Slept All Day Tuesday!

It was another day in which all I did was sleep!  I'd wake up every so often, take the medications as needed, and go back to sleep!  I hope I have now rested as much as I needed to!  They told me at the clinic to drink some caffeinated drink, such as coffee or cola, and I've drunk some cola, but still, not enough to keep me awake!

I'm sorry this is such a poor blog post.  Hopefully, tomorrow, I'll have more energy and have something fun to post about.  

I am grateful for:

- having the luxury of being able to sleep as much as I need to
- knowing that daughter is there to keep things taken care of (Dancer cat fed, trash cans brought in, mail collected, etc.)
- caring friends who call to see how I am
- an aunt's phone call
- continued absence of nausea (with meds).

Hydration Monday

Had to go in for more hydration, today.  We left the house at 7:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. appointment.  Was seen by the nurse-practitioner and then, started receiving treatment at 10:30 a.m., which lasted until just after 1:00 p.m.  Hydration, plus anti-nausea meds, plus an immune booster shot.  The treatment room was crowded and noisy, today, and I felt very cold during treatment.  So, it wasn't a very pleasant experience, today.

Came home and I slept all afternoon.  However, on the good side, I don't feel any nausea, so that is a blessing.

Later in the evening, I managed to help daughter clean out the fridge - as much as I hate food waste, it was impossible to eat everything people sent us over the holidays and there were a few things that had to go.  I didn't want to risk food poisoning, so, the old, expired food had to go! 

Tomorrow, I am hoping I'll feel well enough to do some housework.  The house is looking rather neglected and messy with piles of stuff waiting to be attended to.  Daughter is busy revising her thesis draft, so I can't expect her to do any more than the bare essentials when it comes to house keeping - she has her hands full taking me to my medical appointments and taking care of me at home. 

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter being there to drive me to my appointment and back
- Getting the hydration and medicines I need
- Not feeling nauseated
- Being able to rest in the afternoon
- Feeling just a bit better in the evening

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

Slept All Day Sunday!

The fatigue that set in on Saturday evening lasted into Sunday and I slept all day on Sunday!  I only woke up to take my medications and once to eat part of a banana.  However, I am not feeling nauseated, so, that's a blessing.

A friend of mine sent me a gift of a warm soft throw blanket, a pair of socks, and a crossword puzzle book, today, and she included a fleece vest for my daughter, as well. 

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to rest
- Daughter being there to take care of things for me
- The cat keeping me company while I slept
- A friend's very thoughtful gift
- No nausea

I am off to say my nightly prayers and go back to sleep.  I've an appointment at the clinic, tomorrow morning, so have to be up, bright and early!

Hope you have all had a lovely Sunday.

Saturday after Chemo

I had a fairly good day, today.  I woke up early, feeling OK.  No nausea.  Good appetite.  Fatigue set in later, though, and I took a nap.  

 

I didn't do much, today.  I cooked French toast and bacon for brunch and did a big pile of dishes that had accumulated in the sink, yesterday and today.  Called an aunt to wish her for her birthday, and one of my cousins called and came over for a visit, which was nice.

Today was a rather overcast day - no rain, but no sunshine, either.  It was a good day to stay indoors with the heater on and play on-line games!  :)

 

Today, I am grateful for:

 

- A good day after the 2nd chemo treatment

- Minimal side effects (just a little tired now)

- A visit from cousin

- A quiet, restful day

- Hugs from daughter

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

Mountain Climbing: 2nd Chemo Session

I had my second chemo session, today.

Daughter and I left at 7:30 a.m. for the 8:45 a.m. appointment.  I was expecting the freeway to be congested, and it was, but not too bad.  Traffic was moving.  However, once off the freeway, there was an accident one block away from the road I turn on to go to the clinic, and fire trucks were blocking the road!  Some drivers were making U-turns to go back and find alternate ways around it.  I turned into a parking lot and made my way out of the parking lot onto a side street and went around the block and got back on the road to the clinic.  Good thing I left the house early enough!  Still made it there on time!  :)

Vitals were good, again - weight had crept up a bit to 170 lbs. (and I expect it to fluctuate as I eat on the good days and don't eat as much on the not so good days).  Blood pressure was excellent! 

I was seen by the nurse practitioner, again, rather than the doctor.  Which was OK with me.  I like her and she really does take time to go over things with you and explain things.  She didn't like the fact that I had side effects from the type of immune booster shots I received and checked with my insurance to see if another type was covered, and apparently it was.  So, I'll be receiving this other type, instead, and hopefully, that'll eliminate the side effects I experienced earlier from the previous shots.

She also wants me to come back to the clinic on Monday and Wednesday, too, and not wait for a whole week, like I did the last time, so she can monitor any side effects and give me hydration and any additional medications I might need.  While it is a bit of an inconvenience to have to drive there 3 times, next week, I like the fact that she is monitoring me and my reactions more closely.  Maybe I won't have such a miserable week, this time around!

She also prescribed a different type of antibiotics just to keep the tooth infection under control when my immune system is depressed.  The infection is gone, now, but, this is to keep it from flaring up, again.  She took the time to check if there will be any drug interference with this particular antibiotics (there weren't - it's the same one I took when I had the surgery and there were problems.

The chemo session went smoothly.  I really don't feel anything during it, as they first give me allergy meds, steroids, and anti-nausea meds.  No, that's not quite true.  I felt cold!  Actually, my legs (which were covered with my coat and a blanket) felt cold!  The room is cold and I didn't think twice about feeling so cold until I mentioned it to daughter a little while ago and she said I should have mentioned it to the nurse, as it might have been a side effect!

