Here it is Saturday already. My how time flies. My week was pretty uneventful actually. I had decided to make a conscience effort to sit-up straight since I’m such a sloucher. So every time I cought myself slouching, I would remind myself and straighten up. This goes for standing as well. By day two or three, I developed an amazingly bad backache. We couldn’t figure out why for a while but then it just hit us like a ton of bricks. Poor muscle strength + hard work = sore body. No pain, no gain is what I had to start living by. Ughhhh, I thought the pain was behind me. Not. Anyway, after laying around for a couple of days letting the overworked muscles heal, I started over again. Using small 5 pound weights for my arm exercises and doing some small time gardening. Again with the pain. This is going to be a very long process I’m afraid. Austin asked me to help him with Lacrosse and throw the ball back and forth. I figured this would be very interesting beings I have never thrown or caught a lacrosse ball. It was fun. However, there was a time when I needed to get to the ball quickly, so I attempted to run. My son burst out into laughter and said “No offense Mom, but you really looked retarded just then. “ Out of the mouths of babes. I’d like to say that in defense, I winged the next ball and it wizzed right at him but I can’t because my arms have no more muscles than my leggs do. Sad, sad, sad. But I’m sure it is only a matter of time (and pain) until my muscles are back in order. I’ll keep working at it anyway. Short walks and small weights, increased weekly should do the trick. I am really looking forward to getting back to normal and a little stronger before they knock me back down again August.
I have started re-growing my hair. It’s at an awkward stage right now. I’m going to attempt to attach some new photos showing the new doo. It most likely will be looking good just about the time that they take it from me again. Oh well, it’s only hair, right?
Well I hope you all have a great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon. God Bless.
Hello everyone. Are your taxes done?
My weekend was uneventful as I was in bed sick for 95% of it. Horrible headache and stomach issues. Couldn’t keep anything down again. Not sure if it was from the headache or the chemo pills. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow when I go back to the doctor for my weekly visit. My tempeture was between 95 and 95.9. I know….weird. Cold instead of hot.
I have a favor to ask all of you. My sister Amy’s father-in-law Gordan was diagnosed with bowel cancer and needs your prayers. He’s been in an Australian hospital for about a week and had surgery earlier this week. I know how much prayers can help so please include him when you can.
Thanks, Donna
Good Morning to all. I hope everyone had a great weekend. As for us, it was a lot of walking and shopping. The boys wanted to go to the mall, so I figured “cool, that will give some good walking time”. Wrong. Who knew they actually wanted to shop. Stopping at every skater or cool clothing store there was. It became a lot of standing around instead of walking. I suppose I could still consider it exercise though. I hadn’t been to a mall in ages and was completely shocked at the prices. Just cause it’s in one building? Goodness!! I told them to show me what they liked and then I’d go shopping at Kohl’s or Penny’s or Target and come home with the same thing for half the price. They squaked something about name brands and being cool, so I pretty much informed them that if they wanted that then they better get a job because it’s against my character to pay out the nose just because it has a special label on it. They both seemed to go thru a growth spurt while mom was out of town and I let them know that if they weren’t carefull and they kept whining, they’d be wearing high-water pants and tight shirts all summer. Are you getting the idea that the mall was a very frustrating trip? My legs weren’t the only thing that was burning by the end of the day.
Austin has been working for some church people doing physical labor in the yards (i.e. moving rock, laying patio bricks etc.) and getting paid $10 an hour. It’s spuratic work but it pays very well for a 15 year old. So I told him and one of his friends that I’d make a deal with them and if they would dig up all my sprinkler lines so we could fix them, I’d pay them also but they would have to work consistantly and not goof around. I also told them that if they got bored of it and left it half done, that they would be resposible for hiring someone to finish it for them. That would require them to learn Spanish very quickly so they could pick up one of the laborers that stands outside the nursery everyday. Long story short, we struck a deal and off to work they went. The first night they worked for two hours and had the side yard completed. Michael thought I was crazy and saw major dollar signs in his head and decided he would re-negotiate the deal. The next day, Michael says he will pay them each $250 (the price of a WII) to complete it. I told him he was crazy because it would never take them 25 hours to complete. He disagreed and then the boys nearly finished it that day, totaling approximately 5 hours. Now I’m arguing with them because I told them our original agreement needed to stick as it is what we shook on and Michael had no business re-negotiating. Ugggggg………..Part of my job was doing contracts and proposals, I think I know what I’m doing. I actually had the boys talked down to 8 bucks an hour with a possible bonus if they did a good job. Men! Anyhow, I’m excited that the sprinklers are on there way to getting fixed and the yard will be something other than a dirt pit. It will make it much nicer to hang out in the pool this summer.
