Sid Bacon

It is great to be back on track with my chemotherapy treatments!  For those who are counting, we are nearing the end of our 3rd cycle of the current chemo regimen (cycle = 3 weeks on, 1 week off).  My platelets threw me off schedule a bit, so this 3rd cycle only had 2 weeks on; we are now entering our week off phase to complete the 3rd cycle.  The goal is to get me back to having chemo on Thursdays.  Thus, next Monday will be “off” and then we’ll start the 4th cycle on Thursday the 3rd (platelets willing …).  I’ll have a blood draw this Monday at a local clinic to see how my platelets are doing, and then another on Thursday at Piper to make sure the platelet count is at least 50,000.  On Thursday the 3rd they also will (I think) be getting a measure of the cancer antigen CA19-9.  They do this once per month, at the beginning of a new cycle. The level dropped steeply the last time, in conjunction with the shrinking of the tumors.  We’ll be anxious to see how it goes this time, especially given the missed week of chemo and now the reduced dosage.  We won’t get another CT scan until the end of the 4th cycle/beginning of the 5th cycle.  This current chemo regimen is scheduled for a total of 6 cycles, assuming it is effective in either shrinking or holding steady the size of the tumors.  The CT scan will tell us that.  After this chemotherapy regimen, we’ll start a 6-month regimen of four chemotherapy drugs, one of which is given for 48 hours via a pump that obviously comes home with me.  The side effects are supposed to be a little more severe than the side effects with the current regimen, but we’ll be ready.  (Plus, I don’t have any more hair on my head to give!)
 

I feel pretty good today, but a little more tired than I have felt lately, presumably a result of the chemo.  The last time I had chemo, I progressively got less tired as we moved further and further away from the day I received the therapy.  Based on that experience, I expect to be most tired today, and progressively less tired as we approach the weekend.  I am still benefitting from the blood transfusion … it is great to not be anemic.  Cathy and I went on a nice walk this morning, but otherwise (besides eating) I’ve been taking it easy and working at my computer.  I have several professional projects due soon, so it is good to have enough energy to sit and work.  I don’t think I have the energy for much else.
 

I woke up today with much less back pain than I had yesterday.  Although the pain is minimal, I am hopeful that it dissipates completely in the near future.  I went for so long without any pain (after being in quite a bit of pain for a couple months) that I got spoiled … pain-free is the way I ought to be and the way I know I’ll get to again.  Perhaps I just need the chemo back in me doing its thing on my tumors!
 

I promised at least one more wedding picture … We have received a couple pictures from the photographer, so I thought I’d share one of them here.  I promise not to inundate you with lots and lots of wedding pictures, but I thought this was an especially good one of the happy couple.  Perhaps I’ll add one of the very happy and proud parents sometime later …
 

At the risk of being redundant, I want you to know how important your support has been to me and my family.  I know many of you are following my journal daily or nearly daily, and some of you are writing in the guestbook. Team Bacon signs hang in many office windows at ASU and probably elsewhere.  The A on A Mountain was painted purple in my honor.  And it just goes on and on.  I know you are thinking of me, pulling for me, and fighting this fight with me.  Thank you so much.  Please know that I could not do it without you.  It truly is a team effort.

Fortunately, I have had many days lately where I have felt relatively strong and healthy.  I credit the excellent medical care that I am getting at Piper and the support I am getting everywhere else, especially from Cathy, Laura, and Dan, but also from all of you.  I feel very fortunate indeed.  I realize that I must appreciate these days and moments, as I know that there are bumps ahead in my road to recovery.  But I am determined to make a full recovery and to become disease-free.  I know it is possible.  I have hope.
 

I don’t recall if I have mentioned before that we occasionally have ducks in our swimming pool off and on for a few weeks this time of the year.  Usually it is just two ducks, a male and a female.  Last night while we were sitting outside and barbecuing dinner we saw a very large number of birds flying high in the sky in a V formation.  It must have been the local ducks putting on a flight show.  It will be interesting to see if our pair comes back soon, or if they have left Phoenix and are moving to a cooler climate.  I wouldn’t blame them if they did … just another type of “snow bird”. 
 

Cathy and I were sent one picture of us walking towards the wedding ceremony.  I have included it here.  I am pretty sure we had smiles on our faces the entire evening.  What an event! 
 

In Monday’s blog titled “Marvelous Monday”, I mentioned that I borrowed the phrase from Lana, one of the nurses at Piper.  She has been trying to come up with something similar for Thursday (she has “Terrific Tuesday” and probably “Wonderful Wednesday”, but nothing for Thursday).  I couldn’t come up with a “Th” adjective to pair with Thursday.  If any of you can, please either post it via the guestbook or send it to me directly via email.  It would be especially good to get a clever, positive phrase for Thursdays, because I am moving my chemo treatments back to those days.  Thanks for your help.

Thanks to everyone who suggested a word or phrase for Thursdays.  “Thankful Thursday” was suggested most often, followed by “Therapeutic Thursday”.  There were many others … all good.  I’ve saved them all and can’t wait to share them with Lana next Thursday when I am at Piper for chemotherapy.  We’ll see which one or ones she adopts.  If my platelet count is sufficiently high next Thursday, I will consider it to be Thankfully Therapeutic Thursday.
 

