I've had a rather quiet day, today.
In the morning, I went for my blood test. There wasn't a long wait; I barely got started on my cross-word puzzle (I carry a book of cross-word puzzles with me to do when waiting) before I was called in and had my blood drawn.
Once home, I warmed up one of the ground beef filled bread rolls that I had made and frozen back in November and had it for breakfast, along with a bowl of dry cereal. Then, I settled down to do some office work.
Lunch was some of the leftover chicken and vegetables I made the other night. I liked it better as lunch than I did as dinner, for some reason.
I felt tired in the afternoon, so I took a short nap on the sofa. Dancer cat settled down on the love seat across from me for his afternoon nap! After I woke up, at 2:30 p.m., I did more office work.
Around 6:30 p.m., I had a cup of tea and two of the apple-oatmeal muffins I had baked, also back in November, and frozen for just this purpose (for having when I was undergoing chemo).
I also boiled two eggs and made egg salad for a sandwich filling. Tomorrow morning, before I leave for my chemo therapy session, I will make myself a sandwich with the egg salad and the last two slices of bread, to take with me to eat during chemo.
Dinner was some of the egg salad with pre-made toast from a packet (bought from one of the ethnic stores).
Technology wasn't working too well for daughter and me tonight. We were unable to get a good connection that allowed us to video chat as usual. She could both hear and see me, but I was either able to see her and not hear her or hear her and not see her. We tried several different video chat venues, but had problems with each. At one point, I was looking at her on the computer screen and talking to her on the phone! Hopefully, our connections will be better, tomorrow.
Today, I am grateful for:
- An uneventful visit to get the blood drawn
- A well-stocked freezer
- An afternoon nap
- A good cup of tea
- Managing to "chat" with daughter even with technical difficulties
How was your Thursday?
Glad to hear the blood test was over and done with quickly. I have terrible veins. They really struggle to get blood out of me and sometimes have to have a go in both arms. Hate it. Had to smile at the way you were chatting to your daughter. Is it tomorrow you are going to your chemo session on your own? Will be thinking of you. xx
ReplyDeleteYes, I've just been to chemo and back. This is actually the second time I've done it on my own and feel quite a pro! I couldn't have done it when I was having the earlier chemo because that combination of meds. made me feel tired and nauseated afterwards, but I feel fine after the present chemo. Today's chemo session marks the midpoint (no. 6 of 12 sessions), so I feel rather happy about it.
DeleteWell, you know what they say about where there's a will there's a way - daughter had a lot to say about her day (one of her professors is urging her to consider going for a PhD and has offered to write letters of recommendation for her; her supervisors at work have offered to have her practice her thesis presentation with them; the other student who will be presenting her thesis on the same day as daughter and who had drawn the first slot had asked daughter if she'd mind switching with her and going first, which daughter would actually prefer as she'd rather get it done and over with, etc.) I love that she wants to share all the details of her day with me. :)
Wow sounds like your daughter has a lot of people rooting for her. She must be very well thought of and good at her studies. Must admit I'd prefer the first slot too. I try to get early appointments for anything I don't fancy doing so I don't have to sit at home worrying about what's coming.
DeleteI bet it feels good to know you're halfway there with the chemo doesn't it. And especially now that the treatment isn't making you feel as ill any more. xx
Yes, daughter is doing well at her studies and I am doing well with my treatment. I've a lot to be thankful about. :)
DeleteGood foresight to have cooked and baked and frozen meals and goodies for you to use when you were feeling too poorly to cook!
ReplyDeleteI hope your chemo session today goes well with no side effects, Bless!
Thank you, Nathalie. I need to do a freezer inventory one of these days, but I know I still have a lot of cooked food in there!
DeleteJust came back from the chemo session and feeling fine, so far. I do hope I'll be able to sleep tonight because I couldn't fall asleep last night! Up until after 4:00 a.m. and then, had to wake up at 7:00 a.m. when the alarm went off! I think the afternoon naps messed up my sleep cycle.
