Dear Kriyananda, Rabbi, Family and Friends,
As the subject suggests, I am back to my old self. The two weeks since radiation were difficult, but they are behind me now. I am so grateful to be feeling well. It must have been the matzo balls at Roberta's house on Saturday and Uncle Phil's on Sunday which put me over the hump. Both were wonderful evenings as we celebrated our freedom from slavery with Jews across the world and our dear family and friends., The love I have felt from everyone has been so overwhelming, I am honestly speechless.
Not only am I celebrating Passover with family and friends, but it is a special day for me as I gave birth to my favorite son Corey 39 years ago today. We are going to have dinner with Papa (Uncle Rusty, Russell, etc.) Michelle,and her friend Nat, at Hugo's Frog Bar tonight..
What a glorious day when we are able to spend happy occasions with our loved ones..
This is a rest week. No chemo, no radiation, no worries. Life is good.
I wish you all love, joy, and bliss. May happiness fill every cell of your being.
Thank you for all that you have given me and continue to give me.
Sharon
Monday, April 21, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Nausea -- A Funny Word to Spell But Not a Funny Thing to Experience
Greetings Loyal Readers,
Mom's appointment with Le Troll was otherwise uneventful. It's been a l
-o-n-g day at chemo, but you know how it is when you start with cocktails, it tends to stretch everything out quite a bit. Not a bad thing when you're with a captivating dinner companion, not a good thing when you're at chemo. Still, it has given us a little more opportunity to spend more time with the latest Chemo Buddy, Gloria. She has been put through the rigorous Chemo Buddy initiation test by correctly answering all 5 questions right. Now, don't let the fear of standardized tests prevent you from becoming a Chemo Buddy too. After all, the questions are pretty simple.
Here's a sample question:
Who is Mom's Favorite Child?
a) Corey
b) Not Michelle
c) Both Corey and Not Michelle
Now if you'd actually visited the website (instead of being a Lazy Mazie and just reading the e-mail version of le blog), you'd immediately recognize that it was a previous poll question. So feel free to visit the website and start studying today.
Incidentally, Monterrey was very nice (thanks for asking). YFC spent a little time hanging out in the mountains of Monterreal (about 2 hours outside Monterrey, 1.25 h
ours if David is driving) -- very relaxing. He even got to ride an ATV (all-terrain vehicles if you're not familiar), which is mentioned not to brag, but because YFC's Dad will wonder how he could have done so without a helmet (note picture to right). It hit 100°F a couple of days on the trip, which was a nice change from the dreadful Chicago weather we've been having, but you know what? It still felt very good to come back home.
YFC certainly has prattled on a bit, hasn't he? Ah ha -- that was a trick question! Why are you nodding your head in agreement? Well, Your Faithful Correspondent can certainly take a hint. Guess we'll be cutting this a bit short. Hopefully we'll be bringing you a special update soon.
Wishing you a fabulous week...
Faithfully,
Corey
Your Faithful Correspondent is back from Monterrey, the nacho cheese covered city (metaphorically, anyway). YFC mixed a little R&R with a little bizness, but we'll get to that a bit later. Before we get carried away, let's cut to the real star of the show, a little woman that YFC affectionately refers to as "Mom."
As Loyal Readers are well aware, Mom had TheraSphere radiation therapy 2 Fridays ago (that'd be April 5 if you really wanna know). Since then, Mom and nausea have gone together like pean
ut butter and jelly but in a far less delicious way. Almost immediately after returning home from l'hôpital (things sound classier in French, non?) Mom was attacked by a bout of nausea. Of course the nausea was just the beginning. Mom has also been feeling pretty run down and has been tiring more easily. Plus she's been running fevers and getting the chills. Though the nausea and fevers subside for short spurts, overall Mom's had a pretty icky (that's a medical term) week and a half.
We're thinking/hoping/praying that the nausea and the fatigue are side effects of the radiation working its magic. And why shouldn't we think that? The TheraSphere are often referred to as seeds. Jack (of Beanstalk fame) traded his cow for 5 magic beans (which are really just large seeds) and look what happened...big tree grows, boy climbs it, steals some giant gold, everyone lives happily ever after. Well, perhaps giant wasn't so happy. Nevertheless you're missing the point: Mom has her own magic seeds growing (or perhaps more accurately glowing) inside her, so ya gotta figure that the giant beanstalk in her tummy is sapping up some of her strength. Of course this really begs 2 questions: 1) when will this all be over and 2) who's the giant?
Let's take the questions out of order, cause we can dispense with query #2 rather
quickly. The evil giant (YFC added the "evil" part there, but everyone knows that giants are evil) is undoubtedly YFC's little sister, Melvin. In fact just the other day, Mom heard her exclaim:
Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!??
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he 'live, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.
ut butter and jelly but in a far less delicious way. Almost immediately after returning home from l'hôpital (things sound classier in French, non?) Mom was attacked by a bout of nausea. Of course the nausea was just the beginning. Mom has also been feeling pretty run down and has been tiring more easily. Plus she's been running fevers and getting the chills. Though the nausea and fevers subside for short spurts, overall Mom's had a pretty icky (that's a medical term) week and a half.We're thinking/hoping/praying that the nausea and the fatigue are side effects of the radiation working its magic. And why shouldn't we think that? The TheraSphere are often referred to as seeds. Jack (of Beanstalk fame) traded his cow for 5 magic beans (which are really just large seeds) and look what happened...big tree grows, boy climbs it, steals some giant gold, everyone lives happily ever after. Well, perhaps giant wasn't so happy. Nevertheless you're missing the point: Mom has her own magic seeds growing (or perhaps more accurately glowing) inside her, so ya gotta figure that the giant beanstalk in her tummy is sapping up some of her strength. Of course this really begs 2 questions: 1) when will this all be over and 2) who's the giant?
