Millers' Time

Oh, my… it is October already. Happy falling leaves, cooler nights, fading flowers, longer sleeves, simmering stews, and pumpkins in the oven time of year!

Went to see Dr. Picozzi today. Darrel had blood drawn for platelet test and then we waited a while to see Dr. P.

He quizzed Darrel on how he felt and what might have changed since last time. Darrel is always like, “I’m fine, Nothing is different.”

I told the doctor that I had Darrel stop taking the metoclopramide because he was sweating profusely (when he is usually cold) and also I noticed him twitching more than usual when sleeping.

One of the severe but rare side effects of the drug is tardive dyskinesea (try saying that fast even once!) Tardive dyskinesea is abnormal muscle movements, mostly in the face. Can be irreversible if not caught quickly. Dr. P said to cut the dose in half.

Darrel’s platelets had only gone up to 78 and they need to be above 100. We asked the doctor what the options were for standard of care with or without the study. The doctor told us we had 3 options:

1. Wait until next week to see if his platelets come up to where they need to be for the study. That would still depend on them getting the radiologist to ‘change the wording’ on the CT scan results regarding the fluid in his abdomen and pelvis. His platelets have gone up 13 since last Thursday ,so it is conceivable that they will be at the required 100 by next week.
2. Go into the other study that combines Gemcitabine and an antibody that is some how radiated. There is a 2/3 chance for Darrel to get the treatment and a placebo.
And, finally, if he doesn’t go into either study,
3. There is another chemo treatment that includes an oral that is supposed to make a difference in how the chemo hits the cancer cells. It has shown some success. Makes me wonder if we shouldn’t have been trying that for the last 2 months.

The doctor specifically asked Darrel what he wanted to do and Darrel wanted to see if his platelets come up next week so he can get into the study.

So, we have an appointment on Tuesday morning when we will make a final decision.

Darrel has definitely felt better today and has barely even taken a snooze. So, I am thinking the full dose of the metoclopramide was making him sleepy/comatose along with the higher pain meds. We shall see how he is tomorrow.

Courtney has continued to be the wood gathering, cutting, splitting king. He found someone who has a splitter. He went down to Federal Way tonight to get it and the truck hitch wasn’t compatible with the splitter trailer. So, maybe tomorrow.

This is about my favorite way of cooking white fish that isn’t fried. It is a take on my friend Yvonne’s Mediterranean Chicken recipe. Any kind of white fish will work with this recipe, but I have quite a bit of ling cod from this summer and from our Alaska trip.

Ling Cod In Parchment

Ling Cod filets (or any type of white fish) – a 6 – 8 oz piece of fish for each person
3 – 4 Shallots – thinly sliced
Kalamata Olives – about 6 per filet – cut in half
Capers – about a heaping teaspoon for each file
Cherry Tomatoes – 4 -5 per filet
Basil (I also used fennel fronds since I had them in the garden) – chopped
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Start by cutting parchment paper into big hearts. I have a box of parchment from Cash & Carry but most stores have rolls of parchment. You could also use foil and wouldn’t need to cut it into a shape.

Pour a little olive oil on the right side of the heart. Season the fish filet with salt & pepper and lay it on the olive oil. Sprinkle the fish with shallots, olives, capers, and basil. Drizzle a little more olive oil over everything. Put the tomatoes on top. Then fold the parchment, starting at the top of the heart and ending by twisting the point. If using foil just make a tight packet.

Place packets on a sheet pan and put in oven. Cook for about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. Mine were less than an inch.

Darrel felt better yesterday so maybe his new medication for his stomach and increased pain med dose helped. His brother, Wally, came over and helped him get a couple loads of wood. Darrel said he sat and watched a lot but he also did a lot of work himself. Now it needs to be split. Anyone have a splitter we can borrow? I am sure Courtney would appreciate it, ha, ha!

We actually went out for a while last night, too! We went with the Wamsleys and Josowitzs to the Hydroplane Museum for a fund raiser called Roostertails and Ales. There were different beers, ciders, and wines to try and brats to eat. A band played jazz and surf music. We were home by about 9:00.

Today, Darrel is feeling the effects of doing so much yesterday. He took a couple hour nap in the morning. Then a couple of our nephews came by for a visit. Once they left, he was back on the couch resting with his new quilt I made him.

I had started it before summer but just pulled it out to finish once the rain started up again. Now, I am deciding what to quilt next!