I am grateful today, so today is Thankful Thursday.  I have so much to be thankful for; I just hope I can stay focused on those things and on the moment of each day.  The better I feel, the more focused I need to be, as I tend to slip back into old habits of ignoring the moment and planning the future.  A balance of the two is okay and appropriate, but it isn’t okay to miss today completely when planning for tomorrow.  I am thankful that I feel well today, am able to work, and that I have such a wonderful group of family and friends, whose unending support gives me the courage and strength to fight. 
 

It is very windy here today and much cooler, with a chance of thunderstorms.  We could use some rain.  I think Phoenix is getting swings in its high temperatures much like the rest of the county.  Twenty- to 30-degree changes in a day or two are not uncommon – it has happened several times in the past couple months.  On the day of the wedding, we had a high of 75 degrees.  Exactly one week later, the high temperature was 105 degrees. That would have been too warm!  (You can tell I’m from Phoenix; if I lived anywhere else, I’d say 105 would be too hot!)  A black suit and 105 degrees is a recipe for weight loss … I would have shed at least a couple pounds, even though I sampled both cakes …
 

Here is to enjoying a Thankful Thursday and looking forward (just a little bit) to a Fabulous Friday.

It is a beautiful day in Phoenix today.  The high temperature is only going to be 86 degrees; it is currently in the low 70s.  You definitely want the windows wide open (despite the noise pollution from landscape maintenance workers who are cleaning our next-door neighbor’s yard with their blowers).  There isn’t a cloud in the magnificently blue sky.  This is quite different from the windy and overcast day we had yesterday, although both days brought much-welcomed lower temperatures and were beautiful in their own ways.  We didn’t get much rain yesterday, but then again we only get 7 inches per year, so it isn’t all that surprising to get only a sprinkling, despite a forecast for possible thunderstorms.  We’ll take and be grateful for whatever moisture we can get.
 

I am feeling good today again, with only a small amount of back pain.  It still isn’t so severe that I feel the need for a pain pill to supplement the fentanyl patch I wear to control my pain.  It is good to know that the pain pill is there if I need it, however.  Except for this past week, it has been a long time since I’ve had pain, and I look forward to getting it back under control.  I am confident that we will; we have done it before, we’ll do it again!
 

My mornings are starting to get routine.  The highlight is the walk with Cathy. Occasionally she does the complete walk with me, but most often she does a bit more than half the walk before splintering off to get in a 3- to 5-mile run (she is in great shape). It is so nice that she takes the time to walk with me; she never complains about the extra time it takes out of her morning (hey, maybe she likes the walks, too).  I usually have a small breakfast before the walk and a larger one afterwards.  (Maybe today should be called “Fat Friday”.)  After the second breakfast, I settle in to professional work at my computer.  It is enjoyable.  I appreciate that I can work from home and that I have such a supportive boss who allows me the time to focus on my health and not worry about the administrative job I have at ASU as associate vice president.  Right now, the demands of that job would be too much for me, although my professional work as an editor, advisor, researcher, etc. is somewhat less demanding and is something that I can handle reasonably well from home.  People at ASU are treating me extremely well; I feel very fortunate for that.  They are showing great humanity in accommodating my situation.
 

Laura is planning to come to our house to see us sometime this weekend.  It is nice of her to carve out time to see her parents, especially given how busy she is with work during the week and her own projects and life during the weekend.  Even if it is just for a couple hours, it will be great to see her. Indeed, I’m expecting a great weekend. I am anticipating and certainly hoping to feel good throughout, and I am looking forward to spending time with family.  Here is hoping that you all have a great weekend, too!

Cathy and I have had a nice, relaxing day today.  Maybe that is what a weekend day is supposed to be like … hmmm.  After drinking a little coffee and reading the newspaper, we went on our morning walk (Cathy also ran) and then had an omelet (my second meal of the morning) while sitting outside in our beautiful backyard.  That was followed by a long conversation about a range of topics from Reiki and other alternative therapies (we don’t have those figured out, but we figure it can’t hurt to throw all of them at my disease) to religion, faith, and spirituality (we certainly don’t have those topics figured out, either, but we believe that a strong faith and deep spirituality can only be helpful as we fight this pernicious disease).  We also did a little Mother’s Day shopping, as most fortunately we have two mothers to shop for still (not counting my children’s mother, whom I like to shop for as well).  We just awoke from a short post-lunch nap … not a bad day so far, I’d say!
 

It is nice that Cathy and I find pleasure in running errands together.  It boils down to having a strong desire to spend time together.  It is not new; we’ve always felt that way.  I would rather spend time with her than anyone else in the world.  And I certainly would rather spend time with her than be alone. She is, after all, my best friend.  But our relationship is obviously much deeper than that.  Not all best-friend relationships are built that way.  I feel lucky that ours is, and that we both want – probably need – it that way. 
 

Our battle with cancer has its unpredictable ups and downs.  It is important that Cathy and I spend time together during the tough times; that is when Ineed her with me … she is my caregiver and I simply couldn’t function without her.  It is just as important that we spend time together during the good times; we need those especially enjoyable times together as well to give us hope and strength to manage the more difficult times.  She is my life partner; I couldn’t function without her.  I am so lucky to have found her.
 

I hope your day is turning out to be as nice as mine.  Every day is a blessing.