Next Steps

Oh, the things that give a cause for joy – I no longer have a fifteen inch line of staples marching up my stomach. Hooray!

Karl and I made the longest trip in our history of driving to Chicago. Leaving South Bend at 1:30PM to allow more than enough time to travel 100 miles or so and be at Dr. Lurain's office for a 5:00PM appointment. But by the time we parked and got to the office it was 4:50PM – just in time. Heavy traffic and a 45 minute stop-and-barely-go stretch for bridge repair really ate up the time.

But we made it and Dr. Lurain had mostly good things to tell me. Everything is healing as it should, and he was very pleased at that. I do have a mild infection at the bottom of the incision so am now taking an antibiotic. It should clear up soon.

Other good news is that I'll do all the chemotherapy in South Bend with Dr. Bilal Ansari whom I know and like very much. Dr. Lurain set up the plan of which drugs and the timing, and Dr. Ansari will decide when I start. I'll talk to him on Monday to determine the first session and then they will be at three week intervals. The regimen is six sessions in all.

On a lighter note, we decided to wait out the worst of the rush hour by having dinner. We ate fish and chips at a fun place called the Elephant and Castle where Karl discovered all the British beers he loved on his many trips to the UK. So we'll be returning and staying overnight sometime in the future.

Please remember that I still need more of the wonderful support you've given up until now. So stick with me – I won't like losing my hair.

Good Morning, Family and Friends

I'm pleased to tell you all that I am boring. Healing just doesn't have the excitement of last week's ordeal, but I prefer it completely.

I'm just being lazy, letting other people take care of me, and wishing my swollen feet and legs would soon get back to normal. I've had to borrow sweatpants to have anything to wear. Oh, well, this too will pass.

Yesterday I treated myself to my first ever pedicure. What a pleasurable experience that was. Today it's just sit with feet higher than my heart. Does this mean the swelling will move up to my chest? That's a good thought.

On Friday Karl and I drive back to Chicago to see Dr. Lurain. He will take out the staples, and tell us my plan for chemo. Don't you know that driving to Chicago and back on Friday afternoon and evening is going to be quite an unfun trip?

Thanks to you all for caring and checking on me.