Good news this time

When I was at the tennis recently there was a young man with the following words on his T shirt " death is not an option". I commented to my sister that I would like a T shirt with that message on it.

Well, my friends, it's good news. Today I went to see the oncologist who had the results of my recent CT scan and blood tests. He was able to show me the scan on his computer screen. It shows that all the tumours have either disappeared or are dead (it's an OK option for those little suckers!) How about that!

When I commented that that might mean he was out of a job, he cautioned me not to be so hasty. Yes, they are gone after three months of chemotherapy treatment, but he recommends that I stay on chemotherapy for another nine months. He says that research shows that patients on treatment live longer than those who are not, and that we should remember the saying "when you're on a good thing, stick to it". That was a Mortein ad, wasn't it? Anyway the 'living longer' argument certainly has some appeal, so I agreed to continue on the chemo for another 9 months.

He has taken me off one of the three chemo drugs that I have been on - the one that destroyed my platelets. So hopefully the platelet count will increase and I won't have to keep eating black pudding! Actually, to be truthful, I stopped a while ago. It was too much - eating it every single day.

So, it's back to the chemo regime tomorrow morning, bright and early at 8am. It hasn't stopped me going to Melbourne to the tennis, or body surfing at Wollongong City Beach and beating my brother-in-law to the sand on a couple of waves! So, I guess I can live with it for a while. Periodical scans will keep an eye on things and if it's still all clear after 9 months then I guess I can have a break.

Thank you all for reading my news and for the support you always provide for me. I believe my excellent results are a combination of many elements, not the least being the magnificent support, encouragement and friendship I get from you all.

I'll talk to you all again soon.

update

Don't forget that I have a new email address, please. Lots of people are still emailing me at the old address and I will be closing it down very shortly. I don't check it very often, so don't always see your messages at the right time.

terrie.baxter@gmail.com

Since I last wrote I've had a blood test and a CT scan. The blood test shows improvement in every relevant area. I will see and hear the results of the scan this coming Tuesday afternoon when I go to the oncologist. Whew! It's a stressful time. Meanwhile - this is my week free of chemotherapy when I feel very human again.

Since I last wrote I've also seen my new grandson, Oscar, and will include a pic below. Leigh and I have also been to Melbourne to spend two days at the Australian Open Tennis Championships. We had a fun time and saw some great tennis. See above a pic of the two of us, having a break between games, in our 'tennis watching' mode taken in front of the big screen and the garden in the grounds of Melbourne Park.

Bright-eyed Oscar at 9 weeks

January marches on

My dear friends who go to the trouble of reading this blog on a regular basis, my humblest apologies. No entry for over 2 weeks! Just goes to show what a great time I've been having. And I've been away from my computer (and any other) for quite a bit of the time.

Some of the time has been spent back at the beach house at Vincentia and I owe a great deal to my sister-in-law, Shaz, who has made it available for me to use with my friends when it has been free.

I'll just give you an update on a variety of things today.

My Face
The stitches have been removed from the cut on my face and it is healing nicely. There is certainly a scar but as luck would have it it's in line with one of the 'laugh lines' around my mouth and is hardly noticeable. I'm madly rubbing Vitamin E cream into it many times a day

Chemo
The 3rd round of chemo is well under way. I'm definitely not the usual Terrie while I'm on the tablets, but it still allows me to function almost normally, as long as I put time aside to take my nanna nap after lunch each day. In fact, yesterday I slept for 4 hours after lunch - almost until dinner time! But that allowed me to go with friends to have a meal and to see the award winning movie, Atonement, which I really enjoyed. I have just finished reading the book, so the story was very familiar to me and the movie is very true to the book, except at the very end.

General Treatment
Blood tests continue and the readings are always encouraging. The tumour marker is still within the normal range (just like yours) and the liver function readings are improving every time. The doctor I see most regularly (weekly for herbs and acupuncture) is the herbal doctor, and he is always encouraging about my progress and says that we make a great team. More blood tests coming up and a CT scan at the end of the month before seeing the oncologist again. The scan will tell the picture. This is the time that I both dread and look forward to with anticipation, at the same time.

