IT'S NOT CANCER!!!!!!!!!! My baby kitty does NOT have cancer!!
Frankly, I was so surprised when the vet told me this that I almost didn't believe her. She was actually kind of surprised too - it usually IS cancer when a growth like this shows up on a cat.
Thank the deity of your choice... This is some happy news that I really, really needed.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Greetings, Earthlings
Howdy all. Nope, I haven't been abducted by aliens or some other strange fate. I just really, really haven't felt like writing anything - blog, emails, anything.
We've had an eventful last couple of weeks, in the sense that all kinds of small to medium level things have been either wrong, or just going on, and I've felt wiped out. I've actually felt the need to take an impromptu vacation from chemo in order to deal, and just to be home.
For one, our air conditioner decided to take a double crap. The first, most obvious part is fixed; the unit outside needed a new motor, and we have this neato little box with metal and heavy wiring-ish things and stuff in it, and it's freaking *melted* inside! I can literally say that the A/C had a meltdown... So, that got fixed, after much stern demanding of reasonable service appointments, not a two-week wait, but it still wasn't cooling the house very well. My intrepid husband decided to play detective and climbed in the attic and found that the cover to the big fan box up there is standing up a good four inches or more from the top of the box, and some of the ducts weren't connected right, so it was pumping cold air into the attic. The service tech comes back on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the kids came home, so there was the usual chaos of getting back, getting unpacked and getting settled back into home. And, of course, Anna had been separated from her other half/twin for the whole summer, so they weren't home a full 24 hours before we were having an extended sleepover.
Meanwhile, I took my sweet baby Oliver Pooterbug kitty into the vet last week because he'd been having some weird problems with his fur getting mats, for the first time in his life. He's not even a full longhair, more of a medium, and I've never had to brush him before - now all of a sudden, he's getting dreadlocks in his armpits. Well, Brenda examined him very thoroughly, and couldn't really find any cause for this sudden increase in dander he was having, except maybe an allergy. Checking him over so thoroughly, what she DID find was a lump on his tummy, not even as big as a pea, but almost certainly a little melanoma. ::sigh:: 'Cause, you know, we needed more cancer in the house. His surgery was yesterday, and now he's got about an inch of stitches that will be taken out in two weeks, one leg shaved in what looks almost like a poodle-cut (for the IV) with some hellacious bruises on it, and he had two rotten teeth extracted, since we agreed to the suggested tooth cleaning while he was under, and Brenda said they were seriously rotten. It could explain his atrocious breath, that's for sure.
We should hear the results of the biopsy in a few days. We've been keeping him confined in the bedroom, and not letting him into the closet (his favorite place - because we were sure he would crawl back to the farthest corner and hide) but I don't think I can keep it up much longer, because the whole "anesthesia" "groggy" thing was seriously false advertising!!! Mr. Perpetual Motion was driving us so crazy from minute one, to keep him restrained from jumping on the counter and force him to rest when we first got him home, we actually had to lock him in the shower!! You could tell he was stoned, from the look in his eyes, but it was not slowing him down ONE bit! We finally just let the dogs in and closed the bedroom door and he's been sleeping either on me or next to me pretty much the entire time since - in short, acting 100% normal. Purr, purr, cuddle, cuddle. He doesn't even act like he's in pain, but he's getting his pain meds anyway, as soon as Lloyd wakes up to help me.
And... Other than those things, I don't remember, but trust me that there's been *STUFF* going on, and there is more stuff to come, as we get closer to the kids starting school. Of course, I also have doctor's appointments, Lloyd's birthday is coming up, I'm finishing up the bathroom project & other random things around the house, and I'm not out of chemo forever. I feel like I'm doing something very wrong taking any time out at all, but we never could have got the air conditioner fixed unless I did! We were just up against a wall with needing to be in too many places at the same time. It sounds funny to say I chose air conditioning over chemo, but it's damn hot up here!
So, I think that's about it. There's nothing earth-shaking going on (except my poor kitty!), just mainly lots of minutiae to deal with and not feeling like sitting down and writing anything. The stress of anything makes my fibromyalgia just kick inti high gear, so pain has been the name of the game, and some days all I feel like doing is sitting down and falling asleep! 8•) Today I have to keep watch over my baby, so I think that's a good reason to rest...
We've had an eventful last couple of weeks, in the sense that all kinds of small to medium level things have been either wrong, or just going on, and I've felt wiped out. I've actually felt the need to take an impromptu vacation from chemo in order to deal, and just to be home.
For one, our air conditioner decided to take a double crap. The first, most obvious part is fixed; the unit outside needed a new motor, and we have this neato little box with metal and heavy wiring-ish things and stuff in it, and it's freaking *melted* inside! I can literally say that the A/C had a meltdown... So, that got fixed, after much stern demanding of reasonable service appointments, not a two-week wait, but it still wasn't cooling the house very well. My intrepid husband decided to play detective and climbed in the attic and found that the cover to the big fan box up there is standing up a good four inches or more from the top of the box, and some of the ducts weren't connected right, so it was pumping cold air into the attic. The service tech comes back on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the kids came home, so there was the usual chaos of getting back, getting unpacked and getting settled back into home. And, of course, Anna had been separated from her other half/twin for the whole summer, so they weren't home a full 24 hours before we were having an extended sleepover.
