Can you believe it’s almost 2009? And can you believe I’ve been working on this post since Sunday, and it is now Tuesday night at 7:45?!! We’ve been keeping busy here, hanging out, running errands, taking walks…we even walked down to Pike’s Place Sunday! We didn’t stay long ’cause it was as packed as usual—can’t people just leave so I can have it to myself for a while?
Oh! Before I forget, and you automatically scroll down to the photos, BEWARE!!! THERE ARE SOME PHOTOS THAT MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR SOME OF YOU….THEY INVOLVE NEEDLES!! Lori, make sure you’re sitting down if you look at them! Katie took a photo shoot at my request during the bone marrow aspirate yesterday, so you can actually see what it’s like. I know people say how horrible they are, but when you’re looking at it, just know that it’s not hurting me. Grace numbed that sucker up with Lidocaine, so once the big needle went in, I just felt pressure. After the bone marrow, she did a quick skin biopsy to check for any GVHD (I don’t have a rash or anything, but this is part of my post-transplant work-up). The best thing is that she had some nice Christmas music playing in the background. I love that they play music here!!! Plus, I’m not ready to give up the Christmas songs yet–they stopped playing it on the radio here…before New Year’s…can you believe it?
By the way, the prelim results of the bone marrow are good–it looks clear! We get the cytogenetics back by the end of the week. I met with my team today and everything looks good. We’re looking more at January 15th to come home to Virginia to make sure we have time to fit in all the appointments I need and to really ensure that I’m doing well….basically until they feel confident that I can leave their warm embrace and head across country. Of course, I’m looking forward to the warm embrace of my doctor’s office in Fairfax too, but I definitely want to make sure my peops at SCCA don’t have any concerns, and also that my treatment transitions smoothly.
The dentist spent a long time with me today, and talked about dry mouth and how to take care of it; how to deal with chapped lips; what to look for in mouth GVHD. He also did a full check-up of my mouth, and everything is looking good!
By the way, these steroids must really be tapering ’cause I’m feeling tired already! (it’s 8:12 PM) But I am NOT carrying this post into another day!!!!!
Let’s see…in other news, we met the cutie Rocco (see below) in one of our favorite stores. We pass it each day on “Julie and Carol’s Way”…actually, you should check out the website: http://velocityartanddesign.com/. Not only do they have cool stuff, but a couple of people bring their dogs to work with them. One is a little puppy and the other is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, AKA Rocco. Whenever we walk by, he’s lying on one of the beds in the store, and I’ve seen him hopping from bed to bed. He’s so loving and is the perfect “store dog”, kind of like Carlo who is just down the road from him. I want a job where I can hang with my pups too! I know everyone keeps telling me to start a doggy daycare…who knows? Maybe in a couple years. John, thanks for letting us visit with Rocco–he made my day!
So tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, huh?! Any big plans? I have appointments at the clinic all afternoon, and then we’re heading over for the early bird special at “La Spiga”! My dad arrives in the morning, and hopefully he’ll get to rest a bit before we party all night?! Just teasin’….it’ll be a stretch to make it ’til midnight! But WE WILL and then we will go to the roof to watch fireworks over the Space Needle…pretty cool, huh?
We all send our love from Seattle…Katie, Carol, Laura and I
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!
Enjoy the photos.
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Kathy sent me this picture...look how happy Jameson and Klaus look!! You can see they're very well taken care of.
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Yuk!! Look what happened to the snow!
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Just waiting for Katie to fly in!
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We drove right to Buca di Beppo from the airport and it was deeeelicious! It was nice to have all the sisters there (but we missed you, Kathy!)...we'll have lots of bonding time soon!
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Katie and Laura in the backseat.
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Hey, look! Whatdoyaknow?! A street shot!
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I love the clouds here!!
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Cool, huh?
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What a city!
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And meet Rocco! When we walk on "Julie and Carol's Way", we pass his store, "Velocity", which happens to be a very cool store AND a good place to visit dogs. :)
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Whenever I've seen him there, he's either sleeping on one of the beds they sell or jumping from one to the other...look how adorable he is!
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I know, it's blurry, but still verrrrry cute, don't you think?!
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I mean, look at that face!!!
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OK, Rocco...you made my day...I'll let you get back to rest now.
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Katie, Laura and I
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Another beautiful dog we saw outside "Whole Foods"....I love his little beard.
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Here's a special series of photos we put together for you...posing by the "Whole Foods"...good job, Katie!
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Hmmm...what are you doing now?
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Oh---gotcha!!!!
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Notice my glasses are down so I can fully imitate the sculpture's expression.
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How come none of these sculptures are smiling?
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In case you can't tell what I'm doing, I'm tickling the feet of the baby that is on her back (that you can't see so it just looks creepy).
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This looked pretty cool....a wooden toy shop, and it looked like you could watch through the window to see them (not on a Sunday though!)
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A Seattle streetcar!
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Macy's...especially pretty this time of year.
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I never noticed this "FAO Schwartz"...that store will always remind me of "Big"...you've all seen that one, right?
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Walkin' around town with Laura and Katie
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Hmmmm..this is a sculpture down near Pike's Place....can anyone explain it to me?
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Now this is interesting! We didn't get to see what they did with the hula hoops, but it was intriguing!!
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Wow! Look how crowded the original Starbucks is!! Don't worry...I'm not going in!
