now I am delighted with the good news!

Dr. Segota said I can expect to see much of my energy return and the other chemo side-effects wear off within a few weeks. As I've mentioned before, I will continue Zometa and Avastin, but the effects of these drugs are far less severe. I'm most eager to see my hair grow back. After chemo, the re-grown hair often looks different than it did prior to treatment. I remember my sister Jeannie's hair came back in tight little ringlets that framed her face beautifully. Right now I've got some peach fuzz that appears to be (gasp!) white. My scalp has been tingling, similar to the sensation I had just before my hair started coming out, so I think it's a sign the fuzz may be filling in soon.

We took a mere 357 pictures during Steve, Dawn, and Emma's visit, so I have to share some with you!

Breaking News and More!

It's a big week at our house, and I have somehow stumbled into a rare period of quiet in the home, so I'll use it as long as it lasts to catch everyone up on all the latest news. Steve, Dawn, and Emma are back in town, and it is incredible the amount of noise three little cousins can make. I finished the matching dresses I've been making for Annabelle, Addison, and Emma to wear at Emma's bug-themed birthday party this weekend, so the girls have been tearing around the house in them in 10 minute installments. We try not to keep the dresses on them long enough to get dirty before the day of the party, but they need some time to admire themselves in the mirror each day. They look like three little butterfly princesses in them.

Last Monday I underwent all the tests again to make sure I can go off chemo. I spent the full day being poked and prodded with IVs, shots, a bone scan, and a CTscan. On Thursday morning, I have an appointment with Dr. Segota where we will hear the results of these tests. Hopefully, the conclusion will be that the chemo has slowed my cancer growth enough that I can have an indefinite break from these harsh treatment cycles. I would appreciate your continued prayers on my behalf for these results.

I'm also seeking God for wisdom about a sensitive issue for me. It has been a little over 6 months since my diagnosis, where I was told I would probably live shortly over a year. I'm wondering if I should ask Dr. Segota for another projection at our upcoming appointment. I know it is just an educated guess, but Shannon has given us some exciting news that makes me curious about the time I have left. She and John are expecting another baby! We are thrilled to welcome this gift into our family, and you all know how crazy I am about grandchildren! I want to know if I can count on holding, smelling, and kissing this new blessing, or if I should prepare to possibly depart before I can say hello. I'm sure it wouldn't make any major difference in my behavior, but I'm just curious to know. And then if God grants me more time than Dr. Segota's prognosis, it'll be a blessed bonus. On the other hand, I may not ask her at all. Of course there are many stories of cancer patients who have outlived their mortal prognosis by years. This is because God had already chosen the very hour they would die, regardless of what their doctors estimated. Psalm 139:16 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." No terminal diagnosis can change what God has already decreed, but I think a medical estimate of my time left will help my family continue to prepare for my departure. In fact, as I'm writing my thoughts, I think I've decided I'd like to know. I will likely ask Dr. Segota for an updated projection at my appointment, and if I do, I will tell you her response.

Continuing the news from earlier, and I'm sure Shannon will protest this request, but I would love for all of you to send in suggestions for the next "A"-name to add to the series in her family. We don't know the sex of the baby, so we are open to all submissions!

Here are some pictures of my kids with their kids at the zoo and water park adventures this week: