Why Does Everything Taste Like Crap

For the past week, everything I have eaten has left a furry feeling in my mouth. It was like my tongue had grown fur and taste seemed to stick to it, and hang around for way longer than was pleasant. I mean, on first blush, things tasted great but an hour later I could not get rid of the taste. Even water, the most benign of things, tasted horrible, and it is not Dasanti horrible, just a tinny, metallic feeling a just couldn't shake the taste of. It seems to be easing off, but there is a lingering effect still.

And smells are off, I can not put my finger on it, but things are not smelling right. Last night at Linda's I could smell a vanilla-bread pudding aroma, but they were having tuna casserole (it could have been worse i guess, smelling tuna instead of vanilla) but there seems to be a sweet smell around, almost cloying. I quess I could be smell alot worse things so I will just deal with it.

I seem to be sleeping better now. I have actually slept most of the night for the past few days, although I have been taking naps in the afternoon.

This morning I left for my appointment at Nuclear Medicine, only to have Kyle call me and tell me it was next week. I had my date book open to the wrong page. (It's the chemo's faulft and that's my story).


And speaking of taste, a few people have asked for the tiramisu recipe, so here it is, from the hills of Siena in Tuscany.

4 eggs, separated
150 gr. white sugar
500 gr. marscapone cheese
1 package ladyfingers
4 oz espresso - cooled
2 oz liqueur (I use frangelico but you can use, whiskey, Bourbon, rye or almond liquor)
2 oz. grated chocolate. (i use 70% dark Cocoa)

Select a pan that will accommodate 2 layers of dessert. Dry fit the lady fingers, trimming as required to completely cover the bottom of the dish. Do the same for the second layer, and set those biscuits aside.

Separate eggs, and beat the whites until firm peaks appear. Set aside.

Beat yolks with sugar, until very fluffy. Beat in marscapone until smooth. Fold in egg whites.

Set aside.

Combine espresso and liquor in a shallow dish. Quickly dip each lady finger in coffee mixture then lay in pan. Complete first layer. Spread with half of the egg/marscapone mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the grated chocolate.

Complete the second layer of ladyfingers, dipping in coffee mixture, than placing in dish. Top with remaining egg/marscapone mixture, and sprinkling with the remaining grated chocolate.

Chill until serving time and dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

Serves 10 to 12

~Inez

New Favourites and Oldies Revisited

This weekend, I whipped a batch of Tiramisu from the recipes we collected at la scuola di cucina with lella in Siena. I goofed, added some of the sugar for the egg yolks to the egg whites. But I soldiered on and added more sugar for the yolks. I used grated 70% cocoa dark chocolate on top and it was heavenly.

But how did this bring me an old favourite?

A couple of weeks ago, Irene and I went to visit Aunt Rene. While there, I asked her if she might have a copy of Mom's Rhubarb Custard Pie recipe. Like everyone else, her answer was no, but after devouring 2 servings of tiramisu Saturday, I called her to see if we could drop over on Sunday and bring her some. She said of course and that she had been meaning to call. She found a slip of page, torn from a steno pad it looks like, with a recipe for rhubarb custard pie. It wasn't her writing but she wanted me to look at is. Sure enough, it is Mom's recipe. I can't wait until spring for the tender rhubarb to try it. I might have enough in the freezer to make a small pie, but I think it is tougher, late fruit, and I don't want to taint the pie with it.

I have still not been sleeping well. Usually within a day or two of my treatment, I find myself awake at between 3 and 4 in the morning, unable to get back to sleep. I find myself getting up and watching TV or playing on the computer for a couple of hours, then heading back to bed for 3 or 4 hours.

I seem to have been on my feet since treatment last week. I need to take a break.

~Inez

Today was the last treatment of the first chemo cycle.

Today was the last treatment of the first chemo cycle.

Diane was not available to access my port so I took my chances with Maureen, and she got it first time. Not that it was painless, but it was bearable. I did use the elma cream and it did help. It only numbs the skin, so I did experience some discomfort. My treatment went quicker today. It took less than 2 1/2 hours today. It does not seem to be any worst than any of the other treatments.