Let's take the questions out of order, cause we can dispense with query #2 rather
quickly. The evil giant (YFC added the "evil" part there, but everyone knows that giants are evil) is undoubtedly YFC's little sister, Melvin. In fact just the other day, Mom heard her exclaim:Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!??
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he 'live, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.
Pretty harsh words from Sis. Now of course, YFC isn't really English, though he has been accused of being an Anglophile (as "-philes" go, it's definitely one of the better ones). Let it be clear: YFC does not condone bone grinding of any sort, especially when it's his bones in question. Guess my Sis has let sibling rivalry get the better of her.
Again.
Let's not dwell on Melvin's shortcomings, so let's hurry onto question #1. Th
e radiation from the TheraSphere lasts for about 2 weeks, so we're thinking that Mom should be feeling better by the weekend. Mom had an appointment with The Cotton Troll today and Le Troll gave Mom a little feel-good m
edicine in her chemo cocktail to take away the nausea (as cocktails go, YFC is much more fond of Campari and Soda, but hey, to each their own).
Again.
Let's not dwell on Melvin's shortcomings, so let's hurry onto question #1. Th
e radiation from the TheraSphere lasts for about 2 weeks, so we're thinking that Mom should be feeling better by the weekend. Mom had an appointment with The Cotton Troll today and Le Troll gave Mom a little feel-good m
edicine in her chemo cocktail to take away the nausea (as cocktails go, YFC is much more fond of Campari and Soda, but hey, to each their own).Friday, Mom gets a cocktail of another sort...a blood cocktail. Mom needs to have a transfusion because her hemoglobin was low (8.95 for the medically inclined). This is the first time Mom has needed a transfusion, thankfully she just needs to be topped off a bit (she'll stop in for a quick pint). My Darling Sis (that's her on the left, getting ready for a hot date) graciously offered to suck the blood from an unwilling victim, but Mom decided to go the hospital route all the same.
Mom's appointment with Le Troll was otherwise uneventful. It's been a l
-o-n-g day at chemo, but you know how it is when you start with cocktails, it tends to stretch everything out quite a bit. Not a bad thing when you're with a captivating dinner companion, not a good thing when you're at chemo. Still, it has given us a little more opportunity to spend more time with the latest Chemo Buddy, Gloria. She has been put through the rigorous Chemo Buddy initiation test by correctly answering all 5 questions right. Now, don't let the fear of standardized tests prevent you from becoming a Chemo Buddy too. After all, the questions are pretty simple.Here's a sample question:
Who is Mom's Favorite Child?
a) Corey
b) Not Michelle
c) Both Corey and Not Michelle
Now if you'd actually visited the website (instead of being a Lazy Mazie and just reading the e-mail version of le blog), you'd immediately recognize that it was a previous poll question. So feel free to visit the website and start studying today.
Incidentally, Monterrey was very nice (thanks for asking). YFC spent a little time hanging out in the mountains of Monterreal (about 2 hours outside Monterrey, 1.25 h
ours if David is driving) -- very relaxing. He even got to ride an ATV (all-terrain vehicles if you're not familiar), which is mentioned not to brag, but because YFC's Dad will wonder how he could have done so without a helmet (note picture to right). It hit 100°F a couple of days on the trip, which was a nice change from the dreadful Chicago weather we've been having, but you know what? It still felt very good to come back home.YFC certainly has prattled on a bit, hasn't he? Ah ha -- that was a trick question! Why are you nodding your head in agreement? Well, Your Faithful Correspondent can certainly take a hint. Guess we'll be cutting this a bit short. Hopefully we'll be bringing you a special update soon.
Wishing you a fabulous week...
Faithfully,
Corey
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Warrior Woman Wins
Dear Kriyananda, Rabbi, family and friends,
I know I was named Warrior Woman but I wasn't quite prepared for the battle with the Theraspheres on Saturday. Apparently I wasn't paying attention to the nurse who explained the side effects, since I didn't have any after the first procedure. But it seems as if the radiation builds up, and is a little harder on the body each time. The important part is that as the day went on, I began to feel a little better. Thanks to Robert who spent the afternoon with me and took me outside so we could get some fresh air.
I am feeling stronger today and I want to thank everyone for their prayers and kind wishes. I am going to leave the fun and humor to YFC who should be returning from Monterrey on Wednesday. Michelle returned from Taiwan Wednesday night so she could be at the hospital on Friday. Mom and Aaron were there also.
Hopefully, I will feel well enough today to see my beloved Kriyananda at The Temple of Kriya Yoga. So my dears, I am going to try to go back to sleep for awhile and rest up for a busy day.
Much love to all,
Sharon
I know I was named Warrior Woman but I wasn't quite prepared for the battle with the Theraspheres on Saturday. Apparently I wasn't paying attention to the nurse who explained the side effects, since I didn't have any after the first procedure. But it seems as if the radiation builds up, and is a little harder on the body each time. The important part is that as the day went on, I began to feel a little better. Thanks to Robert who spent the afternoon with me and took me outside so we could get some fresh air.
