June 26, 2011
Doggie Catch-up
Mercedes is adjusting very nicely… she has calmed down considerably — so much in fact that I even noticed it! She knows when she can’t go with me to do errands and when we go ‘bye-bye’ she sit nicely in her seat (with her harness on) and sometimes looks out the window, sometimes looks at me. She waits paitently in the car, too. I think she figured out that she can be nice in the car and go with or she can stay home alone….
June 24, 2011
Portland American Idol Auditions
Season 11 American Idol Auditions will be held in Portland, Oregon on July 2, 2011 at the Rose Garden Arena. No Overnight Camping Allowed; but Transit/Max service available.
Registration is on Thursday, June 30th and Friday, July 1st, 2011. Wristbands will be distributed to auditioners during pre-registration (tables open Thursday and remain open until Saturday morning). Once auditioners obtain their wristbands, they will be asked to return to the stadium early morning Saturday, July 2 to line up for their audition.
Two valid forms of ID are required (see rules) and must be shown every time i.e. registration & actual audition. Those under 18 MUST have a legal parent or guardian present in addition to the valid ID.
You have less than one week to get your wonderful voice in ‘audition shape’, so get practicing!!!
FAQ: http://media.americanidol.com/forms/season_11/ai11_faqs.pdf
Required Release Form (print, fill out and bring with you): http://media.americanidol.com/forms/season_11/ai11_releases.pdf
Read the Rules: http://media.americanidol.com/forms/season_11/ai11_rules.pdf
Public Transportation Info: http://trimet.org/ Rose Quarter Transit Center. The Rose Quarter Transit Center is located across from the Rose Garden Arena. It is in Zone 1.
Please note that Portland is considered the City of Roses due to the many beautiful rose gardens in our city. The auditions are held at the Rose Garden ARENA. If you search Rose Garden, you will end up at one of our illustrious city’s beautiful Rose Gardens, but will not be at the AI Auditions! Stop and Smell the Roses!
And GOOD LUCK, PORTLAND!!!!
June 23, 2011
Book Publishing Woes
As you know, I have been trying to get my book TIE ONE ON, A Scarf-Tying Guide for Chemotherapy Patients published. I have a publisher, and my manuscript was submitted 5 weeks ago. My editor and I thought that we would be in publication within 2 -3 weeks.
Well, it is now 5 weeks later and we still are not in publication yet! I am going crazy. My book administrator (or whatever her title is) is so busy that she only takes care of one problem a week!!!! It takes 2 weeks from actual total approval to publication. I need my books in Washington DC in 2 weeks and we are at least 4 days away from total approval at the earliest!!! I am going crazy!
On top of it this gal is not giving me the service that I needed. And she only listens to part of what is being said. Then the emails… she does not make the requested changes… she does what she thinks I want done… which isn’t what I asked for at all. Then she is unavailable for 3 -4 days at a time. I am going crazy!!!!
Yes, I spoke (well, I left a voice mail) with her supervisor who sent me an email. This is from a publishing company… she misspelled my name, had several nonsense sentences … What is this???!!!
All of this is happening right after I had chemo and I certainly am not at my best…. In fact there are days when I literally cannot see clearly, much less think straight. All of this stress is not good for my health and my frustration level is gone!!!!!
And that is why you have not heard from Firefly in a few weeks. My energies have been focused elsewhere.
June 22, 2011
Doxil # 2
I started on a different drug for my Ovarian Cancer recurrence. My CA 125 had skyrocketed to 1618 (normal is 30 or below) just before my first Doxil infusion May 13, 2011.
It is usual for there to be a 2 to 3 month lag time in any measurable results from this drug Doxil, so we were not expecting to see any decrease in my CA 125 levels. In fact, they often increase the first month on this drug.
Enter Amazing Firefly!!!!! When I went for my second infusion on June 17th I had hoped for a decrease in my CA 124 level because of how I was feeling. I was not experiencing hardly any pain, other problems that had been very apparent had greatly lessened and my energy level seemed to be a bit higher. The lower abdomen pain/gurgling was almost completely gone and my color seemed better, not only to me , but also to my family.
Ah, yes! My CA 125 had indeed gone down! It was now at 757! Another one of my favorite airplanes! Yep, it had decreased by about half! Everyone at the doctor’s office was happy about that including me!
And so, I had my second infusion of Doxil and went home to rest some more while I fight this sneaky opponent who is trying to invade my body. Is cancer like the ‘invasion of the body snatchers’? Well, I must fight to keep it from invading my body any more! Go Doxil!!!!
June 21, 2011
First Day of Summer
This morning at 10:something am, it officially became Summer! And we are really ready for this Summer here in Portland. Today the sun is shining and air is clear and it looks like summer outside. Yea!!!
June 2, 2011
Dog vs Cat
Why are the rules different for dogs and cats? When I walk my dog, I always take a ‘poopy bag’ with me and I pick up after my dog. But all of my neighbors are allowed to let their cats (about 6 of them) roam around in my yard and ‘do their business’ in my yard without even the slightest twinge of conscience. I am sick and tired of smelly c-s on my property! And they upset my sweet little dog!
