Well, this is just weird.  Usually when December 31st rolls around I’m either chomping at the bit to be done with the year ending or looking forward with happy anticipation to something coming up in the new year.  This year?  Not so much.  Granted, I think the entire world is going to be happy to see 2008 in the rearview mirror and I am not sad to bid the year of my diagnosis goodbye, but welcoming 2009 makes me a little nervous.  Will I be here to say goodbye to 2009?  No one knows, of course, but the odds are against it.  I find myself wanting time to slow down just a little bit and things like birthdays and graduations and New Year celebrations put an exclamation point on how fast life moves.  Luckily, I have a long New Year’s tradition of being sound asleep before 10 o’clock so 2009 can slip in almost unnoticed.  If I get home - 50 miles and 4 inches of new snow stand between me and my bed.

My Christmas in New Mexico was everything I could have hoped and more.  After refusing to travel over Christmas since my oldest child was born (23 years) we were blessed with excellent air travel luck both on the 24th and 28th. No missed connections, no long delays. We got to Albuquerque early in the afternoon on Christmas Eve where we joined my my family for food and egg nog and good cheer. We spent the night at a bed and breakfast and went back to my sister’s house on Christmas morning for presents.  I took a nap and then we headed back over to my sister’s house where we had Christmas prime rib. It was heavenly (even though it hurt like hell to swallow - taste wasn’t affected). Friday we pretty much just hung out and gabbed and then we headed to Santa Fe for my mother’s 75th birthday dinner. The margaritas were awesome! I had a blue one called the Turquoise Trail as well as one of their 100% agave specials. The red chile was wonderful. The entire restaurant sang to my mother and we enjoyed 2 of my childhood friends and one of my sister’s who were all kind of adopted by my mother. My kids came back to Albuquerque with us after the restaurant and we went to see Marley and Me. Saturday we had breakfast and then just hung out with the family. We ordered BBQ in for dinner. Sunday we got up bright and early and headed for the airport and made it home before too late Sunday night.

Now I guess I’m not supposed to challenge the Christmas travel gods for another 20 years.

On the cancer front, I had my first Alimta treatment Monday. My oncologist and I decided to just go with single agent Alimta and see what happens. That’s how it’s approved for second (really third line, in my case) line treatment. Yesterday I had a wee headache and Iwas the slightest bit queasy. I’m back at work after my Christmas trip.  The pharyngitis/esophagitis from the radiation therapy is finally acting like it might eventually go away. Up until the end of last week I was requiring 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 8 hours, 10 mg of oxycodone at bedtime and another 5 when I awoke in pain in the middle of the night. Now I’m down to 400 mg of Ibuprofen every 8 hours, which is good, since Ibuprofen can increase absorption of Alimta. It still hurts to swallow but it’s down to about a 6 from the worst when it hurt all the time and was probably a 9 with swallowing. My neck and back pain are gone or at least completely managed with moderate doses of Ibuprofen. Next scan is I don’t know when as long as I tolerate the Alimta and feel OK. My oncologist doesn’t want to rush into treatment decisions at this point, since there aren’t any FDA approved treatments after third line so we want to give the Alimta the best possible chance to work.

So adios, 2008.  Happiness in the New Year to all.