September 2005

- Friday September 30, 2005 -
Radiation day 18. Pay day. Friday. And friends Larry and Robin came into town to stay with us for a couple days. That's always a good thing. Even though Larry had a retirement party months ago, today is technically his last day of work. He had a lot of vacation time to burn. So a bunch of his friends gathered at Isabella's restaurant in mid-town for dinner, drinks, and conversation. Karl, Betty, John M, Joann, Brian and a bunch of others showed up to wish him well again. Now get busy on that retirement, dude!

- Thursday September 29, 2005 -
Not too much to write this week. We have been pretty busy getting ready for Saturday's RegDay event (web site, done by us). Check it out! Also, radiation day 17.

- Wednesday September 28, 2005 -
Radiation day 16. Twelve to go.

- Tuesday September 27, 2005 -
Radiation day 15. Aren't you tanned yet? ;-)

- Monday September 26, 2005 -
Radiation day 14. Half-way through. You go, girl...

- Saturday September 24, 2005 -
Today was the PACER Unity Gathering (web site). Petra is sometimes involved with this organization, and they have a Sacramento group also (web site, done by us). We helped to provide the food for this event. Anyway, it was very moving. A number of speakers spoke, including birthparents, adoptive parents, and adoptees, with many different perspectives. Petra's dad (technically adoptive father but she considers him dad) spoke and he gave a loving tribute to her. Some of the speakers were sad and some were happy but all were moving. Then Grammy-award winner Mary Youngblood sang a song about her birth father. Then we all ate a lot!

- Friday September 23, 2005 -
We met friends Michael and Shirl, with baby Madeline, for a tasty all you can eat Indian buffet lunch at Pooja in West Sacramento. Mmmmm. Then it was off to Petra's 'tanning appointment'. Not really tanning but that sounds better. Actually, it was radiation day 13. Almost half-way through with the 28 treatments.

- Thursday September 22, 2005 -
Radiation day 12. Summer turns to fall. More people die senselessly in Iraq. And another day passes. Petra is doing ok, still pinkness where the radiation is and tenderness. Not too much fatigue for now though.

- Wednesday September 21, 2005 -
Radiation day 11. In the evening we went to the monthly meeting of Save Ourselves, a Sacramento area breast cancer organization. Send them a check if you have extra cash, they are a worthy group. Usually there is a guest speaker, this one turned into more of a general discussion.

- Tuesday September 20, 2005 -
Radiation day 10. Also, we had a nice dinner at Vallejo's Mexican Food with friends Karl and Betty. They just got back from a 7-day Mexican Cruise! Wish I was there... But the dinner was pretty good and it was nice to visit with them.

- Monday September 19, 2005 -
Radiation day 9. And another thing: Aaaaaaargh! It is Monday! Back to work. And the pest control guy came out and sprayed. Calm down, it's not that exciting.

- Sunday September 18, 2005 -
Another low-key day. We spent about four hours both doing some weeding in the garden area. Later in the day we had a good meal at 524 restaurant. Hey, that's no way to diet!

- Saturday September 17, 2005 -
We ran a few errands then did some web work and other stuff around the house. Relaxing.

- Friday September 16, 2005 -
Radiation day 8. I am so looking forward to the weekend. We have no plans and I am glad about that.

- Thursday September 15, 2005 -
Radiation day 7. Also, today is Petra's support group meeting.

- Wednesday September 14, 2005 -
Radiation day 6.

- Tuesday September 13, 2005 -
Radiation day 5. Petra talked to the radiation oncologist. The redness and fatigue are normal, and they are relatively minor so far. Also, happy anniversary to friends Karl and Betty!

- Monday September 12, 2005 -
Radiation day 4. Also, we went to the second meeting tonight at Cafe Bernardo in midtown to continue the preparations for the upcoming PACER Adoption Unity Gathering. You can visit www.adopteerights.org or www.pacer-adoption.org for more info. Petra and friends are working to make this a successful event. Check it out. BTW, PACER is the Post Adoption Center for Education and Research. And, as if that wasn't enough, you can check out the PACER in Sacramento web site, created and maintained by Petra and me!!

-Sunday September 11, 2005 -
A relaxing day for the most part. That is a good thing. Also, minor updates to the books page.

- Saturday September 10, 2005 -
This was a good evening. We were supposed to go to see friends Michael and Shirl and have dinner at their house. But imagine our surprise when we got there. They had invited lots of our friends to a surprise party for us! Apparently we had been through a lot (duh!), and they thought we deserved a party, so they invited a lot of our friends and it was a great surprise. They had a Jamaican theme, with reggae hats and fake dreadlocks, since our Jamaica trip had to be cancelled earlier in the year. It was very thoughtful and we both appreciated it SO much. Thanks a LOT to both of them and also to all our friends who showed up or wanted to.

- Friday September 9, 2005 -
Radiation day three. I am still off work for vacation so I go again. This time I wait in the waiting room, working the jigsaw puzzle, not at all like yesterday. But now I know what is happening. I have more fun this visit than Petra does. She mentions her fatigue and that radiation is making the skin in that area pinkish. The fatigue could also be cumulative over the course of the chemotherapy and a hectic vacation in Seattle (did you read this already?).

- Thursday September 8, 2005 -
They took me in today. That's right, I went into the (second) radiation appointment with Petra. I wanted to see what she was going through for the 28 treatments. I had thought it was pretty routine, just come in, sit down, a little zap and done. Man was I ever surprised. She lays down, partially undressed of course, while technicians adjust the huge machine that fills a large part of the room, around and over her. Her arm is in a mold so it can not move. Using the three pinpoint tattoos for a starting point, they start making lines and marks on her with felt pens to define the area. Laser beams shoot green and orange beams to line things up. Finally she is ready. We go into the next room, full of computer monitors. We can see her helpless there and the technicians start calling out and repeating numbers, readings, and settings so that the treatment is exact, both the areas and the depth. The radiation happens three or four times, I hear the buzzing. In between they go in and move the huge machine hovering over her so that they get the different areas. Again with the laser beams and the reading and repeating of numbers. I am struck by how helpless it makes me feel and how unnerving and stressful it must be for her. After the treatment, I tell Petra "you can have anything you want".

- Wednesday September 7, 2005 -
OK, the vacation is over, at least for Petra. Today was the first day of her radiation. She will get 28 treatments, every weekday until done sometime in October. She hopes to be glowing brightly by Halloween. Just kidding. But she is determined to do whatever will prevent the cancer from returning and radiation will help the odds.

- Tuesday September 6, 2005 -
Wanna read about our totally excellent vacation in Seattle, the awesome Bumbershoot music festival, and our wild fun with our friends? Read all about it!! And if you want to comment on anything, do it here.

I will put some pictures on the web site soon...


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