Hope you are feeling better, today.
Hi, you're sounding so much better. I hope you know that friends and relatives are delighted to help, they just need to be asked. Many of us feel it's a blessing to be able to carry out an act of kindness. I wondered if a few apples which can stay fresh remarkably long and a small bag of frozen blueberries might be kept at hand.
ReplyDeleteI thought it worth mentioning that in some instances some clinics are linked and services provided to their clientele at other locations. Patients need to make the inquiry though it's often on their advertising. Personally, I'm much more fearful of disease in hospitals and clinics since they are gathering spots for the sickest people. I'm more about encouraging you to wear a mask and walk down your street in the cooler part of the morning.
Just now I'm reading about various diets and have removed bread, cereal and grains. We had seriously cut back on red meat some time ago and I'm trying to move us to heavily vegetarian but meeting only modest success. I tried to fake it with half 'n half cauliflower mashed potatoes and it nearly ended on the floor! I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the comments. DH looked so insulted I ended up laughing based on appearance.
Thank you, Hon.
DeleteI know friends and family are willing to help, but it's not always easy for them to do so. The vast majority of my friends and cousins don't drive. Which means they have to ask their husbands or daughters to drive them to the stores or, in the case of a friend who lives on her own, take the bus. It's not as simple as getting into their cars, driving to the stores for a few items and then, bringing them to my house. I try to be considerate of their situations before I ask them for help.
I am aware that clinics link services; the oncology center where I receive services is linked through my insurance to the clinic where I receive my primary care. They are different clinics with separate locations, but happen to be located in the downtown area, rather than in the suburbs where I live. I've also experienced a different type of linked services a couple of times when I needed urgent care and the main clinic downtown couldn't fit me in as a walk-in patient since they were too full. I was referred to a partner clinic where I received services, but then, the main clinic wouldn't reimburse the partnering clinic and I ended up having to pay the bill in full (they make you sign documents of financial responsibility before providing any services). Each time, the bill was several hundred dollars. I'd rather have the inconvenience of an hour long commute each way, twice a week, for injections than a bill in excess of $1,000 each week to have the injection at a nearby location. I am a bit tight-fisted, that way.
As for diets, a mostly vegetarian diet can be a very good thing if you can manage it. Sorry the cauliflower mashed potatoes didn't go over too well. Maybe reduce the amount of cauliflower? Currently, I've been told by my doctors to not even think about dieting. Healthy eating, yes, but no dieting. I've been told I need all the calories and nutrients I can get to help my body repair itself.
Proud you got your blood drawn with no troubles. And proud you took your nap.. and also figured out a way to video chat with daughter.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you made all that food and put in the freezer.That is such a help. What a shame, you don't have a grocery store that delivers.. Such a needed thing.
Will be praying for your chemo treatment.
Thank you, Judy. All the prayers and thoughts being offered by you and others are helping, I believe. I have some side effects, but on the whole they are manageable and not too severe. I am so grateful.
DeleteI think it's wonderful that you have food already prepared so that you have days where you can take it easy. I hope you and your daughter are able to video chat tonight. Praying that you will have no side effects from your chemo session, Bless. ((Hugs))
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dawn. One of the first things I did after diagnosis was stock up on all kinds of things, household and pet products as well as food! Toilet paper, laundry detergent, big bags of cat food, several containers of cat litter, trash bags, etc. Enough to last the six months I'd be having chemo. I was able to share with daughter, as well. The only things I couldn't stock up on were the fresh produce and milk. I tried to plan ahead as much as I could.
DeleteOnce all this is over, I will need to do another big stock up to replenish the depleted stocks! Something I am looking forward to, at the end of summer!
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ReplyDeleteSeems I'm a dreadful communicator, I was not referring to weight management, merely all the current discussions about which foods are healthy and which foods have side effects.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Hon, I guess it was the word "diet" that threw me off. A produce-based diet will be healthier, especially if you prepare the produce more simply (grilled instead of fried; lightly dressed instead of in creamy sauces, etc.)
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