I am feeling stronger today and I want to thank everyone for their prayers and kind wishes. I am going to leave the fun and humor to YFC who should be returning from Monterrey on Wednesday. Michelle returned from Taiwan Wednesday night so she could be at the hospital on Friday. Mom and Aaron were there also.
Hopefully, I will feel well enough today to see my beloved Kriyananda at The Temple of Kriya Yoga. So my dears, I am going to try to go back to sleep for awhile and rest up for a busy day.
Much love to all,
Sharon
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Another Big Day Coming Up
Greetings Loyal Readers,
Today is a very special day because Your Faithful Correspondent has
another interactive posting for you. But there's a catch -- by reading any further than this paragraph you must do exactly what YFC says, no matter what. You're intrigued, no? Perhaps just a bit scared? But why? You know that YFC loves you and that he wouldn't put you in harms way. Surely you're up for it. Heck, you're up for any challenge. After all, you've probably saying to yourself, "Self, these last few days I really feel fantastic. I have increased energy. I feel more positive. And my general outlook on life has really improved. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I wonder Self, what gives..."
s which picture is Taipei and which is a picture of Ting and Zoe but my Loyal Readers are universally brilliant, so figuring out which is which will be like shooting fish in a barrel (not that YFC is advocating barrel-shooting or the senseless slaughter of fish. Your Faithful Correspondent stands for many things, and abstention from violence is right near the top of the list). Now, if truth be told Zoe is a little more grown up than she appears in the picture, but if a certain parent got off her certain body part and sent more pictures to the aforementioned certain blogger, then my Loyal Readers (and your loyalty is truly commendable by the way) wouldn't have to rely on looking at stock photographs.
All good things must come to an end, dontcha know? Melvin returns from her vacay on Friday. Now what's so special about Friday that she'd interrupt her brother's bliss? Why it the day Mom has her next procedure of course (don't look so surprised, if you'd been paying attention you would have known that already). Yep, this Friday is undergoing Round 2 of radiation treatment. The basics will be the same as before, except that last time they targeted the left side of the liver and this time they're targeting the right. In case you need a refresher on the mechanics click away... That's right kiddies, those links are actually pretty useful and they're provided at absolutely no cost to you. Why? You know it's always about love with YFC.
Now that we're feeling all lovey-dovey, let's come full circle for a moment now. Remember when YFC promised you an interactive posting and we made that little deal? Well, as you know, Mom is going to have more radiation Friday because the tumor in her liver has decided that it doesn't want to get any smaller. Somebody needs to put that ol' cancer bully in its place and that's where you come in (that's right, YFC is talking 'bout Y O U). So if my Loyal Readers could possibly say a kind word or two to the Big Guy Upstairs that would be greatly appreciated.
And speaking of appreciated, Mom still gets a lot of positive energy from reading your cards and e-mails. Thanks to all of you who continue to send her good wishes. Not only does it mean a lot to Mom, but to Melvin and YFC, as well.
Finally speaking of YFC, the fact that 1.5 is coming back in town poses is a frightening prospect.
Accordingly, Your Faithful Correspondent will be heading to the lovely town of Monterrey (think Cleveland, Mexican style). Unfortunately it's only 1318 miles/2122 kilometers (we've already establish the fact that you like that wacky metric thing) away, so Sis is still a little close for comfort. Still, YFC will be visiting his amigo David (that's him, at left, making the traditional balloon presentation to YFC), so fun and excitement awaits.
Wait. No really you need to wait. Look there's a blog being written now, can you just hold on a bit? Oh all right, what is it then? You wanted to tell YFC that you're still trying to picture Cleveland, Mexican style? Oh all right, once again it's YFC to the rescue..sigh...think about a large industrial city, the kind that...oh dunno...might have it's main river catch on fire. Repeatedly. Now picture that same city topped with gobs of nacho cheese sauce, the kind you get on ballpark nachos. That's Monterrey.
Getting back to matters at hand...Oh what now? Nachos are really more Tex-Mex than Mexican? Look, YFC needs to finish up this posting
. If you really feel the need to discuss this issue further (read this as "don't even think about feeling the need"), feel free to leave a comment on the blog.
Your Faithful Correspondent will try to have his first international posting next week. With any luck, he'll be able to bring you lots of great pictures from Mexico.
Now YFC has been very patient with all of your incessant interruptions, (what got into you today?). Be a dear and remember to say some kind words to the Big Man and always remember to THINK SHRINK!
