There was a bit of a delay in being seen and treated, today, because one of the doctors was out and the others were running a bit behind schedule as they had to absorb the absent doctor's patients, as well as their own patients. My appointment was for 9:30 a.m., I was there by 9:15 a.m. and I wasn't actually seen by my doctor until 10:45 a.m. and it was past 11:15 a.m. before I was hooked up to the IV. As a result, I didn't finish with the treatment until after 1:30 p.m. On the other hand, I had lost the 1 pound I had gained last week (weight was 160 lbs.), blood pressure was good, and my temperature was normal. Plus my blood test results were good and I don't need immune booster injections this week, either!
While I was waiting to be seen and attended to, I read my prayer book and I started compiling a list of blessings. Things for which to be grateful, on this day when I was receiving number 10 of 12 treatments. It helped to alleviate any irritation I was starting to feel at the long delay to be seen by the doctor. Poor me, having to wait more than an hour after waking up early (with very little sleep, too, since I couldn't fall asleep until after 4:00 a.m., last night!) and fighting traffic to get there on time, etc. Poor daughter, having to wake up early on one of the last days of her holiday to accompany me to the clinic. Poor us, we both could have slept another hour! These doctors' offices are always late! Sigh. It is so easy to dwell on the negatives in life, isn't it?
But that leaves me feeling discontent and in a bad mood. So, focus on the positives, instead. Thus my list of things for which I am grateful:
- I made it on time and the delay wasn't due to me being late.
- The commute was accident-free.
- There were no car malfunctionings, no dead batteries, no flat tires, no warning lights, etc.
- I live in a country where I am able to drive myself or have my daughter or any female relative or friend drive me to a medical appointment (or anywhere else) without being forbidden to drive because we are female.
- I didn't have anywhere else to be this day and I didn't have anything else planned so I had all the time to wait.
- My weight was good.
- My blood pressure was good.
- The blood test results were good.
- I had my prayer book to read and I had a book of crossword puzzles to do while I waited.
- I got to spend time with my daughter while I waited.
- The waiting room was comfortable with climate control, upholstered chairs, and free water to drink.
- If that wasn't enough reasons to be grateful for, I was alive! Yes I have cancer and several other chronic illnesses, but they are being treated and I am still alive!
- I have reached chemo number 10 of 12! I've made it this far!
- And with fairly manageable side effects.
- The end of chemo treatments is just two short weeks away!
- I have treatments available to me.
- I have insurance which, while it might not be the best, is at least there and is covering all my treatments, minus the co-pay.
- It is insurance paid for by my employer, so I am grateful I have employment which provides me with paid insurance.
- I am grateful to have some paid sick leave - maybe not as much as I would like, but I do have some.
- I am grateful my employer has allowed me to work from home to minimize the amount of time I'd have to go on unpaid leave.
- I am grateful to have a job which pays an adequate salary and a living wage so I can support myself and my daughter until she's able to support herself.
- I have caring, responsive doctors and nurses.
- I am able to walk into the clinic on my own two feet without any aids.
- I am able to see - my daughter's face, the colors of my garden flowers, check the status of the IV drip
- I am able to hear - my daughter's voice, the bird songs in the garden, the doctor and the nurses' questions.
Just like that, I was able to come up with 25 positives for which to be grateful. There's a lot for which to be grateful, when you think about it. Some are things we take for granted on a daily basis. :)
The treatment was over shortly after 1:30 p.m. and we were home by 2:30 p.m. There was quite a bit of traffic on the commute home because it was a Friday before a holiday weekend. Daughter drove us home and we ate some hamburgers for a late brunch!
I took pictures of the purple four-o-clocks that I mentioned, yesterday. I guess they are more of a magenta color than purple:
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| Purple/Magenta Four-O-Clocks |
Later in the afternoon, daughter went grocery shopping for me and went to the pharmacy to pick up the antibiotics that were prescribed for a rash I have on my cheek.
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| Groceries; not pictured is the pack of bottled water |
She bought two bags of cat food (@ $9.99 + tax) which are not included in the grocery budget. This week's groceries:
1 loaf bread = $1.29
Half & half (milk and creamer) = $2.59
1 gal. whole milk = $2.49
1 pack of 32/16.9 oz. bottles of drinking water @ $2.99 + $1.60 redemption value = $4.59
3 cans condensed milk, @ $1.79 = $5.37
1 lb. store brand butter = $3.49
2 6-packs of soda (@ $2.49 + $.30 redemption value) = $5.58
1 doz. eggs = $1.99
1.49 lb. bananas @ $.69/lb = $1.03
Ham slices = $2.00
Deli barbecue ribs (14 oz.) = $10.99
Total (after deducting cat food and tax) = $42.92
May grocery spending total to date: $51.51 + $17.08 + $36.11 + $1.59 + $42.92 = $149.21
Amount left in May grocery budget: $150 - $149.21 = $0.79
Some of what she bought is for consumption during June. The bottled water is to replenish earthquake/emergency supplies. The butter cost more than what I normally pay, and daughter called me from the grocery store to notify me of the price before she bought it, but I had her buy it anyway for the convenience of having it in the freezer if needed. The eggs were a good price, though.
The deli barbecue ribs were for our dinner, tonight, with corn on the cob and a cucumber salad:
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| My Dinner |
There is still a serving of ribs leftover for one person's lunch or dinner. Neither daughter, nor I, could finish a ear of corn each, so our corn is leftover, too, and a bit of the cucumber salad!
My half sister is bringing lunch and visiting us, tomorrow. So I need to make a flan for dessert, wash the dishes piled in the sink, and tidy up the house a little bit!
How was your Friday? What have you planned for the long Memorial Day weekend?
Love that you were able to set aside one or two irritations and come up with 25 things to be thankful for! We really need to do this. So much can be taken for granted. I was just thinking that even if getting attacked by mosquitoes and blackflies is a nuisance, at least I have the mobility to scratch the bites, and even some good stuff to put on them. And it only takes a few hours of a sprained foot, like the other week, to realize how blessed I am at my age to be able to get around to do things, and also to see and hear and even taste my food (as you well know, not everyone can enjoy this all the time.)
ReplyDeleteI have a few plants to put into the garden, I bought them at a fundraising sale for an orphan home in Zimbabwe. Some of our local people are wonderful with the work they do for the disadvantaged. I also have to fix my hummingbird feeder, which leaked out all the sugar solution. I shall test it out in the sink before refilling it and see how to keep it sealed.
Bushlady
Thank you, Bushlady. Yes, there are so many things for which to be thankful, if only we make the effort to do so. I am not a Pollyanna by any means. But I was at a rather low point in my life and feeling very unhappy, when I re-read one of the prayers in my book. It is supposed to be a list of things that make a happy life and one was thankfulness/gratitude. Then and there, I decided to make a list of 100 things for which to be thankful, starting with being alive, and soon, I had more than 100 items on my list. These days, I routinely list 5 items a day, but occasionally, I do the 100+ items. It makes me think!
DeleteProud you are getting toward the end of the treatments.. Pray for you every day.
ReplyDeleteLots of blessings..
Have a happy weekend.
Thank you, Judy. Truly appreciate all your prayers and feel blessed to know you and others pray and think of me. Hope you have a blessed weekend.
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