Meanwhile, I took my sweet baby Oliver Pooterbug kitty into the vet last week because he'd been having some weird problems with his fur getting mats, for the first time in his life. He's not even a full longhair, more of a medium, and I've never had to brush him before - now all of a sudden, he's getting dreadlocks in his armpits. Well, Brenda examined him very thoroughly, and couldn't really find any cause for this sudden increase in dander he was having, except maybe an allergy. Checking him over so thoroughly, what she DID find was a lump on his tummy, not even as big as a pea, but almost certainly a little melanoma. ::sigh:: 'Cause, you know, we needed more cancer in the house. His surgery was yesterday, and now he's got about an inch of stitches that will be taken out in two weeks, one leg shaved in what looks almost like a poodle-cut (for the IV) with some hellacious bruises on it, and he had two rotten teeth extracted, since we agreed to the suggested tooth cleaning while he was under, and Brenda said they were seriously rotten. It could explain his atrocious breath, that's for sure.
We should hear the results of the biopsy in a few days. We've been keeping him confined in the bedroom, and not letting him into the closet (his favorite place - because we were sure he would crawl back to the farthest corner and hide) but I don't think I can keep it up much longer, because the whole "anesthesia" "groggy" thing was seriously false advertising!!! Mr. Perpetual Motion was driving us so crazy from minute one, to keep him restrained from jumping on the counter and force him to rest when we first got him home, we actually had to lock him in the shower!! You could tell he was stoned, from the look in his eyes, but it was not slowing him down ONE bit! We finally just let the dogs in and closed the bedroom door and he's been sleeping either on me or next to me pretty much the entire time since - in short, acting 100% normal. Purr, purr, cuddle, cuddle. He doesn't even act like he's in pain, but he's getting his pain meds anyway, as soon as Lloyd wakes up to help me.
And... Other than those things, I don't remember, but trust me that there's been *STUFF* going on, and there is more stuff to come, as we get closer to the kids starting school. Of course, I also have doctor's appointments, Lloyd's birthday is coming up, I'm finishing up the bathroom project & other random things around the house, and I'm not out of chemo forever. I feel like I'm doing something very wrong taking any time out at all, but we never could have got the air conditioner fixed unless I did! We were just up against a wall with needing to be in too many places at the same time. It sounds funny to say I chose air conditioning over chemo, but it's damn hot up here!
So, I think that's about it. There's nothing earth-shaking going on (except my poor kitty!), just mainly lots of minutiae to deal with and not feeling like sitting down and writing anything. The stress of anything makes my fibromyalgia just kick inti high gear, so pain has been the name of the game, and some days all I feel like doing is sitting down and falling asleep! 8•) Today I have to keep watch over my baby, so I think that's a good reason to rest...
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
If It Ain't One Thing ... It Sure As Hell Seems To Be Another!!!
It's finished, and the paint is curing, just in time for the air conditioner to take a crap! Doesn't that sound fun? All of you dealing with heat and/or hot flashes can sympathize. The repair-savior is s'posedly on the way.
Meanwhile, it's naptime. The access to the unit is, of course, in my closet. I have decided not to care. I sleep in front of strangers every week at chemo, so why not while one marches through my room?
Who **CARES** ?!?!?!!!
It's HOT.
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Monday, August 8, 2011
Shortest Paint Job Ever By An Idiot Who Overestimates Her Capabilities and Just About Everything Else
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Here we go!
I'm happy! Tomorrow we load up the rollers for what I suspect will be the shortest paint job ever. Yay!
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Friday, July 29, 2011
Before.... (and eventually after)
The answer is probably no.
Yet....the other answer is probably yes! Things like this are good for me from time to time - something physical and creative with a finite product having been created at the end.
Wish me luck! Lime green paint, here I come! 8-P
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Quick addendum-slash-product-endorsement -
As I get started, I'm trying to be smart and get all my materials together, and plan out my project before I just dive in. (this is a new approach for me) I bought a couple of rolls of that new "Frog Tape" stuff they're advertising, and, in this new organized mode, tested it out before I had taped off the entire room. (See how good I'm being?)
Holy crap.
It actually WORKS!!! Straight lines! No paint seep! Damn!! Why didn't they have this stuff when I painted Anna's entire bedroom in alternating-height, alternating-3-color-combination sets of horizontal marine blue stripes and nearly ripped my hair out?
Anyway - Frog Tape. It's neon green. Go to the website and read the directions for using it on a textured wall, and it really, truly works.
End product endorsement.
Monday, July 25, 2011
2+2=11 or 12
Well! Wasn't that a surprise! We have all always known that math is not my strong suit. Ok, math and I are not really even on speaking terms most of the time.
Last week I texted my super-brainiac kid on his vacation in NJ to ask for help figuring out the capacity of a space in cubic feet, working from the dimensions in inches, which is a perfectly acceptable thing for a math-moron like me to not know how to do. Right?
Right. But, I *have* aways thought I was capable of basic addition and subtraction.
Wrong!!!
Ever since Peadog's birthday in May, I've been going around talking about what an old girl she is, and how she needs extra pampering because she's 11 now, which is pretty old for a dog of her breed and size. And I've known perfectly well that her birthday is May 29, 1999.
YOU do the math, because apparently I'm too stupid. Lloyd pointed out to me last night that my dog is a year older than I thought she was - which is NOT welcome news, let me tell you.
Eleven was old enough, damn it! Finding out she's actually 12 is incredibly depressing, and I feel like I've just received terrible, terrible news. I want to treat her like she's made of glass all of a sudden, which is just plain stupid, but I do.
I'd better check my math on a few other things in life!
