Something New to Live For; Headed to Los Alamos

New bass guitar! Thanks to Steve & Ruth for sending the bass guitar. This will give me a new interest in life.

We are headed to Los Alamos, New Mexico to do a gem & mineral show. Then I come back next week do chemo again at St. Mary's in Grand Junction.

I'm sorry I've not been e-mailing or blogging. I have to put my leg in a difficult position to sit at the computer.

We saw three bald eagles on our way to Montrose last weekend. We have a bit of snow in our front yard.

Gotta run. Have to leave later today.

Thank you for all your prayers.

Just up here in Colorado staying warm.

Sincerely, Caroline

Sorry I haven't blogged in two weeks!

TRAVEL
We went to Socorro two weekends ago. I got to see my New Mexico friends, Dave & Mary Lou Comer and Toni Duggan. My sister Suzie came from Prescott and we went to the widlife refuge. We saw a coyote there. Got home and did poetry classes again and then went to Denver for a second time to talk to Dr. Durham and SIRT spheres. She said the juandice is an issue and I have to get my billirubin down below two and it's at 8 currently.

MEDICAL
Dr. Bergen in Grand Junction referred me to Dr. Durham in Denver. So did Dr. Kane from CU Med Center. They also want me to see another oncologist at CU Med Center, but Dr. Durham said we don't know if that was necessary. So last week, we saw Dr. Bergen on Thursday for a bone hardener infusion, then drove to Denver that night for our appointment with Dr. Durham. There is another chemo that Dr. Durham thinks I should try, as well as Dr. Bergen.

I also have an appointment for a stent replacement and to watch for malignancy in the liver bile duct in Denver with Dr. Fukami on January 16th.


BEEN FEELING TIRED AND DIZZY LATELY
I have felt tired, dizzy, confused, clumsy, pain, and fatigued. I still have hearing loss in my left ear. My hair is growing back which is nice. I'm going to a luncheon next week in Grand Junction for my support group which I always enjoyed.

And my 53rd birthday on Sunday! So I will make it another year.


Thanks again for cards, letters, help, support, prayers.

Just up here in Ouray happy to get one year older.

Sincerely, Caroline

Doing Better

We got home Saturday from the surgery on Friday. I rested up on Sunday, attended two writing classes, one Monday, one Tuesday. Jaundice isn't gone, but is much better. And I confess: I bowled last night at the Elks in my league for the first time this year. My average was 66! But I had a good time. Unfortunately, my feet are swolen today as a result. I weigh 178 pounds and every week it's a challenge to find thingst to wear; hence, the gastroenterologist gave me an RX for a diuretic. He said it's mostly fluid build-up.

I saw both my oncologist and gastroenterologist today in Grand Junction. I'm to check in with Dr. Durham at CU Med Center in Denver to see about radioactive spheres or chemoembolization. I liked her very much and am willing to work with her. I also need to see if there's any clinical trials out there. I have a friend doing stem cell therapy at MD Anderson and that is another possibility.

I am going to Socorro, NM tomorrow with Robert for a gem & mineral show. There's a wildlife refuge near there that I really enjoy. I posted a picture last year from our trip there. There are Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese - they make they neatest noise. My sister Suzie is coming from Arizona - it's her day to watch me.

So thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I meant to call some friends in Denver while I was in the hospital, but my throat was sore from the ERCP. I also have a clogged ear from lying on my side for almost four hours and I can't hear out of it very well. I used an ear irrigator and apparently made it worse.

Just up here in Colorado, truly appreciating every day I have left, and looking forward to seeing the big birds in New Mexico again.

Sincerely, Caroline

Stent Placement Not So Good

We went to Denver last Thursday after I had a platelet transfusion in Grand Junction. We went into CU-Anshcutz Oncology Center for an outpatient surgery expected to tak two hours, but it took almost twice as long. They were only able to implant one stent in on of the contortef bile ducts, and they had to go through the stomach wall. I was kept for observation on Friday night and realeasd Saturday to come home.

They say it'll take a week fot the jaundice to go away. One of the bile ducts may have a malignancy. I kept aski for solid food - I hadn't eaten in two nigts. I got jello, broth, juice etc. I feel not so bad right now, but I'm taking losts of meds for pain. They put me on some antiobiotics for a few days for infection.

I see my main onocologist on Wednesday, Nov. 12th in GJ, the gastroenterologit on Nov.20th. We are planning to go to the Socorro Mineral Symposium this Thursday. I'm feeling up to it and my sister Suzie should be there.

Did I mention that our car broke down last Wednesday on our way home from GJ. Looks like it'll just be the clutch. We called our friends, Art & Brenda Fox. Thanks guys.

I also saw a bear in our yard last week. He ripped a limb off the apple tree and just reclined against one of our box elders. I was searching in vain for my camera. Then a car load of tourists came by and started taking pictures and the bear whipped around the back of our house.

I don't know exactly what's next for me, but I'm going to talk to this tumor, tell my bile duct to untangle. I appreciate your thougts, love, and prayers. It helps keep me going.

I will go back to CU-Med for another stent implant in about 7-8weeks. These stents are plastic and have to be replaced every few months. I worry about the infection that comes along with these stents going in and out of your body.

Just up here in Colorado looking forward to winter and a time of release.

Sincerely.Caroline