Well, things were going pretty well, all things considered, until this afternoon. This week is the 'uncomfortable week' in the cycle - don't sleep all that well, throat is tender and my voice sounds creaky, up frequently at night - all part of the chemo effects. They usually start diminishing by the second weekend and then I have 4 or 5 days of 'normal' - what I think of as my 'comfortable week'. This time I have also had a cold - thought for a long time that it was just the sinus irritation that is also a side effect of one of the chemo drugs, but it has declared itself as a cold with sneezing and coughing as well as too much nose-blowing. (I actually had it when we went for chemo last week and I was approved for the treatment.)
Today, I went for my regular bloodwork at the Chatham hospital and then treated myself to a visit at my former school, since I was 'all dressed up'. I had a nice visit in the staff room with quite a few people and talked with some more on the way out - medicine comes in many forms ! I felt pretty good, I thought, and others that I saw today agreed. Then, this afternoon, I got a call from the pharmacy in Windsor saying that my white blood count was 'way too low - down to 1.1 instead of 4.5 - 7 - and that my doctor was putting me on antibiotics. That was a surprise ! (I get a shot 24 hours after my chemo is finished to keep my white blood cell count up.) But I am tired, when I stop to think about it. So - more pills. I hope that they work enough that I can keep on the delivery schedule and receive the next treatment on Nov. 6.
So now I will have to be more careful, wash my hands more, etc. - be more careful who I kiss !! Still up, dressed and going though, so don't think I am out for the count yet.
Thank you for your cards of encouragement - there's one in the mail almost every day - and for your ongoing prayers. I am humbled by the love and concern that so many show me.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Things are going well this time -
Things have continued to go well this cycle. David and I spent a most enjoyable day Friday, just doing 'normal stuff' - went out for lunch, drove to a nearby orchard and stocked up on apples for the winter, did some grocery shopping and eventually went out for supper, too. Not a hospital in sight all day !
Saturday, I wasn't feeling quite so well, so I started adding my extra nausea pills and things settled down. David got a chance to make supper and make cheese sauce for the cauliflower - turned out really well.
Sunday, I woke up feeling well enough to go to church, so off I went and had a good visit with friends there, especially our big Adult Sunday School class. It was good to see them again and let them see how well I am doing.
Today, (Monday) has been a pretty normal day - no extra nausea meds or anything - looking forward to supper tonight. I just have to be careful not to eat too much or too quickly these days - or I am like one of those big snakes and just have to lie down for a while and digest !
Thanks again for you r prayers - I appreciate them so much.
Saturday, I wasn't feeling quite so well, so I started adding my extra nausea pills and things settled down. David got a chance to make supper and make cheese sauce for the cauliflower - turned out really well.
Sunday, I woke up feeling well enough to go to church, so off I went and had a good visit with friends there, especially our big Adult Sunday School class. It was good to see them again and let them see how well I am doing.
Today, (Monday) has been a pretty normal day - no extra nausea meds or anything - looking forward to supper tonight. I just have to be careful not to eat too much or too quickly these days - or I am like one of those big snakes and just have to lie down for a while and digest !
Thanks again for you r prayers - I appreciate them so much.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Catching up - Oct. 16 - 24
Greetings - I didn't want to bore you with an overload if information but apparently I have gone too far in the opposite direction and have not posted as frequently as some would like. So - I will give you a big update now and try to be on more frequently in the future.
Thurs. Oct. 16 - regular bloodwork app't. at the Chatham hospital; I also called Windsor before I left to report some side effects that were happening to me - listed in the section that says 'Call you doctor if this happens'. Returned home to a voicemail that said 'Doctor will see you either today before 2:00 p.m. (not possible at that point) or at 8:30 a.m. Friday'....so, Friday it was.
Fri. Oct. 17 - another early morning trip to Windsor. Practiced wearing scarf and nice cap instead of wig. Turned out that the chemo meds had irritated a 'pre-existing condition' and I came home with even more pills. David is still suffering from a horrible chest cold, so he went back to bed and I did laundry in preparation for a very special trip on the weekend.
