A Full Day at UCSF

Hi, Friends,

Tomorrow my mom and I head to UCSF for a full day. We'll hit the road at 6:45 am for the first appointment at 9:15 at the main hospital at Parnassus for a Pulmonary Function Test. I still have the dreaded cough, and haven't been able to use either inhaler for the day in anticipation of this test. Hopefully we'll get some answers and some results, as nothing has worked well so far.

I head down the street for an injection for a bone scan at 11:00, head back to Parnassus for my CT Scans at 12:15, then back to the other facility for the actual bone scan at 2:00. And a scant half-hour after that, I meet with Dr. Ryan at Mt. Zion. Wow! I hope I can keep up with all of that. We should be done just about in time to sit in traffic on the way home.

Most of these tests are in preparation for the trial I am entering. I'll have more of the details on that, and hopefully all of the results of the tests, in the next few days, so will keep you posted.

One good thing from the blood test I had this past week is that my thyroid stimulating hormone, with the help of the thyroid replacement therapy, is finally showing itself to be in the normal range. I think if I was not fighting with this cough and all that goes with it, I would feel pretty good.

So, I get a full four weeks off between finishing Sutent 10 days ago and starting the new trial meds. If I can kick the cough, and figure out why I am swelling in my feet and ankles and elsewhere (perhaps from the steroids? argh!), it could be a nice break to recover, enjoy those foods I usually can't tolerate, and do all the things that have to wait for those breaks from the meds, like go to the dentist, get my hair back to normal, get flu and pneumonia shots, clean up my feet, and so on.

Because of this cough, this has been a rough month. I haven't slept in my bed for a couple of weeks, as lying down causes the mucus to sit in my throat and chest, so I prop up over the edge of the couch and sleep as long as I can, usually 2-3 hours before the coughing takes over. Then it's dozing until morning. I'm sure my family is as tired as I am of hearing the constant hacking. It's time for this to be over!

I was reminded anew, as I read a devotional the other night, that God hasn't forgotten what's going on in my life. He is still very aware of each thing I go through. He knew before it happened that it would happen. That is a comfort to me in those times of feeling cruddy and sorry for myself. He's there, He loves me, He's with me even when I cry out to Him for it to GO AWAY and it doesn't. He has not forgotten me. I will stand on that truth and wait for what His purpose is in all of this.

More soon,
Danene
October 25, 2009