And they are there at my doctor's suggestion.
My skin under my arm has been getting redder and redder. It is so tight that it hurts to raise my arm. It has been keeping awake at night because every time I roll over the pain wakes me up. This morning a portion of the skin started to peel.
So today was my doctor-visit day and she suggested a bag of cold peas under my arm to bring down swelling. The nurse gave me supplies to do saline soaks 3 times a day before I use the cream or Aquaphor. Of course, I didn't do any of it today because I took a 2 1/2 hour nap after picking up Spiff. Entropy Boy was already home with scarlet fever.
So now I'm sitting with frozen veggies in my armpit while pasta cooks on the stove. The boys are learning opera via Bugs Bunny. Eh. Stranger things have happened.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Knitting and the Eternal Optimist
I always think it will be different this time, but it never is.
SW gave me some amazing hand spun silk/cotton/wool blend yarn. Like most hand spun yarn, it was in a great big loopy hank that showed off the colors nicely. The problem with those great big loopy hanks is that they tangle the first time you look at them. In my head, I know for a fact that they tangle. But my heart and my fingers are usually itching to get started on a project, and so I dive in, believing that *this* time it will be different. *This* time it won't tangle, so there is no need for me to wind it into a nice neat pull-from-the center ball.
Uh-huh. Right.
On row 20 of my project, I had to give up and find the opposite end of the hank. I spent two hours untangling the mess and winding that opposite end into a ball. The cat, who was watching patiently and hoping for an opportunity to pounce, eventually gave up and took a nap on top of my knitting pattern. He opened one eye to check my progress each time I muttered under my breath.
I'm nearly finished with the tangle. The rest can wait until the morning. Hopefully the cat won't decide to "help" while I'm asleep.
SW gave me some amazing hand spun silk/cotton/wool blend yarn. Like most hand spun yarn, it was in a great big loopy hank that showed off the colors nicely. The problem with those great big loopy hanks is that they tangle the first time you look at them. In my head, I know for a fact that they tangle. But my heart and my fingers are usually itching to get started on a project, and so I dive in, believing that *this* time it will be different. *This* time it won't tangle, so there is no need for me to wind it into a nice neat pull-from-the center ball.
Uh-huh. Right.
On row 20 of my project, I had to give up and find the opposite end of the hank. I spent two hours untangling the mess and winding that opposite end into a ball. The cat, who was watching patiently and hoping for an opportunity to pounce, eventually gave up and took a nap on top of my knitting pattern. He opened one eye to check my progress each time I muttered under my breath.
I'm nearly finished with the tangle. The rest can wait until the morning. Hopefully the cat won't decide to "help" while I'm asleep.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I Want To Be A Kid Again
I just finished registering Spiff for summer day camp at the Yale Peabody Museum. Last year he learned what museum curators do and got to go behind the scenes at the museum. He learned how the displays are made and how to make a cast of a log and paint it to look real. He had a BLAST.
This year he will be participating in Bones & Stones: Anthropology Camp
Doesn't that look fun?
This year he will be participating in Bones & Stones: Anthropology Camp
If you have always been interested in ancient cultures and archaeology, this camp is for you!
Each day of this 5-day program will be devoted to different topics, including archaeology, cultural anthropology, forensic anthropology, Egyptology and art history. Behind-the-scenes tours of the Yale Peabody Museum’s collections, local field trips including a real archaeological dig, and lots of exciting hands-on activities are planned.
Doesn't that look fun?
Saturday, March 21, 2009
A Praise and A Quick Prayer Request
I am now 1/2 done with radiation!
So far, my skin only looks like I got a bit too much sun. Please pray for healthy skin for the remaining half of radiation. If it starts to break down into open sores I will have to do saline soaks and a whole bunch of other not as fun things. So please pray the cream I use 3x daily does it's job and that my skin stays healthy!
Overall, I'm tolerating it well except for fatigue. The fatigue, combined with my trying to wean off Lexapro, is stepping up my migraines to 1-2 a week. My migraine meds are doing well to keep them under reasonable control once they start, but they are a mighty disruption to life when they occur. The Lexapro was helpful during chemo (the chemo drug Taxol, along with the general stress of cancer, can cause depression) but now I am ready to feel ups and downs again. The Lexapro has made things too flat lately.
So far, my skin only looks like I got a bit too much sun. Please pray for healthy skin for the remaining half of radiation. If it starts to break down into open sores I will have to do saline soaks and a whole bunch of other not as fun things. So please pray the cream I use 3x daily does it's job and that my skin stays healthy!