My blood numbers this time are as follows

LKC (white) Oct. 23 -5.7 October 2-6.0 Sept 11-5.5
ERC (red) Oct. 23-4.44 October 2-4.51 Sept 11-4.60
HB (hemoglobin) Oct. 23-123 October 2-123 Sept 11-128
PLT (platelets) Oct. 23-320 October 2-259 Sept 11-272
Neut# Oct. 23-3.9 October 2-4.4 Sept 11-3.6

Before I start the next round, I have to have another heart scan - a Muga Scan at Rest. This will be next week.

Mandy's appointment for her surgery has been booked, then cancelled and rebooked. I rebooked for December, after her exams, so that she does not miss any more time from school. We do not have an absolute date, but it should be the week of the 15th.

Because of a nurse's visit at like 9 am on Monday and a doctor's appointment later at 2:30, I guess we are not heading up to the cottage this weekend, maybe we will go next week.

Opening the mail lately has been such a lift. This week a card came from Cornie and Lorraine - it was such a lift, and then this morning, just before leaving for the hospital, a parcel came from Anne, with a beautiful pair of hand knitted socks. I am assuming she knitted these with her own hands (I am sure she will correct me is I am wrong) and they are lovely. I will try to post a couple of photos tomorrow, of the socks. my wig and my shiny head.

Good night.

~Inez

So Much To Say, So Little To Say

We had been away for 10 days, and dial up at the cottage is nothing if not slow. Trying to access company email took so long all I could do was read it. By the time I tried to respond, the server would log me out.

Anyway, Thanksgiving passed and we had turkey and ham. Troy was up with Mandy for the weekend and we put him to work. He cut sumac, cut firewood and worked hard. Poor guy, hopefully we haven't scared him off. As we ate I was asking, really, what did we have to be thankful for - yes I know they caught both of our cancers, by why us, and why together?

Because we did not plan ahead, we had to return home to vote on Tuesday. We returned up on Wednesday, Greg with us. Thursday, we went to Calabogie to go shooting at the quarry. We got off to a wonderful start. We arrived, only to have Greg inform us that he forgot the keys to the ammo box. Since going back to the cottage meant an 80 km round trip, we continued into town where Kyle purchase new locks and borrowed a bolt cutter at the Home Hardware. Problem solved. We did the little shopping we had to do, and returned to the quarry, where Greg tried to talk me into firing the shotgun again. NO WAY, that sucker kicks. He enjoyed his time there.

After a couple of hours over shooting, we returned to the cottage in time for supper. The rest of the weekend we did yard work. Kyle got the chain replaced on the chainsaw and got some trimming done, we rake and rake and raked. We trimmed the low pine branches along the driveway and raked some more. Kyle cleaned up the old shed and reorganized that.

As we head into my final treatment of the first cycle I have noticed some things. First, there is a dryness in my eyes, but they seem to tear up at night, and i wake up with crusty eyes. My balance had been off; first I fell in the bath and then I tripped raking and almost did a face plant into the back of Ed and Sheila's little boat (my fault, not the boat's) but I was able to get my arm up in time. A couple of times walking, I felt very uncoordinated, like I forgot how to move my feet. I will watch for these things after this next treatment.

I spoke to Kelly, my oncology nurse about the problems they were having with the port. While there is nothing surgically they can, short of replacing it, she did agree that I should be very insistant and request the Diane only be the one to access it. This coming Thursday, in addition to me regular blood work, they will be taking the blood for the genetic testing. Results should be in by the end of January.

~Inez

Sunnybrook and Woodbridge

Mandy had her 2nd cone biopsy at Sunnybrook yesterday. This one was the laser treatment and it was quite uncomfortable for her. She came out in tears, scaring another young woman waiting for her turn to go in. Many felt quite bad about that.

After leaving the hospital we visited Alex Farms for some Gorgonzola and gnocchi. We then took a drive up to Woodbridge for some Italian deals. I picked up some more cheese, breads and things.

Maybe someone can tell me where in Woodbridge to go to find some "Tuscan" pottery to make up for what I did not buy in Italy.

Last night I finally got a good nights sleep. Before Mandy's appointment, I got only about 1-1/2 to 2 hours sleep, but last night I slept from 11 to 7:30 am. I feel a lot better today, except that tummy feels out of sorts.

Today was my first visit with the genetics department at the cancer centre. I have decided to be tested for the BRCA 1/2 genes. I feel that it is a good idea, and it gives us an indication as to whether or not Mandy should be tested in the future.