Faithfully,
Corey
Today is a very special day because Your Faithful Correspondent has
another interactive posting for you. But there's a catch -- by reading any further than this paragraph you must do exactly what YFC says, no matter what. You're intrigued, no? Perhaps just a bit scared? But why? You know that YFC loves you and that he wouldn't put you in harms way. Surely you're up for it. Heck, you're up for any challenge. After all, you've probably saying to yourself, "Self, these last few days I really feel fantastic. I have increased energy. I feel more positive. And my general outlook on life has really improved. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I wonder Self, what gives..."
s which picture is Taipei and which is a picture of Ting and Zoe but my Loyal Readers are universally brilliant, so figuring out which is which will be like shooting fish in a barrel (not that YFC is advocating barrel-shooting or the senseless slaughter of fish. Your Faithful Correspondent stands for many things, and abstention from violence is right near the top of the list). Now, if truth be told Zoe is a little more grown up than she appears in the picture, but if a certain parent got off her certain body part and sent more pictures to the aforementioned certain blogger, then my Loyal Readers (and your loyalty is truly commendable by the way) wouldn't have to rely on looking at stock photographs.All good things must come to an end, dontcha know? Melvin returns from her vacay on Friday. Now what's so special about Friday that she'd interrupt her brother's bliss? Why it the day Mom has her next procedure of course (don't look so surprised, if you'd been paying attention you would have known that already). Yep, this Friday is undergoing Round 2 of radiation treatment. The basics will be the same as before, except that last time they targeted the left side of the liver and this time they're targeting the right. In case you need a refresher on the mechanics click away... That's right kiddies, those links are actually pretty useful and they're provided at absolutely no cost to you. Why? You know it's always about love with YFC.
Now that we're feeling all lovey-dovey, let's come full circle for a moment now. Remember when YFC promised you an interactive posting and we made that little deal? Well, as you know, Mom is going to have more radiation Friday because the tumor in her liver has decided that it doesn't want to get any smaller. Somebody needs to put that ol' cancer bully in its place and that's where you come in (that's right, YFC is talking 'bout Y O U). So if my Loyal Readers could possibly say a kind word or two to the Big Guy Upstairs that would be greatly appreciated.
And speaking of appreciated, Mom still gets a lot of positive energy from reading your cards and e-mails. Thanks to all of you who continue to send her good wishes. Not only does it mean a lot to Mom, but to Melvin and YFC, as well.
Finally speaking of YFC, the fact that 1.5 is coming back in town poses is a frightening prospect.
Accordingly, Your Faithful Correspondent will be heading to the lovely town of Monterrey (think Cleveland, Mexican style). Unfortunately it's only 1318 miles/2122 kilometers (we've already establish the fact that you like that wacky metric thing) away, so Sis is still a little close for comfort. Still, YFC will be visiting his amigo David (that's him, at left, making the traditional balloon presentation to YFC), so fun and excitement awaits.Wait. No really you need to wait. Look there's a blog being written now, can you just hold on a bit? Oh all right, what is it then? You wanted to tell YFC that you're still trying to picture Cleveland, Mexican style? Oh all right, once again it's YFC to the rescue..sigh...think about a large industrial city, the kind that...oh dunno...might have it's main river catch on fire. Repeatedly. Now picture that same city topped with gobs of nacho cheese sauce, the kind you get on ballpark nachos. That's Monterrey.
Getting back to matters at hand...Oh what now? Nachos are really more Tex-Mex than Mexican? Look, YFC needs to finish up this posting
. If you really feel the need to discuss this issue further (read this as "don't even think about feeling the need"), feel free to leave a comment on the blog.Your Faithful Correspondent will try to have his first international posting next week. With any luck, he'll be able to bring you lots of great pictures from Mexico.
Now YFC has been very patient with all of your incessant interruptions, (what got into you today?). Be a dear and remember to say some kind words to the Big Man and always remember to THINK SHRINK!
Faithfully,
Corey
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
A Mixed-Bag
Greetings Loyal Readers,
Today's posting is brought to you by the letter "H." First in your head, first in your heart. And remember, you can't spell happy without "H".
So much for commercial announcements, let's get down to business now, shall we?
As you know, Mom saw Cotton Stork (a/k/a Dr. Sato) yesterday. And, as today's title implies, the news was kind of a mixed bag. The tumor in Mom's liver has gotten both bigger and smaller. What's that, you say? How can that be? Well, if you'd stop interrupting and allow Your Favorite Correspondent to correspond, you'd already have the 4-1-1 by now.
When Mom received the TheraSphere treatment, they treated the left side of her liver. The good news is, there's been some slight shrinkage to the left side. The bad news is the tumor has grown a bit on the right (untreated) side. But the good news is there's still no sign of a cancer in the pancreas. Hmm...2 goods, 1 bad...not a bad ratio.
Now what does this all mean? Well, even though the radiation from the seeds only lasts for 10-14 days, the optimal imaging is at 90 days, meaning we still might see more shrinkage from the first treatment to the left side. It also means that on Friday, April 4th, Mom is going to have a procedure to place seeds by the right side of her tumor. So, it'll be pretty much the same process as last time, though Uncle Rusty/Papa (Mom's boss/friend, Russell) will be standing in for YFC. Of course, Russell has some big shoes to fill, but luckily he has big feet (which is only partly due to his flare-ups of gout).
In other news, Mom's blood tests were all fine, which means the liver is functioning properly. Also, Mom will not be going to chemo on Monday because she's going to get seeds next week (fret not my loyal flock, Chemo Buddy spots are still available).
Your Faithful Correspondent is already getting excited about Passover. YFC saw Cousin Nanci today and they discussed the upcoming Seder, which will take place the day before a certain favorite someone's birthday. In fact, Cousin Nanci (hey, just realized that her initials are CN, same as mine....well they're the same as mine if her real name was Cousin Nanci which, in fact, it is) confided that the Garoon clan wanted to throw a joint birthday party/Seder, but YFC politely declined. Really, once you start telling a story that involves plagues of locusts and frogs, it pretty much kills your appetite for cake (the fact that Passover is also known as the holiday of lousy birthday cakes also plays a big part...it's a leaven thing). Hey, it's the thought that counts. YFC was also lucky enough to see Cousin Lisa (hope you're feeling better) and Uncle Phil (just back from Acapulco and looking gloriously tan)...not too bad for a Wednesday afternoon.
