Brian, Jay, and I at Knock Cancer Out of the Park

Jay impressed me with his Will Ferrell (as Buddy the Elf) impression. He was firing out baseball stress balls like they were snowballs in Central Park. I ducked.

I sat by an annoying man who almost caught a foul ball in 1959 (you can imagine how great that story was)...and he kept whacking me with his glove. He couldn't even catch a cancer stress ball.

The Only Good Occasion for a Burka

Would anything in my closet work for the wedding I'm going to on Saturday? Right.

I am not usually a proponent of burkas; however, this oppressive outfit would have saved me a shopping headache this morning. My mom came up with this great idea...but unfortunately, Banana Republic does not sell burkas. I fully understand--not a huge U.S. market for those...

Instead, I got to buy a long dress to cover my "steriod/lack of exercise belly" and my numerous bruises, a sweater to cover my PICC line dangling from my arm and my gaping chest wound hole, and a scarf for my bald head (because I am afraid of my wig I own). I somehow managed to buy a dress with minimal suffering (despite the fact that I hate dresses in the first place), and I got everything on sale. Now I'll just suffer wearing it.

I'll post a real picture from the wedding this weekend, but this is what you can imagine I am wearing until then.

A Plan is in Place

Okay, so lots of news today.

1.) I do not have to do another round of chemo at St. E's now, as I am officially going to be admitted at UNMC on July 17th. I'll get a few extra days of feeling good before the craziness begins... I also have a few appointments at UNMC for final tests (like a super sweet bone marrow biopsy), form signing, and education before getting admitted.

2.) Prior to the stem cell transplant (this will occur on July 22nd), I will be given high doses of chemo and full body radiation, which is why I'm admitted on the 17th.

3.) I do NOT have to get a different port put in, so I won't have another gaping hole in my chest from a strange infection :)

4.) After the stem cell transplant on the 22nd, I will spend another additional 10-14 days at the hospital in Omaha, and after that I will start my 100 day (or so) internment in Omaha in an apartment (I need to be within 30 minutes of UNMC).

It is a tremendous relief to have a plan in place. While this won't be a vacation, I'm anxious to get this whole thing rolling, so I can get back to normal life.

Vampire Seeking Blood

If you need to lay down to catch your breath after brushing your teeth...
If you need to lay down after carrying a load of laundry...
If you need to lay down immediately after laying down on the couch...
You might need blood.

I incriminated myself and went to infusion this morning, so I wouldn't have to come in on Monday afternoon. Selfishly, I have lunch plans after my quick chemo injection tomorrow, and I figure I'd just be sleeping right now anyway.

After being reminded about my anniversary on Friday, I proceeded to ruin it by feeling nauseous and weak all day. Movie idea thwarted. Eating dinner didn't happen. I did spend some quality time praying to the almighty porcelain god...it was not awesome, but I'm sure it was a lovely side effect from my lumbar puncture chemo treatment on Thursday.

...Jay, thanks for letting me vent my frustrations about standing still, while everyone else is moving forward...

The Things Chemo Brain Makes Me Forget

My mom just informed Brian and me that tomorrow is our anniversary. Both of us forgot. Okay, Brian claims he didn't forget, but I think he's lying. I wonder if it's still our anniversary tomorrow if St. E's, according to the records, claims that Brian is my ex-spouse?

I was supposed to go to Kazakhstan tomorrow to teach a writing/reading workshop with Yelena, and that isn't happening. So, I guess I'll be in the country this time for our anniversary...

Because My Life Couldn't Get Any Stranger?

After a visit to the wound care center, my doctor decided a vacuum-like contraption might help heal my gaping chest hole. At this point, he is checking to see if this will work since I'm doing chemo. I assumed at first that this was a "procedure" and not a small portable vacuum cleaner to carry around. To answer my question, yes, things keep getting weirder.

Of course, I Google imaged this, and here is what I found:

This is What I Think the Steriods Did to Me...

I Hate Not Having Control...

So, I was hoping that I had wrapped up my last round of chemo in Lincoln, but the stem cell process is a little slower than I would like it to be. The donor goes in for a physical on June 29th, and then the stem cell collection is set for July 21st and 22nd (if everything goes well).

I AM happy that there is a donor out there for me, but I'm ready to get this whole thing rolling...without another round of "maintenance" chemo on July 7th. Becky? Melissa? you'll have to be ready for me. Becky, I promise I won't punch you out (again) with the boxing gloves.

TKO Cancer.

