Gifts

Last week, I was the recipient of many gifts from my hosts in Hawai'i. I'm still mulling over the stories they gave me, which means that they are now part of me. I like that idea and I appreciate those gifts. Thank you Kekuhi and Tangaro!

Then, in the mail today, a dear friend sent me a check. I think it was in response to my worry over finances before the holidays. She said, "buy something for you or Eddie".

Okay, my dear friend. I will buy something fun for us. Eddie has already picked out a new wii game! : )

So, thank you, friend! It is much appreciated since the bills from the new year are starting to trickle in - I need to meet the $1,000 maximum out-of-pocket expense for 2011. That means nothing extra for awhile . . . but that's the way it goes.

I really am blessed by friends old and new. Thank you everyone!

Wow

I saw the surgeon yesterday and there wasn't a lot of necrotic tissue that he could clean out. He and his nurse were also quite impressed to see how much the area had changed in just one week. No more raised mound, no more Mount Herminator. The area now looks more or less like the right side. Except of course, it has a deep wound that goes down to the chest wall - about 4 cm.

It isn't draining as much. If the plastic surgeon is available, it looks like I may have the surgery in December, after the next round of Abraxane.

Also, more of the satellite tumors seem to be shrinking and disappearing as is the swollen lymph nodes elsewhere in my body.

Had lunch yesterday at Pastini's with the other models from Puttin' on the Pink (now, POP for short). I thought there was only four of us, but it ended up being about 11! It was fun! Randy Millstein, our photographer, was also there and he distributed CD's of photos of the night, including me doing the shimmy-like surf move! AS soon as I can download the photos, I will post them.

Another of the models, M, knit a pink winter hat for me. And, my colleague N gave me a new scarf and earrings plus she gave me four more beautiful scarves on long-term loan.

Eddie and I are heading to Bend today, for the night. We'll see a friend and colleague there - she has a new baby girl. I think we'll also talk about work some. And, I'll take Eddie to Sun Mountain Fun Center to play at the Arcade. We may even play in the snow. Another friend, B., who went to the coast with me last month, will join us for the trip.

All in all, life continues to be good. Good news on the cancer front; friends are giving me gifts again; I get to celebrate life this week-end. I love holidays!

A big thank you to M and N for the gifts! As I've said before and I'm sure I've said again, I have great friends!

In Gratitude - UW Clinical Trial

Someone has given to me (already) a gift certificate to Alaska Airlines, which will allow me to fly from Eugene to Seattle for one of the treatments for the UW immunotherapy trial.

I'm incredibly grateful - it'll save me some time on one of the trips - and completely unexpected as I intended to see what kind of funding I could find from other sources first.

I still plan to seek other funds as the trial calls for a total of 7 trips to Seattle. I scheduled the first four of those trips this afternoon: April 5, 12, 19, and May 3.

During the first three trips, I will receive a vaccine that is designed (as I understand it) to make my cancer cells look more like a foreign body - and will stimulate an immune response. I will also get a tetanus shot.

The last trip, I will undergo "leukophoresis", a process in which they extract my blood from one vein and then it goes through a machine that extracts white blood cells and then the rest of my blood is given back to me through a needle in another vein.

Then, they grow my t-cells until they have "millions" of them, which may take 2-4 weeks, and then I go back to Seattle for three infusions of my own T-cells, each infusion a week to 10 days apart. Those haven't been scheduled yet.

A day or two before the first infusion of T-cells, I will have to get a cytoxan treatment (cyclophosphamide). I had this before, when I had chemo the first time I had cancer in 2002. I had it in combination with adriamyacin and both of them made me nauseous - I think I only threw up once - and I lost my hair. Adriamyacin is more powerful - I think that my hair may only thin a bit with cytoxan. I hope that I don't get too nauseous. We'll see, though.

I am hopeful, though, as I really like the idea of this therapy. It seems much more humane than traditional chemo. If I can help contribute to the advancement of therapies like this, that are easier on patients, I'm willing to do it.

Thank you again, you anonymous person you. You're wonderful!

And, I have great students

I've been pretty up front with my students about my metastatic cancer and the fact that I'm going in for reconstruction surgery tomorrow. I'll be out for three weeks - the students will get by with guest speakers, exams, group projects, and films. I have a TA for one of them - Sam - who has graciously agreed to help with the films.

But, I was surprised when the students in my class today all signed a Get Well Soon card for me. It was sweet and so unexpected! Thank you guys!

Yesterday, I met with Maureen, the Mandala Lady and she gave me a 13x13 mandala to color just for answering a few questions about her coloring books. Then, my colleague who is on her way to Cuba gave me a "Celtic Mandala Coloring Kit" yesterday. Way cool!

And, I found out that things look hopeful for a supplemental on the King Island grant, which will help pay for the programming for an interactive web map.

Another cancer blogger - and two more colleagues that I met last May - have all wished me well. My colleagues and their families are all thinking about me.

Cool, eh?

A very good day. Things bode well for tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for thinking of me! That knowledge that you're sending good energy and prayers will be carried into surgery. I'm pretty sure that I'll by just fine! Thank you again!