Last week I texted my super-brainiac kid on his vacation in NJ to ask for help figuring out the capacity of a space in cubic feet, working from the dimensions in inches, which is a perfectly acceptable thing for a math-moron like me to not know how to do. Right?
Right. But, I *have* aways thought I was capable of basic addition and subtraction.
Wrong!!!
Ever since Peadog's birthday in May, I've been going around talking about what an old girl she is, and how she needs extra pampering because she's 11 now, which is pretty old for a dog of her breed and size. And I've known perfectly well that her birthday is May 29, 1999.
YOU do the math, because apparently I'm too stupid. Lloyd pointed out to me last night that my dog is a year older than I thought she was - which is NOT welcome news, let me tell you.
Eleven was old enough, damn it! Finding out she's actually 12 is incredibly depressing, and I feel like I've just received terrible, terrible news. I want to treat her like she's made of glass all of a sudden, which is just plain stupid, but I do.
I'd better check my math on a few other things in life!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
An Ode to My Neutrophils
Oh, wretched little granulocytes,
You bounced me out of chemo yet again
Neutropenia keeps me from my weekly toxic cocktail
Guilt-ridden and immunosuppressed, I'm inadequate, insufficient
Don't measure up, when the leukocytes are counted
How I never dream'ed I'd miss the poison kiss!
Suppressed -
You hold me prisoner, wily neutrophils
Baby white cells,
Keep me from raw sushi, hollandaise and Caesar;
Sharing food with my love, or even a straw;
You hold me fast from kissing sick children or gardening without my gloves;
Pitching hay, drinking from rivers, or even spelunking!
Damned bat guano
And yet, tiny little leukocytes,
Do I owe you thanks?
No diaper changing or catbox cleaning for life!
Oh, 'tis a quandary all together, and one without answer,
So long as these temperamental little cells wax and wane
Mischievous smiles on their little cellular faces as they torment me
You bounced me out of chemo yet again
Neutropenia keeps me from my weekly toxic cocktail
Guilt-ridden and immunosuppressed, I'm inadequate, insufficient
Don't measure up, when the leukocytes are counted
How I never dream'ed I'd miss the poison kiss!
Suppressed -
You hold me prisoner, wily neutrophils
Baby white cells,
Keep me from raw sushi, hollandaise and Caesar;
Sharing food with my love, or even a straw;
You hold me fast from kissing sick children or gardening without my gloves;
Pitching hay, drinking from rivers, or even spelunking!
Damned bat guano
And yet, tiny little leukocytes,
Do I owe you thanks?
No diaper changing or catbox cleaning for life!
Oh, 'tis a quandary all together, and one without answer,
So long as these temperamental little cells wax and wane
Mischievous smiles on their little cellular faces as they torment me
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Good CT results!!!
******************WOWEEEEEE******************
For *once* I have some actual GOOD scan results to report - some really good ones!
None of my nodules have ANY growth, for the first time ever, AND a couple of them showed a little bit of SHRINKAGE. Trust me, I'm as shocked as you are. I've never had any shrinkage before!
As I told Dr. Mazj, we'll stick with this chemo mixture for awhile, huh?
I'm actually plugged in to the chemo machine as I type this, so we'll go for short and sweet today. I was also very, very sick yesterday - in bed with fevers sick, sick, sleeping all day, so I'm a little late in sharing the good news, but better late than never, huh?
We now return to our regularly scheduled nap. (and the realllllly good new book I've started.....shhhhhhhh....)
For *once* I have some actual GOOD scan results to report - some really good ones!
None of my nodules have ANY growth, for the first time ever, AND a couple of them showed a little bit of SHRINKAGE. Trust me, I'm as shocked as you are. I've never had any shrinkage before!
As I told Dr. Mazj, we'll stick with this chemo mixture for awhile, huh?
I'm actually plugged in to the chemo machine as I type this, so we'll go for short and sweet today. I was also very, very sick yesterday - in bed with fevers sick, sick, sleeping all day, so I'm a little late in sharing the good news, but better late than never, huh?
We now return to our regularly scheduled nap. (and the realllllly good new book I've started.....shhhhhhhh....)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
HIPPO BIRDIE TO TREVOR!!!
It really does seem like it was just yesterday that you were much smaller, very adorkable, and needed a whole section in your closet & drawers for your costumes - for those times when you felt like leaping through rooms with a lightsaber leading the way.
Fewer costumes and lightsabers these days, but still every bit as adorkable!! 8•)
Meanwhile, I seem to have realized that I'll be getting my CT results this afternoon. Eep. Minor anxiety attack in progress.
Making a conscious effort to breathe. Breathe.... Breathe....
Look for info here as soon as I can get it here!!
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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Making fun of others...that's always good clean fun!
If you are so inclined, follow in my footsteps and be rewarded by some true silliness.
Go visit http://www.printsngs.com/natgeo/search/?page=5&q=leopard&q=leopard
If the page is working right, Huzzah! View some beautiful photos of one of natures most graceful climbers and leapers.
If it's not, well....a trip through the gallery pages would have you admiring the many, divergent forms the leopard had been taking, until you reached perhaps MY favorite, in the top Left corner of page 5 where the partial caption warns us of a "snarling female leopard..."
OOOOOOOoooooohhhhh, this is the part where it really got funny, and I laughed so much that the puppies thought Mommy had finally lost it. (those few remaining bits left!)
Ahh, we all need a good giggle once in a while.
Someone at NatGeo needs to have a chat with their database folks. That's all I'm saying...