Overall, I'm tolerating it well except for fatigue. The fatigue, combined with my trying to wean off Lexapro, is stepping up my migraines to 1-2 a week. My migraine meds are doing well to keep them under reasonable control once they start, but they are a mighty disruption to life when they occur. The Lexapro was helpful during chemo (the chemo drug Taxol, along with the general stress of cancer, can cause depression) but now I am ready to feel ups and downs again. The Lexapro has made things too flat lately.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I'm Glad I Checked the Calendar!
I'm getting a massage today! I would have forgotten if I hadn't checked the calendar.
Last week, while I was waiting for my turn at radiation therapy, a woman plunked herself down next to me and said "You're a patient, aren't you?" (Gee, do you think the scarf tied around my head gave it away?) She was signing radiation patients up for Complementary Massage. She had the most wonderful accent--German perhaps? Anyway, my appointment is for noon today.
Joe has been in Maryland, and I had a horrible migraine yesterday morning. I had to call the mom of one of Spiff's schoolmates to come pick up the boys to take them to school. She works at the school and they only live a few blocks away, but it was a hard morning for all of us. We were all in bed by 8 pm last night.
I am so looking forward to that massage today!
Last week, while I was waiting for my turn at radiation therapy, a woman plunked herself down next to me and said "You're a patient, aren't you?" (Gee, do you think the scarf tied around my head gave it away?) She was signing radiation patients up for Complementary Massage. She had the most wonderful accent--German perhaps? Anyway, my appointment is for noon today.
Joe has been in Maryland, and I had a horrible migraine yesterday morning. I had to call the mom of one of Spiff's schoolmates to come pick up the boys to take them to school. She works at the school and they only live a few blocks away, but it was a hard morning for all of us. We were all in bed by 8 pm last night.
I am so looking forward to that massage today!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
I Don't Have Attention--Oh Look! A Butterfly!
I haven't blogged for a while. I've thought about it, but by the time I got over to the computer I got distracted and did something else. That is the story of my days recently. I am so very easily distracted.
Chemo left nothing but Swiss cheese in my short term memory storage. Instead of things being written in stone in my brain, they are written on post-it notes. Every time a breeze blows the little notes flutter away. Look! Aren't they pretty?
On the bright side, my word recall has come back. So, if I could remember what I wanted to talk to you about, I could actually use the correct words to do it.
Let's see. . . to update, the tingling in my fingers is gone completely and 95% gone in my toes. My hair has grown back to the point that it now looks like my "after" photo from my hair-shaving last fall. It started coming back white at first, but now the dark hair has started to come back as well. The first to fall out was the first to come back in, so it isn't an even length all over.
I can see that my eyebrows are starting to come back in, and my eyelashes are just long enough to put mascara on now. It's nice to have eyelashes again--my face doesn't scream "Cancer patient!" now that I am getting eyelashes.
I'm done with 8 of my 25 radiation treatments. My skin was starting to show some redness on Friday, but the weekend and lots of cream has helped fade it. At the end of this coming week, I will be half done with radiation.
Radiation leaves me tired. It isn't the mind-numbing, all-encompassing tired that chemo brings, but I am tired none the less. Since I have to go to radiation every day, I don't get a day to just kick back and have an unstructured day. I suppose the structure is good, but it is a pain to have to organize life around those daily appointments.
Chemo left nothing but Swiss cheese in my short term memory storage. Instead of things being written in stone in my brain, they are written on post-it notes. Every time a breeze blows the little notes flutter away. Look! Aren't they pretty?
On the bright side, my word recall has come back. So, if I could remember what I wanted to talk to you about, I could actually use the correct words to do it.
Let's see. . . to update, the tingling in my fingers is gone completely and 95% gone in my toes. My hair has grown back to the point that it now looks like my "after" photo from my hair-shaving last fall. It started coming back white at first, but now the dark hair has started to come back as well. The first to fall out was the first to come back in, so it isn't an even length all over.
I can see that my eyebrows are starting to come back in, and my eyelashes are just long enough to put mascara on now. It's nice to have eyelashes again--my face doesn't scream "Cancer patient!" now that I am getting eyelashes.
I'm done with 8 of my 25 radiation treatments. My skin was starting to show some redness on Friday, but the weekend and lots of cream has helped fade it. At the end of this coming week, I will be half done with radiation.
Radiation leaves me tired. It isn't the mind-numbing, all-encompassing tired that chemo brings, but I am tired none the less. Since I have to go to radiation every day, I don't get a day to just kick back and have an unstructured day. I suppose the structure is good, but it is a pain to have to organize life around those daily appointments.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Waiting For Me By The Door
I just got home from a radiation therapy session to find a box of paper plates, paper cups, and napkins on my doorstep. There were two magazines in there too.
