I apologize for being , shall I say, lax in updating this blog. Honestly, I feel like I am being repetitive as I record my journey. Let me just say that I had Treatment #9 on December 13-15 and I am just now getting my energy back. Although I should be accustomed to the side effects that control my life for a few days AND although I should be extremely thankful that I don't feel any worse than I do, I still want to complain and have a pity party sometimes.
As my family will affirm, I am a "glass half full", positive kind of person. According to them, I can be a little too "positive" sometimes. HOWEVER, I'll admit that it is a little more difficult when I try to encourage myself. I am pleased to report that I only have three more chemo treatments and should be through by the end of January. I'm glad that I never asked at the beginning how many treatments or long it would take, I would have been overwhelmed if the doctor had said, "Six months!!"
I am so grateful that the treatments are scheduled so that I will be feeling good for Christmas. I won't have another treatment until December 28-30. New Year's Eve should be yucky, but that's okay.
One blessing I would like to report before I close. Thanks to several of my wonderful co-workers/friends at Calhoun 8 weeks of sick leave have been donated to me!!! How great is that!!!! That should, hopefully, be more than enough to get me through the rest of my treatments, etc. One less thing to worry about.
I managed, with the help of my patient, personal driver Son, to finish my Christmas shopping today. Hope to finish decorating the house tomorrow. Then I must wrap the presents. I should be able to accomplish those tasks this week. If I don't, it will be rather pointless after Christmas Day;
Wishing all who read this blog a joyous Christmas and a New Year full of good health and encouraging friends!!
Sandra
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
December 6, 2011
Forgive me for using this blog for a different reason today. I am trying to work through a problem and I thought, if I wrote about it, it might be helpful. So here goes.
This morning I had to go to the Clinic for blood work. No big deal. In and out in a few minutes. HOWEVER, this morning, as soon as I drove into the parking lot, I started feeling sick. My doctor and nurses had said that this could happen. Just the sights and smells of the location, even without the actual chemo, can make a person feel sick.
BUMMER!!!! I get so anxious about next week and treatment #9. My head knows that there are only four left and SURELY I can do that!! But my SELF is dreading it so much. I try to talk to myself and calm myself down, but I apparently don't want to listen to me. I have felt sick ever since I left there this morning. I usually can talk myself through anything, but this one has been stumped!
I have some medicine that the doctor gave me that I could take the night before so I can sleep. But I really hate to do that. Dana could tell you about the last time I took a Xanax [after minor tear duct surgery] and how badly I scared the kids. Apparently, me and drugs don't always get along.
Hopefully, by Tuesday, I will have worked through this craziness. It's not like I don't want to be through with the chemo. Only four more. SURELY I can do this!!!
Sandra
This morning I had to go to the Clinic for blood work. No big deal. In and out in a few minutes. HOWEVER, this morning, as soon as I drove into the parking lot, I started feeling sick. My doctor and nurses had said that this could happen. Just the sights and smells of the location, even without the actual chemo, can make a person feel sick.
BUMMER!!!! I get so anxious about next week and treatment #9. My head knows that there are only four left and SURELY I can do that!! But my SELF is dreading it so much. I try to talk to myself and calm myself down, but I apparently don't want to listen to me. I have felt sick ever since I left there this morning. I usually can talk myself through anything, but this one has been stumped!
I have some medicine that the doctor gave me that I could take the night before so I can sleep. But I really hate to do that. Dana could tell you about the last time I took a Xanax [after minor tear duct surgery] and how badly I scared the kids. Apparently, me and drugs don't always get along.
Hopefully, by Tuesday, I will have worked through this craziness. It's not like I don't want to be through with the chemo. Only four more. SURELY I can do this!!!
Sandra
Sunday, December 4, 2011
November 21-December 4, 2011
Oh, my! Where has the time gone? Please forgive my neglect of this blog, but life keeps getting in the way!!!
Just so everyone is caught up . . . I was able to work some the week of Thanksgiving and really enjoyed being with my Calhoun cohorts!! They always are so supportive and positive in their comments. I truly miss them when I am not able to work.
Thanksgiving day was wonderful!! We spent the day at Dana's with family and new friends. There was enough food to have fed the entire neighborhood! And it was all delicious. It was a great day!! After returning home that night my mission was to bake two apple cakes to take to Tuscaloosa the next day. Nothing smells better than a house with something good baking in the oven!!