Go visit http://www.printsngs.com/natgeo/search/?page=5&q=leopard&q=leopard
If the page is working right, Huzzah! View some beautiful photos of one of natures most graceful climbers and leapers.
If it's not, well....a trip through the gallery pages would have you admiring the many, divergent forms the leopard had been taking, until you reached perhaps MY favorite, in the top Left corner of page 5 where the partial caption warns us of a "snarling female leopard..."
OOOOOOOoooooohhhhh, this is the part where it really got funny, and I laughed so much that the puppies thought Mommy had finally lost it. (those few remaining bits left!)
Ahh, we all need a good giggle once in a while.
Someone at NatGeo needs to have a chat with their database folks. That's all I'm saying...
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Summertime!
Yes, I am pleased to announce that summer has finally happened. Of course, in Gridley, summer arriving means an instant switch to 100°+ temps most days, but what the hell. Rumor has it we'll be switching back to rain again sometime next week, but that only makes perfect sense in this year's weather pattern, right?
Well, like the weather this year, I've been kind of confused lately... You know, the kind of confused where you lose track of all of the appointments you have in one week, taking kids to send them off to see their mother, going to chemo, getting a CT scan..... Yes, I did manage to entirely forget that I had a CT scan scheduled for this week.
I managed to remember in just barely enough time to have Lloyd pick up the contrast mix the afternoon before, but I didn't quite manage to put the news out to all of you folks out there that I was going in to have it done. Ooops.
It's a little late now, but yes, I had a scan on Thursday morning! The scan itself went perfectly well, nothing of any interest to report, as usual. Unfortunately, I don't see Dr. Mazj until July 6 to get the results. I'm definitely not expecting anything interesting - no surprises, nothing worrisome - but of course I will post the results as soon as I get them. I think I'll be less forgetful about that!!
That is actually also the only news I have to share, too. I'm recovering from the combination of chemo and barium (yick!), recovering my taste buds, thank god, getting back into yoga as best i can, and resting when my body tells me to rest.
That's what it's telling me to do right now....I'm exhausted. So, it's nap time. Many mea culpas on forgetting to tell you all about the scan!! You're all going to forgive me, right?!
I plead chemo-brain....
Well, like the weather this year, I've been kind of confused lately... You know, the kind of confused where you lose track of all of the appointments you have in one week, taking kids to send them off to see their mother, going to chemo, getting a CT scan..... Yes, I did manage to entirely forget that I had a CT scan scheduled for this week.
I managed to remember in just barely enough time to have Lloyd pick up the contrast mix the afternoon before, but I didn't quite manage to put the news out to all of you folks out there that I was going in to have it done. Ooops.
It's a little late now, but yes, I had a scan on Thursday morning! The scan itself went perfectly well, nothing of any interest to report, as usual. Unfortunately, I don't see Dr. Mazj until July 6 to get the results. I'm definitely not expecting anything interesting - no surprises, nothing worrisome - but of course I will post the results as soon as I get them. I think I'll be less forgetful about that!!
That is actually also the only news I have to share, too. I'm recovering from the combination of chemo and barium (yick!), recovering my taste buds, thank god, getting back into yoga as best i can, and resting when my body tells me to rest.
That's what it's telling me to do right now....I'm exhausted. So, it's nap time. Many mea culpas on forgetting to tell you all about the scan!! You're all going to forgive me, right?!
I plead chemo-brain....
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Daddy's Day!!!
With luck, my own Daddy is probably still sleeping right now - as is my darling husband. What better way to celebrate Father's Day?! A good lie-in, as the Brits would say, followed by a good nap or three, maybe find a way for some BBQ and beer in there, and you've got a pretty damned good day, no?
Well, I think so. Oh, I almost forgot - hopefully someone is driving very fast cars in circles too. NOW Daddy's day will be complete!
I hope to get a chance to celebrate with Dad sometime soon. Today, alllllll the kids and I are going to load up into the car and go out to eat with my husband. Luckily, Father's Day falls before they have to leave for the East Coast this year so we can all do something together.
Also, I've got a couple of friends out there who are celebrating their very first Father's Day today - I hope it is incredibly special guys.
Maybe not a lot of words today, but a lot of sentiment behind the few words there are. At this point in my life, I do not know what I would do without my Daddy, I love it when he's able to come up to see me, whether we go out and find an adventure or just hang around the house -and I miss him terribly when he isn't free to come visit.
Happy Father's Day to my D.O.D.!! I miss you & I love you very much.
Well, I think so. Oh, I almost forgot - hopefully someone is driving very fast cars in circles too. NOW Daddy's day will be complete!
I hope to get a chance to celebrate with Dad sometime soon. Today, alllllll the kids and I are going to load up into the car and go out to eat with my husband. Luckily, Father's Day falls before they have to leave for the East Coast this year so we can all do something together.
Also, I've got a couple of friends out there who are celebrating their very first Father's Day today - I hope it is incredibly special guys.
Maybe not a lot of words today, but a lot of sentiment behind the few words there are. At this point in my life, I do not know what I would do without my Daddy, I love it when he's able to come up to see me, whether we go out and find an adventure or just hang around the house -and I miss him terribly when he isn't free to come visit.
Happy Father's Day to my D.O.D.!! I miss you & I love you very much.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Pretty, pretty things!
Between the incredible flowers Auntie sent for my birthday, and my beautiful young lady - no longer a little girl - dressed up for her eighth grade graduation ceremony and dance, I have been surrounded by gorgeous things lately!
