The Last Visit to St. Agnes

This is a BIG day for me. I'll talk about that after I recap the great day I had yesterday.

Mark's cardiology appointment went very well. The doctor basically said he had been a very sick man who is now completely recovered. It was almost exactly a year ago, January 30, 2010, that Mark suffered the taketsubo during our Cabaret show at Mishkan Torah. It appeared to be a heart attack, but it was really a rare form of cardiomyopathy. In the treatment process, they also learned he had a heart defect from birth. Now he is fully recovered and takes appropriate medications to help him. We are very blessed that he survived and recovered from this condition. Mark really bonded with this cardiologist this past year, so he's sad to leave him. Since he has to check in every six months with a cardiologist, the doctor said he could always come back up here and see him. I think they both have mutual respect for each other.

After the appointment, we had a lovely lunch at Q'doba's and then attended the funeral for our friend Jackie's mother. The funeral home was packed. I happened to meet an art teacher there from one of my schools. We hadn't seen each other in years, so it was nice to catch up a bit. I learned that one of the other art teachers from that school is also fighting breast cancer right now. Our rabbi and my friend Chana also attended the funeral.

After the funeral, Chana, Mark, and I went to Caramel's for a snack. This is the kosher sushi place we had eaten in last week. We had not enjoyed our main dishes that night, but this time was completely different. Chana had pizza and hot tea, which she loved. I ordered the same two flavors of ice cream and a decaf coffee. I also loved it. Mark had an amazing entree. He saw a new item listed: broccoli and cheese. He envisioned it like a side dish, some broccoli on a plate and some melted yellow cheese drizzled over it. It took forever to fix. In fact, Chana and I were finished our food and wondering if they had even noticed Mark had ordered his brocooli and cheese. Well, they had, but it just took a long time to make, but it was worth it. It was a large metal container full of fresh broccoli. On top of that was a HUGE amount of mozzarella cheese. The whole thing was in a slow oven to melt and brown the cheese until it was hot and bubbly. It was amazing!! Mark was in heaven!

We also had a fabulous time chatting with Chana. She even brought us two fabulous cookbooks, one for soups and stews and one vegetarian cookbook. I know there are things in there Mark will make when we get home! Chana said, "Why didn't we do this year's ago?" Well, for the same reason that Annie and I never out to a movie together. When we are younger, working, raising kids, there's just no time. I have really enjoyed this part of my situation, the opportunity to hang out with friends, to go to movies, to have lunches, to have unhurried conversations. It's been fabulous. I really thank everyone one of you who has given me your time, conversation, and fellowship through these past six months.

After this snack, we rushed home. I had made an appointment to watch the movie Eat, Pray, Love with Cindy. We did watch it, but no one really loved it. Cindy and I both read the book, but neither of us really related well to the main character. I like Julia Roberts, and the movie had received a lot of hype, but I didn't care for it. I think if you had not read the book, it would be nearly incomprehensible. I'm curious if any of you blog readers like it.

Well, now to today's big doings. In about 20 minutes I'm heading to St. Agnes for the last time. I have a 9 a.m. appointment in the chemo room to have my blood drawn through the port for the last time. Then at 9:30 a.m. I will report to the outpatient surgery to be prepped for my 11:30 surgery, during which Dr. Falcao will remove the port he put in back in early October. That's truly a milestone in my book! I'll have awhile to recover from the anaesthesia, get some lunch in the hospital cafeteria, and then meet with Dr. Griffiths, my medical oncologist, one final time. I'm sure my blood work will look great. I can tell her that, knock on wood, I still don't have the C Diff back. I also need to tell her that I have black spots on three toes and some neuropathy in both feet. The black spots have been there for over a week, but the tingling and odd sensations in my feet just started in the last two days. Most likely they are temporary, but it's something new that has cropped up since I saw her last. My records have been sent to Florida, and I have appointments with the radiation and medical oncologists at the Osceola County Cancer Center on February 2 and 4. Today is truly the END of this chunk of my treatment.

Tonight we are meeting Cindy and Lowell at Umani's, the really good kosher Chinese restaurant. One reason we picked that place is that they also have some traditional "Jewish" foods on the menu. Mark wants Cindy to try some kishka. We had bought some chicken breasts stuffed with kishka from Seven Mile Market, but it wasn't good kishka. Cindy, who had never heard of or tasted kishka, thought it was disgusting. She wasn't far from wrong. Mark plans to order kishka tonight and have her taste it. We are assuming it will be better than the other thing, but as Lowell said last week, no one ever made kishka better than our beloved Alice Pearlman. It will be our last time to see Lowell for the next several months, so I plan to take pictures at the restaurant.

We are also watching the weather carefully. The snow is going to be tomorrow and overnight. I just heard them say several inches of wet, heavy snow. By Thursday morning, it will be over here, but the system is going up the coast. I'm worried about the drive to Long Island on Thursday. We still have options of going tomorrow or Friday. I guess we will make that decision later tonight.

I hope all of you have a fabulous day. Even though mine is starting off without coffee or breakfast this morning, I'm really looking forward to it. It's a momentous day in my book!