Well mostly and he sort of has before. Today, he 'played' with a poor innocent little spider that was right next to me in my office. However, he didn't eat it and left the little corpse for me to dispose of. In the past, he has killed a mouse, which he brought to us to show us. (How thoughtful of him to share.) This time at least I didn't have to kill the spider. Anyway, I think he is just hungry and wants me to go downstairs and refill his food dish. (Oink, oink, oink.)
All set for today. I remembered my last question to ask the nurses and wrote it on my note and (I think) I put my note in my purse. Damn, now I should go look for the note to make sure. Otherwise, I will run around like a crazed fool trying to find it. It is probably easier to try to find the note than try to remember the questions again. (Not that I am a crazed fool or anything but I would probably run around like one.)
I have just been informed it is time to get off the computer and go make the Belgian waffles I promised for breakfast and otherwise stop procrastinating about going to chemo. (Not me, procrastinate! I wouldn't dream of it.)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Today will be boring
I have no exciting plans for today. A little work, a trip to the gym, support group, a few errands. I did find today that I had to recreate an online order I placed on Friday. Funny, if you type in your credit card number wrong they decline it... Hmmm.... Maybe I should work on my typing skills.
I am all set for chemo tomorrow. I got a reminder phone call, I have a printed appointment confirmation, and I have my little list of questions to ask the nurse. I usually have a few questions to ask but unless I WRITE THEM DOWN AND BRING THE PIECE OF PAPER WITH ME, I forget. (Those capital letters were a stern little reminder to me to put the piece of paper in my purse today, while I am thinking about it, so I don't run around like a crazed person tomorrow morning looking for it and then trying to recreate the questions that I thought of earlier in the week.) However I do know I have one more question for the nurse that I forgot already and need to go write down on the same piece of paper as soon as I can remember it. See, the mind is the first thing to go.
Anyway, I think chemo is really getting old. Going back to my previous analogy, I think I am still stuck in Kansas but finally am getting near the state line.... I am sick of these side effects. I don't feel nauseous all the time, just some of the time. My hair is pretending it might start growing back soon but my eye brows are thinning. My fingernails and toe nails are breaking and looking weird. My feet are peeling on the bottom (icky!). I get some sporadic neuropathy. (How's that for a fancy word??? I am trying to be impressive. That's the nasty side effect of temporary or permanent numbness and tingling in your hands and feet.) Mine comes and goes. The nurses said not to worry unless I get pain with it as well. Otherwise, I just get tired.
Yesterday was pretty neat. We got to see the radiation equipment at Lahey. They have the older machine and the newer machine for radiation treatments. Both of them are still state of the art. What was neat was that when you are getting treatments, you lie on your back. So they decorated the ceiling. In the room with the older machine, there is a garden scene with a trellis and vines. It is pretty big too. With the newer machine there are several back light photographs of different nature scenes on the walls but there is a giant one (10' x 6') on the ceiling of a harbor full of OPBs (Other Peoples Boats - the really expensive kind) and mountains in the background. We all said it would be incentive to plan a nice vacation while getting treatments. Something to look forward to... (the vacation, not more trips to Lahey).
I am all set for chemo tomorrow. I got a reminder phone call, I have a printed appointment confirmation, and I have my little list of questions to ask the nurse. I usually have a few questions to ask but unless I WRITE THEM DOWN AND BRING THE PIECE OF PAPER WITH ME, I forget. (Those capital letters were a stern little reminder to me to put the piece of paper in my purse today, while I am thinking about it, so I don't run around like a crazed person tomorrow morning looking for it and then trying to recreate the questions that I thought of earlier in the week.) However I do know I have one more question for the nurse that I forgot already and need to go write down on the same piece of paper as soon as I can remember it. See, the mind is the first thing to go.
