2019 on go

NOTE: I temporarily changed the name and color scheme of the blog after a conversation with a few friends on Tuesday reavealed that the name was "depressing" and that the blog was a good read "if you want to cry".  Now, with a name like "happiness", it's much more cheery.  Why is the name darksayings?  This post from the archives will tell you.

The starter pistol has fired and we're out of the blocks.  Did this year seem to accelerate faster than normal for anyone else?  We're somewhere in the middle of a pack of circumstances looking for a shot at cutting around the outside.  Here's what's up:

First: I think I messed up the permitting process on our basement remodel.  In fact, I know I did because if the city says you messed up, you messed up.  You can't fight city hall, but you can spend plenty of time and cash there.  But don't you worry, I got it cleared up this week in rather painless and genial fashion and we're back on our way.  Still hoping to finish by Christmas 2018 (hahahahahahahahaha).

Next: I think I snapped the tendon in my ring finger.  Yeah, really.  We were out fooling around throwing the football on Christmas Day and I went to catch a pass and instead I missed the ball and somehow did something terrible to the 2nd finger in my left hand.  The doctor says if I don't get it looked at that I'd be permanently deformed (I can't straighten it completely no matter how hard I try or how long I rest it.)  I was thinking the deformity was a legitimate option but Anne-Marie said no.  So I'm seeing the specialist in a few weeks.

Which brings us to the last one: Anne-Marie is scheduled for February 7 and 11 to see how the treatment is working.  My clinic is across the street from the where we are doing the scans on the 11th, so this will work out nicely. The scans are just routine (full body MRI, bone scan, etc.) and we expect good results within 2 business days after each.

While we expect the results of the scans to show that the treatment is continuing to be successful, whether or not it's sustainable is in question.  From May to November of last year, the two-part oral chemotherapy Anne-Marie has been prescribed has caused off-and-on extreme, flu-like symptoms and caused her feet to swell and crack.  She's had trouble walking anything but short distances because of it.  She ended up having a few small surgeries at the podiatrist to help along with burn care-type treatment.

Last month the rest of Anne-Marie's skin started to be affected by the chemo.  She's started to lose dexterity and her hands are swelling and cracking.  The onocologist has reduced her dosage three times, but either the reduction hasn't helped yet, or it's something that is unavoidable.

(This is PARP)

There is quite a bit of promise in a brand new branch of cancer treatments called PARP inhibitors that only cleared FDA a year ago.  It attacks cancer cells in a different way than what we've tried in the past and the side effects may be less.  We're looking into it, will pray about it and talk it over with the doctor.