Half Way!

Today I passed the half-way point of my chemotherapy program. This was infusion number six out of a planned twelve. Because I had to skip my scheduled infusion two weeks ago due to a low platelet level, I was eager this morning to see the results from the blood tests that are always done first thing each time. Two weeks ago, the level was 66, but this week the measure was 112—good enough to proceed. My oncologist has decided to reduce the dosage level of the oxilaplatin, which is the drug I receive at the Infusion Center at the hospital. The intention is to give my platelets a better chance to recover prior to each of the next infusions. Her goal is still to take me off this drug entirely after maybe the eighth treatment (might have been seven if the dosage was not reduced), but I'll still need to finish all twelve of the fluorouracil infusions, which are the ones I complete at home over a 46 hour period using a pump. I'm still doing well overall and generally am able to do almost anything I want.

But enough of that boring stuff! What else has been going on with us? Well, after a rather cold, wet April—spring has arrived slowly—the weather has been exceedingly/unseasonably warm as of late. There are three home improvement projects we have had queued up since at least March, and the workers were actually able to get to a couple of them this week. One was replacement of the sidewalk between our driveway and front porch.

We're very pleased with the results, which corrected a problem with the old steps, which had settled and created a very high 11" step up onto the porch from the walk. Now we have a 5" step—much safer for us old folks.

A second project, also completed today, was the elimination of a garden spot we no longer wanted with sod being installed to restore the lawn. Kathie had relocated a number of peony plants into one section of that area as well. We think it looks great and really dresses up the appearance and size of the lawn.

The third project, expected to be started in a day or so, is cleaning and staining of our back deck and screened-in porch, as well as installation of new screens.

A few days ago, we borrowed a log splitter from our kind neighbor and split most of the logs from a dead tree we had taken down about two months ago. It was threatening to fall on our new fence. I got an entire pickup load of firewood which I donated to my son, Rob, and a friend of his.

Finally, last week we had a long awaited visit from my sister, Paula, and brother-in-law, Ron. We spent most of one day on a "visit down memory lane" driving around old home towns, visiting cemeteries, and seeing the farms, schools, and main streets of our youth. This resulted in lots of reminiscing and recalling of stories and events. Fun! The next day, my cousin, Rex, and his wife, Chris, came for an afternoon visit. More reminiscing and stories! Chris is also a cancer patient, and I must say with considerable gratitude, that we have, I think, been good, mutually supportive resources for each other. Having all this family around me last week was nourishing.

That's it for now. We are thinking of a short trip to the cabin this next week, so my next posting may be from northern Wisconsin and sans anything about cancer or cancer treatments. (We'll have to return home just prior to the next scheduled infusion.)