Ruth Update, October 8, 2007

Dear Friends, Relatives, and Prayer Partners,

We did indeed go to Radford to visit Matt this weekend. We left here about 6 pm and got to our motel in Christiansburg at about 11:15 pm (Radford was full up, surprise, surprise). We went on a walk for breast cancer research. I hope they made lots of money, because the route was kind of lame. They roped off a "course" which was a rough oval, and you walked around and around. Paul estimated it at 170 meters. They also had a raffle, for which I bought five tickets. It seems to me the majority of the prizes went to the sisters of the sorority sponsoring the walk. Of course, one of them bought 100 tickets, sooooo. . . Anyway lots of college kids with Greek letters on their t-shirts showed up.

After that we went to see "All My Sons," put on by the college theater department, with Conrad John Schuck in the starring role. Gee, an actor I actually recognize! (I wish IMDB had more photos of him, but you can get a little more info from the Radford U site). They had quite a gallery of past guest artists, including Elizabeth Taylor. Of course, she was pictured with her then-husband, Senator John Warner. I think a few strings may have been pulled to get her.

We had a nice dinner in a banquet hall, where we also had brunch the next day. Saturday evening, we saw a comedy magic show, by Spike and Hammer. It was pretty funny, and well done.

We left after brunch on Sunday.

I would have had a lot more fun if I didn't have another back spasm that started on Saturday morning and lasted until we got home. I didn't take my Vicodin with me, only Motrin and muscle relaxant. I was okay walking, sitting, standing, and lying down. It was the transitions that hurt. A lot. Also, don't give me a "high five" on my right hand. Poor Timmy did and I was in some pain for a bit.

One of the mets to my bone is in my right shoulder, so I guess that is what has been causing the pain there, not a rotator cuff problem. Also, we think the met to the rib is what is causing my "back spasms." I got my first treatment of Faslodex under the new regimen today, and complained to the nurse. She ran it by the doctor, and we are in agreement that the met is the source of the pain. For now, we will continue on the treatment I told you about the last time. The Faslodex is actually two shots. They assure me that I don't want the whole lot in one place.

I have had a couple of people ask why don't we just shoot the big guns right away this time. It is because the big guns could do me more harm than good at this point. I have been treated in the left hip, and have new mets to the right hip, both shoulders, some vertebrae, and a rib. In an adult, the bulk of our bone marrow is in the hips and vertebrae. We are not ready to do in my bone marrow. Though with the pain I have been feeling in the rib, I don't know why they can't just irradiate there.

I have given some thought to what you can do to help me. Prayer is, of course, first on the list. Another thing you can do is get on the bone marrow registry. I was on this registry before I was diagnosed with cancer. Nobody has said anything about me needing a bone marrow transplant, but this is a good thing to do for anybody. Also, if you want to contribute to breast cancer research, feel free. We support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Then, of course, there is The Breast Cancer Site. You can just click to give. So they say, anyway.

Get your mammograms. Do your self exams.

Ruth