Sat. & Sun. Oct. 18,19 - I was able to go away for the weekend with a very special group of friends, a teachers' group who have been meeting for supper once a month for over 10 years. Twice a year, at least, we are able to go away overnight. This trip was up to Huron County on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and the fall colour was gorgeous. Craft Fair in Grand Bend, lunch in Bayfield and then on to our overnight destination, a lovely old farmhouse that belongs to the family of one of the group. I had to have a nap by that time but the girls took care of me. We bring dinner and breakfast and stay in overnight, once we get there. It's so good to be able to just catch up with each other's lives. We had a memorable evening, filled with good food and lots of glorious music. I worked up enough nerve somewhere during the evening to do an 'unveiling' of my bald head and everyone thought it was cool and that I could leave my wig off - so encouraging and loving. After a long a leisurely breakfast on Sunday, we headed back home, touring the Goderich jail (Doors Open Ontario Program of historical buildings) and doing a bit more shopping on the way.
Mon. Oct. 20 - work day around the house - 4 bags of garbage to the dump, made a turkey pie and a big pot of turkey pumpkin rice soup - more little containers of frozen goodness for the 'off days'. As you can see, these are my 'good days' and I am making the most of them.
Tues. Oct. 21 - day trip to Kingsville with 2 friends to visit another friend who has moved there - great times again had by all - 'unveiled' again - everyone is cool with it - so helpful when I feel that I look so different...but I do have a nicely shaped head and flat ears ! Later that night, I had my first Skype conversations with my two children in Kitchener and my children and grandchildren in Texas - more with wig/without wig viewings...everyone agrees that 1) my hairdresser did an exceptionally good job on my wig and 2) that wigless is not as bad as expected. So - we are all coping with that pretty well. David had had a doctor's appointment this morning for an annual physical and came home with a massive anti-biotic prescription - 1/ 500 mg. pill 3 times a day, so between the pills and the cold (bronchial viral infection) he folded pretty early.
Wed. Oct. 22 - lots of little jobs - formalized my Leave of Absence from the Occasional Teaching List for the rest of this school year, ordered my meds form the Windsor pharmacy so that they are ready for tomorrow, went to my old school for a visit for lunch and to thank them for their day in support - pink picture day - Oct. 10, etc and - drum roll - interviewed a cleaning lady in the afternoon who will start cleaning my house on my chemo days for 3 hours so that I can come home to a nice, clean house !!! A little treat for me. David's anti-biotics are working - can see improvement already but he rested all day again today.
Thurs. Oct. 23 - Chemo # 3 - in Windsor for 8:15, at lab for 8:30, picked up prescriptions 8:50, waited for dr.'s app't until 9:30ish - my dr. was away, so saw another one - approved for chemo - then waited and waited - seemed to take longer than I remembered - didn't get called in until almost 11:00 (volunteer who was supposed to get me got side-tracked), did preliminary stuff - hooked up my port, ran saline to rinse it out - didn't actually start chemo until 11:50 but was done by 2:15. Took ourselves to a nice restaurant for a late lunch before we came home - I was feeling fine, with the help of 3 steroid pills and 2 anti-nausea ones - almost like nothing had happened. I was encouraged again by a comment from the young woman who is my clinical trial supervisor; she asks me the same set of questions every time - how is your nausea/appetite/sleeping/mouth sores/shortness of breath/ etc. - and for me most are normal. Her response yesterday was "It's unusual for someone to have so many normals by mid-chemo". I'll take it !!!
So there we are - caught up to TODAY !! As you can see, my second week is very good and I am able to live a pretty normal life. My voice sounds like me again and I have good energy, although I still need to lie down for a while most afternoons - but I read or just lie quietly and listen to the radio or something - don''t have to sleep as much as the first week. I will try using the additional anti-nausea pills again this time after the first 3 days are done - seemed to help last time and I wasn't as 'down'. You can learn how to do almost anything.
