Been Up for 24 Hours!

As of 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, I have been up for 24 hours!  I just couldn't fall asleep, last night!  Insomnia as a side effect from the steroids I was given prior to the chemo!  The first time it happened, I was unprepared and spent the majority of the night trying to fall asleep.  But, this time, I was prepared.  After I said goodnight to daughter a little after midnight, and didn't feel sleepy, I stayed up and played mahjong on the computer until after 2:00 a.m.

After that, I went to the bed and tried to fall asleep.  No luck!  So, at about 3:30 a.m., I gave up trying to sleep and came back to the living room and read a book.  Last time, I managed to go to sleep around 5:30 a.m. and slept for a couple of hours.  But not this time.  Around 7:00 a.m., I realized that I won't fall asleep, after all, and drank a cup of tea, opened the drapes, fed the cat, etc. 

At least I am at home and could take a nap later in the morning or in the afternoon, if I feel like it.  It's not like I have to go into the office to work after staying up all night.  So, I'm OK with it.

I had planned to tidy and clean the house, do some laundry, etc., today.  Not sure how much I'll accomplish after not sleeping, but we'll see.

Grateful for:

- Electricity to power the computer and the lights so I could play games and read at night.
- Not having to be at the office, working, today, after being awake all night.
- Being at home where I could take naps during the day should I need to (which I probably will!)
- Learning all sorts of useful, if random, information, such as that an 8 oz. cup of black tea is considered to have 26 mg. of caffeine, but can actually vary from 14 to 70 mg. and an average healthy person can consume 400 mg. of caffeine a day and be OK.  More than that can be considered to be too much caffeine.
- Yesterday's strong winds didn't do any damage to my garden, especially the eucalyptus tree.  

Hope you are all having a lovely Saturday and a blessed start to your weekend.

Friday's Productivity

I had my Taxol chemo session #5, today.  7 more to go!  Yes, I've started a countdown! 

My appointment was for 9:15 a.m.  I was up by 7:30 a.m. and on the road by 8:00 a.m.   I was at the clinic by 9:10 a.m.  I was weighed (up 1 lb. since Wednesday), had my temperature checked (normal), blood pressure checked (very good readings), etc.  Then, saw  the oncologist who said my white blood cell count was good, but I'll need to take two more injections next week after today's chemo.  I was hooked up to the IV at 10:30 a.m. and it ended at 12:30 p.m.  I read my prayer book,  knitted (finished knitting the back of the top and started on the front), and listened to some of the conversations going on around me.  Some of those patients have really bad side effects on the Taxol.   I am SO grateful that I have relatively mild side effects in comparison.  One lady is undergoing radiation, as well, as she showed where her skin has been burned from it.  It looked very painful.

By the time the IV was disconnected, the port was flushed, I had gone to the restroom, paid my co-payment for the visit, and walked to the car park, it was 1:00 p.m.  I got home at 1:45 p.m.

One of my cousins called shortly thereafter to see how it went and to gently chide me for not calling her for a ride.  But she had hosted two sets of visitors from overseas, recently, and when I asked her how she was feeling she admitted to feeling tired, so I was glad I didn't get her to drive me and add to her tiredness.  It would have been a long morning for her and I just didn't want to impose on her.  Especially since I knew, from previous Taxol chemo sessions, that I felt OK afterwards.  If I had experienced any bad side effects like nausea immediately afterwards on the previous sessions, I would have asked her for a ride.

I finished my office work assignment and sent it off to my colleague (with a copy to my supervisor so that she's kept in the loop, too), before the end of the work day, today. 

My gardener came to do the garden today and he weeded the front parkway for me:

The Weeded Parkway

The parkway, for those who might not know, is a strip of land between the road and the sidewalk/pavement.  It is owned by the City, but maintained by the homeowners.  Normally, this area has grass and maybe a tree (which belongs to and maintained by the City).   The neighbor next door to me has a typical grass and tree parkway (to the top of the picture).  I used to have a nice big tree in my parkway, but the City cut it down several years ago because the roots of the tree were damaging the sidewalk, and I could never get the grass to grow well.  So I've planted flowers in this area for several years.  The drought has made this a bit of a challenge, though.

The gardener and I planted African daisies in the parkway, earlier (last year?) but most of the plants died over the summer.  Then, earlier this year, after the rains, I noticed that some of the plants had self-seeded themselves and small seedlings were coming up.  Then the weeds took over!

Some of the Seedlings

I am hoping that these seedlings will grow and establish themselves.  I might also transplant some other African daisy seedlings from other areas of the garden to help cover more ground. 

