Thursday, 5/31/07

Short Story: Still feeling like the "new normal".

Bathroom: We are beginning to see the end of the tile! Ken has most of the decorative tiles up. We are now waiting on our shelf (to put shampoo and soap on) to be finished. It's supposed to be done tomorrow. Since I've heard this song before, I'll believe it when I have it in my hands! After we get the shelf, it should take two more days of work, then the tile is DONE!

Tuesday, 5/29/07

Short story: Still feeling good. Getting back into the swing of things again.

Memorial Day: Had a wonderful time this weekend. Tom had a Texas Hold 'em tournament here on Sunday night. Ten players showed up, plus three "fans". Todd was the big winner, but Tom was "in the money" twice. Trey held his own by coming in second one game.

Monday we spent doing some yard work - there is ALWAYS something to do - then grilled sausage and burgers. Trey got out his BB gun and we shot at some cans in the back yard. He said, "What can be more southern than this? We got guns, beer and BBQ!" It was fun and tasty!

EGA Regional Seminar: Turns out I'll be able to go for some of it. Tom has agreed to come pick me up in Houston Friday (6/8). So I'll be able to go to the Region meeting and one day of classes and get back in time for my FINAL (yeah!) treatment. What a nice guy he is to drive 250 miles (one way) to get me!

Tuesday night stitch in and my birthday tablecloth: I went to the Tuesday night stitch in at a local shop, the Cross Stitch Corner tonight. I finished my birthday tablecloth! What is a birthday tablecloth?? Every year since I was four, if you come to my party, you sign your name and year in pencil. Then I embroider it with white thread - well my mom used to do it until I was a teenager. Last year, Tom and I estimated there were approximately 1,500 names on the tablecloth. I usually start frantically embroidering it in December for my January birthday. This year I vowed to start right after my party in January. I had 69 names to embroider for 2007 and each name averages about 45 minutes to do. I FINISHED it tonight! I am so proud of myself.

Saturday, May 26,2007

Short Story: Still feeling good. Tired of sleeping all of the time though. I slept for 12 hours last night. I've discovered that having hair helps your head slide around on the pillow! Being in bed so much is making my head hurt!!

Crawfish Boil: Went to a crawfish boil at a friends house today. I found out how much I use my acrylic nails when peeling. It was a real pain to peel the crawfish and shrimp without any nails. (Mine are still very short because of how thin the fake nails made them.)

Hair: My hair is starting to grow back. Which makes no sense to me - how can hair grow when chemo makes it fall out??? But it is not growing back everywhere so I have bits of stubble all over my head. Fortunately my eyebrows and eyelashes did not fall out completely. They just thinned a little.

Friday, 5/25/07

Short Story: Had a good day today. Feeling much better.

Rest of the Story: Laid down for about 20 minutes today. Much better than Wednesday when I spent all day in bed. Ended up canceling therapy yesterday. I didn't want to spend my energy that way!

Danielle: Happy Birthday to my niece, Danielle who is 6 today. We celebrated last night with the family. It was very nice.

Jann: Condolences to my friend Jann D. who lost her father on Tuesday after a long illness. The funeral was today.

Stitch in: I had the stitch in at my house today. Several people came and stitched, then we went to eat at the Broken Egg, a new restaurant nearby. I had fun.

Bathroom: We now have a shower floor! The tile is also being put on the walls! Progress is being made!! (The orange stuff is the "Schulter" system that makes the walls waterproof.)

Wednesday, 5/23/07

Very tired today. Spent just about all day in bed. I'm up now however. (6 pm) We'll see how long it lasts. I'm supposed to go to therapy tomorrow, but am thinking of canceling. I'd rather celebrate my niece, Danielle's 6th birthday than go to therapy!

Tuesday, May22, 2007

Short Story: Went to therapy today. I was really tired when I got there, but I think it did me some good as I did not take a nap today. I also went to Cancer Fit/Yoga.

Bathroom: Got the vanity today! Looks great. The spots are on the wall and are reflecting on the granite. It looks better in person than in the picture!

Monday 5/21/07

Short story: Kinda tired today, but that is to be expected. Took a nap and am feeling better.

Bathroom: Almost got a vanity today. As the guys were installing it, they discovered the end was not polished. So off it went, back on the truck.

The tile man had a "family emergency" and won't be back until at least Thursday. No wonder projects take so long to finish!