Thank you for your prayers, which I am constantly aware of - maybe the reason for all those 'normals' - and for your cards and e-mails and phone calls, which comfort me and fill me with calm and peace - also good medicine. I appreciate your interest in my situation and your concern for me. They are more of a help than you can know. May God be with you today and may you also feel the comfort of His presence in your life in the things that are happening to you. He is always interested in His children and waiting for your call.
Thurs. Oct. 16 - regular bloodwork app't. at the Chatham hospital; I also called Windsor before I left to report some side effects that were happening to me - listed in the section that says 'Call you doctor if this happens'. Returned home to a voicemail that said 'Doctor will see you either today before 2:00 p.m. (not possible at that point) or at 8:30 a.m. Friday'....so, Friday it was.
Fri. Oct. 17 - another early morning trip to Windsor. Practiced wearing scarf and nice cap instead of wig. Turned out that the chemo meds had irritated a 'pre-existing condition' and I came home with even more pills. David is still suffering from a horrible chest cold, so he went back to bed and I did laundry in preparation for a very special trip on the weekend.
Sat. & Sun. Oct. 18,19 - I was able to go away for the weekend with a very special group of friends, a teachers' group who have been meeting for supper once a month for over 10 years. Twice a year, at least, we are able to go away overnight. This trip was up to Huron County on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and the fall colour was gorgeous. Craft Fair in Grand Bend, lunch in Bayfield and then on to our overnight destination, a lovely old farmhouse that belongs to the family of one of the group. I had to have a nap by that time but the girls took care of me. We bring dinner and breakfast and stay in overnight, once we get there. It's so good to be able to just catch up with each other's lives. We had a memorable evening, filled with good food and lots of glorious music. I worked up enough nerve somewhere during the evening to do an 'unveiling' of my bald head and everyone thought it was cool and that I could leave my wig off - so encouraging and loving. After a long a leisurely breakfast on Sunday, we headed back home, touring the Goderich jail (Doors Open Ontario Program of historical buildings) and doing a bit more shopping on the way.
Mon. Oct. 20 - work day around the house - 4 bags of garbage to the dump, made a turkey pie and a big pot of turkey pumpkin rice soup - more little containers of frozen goodness for the 'off days'. As you can see, these are my 'good days' and I am making the most of them.
Tues. Oct. 21 - day trip to Kingsville with 2 friends to visit another friend who has moved there - great times again had by all - 'unveiled' again - everyone is cool with it - so helpful when I feel that I look so different...but I do have a nicely shaped head and flat ears ! Later that night, I had my first Skype conversations with my two children in Kitchener and my children and grandchildren in Texas - more with wig/without wig viewings...everyone agrees that 1) my hairdresser did an exceptionally good job on my wig and 2) that wigless is not as bad as expected. So - we are all coping with that pretty well. David had had a doctor's appointment this morning for an annual physical and came home with a massive anti-biotic prescription - 1/ 500 mg. pill 3 times a day, so between the pills and the cold (bronchial viral infection) he folded pretty early.
Wed. Oct. 22 - lots of little jobs - formalized my Leave of Absence from the Occasional Teaching List for the rest of this school year, ordered my meds form the Windsor pharmacy so that they are ready for tomorrow, went to my old school for a visit for lunch and to thank them for their day in support - pink picture day - Oct. 10, etc and - drum roll - interviewed a cleaning lady in the afternoon who will start cleaning my house on my chemo days for 3 hours so that I can come home to a nice, clean house !!! A little treat for me. David's anti-biotics are working - can see improvement already but he rested all day again today.
Thurs. Oct. 23 - Chemo # 3 - in Windsor for 8:15, at lab for 8:30, picked up prescriptions 8:50, waited for dr.'s app't until 9:30ish - my dr. was away, so saw another one - approved for chemo - then waited and waited - seemed to take longer than I remembered - didn't get called in until almost 11:00 (volunteer who was supposed to get me got side-tracked), did preliminary stuff - hooked up my port, ran saline to rinse it out - didn't actually start chemo until 11:50 but was done by 2:15. Took ourselves to a nice restaurant for a late lunch before we came home - I was feeling fine, with the help of 3 steroid pills and 2 anti-nausea ones - almost like nothing had happened. I was encouraged again by a comment from the young woman who is my clinical trial supervisor; she asks me the same set of questions every time - how is your nausea/appetite/sleeping/mouth sores/shortness of breath/ etc. - and for me most are normal. Her response yesterday was "It's unusual for someone to have so many normals by mid-chemo". I'll take it !!!