Getting her ready for all of the festivities surrounding graduation has kept me insanely busy the last week, and I apologize if I still haven't written a promised email (Mom, JKB, SDS) or responded to birthdays greetings. I swear, I'm working on it. I'm trying, at least, when I'm not falling asleep on my feet.
Thus, this blog entry will be ridiculously short. I don't have any medical news of huge import yet - tomorrow I should find out if I have enough white blood cells to get chemo this week as planned. I also have a CT scheduled this month, I believe on the 23rd. I'll post the reslts of both of those things as soon as I know 'em.
More info when I have it, I promise! And when I can keep my eyes open,,,,
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Relay Day & So Much More!
Many of you know that my Relay for Life In The Rain And Wind And Mud is today, but I thought I'd fill you in on some other news while I try to wake up this early, ugly gray morning. Conner had to get up and out early for his SAT this morning, so I think some sort of sixth sense woke me up so I could fuss over him about sharpened pencils and granola bars.
And, today is our SIXTH wedding anniversary, as you can see by the gorgeous burst of spring flowers that arrived yesterday afternoon! As I told Lloyd then, sometimes it doesn't feel at all like we've been married for six years, that our wedding was that long ago...and sometimes, it just feels like forever, not in the bad way, but in the way that it feels like there was just never a time when we weren't together.
Technically, the traditional anniversary gifts for a sixth are iron (traditional) or wood (modern) but I'm pretty happy with flowers all the way around!!
In other news.... I got booted out of chemo this week again because
------>(after several hours of sitting there while Helen tried to get blood from my port - both to do my labs with & because they always test; no blood return equals no meds going into the actual vein - pushing about a dozen syringes of saline thru, making my heart rather fluttery & unsure of just what in hell to do with all of this fluid & thus making me very lightheaded and faint as I lay there waiting for the lab tech to come puncture me in the arm to draw my labs, and for the syringe of CathFlow enzyme to go thru my port, ostensibly clearing it out for the chemo to get in, which didn't actualy work, we found out when it had marinated long enough and she STILL couldn't pull any blood out of it; meanwhile the lab results came back, and after all of that, they discovered)----->
I have severe neutropenia again
------>(this being the shortage of white blood cells; specifically the WBCs known as neutrophils, the "baby" whites which I guess are most important of all)----->
with an overall WBC count of 2.1 (3.2-10.6 =N) & a neutrophil count of 0.3 (1.5-6.5 =N), which is kinda sorta REALLY low. Kopeks. <-------LOLOLOL.
(I left that in for humor. I *typed* "oopsie" and that's what I got. That might be my new swear word. Kopeks!! I wonder what the hell it means...)
ANYWAY......
My oncologist and long-suffering nurses, who could very likely be seen at today's event, would if asked, probably have expressly forbidden me from attending large, publicly germ-ridden events, rain and mud or no rain and mud, but it honestly didn't occur to me to ask. It apparently didn't occur to them to bring it up. Kopeks again! Well, hell, how can it be worse than a house full of rotating teenagers?
Well, I probably should be asking the assorted spare teens (not to mention my own!!) to santize and mask up if necessary, and I should probably be carrying a few masks today, lest a stray oncologist catches sight of me, bundled in my "fight like a girl" long-sleeve tee, appropriate event tee of the hour (I think I have three), "fight like a girl" hoodie, rainproof jacket of some sort and giant rainbow'd golf umbrella. Come to think of it, I should be easy to spot. I'll be the one waddling down the track like like a pregnant goose.
A wet goose.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Kopeks: 1/100 of a Ruble. I knew I'd heard that word somewhere.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Relay, & the Bestest Friends Ever!
For those who still might not know, I'm participating in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life this coming weekend up in Paradise, where my cancer center is located. I'm placing the same blog entry here, and on my personal Relay for Life page, IF the goddamned thing ever lets me. Please excuse the duplication, if there is one, but I wanted to make sure I reached everyone out there. (their little blog app isn't quite working, like several other parts of their site....::sigh::...)
Anyway: Wowee guys!! You have *really* stepped up to the plate. I am overwhelmed with the support I'm getting for Relay. Then again, I shouldn't be, because you guys are here for me all the time, no matter what I need.
I just want to thank you all very sincerely for your donations to my Relay. As a cancer patient, you so often feel helpless. Powerless. I've said it myself, that cancer steals your dignity. Show up at the hospital, drop your pants, and drop your dignity at the door.
Well, thankfully, that's not always true, and lord knows the fantastic staff at FRH try their best to make sure it isn't like that, but it sure feels that way a lot of the time. Relay changes that feeling. It gives me something I can DO to fight back against this b'strd of a disease, for myself ands many others.
And for me, this fight has never really been about myself. I've always felt more worried about the impact on my family and friends than myself. And I'm a bit of a worrier, in case we've never met. ;-)
Well, this feeling of empowerment is new and different, let me tell you! There is finally something real and tangible I can do to help prevent other families, other people's friends from going through this hell.
And it's not one bit ironic that the ACS slogan talks about creating a world with "more birthdays" when I've been saying for a year and a half now that I will be one rare woman who actually likes to grow older each year. It's even LESS ironic that our Relay takes place four days before my 40th birthday. ;-)
I hope I can help many more people reach those milestones. Relay is something so simple - just walking a few laps around a track - and it can do so much. That is the most powerful feeling I've had since learning I had cancer.
Thank you all, so, so much, for being part of my Relay, my battle with cancer, and more than anything, my life. I love you all very, very much!!
Friday, May 27, 2011
And now, my Relay for Life appeal...