Whoever dropped them off: THANK YOU!!!! They will make mealtime that much easier. The nurse today told me I'd likely be my most tired on Fridays and Saturdays due to the cumulative effect of the radiation. So Fridays and Saturdays will be our paper plate days!
Whoever dropped them off: THANK YOU!!!! They will make mealtime that much easier. The nurse today told me I'd likely be my most tired on Fridays and Saturdays due to the cumulative effect of the radiation. So Fridays and Saturdays will be our paper plate days!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
One Day Down, About 25 More to Go!
Today's Radiation Therapy was a dry run--they had me lay on the table and made sure everything was set properly so that they can put me in exactly the same position, etc. every day.
It was totally cool to watch the machine that directs the radiation field. It has all these little lead rods in it that move forward or back to make sure the radiation only goes where they want it to. The machines get pretty close, but I don't tend toward claustrophobia, so it was fine.
I start in with the real rays tomorrow. They'll also sit down with me at talk about skin care, creams, etc.
Today it only took me about an hour to go there, have my appointment, and get back. I'll be doing the trip daily, so I'll be able to do errands to places like Trader Joe's and other stores on the Boston Post Road whenever I need to. Hmmmm. I'm thinking that there are some Trader Joe's nitrate-free hot dogs in our future!
It was totally cool to watch the machine that directs the radiation field. It has all these little lead rods in it that move forward or back to make sure the radiation only goes where they want it to. The machines get pretty close, but I don't tend toward claustrophobia, so it was fine.
I start in with the real rays tomorrow. They'll also sit down with me at talk about skin care, creams, etc.
Today it only took me about an hour to go there, have my appointment, and get back. I'll be doing the trip daily, so I'll be able to do errands to places like Trader Joe's and other stores on the Boston Post Road whenever I need to. Hmmmm. I'm thinking that there are some Trader Joe's nitrate-free hot dogs in our future!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Radiation Starts Tomorrow!
I got a call from Yale Hospital's Radiation Therapy dept--I start radiation therapy tomorrow at 12:15 pm. Tomorrow will just be imaging to make sure once again that everything is set up exactly as they want it. The 12:15 time slot is mine until I am done with therapy.
It takes a while to get the treatment plan set up, but once it is ready everything just chugs along like clockwork. Lord willing, I should be done before Easter!
It takes a while to get the treatment plan set up, but once it is ready everything just chugs along like clockwork. Lord willing, I should be done before Easter!
Friday, February 27, 2009
No News Yet on the Radiation Schedule
I called on Monday to see if they had gotten my radiation schedule set up yet. They hadn't and said it would likely be done at the end of the week. I called again today, but they still aren't ready with it.
On the one hand, I am really enjoying having the time off to recover more energy before I start radiation. On the other hand, the delays are only pushing out the date for when I can finally be DONE.
I did meet with my plastic surgeon this week. I scooted in right before he left for Vietnam this week to work on cleft palates. I asked what the time frame would be for surgery after radiation, and he said he wouldn't consider doing it until six months after radiation. My skin will at least that long to heal. That puts us into fall and the school year, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Other than that, life just marches on. There is laundry to fold, dishes to wash, and cat hair to vacuum. Some things never change!
On the one hand, I am really enjoying having the time off to recover more energy before I start radiation. On the other hand, the delays are only pushing out the date for when I can finally be DONE.
I did meet with my plastic surgeon this week. I scooted in right before he left for Vietnam this week to work on cleft palates. I asked what the time frame would be for surgery after radiation, and he said he wouldn't consider doing it until six months after radiation. My skin will at least that long to heal. That puts us into fall and the school year, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Other than that, life just marches on. There is laundry to fold, dishes to wash, and cat hair to vacuum. Some things never change!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Spiff's Chocolate Pudding Pie
Spiff is making dessert for after dinner tonight. Here is the recipe he is using, based on what we had available at home:
Chocolate Pudding Pie
1 Oreo crumb crust (purchased on clearance at the grocery store)
1 recipe chocolate pudding*
1 (3.9 oz) box Vanilla chocolate chip instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
Chocolate shavings
* Chocolate Pudding
1/2 c sugar
3 heaping TBSP baking cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup milk
1. Combine sugar, baking cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in milk. Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
2. Place 1 1/2 cups of chocolate pudding in crust. Let cool in refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Put remainder of chocolate pudding in Dixie cups and place in freezer for fudgecicles.
3. Combine milk with instant pudding mix and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in half of Cool Whip. Spread pudding mixture on top of chocolate pudding in crust.