Fill-in-the-Blanks (Not a Good Idea)

As you can see, I spent way too much time playing Angry Birds today... I did write a letter of recommendation and edit Julie's grad paper, but mostly I wasted my time.

I escape tomorrow early... :)
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Today's Mad Lib

My New Daily Creative Venture (It's Like a Mad Lib)

Trying Out My New Boxing Gloves

These gloves are good for fighting cancer and unruly nurses (right, Becky?). Also, they would be good ski gloves because they make your hands extremely warm. They are not good for texting (I tried this).

The Hospital Granted Me a Divorce

If you look closely at the picture, you will see that Brian is listed as my "ex-spouse." Apparently, the hospital has determined that we are not fit for each other. Despite the fact that when we came out of the Rockefeller restrooms, Brian said, "I dropped my glasses in the toilet," and I was going to say, but he beat me to it, "I dropped my phone in the toilet." So, we had a good laugh (after Brian teared up for a while), and then the situation got funnier. Brian dropped his phone (not in the toilet), and it ended up under the bed. When he realized he was down on one knee, he proposed to me again and we decided to get remarried. I can't believe I said "Yes" again. :)

I have been fully entertained by my nurse friends today, and, in fact, even though I already had a big room, I moved to one with a view of the nurse's station. With my superpower (extra sensitive hearing), I can eavesdrop on their conversations. I am in room 502 (at St. E's) until Sunday morning.

I am taking suggestions for naming my IV pole. Famous criminals...maybe Senator Wiener? Something semi-inappropriate, of course.

Back to the Clink Tomorrow

I'll be at St. E's on the 5th floor from Thursday to Sunday morning...come on by.

Central Park is less painful when you don't have to finish a marathon

This is how they fix the sidewalk in NYC...you know, budget cuts.

Turbulence

We had a direct flight from La Guardia, and, of course, it left late and we sat on the tarmac for a while. And because I'm slightly neurotic, we got there insanely early.

We rode a roller coaster all the way home. Usually I have to pry my nails out of the armrests, but this time I thought, "I've had cancer twice; I'm not going to die in a fiery plane crash."

Heading home to my puking furballs who suffer from mild separation anxiety. I should slip them some Ativan.
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"It sucks to be Brian"

Yesterday we spent some time in Central Park, and it was a beautiful day. Other than running through the park for the NYC Marathon, I hadn't been up that far in the park.

Brian wanted to get some photos of the Brooklyn Bridge from the side. We also walked through the South Seaport area, but mostly to seek out a restroom.

For some reason, despite there being a million restaurants in NYC, we can't seem to ever find one in a timely fashion. We at paninis at a European Cafe and dinners at the West End. Both meals yesterday were pretty good.

Last night we went to Avenue Q. I saw this show before in Omaha, and it was worthy of seeing again. Other than the disturbing and haunting "puppet sex" scene, we enjoyed the performance. I wanted to buy the t-shirt that said "It sucks to be me" and wear it to the hospital on Thursday, but I don't really think it sucks to be me. However, my favorite line was this: "It sucks to be Brian (a character in the play)."

Today we just wandered around the Times Square and Rockefeller areas. We went in a few shops and ate pizza at Bella Vita again. It started to rain on our way back to the hotel. The cab ride was scary on the way to the airport (it's better just to close your eyes). Our flight has been delayed a little, but we have a direct flight to Omaha, so I'm not concerned.

Unfortunately, I now have to pack for my four day adventure in the hospital (starting on Thursday). Ugh, back to reality...

A-Rod has an arm sleeve like me

Jeter working toward his 3,000th hit (he's almost there)

At the Yankees' game

Yankees Don't Suck

Last night's performance was incredible as expected. The acrobats did things that no human should be able to do. I thought of my friend, Katherine, who is taking trapeze lessons. The music was also good, and it didnt matter that we didn't understand the plot line until we went to Wikipedia. We got to use our rain jackets again, as it rained on us on the way back to our hotel.

We slept in this morning and then headed to the subway for the Yankees' game. It was a perfect day for the game...nice cool weather and no rain. Our seats were on the second level on the third baseline. I did not appreciate the long uphill climb on the ramp. I can walk if it's flat forever, but once i get to an incline, I get winded. Luckily, the only hill in Manhattan is the subway stairs. After getting kidney punches from the little kid behind me, I moved to the other side of Brian and had the perfect view of home plate. Brian kept looking for stray promotional bats--they were only given to kids 14 and under. The Yankees won 9-1, and I found myself actually watching the whole game (with minimal distractions).