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It's time for my blatant appeal for donations:
I'm participating in Relay for Life, an event that helps the American Cancer Society make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. This is close to my heart & any donation you could make, no matter how small, would make a big difference in the fight.
Visit my personal Relay page at http://tinyurl.com/3odqz2g
Thank you!!!♥
**********************************
The American Cancer Society - 2011 Relay For Life of Paradise CA:
main.acsevents.org
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are 24 hours in length; representing the reality that cancer never sleeps. By participating, you honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives we've lost to the disease, and raise money to help fight cancer in your community.
Relay began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, Relay has grown from a single man’s passion to fight cancer into the world’s largest movement to end the disease. For more information, visit our Relay For Life information page.
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?sid=1030&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=31732
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Many A Grey Day in May
You really don't expect winter storm warnings and dropping snow levels in your nightly weather report midway through May!! One day, I'm outside on my patio swing, thinking it was too hot to stay out very long. The next, I'm drying dogs off with bath towels, because they got soaked just going out to go potty. This isn't our normal weather this time of year, let me tell you.
I know that isn't a good excuse for being absent so much lately, but I do count it as one of the reasons. I've had some trouble getting used to the new protocol, side effects and the whole hoopla.
On the plus side, I've also been working on all kinds of things around the house, things I used to love to do, like sewing, knitting, indoor gardening and even some cooking. The sewing has really been the most fun. So, not all of my absence is because I'm laying in bed, I promise - and if I •am• laying in bed, it's quite likely I'm laying there with my nose in a book and the rest of the universe on hold. I've been reading some stuff lately that has been so good that I resent other tasks, like the minutiae of daily living, that take me away from the book!
{One recent recommendation is "Lost on Planet China," by J. Maarten Troost. I'd read his first book, in which the author follows his then-girlfriend Sylvia to the very, very remote island atoll of Kiribati, where she works in international relations, and he attempts (with varying degrees of success) to write a novel and to pass himself off as Sylvia's husband. That book was funny, and informative. "Planet China" the book took my entire complement of acquired knowledge about planet China the country, turned it upside down and shook it almost violently, until it was good and mixed and didn't remotely resemble what I'd started with - and made me laugh hysterically along the way. I was almost surprised how I never wanted to put the book down, ever--and how hilarious it was throughout, even though it was more educational and fact-packed than some texts I've read! *Great* book!!! And this was his third book - I'm reading number two right now}
We got a lucky break in the weather when Daddy came up this past week, and it was bright, sunny and gorgeous, but not overly warm. In short, perfect. After an unplanned morning detour to take a young lady to the doctor for a UTI that he described by spreading his hands as far apart as they could go. I took that to mean it was a pretty mondo infection. So, got her some meds, and then the three of us went out to lunch at Casa Lupe. That was a nice, rare treat - going out with just me, Daddy and Anna. The two of them have a pretty strong mutual admiration society going, so it really was cool for the three of us.
After that, we tucked the munchkin under a blanket and a few dogs on the couch, and Daddy & I headed up to Chico to do a little exploring. The whole time I've lived up here, I've never managed to make it out to Bidwell Park, pretty much unanimously regarded as the gem of the entire area, and to the Sycamore Pool; regarded by me as the gem of Bidwell Park.
"Bidwell Park … was established July 10, 1905 through the donation by Annie Bidwell (widow of Chico's founder, John Bidwell) of approximately 2,500 acres of land to the City of Chico. Since that time, the City has purchased additional land, such as Cedar Grove in 1922, and 1,200 acres in upper Bidwell Park in 1995. Today, the total Park size is 3,670 acres, nearly 11 miles in length, making it the third largest municipal park in California and one of the 25 largest city parks in the United States.
Bidwell Park is "divided" by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred to as Lower Park and the area to the east is referred to as Middle and Upper Park. Middle Park extends from Manzanita to a point roughly equal to the upstream edge of the Chico Municipal Golf Course. Upper Park is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It has steep terrain and shallow soils… Lower Park is flat and level with a deep soil structure supporting a thick canopy of trees which provide ample shade for the visitor.… Sycamore Pool [is] located in the One Mile Recreation Area. The pool was constructed in the late 1920s and provides a unique swimming experience because its concrete decks, walls, and bottom are built to contain Big Chico Creek as it flows through the park. A dam and fish ladder at one end allow control of the creek's flow. The dam is raised and lifeguards are present from Memorial Day to Labor Day of each year. " - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Park
Bidwell is, in short, gorgeous. I loved it, and I can only imagine if I were one of the countless Chico State students living with this as my backyard, well, I'd spend a lot of time out in the yard. We were lucky enough to be there before they put up the dam, so the water was no more than a couple feet deep at any given point. I puttered and waded a bit, and eventually, we got either brave or foolish and decided to attempt a crossing. Knee deep water and one HELL of a current made us wonder about our decision making skills once or twice, but we made it. Goodness knows I've spent more than my share of time hip-deep in streams, but those had topography, variation, something to grab your little toesies onto - this was a flat, algae and tiny bit of mud covered expanse of cement with no toeholds!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Ok. I started writing this on May 15. One part of the problem is this beautiful fuzzlebug who plops into my lap every time I start typing. But this is really getting silly... Since starting this, I've had... my great visit with Daddy, destined to be my last for quite some time, which leaves me very, very depressed; my latest chemo visit, which would have been fairly unremarkable had Aimee not come to visit, talk about plans for Relay for Life (you can all go contribute to this very important American Cancer Society fundraiser on my personal page at http://tinyurl.com/3odqz2g) & drive me home and watch the TORNADOES touching down in my county and those neighboring (this was quite exciting-slash-terrifying, let me tell you!); the scheduling of my next CT scan for June 23 (urgh); and the very unexpected, very cool phone call out of the blue from an old friend I haven't heard from in the better part of a decade.
