Sherryl's PET scan is scheduled for Thursday morning and she has a follow-up appointment with Nancy to learn the results on Monday, October 13. She's feeling relatively well with some fatigue, so she is getting lots of sleep and she's planning to have a low-key weekend.
We'll let you know as soon as we have the PET scan results. In the meantime, let's hold good thoughts as we listen again to one of Sherryl's favorite songs.
Sherryl met with Nancy yesterday and learned all her blood counts, in Sherryl's words, "continue to be wonderful." In the advent of radiation treatment, Sherryl's health care team anticipated the tumor marker would go up. Their prediction was correct. Prior to radiation, the tumor marker was 185. Yesterday, it was 234.
No change in treatment has been prescribed since continuing the same therapies should lower the tumor marker over the next couple of weeks. Sherryl will continue to take Xeloda cyclically and is scheduled to receive another dose of Zometa on September 5. A status check of the tumor marker, along with ongoing blood work, will occur in another 3 weeks.
As the summer draws to a close, Sherryl's spirits remain high. So, here is the last musical number in our summer concert series for RaRa. Another flashback, this time to the 1980s. So fluff up that rock star hair and tuck in those fullback shoulder pads. It's Queen performing "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Sherryl is feeling well these days and continues to work at day care on a regular basis. There have been no recent appointments with her medical team; a routine check-in is scheduled in the next week or two.
This weekend, Sherryl is joining Austin and Haley, with their mom Rachael, on a trip to visit Rachael's parents in the South Bay. Among other activities, they will be attending a little fair. Austin has informed RaRa he will be "hanging off [her] all weekend." Sherryl wouldn't have it any other way.
Continuing our summer concert series for RaRa, here's another one of her favorites. The song is a classic but the video could not be more late 1960s, as in "Psychedelic, man." So consider yourself warned.
After a week of vacation, Sherryl returned to work at day care today. This is a popular time of year for vacations and some of the day care families are away on vacation this week, too.
Sherryl experienced some fatigue and a bit of nausea this past weekend, which she attributes to side effects from recent radiation treatment. True to form though, she carried on as usual with chores and errands. She also got plenty of rest. Sherryl is feeling well today, and her next appointment with her healthcare team isn't scheduled until the end of the month.
Continuing our virtual summer concert series for RaRa, here's another one of her favorites. While it is a sad song, the artistry in the original music video was stunning and timeless. Unfortunately, the original video is available on YouTube, but it contains an "audio track that has not been authorized by all copyright holders [so the audio track] has been disabled." But here is another video of a live performance.
After spending 3 glorious days at Lake Tahoe, Sherryl is home safe and sound. On the drive back from Lake Tahoe today, we stopped at the outlets in Vacaville and thoroughly enjoyed meandering through some favorite shops.
Sherryl is feeling good, her energy is high, and she is looking forward to spending the rest of the week at home-sweet-home.
Our summer concert series for RaRa continues with another one of her favorite songs. We heard a Stevie Nicks song playing in one of the outlet stores today, so here is classic by Ms. Nicks: "Landslide."
Daily radiation treatment began for Sherryl last Monday and will continue through next Friday. Sherryl has also resumed taking oral chemotherapy medication. She has been tired this week, but is tolerating the radiation treatments well, and she continues to work at day care.
Vacation season has arrived and Sherryl is planning to join most of us in Tahoe in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, our summer concert series for RaRa continues. Here's another one of her favorite songs: "Breathe" by Faith Hill.
Sherryl had an MRI today and, this evening, met with her radiology oncologist, whom she adores. Sherryl learned more good news today: the L2 region of her back is the only place where there is active cancer right now, and, as for bone strength, it looks stronger than the doctor had anticipated.
Sherryl will return to the radiology oncologist's office on Friday to get "lined up" for radiation treatments; treatments will begin next week. The doctor said to Sherryl, "Hopefully, this will be our last dance." He was surprised and pleased to learn Sherryl has returned to work full time, and said to her, "Boy, there is no slowing you down, is there?!"
So, all is well these days for RaRa. We especially like the doctor's suggestion of a dance. No wonder Sherryl adores him!
And speaking of dancing, as the heat wave subsides in Northern California, we'd thought we'd have a virtual summer concert series of Sherryl's favorite artists and songs -- beginning right now!
First up, Rod Stewart, who has the same birthday as Sherryl: January 10. Here is her favorite song by Rod, "Sailing." Hey, is RaRa rocking that little baby to the beat of this song -- over there? ------>--------->----------->-------->--------->----------> ?
She sure is! Grab a loved one and rock them, too. And stay cool, everyone!
Sherryl had a good weekend, and her energy and spirits are high. As soon as errands were completed and chores such as laundry were underway, creative juices flowed once again from RaRa. She's making a few things at home these days with specific recipients in mind.
A song came on the radio Sunday that she told us she loves. She wasn't sure of the name of the song, but whenever she is driving in her car and the song plays on the radio, she turns the volume up really, really high.
The song is "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, and it's a beautiful song. Let's just make sure RaRa doesn't start "cruising 4th" again, k?
When Sherryl learned that a Whitney Houston performance had been included in yesterday's update, she reminded us that her favorite Whitney Houston song is "The Greatest Love of All." Naturally, the song is about children. She said, "Everyone should listen to every word of that song because it is so true."
So, adding to the short list of RaRa's favorite songs, here's another performance by Ms. Houston.
Today is the day -- it's Sherryl's birthday. She continues to enjoy spending time with the children at day care, and she continues to receive radiation treatment each weekday. In honor of this special day, here are a few related factoids:
Sherryl was born during an era when it was a traditional ritual for the obstetrician to spank the baby in order to get him or her to begin to breathe. The sound of a first cry was music to the ears of the newborn's mother. As a newborn baby, Sherryl did not cry upon receiving the welcoming spank, which sent a momentary yet significant panic through our mom. A second spank resulted in the tiny cry that calmed our mom as she welcomed her second baby, Sherryl Ann Hanna, into the world.
Sherryl has the same birthday as one of her favorite rock stars, Rod Stewart.
Each year around her birthday, Sherryl makes a monetary contribution to a non-profit organization that helps people in need. Past donations have been made to assist survivors of the December 2004 tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She did not tell anyone she made these donations until just two years ago.
For the past few years, our family has celebrated Sherryl's birthday on Superbowl Sunday. It's become a very fun tradition to have dinner and birthday cake while casually choosing which non-49er team we'll route for as we enjoy those multi-million dollar commercials and ever-so-entertaining halftime shows.
Instead of listening to a traditional rendition of "Happy Birthday," let's queue up one of RaRa's all time favorite songs. As we send her birthday wishes, let's consider how very wonderful our world is with Sherryl in it!
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