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I had a great time in Phoenix visiting my Mom and Dad. I was there a week. We went to see 2 movies, Date Night and The Bounty Hunter. My Mom and I played 3 games of scrabble and numerous games of cards. We also got my Dad to play some cards with us. I got to visit my Grandma and Aunt Linda and Uncle Rich. We took Grandma out to dinner. I enjoyed a lunch with my Mom's girlfriends. It was alot of fun. My Mom and I did a little shopping. I felt pretty good much of the week.

Before I left for Phoenix I had another paracentisis in which they removed 3 half liter bottles of fluid out of my abdomen which is a good amount. It had only been a week and a half since the other one when they removed 4 and a quarter half liter jars. I hope I can go longer this time before having to have the fluid tapped.

I have chemo #33 on Tuesday. My friend Karen has been coming to keep me company. She is going to be there again tomorrow.

I have so many special friends.
Have a great week.
Michelle

...and More Fluid

I had another paracentisis again today after having an ultrasound yesterday of my abdomen that showed moderate amounts of fluid in my abdomen. We got more fluid today versus the last one a couple of weeks ago. Today we got 2.275 liters (imagine a 2 liter bottle of coke,though it is more the color of mountain dew) where the last one we got 600 milliliters. It is a relief to have the fluid drained off. My abdomen was rigid, I couldn't eat as much, I was short of breath, along with just being uncomfortable.

I am going to Phoenix the week of April 10th to visit my Mom and Dad. My Mom is enrolled in some clinical trials for her cancer so they won't be going back to Michigan this summer, so I decided to go out and see them in Arizona. We will have a nice little visit.

My voice is still only a whisper. I am doing speech therapy, but haven't seen much progress.

Have a great rest of your week.
Michelle

It's all about Fluid

On Tuesday, March 9, Bill and I met with the oncologist. We talked a little bit about the pain that had started back up though it wasn't hurting that day. The doctor suggested we might want to do another thoracentsis if the pain comes back and it wouldn't be unheard of doing one every 6 weeks. After that I got chemo. Bill stayed with me and we played a little cards.

Thursday I woke up and was hurting more than usual. We talked to the oncologist and he suggested we have a thoracentsis done that day to drain the fluid from my lung cavity. That went fine except my belly was pretty rigid. We knew there was fluid in my belly from previous CT Scans and we knew it was increasing.

The next day it seemed the rigidity went down a little,but was still there. Bill called the doctor again. He suggested we have a peracentsis done that would drain the fluid out of my belly. So we did that on Friday. So after having fluid drained out of my back and my belly I am feeling a bit beaten up, though I am feeling okay.