Needless to say, a lot has happened, and my blogging has lagged far behind! Ok, I admit it, I suck. So, I'm just going to cut things off here before this becomes an even longer-duration writing!! Whew!
I know that isn't a good excuse for being absent so much lately, but I do count it as one of the reasons. I've had some trouble getting used to the new protocol, side effects and the whole hoopla.
On the plus side, I've also been working on all kinds of things around the house, things I used to love to do, like sewing, knitting, indoor gardening and even some cooking. The sewing has really been the most fun. So, not all of my absence is because I'm laying in bed, I promise - and if I •am• laying in bed, it's quite likely I'm laying there with my nose in a book and the rest of the universe on hold. I've been reading some stuff lately that has been so good that I resent other tasks, like the minutiae of daily living, that take me away from the book!
{One recent recommendation is "Lost on Planet China," by J. Maarten Troost. I'd read his first book, in which the author follows his then-girlfriend Sylvia to the very, very remote island atoll of Kiribati, where she works in international relations, and he attempts (with varying degrees of success) to write a novel and to pass himself off as Sylvia's husband. That book was funny, and informative. "Planet China" the book took my entire complement of acquired knowledge about planet China the country, turned it upside down and shook it almost violently, until it was good and mixed and didn't remotely resemble what I'd started with - and made me laugh hysterically along the way. I was almost surprised how I never wanted to put the book down, ever--and how hilarious it was throughout, even though it was more educational and fact-packed than some texts I've read! *Great* book!!! And this was his third book - I'm reading number two right now}
We got a lucky break in the weather when Daddy came up this past week, and it was bright, sunny and gorgeous, but not overly warm. In short, perfect. After an unplanned morning detour to take a young lady to the doctor for a UTI that he described by spreading his hands as far apart as they could go. I took that to mean it was a pretty mondo infection. So, got her some meds, and then the three of us went out to lunch at Casa Lupe. That was a nice, rare treat - going out with just me, Daddy and Anna. The two of them have a pretty strong mutual admiration society going, so it really was cool for the three of us.
After that, we tucked the munchkin under a blanket and a few dogs on the couch, and Daddy & I headed up to Chico to do a little exploring. The whole time I've lived up here, I've never managed to make it out to Bidwell Park, pretty much unanimously regarded as the gem of the entire area, and to the Sycamore Pool; regarded by me as the gem of Bidwell Park.
"Bidwell Park … was established July 10, 1905 through the donation by Annie Bidwell (widow of Chico's founder, John Bidwell) of approximately 2,500 acres of land to the City of Chico. Since that time, the City has purchased additional land, such as Cedar Grove in 1922, and 1,200 acres in upper Bidwell Park in 1995. Today, the total Park size is 3,670 acres, nearly 11 miles in length, making it the third largest municipal park in California and one of the 25 largest city parks in the United States.
Bidwell Park is "divided" by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred to as Lower Park and the area to the east is referred to as Middle and Upper Park. Middle Park extends from Manzanita to a point roughly equal to the upstream edge of the Chico Municipal Golf Course. Upper Park is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It has steep terrain and shallow soils… Lower Park is flat and level with a deep soil structure supporting a thick canopy of trees which provide ample shade for the visitor.… Sycamore Pool [is] located in the One Mile Recreation Area. The pool was constructed in the late 1920s and provides a unique swimming experience because its concrete decks, walls, and bottom are built to contain Big Chico Creek as it flows through the park. A dam and fish ladder at one end allow control of the creek's flow. The dam is raised and lifeguards are present from Memorial Day to Labor Day of each year. " - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Park
Bidwell is, in short, gorgeous. I loved it, and I can only imagine if I were one of the countless Chico State students living with this as my backyard, well, I'd spend a lot of time out in the yard. We were lucky enough to be there before they put up the dam, so the water was no more than a couple feet deep at any given point. I puttered and waded a bit, and eventually, we got either brave or foolish and decided to attempt a crossing. Knee deep water and one HELL of a current made us wonder about our decision making skills once or twice, but we made it. Goodness knows I've spent more than my share of time hip-deep in streams, but those had topography, variation, something to grab your little toesies onto - this was a flat, algae and tiny bit of mud covered expanse of cement with no toeholds!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Ok. I started writing this on May 15. One part of the problem is this beautiful fuzzlebug who plops into my lap every time I start typing. But this is really getting silly... Since starting this, I've had... my great visit with Daddy, destined to be my last for quite some time, which leaves me very, very depressed; my latest chemo visit, which would have been fairly unremarkable had Aimee not come to visit, talk about plans for Relay for Life (you can all go contribute to this very important American Cancer Society fundraiser on my personal page at http://tinyurl.com/3odqz2g) & drive me home and watch the TORNADOES touching down in my county and those neighboring (this was quite exciting-slash-terrifying, let me tell you!); the scheduling of my next CT scan for June 23 (urgh); and the very unexpected, very cool phone call out of the blue from an old friend I haven't heard from in the better part of a decade.
Needless to say, a lot has happened, and my blogging has lagged far behind! Ok, I admit it, I suck. So, I'm just going to cut things off here before this becomes an even longer-duration writing!! Whew!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Definition: Generation Gap
I have now, just now, like, just right now at some god-awful hour of the early am when neither my darling husband or I can sleep, learned what a generation gap actually is.
