Sisters...

I took this picture of myself yesterday...Do you notice anything new Sisters?...Yes Erin I know the mirror is clean for a change...Kenzie has to clean it now...

I got the car washed yesterday at 1...It was much warmer then. I picked Kenzie up with the top down. I had it up for a few days which is totally against my beliefs with a convertible but it had been raining..

Last night Knezie and I picked out all of the clothes she is packing to take back home. She has so many she can just leave them all there if she wants too....You know my girl is no dummy and she will have to do her own laundry up there. I'll bet she can work it out where she leaves with all of her clothes dirty and does not bring any of them home.

We got her a new pair of fur lined boots to wear up there 150 bucks originally for about 12 bucks at Ross...I love that store for shoes...and yes for almost anything else. She will need the boots it was 7 degrees yesterday in WA... But the day she gets there the high is to be around 45 so she should get there just fine.

I have been getting up so early it is sinful....Well not really because it gives me time to read my Bible passages...I have to keep up with Betty...You know since I do not work I am able to read a lot more than Betty...

I have Christmas cards I need to get ready to send out...I have plenty of time but I thought Kenzie would want to help with them so I have been waiting...She is much busier than I am so I may have to just send them out alone...

Today is treatment day. Also have to see Cavalcant. That is no big deal. He does rub his hands over me to check for lumps but he does it with one foot out the door...He does not want me asking any hard questions that would make me feel bad like how long do you think I will continue to feel good..So the visit consists of, 'Helen, you look great. You feeling good? Lets see (the rub)...Looks really good. Keep up what you are doing..' then out the door. I have found out if I want to ask anything it needs to be when he asks, 'Are you feeling good.' I can not answer yes or no if I want to know something extra...I have to start out 'well,.....' even then after I ask he will sometimes ask again, "are you feeling good?" If I answer him I will not get an answer to my question..

You know he has been dealing with patients like me for a long time. He starts out telling you he is going to do this treatment for maybe 6 months....I am sure he judges your attitude and makes the time line as long as he thinks you can handle in your mind...Mine seems to be 6 months...With some people I am sure he thinks their mind can handle it longer...You know when we did Chemo he told me 30 treatments...about 6 months...Well towards the end of 30 I was doing a count down and at treatment 28 I went in and I was sick. He said maybe we should skip this week. I told him we could skip this week but that meant I would come back for only 2 more treatments. I could not come back 3 more weeks to make up this treatment.. He said, "oh." and gave me the treatment that day. I think he understood I was at my wits end...

So when he changed the chemo treatment and it was that awful stuff that sent my blood pressure through the roof and I was dead dog sick. I went to him for the 3rd treatment and I was going to refuse to take it...I think he could tell because he brought it up we need to stop that and try something else...That is when he put me on this Herceptin that I have now been on 19 months....He originally told me 6 months...I think it was about the year mark I finally said...when he asked, 'How are you feeling,' This Herceptin seems to make me feel better after I have a treatment how long are you going to leave me on this...' Then he answered...'Just as long as we can.' I am sure by my saying what I did he knew my mind could handle it... I had all ready figured out the answer...When you go in and sit my his patients week after week it gets pretty easy to figure out he is going to keep you on SOME treatment as long as you will stand for it...I have talked to patients taking treatments for over 20 years..

I know he really looks at the blood tests and scans and how you look ...this tells him more than what you say to him. He is a very good doctor.