Give me a wig contest!

OK, I'm doing a contest.  Color in a wig for me. Two options. One is to save the image below, bring it into your favorite drawing program and add a wig. then email it to me.

The second option is to go to this web site, draw in the wig and do a save screen and send me that image.  Not sure what the prizes will be, but they should be good!

Birds!

We saw all kinds of amazing birds yesterday - from endangered American whooping cranes to an African grey crowned crane to Dr. Evermore's musical bird band.

Fun day - Orange Party, Crabby Ack

Rose and Louise coming out of the 'gerbil treadmill' 

Ack, Anne, Rose and Louise went the Madison Children's Museum to celebrate Orange's 60th Birthday party. It was a great party and we got to explore the museum along with everyone else. Though, I did get crabby at the end, when I got tired and needed to leave. Sorry to those I may have offended.


Prior to the party we spent the day driving through Devil's Lake to get to the Crane Foundation, Ski-hi apple orchard (though they were out of caramel apples), Dr. Evermore's park and capped the day with a great homemade dinner.

Chemo #2 day 1

We finished the puzzle Bob, Kristy and Trina gave us, the missing piece is an Ackerman tradition

Well chemo #2, the day after - is going well. I feel a little nausea but other than that I'm fine. One short nap today when I got home. I am thinking of shaving my head completely.


I meet yet another colleague who new someone who had lymphoma and was cured. It was his mother and she was cured over 10 years ago. So that is about 8 people who I have meet who know a survivor. Of course I started thinking that is 100% cure rate so far, but the doctor said 81%. So, I need to find two unsuccessful cases, so that I'm not one of them! That is an abuse of statistics of course. It reminded me of when Anne and I were looking to Madison. We meet many people who loved Madison, so we went on a search to find someone who did not like Madison. Never succeeded at that either. So, now I'm planning on 100% cured!

Chemo #2

Chemo is all about poison to kill poisoned cells

So, today was Chemo day #2. It began at 8 am with the drawing of blood samples. Then waiting.

At 9 am we meet with the Doctor and 'fellow' to go over the tests and the planned treatment. Tests were good! Liver is back to normal so today they could give the full blown dose of chemo. And, since I did so well in Chemo #1, we decided we should go ahead with the nasty R stuff at a faster drip rate. Remember the first treatment they take their time delivering the chemicals to make sure there are no reactions. That saves about 1.5 hours! The bad news today, was that since Chemo #1 was not a full dose, we need to do 7 maybe 8 cycles instead of the 6 which many folks get. The theory was why mess around - let's make sure the cure is for good. Nice theory.

More waiting

Around 11:30 we went in for the chemo (see picture above). Well the fast delivery-rate plan worked for about an hour. then my throat got irritated and scratchy and my abdomen started to hurt. So, fearing my throat may close up, the nurse quickly turned the IV off, gave me benidrill (which made my sleepy) and went back to the slower mode of injection. So, no short cuts for me today.

Anne was a trooper throughout. Working when I slept. She got the new drug supply from the pharmacist. She also brought along 3 surprises - a box a chocolates (yum), a flip book of an egg exploding (more fun to watch than you would think) and a little painting activity (see picture below) - you wet the brush and sketch with water, when it dries the drawing is gone and you reuse the sheet.

Around 4 pm all was done. I was a bit fatigued when we got home, so I took a nap while Anne made a wonderful eggplant dish. Otherwise I'm OK.

The 'Buddha Pad' Anne got me for passing the time. She also brought along flowers to pretty the place up

Correction

Well, I've been corrected. Neither Lex Luthor nor Professor Xavier but Mr. Clean! (Yes, Ack did spend the weekend cleaning the house.)

Lex Luthor or Professor Xavier?

Here is my handsome-in-all-kinds-of-new-ways husband.

Great News amidst Everything Else

Erin and long-time honey Al announced their engagement earlier this week.  We're delighted and are looking forward to celebrating this next phase of their life together.

Chemo is working...

I was on a telecom today and at one point I found I was rubbing my head. When I looked down I saw several strands of hair on my desk. So hair loss has started which indicates to me that the chemo is working. When I am fully bald I will post a picture, but for now I show the strands of evidence.

Strands of hair sitting on a piece of paper.

Updates and a Fun Weekend!

No new updates. I continue to take a couple of pills a day - ones that are supposed to boost my immune system.  My hair, or what I've had for the last few years, remains intact. I'll post a picture of a bald me when I lose it. 

I went to Cardiology today for an ultra-sound of my heart. It took about an hour and I got to watch the screen as my heart beat away. I was impressed by the continual activity of that muscle as it pumps blood every second of every day. It is a hard worker! This is a baseline of the heart. They measured wall thickness and volume of chambers. Later, after some more chemo, they will do this again and make sure there is no impact of chemicals on the heart.

I go for chemo treatment #2 in a week, on September 14.

This past weekend we traveled to North Carolina for Sarah's (Mike's daughter) and Matt's wedding. It was a great celebration and fun to get together again with the entire Ackerman clan.

Ackerman clan at Sarah and Matt's 9/3/11 wedding

Here is a video Mike did of the rehearsal dinner and decorating:  http://www.facebook.com/l/RAQBQtVz0AQDL04RLo9lb2lve60N2Xpt5RgPk-kYDihygdg/www.vimeo.com/28658852

Good Liver!

Ack's bilirubin numbers

     Much of the morning of August 31 was spent in waiting at the cancer clinic. Blood tests first, then waiting for results so we can talk with RN. In the end the news was good. Bilirubin numbers are getting back down to normal (see chart).  In addition, other 'numbers' indicate that the liver is functioning in the normal range.  


     That means two things to me - full chemo treatment on 9/14 and a glass of champagne on Saturday to celebrate Sarah and Matt's wedding!

After hanging in the waiting room all morning, we had a nice latte and raspberry scone at La Brioche.