Start of Treatment, Benefits of Kaiser Permanente, friends

I had the MUGA scan.  All went well and I started the Herceptin on Thursday. No side effects that I noted. I brought my Kindle and my iPhone which kept me in touch with everyone and read some. I was very tired due to reading too late. So that was all I was noting. I'm so happy they were willing to adjust the next date of treatment so I could attend a class on drawing trees. I can't say how much drawing has become therapeutic in coping with stress.

There were a couple of important events this week.  The Vagina Monologues was done at The Spotlight Theatre as a fundraiser for the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault.  It was well done and brought women's sexual issues out in the open.  The documentary The Red Tent: Things We Don't Talk About was shown at The Art and Spirituality Center which was about the start of Red Tent groups to support women.  Very enlightening.

 I have to say I am pleased with my medical care.  I have Kaiser Permanente and I feel they take issues seriously and are responsive to my needs.  I have had people suggest that I change coverage, but that doesn't appeal to me at all.   I like the system.  Generally things move quite fast if you have an appointment or it is an emergency.  Otherwise you may have to wait.  I also like that I can order my meds on line or the phone and most of them are mailed to me.

I have been paying almost $700 a month for my insurance, but I have few other outlays to pay toward my medical needs.  I applied for permanent state disability and it was just approved this last week.  My outlay should drop.  I'm 64, not quite Medicare eligible.  It is that in-between state.  I think it will be better even when I'm Medicare eligible, because there are more out of pocket expenses if you don't have a program from an employer.

 I know there will come a time that nothing more can be done, but as long as I feel well most of the time, I would like to be here.  I have family members who have said "no more" (such as my husband, father and mother), so I know there will definitely be a subjective decision based on how I feel that it is enough.  I seem to be doing okay with this thought.  I think that talking, writing and thinking about it helps to put it all in perspective.  What is fascinating to me is that my cancer does not cause me pain.  The pain I have related to it can be chemotherapy and surgeries.  The Herceptin is not a problem, no pain.  If treatment was short term, I might go for the big guns, but it's not.  This will be every three weeks until the cancer returns or until I die.

I do have pain, but it is not related to the cancer.  A year ago January I fell taking the trash can out to the curb.  I have a compression fracture at L2, the lumbar area.  There are times I'm pain free, but the more I do, or if I really push myself, I have pain.  I have tools that help.  I have a Backjoy Relief that I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond.  This gets your skeleton in the right position when sitting.  That makes an amazing difference and I can sit a lot longer when I use it.  I also bought a lumbar support at a drugstore.  It has laces that you pull to give you more support.  When I first was injured, I was given a very big contraption to use.  It helped, but it was so limiting.  I'll hold on to it in case I need it later.  And, I take pain medications.  I can't seem to get away from it, though I have reduced it dramatically.  It does not affect my thinking or functioning, so I will continue to use them.  At such time that this does not work adequately, I will get a consult from Palliative Care to see if other medications would work better.

So how to I keep busy?  I pace myself.  I have two art classes.  Each is a different style in drawing.  I love them both.  One will end in a couple of weeks.  I am hoping she will be teaching drawing at a later time.



  I go to Art for Healing events.  I meet with friends and family for meals.  My growing up saw that meal times were when we talked, so they are still very special to me.  I belong to a Red Hat Group that meets monthly.  We go out to dinner at various restaurants in town.  At the last meeting one woman said "you're the healthiest sick person I've ever met."  Ha!  I agree.  I'll keep pushing forward.  I am an amateur photographer and enjoy working with Photoshop Elements 12.  Especially for shots from my trips.  I travel with friends and family.  My last trip was with my Stepmother to Japan.  Great trip.  I read a lot.  I don't go anywhere without a book.  I can tolerate long lines as long as I can read.  I'm so fortunate to have wonderful friends.

Marykay has been in my life for 35 years.  Both of us have been through a lot, but we come up fighting.  She took me in when I moved to Bakersfield and helped me find my own place.  We worked as social workers together in a hospital early in our career and have maintained our friendship even when it might only be two times a year.  She is a wonderful artist and was an inspiration to me as I considered what I would do when I retired.  You saw Michael's picture in last week's blog.  They are an amazing couple who give a lot to others.  I asked Mike if he would speak at my funeral based on something I read about physicists.  He read it and agreed.  It means a lot to me.  Her blogs are attached here if you would be interested in what she does.  I particularly enjoy the grapevine theme, but she has so many subjects she is very good.

Rachel Jerdin and Marykay Feit





Pictures done for class with Nina Landgraff

See you next Sunday at 9 pm PDT