Merry Christmas blogger buddies!

This pic is from last week when I got be a sub at my friend Robins' bunko Christmas party. I've been subbing at her party for many years and have enjoyed these wonderful women since all our kids were in elementry school together.

Yesterday I went to UCSF to see my Oncologist. My doctor said that since everything they had been looking at, in both the stomach area and lung, was too small to do anything about, I should just go on modified treatment. He even went so far as to say that they couldn't say for sure what it was any more. I told him I wanted to go into NED (no evidence of disease) and I'd do what I needed to get there. He said I was just about there and that he questions if there truly is a complete NED anyway...The modified chemo includes a drug called Xeloda. It's the pill form of 5-FU. 5-FU was the chemo that I carried in a pump for three days at a time. Now I'll be taking the pills for two weeks on and one week off with Avastin once every three weeks. I have to watch closely for side effects on the Xeloda because it can be more toxic on some people. The reason it can be more toxic is because when you take a pill it has to go through your stomach, intestines and liver before it really gets into the blood stream. By this time it's hard to monitor just how much is getting into your system and how much was broken down. Women, for some unknown reason, metabolize it a little different and can have more severe side effects than men. I just have to watch and wait. I'll do this for three months and then do another check. Before I begin the regimen, I have to get my teeth cleaned since I couldn't while I was on the Avastin. Then I also have to have another colonoscopy..routine. I'm supposed to have one every year but since I was in treatment I couldn't have one. But I can now..YEA!! Anyway, I do have a lot be be grateful for. I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy my Christmas so much, while I'm feeling really good. After our appointment with the doctor, Casey, Brigitte and I went to China Town and found the Fortune Cookie factory...yes, we purchased a few bags. Then Casey was on a mission to find a recommend bakery that makes egg custards. They were hot out of the oven and very tasty. Next we met up with Ricky, my son -in-law, and went to the Oriental Pearl restaurant for dinner. It was mentioned by Rachel Ray for great dim sun food. It was very good, but the dim sun is only served at lunch so we missed that, but the peking duck was amazing! We finished the night off with going to the oldest bakery in San Francisco and purchasing a Chinese donut...not so good to me but I did bring home a few BBQ pork buns. They are great! All in all we had a wonderful day/evening in the city. Merry Christmas to all of you and I pray that all you wonderful people make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you can not repeat it and tomorrow is not promised, only eternity is promised to those who believe in our Lord and savior. I have posted this verse before and it's worth repeting and memorizing as it is considered the heart of the bible. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16