I knitted for the most part, until towards the end of the treatment, when the allergy medications made me feel slightly sleepy (I didn't experience that, last time).  I dozed off a bit in the car ride back (daughter drove).  We picked up more teriyaki rice bowls for lunch and I had a good appetite.

Later, after lunch, daughter went to the pharmacy, again, for me, to pick up my latest antibiotics prescription.  

My gardener friend and daughter packed up the Christmas tree and took the boxes of decorations to the garage.  I took down the Christmas Village, but didn't quite finish packing it up - all the houses and people have been packed, but I still need to take down the string of lights.  I store that in the same bin with the rest of the Village stuff, so everything is in one place (the bins are labelled with the contents - "Christmas Village", "Tree Decorations", "Santa Figures Collection", etc.).  I started to feel a bit tired, so I took a break and played on-line jigsaw puzzles!  I am addicted to them!  Will take the string of lights down, tomorrow.

After he helped with putting away the decorations, my gardener friend pruned the rose bushes.  At one time, I had close to 100 rose bushes and it would take him from January to February to finish pruning them all, in weekly sessions.  Now, with just a quarter of that number remaining, he was able to prune them all in one session!

So, that has been my day.  Chemo treatment in the morning; putting away Christmas in the afternoon and evening.  Jigsaw puzzles later in the evening and night.  One of my aunts and  a friend called.   They are both still battling their coughs/sore throats, etc.  Both will stay away from me for a little longer to minimize my catching it from them while my immune system is depressed.

However, another cancer patient came in for hydration treatment, today, and made a cheerful announcement that he was having a cold!  He didn't have on a mask and he was sniffling and sneezing and someone else was coughing!  I quickly took out my mask and put it on!  (I wear the mask when I am in the waiting room, but take it off when I go inside, because they check the temperature, etc., and have been keeping it off during treatment; but now, I think, with flu season in full effect, I will continue to wear it when I am inside, as well).

Today, I am grateful for:

- Another sunny day (rain in the forecast to tomorrow)

- Not having to drive in the rain (the freeway I normally take got flooded during the recent rain storms and had to be closed while crews pumped the water out!)

- A good chemo session, good vitals, white blood cell count, etc.

- I will be closely monitored for side effects, next week (just must remember to actually tell them of ALL side effects!)

- Help putting away the decorations.

How was your day, today?

One Week into the New Year

The New Year is already one week old!  That went by fast, didn't it?

Today, we had bright sunshine.  No rain, at all.

I went for my blood test in the morning.  Afterwards, I completed this week's work assignment and sent the completed work back to the office.  I'm glad I was able to get it all done before tomorrow's chemo session.  I do have additional work to do, next week, if I feel up to it, but, if not, I will take sick time off.

After I completed and sent off my finished work assignment, I put away yesterday's laundry and started taking down the Christmas decorations.  I took most of it down except for the Christmas Village.  I'll do that tomorrow, after the chemo.

I always wrap everything in bubble wrap or tissue paper and put back in boxes, before putting the boxes in the plastic storage totes.  Last year, when I packed up things, I had no doubt I'd be taking them out again, later in the year, to decorate for Christmas.  I had no idea that I'd be having cancer the next time I'd take them out.  Today, as I wrapped things and put them away, I wondered if this would be the last time.  Will I be well enough to take them out again, next Christmas?  Or will my daughter be the one to take them out, next time?  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Daughter ran some errands for me, in the afternoon, and did the grocery shopping: bread, bananas, fresh raspberries, milk, eggs, juice and coconut water, 3 boxes of mac & cheese, a packet of cold cuts, some snacks for herself, soda, cat food, etc.  She also picked up some household items I needed:  kitchen sponges, boxes of facial tissues, a 2016 calendar, etc.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny day after two days of rain!
- Daughter running errands for me, cheerfully and willingly
- Full pantry cabinets
- Getting my work assignment completed in good time
- Daughter bringing me an ice cream cone on her return from running errands!  Butter pecan - my favorite!

How was your day?  Have you taken down the holiday decorations, yet?       

Rainy Wednesday, Too!

 

Front "Lawn" in the Rain

Another rainy morning!  I love waking up to the sound of rain!  Especially, when I don't have to go out in it!  Yes, the day is grey and dark, but the rain is a blessing, as it's moisture we desperately need.  As you can see from the state of my practically non-existent front "lawn"!

Front "Lawn" Close-Up

And a view of the back garden:

 

Soaking up the Rain!

 


My neighbor knocked on my door, shortly after 9:00 a.m.  She said she has no phone service. She came to check if my phone was working (it was) and asked if her husband could come over later to use my phone to report loss of service.  I said yes, of course, but it's been 3 hours since and I haven't heard from him, so I presume their phone service was restored.  

I called the office to discuss a project with a co-worker who is also working on the same project with me.  Then, called my supervisor to update her, as well, and left her a message. 

In between, I folded and put away yesterday's load of laundry, made a tuna salad sandwich for brunch, and took pictures of the garden enjoying all the rain it's getting.   :)

Lemon Trees

Today's To Do list:
- work on the office project
- do the dishes
- take down decorations
- change daughter's bedding
- do another load of laundry.

Today, I am grateful for:

- More rain for the garden
- Being able to work from home
- Internet and phone service
- Electricity
- Being able to take photos with my laptop (even if they come out a bit blurry!)

How is your Wednesday?