Post #71: An absolutely fabulous week!

Hello Everybody!

Well, it's been a week already . . . can't believe where the time goes! But it has been an incredible one for Anita. Yes, she still gets tired easily and still gets some dizziness - but that has all diminished in severity and frequency.

The great news is that she has been able to thoroughly enjoy the past week with her visiting friend from the East Coast including social gatherings and even a trip to San Diego on Sept. 4th. Off they went to beautiful San Diego where Anita waded in the ocean waves breaking in the sand and ate steamed clams and stuffed artichokes at The Beach House at Cardiff by the Sea - one of her all time favorite restaurants. Talk about a sure-fire cure for cabin fever! She reports that it was a long day with lots of driving but "it was like having a short trip to Heaven on Earth after these past long months and the recent heat wave!"

Not that she's not busy at home! Tristan managed to chew away the stucco on the wall of the kitchen and break the baby gate such that John and Anita had to buy a new gate to fence the little darling in more securely. Anita now calls him "Hot Dog" and "Tornado" rather than Tristan. Those names certainly sound better suited to his personality! Yesterday "Hot Dog" woke her up at the charming hour of 5:00 a.m. so by the time I talked with her (around 1:30 p.m.), she was already worn out! But happily so.

She and John are delighted with the new living room sliding doors. In the next few days, they are laying a new patio outside the doors so they will be able to shift in and out of the house with ease. Well, as you all know, they always have had an eye and knack for creating beautiful living spaces.

Yesterday afternoon she went out to a cocktail party very generously being hosted by another dear local friend in honor of the visiting friend. Anita's determination to get out there and live life in spite of everything she's been through - and is still going through - is simply amazing! I am so proud of her and so inspired by her. As she said to me again yesterday, "I am going to be well! I've made up my mind. I just don't have time for this!" We should all adopt that mantra.

So, next Wednesday, Sept. 12th she goes in for her fifth chemo treatment and on Friday, Sept. 14 she has her last Rituxan treatment. Then in approximately three weeks, around October 3rd, she should have her last chemo treatment. Now, it is possible, that the oncologist will order more treatments after that, but to hear Mama talk, she "won't stand for that! I'll be in remission!"

I will keep you all posted as to how she responds to the next round of treatments. In the meantime, we can all rejoice with her as she celebrates feeling better every day!

Melissa