Penultimate Chemo Session!

Celebratory Dessert!

Today, I had my penultimate chemo therapy session!  Number 11 of 12 treatments!
I celebrated with a diced peaches fruit cup garnished with whipped cream!  Oh, don't I know to celebrate in style?  I didn't want to put the diced peaches into a glass bowl because that'll just be another dish to wash!  I am doing my part to save water!  As the saying goes, "Every Drop Counts!"

My day got off to a good start.  I didn't fall asleep until about 3:00 a.m., but I woke up at 7:00 a.m. when the alarm went off.  Had a morning call from daughter, as she needed to wake up at 7:00 a.m., herself, to get to work by 8:00 a.m.

The visit to the clinic went very well.  My cousin got here at 8:00 a.m. to go with me to the clinic.  I drove us (we went in my car) in the morning and she drove us back afterwards.  She grabbed the parking ticket from where I had kept it in the car and said the parking ($8.00) was on her!  She wouldn't let me pay her back.  I really should have put it in my purse!

There wasn't as long a wait this time before I was called in and weighed etc.  I weighed in at 159 lbs. (down 1 lb. from last week).  Blood pressure was good, temperature was normal, my blood test results were good and I didn't need any immune booster injections, again.  The nurse practitioner saw me without delay and explained the radiation treatment procedures to me.  She put in the referral, today, for the radiation and also for a bone density scan (she said that very often, cancers tend to return in the bones).  She wants me to come in for hydration the Friday after my last chemo session (and to see how I am doing).  She also wants me to wait 2-3 weeks after the chemo ends to start radiation, to give me time to recover.  She said there might be some skin discoloration/pigmentation and pain.  Said to talk to the radiologist (there will be a consultation visit first, before actual treatment starts) about recommended creams to use. 

I felt fine during most of the treatment, today.  Just a bit sleepy towards the end - I dozed off a bit.  But I was awake during the drive home and didn't need a nap.  It's almost 2:00 a.m., now, and I am still not sleepy.

We got home around 2:00 p.m. and cousin left around 2:20 p.m.  I sent some egg salad and cookies for her mother.  Shortly after she left, my gardener friend came to do the garden.  He raked and tidied the front garden, today, and later in the evening, I watered.  It was 98F today and the garden was parched.

The back screen door handle, that one of my neighbors fixed, fell off, today (it had been loose for a few weeks). He used the shorter, 2-inch screws and I saw that only about 2 or 3 threads actually held the handle in place!  I used the longer 2.5 inch screws and used some nuts (as in nuts and bolts) to hold the screw in place.  One of the nuts is almost the right size - I should have used a washer to make it really fit.  The other nut is too small - I'll need to see if I have another, wider one or combine 2 nuts and/or washers.  Tomorrow.  The door handle will hold for now. 

In the evening, one of my friends called to see how I was doing and we had a nice long chat about this and that. 

I didn't do any cleaning today as I spent all afternoon and most of the evening working on office stuff.

However, I did find ten items to declutter:

June 3 Decluttering

I decluttered:

- 2 books, one on embroidery, one on cakes and cookies.  I have other embroidery books and cook books with cake/cookie recipes.

- 2 heart shaped lidless boxes; I had used them as St. Valentine's Day decor earlier this year, but I didn't feel like keeping them for next year.  However, now I am wondering if I can use them to make pin cushions!  I could stuff them with some fabric-covered foam and decorate them...hmm.  If I do keep them for a craft project, I will find and include 2 replacement items in tomorrow's decluttering!

- My old Texas Instruments scientific calculator from when I was in college!  And the charging cord.  It still works if plugged in!  The battery (original) doesn't charge anymore (but if a new battery was installed, it would probably hold a charge).  But I don't use it or need it anymore, so I really shouldn't keep it.

- 2 cell phone charging cords to phones we no longer have!

- 2 pairs of old reading glasses and their cases.

-1 old electric typewriter ribbon, in the box and cellophane wrapper it came in PLUS the original receipt!  

Dated June 22, 1998!

I no longer have the typewriter, so I don't know why I kept the ribbon!

Today, I had 1 1/2 egg salad sandwiches for brunch, the remaining 1/2 sandwich at tea time and some leftover pasta and shrimp for dinner.  Diced peaches fruit cup and whipped cream, pictured at the top, for dessert!  

June 3 spending log:

$60 for medical bill (difference between what the clinic charged for various treatments and insurance paid)

$15 co-pay for today's clinic visit

My medical spending has been higher than usual during this period as is to be expected.  Once all the treatments come to an end, I should be able to go back to allocating $100/month for medical (dr. visits, prescriptions, etc.)

$100 for gardener for the month (4 weeks; 4 visits)
 

How was your Friday?  What did you do?  What are your plans for the weekend?