Tennis

Watched Bouchard and Raonic in the U.S. open, but they both lost.  Far too hot for the women's game to be safe.

Still feeling unsteady.

Shaky

Really shaky today.  I expected it, so was organized.  Didn't do much and managed not to have to stand for long.  Not feeling sick, just weak.

Reasonable day

Had to have bacon and tomato sandwich for lunch as it is International Bacon Day.  Stong's brought two boxes of food in the afternoon.

Spent the day reading and watching Ennius and soccer.  Whitecaps bombed.

Not feeling too bad today.  Just the sore back.

Love those steroids

Today I take a steroid at breakfast and at dinner.  Means I feel pretty normal.  Will miss them tomorrow.  They do hype me, so it was restless start last night.  Woke up at 9:30, so must have slept for a big chunk.

Decided to put in a small Stong's order and ended up spending over $100.  Had a Max's chicken pot pie for dinner and a pasta, pesto, shrimp salad for lunch.

Only needed one pain killer today.

Chemo

Drove myself to the Agency today.  Once again, my bloodwork was booked for the lab.  Went back to 3 and brought the requisition up to 6 where they fit me in to access my port.  The nurse was great and she left the line in for my chemo.  Had to carry the blood back to the lab on 3.

I was fine driving, but finding it hard to stand.  The elevator gods were with me all day.  Had a tasty toasted egg salad sandwich in the cafeteria and headed to the 6th floor loung to wait for chemo in a big, soft recliner.  Instead of reading, I listened to some geocaching podcasts (Podcacher) and sipped mint tea.  Actually fell asleep for a bit.

Woke up at 2:29 and straightened up just as the chemo nurse came for me.  Made a new cup of tea and filled a cup with ice water before going in. Chemo went well and I continued with the podcasts and dozing.

Had planned to stop at Safeway on Oak, but there was parking at Max's.  Produce at the grocer's and treats from Max's.  Dinner tonight was a veal cutlet, tomato & bocconcini salad, fresh corn & a fresh raspberry tart.  More thing left for tomorrow.  Spent a lot but thought I earned it.

I was home by 5:00.  My back and leg started hurting during the treatment.  Guess they didn't like the recliner.  It must just hit the tumours I the wrong spots.  Feeling better tonight.

Quiet day

Felt better today but decided to just stay and take it easy before tomorrow's chemo.  The pain is definitely not as bad or often but still have lots of lumps and a swollen foot.  Hope next week's radiation will help.

Last day of heat for a while.  Thank goodness.

Geocaching day

Lori, Pam and Maureen picked me up at 10:30 this morning.  Traffic coming through Richmond was chaos due to accident and a sinkhole on Hwy 99.  We stuck to Vancouver and I logged 8 caches.  Stopped at White Spot for lunch.  Didn't eat much but enjoyed it.  Brought a blueberry tart home for dinner.

Reall felt terrible when we started.  It took all my will power to stick it out.  Actually felt better as the day rolled on.  My leg is so swollen, the stairs are hard.

Still shaky

Slept better last night but I'm still pretty shaky.  Couldn't do much all day.

Dozed and read.

Bad day

As long as I stayed still, I felt pretty good all day, except for the back pain.  Getting up was much harder.  My back and hips hurt when I stood still and I was really weak.  My right foot is really swollen and uncomfortable.  Managed to get my meals, but didn't attempt anything else.  Tomorrow should be better.

So many good things on TV tonight!

Sleepy

Poor sleep last night.  The steroids had me hyped.  Best sleep was in the morning.  Dozed a bit through the day.

Watched the last three parts of Secrets & Lies.  Had suspected the truth early on but then dismissed it.  

Bit shaky tonight.  My back hurts when I'm up.  Still feel better than previous Saturdays.

Reasonable day

Still taking steroids today so felt pretty good.  Pain comes and goes.  Stomach a bit upset so trying ginger Gravol.  Slept better last night.

Cycle 2

Had a quiet day.  Went to bed early and got more sleep.  Still up and down with the pain.  Felt a bit sick all morning.  Some soup seemed to help at lunch.

My chemo was 3:15 and I drove this time.  Forgot my Tylenol 3’s but the nurse got some fir me.  After a while, the pain in my back and abdomen subsided.  Chemo went smoothly.

