A Little Radiation Before Tykerb

The "lifetime limit" for one of the chemo drugs in my regimen is six to eight treatments so I'd been expecting to hear about the next step sometime this month as I'd already had six. Last week's CT scan showed tumor progress so there is no reason to stay on for another treatment or two. While I take a break from chemo, I'll be heading downtown every day for radiation to my pelvis to get rid of the pain in the... but I'll still remember to take my meds for a while until my ten days of rads kick in.

In mid November I'll start and oral drug that was recently approved in Japan, lapatinib (Tykerb), and an oral chemo drug capecitabine (Xeloda). The Tykerb works like the Herceptin I had and supposed is more effective when used with Xeloda. I've had Xeloda before without any side effects but also without much tumor shrinkage. I've heard good thing though from ladies who've been on Tykerb with and without Xeloda. I'll continue to get monthly Zoladex IVs for the bones.

A few belated photos

The kids agreed that Niagara Falls was a major highlight of our trip.


Of course anything involving jumping came in at a close second. Fortunately they didn't want to try going over the falls in a barrel.

My cousin entertained with a magic show at our Thanksgiving in August and then made these awesome hats.Showing thanks for all of the good times?

It may be pride, but I enjoyed the character of my hometown with its quaint colonial flair and miles and miles of rolling green hills.

Of course running into family and friends there makes it better than any old town with a view.

Learning to Touch Type

People of my age are likely to have had typing classes in high school but I found that even when had a job with a typewriter (remember those?) I tended to look at the keyboard as I typed. I still find myself pressing backspace and retyping the very letter I mistyped as if I were using those sheets of white-out paper that could be slipped between the paper and the typewriter ribbon to remove or cover up unwanted letters with the hassle of painting on a liquid white-out and impatiently waiting for it to dry or risking a major mess, possibly a hole in the page. I was not a great typist. I've been training lately though, thanks to a combination of the kids and our cat. If anyone leaves the laptop open and unattended for even a minute, Koro sits on the keyboard and removes the keys. I've been able to replace the keys I've found but there are a number of soft (silicone I assume) blue pads with no keys.