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LOOK at this hill!! We walked almost 3 miles Sunday!
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"Tully's", a Seattle fixture and Laura (and, I believe, Tim's favorite).
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Katie checks her phone while we wait for Laura in "Tully's".
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A pretty old building....I'm assuming an old firehouse. I love how they mix the old with the new here.
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Katie, did you just untie your shoe so you could tie it again?!!! :) That's OK...I do it too...sometimes it's just not tight enough!!
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Katie found a new addition to her apartment---a shark with a tray! To tell you the truth, I think it'd be cute in her place!! Katie's had a passion for sharks since she was little.
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I totally want to go on this, but Laura and Katie say "no!"----but then again, everyone told me "no" when we went on Segways in DC last fall and they all had fun!!
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This sculpture moves, and it's huge! How have I never seen this? Katie and I take a moment to appreciate the randomness of it.
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We visited the library!! The Seattle Library is a couple years old and there was a lot of anger in the community when it went up because it's so modern. I iked the outside, but not what I saw from the inside (lil bit too modern for me)....here's one of the escalators.
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Looking out from the top floor (the 10th).
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Pretty interesting design, huh?
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Looking down at the readers and visitors below.
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The main entrance from 5th Avenue....they have a very cool store on this floor!
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View from the outside.
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And another one from the side...
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You definitely have to enlarge this one to get the full feel...it always strikes me as funny to see the smaller, older buildings in among the more modern ones.
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On our loooong walk yesterday, we saw this sign, which is for our exit, and I wanted to forever remember all our trips!! (Thanks again, Mom, for always driving!!!!!). I think we might actually miss "The Mercer Mess" when we get back home. :)
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Hey, Carlo's out today (Monday)!
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He's such a gorgeous dog--I'll miss him!
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Katie and I give Carlo some love...as you've figured out, he's been a key part of our walks and something I always look forward to, even if I don't think he knows me all that well. :)
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Thanks for letting us pet you, buddy!!!
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This is another dog Laura saw outside QFC...I would definitely be worried someone would steal my dogs if I left them outside!
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Down by Pike's Place again to get the special Starbucks mug that is only sold at the flagship store...it's the Starbucks mermaid lady baring her chest for all to see. :) I guess they stopped making those!!! Everyone seemed to want one though!
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Hmm....this looks confusing. I'm glad you're driving, Mom!
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hahahahahahaha very funny, girls.....I told them I feel like if I lift my chin a little in photos, then my cheeks don't look so fat!!
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We're at Szmania's, and for dessert, Katie chose a chocolate martini!
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Then Laura starts playing around with paper to show me how she can pour water into it and it won't leak out....ok, whatever...
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The trick didn't fair so well on the napkin...looks like a Rorschach inkblot, doesn't it?! :)
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OK, here we go...she's showing you all that it is indeed a piece of paper...
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OK, looks like a cup, but will it work like a cup?...
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Yes, there is water in there and no...it didn't leak!!
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"It's so delicious in this little notebook paper cup, I think I'll have another!"
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Don't think I've put this up on the blog before. Starting in the fall, we had to be screened each day at the clinic to make sure we're not carrying any germs or colds.
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Uh-oh! Bone marrow time!!!!
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I'm all cuddled up under heated blankets....bring on the needles!
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Mom, my brave caretaker who's seen every bone marrow biopsy/aspirate!
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OK, BE PREPARED FOR GRAPHIC IMAGES...IF NEEDLES BOTHER YOU, STOP LOOKING NOW!!!
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I'm all cozy on my side, ready to go.
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That's the bone marrow needle...look how thick it is!
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Just getting everything ready...
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Grace gets me all prepped.
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The most important part---putting in the Lidocaine to numb the site.
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All right, let's get that bone marrow needle in there! To me, it just feels like pressure.
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She has to push and turn the needle in order to get it into the marrow section. I've never actually seen it done, so these pics are interesting to me!
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More twisting...
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And now she's attached a syringe to suck up the marrow.
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The tech prepares some slides to send in to be studied.
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There's one...looking for spicules, little specks that look like sand that help them analyze the blood.
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You can see some of the bone marrow coming out into the syringe.
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Good close-up, Katie!! I guess you can see why the needle can be pretty intimidating.
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Ooooh...another good one, Katie!! (Lori, I hope you didn't faint when you saw these) :)
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And now for the skin biopsy to check for any GVHD--still, I felt nothing because I was numb!
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Grace held pressure on it for a long time...the skin biopsy was a bit of a bleeder, but she said that's not surprising.
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Preparing the slides.
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That is the picture on the original Starbucks mugs that you can only buy here (so they say!)...you have to enlarge it and take a good look at the mermaid lady. :) Thanks for the tip, Aunt Bitz!!
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Here we are eating our yummy edamame at "Joey's"....Lori and Tim, we certainly enjoyed our dinner there....as always!!! Thank you so much. :)
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Just wanted to end with some pics of my babies, waiting for me at home. See you in a couple weeks, Bella!!
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And as for you two, I can't wait to just hang out with you, go on walks, watch some Lifetime, play frisbee, play piano...you know, all the good stuff!
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Bella has come a long way from being a feral cat to a cat in love with a dog (Guinness) who comes when you call her for dinner, and loves attention (when she's in the mood, of course). :)