Corporate Barracuda

My daughter, the corporate barracuda!  :)

She's back to work and really enjoying it!

And now for something completely different...
I had my fifth paracentesis this morning.  Count 'em, five.  This one was the worst of the five -  this doc didn't seem to have the delicate touch of the other 4.

Happy Day of Mom

05/11/2014	You found Killingsworth Park Pond		Visit Log
Happy Mothers Day! May 11th was a blank on our geocaching calendar and this cache is the closest one to home which we have not found. So while Mrs. Bend stayed by the phone to be ready for phone calls from her girls, (Our son called earlier from Logan Airport while waiting to board the plane back to California.) Mr. Bend loaded the cords into the Garmin and set out. It is a beautiful day for a walk in the woods, 74 degrees when I got back to the car. Much better than last year, remember, we had snow. As I approached GZ, Mr. Goose was quite upset, I didn't see the nest but he sure let me know I was encroaching on his territory. Made the find. Great hide! It earns a favorite from us. Stamped the log and replaced as found. Thanks for the fun time.

Touch of Spring

The pills are here.  No excuses.  I took the first two at 5:30 a.m.

All went relatively well.  We went grocery shopping, picked up laundry, and mailed some things and I felt fine.

When we got home there were Mother's Day flowers waiting.  Purple iris and tulips in a purple vase - a real touch of spring.  The card said Happy Day of Mom  :)

Happy Day of Mom

Took the second dose at 6 p.m.   So far so good.

This will continue indefinitely - as long as the chemo is doing its job.

Delivery Day

Today is the day that we wait for deliveries!  Home Depot is going to deliver our new dryer between 1 and 5 - guess they can't get a shorter time frame!  Our current laundry is in town at the Eastfield Laundromat being washed, dried and folded.  I really don't like waiting around at laundromats.  Been there, done that.  My hamper is full of things that I don't trust them with, so I'll still have plenty of clothes to wash when this dryer gets hooked up.  It won't be right away, though...a nice man has to come and convert the new dryer to propane use before we'll be up and running.  That will probably be early next week.

UPS will deliver my chemo medication (Nexavar) sometime today.  I've been told repeatedly that I have to be here to sign for it.  That means just being here all day until UPS shows up.  I'll start taking it tomorrow - have no idea what it will do to me.  I know it's toxic, and it makes me a little nervous.  It's hard to plan the next weeks because I don't know how this will make me feel.  It's supposed to slow the growth of the tumor. and result in a "stable disease".  It's not a cure.  I'm hopeful.

Oh good - both things got here before 3 p.m., thankfully not simultaneously.

Geezer Breakfast

Faculty Retirees Breakfast!  It's always a hoot - no exception this year.

  Sat next to Dorothy and Jan, and across from Kay and Diann.  Conversation just can't get more animated than that!  Dick was being entertained by Bill, other Bill, Dan and Jeff.  It was fun seeing Karen again - she's always a hoot, too !  A most successful breakfast as always, and I'm so glad that we were able to attend.  They meet once a month, but we usually only get to one a year these days.

Time to head for home.  Trip north was uneventful.  We stayed off I-75 on purpose because of the construction northbound over the Zilwaukee bridge, and went instead on 96 to 127 - a much more relaxing drive!  Dinner at Rico's and then home.  What a nice road trip!


And of course, no day is complete without....

05/07/2014	You found Don't Get Trashed GFS 2		Visit Log
Found in good condition on our way back north today. Thanks for the smiley
05/07/2014	You found John P. Woodford Rest Area Westbound I-96 MM111		Visit Log
We were on our way back north when we decided on a pit stop. I knew we had found the Joker cache but now the iPad told us there were two caches here that we had never found. After finding the first one was a sodden mess, I was some what concerned about what condition this would be in. It's excellent! Signed the log and swapped one of our pens for a TB. Replaced as found, covered a little better and then took some pictures of the spring flowers. You folks down here are still a couple of weeks ahead of us. TFTC, the flowers alone are worth a favorite.
05/07/2014	You found Trained to Work at Night, Tri-County Edition #19		Visit Log
Signed the log as best I could. Cache is a sodden mess.
05/07/2014	You found Happy Food Stamps		Visit Log
TFTS

Hi Doug!

It was so good to see Doug this morning.

 He seems really comfortable in his new surroundings, and it is a very nice place to be.  His room reminds me of Mom's room at Concord Place, the difference being that she didn't have the mini fridge and sink in the room, and she didn't have her own shower in her bathroom.

We had a good time talking about Traverse City, and reminiscing about the good old days.  He does have memory lapses, but he covers it up quite well, and seems undisturbed.   We were there for a little over an hour.

Dick and Doug (or, Richard and Ray!)