Well, that's about all the time we have for today boys and girls. YFC will endeavor to have lots of pretty pictures in next week's edition. Until then, remember to think shrink.
Faithfully,
Corey
Today's posting is brought to you by the letter "H." First in your head, first in your heart. And remember, you can't spell happy without "H".
So much for commercial announcements, let's get down to business now, shall we?
As you know, Mom saw Cotton Stork (a/k/a Dr. Sato) yesterday. And, as today's title implies, the news was kind of a mixed bag. The tumor in Mom's liver has gotten both bigger and smaller. What's that, you say? How can that be? Well, if you'd stop interrupting and allow Your Favorite Correspondent to correspond, you'd already have the 4-1-1 by now.
When Mom received the TheraSphere treatment, they treated the left side of her liver. The good news is, there's been some slight shrinkage to the left side. The bad news is the tumor has grown a bit on the right (untreated) side. But the good news is there's still no sign of a cancer in the pancreas. Hmm...2 goods, 1 bad...not a bad ratio.
Now what does this all mean? Well, even though the radiation from the seeds only lasts for 10-14 days, the optimal imaging is at 90 days, meaning we still might see more shrinkage from the first treatment to the left side. It also means that on Friday, April 4th, Mom is going to have a procedure to place seeds by the right side of her tumor. So, it'll be pretty much the same process as last time, though Uncle Rusty/Papa (Mom's boss/friend, Russell) will be standing in for YFC. Of course, Russell has some big shoes to fill, but luckily he has big feet (which is only partly due to his flare-ups of gout).
In other news, Mom's blood tests were all fine, which means the liver is functioning properly. Also, Mom will not be going to chemo on Monday because she's going to get seeds next week (fret not my loyal flock, Chemo Buddy spots are still available).
Your Faithful Correspondent is already getting excited about Passover. YFC saw Cousin Nanci today and they discussed the upcoming Seder, which will take place the day before a certain favorite someone's birthday. In fact, Cousin Nanci (hey, just realized that her initials are CN, same as mine....well they're the same as mine if her real name was Cousin Nanci which, in fact, it is) confided that the Garoon clan wanted to throw a joint birthday party/Seder, but YFC politely declined. Really, once you start telling a story that involves plagues of locusts and frogs, it pretty much kills your appetite for cake (the fact that Passover is also known as the holiday of lousy birthday cakes also plays a big part...it's a leaven thing). Hey, it's the thought that counts. YFC was also lucky enough to see Cousin Lisa (hope you're feeling better) and Uncle Phil (just back from Acapulco and looking gloriously tan)...not too bad for a Wednesday afternoon.
Well, that's about all the time we have for today boys and girls. YFC will endeavor to have lots of pretty pictures in next week's edition. Until then, remember to think shrink.
Faithfully,
Corey
Monday, March 17, 2008
Full-House at Chemo
Greetings Loyal Readers,
YFC is b
ack blogging to you live from chemo. Yep, that's Mom to the left. Pretty stunning, dotcha think? YFC certainly does and he's not even the least bt biased. Well, we have a full-house (of the non-poker, non-Bob Saget variety) today at chemo. Today Mom is joined by Aunt Berba, 1.5, YFC and her friend Caro
l from New York (not far from Rochester) who is being initiated as a Chemo Buddy today (At left: Carol, Melvin, Mom, Berba). In celebration of her special day, Carol brought homemade chocolate fudge to share with the other chemo patients and their helper monkeys...err support.
Mom just had her blood drawn by Shannon (on St. Patty's Day no less). Ah, now we just had a quick meet and greet with Dr. Mellott (a brief recap of the Troll's wisdom: Mom should take Advil 2x/day to reduce her incidents of fevers, Mom may need to get more TheraSphere, YFC is the favorite child).
Well we sure were in and out of there in a hurry. Since we're still awaiting the results of Mom's blood work, let's take a moment to review Mom's upcoming appointments:
March 18 - Mom works with her energy healer
March 20 - Mom has CT scan and blood work
March 25 - Mom has appointment to see Dr. Sato
YFC will wait a moment while you mark these dates on your calendar. Finished yet? Good, let's move on...
Mom attended a rockin' shindig last night at Berba's lair. Per Mom, "it was great seeing Carol
visit and Addie and Roberta made a spectacular dinner." Scintillating stuff, no? The picture at left was taken before Bubbles started nipping the pink wine. (Top row: Cousin Tobi, Bubbles the Clown, Carmen, Berba. Bottom row: Addie, Mom, Carol).
So, we're still here at chemo and Mom is waiting for chemo to begin. She's been having a nice little drip of anti-nausea medication and now we're hearing a beeping sound that signals that it's time to change bags. Ah! And here comes Shannon with the Gemzar. Rock on Shannon! Later this evening, YFC will make sure to drink a green beer in her honor.
Or not.
