Great news!!

I went to the oncologist at MD Anderson yesterday and got wonderful news. The antibody chemo treatment I did back in Nov/Dec worked really well and knocked out most of the cancer in my stomach. The doctors were very pleased at how well the treatment worked. But there is still a very, very small area in the stomach that still showed cancer. Dr. Pro said sometimes the antibody chemo can take up to six months to fully work so it might still knock out that small bit of cancer. So... in May I will do another stomach biopsy and PET scan. IF the cancer is still there I will do radiation (just like I did on the cancer in my chest area at the end of 2006). She does not think I will have to do full blown bad chemo at all. At least I can keep my hair with the radiation! And I just had seven inches cut off it last week because I was anticipating bad news at the oncologist. I figured I'd cut half of the hair off now and then then the rest of it off when the chemo started. I just have not been feeling well at all the last few months and so I had a bad feeling the antibody chemo didn't work. Thank goodness I was wrong! Dr. Pro thinks my not feeling well has more to do with my rheumatology and autoimmune problems than with my cancer. I have an appointment to see my rheumatologist next month.
So... thank you all for all of your prayers! They worked!!

Just another day....

I suck at tennis. Anna Kournikova.... I definitely am not. The first time we played I fell on my butt twice. Lot's of padding there... so no harm done. David spent more time laughing at me than hitting the ball himself. Luckily the courts we go to have practice backboards as well, so I've been sticking to them for now. I actually asked a man there (he had just finished playing a match) for a couple of pointers and he winded up giving us a nice lesson and lots of tips. I still suck though. It's pretty sad that my back hand swing is better than my front hand swing.

Monday I had my stomach biopsy. I will go see my oncologist on Monday 2/25 to get the results. I'll post the results when I find out.

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2/07 and have not eaten bread in a year. I finally decided to bake some gluten-free bread in my bread machine and oh my..... warm, fresh bread.... god it was so good! My bread machine in old but it worked good enough for now. There's a new model out that actually has a "gluten-free" cycle on it that I really want. It's the Breadman TR875 2-Pound Breadmaker - pretty inexpensive on amazon... hint, hint.... my birthday's coming up. But of course I already sit around the house eating chocolate, drinking diet cherry chocolate dr. pepper..... and the last thing i need to put in my mouth is BREAD!!!!! But oooohhhhhh.... it was so yummy. There are so many things I miss eating - like Shipley's glazed donuts.... sigh..............................

Nothing new....

Not much has been happening around the Muhl household.  I spent five days in the hospital last week.  My blood pressure has been really low, lots of headaches, falling down and irregular heartbeats.  It was mostly my vertigo acting up.  The cardiologist and neurologist ran tons of tests - all seemed fine (except for the vertigo).  So I finally begged them to let me go home and they did,  despite the low blood pressure.  David kept me stocked up on chocolate while I was there... what a great husband.  The doctors put me on a bunch more   medications (like I need anymore medications) and I've just been taking it easy since I've been  home.  I really, really do not like being in the hospital.  Not only was the food totally horrible but I counted 26 needle holes in me!  I believe that falls under the catagory of cruel and unusual punishment.  It seems once I go in.... they never want to let me leave!

My next stomach biopsy is scheduled for February 18th.  I'm actually looking forward to that so I will find out if the antibody chemo treatment worked.  I should hopefully have the results on the 25th when I go back to see my oncologist.  Keep your fingers crossed.

David and I have been getting very lazy and both of us are gaining weight..... all that chocolate and Mexican food (not eaten at the same time of course)!  So we bought some tennis rackets last night and plan to start playing at the courts located close to our house.  There are also backboards there so David can get a more intense workout and I will be able to take it easy.  I can not imagine how sore we will be after the first time!  I have not played tennis since Iwas in college.  David and I will probably spend most of the time bent 
over laughing our butts off at each other though.

Diet Dr. Pepper is my lifesaver.  They have a new flavor.... cherry chocolate!!   Oh MY gosh - it is soooooo good!  Truly heavenly.  

Well... I hope everyone is having a great new year so far.  It's already flying by.  I can't believe we are already in February.  I can't believe I'll be 40 in seven months!!!   OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm officially retired!

Not bad for only being 39, huh?  Well.... as of December 31, 2007, I was approved for early medical disability retirement from my job.  The amount of course will not be as much as if I were to actually normally retire (which would have been in 10 years) but it will help out somewhat.  I haven't had an income since September when I took my leave of absence from work so the retirement check will be welcomed!  My medical bills are absolutely enormous.... unfortunately insurance only covers 80%.  After over 16 years of working with the department I'm still having a hard time getting used to being at home.  Some days I want to just stay in my pajamas all day and read or watch movies!  But I have to get myself motivated and do stuff around the house.

One of my cats, Jax, has a new addiction.  He loves Ruffles potato chips and Cheetos.  He keeps stealing the bags out of the kitchen.  He'll drag the bags to my closet to hide them from me!  Strange cat...... 

Happy New Year!

Okay..... I'm not doing too well right now with keeping up with this blog.  Nothing new has been happening so I haven't had much to write about.  I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.  David and I spent a quiet Christmas in San Antonio this year.  It was nice and relaxing.   David lost a very dear uncle the week before Christmas so it's kind of been tough for him.  His Uncle John was David's golfing buddy and was a very special man.

I was supposed to have gone to my oncologist last week but wasn't feeling well so had to reschedule. So I'll go next week for my checkup.   We'll probably still have to wait a few months before we do another stomach biopsy, which is fine with me because I'm currently enjoying the break from treatment.

OMG! it's almost Christmas!!

Wow.... I did not realize it has been so long since I've written on my blog! I've received emails wondering if I'm okay. Yep, I'm fine. I've been under the weather since about Thanksgiving. So I've been laying around the house, not doing much of anything. I can't believe Christmas is almost here and I have not shopped at all. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get into the Christmas spirit when you don't feel well. I'm at MD Anderson right now getting my last treatment. I had a few complications from my last few treatments. Hopefully this will be it for a while. I'll have another stomach biopsy in a few months to see if this IV treatment works. If it doesn't, then I'll be back to getting IV's of chemo. I have very difficult veins to get into so it takes quite a few sticks to get either an IV in me or to draw blood. Last week I was in the emergency care here at MD Anderson and I got stuck a total of 11 times that day. I look like I'm a drug addict because of all the bruises all over my arms and hands from the needles. A few weeks ago they had to put the IV in my foot because they could find no vein in my arm. After about three times of getting stuck it starts to hurt! Last week they finally had to use an ultrasound machine to find a vein in my arm to use. Oh well.... instead of God giving me a small butt, he gave me small veins instead. I need to talk to Him about that......

God's Grace Will See You Through

My mother-in-law loves Joyce Meyer and I think has every one of her books. She copied this from Joyce's newest devotional and gave it to me:

I want you to face the mountain
so that you can see,
when the mountain is out of the way
all there is left is Me.
Only I can move the mountain,
only I can push it away,
only I can conquer the problems
that you face today.
Your only job is to believe, to listen
to My voice,
and when you hear what I command,
obedience is your choice.
But I will not make it too difficult for the
victory is already mine,
and I will fill you with My Spirit and through
you My grace will shine.
Not when you are perfect,
like you think you need to be,
but when your heart is willing to become more
and more like Me.

---Joyce Meyer