Because I am scheduled to start radiation in February of 2009, they are expediting the testing and it will only take 4 months instead of 1 year. This is because if you test positive and want to consider double mastectomy, with reconstruction, it is better to be done before the radiation starts, so I am thinking we will be delaying the start of the radiation, until at least the results are in.

The Week In Review

So this has been quite a week.

Update on Mandy

On Wednesday, we took Mandy to meet with the surgeon from Sunnybrook Health Sciences, Dr. Covens. He is on of the leading ob/gyn treating cancer in North America(if not the world). She DOES NOT require the trachelectomy. They will be doing another cone biopsy on the 7th of October, next Tuesday. They are still be doing the laparoscopic sentinel node mapping and bilateral pelvic node dissection (examination and possible removal of the lymph nodes). That will occur sometime in November.

My New Hair

I finally got the bangs on my wig trimmed. It looks really good. I will have to post photos later as the camera is gone away with Mandy.

Update on me

Thursday was my day to meet with the doctor and for my pre-treatment blood work. My numbers this time are as follows:

LKC (white) October 2-6.0 Sept 11-5.5
ERC (red) October 2-4.51 Sept 11-4.60
HB (hemoglobin) October 2-123 Sept 11-128
PLT (platelets) October 2-259 Sept 11-272
Neut# October 2-4.4 Sept 11-3.6

Yesterday, Friday, I had my third round of chemo therapy. Because Kyle has been fighting off snuffles for the past 2 weeks he stayed home and Karen came with me.

They again had trouble finding my port and it took 3 tries again. The nurse finally had to get Diane the wonder nurse to do it. Next time I go in, I am asking for her right off the bat. This week's nurse did however, call to get me a script for the Emla cream for me. This stuff is applied of the site of the Port an hour before the procedure and it numbs the skin to avoid the sting (hopefully this and first time in will make it less painful).

Karen was a great help, and performing her butt clenching exercises to take my mind off the pain was inspired. I actually had to open my eyes to watch (previously they had been clenched tight to deflect the pain). I don't think the guy in the next chair appreciated them (the butt clenches) as much as I did though.

So far so good, I was feeling a little woozy when I got up this morning, but I am feeling pretty good now. Last night when I got home, i made my angel hair pasta with broccoli. I prepped all the veggies in the morning, so it was on the table in less than 30 minutes. The trick is to start cooking the veggies as soon as you put the water on for the pasta soon you can put the drained pasta right into the sauce.

Garlic infused Angel Hair with Broccoli (makes 4 main course servings)

1 lb (500 gr) angel hair pasta (broken in half)
2 bunches Broccoli, trimmed into 1-1/2 inch florets, quartered into small pieces and stems peeled and julienned into matching lengths
1 red peppers, julienned into 1-1/2" pieces
1 small onion, red preferred, sliced length way through the root into 1/8" wedges
1 c. Extra virgin Olive Oil (the only Olive oil I buy) (divided)
1/3 c. chopped garlic, I buy large jars of it pre chopped
1 lemon, zested and cut into 1/8ths
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese (we use a micro plane)
1 c reserved pasta cooking water

Prep all the veggies before you start. I often do them the night before and bag them so all I have to do when I get home is zest and cut the lemon.

Set water to boil for pasta. When it boils, salt generously and add pasta, stirring occationally to keep from sticking. Meanwhile...

In a large stir fry pan, heat 1/2 c. Olive oil with the Garlic. Simmer 5 minutes until fragrant.

Add onion and Broccoli stems and cook 3 - 4 minutes. Add in remaining broccoli florets and red pepper. Stir until tender-crisp. Add lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Add remaining olive oil.

Before draining pasta, set aside 1 c. of the cooking liquid. Drain pasta and add to the veggies - DO NOT rise.

Remove pan from heat. Toss pasta with veggies to combine. Sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese, then drizzle with about 1/4 c. of the pasta water. Toss with blend (cheese should dissolve into the mix) Repeat with the remaining cheese and 1/4 c. pasta water. If it seems dry, add a little more water and toss. It should just glisten.

Serve with additional cheese and lemon wedges.

Note: I know this seems like a lot of oil, but it is the sauce, along with the cheese and pasta water. And it is Olive oil and good for you. Try it this way once, before cutting the amount of oil. It should not be greasy at all.

~Inez