For real! She said that! Just a small one. She’s like the best doctor in the world!

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you call personally for your responses to my Embolization post. I just wanted to share with you the sorts of decisions we have to make every three weeks or so. They’re little decisions with huge impact (or not, as the case may be). Nevertheless, they are challenging every time. Betsy, your reply of “Whatever it takes” has stuck with us both ever since we read it. Honey keeps repeating it to me. I like its meaning and will continue to live by it.

So, these decision days that come up every month or so I think I’m going to start referring to as Big D Days.

After meeting with the doctor yesterday, many decisions were made. Here are just a few of the biggies:

1* Hold off on chemoembolization until the end of the summer months. She, too, is interested in trying it again but is not in any hurry to do so. She agreed with my desire to enjoy most of my summer travel plans without having to worry about the nasty after-effects and recovery time from the chemoembo. So, we’ll revisit the idea come August.

2* Continue with previous chemo cocktail (three weeks on, one week off) but add another one because she felt we were not yet “hitting it with all we’ve got.” So we added it and with it there is a 50/50 chance I’ll lose my hair. I’m okay with that, mostly. I am going to east coast for two weeks in July to hot humid weather where a bald head will solve many beauty problems for me! So I keep checking my head every few hours. Nothing happening yet but I’ll let you know! The only other new side effects should only be increased tiredness and decreased white blood cells; both of which I am used to so bring it on!

3* Unfortunately, under doctor’s orders, I will not be going to China with the fam this summer. It’s just too risky, what with all the differences in medical care and sanitary conditions on the other side of the world. She’s had patients go there and return with worms or weird viruses, no matter how civilized their travelling conditions were. We’d be staying in four star hotels and such but once we venture out to the touristy spots, with all those people not respecting personal space as we westerners usually do, anything could happen to me and she’s just not willing to take the risk. Honey is still going but I’ll stay home and watch the doggies. As I mentioned before though, she’s still letting me go to Florida, Hilton Head and Kansas City in July She says if anything goes wrong with me while there, at least I’ll be state-side and can go to the nearest western medical hospital for good care. I agree. Plus, it’s mostly beach-time. What better therapy for my body than hours on the beach surrounded by family?!?!

There you have it. The decisions we made with Dr. Kane. Our parents went with us on this visit and got lots of their own questions answered directly from her so hopefully they are satisfied with my continued care. I think they are. I sure am. She’s great oncologist.

We did lots of gardening and planting today. It was so fun getting all messy in that dirt! But now I’m beat and I think that tiredness side effect is kicking in. The couch calls my name loud and clear!!!!