Our Summer weather is certainly here, now that it's July. We've taken some fun road trips this Summer so I thought I would post a few photos and descriptions of our adventures....

First,
I met my new Dr. in Corvallis this month. Dr. Sayegh. He told me (as did Dr. K) that my chances of relapse of AML is highest the first 18 months after transplant. So since I'm now 20 months out, that we could breath a little easier. We talked about the joint aches that I've been having and he said that historically, most woman end up with joint pain after chemotherapy for AML. So, now that I know that it's a typical after effect of the Chemo I'll just deal with it the best that I can. I'm going in for some physical therapy this week for the ache in my elbow joints. I'll learn some muscle stretching exercises. Here are the numbers from my last 2 lab reports.

Monday, May 18, 2009
White Cells 4300 (4500-11000)
Red Cells 3.32 (4 - 5.2)
Neutrophils 2.0 (1.9 - 8.0)
Platelets 111 (150 - 400)

Monday, July 6, 2009
White Cells 5500 (4500-11000)
Red Cells 3.56 (4 - 5.2)
Neutrophils 2.9 (1.9 - 8.0)
Platelets 125 (150 - 400)
And my iron level is at 35 and normal is 36!!

I'm pretty excited about my White Cells being in the normal range again. Plus my iron level being more than it's usual 26 or 28.

Anyway, on to fun things....


I talked Larry into another piece of IKEA furniture. It's painful to buy screw together furniture when he can build beautiful handmade things, but we can't keep traveling to Florence to use my Dad's shop. :-) When Larry added the family room on 20 years ago, he built this little corner just for a desk like this. So when I saw this desk at IKEA I felt it was just perfect! (Larry, you need to build that shop out back so I won't go into IKEA anymore).


In May we drove to Crescent Junction with friends to stay in their cabin along Crescent Creek.

On the way we saw that some of the grass farmers had planted "meadow foam." I haven't seen meadow foam on a field in a long time, and love how it looks like snow.


Along Interstate 5 going south.


Crescent Creek from the deck of Frank & Donna's cabin. A beautiful and peaceful place in the mountains.




Frank, Donna, Rob, Larry and I took a drive to some of the Cascade Lakes around Crescent. This is Paulina Lake, notice the ice floating on the lake to the right.


Clouds reflecting on the lake.


Paulina General Store


Mountain face above Paulina Lake.


East Lake





Sign in the East Lake Resort General Store.


Deck still full of snow on the side of the Eastlake Resort General Store.


Yup, heart shaped... :-)


Crescent Lake


Crescent Lake beach


Davis Lake


Crane Prairie Lake


South Sister at Crane Prairie.


Crane Prairie Resort General Store

Sitting on the deck of the general store....

Doesn't Oregon have beautiful mountain lakes! I suggest taking weekend road trips around our state, you won't be sorry!

Back with more later,
Florence