What Might Be Ahead
If you read the comments on this blog you will see that my friend, 'red shoes', asks about whether I have the camper van ready for my travels! She is planning to fly from France and join me for some of my travels! The answer is - not yet. But I've been doing my research and am closer to taking the plunge. Another dear friend owns a camper van and is allowing me to 'trial it' while she is travelling overseas for 3 months from February. So, look out folks, you just might find me arriving on your doorstep anytime - with my accommodation with me!

Family
My sister and her husband are still with us and will return to Canada on the 30th of this month. Life will be much quieter then. They are enjoying the summer, away from the chilly Canadian winter, and are spending their time visiting Sydney grandchildren and friends all over the place as well as cycling and swimming almost daily on our beautiful coastline.

Soon
Once they have gone I plan to spend some time in Sydney with my friend, Suzie, who has invited me to stay and enjoy the wonderful variety of things to do in Sydney - especially during the summer. Of course, modern communication allows me to keep in touch with you all by the same methods - wherever I am.

Well, for now - that's all folks! Thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying your January and keeping well.

Vivre 2008

The date says 2 January, but it's really the 3rd. I don't know how to correct the date!!!!

Well, Christmas and New Year have both come and gone and it's time to get on with the work of 2008.

After a beaut Christmas with family, and sadly saying goodbye to the Hong Kong connection, my New Year began at the beachside resort of Vincentia on Jervis Bay. These are pics of

1. the beach, 2. the magnificent Christmas Bush flowering in the area and 3. the view from our beach house out over Jervis Bay.

My friend, Suzie, and I had a relaxing few days at the beach house. We took our bicycles, swimmers, books, Scrabble and crosswords - and the black pudding! On New Year's Eve we were tucked up in our beds well before midnight. We did watch the Sydney 9pm fireworks on the television, so we didn't totally miss out on the spirit of celebration and heralding in the new year.

And now it's back to routine. The next round of chemotherapy starts next Wednesday (9th) - that's as long as the black pudding has been keeping my platelet level up! The blood test next Tuesday will tell.

Those of you who read my previous blog may remember the pic of my 60th birthday celebration. I've been reminsicing today, as it's exactly one year ago - I was Princess for a day. A lot has happened in the intervening year - a lot of positive stuff, and I want to thank you all for much of that.

Your friendship, support, encouragement and provision of opportunities for laughter and camaraderie has helped to keep me healthy and happy - and defy all medical prognoses! Let it continue in 2008 and beyond!

Happy New Year, my friends. Enjoy this pic of my three grandchildren. Oscar (1 month), Willow (15 months) and Zeke (almost 5)

Merry Christmas

Right now, here in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, it's 11.14pm on Christms Eve as I start to write this message. All is quiet in the house and all is ready for Christmas Day tomorrow.

Today I had the stitches out of my top lip and the doctor was very complimentary of the stitching job that had been done by the nurse practitioner at Wollongong Hospital. It still doesn't look too good, but I'm assured it will be fine when it's totally healed. Metho on it for the next two days to help dry it out and then Vitamin E cream and/or Bio Oil.

Nikki and the children left yesterday and are safely back in Hong Kong. What a wonderful time we had together while they were here. And now I'm hoping to join them in Hong Kong in February.

Chemo carries on! The last tablets for this round are on Boxing Day and then nothing until 9 January. Black pudding doesn't taste any better, but I'm perservering. Blood tests show haemoglobin is OK. Will have other blood results later. I feel fine - just run out of energy far too soon each day. But that's a great excuse for a nanna nap!

I have a friend who has written a greeting and wishes for 2008 in French, Japanese and English and I'd like to share it with you.

Le voudrait-on, on ne retient pas le fleuve du temps, déjà 2008.
Au moment de basculer dans une nouvelle année pas question de regrets,
Le voyage continue avec de belles raisons de croire et d’espérer.
Le temps se presse mais il nous fait aussi de beaux cadeaux,
La bonne nouvelle c’est que 2008 nous donnera encore de
bonnes raisons de partager ensemble la lumière du monde.
Vite, vite, 2008 c’est maintenant; toute une année
ce n’est pas trop pour entreprendre et réaliser tous nos voeux.
Bonne et Heureuse Année



