An Overdue Update

We didn’t have to punt after all. On CBC 4 (out of an available 5), my white blood cells cooperated. I flew out to Bethesda about a week and and a half ago to meet with Dr Rajan and to MOVE ON with this trial. The visit itself was pretty anticlimactic, after the nearly 6-week build-up of drama. The upshot is that my Sutent dose was reduced by 25% and the WBC bar I have to hit was lowered as well. All that should mean that getting in to a more routine routine is more achievable.

Now, I’m a week (8 days, if you’re counting… which I always am) into cycle 2 of the trial. When I go back the next time, I go through the battery of tests and scans and we find out if this thing is even working. Since there’s nothing I can do to improve the odds of that, I am, as usual, not worrying about anything. The rest of my Maryland trip was loads of fun. My friend, Martha, had concurrent trips with me, and we made the most of it. We visited the National Geographic Museum in DC,

 

ate tater tots at my brother’s restaurant, Largent’s,

 

practically ran through the National Aquarium in Baltimore (we mistimed this AND had to wait out a rain storm to get there), and ate crab cakes in Catonsville with Nelson, one of my Kilimanjaro guides.

 

I added in a 30-hour trip to Orlando to work with my pals from Growing Bolder on the next “Surviving and Thriving” this week. It’s always fun to make tv with that super talented group.

 

And I got to hang out with great friends (including Martha again!) try the trendy new Indian restaurant in Winter Park called Mynt, which was all that.

 

Have you noticed that with no reduction in air travel time in recent months, I haven’t complained about bad things happening? The streak is over. I took Frontier to Orlando for the first time to save a bit of money….. but they charge you for your SEAT ASSIGNMENT and even for your CARRY ON BAGS. I ended up saving enough to buy a couple of lattes. But at least their planes flew on time. Coming home, I made it to Houston on United, but as we taxied to the runway, the plane started making this God awful squealing sound. It went on for about 20 minutes before the pilot got on the intercom and said, “Folks, the plane is broke.” United may be broke soon with repeated mechanical problems, but I interpreted him to be saying that the plane was broken. Back to the gate. Wait wait wait. Finally, a flight attendant said it wasn’t going to be fixed any time soon. They let me off the plane, rebooked me for a later flight, and sent me on my way. Of course, the original plane did take off a little later…. but I wasn’t about to ride for 3 hours on a plane that the pilot had already said was “broke.”

Now, I’m back in Park City “running” a little longer to prepare for the Portland Half-Marathon, and upping my cycling before the Road to Discovery bike extravaganza coming up in May/June, and  finishing up the ski season at Deer Valley,.  I feel great and am enjoying being in a bit of a routine (that, of course, could be blown to smithereens again in 12 days). On Sunday, I get to be the “handler” for the Easter Bunny at Deer Valley. I wanted to BE the Easter Bunny, but we decided that given the size of the costume, I would be more like Shar Pei Easter Bunny. So I’m the handler.. It’ll be fun, I’m sure. Have a great Easter.. Emmitt Smith insists.