Stopped at Safeway and got a BBQ chicken.  Home by 6.

Check up

Arrived for bloodwork at 8:15.  It was ordered for the lab and I was able to get it moved to the 6th floor so they could use my port.  Much easier.  Went to Granville Island for bacon and fruit. Nice and quiet early in the morning.

Karen was away but I knew the doctor I saw.  A nurse and pharmacist also talked to me.  The PET scan showed all the skin lessions and lymph nodes involved.  There are some nodules on the back of the abdominal wall and on one lung.  We're going to increase the strength of one of my chemo drugs. I also have some hydromorphone to help with the pain and will be referred to the pain clinic.  The radiation oncologist will be asked about some more radiation to help with the swollen leg.  The tumour causing this has opened a wound again.  I'll also have a biopsy on one of these skin tumours.

Dropped the prescription off at Safeway and was home at 11:30.  Pam picked me up at 5:30 and we went to a geocaching event held by a couple from California at the Burger King near the PNE.  They had no idea how close they were to the fair.  I now have all my geocache souvenirs for August - Traditional, Multi, Puzzle, Virtual, EarthCache and Event.

We had dinner there and Pam went in to grab my pills at Safeway.  They couldn't find them, so had to refill the prescription.  I stayed in the car.  So glad to finally get home.  Early to bed again tonight.  Actually got a pretty good sleep last night.  Let's see if the new pills let me repeat that.

Richmond caching

Pam and Maureen picked me up and we headed to Richmond.  By the end of the day we all had a bunch of finds.  Usually one or two of us had already found one, so could help the other.  Both Pam am Maureen ended up with several wasp stings at a cache we'll leave for the winter.  Delicious lunch at Pajo's on Garry Point.

Had to head home early.  The tumours on my back didn't like sitting in the car.  Two Tylenal 3's didn't help.  Pain is better tonight but I don't feel well.  Another night of poor sleep.

Dentist

Important to be friends with the dental technician.  She realized my back and leg were acting up and worked quickly.  I was done in 49 minues.

Stopped at Safeway for a load of groceries.  Lots of frozen entrees for nights like this when I don't have the energy to cook.  My cart helped me get everything upstairs.

Not feeling well this afternoon.  Took some Gravol and it helped.  Think I'm just overtired.  Couldn't stay in bed again last night.

Sleepless

Couldn't lie in bed in any way that didn't hurt.  The tumours down the right side of my leg ached so much, I moved back to my chair.  Two Tylenol 3's did no good.  I dozed until 5:30 and then it eased and I went to bed.  Woke again at 9:30.

Decided to have a quiet day.  The leg and back hurt on and off.  Getting boring!

Sore leg

My leg kept me awake last night.  I think the swelling is making the tumours down the right side worse.  I went to Cobs and got some stuff for the freezer.  Bought Chinese food on the way home at Yaoban Mall.  $8.50 got more than enough for lunch and dinner - hot & sour soup, fried rice, sweet & sour pork, 3 little chicken drumsticks and green beans.

Not a comfortable day, although I did sleep for a while.

FTF

Woke up to a new geocaching puzzle with puns from the periodic table. Took Lori, Maureen and I all day to solve it.  I went out shopping but a new cache popped up on my email as I got into my car.  It was only 1.6 km away, so I went for it and scored my 14th first to find.

There was so much traffic on Granville, I couldn't deal wth shopping.  Grabbed a latté and a Quizno sandwich and went home.

Pain did seem better today.

Geocaching day

Maureen picked me up this morning and we worked our way East along River Rd. in Richmond.  There was only one that was too slippery to get to.  Crossed back over the river in Queenborough ans headed West.  Excellent pizza and salad at Boston Pizza for lunch.

My back hurt all day and I'm starting to get some mouth sores.  There's also a purple area at the top of my swollen right leg.  Hope this chemo starts to have an effect soon.  Other than that, I'm feeling much stronger.  I like this week free of treatments.

Pirate Pack Day

Today was Pirate Pack Day at the White Spot.  Couldn't get in last year so I was there at 11:00 today. Had a Legendary Hamburger and blueberry pie.  Home again at noon.  Far too tired to do any grocery shopping.

Feeling a bit sick tonight, so took a Gravol.