So there we are - caught up to TODAY !! As you can see, my second week is very good and I am able to live a pretty normal life. My voice sounds like me again and I have good energy, although I still need to lie down for a while most afternoons - but I read or just lie quietly and listen to the radio or something - don''t have to sleep as much as the first week. I will try using the additional anti-nausea pills again this time after the first 3 days are done - seemed to help last time and I wasn't as 'down'. You can learn how to do almost anything.
Thank you for your prayers, which I am constantly aware of - maybe the reason for all those 'normals' - and for your cards and e-mails and phone calls, which comfort me and fill me with calm and peace - also good medicine. I appreciate your interest in my situation and your concern for me. They are more of a help than you can know. May God be with you today and may you also feel the comfort of His presence in your life in the things that are happening to you. He is always interested in His children and waiting for your call.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow !!
Well, yesterday I reached the 'no hair' part of the journey. I had been shedding like a dog in the spring since about Saturday - every comb-through resulted in a handful of loose hair. I was getting very patchy - looked like a little old lady with the skull showing through what was left. So I called my dear hairdresser who has looked after me for 11 years now and went to finish the job. She buzzed what was left off, pretty much, and I am now ' down to the wood'. Quite different in appearance but feels much better - and cooler. I was pleased to discover that I have a nice-shaped head and that my ears don't stick out !! Who knew ??
It wasn't as bad as I had been thinking it would be. It's just quite a change for everyone else - I don't have to look at myself unless I'm passing a mirror but everyone else gets the full benefit.
I have also been discovering just how much heat leaves your body through your head - you hear these things but then you get to experience them. I tried wearing a little knit cap at home after I got back but I had to take it off because I was just melting. So I think around the house I will just be 'au naturel'. Don't be surprised if you drop in for a visit !
I also took my nice, new wig to my hairdresser and she styled it to look a lot like my own hair so I have another good option - plus the hats and scarves that I have bought. Until the weather turns colder, though, I'm not sure how much I'll need them.
So - that's the latest ! Regular blood check-up today - second week of cycle is starting - my voice is coming back and I am starting to sound like myself again - it should be back by tomorrow - starting to get used to the pattern of all of this.
Thank you again for your prayers, which are what keeps me going.
It wasn't as bad as I had been thinking it would be. It's just quite a change for everyone else - I don't have to look at myself unless I'm passing a mirror but everyone else gets the full benefit.
I have also been discovering just how much heat leaves your body through your head - you hear these things but then you get to experience them. I tried wearing a little knit cap at home after I got back but I had to take it off because I was just melting. So I think around the house I will just be 'au naturel'. Don't be surprised if you drop in for a visit !
I also took my nice, new wig to my hairdresser and she styled it to look a lot like my own hair so I have another good option - plus the hats and scarves that I have bought. Until the weather turns colder, though, I'm not sure how much I'll need them.
So - that's the latest ! Regular blood check-up today - second week of cycle is starting - my voice is coming back and I am starting to sound like myself again - it should be back by tomorrow - starting to get used to the pattern of all of this.
Thank you again for your prayers, which are what keeps me going.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Cycle 2 / Thanksgiving
We were in Windsor for 8:00 a.m.Thursday, Oct. 9 for the second cycle of chemo - an interesting exercise for two retirees ! Anyhow - made it in good time and things went much better - I knew more what to expect and it wasn't as unnerving when the administering nurse put on safety glasses and double gloves before she started the chemo! Thank goodness again for my little port - it makes it so simple. We were able to go out for a late lunch before returning to Chatham. Friday was a good day - I made pumpkin pies and tarts for the weekend - but Saturday wasn't so nice. However, Amy had arrived Friday evening and Mike and Lian arrived Saturday afternoon and between them we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner Saturday night. We all enjoyed the meal although David was overtaken by a massive head cold which kind of derailed things for him. Visitors left after lunch on Sunday and things were quiet after that.
