More snow....more cold..

We received our heating bill for December-$400!!! It was reported that DTE purchased all the natural gas it needed for the season at its peak price in July so even though the price of natural gas has fallen dramatically, Michigan residents still have to pay through the nose for it. Someone somewhere turned a good profit. I smell a rat.

One of the participants yesterday in the support group used that Oncotype program to assess her need for chemo. This company takes her tumor, looks at 21 tumor markers correlated with metastasis, and then assigns her to a risk category. If one scores less than 18, they say it is safe to skip chemo. Her tumor was given a score of 19 (out of 100). Her tumor was small, estrogen positive, node negative, and easy to remove. She went for the chemo as she really wants to survive for her elementary school aged kids. No Red Devil for her as she is low risk. Chemo Lite. She was warned that she still might have functioning ovaries when this is done and they need a plan to block them so she is mulling over the numerous options for that.

Oncotype doesn't deal with estrogen negative tumors. It's not clear if we have different markers or that we are at such high risk anyway, little info would be gained that would alter treatment so the cost (~$3500) would not be justified. It might fine tune the prognosis, instead of that sketchy 70-75% survival rate I was given maybe they could bump it up to 90% if I am free of the bad tumor factors. Or maybe my survival would be pegged at less than 50% if it is found that I am chockful of them.

Both ladies don't take the Neulasta and both have gotten bad colds. I could see why Ms. Chemo Lite didn't get it but the other lady is on a similar chemo to mine.

Naomi got up suspiciously early today, dolled herself up, and then said she needed to walk to the store to replenish her make-up supplies. It is really cold out right now. She called to say she met up with her pal Morgan and will spend an hour with her. Oh, could I say "Hi" to Morgan? and the phone went dead. Update: she came back. She said Morgan went on the phone and it was dead and Naomi said she then wasn't sure if I really asked to talk to Morgan. Guess I'll have to trust her on this one. Morgan was there to get nails. I told her to tell Morgan that the fumes from the nail glue aren't good for the baby.

Mom's group tonight. My job is dessert. As I am at the end of my cycle, I'll hopefully have enough energy to make one. Naomi now is offering to do it for me.