I grabbed another map at Barnes and Noble, since I lost mine yesterday. The people around 5th Avenue were pretty wound up after the Puerto Rican parade that occurred during the afternoon.

We couldn't decide where to go to dinner, so we decided to give the Carnegie Deli one more shot. This was the first place Brian and I ever ate in NYC (a few years ago), and we ordered the wrong things. Last time I only finished a portion of my salami sandwich. I was going to give. The rest to a homeless person, but then I didn't want to give them horrendous breath. Brian got his hot beef sandwich, and I had a grilled cheese with bacon and a milkshake... I'm still not giving the place a good rating. It was fair at best.

Tomorrow we are going to hang out in Central Park, and we're going to Avenue Q in the evening.

After sleeping in, we finally rolled out for lunch, and, despite my desire to have "all new experiences," we went to an Italian restaurant, Bella Vita, that my English friends and I went to twice. The only negative about lunch was that I left my laminated NYC map with good subway markers. I'm going to find a new one at Barnes and Noble tomorrow.

This afternoon we saw The Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, which starred Robin Williams. I'm trying to decide if the characters in the play dropped the F-bomb more than the kid at the Phillies game. Robin Williams was terrific to watch, and even though it was a dark play, there were several laughs. The weird thing was that he wasn't in a tiger costume, and instead had on a tattered suit vest and scraggly beard. I'm glad we had seats close enough to see his facial expressions.

Avoiding the bus tour people, we made it through Times Square and went back to the hotel. It was cool with a light mist today. The street vendors and stores made a fortune on I (heart) NYC sweatshirts because people weren't prepared. Brian and I had the appropriate gear though.

With no dinner plan, we wound up at a decent seafood restaurant, where I finally got my sushi. Now we're waiting for the Cirque du Soleil show, Zarkana, to start, and we're listening to a performer playing a kazoo. This is the second night for this show.
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NYC

We decided to walk from Penn Station to our hotel, and it was quite the trek darting around people. We're staying at The Time, which is off of 49th and Broadway.

I made it through Niketown, Tiffany's, the Apple store, and North Face and didn't buy anything--pretty sure that is some kind of a record.

Dinner was at Pomodoro, an Italian restaurant on the Upper Westside. It was pretty good, but it's hard to tell with my taste buds.

Brian and I are pretty lame at NYC nightlife, and we called it quits at 9pm.

Tomorrow: Robin Williams in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Cirque du Soleil's Zarkana.

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Segways are capable of off-roading

Brian annoying the baby

The Philly Phanatic is supposed to be from the Galapagos. I think not.

I Chose the Winner

Last night for the game, I decided to wear a Chicago Cubs t-shirt (mostly because I like bears). After the rain delay, we wiped off our seats and held out to the bitter end, including some extra innings. The Cubs won 4-3, and we were mostly dry by the conclusion.

We got chewed out by one of the stadium's "crowd control" for not turning in the foul-mouthed 20-something kid behind us. He only knew the F-word.

We got to ride the subway back, since Sam left early with the car. If you don't know, I have a weird fascination with subway systems (and their maps).

Yesterday's Segway tour was interesting. At first, the Segway was difficult to maneuver, and I ran over my foot a couple of times getting off. Brian and I were the only people on the tour, so we didn't have to wait for anyone. Brian claimed I gripped onto the Segway too hard and looked tense (that probably explains why I am sore). We learned a lot about the art pieces and statues in the area. I learned that there is a lot of French influence in the city. Brian asked how much a Segway cost (he wanted one for cross country and track, so he could stay up with the kids)--they're anywhere from three to six grand. I don't think the booster club will go for that.

The 100 degree heat made me not feel very good, and, once we finally hailed a taxi, I panted in the car all the way to the Reading Terminal Market, where we met Felicia for lunch. We found the first diner and sat down (Jane, the staff wore "I Love Bacon" shirts). I just needed to get hydrated and eat a grilled cheese... Of course, there are international stands of all kinds in there, and we ate at the diner...but we did have some Amish ice cream, and I found a Christmas ornament with the Philly skyline.

This morning Felicia, Baby Ruby, Brian and I went to Sabrina's fpr breakfast. I miraculously caught a glass of water that Ruby knocked over.

Currently, we are riding backward on an Amtrak train to New York. I befriended a woman from Lima, Peru, and we talked about the Galapagos and Machu Picchu...

We're staying in Times Square at The Time (because Brian can remember the name of it). We have nothing planned, and we're just going to wing it--this is out of character for me.

