Post #79: Cat Scan Tomorrow!

Hello All!

Sorry for the time lapse here. I have been dealing with a variety of time-absorbing issues that have come up of late. So this post is a compilation from two conversations with Anita on Oct. 12 and today.

She has felt very tired after this last chemo session. But that is gradually getting better. It has been one of the normal aftereffects for her of the treatments and, as we all know, she does tend to overdo it a bit! She gets that enthusiasm going and look out world!

One of the issues she has been dealing with is some teeth problems. This too is a frequent side effect of chemo therapy. On Friday she commented that she had lost a couple of fillings and had a throbbing toothache. During our phone conversation, John had been on the other phone working to get her a dentist appointment. Bingo, he got one in the next 40 minutes and he and Mama had to dash out the door to get to the dentist's office.

Today I got the follow-up on how the appointment went. She has a bacterial infection near one wisdom tooth and of course will need to have the fillings replaced. Before he can replace her fillings he has to get permission from her oncologist, but that permission should be forthcoming shortly. The dentist has put her on antibiotics to clear up the infection, gave her a special mouth rinse, and thinks that he can save the tooth. Luckily, the rest of her teeth are in pretty good condition. The great news is that this is a new dentist for Anita, he's Irish, and Mama likes him. Since going to the dentist is one of the things she most hates doing, this is good news.

The better news is that she was able to nab an appointment for a cat scan tomorrow, Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. The results should be out in a week. Since she got the cat scan appointment earlier than she expected, her appointment with the oncologist has been moved up to Oct. 24th, also at 3:30 p.m. So things are moving along. She is in no pain - just every once in a while. She is not worried about it and is just waiting to see what the oncologist says about it at their meeting on the 24th.

Despite "eating like a pig" as she puts it, she has lost another couple of pounds putting her at 132. This is frustrating for her, but a friend who has been through chemo explained to Anita that with all those nasty chemo drugs running through your body, you simply do not absorb nutrients as well. So, in time, as the drugs work themselves out of her system, she should start putting on weight again.

One thing that really helps her spirits is how beautiful the house looks now. They have planted tons of new flowers and flowering bushes all around the yard and the new patio. There are blossoms everywhere: yellow Japanese bamboo blossoms, hibiscus blossoms, purple potatoe vine blossoms, bougainvillias, oleanders and vines with deep orange blossoms. They have new garden furniture, the patio concrete has been stained tan, the statues in the garden have been refinished, and everything is looking spectacular! And with a happy-go-lucky dog like Tristan bounding about, how can she not but have her spirits lifted!

So, she is getting tired easily and early to bed most nights. But she's always up with the sunshine and determined to think positively. Here's to all of us doing the same!

Melissa