Anyway, I think chemo is really getting old. Going back to my previous analogy, I think I am still stuck in Kansas but finally am getting near the state line.... I am sick of these side effects. I don't feel nauseous all the time, just some of the time. My hair is pretending it might start growing back soon but my eye brows are thinning. My fingernails and toe nails are breaking and looking weird. My feet are peeling on the bottom (icky!). I get some sporadic neuropathy. (How's that for a fancy word??? I am trying to be impressive. That's the nasty side effect of temporary or permanent numbness and tingling in your hands and feet.) Mine comes and goes. The nurses said not to worry unless I get pain with it as well. Otherwise, I just get tired.
Yesterday was pretty neat. We got to see the radiation equipment at Lahey. They have the older machine and the newer machine for radiation treatments. Both of them are still state of the art. What was neat was that when you are getting treatments, you lie on your back. So they decorated the ceiling. In the room with the older machine, there is a garden scene with a trellis and vines. It is pretty big too. With the newer machine there are several back light photographs of different nature scenes on the walls but there is a giant one (10' x 6') on the ceiling of a harbor full of OPBs (Other Peoples Boats - the really expensive kind) and mountains in the background. We all said it would be incentive to plan a nice vacation while getting treatments. Something to look forward to... (the vacation, not more trips to Lahey).
Monday, November 5, 2007
The cure for being tired...
is a good night's sleep. I slept for 8 hours last night, uninterrupted, except when the cat decided that he doesn't know about the difference between standard time and day lights savings time (which are we on now? I don't know. All I know is I reset lots of clocks yesterday.) Anyhow the point is, he used to come up at 530 am when he heard the alarm. Today, he came up at 430 am (which would have been 530 am last week) to walk on me and see if I was awake. I wasn't awake so he went to sleep. Then we all slept for another hour. He didn't need food, he just thought he should check and see if he could get some food and attention.
Anyway, the short version is that I feel less tired today. Which means I can over plan my day: walk to Wilson's farm to get the three (lightweight) things I need, plant so more damn bulbs - 1 bag down, 5 to go, support group at Lahey, two errands, and work.
What's interesting is today at the support group, we are meeting at the radiation building and getting a tour of the facility by a radiation oncologist (who will be my doctor when I start radiation) and get to ask all kinds of questions. I think this will be pretty cool. Usually when you go for treatment for something they answer questions and give you information in writing but you don't usually get a whole tour. All I have to do is remember my few questions (perhaps I should write them down and bring the piece of paper with me?) and remember to go to the far end of the Lahey, not the part I usually go. I think it is easily 1/2 mile walk from the new cancer center to the original little tiny building which is the radiation wing. Maybe its a plot to have all the patients get exercise. Or I can just remember to park over there and not have to walk.
Yesterday I went to two yard sales with a friend and got a knock off Rolex watch for $2 - now I have to get a battery for it but its a nice looking gold watch which I needed and the price wasn't bad. Its definitely not real but for a little while it was nice to think it might be. I also bought a sewing box full of all kinds of stuff, including two pairs of scissors, a whole bunch of zippers, and tons of thread and needles for $5. Its a lovely shade of dark yellow - to replicate it, take the lid off a jar of Gulden's mustard for about a week and the color will be the same. Vintage 1950's.
PS I did break down and have two Hershey kisses and one mini peanut butter cup yesterday.
Anyway, the short version is that I feel less tired today. Which means I can over plan my day: walk to Wilson's farm to get the three (lightweight) things I need, plant so more damn bulbs - 1 bag down, 5 to go, support group at Lahey, two errands, and work.
What's interesting is today at the support group, we are meeting at the radiation building and getting a tour of the facility by a radiation oncologist (who will be my doctor when I start radiation) and get to ask all kinds of questions. I think this will be pretty cool. Usually when you go for treatment for something they answer questions and give you information in writing but you don't usually get a whole tour. All I have to do is remember my few questions (perhaps I should write them down and bring the piece of paper with me?) and remember to go to the far end of the Lahey, not the part I usually go. I think it is easily 1/2 mile walk from the new cancer center to the original little tiny building which is the radiation wing. Maybe its a plot to have all the patients get exercise. Or I can just remember to park over there and not have to walk.