どんなに強く望もうとも、時の流れには逆らえず、もう2008年。
新たな年にさしかかろうという今は名残惜しむ場合ではなく、
信じて、そして希望を持つという素晴らしい道理と共に旅は続いていきます。
時は急ぐけれども私たちに素敵なプレゼントもしてくれます、
いい知らせ、それは2008年が世界の光をみんなで分かち合う
という確かな理由をまだ私たちに与えてくれることです。
早く、早く、もう2008年です、１年すべてを使っても
私たちのすべての願いを実現するには十分ではないのです。
良いお年をお迎えください。


Even if we want to we shall never succeed in holding back the flow of time
2008 is already round the corner
As we are about to move into a new year, no regret should prevail
The journey continues with wonderful reasons to continue to believe and to hope
Time is pushing us but it is also providing us with a beautiful gift
The good news is that we shall have many more opportunities in 2008 to share together in "the light of the world"
Let's move quickly, 2008 is upon us
A year is not enough............. therefore let's not waste time.
A happy and prosperous new year to all!

I couldn't have said it better my self. Thank you, my friends , for being my friends. You are all very special to me. Merry Christmas for tomorrow and enjoy your journey as we approach 2008.

the gang's all here

Yes. The gang's all here. Nikki and her children have arrived from Hong Kong and Leigh and Bob have come in from Canada. It's very busy at our house right now, although they are not all camped here.

I started another round of chemo last week and the same old reactions came forward - fuzzy head, short of breath. However this time I have escaped the headache! Yeah. So things are not too bad. My visit to the oncologist earlier this week was very encouraging. He said that I was doing very well and as a result he has reduced the dose of 2 of the 3 chemo drugs. The tumour marker has gone down yet again, so things as as bright as they might be.

Still drinking my vegie juice every day and sticking pretty strictly to Dr Chen's recommended diet. I guess the whole combination is doing me quite well - all things considered.

I had a little non-cancer hiccup on Tuesday. Carelessly, I walked into some metal roofinf that was perched on the back of a truck in the car park beside my car. As a result I have a great gash in my face with 5 stitches and appropriate steri strips to cover them. Not particularly attractive! All Christmas photos will be taken from my left side! Fortunately I didn't do any major damage to eyes, nose or mouth, there is no bruising or swelling, and at the moment, no infection. Whew!

Last night we had a Christmas dinner with both my children and their children and I'm posting the photo of the gang for you to view. It's not a particularly good photograph - it's not eaasy to get an 87 year old great grandfather, his 6 week old great grandson and several members of the generations in between - to pose for a group photo. However, we've done our best and you can see the result. Questions of identification can be answered by email!

Did black pudding do the trick?

Whatever did the trick, this time my platelets were up and I've had my second burst of chemo this morning (Wednesday). That was the infusion of a cocktail of 2 chemotherpay drugs and now I take tablets for the 3rd drug for the next 2 weeks.

I also saw Dr Chen today who calmed me down about the negative direction of my liver function levels. They have been moving in the right direction for the past 6 months or so, so it was rather disappointing to see them reverse this time. Dr Chen tells me that the chemo attacks the liver and that this is to be expected. He will reasses in the new year to see if he needs to adjust my herbal and acupuncture regiime. I have an appointment with the oncologist on Monday so I'll be checking with him too.

The good news is that the tumour marker has gone down even further. Yeah!

Thanks for the recipes for using black pudding in creative ways - those of you who have sent them. I'm continuing to eat it almost daily until I get absolutely sick of it, then I'll have a break and see if the platelet reading changes. Hmmmmm.

The other REALLY good news is that my daughter, Nikki, arrives tomorrow night with her two gorgeous children to stay for 10 days. Can't wait to have them all here with me. Will post pics when I have them.

And Leigh and Bob, my sister and her husband, are arriving for 6 weeks from Saturday. We will be in family overload! It'll be just great.

And for those who are asking about why I called for beetroot. .It has amazing healing qualities, I need it to be organic. It is great to drink in juice form with carrot and celery. However, I don't really need it any more, as the local beach cafe, which is within walking distance, makes just that juice, so I wander down there each day to have my hit! Much easier than cleaning a juicing machine every day, don't you think? I get my exercise in at the same time - 2 birds with one stone.

Thanks for reading and being my own personal support group. I love you all XXXXX