Ready for Anything
Chickadees 
Cat and Kizzy
Kizzy and CatToday we got ready and drove on up to Jackson for my doctor appointment in the chemo department. Gina saw a cow and calf moose just down the road, and then we saw Jerry's buffalo and counted them as wildlife. Most of the road was clear and wet, then snow packed just through Bondurant and the canyon. We had good driving. It was snowing lightly through the Hoback and in Jackson. Someone told us they had 8" night before last and 3" more yesterday. Up there it got to 38 degrees! So anything on the road was melting off.
Although a beautiful drive, I didn't take any pictures today, it was so much like the other days that we've gone. The snow was yet deeper, the fences more covered, and the berms along the road were higher than last week.
Gina took her recycled glass up to their recycling center - Pinedale doesn't take glass - so that was our first stop. We left in time to walk through a couple of the nice art galleries (Trailside and Legacy).When we got to Trailside, I called Virginia and invited her to come to the Bunnery and have lunch with us, and she met us there about 11:45. Trailside is moving to a new building a couple of blocks away and they were bustling around in there. As usual I had a few favorite paintings and sculptures, and it's always great to get inspired being around such good art.
We went on over to the Bunnery. Its a bakery that has at least breakfast and lunch, good sandwiches and soup. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, and although dessert always looks so good, didn't have it this time. I always love to see Virginia and get to catch up with her news and how they are doing. Calvin is doing about the same, she says, and her sister had some back surgery a couple of weeks ago. She would like to go down to Mesquite or somewhere to get out of the winter weather for a while.
Over to the hospital and got there just a little early. There were more Pinedale people there again this time and we visited with them while we waited. Had an especially nice talk with Jerry whose wife was there to see the doctor too. It was his buffalo we saw, and he is also an artist.
The appointment with Dr. Ward, the Huntsman doctor, was at 1 p.m. Last week's scans either don't show OR the radiologist didn't mention the pancreatic tumor. I asked twice if it hand changed and he said twice "They don't mention it", so I left it at that assuming they couldn't see it, not to be confused with it's not there, or never looked for it. Maybe just shrunk. But the spots on the liver are larger this time than last - that was in SLC. However..... Dr. Ward seemed very influenced in his opinion by the fact that the C-19-whatever tumor markers were below normal and was basing his recommendations on that. He also gave, what seemed was the conservative time of a year to live. That's quite a bit better than the 6 weeks they gave in Salt Lake. And who knows, we could keep that up for a while. Like I say, he seemed optimistic. He said I should have two more months of chemo, so am not done for now, and then have the scans again with another doctor appointment and see what things look like at that time. So I the first treatment of month 4 was today, two more and then will have the next week off and then another month of chemo. i.e. there are 5 more chemo treatments, then the scans. He said the pain I've had across the top of my abdomen since the surgery is pleurisy, which I thought was in your lungs. But he said all your organs have a lining and that lining can become inflamed. That does feel like it could be right in this case. It has very gradually gotten better anyway, sometimes flaring up more again. Dr. Ward said they don't like to do anything about this as long as the person can stand the pain. Not sure what the cure would be in that case.
Perhaps Between March 12 and March 24 or so I can go down to Vegas to see the family and friends.
Soon the chemo drip finished and we were out of there! I had driven up to Jackson and Gina drove back. The nurses always say that someone else should drive home. I do get more or less a little out of it afterwards - that improves each time.
Back in Pinedale we went to the store for a few things and stopped by the post office. We had smorgasbord (leftovers) for dinner and I made a really easy blackberry pie with prepared pie crusts. It was another good day.
Called Joe a little while ago and told him what the doctor had said. And that I would come home tomorrow. I know I'm going to be apprehensive about getting to each treatment appointment from there again. March is often nasty, especially the wind. But have been here at Gina and Bob's for over a week, and the weather has been good enough that I sure could have been at home just fine so far - even though to look at the weather reports it doesn't always sound that good. Gina has offered for me to come and stay overnight the day before my appointments if it looked like the weather might be bad, so that is an option. Also Kay has said to come to her house too.
We may go swimming again in the morning, and to the store before going home. It may be the day after tomorrow before I get back to the blog again.
1 comment:
Kizzy and the cat sure seem to enjoy each other. Until there are Chickadee's to watch!!
Frustrating when you can't get answers from Dr.'s and technicians. Like you don't already have a pretty good picture. I already thought that your prognosis was better than the 6 weeks. I belive as well as you are doing that you will have a good extended time. Good meaning feeling well.
I had what was called pleurisy once and got it when I had a horrible coughing cold. The Dr. said it was the ligaments holding my ribs together that had torn. Was very painful. Especially when I had to cough. They tied my ribs up tight to ease the pain when I coughed. Didn't work. But that is all I know about that.
Quite a schedule. Thank you for it. Helps a lot to keep track. March 24th is when I have my appointment for a follow-up colonoscopy. Yuk! However, after getting down on the floor with much begging and pleading, I found out that there was a pill, (40 of them), that can be taken for the prep instead of the horrid liquid. My gag reflex almost didn't allow the first go'round. Then if all goes well, finally will get the plumbing fixed. This summer will go by slow/fast and I'll not have gotten a think done.
I hope you can get away to visit your family and friends. You will be going with someone, right?
The blackberry pie sounds delicious.
It is hard to guess weather. Maybe your visit with Gina is what kept the weather so nice. Now there's a thought.
Love you,
~J~
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