Adios, Philly and Fil
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IMG00080-20110609-1953.jpg

What we looked like before we turned into drowned rats.
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Under a Stairwell

So the first few innings of the game were lovely, and then the dark clouds rolled in. At first, it was just windy, and then the rain came into the park sideways. I barely had time to get my waterproof jacket on, and the rest of me is soaked. Brian and I are hiding out under a stairwell (unfortunately next to two girls chain smoking). Brian claims he can see clear sky, but we'll see how much damage was done to the field. Phillies were beating the Cubs 3-0.
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Segways and Rocky

The Match Game

UNMC has identified a donor that matches 10/10. This donor still has to pass a physical and blood work, so he/she is healthy and eligible. At this point, the process will probably take another month. In the meantime, when I return from vacation, I will get to do another round of chemo at St. E's (and entertain Becky and Melissa). Hopefully the donor aces the tests.

Report Card

Felicia's report card for the day:
Tour Guide: A+
Parallel Parker: A+
Stopping at STOP signs: D- (apparently rolling through them is mutually agreed upon by all Philly drivers)

Tonight's dinner was at Jack's, which is housed in a fire station. The "fire trucks" were horse drawn carriages. I had a salad and a much needed pint of local beer. I know I don't need to tax my organs any more than necessary, but I granted myself one glass of wine (we toasted with a bottle of Frank's last night) and one beer tonight...

En route to dinner we stopped at a real, not metaphorical, prison: Eastern State Penitentiary. Afterward we drove through Chinatown...it was like being in China...sort of.

Tomorrow Brian and I are going on a Segway tour of Philly.
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I am at a REAL prison. Eastern State Penitentiary was where Al Capone served his time.

There is a rivalry between Pat's and Geno's. We went with the original cheesesteaks.

Isaiah Zagar's murals are all over Philly.

Batman or Phatman?

Phun in Philly

Amazingly, Brian and I made it through a day of flying with minimal hassle and no frisking. I made a last minute bag substitution and left my arm sleeve (to prevent lymphedema) at home. I was worried that I would have a catcher's mitt for a hand, which would be okay since we're going to two baseball games, but it seems okay.

I have had many conversations about my bright orange shoes.

When we arrived, Felicia took us to the Rocky statue. She came prepared with a sign (which was good because I always want to see my name on a sign when I get to an airport) and boxing gloves. The gloves were given to Felicia's dad when he was fighting cancer. Frank was my Lincoln Youth Track Club coach, and I have many memories from growing up around him. It was quite an honor to inherit the gloves.

My first observation about Felicia and Sam's house is that it is very grown up and stylish. I even think that all of the stuffed animals in the house are Ruby's. We had a great meal at the house--pasta and a salad of avocados, tomatoes, red onion, and toasted pine nuts. Fil and I took the dog, Franny, for a walk, and we socialized with other dog owners. When we returned, we watched the end of the basketball game and I created a new "drinking" game (I used water). For some reason, I am infatuated with the name Chalmers (a Miami Heat player). Every time the announcer said his name, I had to take a drink. Instead of getting drunk, I got well hydrated.

Today Felicia made us French toast and Brian did a dramatic reading of the fish oil vitamin bottle's instructions to Ruby.

We then braved the heat and toured Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Today was the day that every elementary school descended on the historical sights, so it was a little overwhelming and loud.

After grabbing a cab, we made our way to Pat's King of Steak for an original cheesesteak. We were actually served by Pat, and I was the one to inform Felicia of this, since I had seen the Travel Channel show featuring the rivalry of Pat's and Geno's.

We stopped at an Italian bakery for a cannoli and butter cookies.

Now we are relaxing in the air conditioning for an afternoon siesta (interrupted only by the squealing pterodactyl that is Ruby).

My First Fight with Felicia in Philly

Almost Packed...

Packing List: Trademark gray t-shirts...North Face everything else...Press and Seal Saran Wrap and tape...Toonces...

We're ready to blow out of here.

Condolences to my Friends at LPSDO

I can't imagine all of the work that disappeared and how much new work the fire created.

I am stuck in "short stay" today for the lumbar puncture chemo treatment. I brought Brian this time, so I hopefully don't have a meltdown. For some reason, getting stuck here for five or six hours in a purple paper gown sends me off the roof. I am passively aggressively disagreeing with protocol and am wearing my shorts until the purple monster gown. I feel like I have taken back some element of control.

I was comparing this gown to a space suit and Brian said, "And I'm the dumb one in the family."