Life Is Good

I was lying in bed the other night and I realized I didn't hurt anywhere and could move freely without pulling at some necessary line or tubing and I was taking it for granted. Shame on me!

So I took a few moments to look back on the months when I had:

* a tube from my nose into my stomach (absolute agony in case you've never had one. I wouldn't suggest one. Ever. *smile*),

* an incision from stem to stern with 50-some staples holding my remaining innards in,

* oxygen blowing into my nose,

* white puffer-things wrapped around my feet intermittently filling with air to prevent blood clots forming, (which didn't work, by the way)

* wound vacuum taped and suctioned onto that fistula opening on my tummy,

* my Groshong (permanent intravenous) line hooked up to a suitcase carrying my nightly nutrition,

* head freezing cold because I had no hair and hats don't stay on bald heads at night ...

* AND... I swore I would never, ever take for granted sleeping peacefully past 4 a.m. when the stupid (sorry, but it's true) lab lady would show up at my hospital door with NO smile, NO polite greeting, no warning about the overhead lights she cruelly flicks on, and says, "I need your arm". Same arm, same poor bruised hole in the vein, never once switching spots, until I got a nice ball of scar tissue over the spot. Grr!!!

How did I ever sleep????? I was never completely free of extraneous appendages until they removed my Groshong awhile back. And here I am forgetting it already. I'm not asking for sympathy here, by recounting all these things.. no way!! I'm saying - life is GOOD. =)

Did anyone else get to witness this the other night? It was 3 a.m., so likely only us folks with hay farmers in the family were up and about at such an unearthly hour. ... the photo doesn't really do it justice. I don't know when I've seen a better lunar eclipse.

And here's what we do when Andy's got time off... Notice neither of us is working. =)

Settlin'

We're getting back into the home groove. A week away from baling proved to be nearly too much, so Andy's back at it again with a vengeance. The mouth sores I griped about to a few of you are resolving, so that is a beautiful relief. I had cold cereal for breakfast this a.m. which would have been a complete impossibility a few days ago. Food textures.... do you have any idea how wonderful they are? When you've been imprisoned by yogurt and well-smashed-up eggs, the freedom of popcorn and pecans is beyond description.

My doc appointment and chemo went all right this week. When listening to my lungs, the doc heard some fluid in and/or around my right lung again and sent me in for an x-ray. The radiologist checked out the x-ray and says I don't need any fluid drained off right now, so that's a relief. They were all very concerned about why that would be building up again. *sigh. But for now, I guess we're letting it be.

Dad got to take a ride in a WWII Flying Fortress B-17 today. It was an awesome experience and Tiff got some photos, so I'm putting them on here.

How cool is this?!!!!

Don't know how well you can see in this photo, but hopefully shows how 'well used' this old Fortress is.

Below here, if you look closely, you can see a guy crammed into the nose cone, which dad also got to ride in during his flight... Looks to me like it'd be as close to flying like a bird as anyone'd ever be - straight out in front, below the pilots. Thankfully they weren't flying over Germany 60-some years ago. Might be a rather nerve-wracking seat then.

Wyoming

We had good travels – found we really liked San Francisco, it’s beautiful and fun and has a unique sense of grace and style that sets it apart from other cities – but are glad to be home, too. Our flights home were pleasantly boring other than flying through a thunderstorm on the way home and pitying the poor out-of-staters who never have to ride our little puddle-jumper planes. They were rather green around the gills and one poor fellow (tough, outdoorsy type, coming to spend a week camping and fishing here) had to make rather expedient use of the airsickness bag. Made me feel tough, even though I too was approaching queasiness. =)

One thing of note: I finally found out my CA-125 and it is down. (457 before chemo, 349 after a couple chemo doses). Although not a huge drop, it is, of course, good news and is actually rather surprising to my healthcare team. Even a rise in CA-125 is considered normal after starting Doxil because it simply takes awhile to work, if it’s going to at all. So we are cautiously optimistic about that.

Life’s good though. It’s good to be home, nice to hear only quiet farm sounds without the constant rush and roar of traffic and people. A person forgets how beautiful it is here until they return. Guess it’s good to leave once in awhile so you don’t keep taking it for granted.

Last Eve in Houston

Hi all ya'll! Thanks for your comments and emails!! We're doing great - heading home in the morning, already. Hard to believe!!


Yesterday's appointment was basically a repeat of San Francisco's. We decided we must need to exhaust the 'normal' chemo options before I excite the big wig doctors into suggesting new/advanced treatments. Even with my repeated questions and requests, she had nothing to offer except what we've been doing and then more chemo. .... We admit to being a bit suprised as we surely hoped for some exciting news here, but we'll just head home and get back onto Doxil treatments, keeping our fingers crossed for a good response.

It's so lovely here though. Everyone complains about the heat, but truthfully we feel it's just as hot at home. And due to the frigid air conditioning everywhere it actually feels grand to soak the heat in when you step outside. =) The hotel has a covered walkway to the different hospital buildings and a wonderful shuttle service, provided free (notice I didn't say "FOR free" Michelle B. *smile*), so getting around is pleasantly simple.


Although this doesn't do it justice, here's a photo of the hotel atrium in the lobby. Like I said, it's so lovely here! Everyone does such wonderful things with lawns and landscaping!