So, YFC has a little treat for you today. After last week's lil' tiff (which, just to be clear, YOU started...not that YFC holds a grudge). That's right kiddies, as promised we're incorporating a little video in today' posting (note: if you're having trouble with the video, make sure to visit the blog , which come to think of it, you should be doing anyway):
YFC is b
ack blogging to you live from chemo. Yep, that's Mom to the left. Pretty stunning, dotcha think? YFC certainly does and he's not even the least bt biased. Well, we have a full-house (of the non-poker, non-Bob Saget variety) today at chemo. Today Mom is joined by Aunt Berba, 1.5, YFC and her friend Caro
l from New York (not far from Rochester) who is being initiated as a Chemo Buddy today (At left: Carol, Melvin, Mom, Berba). In celebration of her special day, Carol brought homemade chocolate fudge to share with the other chemo patients and their helper monkeys...err support.Mom just had her blood drawn by Shannon (on St. Patty's Day no less). Ah, now we just had a quick meet and greet with Dr. Mellott (a brief recap of the Troll's wisdom: Mom should take Advil 2x/day to reduce her incidents of fevers, Mom may need to get more TheraSphere, YFC is the favorite child).
Well we sure were in and out of there in a hurry. Since we're still awaiting the results of Mom's blood work, let's take a moment to review Mom's upcoming appointments:
March 18 - Mom works with her energy healer
March 20 - Mom has CT scan and blood work
March 25 - Mom has appointment to see Dr. Sato
YFC will wait a moment while you mark these dates on your calendar. Finished yet? Good, let's move on...
Mom attended a rockin' shindig last night at Berba's lair. Per Mom, "it was great seeing Carol
visit and Addie and Roberta made a spectacular dinner." Scintillating stuff, no? The picture at left was taken before Bubbles started nipping the pink wine. (Top row: Cousin Tobi, Bubbles the Clown, Carmen, Berba. Bottom row: Addie, Mom, Carol).So, we're still here at chemo and Mom is waiting for chemo to begin. She's been having a nice little drip of anti-nausea medication and now we're hearing a beeping sound that signals that it's time to change bags. Ah! And here comes Shannon with the Gemzar. Rock on Shannon! Later this evening, YFC will make sure to drink a green beer in her honor.
Or not.
So, YFC has a little treat for you today. After last week's lil' tiff (which, just to be clear, YOU started...not that YFC holds a grudge). That's right kiddies, as promised we're incorporating a little video in today' posting (note: if you're having trouble with the video, make sure to visit the blog , which come to think of it, you should be doing anyway):
More soon....have a blogtastic day.
Faithfully,
Corey
Faithfully,
Corey
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Better Late Than Never
Greetings Loyal Readers,
Happy Wednesday boys and girls. Now you're probably asking yourself, well what kept you YFC? You're so Faithful...what gives?
All questions will be answered in due time, but really, don't your think that you're being just a tad bit hard on YFC? Don't you know that he loves you? Hasn't he proven that time and time again? Don't you think that he deserves the benefit of the doubt?
Just in case you're scoring at home (and you are, natch), the correct answers would be: yes, yes and triply yes. So let's go back to last week for a sec...as you recall Mom is on a new regimen -- one week on, one week off. And since she went last week...you see where YFC is going with this?...that's right, this was a chemo off-week. You see YFC held off on his report not for his own benefit...no, no, that would go against his selfless nature. That's right kiddies, he wanted to hold off for YOUR benefit, not his own, because he wanted to give you the latest and greatest 'bout The Mom. Now perhaps you should take a moment and reflect on why you were so quick to turn on someone who has repeatedly proven his faithfulness (heck, it's practically his middle name).
Hope you're still reflecting...
A little longer...
Ok, penance served, now onto the news. This afternoon Mom had a little test. No, but it wasn't chemo related, she just had a Momogram. Get it? Momogram. See, she had a mammogram, but I called it a Momogram because she's my Mom.
Ah never mind...when you have to explain a joke it never works. You know, that's comic gold you missed there. Or perhaps you really got it, but refused to laugh because you're still smarting from your recent rebuking. Yes, that's it, isn't it? Come now, when you really think about it, didn't you bring this on yourself? Don't worry, YFC not going to make you reflect again. After all, we've already seen that one of us holds grudges (and just to be clear, it's not YFC).
Ah loyal readers, why do you test me so? There are times when YFC feels just a bit like Job (not to be 
confused with George Oscar Bluth II, a/k/a G.O.B. -- just to be clear, that's him to the right) 'cept, you know, without the whole Satan thing and the punishments and the tragedy...well ok, maybe Job was an overstatement. Why don't we just make a pact...you trust YFC, YFC will trust you. Deal?
confused with George Oscar Bluth II, a/k/a G.O.B. -- just to be clear, that's him to the right) 'cept, you know, without the whole Satan thing and the punishments and the tragedy...well ok, maybe Job was an overstatement. Why don't we just make a pact...you trust YFC, YFC will trust you. Deal?Admittedly this has become just a bit awkward, so on to more Mom-reated news, cause that is why you read The Chemo Chronicle, no? Mom is doing pretty well. She had some fevers for a bit, but they seem to have gone by the wayside. Mom was extremely happy today because she got to spend an extended period of time with YFC (and not his evil sister 1.5), who only recently returned to the land of the living. Oh, you forgot that YFC was sick (admittedly it wasn't quite Job-like, but we've covered that already, haven't we)? Well, to those of you who DID remember, thanks for all of your cards, calls and e-mails. YFC is feeling much, much better. Oh and the fruit basket that my Most Loyal reader sent? Absolutely sublime. Anyhow, Mom and YFC did all the usual stuff mother/son stuff today-- picking up dry cleaning followed by Costco and lunch with Bubby. Later, Mom allowed me to set up her new vacuum cleaner (take note: nothing says "I'm glad you're feeling better" like ordering...umm, asking...someone to set-up a new vacuum cleaner) and then we had dinner at Casa Mama with her good friend and neighbor, Milwaukee Mark. Post-dinner, we had dessert at Mark's house (lime sherbet and chocolate-covered biscuits, a curious combination to be sure) and watched the American Idol results show (technically they watched, YFC blogged).