So far, I haven't had any days of 'flu-like symptoms' this time - no nausea at all for which I am very thankful. I have to just park myself a couple of times during the day and read or just lie down for a while but that's really all that is happening to me. Things should start to improve now again as I move into the second week of this cycle. Again, I am very thankful for this.
Other signs are a creaky voice - no way I could run a classroom ! - and falling hair. I look like a shedding dog - every comb-through brings a handful of hair with it...I now look like one of those little old ladies whose scalp you can see through their hair. Time to start with the hats, scarves and nice wig that I have accumulated. Unfortunately, I have rediscovered that I don't like the feeling of anything tight on my head - but that's the breaks, I guess. More practice !!
Thank you again for your prayers for me - they support me continually on a daily-life basis and I am able to just keep on doing my thing.
So far, I haven't had any days of 'flu-like symptoms' this time - no nausea at all for which I am very thankful. I have to just park myself a couple of times during the day and read or just lie down for a while but that's really all that is happening to me. Things should start to improve now again as I move into the second week of this cycle. Again, I am very thankful for this.
Other signs are a creaky voice - no way I could run a classroom ! - and falling hair. I look like a shedding dog - every comb-through brings a handful of hair with it...I now look like one of those little old ladies whose scalp you can see through their hair. Time to start with the hats, scarves and nice wig that I have accumulated. Unfortunately, I have rediscovered that I don't like the feeling of anything tight on my head - but that's the breaks, I guess. More practice !!
Thank you again for your prayers for me - they support me continually on a daily-life basis and I am able to just keep on doing my thing.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Yeah, McNaughton Eagles !!
Last Friday, October 9, my staff at McNaughton Avenue Public School
decided to hold a Breast Cancer Awareness Day and to do something
in support of me. They all wore pink and got to school in time for
a group photo at 8:45. Once the picture was developed, they put it
on a large pink bristol board and all signed it. When I arrived for
lunch, there was cake, pink balloons and LOTS of hugs. It was
extremely encouraging.They also went together with the staff at the
Regional Centre next door to raise $450 (at last count) for research.
This was also great news, since I have been able to be part of a
clinical trial and my oncologist is in charge of research at the
Windsor Regional Cancer Centre.
They are such a great group; leaving them in 2007 was a hard thing
to do, when I retired. It was a bonus to have a few months back with
them last spring.
Thank you, McNaughton, for all your encouragement; you have no idea
how much this means to me.
decided to hold a Breast Cancer Awareness Day and to do something
in support of me. They all wore pink and got to school in time for
a group photo at 8:45. Once the picture was developed, they put it
on a large pink bristol board and all signed it. When I arrived for
lunch, there was cake, pink balloons and LOTS of hugs. It was
extremely encouraging.They also went together with the staff at the
Regional Centre next door to raise $450 (at last count) for research.
This was also great news, since I have been able to be part of a
clinical trial and my oncologist is in charge of research at the
Windsor Regional Cancer Centre.
They are such a great group; leaving them in 2007 was a hard thing
to do, when I retired. It was a bonus to have a few months back with
them last spring.
Thank you, McNaughton, for all your encouragement; you have no idea
how much this means to me.
Wednesday Oct. 8 - End of First Cycle
Today is the last day of Cycle One of my chemo, so I am just going to
catch you up on the events since last Wednesday. Basically, I have
felt really well, and there are no steroids involved this time! Last
Wednesday, I felt well enough to do quite a bit of cooking and have a
nice stock of single-serving foods in the freezer - risotto, soup,
casserole, etc. Thursday and Friday, we were able to go out in the
evening, and to a restaurant for supper on Fri. I still have to be
careful what I eat, because the chemo attacks any fast-growing cells
in your body and that includes the linings of mouth, throat and
stomach. As part of that, my voice got 'funny' - sounded like I had
laryngitis - and my taste was off. Perhaps I can use that as an
indicator - when I sound odd, I can expect things to taste differently.
