There is a lot to report tonight.

First and foremost are the results from my petscan. The scan showed slight improvement and basically indicated that things were steady. We are regarding this as good news. I feel good and strong and expect to go to Xeloda when I meet with the doctor next week. It may not start till after Labor Day. That assumes that we go with the Xeloda option.

We have done six seminars on alternative cancer therapies and have some things to add to our routine. Far Infrared Suana, infusion of Vitamin C, Ozone infusion and a few other options have presented themselves. Much of the presentation dealt with digestive issues. (see below)

I also have a list of clinical tests that are being conducted assuming no use of Xaloda and can get another list assuming I do Xeloda.

There will be much study and thought during the next few weeks.

On the household front, we had a plumbing disaster in the kitchen. Fortunately, there was no major overflow from the sink. However it caused excitement for a few days as obviously the drain was clogged.

Later, Carol was talking about 20 years of sludge being built up. I though she was talking about my digestive system, but thankfully, she was talking about the garbage disposal that fed the drain. Apparently carrot shavings are good for my digestion, but not so good for drains.

I had occasion to take a short flight this week and was impressed by the airline. While I didn't take it, I was offered a complementary head set. I thought later that I should have taken it as I like it when people tell me that I am looking good or offer any kind of compliment.

Secondly, I was just behind the emergency exit rows. The stewardess said that if anyone in those wanted to be moved, they could be. No one wanted to be moved, but I wondered what kind of story the stewardess would tell them to move them, likely to tears.

It is getting late and so I will go off to bed, dreaming of Amy, the new attendant at the clinic where I get my petscan. She is attractive, greets all patients with a smile and went out of her way to get me my report the same afternoon of the test. Another woman in my life! Don't tell the research manager.

Butterflies, Eagles and Ostriches

How am I doing? Well, I feel very good. It is amazing what a few weeks away from chemo will do for you, well for me, anyway.

I do have dry mouth. I do have a little neuropathy. However a few people have told me that I look better than I did last time they saw me.

With my dry mouth, a topic of conversation in the morning is about sleep. The research manager always asks, "How did you sleep." I always answer "lying down!"

I have taken to watching a few minutes of Jimmy Fallon before I fall asleep. The other night, he played a tape of The Bachelorette. In it, one of the suitors said that while most people feel butterflies in her presence, he felt eagles!

My tennis is slowly improving. In fact, I received New Balance clothing in the mail. I assumed that is because they wanted to sponsor me. I also received Nike socks and I have Champion shorts and shirt also. Then I remembered that I had purchased these items and so, I guess, I have no sponsor.

Apparently, the key is to wear Adidas clothing. I had a tennis lesson this morning and the coach had Adidas clothing on and he hit the ball fairly well. I will have to order Adidas next.

I do appreciate your support. It gives me ostriches in my stomach when I think of your support of me and my journey!

Annoyances

You would be surprised at how long the effects of chemotherapy last. Here it is two weeks since my last chemo and there are definite effects still present. The primary one is that my white blood cell count is still very low, slightly improved after my shots last week, but not nearly what the shots have done previously. There are also slight annoyances which I will discuss shortly.

Meanwhile I have another 20 days before I meet with Dr. Patel and 12 days till my petscan. A nice holiday!

I am heartbroken that Dr. Haider, one of the many women in my life has left Moffitt for Tampa Bay General. I will see another doctor in early September, but it will not be Dr. Haider.

Over the past week, I have accumulated the top ten annoyances currently in my life:

10. I previously talked about my problem with odd numbers of eggs in the carton. While I have made some progress, it now bothers me when the number of eggs left in the carton is not divisible by three since that is the number of eggs that we eat each morning.

9. I cannot stand the little horse in the Dr. Pepper commercials. If you have not seen one of these adds, celebrate your good fortune. They are as annoying as political ads.

8. I still have neuropathy in both fingers and toes. Apparently it takes at least 6 months to improve.

7. It annoys me when my tennis opponents call one of my shots out when it is clear to me that the shots are in. It is equally annoying when I call a shot out and they believe it was in.

6. My nails are brittle and split easily.

5. People often do not understand what I am saying. I can't believe that almost everyone in my life needs hearing aids!

4. There are people who put the toilet paper on the roll so that the next sheet is at the back of the roll rather than coming over the top and down the front. Apparently, it may take a rocket scientist to change the toilet paper roll.

3. Dr. Haider has left the building. At least the one that I used to meet her in.

2. I still get tired easily. I think this is largely related to the white blood cell count. Hopefully it will improve.

1. Oh, darn. I can't remember number one. But that is common, with chemo brain, I often forget things.

I know that each day we should count our blessings. That is easy. It is having all of you in my life.

Energy Crisis

Here we are a week after chemo and I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel, well this tunnel anyway.

The major issue this past week has been tiredness and lack of energy. This was proven when I had my blood tests yesterday and came up with a very low white blood cell count. As a result, I had a neupogen shot yesterday and again today to build up those white blood cells. I am beginning to feel more energy already.

I played tennis yesterday and again this morning with mixed but not all negative results. Mind you, I had gone the previous 5 days undefeated. The fact that I couldn't play two days because of Bob and three days because of rain is irrelevant.

The other day, I had a sit down with the research manager to talk about diet. Well, I had a lecture about diet. I heard the word ketogenic several times. Then we turned on the television and immediately heard a commercial that started "Here's what I want for Charlie's diet." That was about dog food but it resembled what I heard before turning on the TV.

