First 3 month check up and All is well

I have been on vacation from the blog for a while but it is time to catch up. After I completed the standard chemotherapy in May 2010 I thought that the clinical trial part (avastin every 3 weeks) was not affecting me, because I began a slow up hill rise with evident progress every trackable by the week. But I finished the last dose of the investigational drug the end of March this year 2011 and took a rapid step up - so I guess it was affecting me after all.

Other things come into play - in January I decided my neuropathy had receeded enough to begin twice weekly half hour gym sessions with a physical trainer. Initially we did very mild stretching mainly and I would still have to go home and nap before showering, dressing and going to work. But I rapidly got past that, moved on to increase to 1 hour sessions twice weekly and lost the naps. This has resulted in much improvement. These sesions came to an end in May when I irritated a knee taking a CPR renewal class and had to spend a couple of weeks with ice on my elevated knee and walking with a cane. But I took a week vacation in Minnesota in June, was able to walk for hours with friends and had a terrific time on a Segway tour of Minneapolis. What fun! Immediately upon return on June 20 I had my first 3 month follow up off the Avastin. Physical exam, CT scan, and blood test for CA-125 all continued to show no evidence of disease - often referred to as NED. So I was delighted. My Ca-125 blood tests continue to bounce around between 9 and 5 - anything less than 30 is normal. So I am very pleased.

Later that week I came down with a severe flu - was out of work for 2 days with fever and muscle aches, and was weary for more than a week. But that is all behind me now, and I stated back with 1 hour training sessions for 3 weeks. This week I am taking personal leave with the intent of catching up on lots of personal paperwork that I am behind on at home, and decided to step up to 4 sessions a week. We will see how it goes. I am eager to get as good as possible as fast as possible. This seems to help.

Today i went back to Gainesville for my steady appointment to have my port flushed - necessary every 3-6 weeks to keep it from clotting off. But mine seems to often clot off - so I wind up having to sit for a while and have medicine injected to remove the clots. Still, as long as I remain NED I can't complain about small inconveniences.

I have a lot of piled up personal leave that I need to take before January 1 or I will lose it. I don't intend to lose it this year - so open to suggestions about how to spend it. Right now I am organizing the house and personal paperwork, but next time off I hope to do something a little more fun!