Yard Work: Trey and his friends did a great job on the front of the house. All of the azaleas have been trimmed. Didn't get to the camellias however. That is for another day.

Sunday 5/20/07 9 am

Short story
Feeling pretty good. Some cotton/metallic mouth and a slight headache. Took a two hour nap yesterday before going to dinner at Clint and Kathleen's. She made a fabulous Shrimp and pasta dish.

Rest of the Story
Yard work: Trey and couple of his friends are here to help whip the yard in shape. That is if I can find the dynamite to get them out of bed. I woke them up at 8:30 and they still haven't wandered downstairs. At least I know they are here since they spent the night. We will be trimming the azaleas and camellias that have gotten way overgrown.

Nothing much else to report - life goes on!

Friday 5/18/07

Finally! A post!! Yes Ann and Jane, I have FINALLY posted something. Now your day is complete.

Short Story: Had my third treatment today. Got hooked up at 1:00 was out of there by 3:30. I slept the whole time. Could it be because I got up at 6:30 to go to therapy??? We then went out to eat with our friends, Mary and Ken. Mary is also a breast cancer survivor. We celebrated the end of her chemo. Still feeling OK at 10:24 pm.

The Details
Therapy: Still feeling good. I'm calling it "the new normal". I'm at about 90 - 95% of pre-chemo strength. I really think the therapy is helping. Upon reflection, the second treatment was easier than the first. I started therapy the week of my second treatment. On Wednesday, Debbie, the therapist, had me do an exercise for my hips where I turn my feet out and push against a bar. If I remember my ballet correctly, it's "second position". As some of you know, I dislocated my knee cap four times when I was younger. My knee decided it DOES NOT like this position. So today, I cheated and turned only my right heel out, not my left.

My Last scheduled treatment and SCR Seminar: My last treatment is scheduled for 6/8/07. That is right in the middle of the South Central Region EGA Seminar. (EGA is the Embroiderers' Guild of America). The Seminar is being held in Houston 6/6-9. I was hoping my doctor would consent to moving my treatment to the Monday after 6/11. She allowed how that was not advisable. So I'm going to have to forgo going. I'm really bummed.

Bathroom: A whole lot of nothing happened this week. Ken, the tile man, went to get the goopy goop to put on the wall behind the tile - yes goopy goop is a technical term. In this case it is a rubber like substance you paint on the sheet rock so as not to leak in the future - and his supplier was all out. Apparently someone came in right before Ken and bought it all. No more will come in until today - allegedly. BUT, our loss is our friends Philip and Laura's gain. They are also using Ken for THEIR bathroom remodels. He was able to go to their house and get their tile done while we are on hold.

Trey: Trey has almost settled in. His dorm refrigerator is still outside, and his wastebasket is still floating around the kitchen, but all in all, he has put his stuff away. He "forgot" to tell us when he got home last night from Stefanie's. I suppose it is difficult to have to report in when you are so used to not reporting. He can't wait for the bathroom to get done so we get out of "his" space. On the plus side, we have to run only one A/C at night now. He said he got all A's and one B in English. We are very happy with those grades!

Sunday 5/12/07

Short Story: Still feeling good.

Long Story

Mothers Day: Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers out there! We went to my mom's house last night. Had a wonderful steak dinner with the entire family.

Wigs: Wore my blond wig to dinner with my sorority sisters Friday. No one recognized me! You tell me, blond or brunette??

Trey: Trey moved home yesterday. His exams are finally over. He thinks he did well on his exams - possibly all A's!! He can't wait to have the bathroom finished so we will get out of "his" bathroom.

Bathroom: The floor has been grouted and the floor of the shower has been prepped for the tile. It's looking good!

Friday 5/11/07

Short Story: Just heard from the doctor. Apparently the $3,500 shot finally decided to work. My white count is 6,000, which is well above the low end of normal at 4,000. Guess I'll need another shot next Saturday! Several of you have volunteered to "stick" me. Not sure how I feel about that!

Long Story: My next treatment is a week from today. So I'll have another week of feeling good.

Wigs: I bought a blond and a brunette wig. I told Tom that way he can get two wives for the price of one. He's not so sure it'll be cheaper!! The bangs are a little long, so I go this afternoon to get them cut. Sounds weird, getting a wig cut! I'll post a picture after they are styled.

Bathroom: Tile continues to progress. He is here putting in the floor of the shower today. Things go slowly when work starts at 10 and ends at 3 with an hour lunch! Where can I find a job like that??

