Yesterday I met with my doctor who thinks I am showing progress in terms of the tumor shrinking and getting softer and harder to distinguish from the surrounding area. We talked briefly about the next set of treatments but she wanted to wait until I was done with the a-c's before discussing taxol. I am trying to show patience. She didn't seem that concerned with the cough and thought I should use my asthma inhaler more - I'm more skeptical as it is a steroid and I'm guessing won't help with my actually being able to sleep at night which is my main goal. She thought I should shift to cough medicine but sadly thought robitussin with codeine wasn't neccessary. My breathing sounds fine and they had no trouble with having me go forward with treatment. The only glitch came when she was listening to my breathing through the stethoscope and i kept talking - yes my doctor had to tell me to be quiet.
She also gave me a prescription for magic mouthwash which sounds slightly gross but I will get it filled and use it - though probably not the 6 times a day i seem to be using the biotene. I also need to make an appointment with my surgeon for about a month from now to start thinking about scheduling the next stage. I keep wanting to say I'm halfway done but that really isn't the case - though I think comparmentalizing and taking it one step at a time keeps it all tractable.
Chemo was fine - my friend Michele came in from California for both the doctors visit and chemo and we ended up playing a text-twist like game on her iphone. We also snapped a picture in the waiting room - I'm wearing kiki - no bald pictures. I think the nurses were amused and I had a surprising ability to find and guess words. One of the nurses just got an iphone so may have gone out to get the application. They also may have been amazed we were doing something that required thinking. I also read an us weekly from the fall - so that may have killed any brain cells that were stimulated.
Felt pretty good afterward and while Michele went out to dinner with a friend of hers from Brown - I went upstairs to have dinner with my upstairs Jason and Amy and Nate who was really supposed to be sleeping. (He's a little over 1 - but was super excited to sit up with us - though it made Amy's dining experience less than ideal.) Jason loves to cook, is really good at it and will take requests. Given the choice of quiche or pasta and meatballs, I went for the meatballs which were great. Added advantage I got a doggie bag to take home with me. Its great to be able to visit with people yet be close enough to wander around without shoes and sometimes without hair. (I do wear a cap - and the babies seem very accepting though i'm not sure they know I am the same person.)
Today I feel fine if very mellow - this is in part due to my taking a wrong pill this morning at 7 - even though I double checked somehow I took an Atavan instead of my super-duper anti-nausea pill - you would think the fact that there are only 4 pills left in theanti-nausea pill would have been a giveaway. Turns out it is okay - I took the anti-nausea pill and the steroid and the bonus atavan is adding to my spaciness and might mean I'll nap this morning - not a bad thing.
Michele - who needs a nickname apparantly- mpfox, leopard, datagirl, we'll see what she picks, wants to guest blog and I said she could as long as no overly embarrassing stories from my past s are shared. Having visitors is great - though unless I start acting more physically needy I think people want to organize things - she's put my big stack of New Yorkers in order and is encouraging me to throw them out. I haven't renewed my subscription and won't until the pile is gone. Going through the closets might be next. I will end up more organized.
Kim
I think the killer bosoxfox nickname makes everyone now want one. Though with W. out of the white house nicknames might be passe.
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Dear Loyal Readers,
ReplyDeleteLike me, I’m sure you are all feeling better about our Kimmer’s prognosis and general mood after reading her blog updates. I just got back from three nights at chez kim and wanted to share my own perspective on her health and well being.
First of all, she looks great, Kiki is a head-turner and she has a great group of supportive friends and neighbors who are checking in constantly. The hospital, her doctor and nurses are all terrific and seem to be getting to know Kim. During her checkup, Dr. Lui did have to ask Kim to stop talking so she could actually listen on the stethoscope.
As Kim mentioned, we did spend the majority of time while she was in chemo playing a game called “wordle” on my iphone (similar to text twist for you other word geeks out there). The highlight was when Kim screamed “orgasm” (which was the correct anagram that we were looking for, thank you very please). Needless to say, the nurses have now downloaded the game.
Kim is probably the only one of our friends who can conduct a phone interview with a reporter while strapped in and getting intravenous scary drugs injected in her. Yes, I was witness to this… I believe her quote to the reporter was, “Yes, I am doing a few things, but it’s a fine time to talk.”
Friday night (the night after chemo), I went out with Kim and two of her economist friends (the charming Tracy and floral jean wearing Marian). I did have a few cocktails to make it through all of the shop talk (which was actually more interesting than some of the silicon valley geek discussions). We ended up at Kim’s house singing karaoke until after midnight when she kicked Tracy and Marian out so I could wake up for my 7am flight (ouch!). Yes, mid way through her treatment and 24 hours after chemo Kim is having a much more active social life than all of us suburban married types.
Perhaps the most heartening thing for me to witness was that Kim’s personality has not been altered by her body chemistry. On the way to Georgetown there was plenty of micro-managing of not only the route to the hospital but the exact speed at which I should drive (in order to maximize efficiency with long stoplights). I was accused of being tone deaf during karaoke (possibly true). And, although she acquiesced to letting me help her organize her closet, that also brought a round of critiques. “Why does it matter if it is polyester and has shoulder pads if I’m going to wear it underneath a suit?” You, my fellow readers can weigh in on that one…
In my defense it is perfectly serviceably blue and white striped shirt that while it does make the whole blue suit seem slightly flight attendanty - my other two shirts are lower cut and sometimes one just might have to cover up. In any case -all of you wayfarers now can have an in depth look at how much fun chemo with Kim (or Kiki) can be. It was great having Michele here and I am still in possession of Tracey's karaoke so bad singing can be had by all.
ReplyDeleteLook how cute you are! Hi, Kiki!
ReplyDeleteThanks A LOT for the insider's look, Michele. I love the phone call image: perfect. And -- Kim called you tone deaf??? If she didn't have cancer, I'd make a very sarcastic remark, but we have to be extra nice and all ...
Can't wait to see you, Kimmer. I'll be up for karaoke (speaking of tone deaf), and I'd be happy to cook, but don't expect me organize ANYTHING.
xo
I did say we were all kind of tone deaf - the singing was joyful if not melodic.
ReplyDeletecarol -
ReplyDeleteforgot to mention that i stayed up really late the first night reading your new book (which i thoroughly enjoyed).
I did ask kim a lot of pointed questions about your taste in men, anal retentive tendencies and cooking prowess.
mm
Is it just me that can't even fathom typing on atavan, much less everything else? Kim, your updates are wonderful for those of us who are far away. Your average days are more productive than mine ... you rock. Nothing more eloquent comes to mind ... might be the cheap TJ's wine I'm sippin'. Love you.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Melee is me, Celeste - I created that name years ago and it took me a second. Blogspot never forgets, I guess!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Michele for the excellent accounts.
ReplyDeleteKim, here's hoping that number 5 is going well for you today.
I don't think nicknames ever go out of style, at least when they're positive and affirming!
Michele,
ReplyDeleteKim thinks my books are all about her.
But only some of them are.
Sorry I missed the Karaoke! Kim sounds like you are doing pretty darn well.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Aram