Gut Feel

Me again!!  It has been a crazy week … lots of appointments and what-not. So I will do a little backtracking, and let you know what Peggy’s World has been like. On Thursday, another treatment already!!  No chemo today, just clinical study drugs, Thank God.  I had an Upper GI done yesterday, normally it wouldn’t have been a deal, but there was a real possibility that the cancer had spread to my stomach.  I am most happy to say that there is no cancer in my belly, a little acid reflux, but hey, that is absolutely doable. Not a lot of people knew the worry I had about this Upper GI—having cancer in my stomach would have been a game changer!  So, other than being totally wiped out, no food 12 hours before or liquid 4 hours prior to the procedure—I am feeling pretty sassy today and that is a good thing!

I am truly amazed by the outpouring of love and encouragement that I get on a daily basis—you have no idea how that spurs me on!  Though I do have to say, nothing tasted quite as good as my In-n-Out Cheeseburger, Animal Fries and Pink Lemonade yesterday, one of my most guilty pleasures.  I can’t believe how things have changed in just a few short weeks.  Absolutely crazy!!

So, I totally went to UCSD, totally had my clinical trial drugs, get ready to leave and in the space next to mine—someone brought lunch in to enjoy with a patient, now NORMALLY it would not have been a deal—but since everything I do is on hyper sensitivity, I had to scramble, I mean dash or I was going to get violently ill or pass out.  I’d like to think I am not so sensitive about things—but now we can write it on the list—strong smells in the infusion center, have a tendency to do me in.  And it took me forever…at least 45 minutes for it to pass.  Thanks Rhien for being uber patient, that’s right, had my 2^nd Acupuncture treatment and will continue.  I am game for anything to help me muddle through this medical mayhem!!

Had a fun afternoon, that’s for sure, my friend Yvonne came with her Diamond Edition Scrabble, ready to kick my butt.  We are very satisfied with an ultra close game and are still working out the rules for our sort of scrabble play.  Let’s just say, that when someone comes armed with their game AND dictionary it can be a little daunting.  Thanks Yvonne—can’t wait for Round 2!!

I am still trying to find my new normal—I thought that everything would just drop into place and that is really not true—don’t know if my new normal is very “NORMAL” at all.  But, I am going to continue chugging on, cause otherwise what’s the sense in getting out of the bed in the morning.  Friday brought another early doctor’s appointment with my Pulmonologist—better known as the Lung Doc, I now have a standing appointment set up to check the fluids in my chest and also drain—eeehhhh-that’s right, drain if necessary.  And low and behold it was necessary for me to have a thoracentesis yesterday, approximately 1.5 liters was drained—not a pleasant procedure, but an ongoing issue with this type of cancer is the accumulation of fluids in the lining of the lung—I say better out than in!! 

And because I am feeling so much lighter…..my good friend Dana and I went snorkeling first thing today in La Jolla and swam with leopard sharks-probably 35-40, sting rays and also a shovel nose sand shark.  It was absolutely amazing!!  Some people might think I am risking things, by getting in the water after the procedure I had yesterday—and for me it would be abnormal if I even question swimming and snorkeling when the Leopard Sharks are crashing in the waves with you.  You all should know for sure that I am not gonna sit back and let life pass me by—I cherish every freakin’ day I am on the planet with my family and friends and not a moment is gonna be wasted second guessing my decisions.