4. Spread remaining Cool Whip on pudding mixture. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Chill 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Pudding Pie
1 Oreo crumb crust (purchased on clearance at the grocery store)
1 recipe chocolate pudding*
1 (3.9 oz) box Vanilla chocolate chip instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
Chocolate shavings
* Chocolate Pudding
1/2 c sugar
3 heaping TBSP baking cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup milk
1. Combine sugar, baking cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in milk. Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
2. Place 1 1/2 cups of chocolate pudding in crust. Let cool in refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Put remainder of chocolate pudding in Dixie cups and place in freezer for fudgecicles.
3. Combine milk with instant pudding mix and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in half of Cool Whip. Spread pudding mixture on top of chocolate pudding in crust.
4. Spread remaining Cool Whip on pudding mixture. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Chill 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!
Monday, February 16, 2009
My Boys Get the "Best Kids Ever" Award Today
I woke up shortly after 5 am with a migraine. I scooted downstairs to take my migraine medicine, but it was too late to stop it. I spent the next three hours in agony until the medicine finally cut it short.
After I finally fell back asleep, Spiff came in to see why I wasn't up (the boys are on Winter Break this week). I told him that I'd had a migraine and he said "OK, I'll get breakfast for me and [Entropy Boy]. Can I watch Star Trek on Netflix?" And he did. They kept it blessedly quiet in the house for the next two hours so I could sleep. Spiff watched his show and Entropy Boy played with Matchbox cars and Hotwheels tracks.
Shortly after lunch, I dropped the boys at D & FL's house (thank you so much!) and went to my radiation set-up appointment. They gave me a CT scan and three tattoos to mark the proper set-up for the radiation machines. They will get back to me in 5-7 days with a treatment plan.
When I went back to pick up the boys, FL had made a chicken pot pie and banana bread for our dinner. It was so nice to not have to cook, and Spiff went back for seconds and thirds.
We've had a quiet evening since we got home. Joe is setting up a server that his company gave him to work on some projects. The boys are watching Netflix. I'm still in a post-migraine funk. Bedtime soon!
After I finally fell back asleep, Spiff came in to see why I wasn't up (the boys are on Winter Break this week). I told him that I'd had a migraine and he said "OK, I'll get breakfast for me and [Entropy Boy]. Can I watch Star Trek on Netflix?" And he did. They kept it blessedly quiet in the house for the next two hours so I could sleep. Spiff watched his show and Entropy Boy played with Matchbox cars and Hotwheels tracks.
Shortly after lunch, I dropped the boys at D & FL's house (thank you so much!) and went to my radiation set-up appointment. They gave me a CT scan and three tattoos to mark the proper set-up for the radiation machines. They will get back to me in 5-7 days with a treatment plan.
When I went back to pick up the boys, FL had made a chicken pot pie and banana bread for our dinner. It was so nice to not have to cook, and Spiff went back for seconds and thirds.
We've had a quiet evening since we got home. Joe is setting up a server that his company gave him to work on some projects. The boys are watching Netflix. I'm still in a post-migraine funk. Bedtime soon!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!
Wow! I felt like a normal person today. Amazing!
Joe and the boys let me sleep in until 9 a.m. We puttered around the house until it was time to go to a friend's house. My friends KP and MP were husband-less this weekend, so volunteered to watch our boys while Joe and I went on a date.
When we arrived around 3 p.m., the kids immediately ran off to go shoot Nerf weaponry at each other. Joe and I sat down with KP and had a wonderful chat sans children. After a while we headed out to an Indian restaurant. Oh, the food was so good! We had a chicken appetizer platter and then vegetarian entrees with rice and garlic naan on the side. The restaurant gave us complementary glasses of champagne at the end, but I didn't even take a sip. I REALLY wanted to, but didn't dare because I didn't want to add alcohol to the miasma of stuff my liver has had to deal with.
When we got home, the boys collapsed into bed. They had a great time playing with their friends and want to know if the parents can exchange date nights every week.
I hope your Valentine's Day went as well as ours did!
Joe and the boys let me sleep in until 9 a.m. We puttered around the house until it was time to go to a friend's house. My friends KP and MP were husband-less this weekend, so volunteered to watch our boys while Joe and I went on a date.
When we arrived around 3 p.m., the kids immediately ran off to go shoot Nerf weaponry at each other. Joe and I sat down with KP and had a wonderful chat sans children. After a while we headed out to an Indian restaurant. Oh, the food was so good! We had a chicken appetizer platter and then vegetarian entrees with rice and garlic naan on the side. The restaurant gave us complementary glasses of champagne at the end, but I didn't even take a sip. I REALLY wanted to, but didn't dare because I didn't want to add alcohol to the miasma of stuff my liver has had to deal with.
