Adventures of Clay and Pam

These are just miscellaneous phots from around the house.

Part One:

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, Pam went to an Ob/Gyn about a superficial hardness and occasional pain in her left breast. There were no lumps but it was just not right. The doc agreed and got her in to see a breast specialist the next day. The exam and sonogram and a look at her mammogram from last fall showed no lumps in the breast or lymph nodes but did show a suspicious spot under the nipple. He took a needle biopsy and ordered an MRI. The MRI showed no lump but confirmed the suspicious area. The biopsy showed suspect cells but could not confirm cancer. The breast guy was optimistic that such findings would only dictate surgery and radiation but no more, even if it were to be cancer. Only surgery and on the spot pathology could determine that one way or another.

Part Two: (7-23-09)

To make a long story shorter, Pam has breast cancer and after surgery yesterday, it appears to be more serious than the no-big-deal we had at first thought it would be. It's still very treatable and survivable but will, most unfortunately, require the full course of radiation and chemo. The team is being assembled by the breast specialist and surgeon and the course of action will begin next week. The docs have been beyond excellent so far and we expect that to continue. The mass in the breast was cancer and he performed a pretty small lumpectomy. Unfortunately, he also found a small tumor on the sentinel lymph node. It will require more detailed pathology to see if it has spread to the other lymph nodes.

Nevertheless, he is very optimistic about the eventual outcome but does believe that an aggressive approach is called for. We will do what we got to do. I asked if this was one of those, "There's always hope" optimisms and he assured me it was not. We'll know more when the more detailed pathology comes in Friday or Monday.


Part Three: (7-25-09)

We got the 2nd round of pathology results just now. Our surgeon pressed the lab to get it done today--because he knows that uncertainty is the worst fear producer. He called and said that of the ten samples collected from the lymph nodes, only the one that housed the little tumor showed any evidence of cancer. Further, the margins that he allowed when he cut the mass from the breast and from the one lymph node were sufficient to remove all the cancer in the area. No need to go back in for additional surgery. But the diagnosis went from the original expectation that it would be Stage 0 to Stage 2a.

He was very pleased with the results and said it was very good news for the prognosis. Alas, chemo will still be necessary.

Part Four: (7-25-09)

This surgeon is a pretty amazing guy. He knew the result we got wasn't what we hoped for (though he prepared us for it), he talked with me two times after the procedure and with Pam and I once. He called that night, the next morning and then Friday night jsut to tell us that he had not heard anything on the pathology. He leaned on the pathology to try to get us something on Saturday and he got it done. He called to give us the news, said his prinicipal role in all this was over except that he wanted to put a team together to figure out exactly how to treat this and he wanted to be a part of that team, at least initially. Not one surgeon in 100 would have done half that.

Part Five: (7-25-09)

As the surgeon said, technically, the surgery went perfectly and, sure enough, Pam is doing just great. She's feeling fine, quite chipper and is ready to get going on the therapy. We are confident of a lasting cure.

Getting Ready for Round Two of Chemo

I have done the first chemo (Taxotere and Cytoxin) and next week I get the second. I will be halfway through!

I only felt bad for 2 days. With the chemo came an infusion of anti nausea medicine and some steroids to boost that. I came home feeling great and even worked out at the gym that evening. I learned since that that effect was the steroids. Hey, if that is so, Yay Steroids! Day 2 was fine also. It was only during the second night that I began to feel nauseated and have a headache. Day 3 and 4 was when I felt bad, but I felt no worse than a mild flu really. Additionally, and like most flu, I had no appetite at all. Many people get mouth sores that are miserable and my mouth felt like it was going to erupt with millions of sores, but not even one sprouted. By day 5 I was fine and we even went out briefly to a party.

Each time the chemo will be followed by a shot of Neulasta that makes my bone marrow produce more white cells. It also makes my bones ache, ache, ache.

My hair is all gone. It took about 5 days for it all to let go. It started on day 13 and they had told me to expect it between days 10 and 14 and that it was pretty much guaranteed to happen with the Taxotere. I got two wigs that look better than my real hair ever looked so I may wear them the rest of my life. My long time friend Marci White went with me. We had a blast. She and I both tried on a bunch of wigs very different from our real hair and the wig shop lady took pictures of us as we posed.

My blood checks have been good until Sept. 8th when there was a spike in my liver enzymes. Don't know why that is, but I have to go get another blood test now before the scheduled 2nd round of chemo on Thursday, Sept. 17th. I understand that depending on that blood test the doctor may have to adjust the chemo mix some how. Until then, avoid alcohol and Tylenol completely and also no vitamin supplements. Since I never took vitamin supplements before all this, it could be one of those? Could it really be that one really strong margarita at the mexican food place a few days before the blood test? Or was it the Tylenol PM that I am not sure when I even took it because I rarely take it? Maybe it was the same night?? Maybe not? We don't know what caused the spike but I definitly need a healthy liver to handle the chemo.

So, all in all, I am going to fight the cancer with everything I can. If I only get these side effects, great. If they are worse on the next round, oh well.

I want to make sure I give Clay and Shelley much deserved credit for taking good care of me. They can both be compassionate and they can both be a bit pushy which is a great balance. I am letting them do the worrying so that I can keep my stress levels down. Clay is the clear winner in the worry competition.

And I must say, the wonderful family and friends that Clay and I have are the best in the world. Although they are not all right here like Clay and Shelley, I know I have Scott and Sandy, Ginger, oh, I can't make this list. It would be tooo tooooooo long. To shorten it, I have family and friends that are thinking of me, pulling for me, praying for me and who care. I know it. I can feel it. And I appreciate it.