Then we were off to Canton to see Sniders.  We haven't seen them for ages.  It's all because grandparents like to be with their grandchildren!  Theirs are in Wisconsin and California, and ours is in Florida!  So those places are where we spend a good portion of our time.  It was great to have a chance to spend some time with them and catch up on all of the latest family news, health issues, and once again re-live some good old times.

Jan had made reservations for dinner at Carson's American Bistro in Ann Arbor, and Dan Fisher came along too.  We had a great meal, super company and still more good old stories!

More fun than a barrel of....

Of course, no day is complete without a little geocaching!

05/06/2014	You found 9/11 Memorial Cache		Visit Log
We came downstate this week to meet with family and attend a retirees breakfast. To complete the AlphaNumeric name challenge we need a cache starting with the number 9. We could only find 2 in Michigan and so, since we were in the area, we aimed for this one. On 9/11, we were both home, I was watching TV and Mrs Bend was playing "Everquest" on her computer. When the first plane crashed, I yelled upstairs that it had happened, she was deeply involved with a team in the game. When the second plane crashed, I yelled again. She came down, partly because our daughter was a Flight Attendant with American. As we learned about the third and fourth planes we were both in shock. She never played that game again.
05/06/2014	You found Dr. Feelgood		Visit Log
Yoiks!! This bad boy needs help. Log is soaked. We did our best to sign but it should be replaced yesterday.

Rochester Hills

Short road trip this week.  We went to Rochester Hills to visit Doug in his new digs at Waltonwood.  We spent some time with Roger and Megan to prepare outselves for that visit.  It was good to know the procedure for entry to the facility - Waltonwood is a very secure place.  We had a nice get together with Rog and Megan, and for me the best part was looking at Roger's collection of wild life pictures.  They have more deer in their neighborhood than we have at the river!

When we left we really felt prepared to visit Doug.

With Roger and Megan in their lovely home.

We had a chance to see Fay in between play practice and figure skating :)

Star Wars Day

Do You Remember...

Team Goldfinch put on a spectacular event this weekend.  (Do You Remember)  It was divided into 3 sessions, beginning Friday night.  Dick went to all three.  He wound up finding 26 caches, plus the event - a very productive weekend!

  I went to the grand finale - the potluck lunch and prize drawing :)  Our contribution was lasagna.  At our table were  4LmbrJx, Noah's Peeps, Lightkeeper Jane, Team Leprechaun, Peggy of Frank&Peggy, and Sue from Baldwin.  It was a truly well done event, which must have taken Jay hours and hours and then more hours of planning and work.  We certainly enjoyed it immensely.

GEE

Well, now we own a dryer.  Sort of.

It will be delivered May 9, then it has to be converted to propane usage, and installed.  Thank goodness for the Eastfield Laundromat!

It's a Hotpoint gas dryer from Home Depot.  In the U.S., Hotpoint appliances are made by GE.

Our old dryer is a Maytag.  We've lived here on the river for 23 years, and I'm thinking we had that dryer for 12 years or so down in Belleville.  I guess it deserved to break down.  Do you remember those old TV commercials starring the lonely Maytag repairman?  Makes me giggle now.

Wash Day?

Wash on Monday,
Iron on Tuesday,
Mend on Wednesday,
Churn on Thursday,
Clean on Friday,
Bake on Saturday,
Rest on Sunday.


Monday is my traditional day to do laundry.  I wonder why?  I guess old habits die hard.  My Mom always washed clothes on Monday.  In her day, it was a much bigger project - wringer washer, etc.  She also ironed on Tuesday, and even seemed to enjoy it.  I never iron anything anymore, do you?  Neither one of us ever churned on Thursday.  As for cleaning on Friday and baking on Saturday, Mom did both of those things almost every day of the week.

But for me, still, Monday is wash day.  Except for today...doggone it.  The dryer broke down.  Checking around we discovered that it would cost as much to fix it as to buy a new one...well, almost.  So we're shopping for a new dryer.  We want to get an economical one because we'll only be using it for a few months before we move to our new condo - maybe next September.

Did you know that the Eastfield laundromat will wash, dry and fold your laundry?  Then you just pick it up and pay.  Reminds me of Belleville in l957 when Lucille Remus ran a laundry which would do the same thing.  She saved me many times during my early days of teaching!

Sweet Sunday

Checking email and Facebook

playing computer games

Dick goes to maintain the Ranger Rick series by the Nature Center

I straighten up the dining room

plan dinner

Dick loads wheelbarrow with more wood for the wood stove

We go walking at the mall

Shop at Target

Lunch at the food court

Mail a card

Do the downtown cruise

More computer games :)

Give Me an N....

Then give me an e..x..a..v..a..r..  What does that spell?? It spells Hope !