That was only a few days in the middle of last week. By Friday,
I was pretty well back to normal and I have had several very nice days
this week. We decided to make a quick trip to Kitchener-Waterloo on
Sunday and had a visit with Amy, Mike and Lian which was very enjoyable.
(I still have to rest in the afternoons - keeps me going for the rest
of the day.)
The next hurdle will be when my hair leaves. That should be any
time in the next week. Apparently, there comes a day when it starts
coming out in chunks - just having lots of single hairs around on
my pillow now - and I have been advised to have the remainder
'buzzed' once that happens. This will include loss of eyebrows and
eyelashes, too - something that I am struggling with. However, I
have purchased a really nice wig (not the one I brought back from
Windsor) and have a collection of hats and scarves to use. I'm just
not much of a hat person - although this is one of the positives for
David, who has wanted me to wear them for years ! - and trying to
make a scarf look nice is usually one of the things that reduces me
to bad language pretty quickly - but,hey! Practice makes perfect !
The VON sponsored a 'Look Good, Feel Better' workshop here on
Monday and I went to that. I came home with a box of 'loot' and
several good ideas on what to do about the eyebrow/eyelash problem.
It's only for Oct. - Feb., so it's not such a big deal and I have
to keep perspective here. I was speaking recently to a good friend
whose son has 6 months left of a 30-month chemo regimen; what
have I got to feel bad about ?
So, overall, I had 3 'bad days' - Sat. noon - Tues. noon - and the rest
of the time I was able to eat, sleep, cook, read, knit, live life and
carry on as usual. We'll see if that continues as I am exposed to these
chemicals over and over. (3 more doses of this kind and then 4 of the
second). And I'll know to watch out for those steroids from now on !
I'll close with an experience from Monday. I went across town to the
VON workshop that morning and in the afternoon, I went out for
groceries. In the grocery store, I met a friend and we talked about
my situation (as well as some other things!) and I mentioned that
I was staged at 3C - second-last worst - but not 4 !! As I left the
parking lot, I was overcome by the potential of that stage and was
in tears - maybe I am just crazy here to be so confident that God
is in this with me and taking me through this. I got home, parked
(this involves turning and braking several times to back it in) and
went in the house (didn't say anything to David about what I had
been thinking). Half an hour later,he went out to move my car to
use the trailer and when he put his foot on the brake, the brake line
broke and the pedal went right to the floor ...fluid all over the
driveway. Now, you may not look at it this way, but I took that as a
very definite answer to my distress; I am being looked after and
protected in some very practical ways and I will get through this,
by His grace.
I hope your day goes well, wherever you are, and that you are
also aware of God's blessing in your life.
catch you up on the events since last Wednesday. Basically, I have
felt really well, and there are no steroids involved this time! Last
Wednesday, I felt well enough to do quite a bit of cooking and have a
nice stock of single-serving foods in the freezer - risotto, soup,
casserole, etc. Thursday and Friday, we were able to go out in the
evening, and to a restaurant for supper on Fri. I still have to be
careful what I eat, because the chemo attacks any fast-growing cells
in your body and that includes the linings of mouth, throat and
stomach. As part of that, my voice got 'funny' - sounded like I had
laryngitis - and my taste was off. Perhaps I can use that as an
indicator - when I sound odd, I can expect things to taste differently.
That was only a few days in the middle of last week. By Friday,
I was pretty well back to normal and I have had several very nice days
this week. We decided to make a quick trip to Kitchener-Waterloo on
Sunday and had a visit with Amy, Mike and Lian which was very enjoyable.
(I still have to rest in the afternoons - keeps me going for the rest
of the day.)
The next hurdle will be when my hair leaves. That should be any
time in the next week. Apparently, there comes a day when it starts
coming out in chunks - just having lots of single hairs around on
my pillow now - and I have been advised to have the remainder
'buzzed' once that happens. This will include loss of eyebrows and
eyelashes, too - something that I am struggling with. However, I
have purchased a really nice wig (not the one I brought back from
Windsor) and have a collection of hats and scarves to use. I'm just
not much of a hat person - although this is one of the positives for
David, who has wanted me to wear them for years ! - and trying to
make a scarf look nice is usually one of the things that reduces me
to bad language pretty quickly - but,hey! Practice makes perfect !