When we got home, the boys collapsed into bed. They had a great time playing with their friends and want to know if the parents can exchange date nights every week.
I hope your Valentine's Day went as well as ours did!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Amazing Arnica
Today I got to sleep in until 7 a.m. Bliss! Joe and Spiff went out to run errands while Entropy Boy and I puttered around the house. We made banana-peanut butter-chocolate chip muffins together. We even played with Play Dough. He ran a seafood restaurant and made me Play Dough delicacies while I knitted.
One of the things that Joe did while running errands was to pick up a prescription for me that had been waiting at the pharmacy for several days. I had told my oncologist at my last appointment that I was having neuropathy (pain and tingling) in my feet. It was keeping me awake at night and I was nearly out of percocet. So she wrote me an Rx that was supposed to help with neuropathy and warned me that the drug could cause nausea.
Well, heck. I don't want to be nauseous. So I looked around to see what else I could do. I remembered that we have some arnica rub that works well on bruises and swelling. Arnica is pretty amazing stuff and has been used for centuries (Remember Little Women? It's mentioned in there.) So I tried it on my feet. It worked! My feet didn't hurt in the morning!
So now I put stuff called The Arnica Rub on my feet twice a day. It has arnica, St. John's Wort, comfrey, and some other nice herbs in it. I've been able to sleep three nights without having to take pain medication. Yippee! I have the Rx from the oncologist as a back up, but for now I'm going to be using the arnica because it doesn't make me nauseous or put more strain on my liver. My poor liver needs a rest after all that chemo.
One of the things that Joe did while running errands was to pick up a prescription for me that had been waiting at the pharmacy for several days. I had told my oncologist at my last appointment that I was having neuropathy (pain and tingling) in my feet. It was keeping me awake at night and I was nearly out of percocet. So she wrote me an Rx that was supposed to help with neuropathy and warned me that the drug could cause nausea.
Well, heck. I don't want to be nauseous. So I looked around to see what else I could do. I remembered that we have some arnica rub that works well on bruises and swelling. Arnica is pretty amazing stuff and has been used for centuries (Remember Little Women? It's mentioned in there.) So I tried it on my feet. It worked! My feet didn't hurt in the morning!
So now I put stuff called The Arnica Rub on my feet twice a day. It has arnica, St. John's Wort, comfrey, and some other nice herbs in it. I've been able to sleep three nights without having to take pain medication. Yippee! I have the Rx from the oncologist as a back up, but for now I'm going to be using the arnica because it doesn't make me nauseous or put more strain on my liver. My poor liver needs a rest after all that chemo.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Has It Really Been a Week Since I Posted?
I went to see the radiologist today. We talked over what was going to happen next and scheduled my "dry run" of radiation on 2/16. I had asked if we could not have radiation the week the boy had off from school, and the radiologist said that was fine as it would give me an extra week to get my energy level up. I'll start actual radiation treatments on 2/23.
I also met with the oncologist today. I won't see her again for 8 weeks, at which time I will start Tamoxifen. I talked to one of my nurses and she gave me a big hug. I won't miss the chemo, but I will miss all the people I saw each week!
My hair is peach fuzz now, and white. My head is itchy sometimes now due to the grow-in process.
The boys are eating a snack before getting ready for bed. They had an early release from school because of snow. Joe is about to go out and clear the driveway. We are expecting a regular school day tomorrow.
The balloons from my last day of chemo are still around the house. The cat plays with one of them each night, grabbing the string and dragging it around the house. We know where he is by the balloon floating through the air.
I also met with the oncologist today. I won't see her again for 8 weeks, at which time I will start Tamoxifen. I talked to one of my nurses and she gave me a big hug. I won't miss the chemo, but I will miss all the people I saw each week!
My hair is peach fuzz now, and white. My head is itchy sometimes now due to the grow-in process.
The boys are eating a snack before getting ready for bed. They had an early release from school because of snow. Joe is about to go out and clear the driveway. We are expecting a regular school day tomorrow.
The balloons from my last day of chemo are still around the house. The cat plays with one of them each night, grabbing the string and dragging it around the house. We know where he is by the balloon floating through the air.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
I'm Ready for Them to Go Back to School Now
The boys were both off from school Monday and Tuesday due to fever or not having been over fever for 24 hours. Spiff could have perhaps gone back for Tuesday afternoon, but he was blowing his nose so frequently (and loudly) that I kept him home.
