I don't test well

Can I just take the SAT again, and we'll call it a draw?
Yes, it's time for more tests, so I guess I should fill you guys in on the latest.

October 25 is my next CT date. I'm never thrilled about these, because they always give me a massive anxiety complex until I get the results. I don't think that's too unreasonable, considering the circumstances. I see Dr. Mazj on the 27th for my normal battery of labs (blood panels; both metabolic and chemistry) and pre-chemo check-in appointment, so he will almost certainly have the results then.

The 28th is, of course, chemo day, followed by Neulasta day on Friday.

Now let's go backward to the new and different things. First, on the 19th, I'll finally be starting on the long, expensive road to better dental health. That appointment will be for follow up on my extraction, a cleaning and taking impressions. After I recover a bit from chemo, I'll be back to have my bottom front FOUR teeth yanked out and replaced with a temporary "stay-plate" partial, until we get a few more things done on the bottom and can get the permanent bridges done. Frankly, I can't wait, weird fake teeth or not. I want to get it done before those front teeth just snap in half. Its absolutely frightening to look in the mirror and watch the chemo eat away the enamel of the teeth - sometimes I feel like I can see it happening, like watching a plant grow on a time lapse camera.

October is shaping up to be a hell of a busy month!! The odds of finishing a new Halloween costume are getting pretty bad.

SO, the latest test added to the month requires some explanation.
For quite a while now, I've had pains in my hips, which Andy thought might be bursitis. Some of you might remember back to 2001, when dancing actually managed to cause a stress fracture in my pelvis, which I first thought might be bursitis.

When the pains first came back, I wondered if I'd popped the fracture open again, but it seems stuck together just fine. With bursitis as the likely culprit, Andy gave me cortisone injections basically right into the hip socket itself. I've both hips done four or five times now, but the effects aren't lasting long enough now to make it useful.

Given that, Andy is now of the opinion that we were probably on the wrong track with the bursitis. Therefore, I now have an appointment on the 22nd for a bone scan up at the hospital. My orthopedic surgeon wanted me to have one back when, but I was a moron and used work and travel as an excuse for never managing to do it.

Now, unfortunately, we have a really important reason to do it, because the area that hurts so much - especially the first few seconds after I get out of bed each day - is deep inside the exact point where leg joins torso, and far, far too close to the area of my initial cervical tumor.
This does not make me happy.

::sigh::

All the fun and games start tomorrow. Today is for resting. LOTS of rest. I pushed myself a bit yesterday to make a nice roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings, as well as some brownies for our neighbor. I am paying for it today, but it was worth it to make a nice dinner, because that's something I can't do for my family as often as I like.

And why was I making brownies for the neighbor? Amy is our town animal control officer, and we are lucky enough to have her as a friend and neighbor. She's been a huge help to us with all of the lost dogs, kittens and ferret that have found their way to my door.

The other day, while I was at the doctor in Chico, and Lloyd was going in and out with UPS, transporting kids and other things, Amy's little girl saw a big black doggie running down the court, heading for the main street thru the development. She ran and got her mom, smart, smart little girl, and when Amy called Stella, she came right along back home.

WHEW doesn't even begin to cover it. If the little one hadn't seen her, and Amy hadn't known her (from a bit of dog sitting a couple times), god only knows where our puppy would have ended up. She is chipped, twice actually, and has all her tags, but it was getting near dark, and Miss Puppy doesn't know a thing about watching for cars or anything else. Absolute terror. We thought they deserved brownies.

Ok...I think that gets us caught up. Its going to be a busy month, lots of time up the mountain, and really a lot of stress, fear and worry on my part, but I will be able to update you all very promptly as I get results. Yay for a cancer center with a patient WiFi network!

Boo for needing one.