The VON sponsored a 'Look Good, Feel Better' workshop here on
Monday and I went to that. I came home with a box of 'loot' and
several good ideas on what to do about the eyebrow/eyelash problem.
It's only for Oct. - Feb., so it's not such a big deal and I have
to keep perspective here. I was speaking recently to a good friend
whose son has 6 months left of a 30-month chemo regimen; what
have I got to feel bad about ?
So, overall, I had 3 'bad days' - Sat. noon - Tues. noon - and the rest
of the time I was able to eat, sleep, cook, read, knit, live life and
carry on as usual. We'll see if that continues as I am exposed to these
chemicals over and over. (3 more doses of this kind and then 4 of the
second). And I'll know to watch out for those steroids from now on !
I'll close with an experience from Monday. I went across town to the
VON workshop that morning and in the afternoon, I went out for
groceries. In the grocery store, I met a friend and we talked about
my situation (as well as some other things!) and I mentioned that
I was staged at 3C - second-last worst - but not 4 !! As I left the
parking lot, I was overcome by the potential of that stage and was
in tears - maybe I am just crazy here to be so confident that God
is in this with me and taking me through this. I got home, parked
(this involves turning and braking several times to back it in) and
went in the house (didn't say anything to David about what I had
been thinking). Half an hour later,he went out to move my car to
use the trailer and when he put his foot on the brake, the brake line
broke and the pedal went right to the floor ...fluid all over the
driveway. Now, you may not look at it this way, but I took that as a
very definite answer to my distress; I am being looked after and
protected in some very practical ways and I will get through this,
by His grace.
I hope your day goes well, wherever you are, and that you are
also aware of God's blessing in your life.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Reality intrudes !!
Well, now I realize what the steroids were doing ! And also what the doctor meant when she said that there would be a 'crash' after I was finished with them. Those of you who have been down this road must have been waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I went to a cancer conference on Saturday with David and Amy (daughter) and heard several interesting people, including my own oncologist who talked about research in cancer treatment and how recent some of the drugs are. That was very beneficial, especially for Amy. It was to be a full day conference, but I started 'declining' after lunch and we left. The 'flu-like' days began then and continued until about Tues. morning...woke up still feeling rotten but then, like the weather, things began to clear mid-morning and I started feeling like a 'human bean' again. So - now I know what to plan for. Returned all the election materials yesterday, with apologies - there's no way I can do that. Felt well enough to get groceries in the afternoon and am feeling even better today. Tomorrow is a regular blood check here in Chatham and that will be it for this week.
Also realized that we will not be going out of town for Thanksgiving, based on my 'down days' and that whatever happens will have to happen here. Fortunately, there are 'guest chefs' in the family who are more than able to help out.
So - hope I gave some of you a good laugh ! I'll figure out how to do this eventually!
I went to a cancer conference on Saturday with David and Amy (daughter) and heard several interesting people, including my own oncologist who talked about research in cancer treatment and how recent some of the drugs are. That was very beneficial, especially for Amy. It was to be a full day conference, but I started 'declining' after lunch and we left. The 'flu-like' days began then and continued until about Tues. morning...woke up still feeling rotten but then, like the weather, things began to clear mid-morning and I started feeling like a 'human bean' again. So - now I know what to plan for. Returned all the election materials yesterday, with apologies - there's no way I can do that. Felt well enough to get groceries in the afternoon and am feeling even better today. Tomorrow is a regular blood check here in Chatham and that will be it for this week.
Also realized that we will not be going out of town for Thanksgiving, based on my 'down days' and that whatever happens will have to happen here. Fortunately, there are 'guest chefs' in the family who are more than able to help out.
So - hope I gave some of you a good laugh ! I'll figure out how to do this eventually!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)