HI, Billie. . it is definitely past 5:00, and my wineglass is in my hand.
I've been kind of out of touch lately. . .gotten sucked into school work, developing Smartboard lessons for the upcoming year. Hours and hours at the computer, but fun stuff to work on. Had an all day class yesterday, and 6 more coming up. Then I have to teach 8 classes to Smartboard "newbies" in my building, so need to be developing lessons and Smartboard tricks that will hook them all in. A little difficult because it's different grade levels and different subject areas. . .so I have my work cut out for me. The cool thing is, that though the district can't pay us (the mentors) for our time, with some grant money, they did give us each an iPad 2. Got it yesterday, so spent last night and this morning playing with it. Technology is so much fun! (when it works).
PCR test coming up on Monday. I usually don't get uptight about them, but these last few months have been so stressful that I'm getting concerned about it. I need to just mellow out. If it goes up again, I've kind of screwed myself, because I didn't up the meds, and will have to start with a totally new medical system (Kaiser Permanente, which is all inhouse. . .though I think maybe their oncology dept is good), but will be dealing with getting a primary physician and new oncologist and all that, while having to deal with getting a new doc to write a scrip for meds. . .etc, etc.
On the other hand, if everything is fine, and the higher numbers last time were not a trend, then it won't be a big deal at all. And that's probably the case. In any event, it will be nice to see a new Kaiser doc and get his perspective.
AND the really exciting thing is that I have an appt with a new oncologist on Aug 2. He's not a leukemia specialist, but he came very, very highly recommended from the wife of a motorcycle friend (an earlier post). So I'm very much looking forward to that appointment. I dropped off a letter of introduction with information, test results, etc to his office (yes, I am a little anal), though he's been on vacation and won't be back until Tuesday, this upcoming week. So he will have my info a week before seeing me, which will give me a feel for if he has actually taken the time to do any research.
So I'm feeling a lot better about things right now. I wish that I hadn't lost total confidence in my onc. . .I think he's good. . .another cml patient here in Denver just loves him. . .but she's the kind of person who doesn't know anything about cml, and just does whatever he says. Also, she got to PCRU very quickly, so no worries for her. But I'm very frustrated that he doesn't seem to be much interested in log reductions and etc. I do think he's very good. . .he's just not right for me. So here's hoping the guy on the Aug 2 appointment is more my style of doctor.
My friend who sees him has CLL, which morphed into Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and she told me that he was absolutely wonderful with communication, and talking through options. If he's the kind of guy who stays current on research, and knows where to go if/when things turn funky, then I think I'll like him. So anyway, I'll see him on Aug 2, then will go onto Kaiser from Sept until December, and then if I like the Aug 2 guy, will start back with him in Jan.
I'll let you know if I have any issues with running out of meds. I think I'll be o.k. I order as soon as the insurance company lets me, so I have a bit of a cushion. Unless things go haywire, I should be fine. Thanks again, for your kind offer.
Tomorrow we may head up to Rocky Mountain Natl Park on the bikes. Maybe Fall River Road (the original old gravel road thru the park) and back on Trail Ridge Road. I read about Fall River. . this is amazing. . in the old days, some cars would have to go up it backwards because it was too steep for their transmissions (?) to make it in first gear. Only reverse was strong enough to pull the cars up it. I'm HOPING that we don't see any moose or buffalo (or moose with buffalo) because that would probably distract me so much that I would crash the bike and I would die by motorcycle instead of by leukemia. At least I would die with a picture in my mind of Trey and Phil having an afternoon of enjoyment.