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| Our View From Upper Deck |
Transition: Transitions are not easy for me. Get a feeling of disorientation -- got it when we took off for a few days when we owned the B&B. Anyway, lots has happened in the past 48 hours and we feel connected now. On Monday, in Palm Coast, Julie and Zack came right on time. We gave them the tour and they met our neighbors. They returned to JAX to be at her parents' house for the night. I think they will like the house. We certainly hope so. Then we left at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Trip was uneventful but did take a little longer since we stopped several times to let Reese relieve himself. We arrived in Weaverville at about 5:45. All was fine until I tried to walk up our front steps. Just a scraped knee and no bones broken (yay calcium). It has been raining in Asheville for 2 weeks so the steps were wet and I was tired. I still feel like an idiot.
Cancer Center: Saw Dr. Lucas today in the brand new Cancer Center. The new chemo rooms have beautiful mountain views and the chairs have heaters in them! We felt less harried with a lot less congestion than at Mayo. At Mayo, you have, at any given moment, hundreds of people in every waiting room on 8 floors. Maybe 1,000 patients in the clinic at any given time. It is a totally different environment. Anyway, Dr. Lucas had read all my Mayo reports and was up to speed -- what a professional! My schedule will be two more drip chemos with the first to be on Monday -- BUT ALAS my platelets came back at 63 today so we hope to get them up to 75 by Monday. Here come gallons of grapefruit juice !!!! I like to think I can control the platelets by drinking Vit. C but I think this is merely a myth or coincidence -- but I tried it last time and it worked. Of course, I had not had chemo in 3 weeks so that is the real reason my platelets went from 59 to 119 last time. If Vit. C and time do not take me to 75 we will have to abort the chemo and try again in a week. Also, Dr. Lucas referred us to a Dr. Humphries to see about the stoma on Tuesday. This is our highest priority. Cannot wait to see him! The pain was terrible yesterday and I am so tired of crying about this and feeling like a victim. Hate feeling like a victim. Our hopes and bets are now on Dr. Humphries who is not a nurse like the folks we have seen on five different occasions, but a real doctor. . . dear God, I hope he knows how to fix this. (PS The dresses did not work so I am glad I did not buy a lot!)
We generated more than $150 from our vet donation jars during the past 6 months! That buys two gates and some supplies ;-) Also, got good news from one of our local anchorwomen on TV who is coming to one of our fence builds this summer and bringing a crew! Very exiting! Dropped in to see the folks at Brother Wolf today and learned they are very close to closing on their building! How wonderful. They have also leased out the building across the street and call it Re-Tail where the admin offices will be and grooming, etc. They will also host a summer camp for kids there and have invited me to give a talk on chaining to the kids as part of our educational effort this summer. I will be hitchhiking on their adoption fairs at Petsmart over the summer. We are now ready for the big Adopt-A-Thon with the other rescue group in town, ACN. I have a volunteer who will help and may get a few more. It will be fun to meet new people! The dog cookies this year will be little chains which can be broken (get it?). We are still on target to kick off the campaign, UnChain Buncombe on July 4th. I am hoping to get a grant from Banfield and will be working on that next week.
: Meeting up on June 12th with the chief "survivorship" nurse, Penny, at the new Cancer Center (they call them "nurse navigators" now) to discuss the ostomate support group. This survivorship concept is to aid patients through all the nonmedical issues that can arise during your treatment. It is a great concept of positive thinking along the lines of Lance Armstrong's LIVINGSTRONG. I am anxious to meet up with Penny and see what we can cook up for ostomates. My PA, Judy, has received her doctorate after many years of hard work and although she'll be still working with Dr. Lucas, she will be doing more intake and analysis and other things so I won't be seeing her as often! I will miss her. . she was truly a dedicated nurse. Indeed, she chose the right profession.
Dogs and Patrick: All fine there. I think we are all glad to be back here ! Good rabbits and critters here.
Keep me posted on your lives, please!
Love,
Peggy
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