Whew!

This week was filled with anxiousness waiting to have my quarterly MRI. Today, Marcie and I went to get the results. We heard again some good words. "Great" is the exact word the Doctor used! What a relief. "Great" is the word they use when the brain tumor is NOT growing. I can live with that. Literally. I would prefer that it is shrinking or gone but I will take "not growing". Growing would be bad.

What happens now? First, I go about life trying to live as fully as possible. (A good motto for everyone. Don't forget your vegetables ;-) Medically, I will still be taking chemotherapy pills every fourth week and some other medicine. I will get monthly blood tests and in June another MRI. Yay.

Now, I deserve a reward. Suggestions? New bike? A trip to Europe? A pony?

Marcie, for all that she has done and for being right next to me through all of this deserves a bigger reward. Maybe I'll get her a pony.

Keep fighting Coach Karl!

Been there and I know how it feels. George Karl, coach of the Nuggets and former Cavs coach has a different kind of cancer but the treatments are similar. The pictures bring back a lot of memories.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4997277

How the strange becomes normal

It is amazing how quickly pills, doctor's appointments, and head shaving becomes routine. I am three cycles into the chemo pills with no ill effects. My hair is coming back unevenly so I cut my hair every Sunday. I visit my oncologist and have the same blood draws and answer the same questions. "How do you feel?" "Really good!" Working full time again and into the school routine. That is my normal.

This week will be a little different. I will visit NIH on Thursday for another MRI. The plan is that I will have MRIs on a quarterly basis. No change in them is good. Smaller is even better. Will find out the results for this week's MRI on Friday. Keep the prayers and karma and good wishes coming! The more Mojo, the better!

Mmmmm....chemo

Third round of this chemo cycle. With the chemo, I have to take an anti-nausea pill. But for that I also have to take a laxative. Just can't win for losing. ;-)

Hair is still growing in slowly. I have gotten pretty good at clipping my own hair, now a Sunday ritual. Have not shaved it completely bald though.

I have been back teaching full-time for over a month but it has been weird. Last week was the first week of five full days. We have had the normal days off plus seven snow days and four delays. I really enjoyed the "snow week" with the girls, but boy, am I ready for Spring.