More Chemo. Bowling Team Took All Four.

I had chemo yesterday in Grand Junction (GJ). My hemoglobin/red blood cells were improved. Platelets were on the low side, but I was still able to have chemo - Gemzar and Avastin. I haven't gotten my CA19-9 tumor marker results back yet. My weight was down a bit, so I'm doing my best to pig-out. I'm doing the inverse Weight-Watcher's diet. I am back on my oral chemo, Xeloda. Usually, I take it four or five days a week, then I have to go off due to hand-foot syndrome for two - four days.

My regular oncologist was out of town, so I saw another doctor. She recommeded taking Prilosec for my queasiness/nausea, so I took one today and it seems to be helping. The nausea I get from chemo isn't like the nausea you get from food poisining, the flu, or drinking too much alcohol. It's like a heavy feeling in my stomach that makes me not feel like eating, but once I do, I'm fine. It is uncomfortable and occasionally, I feel like I will actually hurl, but I never have. The substitute oncologist said that the acid balance in your stomach gets out of whack with the chemotherapy, and the Prilosec may help. I think she may be right, but it'll probably be a few days before I know for sure.

I am scheduled for a CT-scan next Wednesday morning, and I'll see my regular oncologist after that. I should have Gemzar next week and possibly another Zometa (bone hardener) infusion. I get the Avastin every other week.

I'm starting a drawing class next Tuesday night here in Ouray, and I'm looking forward to that.

I have two more weeks of bowling. The official scorekeeper went through and double-checked all the scores from bowling and found that we were actually in fourth place, but very few games separate the teams. The Tow-Ho's were in first place, but we bowled them Tuesday night and took all four games. I'm not sure yet how we're standing after this week. My husband Robert came by the Elks after his City Council meeting, and we talked him into subbing for one of our missing team members. He did pretty good. His handicap is 72 which isn't bad for someone who hasn't bowled in five years.

We will be doing the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show later this month. I'm looking forward to some warmer weather and flatter ground. It's so icy here right now and hilly in Ouray that slipping is always a risk. A good friend of mine slipped on a patch of ice the day after Christmas and broke her arm.

Hope everyone is doing well out there. We ate black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. It's a southern thing that we always did when I was growing up in Dallas.

Just up here in Colorado, walking around with a ski-pole, trying not to slip on the ice.

Sincerely, Caroline