Yesterday I went to two yard sales with a friend and got a knock off Rolex watch for $2 - now I have to get a battery for it but its a nice looking gold watch which I needed and the price wasn't bad. Its definitely not real but for a little while it was nice to think it might be. I also bought a sewing box full of all kinds of stuff, including two pairs of scissors, a whole bunch of zippers, and tons of thread and needles for $5. Its a lovely shade of dark yellow - to replicate it, take the lid off a jar of Gulden's mustard for about a week and the color will be the same. Vintage 1950's.
PS I did break down and have two Hershey kisses and one mini peanut butter cup yesterday.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
I see a pattern forming
I'm tired today. I'm tired every Sunday. Hmmm... could it be the four days after chemo that I get tired??? It only took me six weeks to figure this out. (So maybe I am just a little slow.) It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Walter had to get up at Army time again because the clocks were set back. I actually finally just got out of bed. The cat was snoring away as well (he snores more than Walter sometimes).
I also survived day two without Halloween candy but do admit to eating cookies at the baby shower.
I also survived day two without Halloween candy but do admit to eating cookies at the baby shower.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Success!
An entire day free of candy. But I did have to quality control test the brownies as they come out of the oven. Anyhow, I managed not to have any Halloween candy which was my goal. I did go spend a small fortune at Costco yesterday but restocked the pantry and fridge. Of course when I got home Walter called and asked me about the one thing that I meant to buy but wasn't on the list because I only remembered it while driving there (and didn't think I should dig in my purse for a pen while driving on the highway so I could write it down. Silly me I trusted my chemo brain cells, so of course I forgot it. I am sure there are other items that will force me to return to Costco in the not so distant future but I did purchase plenty of the all important cat food and cat litter.) I also only planted about 1 bag of bulbs yesterday. Five more to go. At this rate, it will be next weekend before I am done. Grrr.... but they will look pretty in the spring.
Today I am off to the gym and a baby shower where I will do my best to eat healthy the entire time but cannot be held responsible if non-nutritional food is offered. Actually it will be nice to get out and see people who I have not seen in months. It is only about 5 miles from here and, even though we will will have those pesky little hurricane remnants, I can't see driving there and back being a problem. What is a minor problem is that today is an Army day for Walter again which means I was up at 550am. Way too early. Most definitely will need a nap. And I can expect a repeat for tomorrow as well. Wah!
PS Dinner last night turned out to be artichokes and crab cakes. Quite yummy and healthy.
PPS As part of Lahey Clinic's continued effort for consistency in communication, on Thursday I received a letter from the doctor's office moving my appointment next week from Wednesday to Thursday. Yesterday I received two appointment confirmations from Lahey, one for Wednesday and one for Thursday. They consistently confuse me.
Today I am off to the gym and a baby shower where I will do my best to eat healthy the entire time but cannot be held responsible if non-nutritional food is offered. Actually it will be nice to get out and see people who I have not seen in months. It is only about 5 miles from here and, even though we will will have those pesky little hurricane remnants, I can't see driving there and back being a problem. What is a minor problem is that today is an Army day for Walter again which means I was up at 550am. Way too early. Most definitely will need a nap. And I can expect a repeat for tomorrow as well. Wah!
PS Dinner last night turned out to be artichokes and crab cakes. Quite yummy and healthy.
PPS As part of Lahey Clinic's continued effort for consistency in communication, on Thursday I received a letter from the doctor's office moving my appointment next week from Wednesday to Thursday. Yesterday I received two appointment confirmations from Lahey, one for Wednesday and one for Thursday. They consistently confuse me.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Today is a candy free day!
Yesterday I was fine until I went to work and there was the little basket sitting in front of me with candy in it. Then when I came home Walter wanted candy after dinner too. Lots of bad influences. Today I will not eat candy. None, zip, nada. tomorrow I am going to a baby shower which will probably be filled with bad things to eat - I know there will be brownies because I am making them!