And that pretty much brings us back to now. Hope that you're feeling all ca
ught-up and informed 'cause that's pretty much all the news that's fit to print. Well, perhaps there's one last bit of news (you always like to holdout for that little bit more, you cheeky little monkeys) -- YFC talked to his friend David and he'll be saying "hola amigo" to his...err...amigo come April. But fret not, loyal readers, there will be plenty more blogging between now and then. And who knows, if you're particularly nice, YFC might even pick up a sombrero for you.
ught-up and informed 'cause that's pretty much all the news that's fit to print. Well, perhaps there's one last bit of news (you always like to holdout for that little bit more, you cheeky little monkeys) -- YFC talked to his friend David and he'll be saying "hola amigo" to his...err...amigo come April. But fret not, loyal readers, there will be plenty more blogging between now and then. And who knows, if you're particularly nice, YFC might even pick up a sombrero for you.Finally, so sorry about that little spat earlier. But in the long run, it'll probably make us even closer, dontcha think?
My love to all...
Faithfully,
Corey
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A New Schedule
Greetings Loyal Readers,
*Cough*
Your Faithful Correspondent is under the weather today. Actually, he's been under the weather for the past few days so he could not accompany Mom to chemo this afternoon. But YFC was ably replaced by Dutiful Sister and Trudy (no one person can replace YFC), who made her maiden appearance as a Chemo Buddy this week. Trudy hails all the way from New Mexico (which contrary to popular belief is not really part of Mexico at all) making her the furthest traveled Chemo Buddy to date...well done Trudy!
Dr. Mellott gave Mom the once over and pronounced her fit. However, Mom is going to be on a new chemotherapy regimine. She is now going to chemo every other week (so, since this week was on, next week is off, etc.) and Mom will be having her treatment on Mondays. Nothing like starting the week off with a bang, eh? So if you'd like to become a Chemo Buddy, check your calendars and e-mail Mom ASAP -- spaces are going to be increasingly hard to come by.
While you have your calendars out, you might want to jot down these very important dates:
March 17 - Mom's next appointment with Dr. Mellott
March 18 - Mom's energy healer will heal 'er. Get it, healer -- heal her-- heal 'er? Look, it's not comic genius, but a certain someone has already told you that he's under the weather. After all he's done for you, perhaps you should cut him some slack.
March 20 - Mom gets a CT scan and has blood work done to determine the results of last week's radiation procedure
March 25 - Mom sees Dr. Sato to get results of aforementioned tests, discusses next steps
A little birdie told YFC that one of my Loyal Readers wasn't sure what kind of procedure Mom had last week. While that was not one of the 74 updates that YFC oh-so-kindly provided, the issue had been discussed ad nauseum in previous episodes of The Chronicle. So, if you think you might've missed something, YFC invites you to check the official website of The Chemo Chronicle: www.chemochronicle.blogspot.com. You're also welcome to leave feedback for Yours Truly on the website (a special shout out to my Cousinie Scott, who is the loyalest among the loyal in this regard).
Speaking of feedback, YFC has received several requests to bring back the mailbag. So without further ado, we have this query:
Dear YFC,
As impressed as I am with your writing, I am even more awed by your faithfulness. What do you think is the source of this great attribute?
Sincerely,
I'm Not Alone Wanting Explanation
Well IN AWE, it's nice to hear from you. It's hard to pinpoint an exact cause of YFC's faithfulness, but it probably has to do with the fact that he was Bar Mitzvahed. Twice. Yes, that's right IN AWE, Your Faithful Correspondent was Bar Mitzvahed once in Chicago and once in Jerusalem (at the Western Wall). Can't get too much more faithful than that can you? Take that Melvin!
So sorry that you had to see that unseemly display of sibling rivalry, but YFC really isn't himself today with the congestion and sore throat and whatnot. Your Faithful Correspondent is going to have to cut this short -- gotta take some cold meds. Tell you what though, YFC promises to make it up to you real soon, k?
Wishing everyone the best of health...
Faithfully,
Corey
*Cough*
Your Faithful Correspondent is under the weather today. Actually, he's been under the weather for the past few days so he could not accompany Mom to chemo this afternoon. But YFC was ably replaced by Dutiful Sister and Trudy (no one person can replace YFC), who made her maiden appearance as a Chemo Buddy this week. Trudy hails all the way from New Mexico (which contrary to popular belief is not really part of Mexico at all) making her the furthest traveled Chemo Buddy to date...well done Trudy!
Dr. Mellott gave Mom the once over and pronounced her fit. However, Mom is going to be on a new chemotherapy regimine. She is now going to chemo every other week (so, since this week was on, next week is off, etc.) and Mom will be having her treatment on Mondays. Nothing like starting the week off with a bang, eh? So if you'd like to become a Chemo Buddy, check your calendars and e-mail Mom ASAP -- spaces are going to be increasingly hard to come by.
