Thanksgiving has to be one of the best holidays of the year… although with my daughter at age 6, Halloween certainly gives Thanksgiving a run for its turkey leftovers.  Thanksgiving is a holiday with its very own day off, family time, a great meal, excellent leftovers, football, a nap, and no stress of gift giving or gift getting.  Honestly, you can’t get much better.  Cancer has not even soured my love of this Holiday.  I will admit that my general lack of having to prepare or clean up after my feast certainly adds to the enjoyment.  My mom-in-law has been the preparer of the Feast for some years now.  She makes a good bird.  And my unquenchable weakness for crisp turkey skin is satiated for one day.  I know… I know how AWFUL turkey skin is…. BUT IF IT IS SO GODDAMN AWFUL WHY DOES IT TASTE SO GODDAMN GOOD????      I ate a wheat thin this morning instead of breakfast to compensate for the crispy goodness to come tomorrow… I shall not be denied!

I had my next “ass shot” given to me by my favorite home health aide…. also my spouse.  She seems to not be too offended by the procedure, but one has to wonder if bearing one’s ass in such an undignified manner does some sort of injury to the “magic.”  I certainly do not feel the same way about my ass as I did before it was a monthly pin cushion.  Not that I thought it was much of an asset (ha!  I said …..  asss-et…. good one!)  before the pincushionery.  But at least it was neutral, like Sweden (or is it Switzerland).  Now it has clearly chosen sides, no longer a SwissAss, becoming complicit in this little story of cancer that we are now writing.

Yesterday I had “Day 1” of my “routine” at the cancer institute of new jersey.  I am now officially part of the clinical trial.  I have had numerous vials of blood drained from my body, and have been weighed and measured.  I have not gained weight.  That is all I will say on that subject.  I was given my medications…. one bottle of serafanib (the trial drug) and one bottle of Femara (estrogen assassins).  I had 3 nurses explain to me like I was a dolt how I was to take these medications.  I have a medication log now taped to my cupboard.  I was told that there are various side effects, including, the ominous sounding “bowel changes.”  Hmmm, that doesn’t seem as specific as it could be I thought.  “UM….”, I asked one of the nurses, “WHICH kind of bowel changes do you suppose this is referring to?  “in” bowel changes, or “out right now!” bowel changes??”    The nurse actually chuckled, and replied, “both….. Have a good holiday!!!”    How pleasant I thought.  How nice to be “in the know” about potential “bowel changes” of unspecified direction while traveling in thanksgiving traffic over 4 hours to Massachusetts to then sit in someone else’s house for Thanksgiving who only has one bathroom.   Hm.  I am thankful…. for…… regularity!!!!   I will keep this post advised of “changes” as honesty and transparency are the best way to disgust people.    😉