Today I am also tired. I slept okay but feel like I need a nap already (and its 7:49 am). It didn't help that Walter had to have an early start today and left at 6:15 am - that would be to go in for a day of army duty. Two more days of this in a row. I might need to take up napping to counter act the effects of early alarm clocks. Sometimes I can sleep through it but not today. He is usually very quiet. It doesn't help that if the cat decides we should wake up and he jumps upon the bed and lands as delicately as his flabby 16 lbs allows on top of me. (This is a clear indication he can see the bottom of his food dish, or just that it isn't filled to the brim as he prefers it since he has been eating all night.) This is what we call a very effective alarm clock.
Anyhow, if I don't get enough sleep, I get crabby. Warning to Walter, you may see crabbiness this weekend.
Lots to do today, work at home and out, walk, Costco, bank, and plant a few bulbs (before tomorrow's rain storm). I have to come up with something interesting for dinner too. We have been eating boring food. Life is too short to eat blah food. Yesterday I went for a walk wearing shorts because it was in the 60s. Today it is 40 degrees!!! Eeeek!
Today I am also tired. I slept okay but feel like I need a nap already (and its 7:49 am). It didn't help that Walter had to have an early start today and left at 6:15 am - that would be to go in for a day of army duty. Two more days of this in a row. I might need to take up napping to counter act the effects of early alarm clocks. Sometimes I can sleep through it but not today. He is usually very quiet. It doesn't help that if the cat decides we should wake up and he jumps upon the bed and lands as delicately as his flabby 16 lbs allows on top of me. (This is a clear indication he can see the bottom of his food dish, or just that it isn't filled to the brim as he prefers it since he has been eating all night.) This is what we call a very effective alarm clock.
Anyhow, if I don't get enough sleep, I get crabby. Warning to Walter, you may see crabbiness this weekend.
Lots to do today, work at home and out, walk, Costco, bank, and plant a few bulbs (before tomorrow's rain storm). I have to come up with something interesting for dinner too. We have been eating boring food. Life is too short to eat blah food. Yesterday I went for a walk wearing shorts because it was in the 60s. Today it is 40 degrees!!! Eeeek!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Chemo and Halloween
Yesterday chemo went okay. However they were running late so we weren't out of there until after 2pm. Several of the nurses were in costume - army uniforms, a witch, a cat, and a few others. They were also passing out candy and had a Halloween cake. Of course I had a little piece of cake but skipped the candy. Then I took a 2 hour nap as soon as we got home.
We actually had trick or treaters. That is a first here. Its a good thing I bought more candy the other day. We had a whole horde (about 10) kids under age 8 all at once and then a few smaller groups. The little kids all looked great in costume and they were the age where they were out there for the fun, not just candy grabbing!
Unfortunately, I think I was in the mind set of one for them, one for me. I ate too much candy yesterday! That's it no more today! There is a little bit of caffeine in chocolate, so I didn't fall asleep until after midnight. (The caffeine adds up from 10+ pieces.) No candy for me today! I will send our surplus to Walter's reserve duty this weekend.
Off for a walk with a friend this morning (gotta walk off that candy flab) and then work for both jobs later on.
6 down, 6 to go. Now I am halfway through this second chemo drug. On schedule to end mid-December. (Why does that still sound so far away when they already have Christmas stuff out in the stores???)
We actually had trick or treaters. That is a first here. Its a good thing I bought more candy the other day. We had a whole horde (about 10) kids under age 8 all at once and then a few smaller groups. The little kids all looked great in costume and they were the age where they were out there for the fun, not just candy grabbing!
Unfortunately, I think I was in the mind set of one for them, one for me. I ate too much candy yesterday! That's it no more today! There is a little bit of caffeine in chocolate, so I didn't fall asleep until after midnight. (The caffeine adds up from 10+ pieces.) No candy for me today! I will send our surplus to Walter's reserve duty this weekend.
Off for a walk with a friend this morning (gotta walk off that candy flab) and then work for both jobs later on.
6 down, 6 to go. Now I am halfway through this second chemo drug. On schedule to end mid-December. (Why does that still sound so far away when they already have Christmas stuff out in the stores???)
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