Well, last night was probably the last fire of the season. Our cozy winter evenings are going to come to an end for a while. No more hot cocoa and classical music as we read books in front of the fireplace for a while. Yes, I think we did do that at least once. Well, no, we didn't, but we always intended to. Sometimes we had good books to read, yeah. Sometimes we had the music. Oh nevermind. It never came together exactly as planned, but it sounds so nice...

It was a good winter. With the depressed economy we did not ski but once but with the mild winter we played golf almost daily. At least it seems like that. We enjoy Friday Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan competition followed by a great dinner in the club house, golfing other Fridays with Bill and meeting up with Mary for dinner. We enjoy Friday afternoon golf with friends followed by Happy Hour. It is such a pleasure. Then there are Monday nights where we enjoy House and 24. Tuesdays I play 9 holes, have lunch with the girls, then 9 more holes. Wednesday Clay has Wednesday Golf with the guys. Thursday I have picked up golf with another group of girls and Clay goes out with someone. When Bill is not available on Fridays, Clay plays with another group. Wow. I haven't even gotten to Saturdays and Sundays!

Well, goodbye Winter and welcome Spring. We look forward to the beauty you bring to our lives.

Happy New Year! We rang in the new year with about 20 of our favorite people. Here are just a few selected pictures...

Clay and I went to Utah for some great powder skiing the week before Christmas. Jeff went with us and we had a grand time. The snow was perfect, the conditions nice and cold, and the area was all dressed up for Christmas. I am not including any pictures because we were dressed just like we always are and you can't tell one year from another anyway. We skiied two days at Alta and two at Snow Basin. Snow Basin is my favorite because the gondolas are enclosed.

Scott and Sandy were due in a day after we got back to Austin which seemed to be the perfect schedule. However, the weather forcast in Utah was looking ominous and the reporters were saying things like "get out now" if you are flying. I decided to return to Austin a day early because of that and ended up only about 2 hours delayed because of weather, but clearly a day early for Scott and Sandy. Clay and Jeff chose to stay for the scheduled Friday flight which turned in to a nightmare. They waited about 11 hours at the airport for the flight that, oh, by the way, is no longer going all the way to Austin. They made the best of a bad situation and went to a hotel (with no luggage) and somewhere found a bar. Bar + Utah really don't add up to much. Anyway, Scott and Sandy's scheduled Saturday noon flight arrived at 3pm just as Clay's flight arrived from Utah. Funny!

Here it is Christmas Eve, 2008, and we have done all our Christmas. Jeff stayed out here from his apartment in town, Scott and Sandy flew in, and we had a long conversation with Shelley and Beaux by phone. Downside of the phone call, Shelley described how she liked each of her presents while Sandy, who was about to open her presents and they were the same, was there listening. Then I asked how Beaux liked his new driver and oops! It had not arrived yet. Surprise! So sorry.

Clay and I enjoyed having at least three of our five home with us for the holidays. We had a formal dinner, as you can guess by seeing the beautiful table. I like the way Clay's beautiful crystal blended with my china and flatware. We had a recipe from Shelley to make sure she was included. It was wonderful.

We all went to Pedernales Falls State Park for a great day climbing on the rocks. I know I had my camera, but I don't see any pictures now, so I don't know.....I know somebody was taking pictures, so I will have to get some to put here. It is a 45 minute trip out to the park. We stopped back by a great mexican food restaurant, Verde's, and then back home to play pool all evening.


One day for lunch Clay and I took Scott and Sandy to Casa de Luz to make sure they got the true hippy dippy idea of Austin. Macrobiotic food. It is delicious. It is delicious if you only eat it once a year. It is vegan and we did it just for the experience for Scott and Sandy. I have to get those pictures from Scott, too. Let's just say Sandy is not all that experimental with eating. It was Borscht as the soup, kale, black beans, brown rice, and mixed veggies. There was some seaweed concoction to go with the salad. The kale and the rice had yummy toppings or dressing. It is amazing that with only veggies we stayed full the rest of the day. Oh wait, we went from there to Whole Foods flagship store and found delicious desserts to take home. Later that evening we feasted on bbq'd ribs and brisket. Oh, one of the pictures is of a flock of wild parrots that inhabit the area.


After opening Christmas presents (I got a watch!) we played Scattergories and laughed ourselves silly. The top laughable answers were Clay's answer to the "things that have tails" where he declared he never thought of animals having tails - he went with tux, airplane, kites, etc. We laughed so hard - the way he said it was hilarious. Then there was Scott's alliteration attempts "Things found in a souvenier shop" beginning with L: Little Lyle Lovett Lithographs. And on another, hobbies or something, it was Making M&M Mosaics. Sooo funny. OH - and Jeff trying to convince us Libya works for Tropical Location. Sandy and I had reasonable, well thought out answers of course.


We drove up to Garland to visit all the relatives. Myrt is getting older and a bit slower, but she still put on the traditional banquet, although a night short of Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful gathering of loved ones. Todd and Randa's girls are just so cute - Bailey is 2 years 8 months, and Kylee just 8 months. Scott and Sandy had a wonderful time playing baby and deciding they aren't quite ready for any. Spit up and dirty diapers were just part of it - the endless energy was the other part.

So, here we are back in Austin, Scott and Sandy flew back home, Shelley and Beaux are still in Germany, but Clay and I have Jeff and Bogey here, a fire roaring, a football game in one room and Christmas carols in the other. Life is good. Life is very, very good.


These formal pictures are from the Men's Golf Association Christmas Banquet. Don't we look great! If we are both in the picture, Clay is taking the shot with his outstretched arm. We had to practice to get these few good ones...