While you have your calendars out, you might want to jot down these very important dates:
March 17 - Mom's next appointment with Dr. Mellott
March 18 - Mom's energy healer will heal 'er. Get it, healer -- heal her-- heal 'er? Look, it's not comic genius, but a certain someone has already told you that he's under the weather. After all he's done for you, perhaps you should cut him some slack.
March 20 - Mom gets a CT scan and has blood work done to determine the results of last week's radiation procedure
March 25 - Mom sees Dr. Sato to get results of aforementioned tests, discusses next steps
A little birdie told YFC that one of my Loyal Readers wasn't sure what kind of procedure Mom had last week. While that was not one of the 74 updates that YFC oh-so-kindly provided, the issue had been discussed ad nauseum in previous episodes of The Chronicle. So, if you think you might've missed something, YFC invites you to check the official website of The Chemo Chronicle: www.chemochronicle.blogspot.com. You're also welcome to leave feedback for Yours Truly on the website (a special shout out to my Cousinie Scott, who is the loyalest among the loyal in this regard).
Speaking of feedback, YFC has received several requests to bring back the mailbag. So without further ado, we have this query:
Dear YFC,
As impressed as I am with your writing, I am even more awed by your faithfulness. What do you think is the source of this great attribute?
Sincerely,
I'm Not Alone Wanting Explanation
Well IN AWE, it's nice to hear from you. It's hard to pinpoint an exact cause of YFC's faithfulness, but it probably has to do with the fact that he was Bar Mitzvahed. Twice. Yes, that's right IN AWE, Your Faithful Correspondent was Bar Mitzvahed once in Chicago and once in Jerusalem (at the Western Wall). Can't get too much more faithful than that can you? Take that Melvin!
So sorry that you had to see that unseemly display of sibling rivalry, but YFC really isn't himself today with the congestion and sore throat and whatnot. Your Faithful Correspondent is going to have to cut this short -- gotta take some cold meds. Tell you what though, YFC promises to make it up to you real soon, k?
Wishing everyone the best of health...
Faithfully,
Corey
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Last One (Promise)
Greetings Loyal Readers,
You can exhale now (you have been holding you breath this whole time, haven't you?) Mom is doing well in recovery. She has to lie flat for two hours and YFC is proud to report that she's got just one more hour to go...yay Mom!
Mom's posse has dwindled some, only her two children 1 and 1.5 remain. It's a little quieter this way and that's not an entirely bad thing (don't even ask about the 17-minute discussion of lemon drops over lunch). Nurse Pam claimed that our family reminded her of her own, the poor girl. But overall, Nurse Pam has been a doll. She helped comfort Mom by bringing her blankets, snacks, etc. and was just as caring as can be. In fact, they even conducted a trade, whereby Nurse Pam (note: YFC is not going to stoop so low as to anagram her name into Purse Man...it's beneath him) gave Mom her e-mail address and Mom swapped her the address to The Chemo Chronicle. We know who made out the better of that trade don't we Loyal Readers?
(just to be clear, Nurse Pam made out better...but you knew that already, didn't you?)
Dr. Stork also visited us. They will do another CT scan in a month. It's possible that Mom will have to repeat this procedure (this seems to be the norm), but if they do so, they might go in from the other side of the liver. But overall the Stork said that things went well, so mad props to him.
Well, Your Faithful Correspondent is pretty beat, accordingly this is the last update of the day and what better way to end things then on a happy note knowing that Mom will be home soon.
My very best to you and you and you...
Faithfully,
Corey
You can exhale now (you have been holding you breath this whole time, haven't you?) Mom is doing well in recovery. She has to lie flat for two hours and YFC is proud to report that she's got just one more hour to go...yay Mom!
Mom's posse has dwindled some, only her two children 1 and 1.5 remain. It's a little quieter this way and that's not an entirely bad thing (don't even ask about the 17-minute discussion of lemon drops over lunch). Nurse Pam claimed that our family reminded her of her own, the poor girl. But overall, Nurse Pam has been a doll. She helped comfort Mom by bringing her blankets, snacks, etc. and was just as caring as can be. In fact, they even conducted a trade, whereby Nurse Pam (note: YFC is not going to stoop so low as to anagram her name into Purse Man...it's beneath him) gave Mom her e-mail address and Mom swapped her the address to The Chemo Chronicle. We know who made out the better of that trade don't we Loyal Readers?
(just to be clear, Nurse Pam made out better...but you knew that already, didn't you?)
Dr. Stork also visited us. They will do another CT scan in a month. It's possible that Mom will have to repeat this procedure (this seems to be the norm), but if they do so, they might go in from the other side of the liver. But overall the Stork said that things went well, so mad props to him.
Well, Your Faithful Correspondent is pretty beat, accordingly this is the last update of the day and what better way to end things then on a happy note knowing that Mom will be home soon.
My very best to you and you and you...
Faithfully,
Corey
Procedure Done!
Nurse Pam just came out...Mom is done with the procedure, but Doctor Stork needs to take some pictures for approximately 1/2 hour, then its onto recovery. Apparently the Stork doesn't realize that YFC has already taken pics of Mom, but who can blame him for wanting some for his personal collection?
Later kiddies...
Corey
Later kiddies...
Corey
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