&$6&)@!;? People are trying to PISS ME OFF TODAY. I’m not here for their passive aggressiveness.

Also my dad fell going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. He was using the walker, but still fell. UGH

My mother's knee stopped working last week (it is better now) and the first day when it was the worst, I tried to roll her around the house in her office chair, but omg, the thresholds in every room!

In short, boo knees and hang in there, parents.

I'm really hoping for the best for JZ, and hope that commute isn't too wearing. Yikes.

Same thoughts for JZ, yes.

Sitting in the dentist's chair waiting for a filling... waiting for the numb to kick in.

I leave for a retreat-like thing from Saturday to Thursday in Atlanta. Guess I should check the weather. I'm just not feeling it. My sister just got Covid after traveling, so bah. Don't wanna. I mean, I've traveled a bunch since alla this, but still.

On other hand, weekend. Dinner with a friend tonight, tea at a friend's house tomorrow, so that's fun.

What are you all doing this weekend. When are you Bali-bound, Jesse?

Sunday night, so I have plenty of time for all the prep!

Knees are annoying! I hope they all heal up ok!

My coworkers have been teasing me about parking on the street near the office because Kias are easy to steal. I pointed out that I have been parking there once a week for about fifteen years without a problem.

... well today I realized that on Tuesday someone stole my license plate. As I park in the garage at home, it had to be on the day I drove to work. Bah.

Doh, Suela!! But better the plate than the car I guess!!

I just had another visit for the study I’m in, and I’m going to have a big bruise from the guy digging around in my arm to draw blood (eventually went with the other side)

...a big bruise from the guy digging around in my arm to draw blood

Ugh. The bruises from my blood draw two weeks ago are still somewhat visible. I hate it when they have trouble getting a good stick.

What does the travel routine look like? Fly down Thursday evenings, back Sunday afternoons?

That's it.

Tried to nail down and confirm we were on for next Friday but the insurance company that covers the study has to coordinate some shit with our insurance company and blah blah bureaucracy slow down and now I'm afraid to buy the tickets until they are certain.

As to your question, dcp, her pain has been well managed. So much so that we've ordered a lower dosage of fentanyl patch so that it won't make her so dopey/sleepy/drugged up.

But I'm also leery of changing a system that is working, because (as I now know) changing any narcotic prescription sets off a bunch of holds and time limit releases and override approvals etc.

So if we go to a lower dose and need to move back up, I have no confidence that we can make that adjustment in a timely fashion. And you don't want to be under medicated for pain. And you don't want to have to use the backup meds which cause horrible constipation. Which also leads to further weight loss.

There's this whole delicate juggle you have to do with the meds after every infusion balancing pain, constipation, nausea, brain fuzziness and weight loss. And after four infusions we had figured out what works with FOLFOX.

But now we have to start from scratch again with FOLFIRI (which has an unfortunate predisposition to diarrhea, which is scary to contemplate on a flight home).

The vast drawer of drugs is really all for symptom management.

It looks like the clinical trial runs through Dec' 2024. So we've got a good solid year and nine months of biweekly travel in front of us.

Wow, that’s a lot JZ and Hec! Continuing to send good thoughts to you.

I have Covid. Currently TCG and ltc don’t. So, I’m quarantining in the spare bedroom.