Deb Update: 12/28/2006; 2:00 PM E.S.T.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and has some nice plans for New Years Eve! My dad and I spent Christmas Eve at my CA parents' house (the Gilfillans). It was a really nice time, great food and of course we played Uno (I'm hooked since I was playing that often while I was in the hospital!). On Christmas day my stepbrother Cliff and his wife Christina came over and we had a nice time... good conversations and food!

Last week was tough for nausea (and sometimes vomiting) but I finally decided that I would stop taking the Kytril (the anti-nausea pill) since it didn't seem to stop the throwing up or nausea! So, since each day was different I have tried to come up with the possible reason that I had nausea... interestingly enough I came up with a reason that my radiation oncologist agreed with: eating too much food for dinner the night before, I can have major nausea in the next day after chemo and breakfast! So, as you can imagine, since I had been eating holiday food/major meals, that probably made me have my morning nausea! So, I basically have started grazing all day and have not had any nausea for the past 3 days... YEAH!!!

I just took Day 15 of my chemotherapy so I'm now on week 3... I basically don't have any major side effects (now that I am eating correctly) which is good. I guess each week may be different as I get more into the treatment but my hope is that nausea doesn't come back! Basically it may be my fatigue and energy that may get decreased...but maybe I will look normal to the doctors since they don't know that my energy is 3 times the normal person!

I am also on week 3 of radiation therapy as well. I meet with Dr. Ahn (radiation oncologist) once per week to talk about how I'm doing as we are deeper into the treatment. Interestingly enough we met yesterday and I learned that I could still eat major sized meals for dinner! Here's the way to do it in his opinion: Have the Kytril one hour before the night meal and also take it before the chemo in the morning. So, on New Years Eve, I may just try that since it's a good night to eat!!! Stay tuned... Another interesting topic that we talked about was hair loss due to the radiation. He asked if I had that, I said "NO" and he was happy... his concern is that it may happen because my dose of radiation is very intense (most likely because I'm young and can handle it). I was thrilled that I am doing that right too..... until last night! I was starting to feel some soreness on my scalp in a few areas (behind and below both ears near my neck and also just above my left ear near the scar). It basically feels like it used to feel when I had my hair/head french braided! BUT........ I started to touch is and rub it and I had quite a few pieces of hair come out into my hand! Ugghhh.... I'm hoping that the hair loss stays in that area only. Stay tuned...

So, I am wondering if any of you think I may look good in a mohawk if I lose lots of side head hair!? I'm not thinking so, but I guess it'd be good out here since it's not as cold as Connecticut!

Another tough thing that has happened since I wrote the last list is that my Gram passed away yesterday. She was 94 years old and was an amazing grandma (my father's mother)! She had been having dialysis for about a year but was doing pretty well for her age. Unfortunately she had a major stroke on Dec 24th morning/afternoon and her left side was affected. She was put in the hospital and was not in any pain but was having a difficult time talking due to the stroke as well. Yesterday she passed away in her sleep which is what she always hoped would happen since it is a peaceful way to pass on.

On a positive note... my friend Al is here from Connecticut since my dad has gone home. Dad was done with his 6 week visit so it's nice for him to head home. So far Al has made the living room ottoman that I was going to make and now asks what else is on his list of things he can do for me! The worst part is I have put "paint my bedroom furniture" on the list.... that's a major list item!!! He has always helped me paint stuff in my CT house so I am confident that it's not that bad :-) I'm hoping that the Feng Shui lady will like the paint job that he does! She'll be back as soon as I finish the list of things she wanted me to change so that she can finish Feng Shui-ing the house...stay tuned.

Here's hoping that 2007 is a good year! I wish you all a wonderful New Years Eve.... my plan is to go to Disneyland here in CA (if I'm feeling good...) so I'll probably have some good stories after that if it happens. From the bottom of my heart, thank-you all for your continued support... it's truly amazing and helpful to me!

Debbie