What Have We Been Up To?

Whew, it's been a very long time since we made a blog entry -- sorry about that, but we don't have that much new information to post, which is a good thing for us.  But, I will update you all on what we have been doing since our last post made in October of 2014.

On The Health Front:
David just completed another round of testing this past week & overall things look good.  Since October, one of David's blood work cancer markers (CA 19-9) has continued to gradually increase (on the scale used at UCSD, the high end of normal is 42 & David's level is 62), the other blood work cancer marker (CEA) continues to be within the normal range, & the remainder of his blood work looks excellent.  His CT study looked good with no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis.  He has been able to maintain his weight (he is weighing in around 193 lbs these days compared to around 183 lbs about a year ago) despite an increase in his overall exercise & activity level, & he is generally feeling pretty darn good.  He continues to have a sensitive gut, but finds that if he sticks with a diet that his gut tolerates best (low fat foods, no dairy products except for low fat cheeses, & no fiber or roughage type of foods), takes an imodium about an hour before each meal, stays quiet for about 30 minutes after each meal, & avoids stressful situations, his bowel is relatively cooperative.  David's oncologist is happy with how David is doing & isn't too concerned with the gradual bumps in his CA 19-9.  He even shared the CA 19-9 results of other patients he is treating where their numbers have gone up (some as high as 250) & back down over the course of 2 & 1/2 years since surgery, without any CT or clinical evidence of pancreatic cancer recurrence.  So, we'll try not to get too caught up in the numbers, continue to be grateful that his CT studies look clean & that he is feeling well, & joyfully go forward with our lives.

Just For Fun:
We have both purchased ukeleles & are teaching ourselves to play.  While we are really bad (I mean really bad!!!), learning together has been a lot of fun & has made us laugh at ourselves very hard.  In January, we spent two weeks exploring New Zealand.  The entire experience, from the planning phase to the trip itself, was a grand adventure that we truly enjoyed!  New Zealand is a beautiful country & the Kiwis were very friendly & helpful.  We went kayaking in their fiord lands, hiking in their mountains & glaciers, & snorkeling & boating in their waters.  At the beginning of April, we went on a cruise of the Western Caribbean leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale & making port stops in Grand Cayman; the Island of Roatan, Honduras; the Island of Cozumel, Mexico; & Princess Cays, Bahamas.  Thanks to some friends that work for Princess Cruise Lines, we were lucky enough to be able to get a room with a balcony, which allowed us to spend sunny days & full moon nights looking out over the gorgeous waters of the Caribbean.  We then tagged on some extra days in Florida to visit Mom Hager and both of Janet's brothers, Jon & Mike (who is scheduled to have quadruple bypass surgery this coming Wednesday).

Future Plans:
The beginning of May will find David in Cabo San Lucas for a surf weekend with his brothers, Nelson & Carl.  Over Mother's Day weekend, we plan to transition to Colorado for at least the first part of the summer.  On March 25th, we lost our sweet boy kitty, Isaac, to rectal adenocarcinoma.  While we have had the pleasure of having several kitties share our lives, Isaac was so special -- he had more of a dog personality than a cat personality.  He followed us where ever we went, cried when we would leave home without him, was extremely tactile (constantly rubbing up against us, wanting to be petted or loved, & sitting on one of our laps anytime we were sitting), always looking to please us, & playful / fun.  Isaac loved Colorado probably as much as we do.  So, we will be taking his ashes with us to Colorado -- it is where he belongs.  In the middle of May, we will travel to Illinois for the senior dance recital / high school graduation of one of our nieces, Mattie.  It is a big event for the Hager family & it looks like most of the clan will be attending -- should be a fun time!  Then, in June & the first half of July, we will stay put & enjoy the beauty & serenity of Colorado.  In the middle of July, David will again join our group of swim friends to participate in the Trans Tahoe Swim Relay -- we'll see if they can repeat last year's performance by placing first in the "Just For Fun" category of swim teams.  Right after Tahoe, we will return home to Cardiff for a few days while David undergoes his next round of testing.  If all continues to look good at that time (fingers & toes crossed!), we will return to Colorado for the remainder of the summer.

Hope this finds all of you well & enjoying life!  I'm not sure how many people may continue to follow this blog, so if you do happen to come across this entry, we would love to hear from you!  Wishing you a safe & fun summer!!  Much love, Janet