I am getting my hair back rather quickly and it is amazingly soft. We think it’s going to be a dirty blond color as that is what shows in the light. I will get Ian to take some pictures today and I’ll post them this week. Of course the nuisance hair (i.e. eyebrows, legs and armpits) is growing at twice the rate of the head hair. Go figure, isn’t that just my luck? Oh well, I’ll take what I can get. It’s just nice to be back to semi-normal. I’ve been feeling good and there for a while I wasn’t sure that was ever going to happen. One day I’ll be able to run and hike and play sports again. I’m sure of it. The muscles may be slow in coming back but at least they are coming back.
I have a dr.’s appointment in an hour and I’ll find out if they will be increasing my meds. I truly hope not because I’m feeling really good right where they are. I’ve shaken the “unsteady on my feet because my head is floating somewhere in outer space” feeling. The “please dock this boat” feeling is gone as well. So all that is left is “what???? you told me that when??? I can’t remember crap, chemo brain” feeling. I can accept that. It gives me a chance to have kind of a “Forest Gump” happiness about me. I’ll let you all know what happens tomorrow.
Please keep praying that everything continues to improve and go as well as it has. I know the thoughts and prayers are doing as much if not more than the actual chemo.
TTFN (ta ta for now)
Ok……….on to another day. I spent most of yesterday at the computer downloading cd’s and going thru unmarked ones. What was I thinking when I put photo’s and documents on cd’s and didn’t label them? It would have been much easier to do at the time of copying. I swear……….whoever believes virgos are super organizers is crazy. Either that or I’m just missing a trait.
Heard from my older sister yesterday. Seems the spring time weather is still a bit chilly in Kansas. Almost makes me feel guilty when I pull on my shorts in the morning. Of course, my internal tempature is still broken so I’m constantly pulling on a jacket, taking it off and fanning myself, pulling on a jacket and wrapping a blanket around me, then nearly stripping. One extreme to the next. Let’s hope that’s not a permenant thing. But it was good to hear from Sheila. Good luck to the kids in their track meets this year.
Went for a walk yesterday. Michael and the dog came with me. It was the same walk I’d done during other recovery times but somehow this time it seemed a lot further. My legs were burning by the time I got home. But it felt good to get our there and get started. Boy do I have a long way to go. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I just got to keep telling myself that. We’ll definately give it another go today.
Ian, Michael and I played scrabble last night. I think it was pick on the handicap day. At least that is how it turned out as Michael and Ian had a great time making fun of the one with “chemo-brain”. I didn’t lose by just a little bit………..I was slaughtered. The other two were neck to neck the whole time and Michael just barely pulled ahead right at the end. It was a lot of fun though. We laughed until we nearly cried at times. That Ian can be a real character. I just love that he still likes to spend time with Mom.
Not much else happened since I wrote yesterday, so I guess I’ll let you all get back to your day and I’ll see you here again tomorrow. Love ya!
The days just fly by as I’m trying to organize my house and therefor my life. That on top of spring cleaning. I can’t believe the dust and dirt collection. The baseboards, cupboards, window sills etc. It’s a never ending project. Yesterday, Ian and I cleaned out his lizard cage. Discusting! That needs to be done more often. I was afraid to look under his bed for fear of what I might find. It may add days to my project. Of course Austin’s room is worse. I just keep his door closed. 
Went to the doctor yesterday. They have decided to keep me on the low dose chemo for a while and see how it works instead of increasing it. She said it will build up in my system and we should see some drops in the white cells soon. I assured her, I’m in no big hurry. These meds make me feel like I’m on a ship or something and my head is just floating around. Go figure…..I was allready dizzy.
So they also re-iterated how important it is to exercise thru all of this. Both cardio and weight bearing. If I don’t, I’m told the steroids will work on “melting” my muscles. Seems a bit backwards from why people usually take steroids. I guess I’ll get my back side out there for a good long walk today. Hopefully I won’t have to call Michael and ask him to come pick me up as I’ve gone too far and can’t get back. :) I’m working on importing all my cd’s into i-tunes so I can have some work-out music on my ipod. I’ve never been one to stay motivated with daily exercise. It’s such a chore. Can’t wait until it’s warm enough to work out in the pool. Of course, I’ll have to make sure one of the boys is with me and lifeguard trained so I don’t drown. These muscles have a mind of their own and work only when THEY want to. I’ll be like a bobber on a fish line…..up…down….up….down……help?. Anyway, I’ll keep you informed on my progress, but don’t expect me to be posing for any muscle magazines anytime soon.
The weather in Vegas is beautiful. I love the spring almost as much as I love the fall. The promise of new life. My Aunt sent me some photos from Oklahoma of the tulips in her garden. They were HUGE! I can only imagine how they look in person filling her yard as they seem to be laughing at the winter snow proving their strength of survival.
Michael’s uncle Glen had surgery a couple of days ago and seems to be having a tough time today. Please add him to your prayers. I am proof that prayer works.
Well, I imagine that is enough about me for one day. I will keep you updated as the days go by. I love all of you.