The plants are more established at the other end of the parkway:

The More Established African Daisies

If the African daisies don't establish themselves, I will transplant some gazanias there.  Gazanias are more drought tolerant than the African daisies, I think.  This parkway gets the full summer afternoon sun.  Or maybe it's time to plant succulents in this area.

Daughter doesn't have a fever anymore but she says she feels very tired.  She slept-in this morning and took an afternoon nap, as well.

I received several calls from family and friends, today, which was nice.  :)

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter is recovering
- I was able to drive myself to chemo and back
- Chemo session #5 completed without any problems
- No side effects so far
- Phone calls from family and friends

It's Friday night now and I am relaxing, video chatting with daughter while I type this post.  She's telling me what her grocery list is for tomorrow (bread, radishes, bagged salad or lettuce, cucumber and carrots, broccoli or Brussels sprouts, sesame oil, milk, bananas and maybe any other fruit that is on sale).

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend? 

 

Disappearing Eyebrows

Barely There Eyebrows

One of the side effects of the chemo I am on - thinning eyebrows.  I lost my hair earlier and now the eyebrows and eyelashes are going.  One of these days I'll have to invest in an eyebrow pencil and draw them in.

I spoke with my daughter in the morning and she said she didn't have any fever (she checked), but still had some congestion.  She went to all her classes, however, and to her part-time job.  She called me when she got back to her apartment in the evening to say she was feeling a little tired, but OK otherwise.  She was going to take a nap and then, we'll video chat later in the evening.

Today, I went in for my blood tests in the morning.  I've been going there so often that the phlebotomists working there and I are on first name basis!  They are such nice, caring people.  They always take the time to ask how I am doing and today, I was given hugs by two of them!

After I came home, I spent some time working on the office assignment and exchanging emails with one of my co-workers.

I also spent a little time video chatting with one of my friends.  We correspond almost daily with emails, but it's been several weeks since I last video chatted with her.  I am always so amazed by the technology which enables us to do so.  Especially since we are in two different continents.


I had a nutritional drink in the morning for breakfast and then, ate some of the rice with chicken and vegetables that my neighbor had brought over for lunch.  A bit later, I still wanted something else, so I made myself some stewed apples.  I cooked the slices of apple in a bit of butter and sugar and then had it with a scoop of ice cream:

Stewed Apples and Ice Cream

It was almost like apple pie without the crust!

I was hungry again by 5:30 p.m., so I ate more of the rice and chicken!  Some days I am not hungry and other days I am starving!  I've just had a cup of tea and I think I'm OK.  If I get hungry again, later, I will eat a salad.  (Update:  I had a tuna sandwich.)

Was it only a week ago that I was getting ready to pick up daughter from the airport and found that the car wouldn't start?  Seems like such a lot happened in that week!  Of course daughter won't be coming home this week.  She won't be coming home next weekend, either, because she has some final papers to write and prepare for her thesis presentation.

I had phone calls from two of my friends today, both checking up on me.  One of them offered to do any grocery shopping for me this weekend.  I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again.  I am so blessed to have such thoughtful, caring friends.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter seems to be on the mend again
- Video chatting with my friend
- Thoughtful, caring friends
- Hugs from the phlebotomists at the lab
- Another day with minimal side effects

How was your Thursday?

Happy New Year!

Today, April 13, is when they celebrate our cultural New Year in my country of birth (Sri Lanka).  It's a holiday, special foods are made and eaten, the traditional oil lamp is lit, families visit one another, and there are festivities.  Over here, of course, it is just another day and it's been awhile since I last made a fuss about celebrating the cultural New Year.  There will be a celebration at the Temple this weekend, I was notified, but I won't be attending because I am trying to avoid being exposed to germs.  Still it is another opportunity for a new beginning, if you like!  So, if you slacked off on any New Year's resolutions, here's a chance to renew them!  

I've had a good day, today.  I went to the clinic in the morning and got the injection.  So far, no aches and pains.  On the way back, I put gas to the car.  It's the first time I put gas to the car myself, since I started chemo because my over-protective daughter wouldn't let me!  But daughter had been too sick to do that this weekend and I needed gas.  I wore my mask when I went in to pay and while I was putting the gas and I came home an washed my hands, so I'm sure I'll be fine.  Gas was $2.59 per gallon at the station I went to.  It was $2.79/gal. at some of the other stations I passed.