One of the things we are trying to do is to sit quietly and listen. I was listening to Cash Cab the other day and the research manager started talking about listening, thereby making it impossible to listen. Oh well.

I am now going a month without any treatment and will see the doctor on August 21. Meanwhile, I get to recover. I will have a petscan on August 13.

Thank you all for your interest, prayers and support. I am grateful for all.

Doing not too badly

Last Wednesday, I was just recovering from some digestive issues and about to go to a colon hydrotherapy session the following day. That session went well and things have steadily improved since then. In fact, it is now the day after chemo and I am feeling generally well. I am tired tonight because I was out for a good part of the day, but otherwise things are ok.

While I was at the colon hydrotherapy clinic, they offered to do a foot detox. I agreed to do it and I think it was helpful, but who knows. When it was finished, the assistant said that she was going to rinse my feet with plain water. I told her that I preferred train water, but I think that it went right over her head.

Prior to every chemo, I meet with either the doctor or the nurse practitioner. You may recall my affinity for nurse practitioners. Yesterday, I met with a physician's assistant. I will tell you that they rate right up there with nurse practitioners!

I learned yesterday that I will have a month's holiday with no treatment, not meeting with the doctor till about the third week of August. This will be a nice break. I expect that we will then begin use of the pills (Xaloda) every other week and a 1/2 hour infusion of Avastin every other week also. That is far more palatable for me than what I have been going through.

I may have told you about the butterflies around the tennis court. I regard them as reminders that there are people both here and up there that are looking out for my welfare and I am grateful.

Speaking of tennis, I got an email sharing with me movie titles that could apply to tennis. Here are a few of the good ones:

Love Story
Drop shot Dead Gorgeous
Great tennis balls of fire
Doubles indemnity
The bad call of the wild. - This is one for when I play tennis, the opponents are always making what I perceive to be bad calls. I usually challenge by saying "What?", but they pay no attention and call the ball out anyway.

It is late and I am tired. Off to bed. See you next week.

The plumber

Wow. A great response to the Name that Book request. Thanks to all for their ideas. At this minute, it looks like "Notes from a Cancer Survivor (Smiling almost all the way) is the leader but the book has not been published yet.

I find it hard to isolate time for the finishing touches on the book, the forward and appendices are almost as much pain to get done as the disease itself. However, it will be done as soon as I can. Then it will apparently be about a 5 month process to get it out there. I will keep you posted.

Now, how are things going? In general, many things are ok, Before I report what the week has brought, I want to update you on the repair situation here at our home.

We had a leak in our air conditioning. The repairman came and said that we needed a new pan which requires about 4 hours of work.

Next, our washing machine is leaking water during the spin cycle. The repairman said that we needed a new pump at a cost of not much less than a new machine.

The third repairman, a plumber, said that the outlet pipe had gotten a little clog and that the pressure of the debris building up had caused a small rip in the pipe at the end. He said that if we applied a gel to the rip, it would be almost as good as new in a few days.

Well, it was my pipe. The plumber is the GI doctor. I think you can fill in the rest. Sure enough, after a few days of significant discomfort, I am almost back to normal, whatever that is.

My blood test numbers were good yesterday. My weight is back down. Blood pressure is good. White blood cells are low, but decent. Hopefully, they will stay high enough to get my final treatment of this series next Tuesday.

The magic mouthwash has eliminated any sign of mouth sores this time round, I still have modest dry mouth, but it is okay. It wakes me up once or twice each night.

I am back to playing tennis and that feels good.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day. I have an appointment for a Colon Hydrotherapy session. Don't ask, if you don't know what that is. I had two previously and listening to the therapist's running commentary is interesting.

I am now working on movie titles that can be subtly changed to apply to tennis. The first one? A Ball too Far. Suggestions are welcome.

So, life goes on. I am enjoying it and hope that you are too.

Name That Tune, er Book

The day after chemo.

Hmmm.....I didn't feel too bad all day. I did not have much of an appetite and after being out all afternoon, I am really tired. I just had a three hour sleep and now 20 minutes later, I want to go back to bed already.

The good news is that I was prescribed this new magic mouth wash. It was a little awkward getting it though. It had to be compounded in Orlando and was shipped overnight packed on ice. It was to arrive Thursday, but our elevators were down due to a heavy lightning storm. I retrieved a note later that evening telling me they would try again on Friday. Sure enough, it was left in the lobby early Friday morning. I don't know why they couldn't leave it in the lobby the night before. But having gotten it, it has worked wonders with my mouth sore.

Now as to dry mouth, I realized on Sunday that the fact that I seem to be breathing through my mouth when I am sleeping may have something to do with it. Duh. I am now taking Claritin and concentrating on breathing through my nose. It is helping.

I am not sure if it is my enunciation or the research manager's hearing, but she often mishears what I say. Last week, I said that I was musing about bridge and she asked what music had to do with bridge. I immediately launched into song with the line "I will bid one spade and maybe you'll bid two." I would go on with a full song, but my singing is worse than my speaking.

Now, I need your help. The conversion of my blog to a book is progressing, but we need a title. I had originally used "My surprise Journey," but that does not really describe the book. We have mused (No not music, dear research manager) about a few ideas:

Diary of a Cancer Patient (smiling all the way) or Notes from Cancer Survivor (s a t w)

Positively Surviving Cancer

Surviving Cancer with a Smile

But I would like your thoughts, suggestions.

Please email me with your ideas (cfgill@verizon.net). I would be most appreciative.

I have now been up for 40 minutes. Back to bed after I take my pills!