Today, Wednesday, school was canceled due to a winter storm. The boys were both well, however. How could I tell? They were bickering, getting entirely too silly, and generally creating a ruckus whenever they were near each other. Yeah, they felt better. [rolling my eyes]
If I were homeschooling them, we would have just continued our lessons. But I didn't want to cobble something together for today when they felt better. So, we played too many Wii games and just generally frittered the day away. Spiff said at bedtime that he was glad he was going to school tomorrow. Me too, buddy. Me too.
Here's my update:
I'm a week past my last chemo. It takes longer and longer to recover after each successive round of chemo, so I'm still not out of the woods after this last round. My toes and legs hurt so much in bed last night that I had to take percocet again. I'd like to be done with it, but at least I don't have to take it during the day anymore.
I'm still tired, but not like I was after the A/C chemo. I can exercise 10 minutes without wanting to take a nap afterwards.
I meet with the radiologist on Tuesday, Feb. 3 to go over the game plan once again. I expect I'll get my tattoos and start radiation the next week. Unfortunately, the boys have the week off from school during the 3rd week of Feb, so I will have to figure out childcare for that time. It's always something! 8-P
Today, Wednesday, school was canceled due to a winter storm. The boys were both well, however. How could I tell? They were bickering, getting entirely too silly, and generally creating a ruckus whenever they were near each other. Yeah, they felt better. [rolling my eyes]
If I were homeschooling them, we would have just continued our lessons. But I didn't want to cobble something together for today when they felt better. So, we played too many Wii games and just generally frittered the day away. Spiff said at bedtime that he was glad he was going to school tomorrow. Me too, buddy. Me too.
Here's my update:
I'm a week past my last chemo. It takes longer and longer to recover after each successive round of chemo, so I'm still not out of the woods after this last round. My toes and legs hurt so much in bed last night that I had to take percocet again. I'd like to be done with it, but at least I don't have to take it during the day anymore.
I'm still tired, but not like I was after the A/C chemo. I can exercise 10 minutes without wanting to take a nap afterwards.
I meet with the radiologist on Tuesday, Feb. 3 to go over the game plan once again. I expect I'll get my tattoos and start radiation the next week. Unfortunately, the boys have the week off from school during the 3rd week of Feb, so I will have to figure out childcare for that time. It's always something! 8-P
Monday, January 26, 2009
Two Sick Boys (and a partridge in a pear tree?)
Both boys are home sick from school today. Entropy Boy's fever was 101.2 this morning. It dropped down to 100 after some Tylenol, so I gave him some Advil two hours into the Tylenol dose. Spiff had a fever yesterday, but is down to 99.1 without medication today. Other than body aches, a stuffy nose, and a fever, they seem to be ok. I seem to not have picked it up so far, but other than the fever, how would I know? [grin]
We are having yet another quiet day at home today. I guess that is good thing.
We are having yet another quiet day at home today. I guess that is good thing.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Pajama Day
Today was Pajama Day.
Spiff didn't get to go to the birthday party because he woke up sick. Every time he sneezed he sort of coughed in the middle of it and you could tell it was painful. I gave him some tea and let him play games and watch movies all day. He also took a nice hot bath mid-day, but changed right back into his pajamas.
Entropy Boy was healthy, but loves to hang around in pajamas all day anyway. He watched Scooby Doo on Netflix and played a Hot Wheels game. He also did a "science experiment" attempting to re-create the way asteroids hit the moon. He dropped metal marbles into a pan of flour and then lifted them out with a magnet. He had a great time, made a mess, and then cleaned the mess up himself with the dust buster. I think he also looked at some of the flour under our microscope. We had the stereo microscope out because he was looking at his teeth with it. The Tooth Fairy doesn't come to our house; the microscope comes out instead. Weird homeschoolers!
I spent the day in my pajamas as well. I tried to take a nap, but couldn't because I had only taken Advil for the pain. I finally took percocet in the late afternoon when I knew that Joe would be coming home soon. Joe can tell when I have taken it and when I haven't. When I have only taken Advil, I walk like a crabbed old man.
So I made it through today. It was nice to have the boys home because they were a distraction. They are in bed now, and Joe is gone to meet up with some of the guys from church. I'm going to stream another Netflix movie and call it a day.
Spiff didn't get to go to the birthday party because he woke up sick. Every time he sneezed he sort of coughed in the middle of it and you could tell it was painful. I gave him some tea and let him play games and watch movies all day. He also took a nice hot bath mid-day, but changed right back into his pajamas.