After I came home, I called daughter to check on her.  She is feeling much better, she said.  She didn't have a fever and only some congestion.  She got to sleep in a bit since her morning class had been canceled.  She did attend her afternoon class.  We've decided that she will not come home this weekend.  It will enable her to fully rest and recover and minimize my exposure to her germs, as well.

After I spoke with daughter, I had a fried egg and ham sandwich for brunch.  Then, I sat down to do the office work.  However, in the afternoon, I felt so sleepy that I took a nap!   But afterwards, I did more office work and finished the amount of work I had set for myself to do today.  I should be able to finish the assignment by Friday (due date) without any problems.

After I finished my office work for the day, I went for a walk a couple of times around the block.  I walked for about 20 minutes.  A little bit of fresh air and exercise.  There were some nicely landscaped front gardens in the next block that I admired.  My garden doesn't look anything like theirs.  

I wasn't very hungry for dinner today, so I ate a bowl of the cashew curry I had thawed, drank a nutritional drink and ate an apple.

There were several phone calls today from various members of the family and I called one of my friends, as well.   And when I returned from my walk, one of my neighbors saw me and spoke with me.  I always chuckle at our conversations because she only speaks Spanish and I barely speak any Spanish.  But we manage to ask how the other is and that's what's important.  

Today I am grateful for:

- Daughter is feeling better

- A safe drive to the clinic and back

- Immunity boosting injections

- Afternoon naps on the sofa

- Family and friends

How was your day, today?

Tuesday's Doings

Called my daughter, first thing in the morning, to see how she was.  She said her temperature was normal, thank goodness!  But she stayed home from classes and worked from home.  I am glad she was able to rest and take it easy.

My supervisor called me in the morning to ask if I could help a colleague with his assignment and could I complete it by the end of the week.  I said yes, of course.  So I have been working on that assignment, all day.

I took a morning break to bring in the trash cans. I keep the trash cans against the wall along my driveway, in front of the garage, where four-o-clock plants have seeded themselves and grow each year:

Four-O-Clock Plants

There's barely any soil along the wall, maybe two or three inches, but they've wedged themselves in there:

Four-O-Clocks (and a dandelion!)

I also took a little walk around the back garden.  This is my rosemary plant, which I grew from a cutting a friend gave me:

Rosemary Plant

It is several years old and the entire plant is leaning out of the bed where it has been planted!  I took some cuttings, today, and put them in water to root.

Rosemary Cuttings in Water

Once they've rooted, I'll plant them in the garden.  They are drought resistant and are grown as landscape plants, here.

There are baby birds in the nest in my front porch light!  Today I saw the mama bird perched on the edge of the nest feeding them and at least two baby birds!  But I couldn't photograph them - the mama bird flew away and the baby birds crouched down:

The Nest

The mama bird is perched on a branch of the eucalyptus tree in my front garden, watching me take a picture of her nest:

I believe they are house finches.  The adults are about the size of a sparrow, mostly brown, with the male having a rosy red head and throat.

In the evening, I put water to the front garden.  The newly planted gladioli bulbs are starting to come up, but I didn't take a picture.  I also watered the indoor plants.

I had a ham sandwich for breakfast and made some fried rice for lunch.  I tried to make just enough for a single serving, but by the time I had added all the ingredients (onions, smoked sausage, egg, celery, green peas, etc.), there was enough for two servings.   I had an orange for dessert.

In the evening, my neighbor S across the street called me.  It was her daughter who drove me to the airport last Thursday night to pick up daughter and her husband who attended to my car.  Neighbor was calling to tell me that she cooked more of her chicken and rice dish (with carrots and onions and bell peppers) and she was bringing me some for my dinner.  She actually brought me two containers of it, so I froze one for later (or for daughter to take back with her the next time she visits).  I had some for my dinner and it looks like there's enough leftover for the rest of the week! 

The bulbs in my kitchen ceiling light fixture needed replacing.  For several weeks now, I've been making do with the light on my stove hood.  My friend who does my garden stopped by this evening to replace the bulbs.  But first, he had to go and buy them for me, because daughter had been too sick to do so.  I took the opportunity to clean the inside of the light fixture cover, when he removed it to replace the bulbs. 

Later, I video chatted with daughter.  She said she had a headache, earlier, but she's feeling better.  Her first class tomorrow morning has been cancelled, so she gets to sleep in a bit and rest. 

I only had some minor aches and pains, today, which was nice.  Tomorrow, I have another injection scheduled in the morning.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter is feeling better.
- I had a relatively side effects free day.
- My neighbor brought me dinner (and enough for several meals!)
- I have a working kitchen light!
- A phone call from a friend.