Friday, we traveled to Tuscaloosa to see my Mom, my brother and his family. It was so good to be together!! We usually see each other once a year [my brother, not my mother] so it was imperative not to miss going. We had wall-to-wall family and IT WAS GREAT. Mother enjoyed having all of her great-grandchildren together at once. The two oldest [girls] are 13 and 11 and the four boys are 6, 4, 3, and 11 months. We enjoyed eating, talking, watching football, eating, talking, playing cards, etc. The biggest attraction for the boys were the trains that travel near Mother's backyard. Thanks to the April 27 tornado, you can not just hear them, but you can see them amazingly well. The boys were beside themselves every time they heard the whistle. They would yell for everyone to "COME SEE THE TRAIN!!!" And we would all rush out the back door onto the patio to cheer on the train. Noting, of course, if it was passenger or freight and if it had a caboose. What fun!!
Saturday morning the last piece of the puzzle was in place when my nephew, his wife, daughter [2 yrs old] and son [expected the end of January], arrived in T-town. . Ain't family great?!?!?!?!
Traveled back to North Alabama in time to watch the BIG GAME at Dana and Steve's. Roll Tide Roll!!! Enough said.
I worked again on Monday, November 28. Then Tuesday-Thursday [Nov. 29-Dec.1] had treatment #8. Only 4 more to go [not that I am counting]. I am just now starting to feel okay from this treatment. I feel guilty when I complain, when so many others feel much worse than I do. It's the same old problems - weakness, tiredness, no appetite, awful taste in my mouth that won't go away!!!
My current quest is to decorate the house for Christmas. I need a huge surge of energy to accomplish that. Maybe if I just do a little each day, then ,hopefully, it will be done in time. Also this week I will attend K's choral concert and B's band concert and go to the Christmas Festival. This will truly be a musical week!
Hoping that each of you is enjoying this wonderful season of JOY, PEACE and LOVE,
Sandra
Just so everyone is caught up . . . I was able to work some the week of Thanksgiving and really enjoyed being with my Calhoun cohorts!! They always are so supportive and positive in their comments. I truly miss them when I am not able to work.
Thanksgiving day was wonderful!! We spent the day at Dana's with family and new friends. There was enough food to have fed the entire neighborhood! And it was all delicious. It was a great day!! After returning home that night my mission was to bake two apple cakes to take to Tuscaloosa the next day. Nothing smells better than a house with something good baking in the oven!!
Friday, we traveled to Tuscaloosa to see my Mom, my brother and his family. It was so good to be together!! We usually see each other once a year [my brother, not my mother] so it was imperative not to miss going. We had wall-to-wall family and IT WAS GREAT. Mother enjoyed having all of her great-grandchildren together at once. The two oldest [girls] are 13 and 11 and the four boys are 6, 4, 3, and 11 months. We enjoyed eating, talking, watching football, eating, talking, playing cards, etc. The biggest attraction for the boys were the trains that travel near Mother's backyard. Thanks to the April 27 tornado, you can not just hear them, but you can see them amazingly well. The boys were beside themselves every time they heard the whistle. They would yell for everyone to "COME SEE THE TRAIN!!!" And we would all rush out the back door onto the patio to cheer on the train. Noting, of course, if it was passenger or freight and if it had a caboose. What fun!!
Saturday morning the last piece of the puzzle was in place when my nephew, his wife, daughter [2 yrs old] and son [expected the end of January], arrived in T-town. . Ain't family great?!?!?!?!
Traveled back to North Alabama in time to watch the BIG GAME at Dana and Steve's. Roll Tide Roll!!! Enough said.
I worked again on Monday, November 28. Then Tuesday-Thursday [Nov. 29-Dec.1] had treatment #8. Only 4 more to go [not that I am counting]. I am just now starting to feel okay from this treatment. I feel guilty when I complain, when so many others feel much worse than I do. It's the same old problems - weakness, tiredness, no appetite, awful taste in my mouth that won't go away!!!
My current quest is to decorate the house for Christmas. I need a huge surge of energy to accomplish that. Maybe if I just do a little each day, then ,hopefully, it will be done in time. Also this week I will attend K's choral concert and B's band concert and go to the Christmas Festival. This will truly be a musical week!
Hoping that each of you is enjoying this wonderful season of JOY, PEACE and LOVE,
Sandra
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