Mother's Day: Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mother's out there. We are celebrating tomorrow at my mother's house here in Baton Rouge.

Monday 5/7/07

Short Story: Nothing much new to report. Still feeling ok. A little tired, but that's it.

Long Story:

Still on the antibiotics. I'll go for another blood test Thursday.

Stitching weekend: Had a wonderful time this weekend. About 12 ladies were in and out over the three days. I got alot of stitching done and lots of wonderful ideas for my current project, my niece, Danielle's stocking. (see picture below)

Insects: Figured out it was not a borer bee, but a horsefly that bit me - which makes much more sense! I figured it out when he attacked me again today. Apparently he thought someone had appointed him a guard horsefly. But I had the last laugh. I got a can of wasp spray and staked out the front door. I GOT HIM! He died a slow painful death. My arm itches like crazy - like all horsefly bites - but the swelling has gone down.

Bathroom: The tile is on the floor and the tub surround is done. It's looking great!

The floor

The tub surround

Sunday 5/6/07

Short Story: Been having a blast with all of my girlfriends this weekend. My white counts are very low. Apparently the shot has not kicked in yet. The nurse called me and asked, "Did you get that shot?" I replied, "Yes, why?" She said, "Because your counts are very low." Apparently my count is 1000 something and the low of normal is 4000 something. There is another number that shows the ratio between the old and new white cells. The number should be 2000 something and mine is in the 200's. SO they put me on an antibiotic, Levaquin. This is the same antibiotic I took last time that seemed to work.

Long Story
Stitching Marathon Weekend
Ladies have been in and out all weekend. A total of about 15 different people so far. We've been stitching and eating and eating and eating.

Damn insects!
Friday, I went to get the mail. It was raining, so I used an umbrella. Apparently a borer bee (or something similiar) got caught up in the umbrella. When I closed it, the bee was not a happy camper. I got stung on the underside of my left forarm near my elbow. It has swelled up a little and is hot to the touch. (Yes, mom, I called the doctor.) They said there is nothing much they can do. Trey looked at it (he has young eyes) and did not see the stinger.

Naturally, all this happened right after the therapist gave me a huge lecture on lymphedema and not drawing blood, taking blood pressure or wearing tight jewelry on my left (affected) side.

Tom
Tom is due back this afternoon. He had fun bowling, but apparently is "not in the money". He did do well in the poker room however. Maybe he'll win enough to pay for the bathroom!

Bathroom
Speaking of the bathroom, the tile has been laid on the floor. Supposed to be grouted on Monday.

The doorbell is ringing. More stitchers coming to visit! I'll sign off for now!

Wednesday, 5/2/07

Short Story
Still feeling pretty good. A little tired and sore, but that's about it.

Long Story
Bone Marrow: As you know, I had a shot to stimulate the production of white blood cells. It must have just kicked in as my back is all of a sudden very sore! I'll feel better tomorrow since my white count will be on the way up!

Therapy: Therapy went well, even though I was tired. Debbie (the therapist) said I did everything she expected me to do. My arms are a little sore, which is not surprising. I go again Thursday morning.

Bowling: Tom is getting ready to go to Reno for the National Bowling Tournament. He bowls Friday and Saturday. While he is away, I am having 20 or so of my girlfriends over for a stitching/movie marathon. Should be fun for all.

Bathroom: Ken, the tile guy, came today. It feels like things are finally starting to happen, since the "pretty" stuff is being put in! I can't walk on the tile, so I can't take a good picture. I'll post one when I can!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Short Story: Feeling pretty good. A little tired, but that's it. The metallic taste is going away. I think it's the Decadron that makes that taste. I only take it for for 3 days after treatment, so yesterday was the last day. Still no side effects from the shot.

Long Story:
Therapy: I go to my first therapy session today. I hope I have the strength to get through it! I plan on taking it easy, so I don't get too tired out.

Chemo Brain: Is alive and well. It's like you have permanent dyslexia. It's awful. So if I post or say something that doesn't make sense, please let me know!

Bathroom Remodel: Still going forward. The tile man came yesterday to prep the site. He is supposed to come back Wednesday to begin laying the floor. I think it'll feel like progress is being made when the "pretty" stuff starts happening, and not just electrical wires and studs being put up!

Happy Birthday to my Father-in-Law, Tom Miller, Sr. Today is his birthday!