How was your day?

Monday Update

I drove myself to the clinic for my immune booster injection this morning while daughter slept in.  They checked my temperature, as usual, and it was normal, which was good.  My blood pressure was good, too.  I received my injection and drove myself home again.  What a blessing to have a working car!

After I came home, I called my supervisor at the office to update her on the status of my work assignments (I am working from home during my treatments).  I will update her again, later in the week.

Daughter still had a low grade (100.2F) fever, today.  So she kept to her room and worked on her homework assignments.  Later in the afternoon, I drove her to the airport.  I sent her back with some frozen cooked salmon, frozen cooked vegetables and cashew curry, four apples and three of the last four oranges from my tree.  She still has a package of the frozen chicken curry I sent with her last week and canned fruits, etc.  So she should be fine for food, this week.  She won't need to go grocery shopping or cook when she's not feeling well.  And, if anyone is wondering if there's enough for me, I have a head of cabbage, three beets, most of a bag of carrots and the last wedge of lettuce for fresh vegetables and two apples, two pears, two tangerines and three oranges for fresh fruit, plus frozen and canned items.  I will need more fresh produce by the end of the week, but I can always ask one of my friends or a neighbor to pick some for me. 

I've suggested to daughter that she takes the day off from her classes and work, tomorrow, and books an appointment at the campus clinic to have herself checked.  She might be 23 years old and just finishing up her Master's, but I still worry about her!  She has agreed to taking off from classes and calling her workplace to see if she can work from home.  She also checked on-line to see if she could get an appointment at the clinic, but there weren't any available.  She said that if she still had a fever tomorrow morning, she'll call the clinic in the morning to see if she can get a "same day" appointment.

After I dropped daughter off at the airport and came home, I sprayed the house with disinfectant and opened the windows to air out the place.  Later, I cleaned out the fridge, emptied the waste bins and kitchen trash, etc., and took the big trash cans to the curb for trash pick up in the morning.

Later in the evening, I video chatted with daughter, and spoke on the phone with an aunt and a friend.  I began to feel a bit achy (side effect of the injection), so took two Tylenols.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Daughter had a safe flight back to Berkeley
- I was able to send enough food back with her
- She is allowed to carry food on the plane with her
- My temperature was normal when it was checked
- Phone calls from family and friends

How was your Monday?  Did you have a good day?

Quiet Day

Today has been a quiet day, here.

My daughter woke up feeling well enough, although she still had stuffy sinuses and was sneezing, but later on, she developed a slight fever!  She took some ibuprofen and the fever went down, but she is feeling so bad about exposing me to her germs.  Especially as she had been so anxious that I avoid public places and insistent that I wear a mask when I go out, etc., in order to avoid getting exposed to germs and getting sick!  Ah, well.  "The best laid schemes of mice and men" and all that!

She's been keeping to her room with the door closed and wearing a mask when she has to leave the room, to minimize my exposure to her germs.  We've both had our flu vaccines, so, hopefully, what she has is a sinus infection and not the flu.  I've sprayed the house with disinfectant and opened the windows to air it out.  There's not much else I can do.  Hopefully, my immune system is strong enough to withstand it.  In any case, I will be going to the clinic tomorrow for an immune booster injection and another on Wednesday, as well.  And we'll deal with the consequences, if there are any.

My daughter is scheduled to fly back to Berkeley tomorrow afternoon.  I am hoping she will be well enough to do so.  I think she's been doing too much and got a bit run down.  I've suggested she stays in Berkeley next weekend and rests.  She's worried about me but I'll be able to manage.

Of course, she wasn't able to go to the ethnic store for fresh produce, today, as planned.  Fortunately, I still have enough fresh produce on hand to share with her, plus there's enough cooked and frozen items, as well.  So she won't have to go grocery shopping when she's not feeling too well.

I didn't do much of anything other than worry about daughter, today.  My neighbor T called me in the morning to check on me - her weekly, Sunday at 11:00 a.m. phone call.  I did some paperwork, spent some time on-line, ran the dishwasher, cooked rice and a smoked sausage stir-fry for dinner, called a couple of friends, and wrote to another friend.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter's fever was low grade and went down with the ibuprofen
- Her fever hadn't returned when she last checked
- An overstocked fridge and freezer
- My neighbor's weekly phone calls to check on me
- Another day without side effects

How was your Sunday?  Hope you've had a lovely day.