Next...

Here we are again... now posting from Houston. Yesterday's flight went smooth as silk and we arrived here about 6 p.m. We are in the most amazing hotel which is connected directly to MD Anderson. They are totally amazing...
They prepare you for your appointment, tell you the best way to get there, provide every service needed, have a FREE shuttle to nearby dining/shopping/museums and the most beautiful rooms. It's a little like how Huntsman Cancer Center treated us... they just know what cancer patients need, how best to help them, etc. Thank you Karen F., for suggesting this place! We are very, very impressed.

Unfortunately we're in a bit of a hurry, so this will have to be it for now. Just wanted to let everyone know we're doing fine and I'll post again as soon as we can after the appointment.

Wish us luck.

Day 2

Our baggage arrived this morning!!!! That's the most important news. =)

The coolest part of yesterday was walking to the appointment. Such awesome sights, streets, houses!!

I know, I know - everyone knows what San Fran looks like, but I couldn't help snapping some photos. All these tall skinny houses, stacked together like sandwiches!

Dr Chan was a very, very nice guy who, after the hour of waiting on him, was very clear and decisive in both his manner and his ideas for me. He laid out a plan for what to do over the next few months and what happens when Doxil fails, and he'll send that plan on to my home-town docs. We're hoping the Houston docs have a little bit more positive attitude because his was more, 'when this fails, try this...' 'then when that fails, we'll go to this...' No encouragement about anything actually working or curing.

Then "Aunt" VernaAnn picked us up and we had the most amazing meal in the most amazing place on the ocean with her and Russ, Sharon, Craig and Kevin Farnell. Then headed home for much needed rest.

For today... not much. Just want to do whatever doesn't overwhelm, so we're playing it by ear. Hope all's well with all of you and Dave, we're surely thinking of you today!!! Wish we were there.

The Beginning...

Yesterday we get a phone call saying our 3:00 flight from Denver to San Fran had been cancelled. Yay. We were given confirmed seats on a flight out at 7:30 pm, arriving in San Fran at 9:30 or so. We decided to fly out of Riverton at 12 noon anyway and hang out in Denver, hoping for standby seats on an earlier flight. We wander through Denver slowly, knowing the next flight isn't until after 3, but when we arrive at the gate, we see them boarding a flight leaving at 2:20. Andy gets in line to ask for standby seats, the lady - when he finally reaches her - tells him there's FORTY people on the standby list ahead of him and not to get his hopes up, then announces overhead, "people! If you're waiting in line for standby seats, I have 40 people ahead of you. It's unlikely you'll have a chance."

Hmm. So we watch them board the flight, deciding to hang out until the last second just in case. They called a family of 4 from the standby list and we watched them board. Then all of a sudden we hear, "SNELLING, party of 2, Snelling, party of 2". And we look at each in other in complete disbelief. The guy taking boarding passes just looks at us, says, 'hurry up, we'll close the door behind you! And what was your name again?" He never even took our boarding passes, slammed the door behind us. They tell us to find the last 2 empty seats. Mine was in first class (I'd recommend that to everyone. *smile*) and Andy had an exit row seat with a bit more room than usual. Not sitting together obviously, but ending up in San Fran even earlier than we would have if we'd stayed on our scheduled flight.

After an amazing ride in a shuttle throughout downtown San Fran while he drops off passengers at other hotels, we arrive at The Laurel Inn: Here's another shot out our window. The electric buses go by constantly...

And does anyone know what this interesting tree is?

Of course our luggage is nowhere to be found. Literally. Even United's baggage track doesn't know. So thank goodness I packed key items in our carry-on bags. =)

Today at 2:15 I meet with the doc, so I'll post more about that after it happens.

Life Lately

Yesterday the lab called and said my CA-125 never did make it to the place where they run the test, so I need to have it re-drawn. Good thing I'm not too worked up about that number, eh? =)

I'm doing better this time around after chemo. I was determined to do virtually nothing for a few days afterward, as I mentioned earlier, and I think it's working. I'm still a bit slow (hmmm, that doesn't sound too flattering, but ah well), but I'm walking outside some already and last time I didn't want to MOVE for 2 solid weeks.

There's also something I want to make sure everyone knows. When I say I'm feeling puny, that's all I mean. I am SO lucky, because I don't get sick, I don't throw up, I don't have headaches, I don't have bone aches, I don't (so far) get the side effects most common with Doxil. All I feel is weak and tired. My heart rate gets out of control, so the least exertion is overwhelming, but if I SIT, well - all is good. =)

Man I hate reading "I" or "me" more than twice in this blog. I shall turn the focus away now, thank goodness.
Here's Tiffany with her dog who loves to ride piggy-back. Can you see how she's smiling? (The dog, I mean.)

And here's a couple from our last wagon-ride. Sure does make you realize how fast our lives have gotten - - It took us an hour to go just a few miles, but it was such a nice, quiet, pleasant hour. Can anyone else come visit soon??

And RAIN!!!!!!!! We got some rain! Real, down-poury, soaking rain! And I could thoroughly enjoy it because Dad didn't have hay down and it was just what he needed for his second cutting. Here we're saving it in buckets for all our plants as our well-water isn't the best: