I cut my hair....no, that is a lie. I had my hair cut. No, maybe that is a lie too. It was "beauteously" reshaped by my favorite, and only, hairdresser, Karen. I made an appointment last week. We had been told at the Chemo class that if one's hair is long, it can be very traumatizing to see clumps of long hair on one's pillow when and if the hair starts falling out. So the chemo class instructor suggested getting one's hair cut short so it isn't so awful. Well, I decided, that would be me. And thus I made the appointment. And I am thinking things like, what am I going to do with all my pretty hair flowers? I like pony tails. I like my long hair. And then thinking. I can wear a wig if my hair falls out and then I can wear my flowers. I can get a pony tail wig. I can let my hair grow in and not cut it. I might like it short anyway. Many, many thoughts. Not all of them silly. But when I got to Karen she knew why I was there. And she knew that there had been a time when I had wanted to try really short hair and she had discouraged me. Now she encouraged. Did I want to go as short as I possible could? Yes, ma'am. Really, really short. So Karen first cut it bob length and then got out the old clipper and really went short. And I have to add that while it has been a long time since I had visited Karen, I won't let anyone else cut my hair. She is an artist. When she finished we were both happy. And she wouldn't charge me. So if you need a "chemo cut" please remember Karen. She will do a lovely job and make you feel like a million. A friend says I look very trendy, very stylish. Imagine, me, stylish and trendy! I guess I should go out and get some clothes to go with this new look. Ooops, I hope Andy isn't reading this.

On other fronts, I'm feeling a much better today than I was yesterday. I still feel like I was hit by a truck but the truck isn't a Mack anymore, maybe a Ram 4x4 or something like that. It is strange to have both shoulders feeling, uh, I don't know...feeling anything. They should just be there doing their job. Instead, I have to think every time I reach for something. How much does it weigh? Should I reach with the left arm or the right? Which one can support the weight? Don't reach above my head with the left. Did I know that I do that in my sleep?I woke up this a.m. with my left arm above my head. Have I ruined the surgical incision now or pulled some stitches? Oy, the worries! But I didn't have much time to worry about it because I got a call from the clinical trials nurse telling me I had to go down to Kaiser and have another urinalysis because the lab didn't understand the instructions from yesterday.
Oh, wait, I haven't said anything about yesterday. I got a call from my clinical trials nurse that I still hadn't gone in for my blood tests and my ekg. Well, I'm confused. I thought I had taken care of them. I did have blood tests but I guess they weren't the ones she was talking about. And it has been observed several times by my history takers that I had an ekg in April and then before the heart scan so I didn't realize they didn't count. So I went tearing down to Kaiser to take care of these things. I walked into the building. EKG is just on the right as you walk in off Main Street. There wasn't a soul waiting in line. I was escorted almost directly into the EKG room and within 5 minutes I was done. They attached maybe three or four electrodes to one's chest and one's back and before I could say Bob's your uncle, it was done. Then I went down to the lab for the blood tests and a urinalysis. I was wishing that this porta-cath was in working order but I guess one must wait until the dressings come off. So another needle in the arm. She was an intern but the stick wasn't too bad. I'll give her a solid B. Then my donation in a cup. They have told me that the test the clinical trials nurse is asking for is something they don't do so after depositing my cup in the mysterious lab box in the restroom, I go up to oncology and ask to talk to the trials nurse. They call her and I tell her the problem. They don't do the dipstick without micrology test (I might have that worded wrong). She says she'll call them and tell them to do it. But I have a feeling in my gut and sure enough this morning at 8 on the nose, Cindy calls to say that I need to come down and donate again. And that I should call her and tell her if they say the same thing to me again about not doing the test. Then, as I am driving down to Kaiser she calls again and tells me to just call her when I have my specimen so she can walk it through. (I pull over to the side of the road and stop my car before taking the call). When I get there it is as she says. They haven't a clue. We call Cindy and she comes down. While she makes her way down to the basement from the fourth floor I prepare my specimen. I bring it out to Cindy and the lab people with the comment, "this brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, Fresh Catch of the Day!" and bless their hearts, they laugh! Then there is a mini conference about what is happening. It seems that the lab people cannot see on their computer screens what it is that the nurses and doctors instruct if there are certain special instructions. And besides that, they don't do that particular test because it is superceded by a new test. But you have to have this test if you want to be in the clinical trials. There isn't any animosity or bickering going on between these two professionals. They are just trying to figure out how to get in done. So Cindy ends up walking my little bottle over to the hospital lab because she feels they can do it over there. Thank you, Cindy! And so, once again, I wait. She says she now has everything except the pathology report from the last surgery so it has been requested and faxed to Walnut Creek and must be interpreted here and submitted to her. I hope by tomorrow I will know when chemo starts, either within the clinical trials or outside of them. I want to get this show on the road!