Entropy Boy was healthy, but loves to hang around in pajamas all day anyway. He watched Scooby Doo on Netflix and played a Hot Wheels game. He also did a "science experiment" attempting to re-create the way asteroids hit the moon. He dropped metal marbles into a pan of flour and then lifted them out with a magnet. He had a great time, made a mess, and then cleaned the mess up himself with the dust buster. I think he also looked at some of the flour under our microscope. We had the stereo microscope out because he was looking at his teeth with it. The Tooth Fairy doesn't come to our house; the microscope comes out instead. Weird homeschoolers!
I spent the day in my pajamas as well. I tried to take a nap, but couldn't because I had only taken Advil for the pain. I finally took percocet in the late afternoon when I knew that Joe would be coming home soon. Joe can tell when I have taken it and when I haven't. When I have only taken Advil, I walk like a crabbed old man.
So I made it through today. It was nice to have the boys home because they were a distraction. They are in bed now, and Joe is gone to meet up with some of the guys from church. I'm going to stream another Netflix movie and call it a day.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Ouch.
Two days post chemo. One day post Neulasta shot.
Ouch.
On the bright side, the boys are off from school tomorrow for a teachers' workshop. Spiff has a birthday party to attend, but other than that it will be a quiet day.
I'm just counting down the days until the pain is over.
Ouch.
On the bright side, the boys are off from school tomorrow for a teachers' workshop. Spiff has a birthday party to attend, but other than that it will be a quiet day.
I'm just counting down the days until the pain is over.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Two Nights, Two Teeth
Entropy Boy lost his very first tooth last night. He lost a lower front tooth. My baby is growing up!
Tonight he came down with the next lower front tooth in his hand. Two nights, two teeth!
I wonder what he is going to do with his time now? He has been obsessively wiggling these teeth for ages!
Tonight he came down with the next lower front tooth in his hand. Two nights, two teeth!
I wonder what he is going to do with his time now? He has been obsessively wiggling these teeth for ages!
Want to know how many miles I drove to medical appointments last year?
We're tallying it up for tax purposes.
So far the count is 1,265.4 miles. Whew!
So far the count is 1,265.4 miles. Whew!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Oh Happy Day!
Today was the LAST CHEMO TREATMENT!!! Yes, I'm shouting. Can't you here me from where you are sitting? I'm thinking Cara should be able to hear me all the way over in the Middle East!
Joe and I dropped the boys off at school (they were on a 90-minute delay due to snow) and then drove to the oncologist's office. Since we had some time to kill before the appointment, we drove over to Krispy Kreme (the only one in CT!) and picked up a dozen donuts for the nurses and staff. They were all very happy to see us when we walked in.
They drew my blood and did my counts while waiting for the doctor to arrive. All the doctors were running late due to the snow and school delays. My counts were right on the borderline, so Nurse Cheryl told me to beg the doctor to give me my last dose today instead of waiting a week. Joe told her that we had another box of donuts in the car--we could try bribing Dr. L with those. [grin]
When Dr. L got in and saw me, she agreed that I could have my last dose today and a shot of Neulasta tomorrow. I will see the radiologist to touch base with her, and start radiation about two weeks after today.
After radiation, I will come back to see Dr. L and she will start me on five years of Tamoxifen. After that is done, I will be on another drug for five years. My greatest risk for getting cancer again would be in the next year or two. My scans all looked great, however, so she doesn't see any spots that worry her.
It is hard to believe that this part is done. Joe kept asking me what I wanted to do to celebrate (besides take a nap) but I didn't want to make any plans until I actually had the IV hooked up. I was worried that my counts would be too low or something else would delay it. We picked up McDonald's on the way home, so that was our celebration dinner. [grin]
Oh, I forgot to tell you the best parts: My new BFF, the nurse-practitioner Virginia, took out my PICC line right after my treatment. Hooray! And when I went back to the treatment room, Joe was there with the boys, and each boy was holding a balloon for me. The nurses all cheered and said goodbye as we all walked out.
Joe and Spiff are at the library to pick up movies for a family movie night. Entropy Boy is playing Hot Wheels Road Race on the Wii. Hank is chasing after the ribbons hanging from the balloons. (Don't worry, I'll cut the ribbons off before I go to bed tonight so the eater-of-indigestible-things cat doesn't eat them.)
This is the song that keeps running through my mind right now:
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Washed my sins away (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
He taught me how (oh, He taught me how)
To wash (to wash, to wash)
Fight and pray (to fight and pray)
Fight and pray
And he taught me how to live rejoicing
yes, He did (and live rejoicing)
Oh yeah, every, every day (every, every day)
(oh yeah) Every day!
