Detour

I've was pretty apprehensive about the CT this time around and the results of the tests--Finally calmed my nerves by realizing they would tell me I have pancreatic cancer.  Seems silly but that helped and anything else is just part of that.  I expected to find out the results on Wednesday but Dr Dan called Tuesday tonight so I could get a good night sleep.   At that time, he considered the disease to be stable due to slight but negligible growth in the liver tumors with no new spots.   The story changed in the morning once be saw the tumor marker numbers--I am not getting to 45 just yet as we are now up to 225 (from 60 something).  He said the number is not important just the direction and the direction indicates cells that the chemo did not destroy so the tumors could be growing.  But we do not know how fast or aggressively they will grow. Another CT is in order after Japan.  For now Dr Dan is exploring trials so that we can have a plan when we need it.  He is also sending a tumor sample in for genetic testing to see if I have any mutated genes that are common to other cancers so that a trial for a different cancer might be useful to consider.  We had hoped that the chemo I just finished could be used again but since the numbers increased so quickly he does to think it would be effective a second time.  So we are keeping our fingers crossed for a good option when we decide I need it--that answer will come sometime after Japan--hopefully later rather than sooner.

It has a been a full and fun two weeks.  We enjoyed a morning walk at the Stone Arch Art Festival--it was warm but we had not been in a few years so enjoyed the collections of artists.  Bought earrings and a little fairie house.  We saw the Calendar Girls with Linda Kelsey playing the oldest member of the group.  She is so good as was the entire cast.  We all laughed over and over again throughout the night.  Nancy got new glasses that arrive this week--light purple!  Our friend's grandson, Aidan, is in the midst of planning for choosing a college, we enjoyed a conversation with them.  He is a math and music guy, I can't wait to see how and if he ends of combining these passions.

Listened to Lynx at Seattle, we improved our record to 12-0 record, then watched online against LA,  and our record 13-0 start to the season.  Then we went to the game here against LA, we lost. What a fun team to watch, even when they lose. Went to the game Wednesday night--lost again, three in a row.  Ugh.

Our trip to Harbor Springs to see Cindy Rohde was perfect.   Non stop flight and Cindy met us at the airport.  On the agenda: walk around town, walk along the lake (Michigan), work on a puzzle, nap, eat, tell stories and hang out.  We had a nice dinner at Bill's Aunt Pat's house and enjoyed both the food and company, drove out to a farm for lunch, made our own pizzas one night and had deli sandwiches by the lake one afternoon.  All in all a great time.

Scott and Debbie came the day after we got home from Michigan.  We finally got the pool up and running so we all found some time to swim.  We went to the Lynx game and on the hottest day of the summer Scott and Debbie decided to weed that back patio area outside our office.  We made them stop eventually but they were at it again the next day.  We have a beautiful spot now with our outside ornamentation well planned instead of growing haphazardly each time we got a new piece.  Scott helped me make progress on the Esher puzzle I am trying to do.  There is still a long way to go.  They left Monday.

Tuesday was CT and a massage, Wednesday, Dr Dan and a visit to see cousin Nancy and the Lynx game.  Today was a massage for Sue, shots for our trip, acupuncture for Nancy to help with hand and foot neuropathy and then our friends from Calgary arrived:  Leonorah, Eddie and their four month old son Tanaka. They are on their way home from Boston and Vermont where their 9 year old son is going to camp for a month--the same group of camps I worked at in Vermont.  He should have a good month!  And so it goes, we are all tired and headed for bed early.  I will add pictures tomorrow and send out the blog then....Love to you all, I hold you in my heart and spirit every day.