And Then It Hits You

I finished my monthly injections of Vidaza yesterday. It's no big deal except my oncologist recommends I get them for life. Vidaza without parole.

I take 22 pills each day. I take the morning pills after breakfast. It's like having an additional course.

Which reminds me. I called my oncologist last week to see what he thought about tapering from 20 to 15 mg of prednisone. He hasn't called me back yet, so I'm thinking about just doing it.

And then it hits you. You survived but it never goes away.

Feeling Groovy

I live 15 minutes from the original Woodstock site, in Bethel, New York. The museum reflects this country's musical, cultural and political mood at the time. I was too young to go to the festival, but the music infected my family in deep ways. Even my kids love the tunes from that time.

The reason I'm feeling so groovy is that my psyche is strong, my body's getting stronger and the weather is fine. I went to my local oncologist yesterday. My counts are great, and I've been approved to receive Vidaza shots next week. Yay.

Life I love you ...

More Traveling on My Own

I went to Eugene, Oregon last week to see my son run in the NCAA Championships for Track and Field. You can read more about the details on my other blog wordinthewoods.blogspot.com.

The first and last days, where I had to fly and switch planes, dragging my luggage along with me, were the most challenging. When I got off the plane in Newark, NJ, after a red-eye from Denver, I was a zombie. I then took a bus to Port Authority in NYC and subwayed to my friend's house in Brooklyn where I finally had a cup of coffee.

After showering and changing into fresh clothes, I went to an appointment at my dermatologist's. He said my skin looked much better, and he gave me a prescription for a new anti-itch cream. It's too soon to say whether it works or will work long-term. The best part of the exam revealed no cancer. I didn't expect there to be any, but like many of you in this boat, it's always a relief to hear those words.

PT, Yoga and Massage

Knock on wood, I've been doing really well lately. I've lost weight and have better balance and flexibility than I did a year ago. I credit this to physical therapy and yoga. A massage helps my skin and soothes my muscles. Yesterday, my therapist said my muscles overall seem less tight.

My number one complaint is still skin itchiness. I'm taking medication and have tried every expensive lotion money can buy. I see my dermatologist next week. We'll see what he says.

More exciting news: I can now get my hair into a ponytail with a little bit of help. I'm not that flexible.