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day, yeah (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When my Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed [hits high note] (when Jesus washed)
My sins away (oh happy day)
I'm talking about that happy day (oh happy day)
Joe and I dropped the boys off at school (they were on a 90-minute delay due to snow) and then drove to the oncologist's office. Since we had some time to kill before the appointment, we drove over to Krispy Kreme (the only one in CT!) and picked up a dozen donuts for the nurses and staff. They were all very happy to see us when we walked in.
They drew my blood and did my counts while waiting for the doctor to arrive. All the doctors were running late due to the snow and school delays. My counts were right on the borderline, so Nurse Cheryl told me to beg the doctor to give me my last dose today instead of waiting a week. Joe told her that we had another box of donuts in the car--we could try bribing Dr. L with those. [grin]
When Dr. L got in and saw me, she agreed that I could have my last dose today and a shot of Neulasta tomorrow. I will see the radiologist to touch base with her, and start radiation about two weeks after today.
After radiation, I will come back to see Dr. L and she will start me on five years of Tamoxifen. After that is done, I will be on another drug for five years. My greatest risk for getting cancer again would be in the next year or two. My scans all looked great, however, so she doesn't see any spots that worry her.
It is hard to believe that this part is done. Joe kept asking me what I wanted to do to celebrate (besides take a nap) but I didn't want to make any plans until I actually had the IV hooked up. I was worried that my counts would be too low or something else would delay it. We picked up McDonald's on the way home, so that was our celebration dinner. [grin]
Oh, I forgot to tell you the best parts: My new BFF, the nurse-practitioner Virginia, took out my PICC line right after my treatment. Hooray! And when I went back to the treatment room, Joe was there with the boys, and each boy was holding a balloon for me. The nurses all cheered and said goodbye as we all walked out.
Joe and Spiff are at the library to pick up movies for a family movie night. Entropy Boy is playing Hot Wheels Road Race on the Wii. Hank is chasing after the ribbons hanging from the balloons. (Don't worry, I'll cut the ribbons off before I go to bed tonight so the eater-of-indigestible-things cat doesn't eat them.)
This is the song that keeps running through my mind right now:
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Washed my sins away (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
He taught me how (oh, He taught me how)
To wash (to wash, to wash)
Fight and pray (to fight and pray)
Fight and pray
And he taught me how to live rejoicing
yes, He did (and live rejoicing)
Oh yeah, every, every day (every, every day)
(oh yeah) Every day!
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day, yeah (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When my Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed [hits high note] (when Jesus washed)
My sins away (oh happy day)
I'm talking about that happy day (oh happy day)
Friday, January 16, 2009
B-B-Brr! It's C-C-Cold!
The boys and I woke up to 2 degrees outside. Inside, it is 63F in the kitchen. The thermostat is set to 68F, but the furnace is having a hard time keeping the main level of the house at that temp. Upstairs is warmer because, of course, the heat rises to go up there. Plus, we had warm-heat vaporizers running in bedrooms last night to help with our colds.
I'm cuddled up on the couch with a blanket (and seriously considering going to get another one) and drinking a cup of coffee. Hank is curled up in a ball, yet again. I can tell how cold he is by how tightly he curls up.
An update on my grandmother: the Lord released her from her pain last night and took her home. Please keep my mom and her siblings in your prayers. They are expecting the funeral to be on Monday, with internment in the spring (the ground is very frozen up in northern MN). Hopefully I will be able to go to the internment service then.
My internet keeps going in and out. I don't think things in CT are built for this kind of cold! We are below average temperatures for our "planting zone" right now.
I'm cuddled up on the couch with a blanket (and seriously considering going to get another one) and drinking a cup of coffee. Hank is curled up in a ball, yet again. I can tell how cold he is by how tightly he curls up.
An update on my grandmother: the Lord released her from her pain last night and took her home. Please keep my mom and her siblings in your prayers. They are expecting the funeral to be on Monday, with internment in the spring (the ground is very frozen up in northern MN). Hopefully I will be able to go to the internment service then.
My internet keeps going in and out. I don't think things in CT are built for this kind of cold! We are below average temperatures for our "planting zone" right now.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Hot Baths and PICC Lines Don't Mix
Hot baths and PICC lines don't mix.
I'm just sayin'. :-/
The on-call nurse was pretty nice about it though. She was in and out to change my now-wet dressing very quickly--she even left her car running outside.
I think I'll stick to showers. . .
I'm just sayin'. :-/
The on-call nurse was pretty nice about it though. She was in and out to change my now-wet dressing very quickly--she even left her car running outside.
I think I'll stick to showers. . .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)