Dr. Ruch called early this morning to tell me that my tumor marker is too high and he is prescribing Nexavar (sorafenib) to put the brakes on the tumor.  This is a powerful chemo drug with various side effects which vary from patient to patient.  He recommends this as the logical next treatment for my HCC, and I'm willing to give it a try.  He now thinks that my ascites is caused by the cancer and not by the cirrhosis.  This is an expensive drug, and I'm counting on it being really worth it :)



By slowing tumor growth and reducing the blood supply to the tumor, Nexavar may prevent the growth and spread of cancer. These processes can also be important to normal cells, so therapies like Nexavar may affect some normal cells as well.

Farewell Dr. Kevin and Dr. Pat

Went to have my teeth cleaned this morning.  My hygienist is the same, but our dentists have both retired.  It makes me a little nostalgic.  My new dentist is Dr. Kevin's niece Christina.  She was very personable and thorough.  But still.

Afterwards we had breakfast at Sparky's - blueberry pancakes.  Yum.  Then home to advance the laundry.

Off to town again to donate another box of books to the library, mail some stuff, and shop for a popcorn popper and some popcorn.  We had success at K Mart.

Dr. Barnes office went above and beyond the call of duty and gave me an appointment this coming Friday with his PA Kathy.  I'm thrilled and relieved.  We need to begin treating cirrhosis.  I understand that it can be treated successfully over a long period of time.

Dick spoke to Bill and Jan about our upcoming trip downstate during the first week of May.  We plan to visit Doug in Rochester and then go on to Belleville for old home week :)

Traverse Dental Associates

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Welcome! For over 70 years, Traverse Dental Associates, P.C. has been working with patients to provide the best dental care in the Traverse City area. Dr. David Swan, Dr. Macare Lumbrezer, Dr. Chris Mazzola, Dr. Josh Van Horn, and Dr. Christina Mazzola are all graduates of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

The Third Time Was Not The Charm...

Fourth paracentesis this morning.  Fourth overall, first at Munson.  Munson is more casual, and faster, with more attention from the M.D.  In at 10, out at 11.  We were both surprised.

Main differences - no blood draw with an hour's wait,  no blood pressure taken at any time, 10 minutes with Doctor, as opposed to a minute and a half,  and a different tap site.  Generally got the same results, only faster.

As I left, the ultrasound tech said, "see you in a month."  Gee - the way things have been going, she's probably right!

Easter 2014

Brunch at Harrington's by the Bay.

 Delightful in every way.

The only things missing were blue skies, blue bay and sailboats.

Happy Easter!  Laurie's comment was that even bunnies have an Uncle Tom :)

Update

By Sarah Temin — Apr 18, 2014 9:35pm

I just visited Esmertina and after a few days of not seeing her, the difference was quite something, for the better, though she still has some pain. She walked down the hall, which is great. And, things seem to be moving towards better. --Observations of Sarah

IV Forever

Wendy's "Jana update" for today:

                                                         ***************

I stopped by the hospital this morning for rounds. The abscess has virtually completely disappeared in scans and the drain has been removed.  Unfortunately, the process of removing the drain created a hematoma in the abdomen wall which is causing still more pain in a new location.  

Jana did have the fistula exam, and the result of that suggests that the final answer is that the abscess was tubular ovarian (that might not be the strict medical term) and not caused by a diverticuli.  

There are not any immediate next steps except for continuing days in the hospital with IV antibiotics and monitoring.  I do think I am observing Jana getting incrementally better, but there is still so much pain and discomfort it is difficult to evaluate.

                                             ***************************


 We spoke to J. this morning.  She is feeling a lot of pain.  She's receiving the IV antibiotics and some pain meds, but basically she is miserable.  Here at home, I have no pain as such, just some discomfort.  The ascites is getting worse, and it does grotesque things to your body.  We had planned to return to the Vital Step gym this morning, but I begged off because I don't think my "water balloon" would allow me to pedal, etc.  I see the oncologist tomorrow, and I'm hoping he can arrange for paracentesis ASAP.

Where's Noah?

Barb's Birthday

Palm Sunday began in a very ordinary way.  Grocery list, bills to mail, recycling, library.  The best part was in the evening - dinner at Shelly's - a birthday dinner for Barb!

We always have a good time with Barb and her family.  The kids are so cute, and Shelly, Chris, Adam and Melanie are always fun and interesting.  We had some good conversation with Barb and Jim too.

Happy Birthday Barb!

Jana Update:

Wendy Carter

Apr 13

Dear All --

I stopped by the hospital today and overheard another conversation with another doctor.  White blood cell count is down, but unfortunately not pain.  They were planning another CT scan today and then a different diagnostic test I cannot even begin to spell tomorrow.

I will stop by for morning rounds tomorrow and hear the result of the CT Scan.  The medical mystery now is that the abscess is being resolved, but this has not been accompanied by a lessening of pain.  

I'm afraid this means more time in the hospital and no light at the end of the tunnel yet for poor Jana.