I just learned that Grace Kelly's family (yes, that Grace Kelly) paid her soon-to-be husband, Prince Ranier Grimaldi (yes, he is that kind of a prince) a $2 million DOWRY to take her hand in marriage, and I was HORRIFIED.
My darling husband actually already knew this fascinating little factoid and considered it totally unremarkable.
That, my dear friends, is a generation gap!!
And for those of you who have never before needed to know, a dowry, or "bride price," is a sum of cash, goods, textiles, land, livestock, or some combination thereof that is paid by the father/family of the bride to the groom/family of the groom in return for his marrying their daughter. This all goes back to the women as property/chattel concept, which is, of course, still in full effect in way too many parts of the world.
Grace Kelly.
How many men, then or now, would happily fork over $2M for the honor of marrying her, instead of it being the other way around? Hmm??? I think HRH Grimaldi was damned lucky that the Kellys were frigging gullible as all hell. Whoever told Princess Grace (and has any woman had a more fitting name?!) that she needed to pay someone to marry her deserves a spanking.
At least. Sheesh!
I just learned that Grace Kelly's family (yes, that Grace Kelly) paid her soon-to-be husband, Prince Ranier Grimaldi (yes, he is that kind of a prince) a $2 million DOWRY to take her hand in marriage, and I was HORRIFIED.
My darling husband actually already knew this fascinating little factoid and considered it totally unremarkable.
That, my dear friends, is a generation gap!!
And for those of you who have never before needed to know, a dowry, or "bride price," is a sum of cash, goods, textiles, land, livestock, or some combination thereof that is paid by the father/family of the bride to the groom/family of the groom in return for his marrying their daughter. This all goes back to the women as property/chattel concept, which is, of course, still in full effect in way too many parts of the world.
Grace Kelly.
How many men, then or now, would happily fork over $2M for the honor of marrying her, instead of it being the other way around? Hmm??? I think HRH Grimaldi was damned lucky that the Kellys were frigging gullible as all hell. Whoever told Princess Grace (and has any woman had a more fitting name?!) that she needed to pay someone to marry her deserves a spanking.
At least. Sheesh!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Still hanging in … barely
I'm becoming the worst blogger ever! I don't keep up very well lately, but I also haven't had a •lot• to talk about other than sickness and pain.
Having Auntie, Daddy and Josh come up was a fantastic break from he ordinary. Lloyd and the boys went south to see Pop, and my gang came north to see Anna and I. Just having them HERE was all I needed, even if it is boring for them. I was supposed to be reesting and building up those white cells, so I tried to do just that. Auntie helped a lot with that, making sure I took my naps and sat my ass on the couch more than not. We did, of course, make a trip to the brewery for lunch, which is always the highlight of the trip.
Meanwhile, the main thing I've been doing is being in a lot of pain or feeling sick, which are two topics I really don't like to write about much! They're just oh-so-not-cheery!
Monday, I see Andy, and get my labs done; Tuesday I see Roni and find out if my lab values entitle me to come for chemo on Wednesday, or if I have to get another series of booster shots and start the whole process over again.
Happy happy joy joy!
Otherwise, trying to get out of bed is a challenge most days, 'cause when my feet hit the ground, they suddenly don't seem interested in holding me up. I've been trying to yoga-out some of the worst kinks, but today, it's just as if someone is sticking bamboo skewers into my hip (worst) & various other random parts of my body. I just can't imagine that it's at all interesting to read about someone describing her various aches and pains.
Of course, it's even less interesting to have them! Well, perhaps that's incorrect - it can indeed be interesting, but it is by no means fun!! I'll be damned if I'm going to become one of those (prematurely-) old ladies who does nothing but whine about her aches and pains to anyone she can corner. See, all y'all have he ability to just *CLICK* your way to greener pastures if I get to morose and whiny,
The funny thing is, despite the humongous amount of pain that I'm in, I've also got spring fever something fierce. Lloyd and I have been talking all morning about putting in the front garden (as long as he de-toads it for me first) and putting up my patio swing. I'm just dying to be out in this gorgeous weather, and yet walking to the bathroom is excruciating. Maybe Sparky would like to go for a scooter walk …
So, that's about all. You really haven't missed a single thing! There just hasn't been anything happening. We did take some photos at the Brewery, so I'll have to hit the laptop downstairs and put those up. Otherwise..........pain, dogs, doctors, cats, chemo, naps.... Kinda sounds like fodder for a really bad country song, huh?!
Having Auntie, Daddy and Josh come up was a fantastic break from he ordinary. Lloyd and the boys went south to see Pop, and my gang came north to see Anna and I. Just having them HERE was all I needed, even if it is boring for them. I was supposed to be reesting and building up those white cells, so I tried to do just that. Auntie helped a lot with that, making sure I took my naps and sat my ass on the couch more than not. We did, of course, make a trip to the brewery for lunch, which is always the highlight of the trip.
Meanwhile, the main thing I've been doing is being in a lot of pain or feeling sick, which are two topics I really don't like to write about much! They're just oh-so-not-cheery!
Monday, I see Andy, and get my labs done; Tuesday I see Roni and find out if my lab values entitle me to come for chemo on Wednesday, or if I have to get another series of booster shots and start the whole process over again.
Happy happy joy joy!
Otherwise, trying to get out of bed is a challenge most days, 'cause when my feet hit the ground, they suddenly don't seem interested in holding me up. I've been trying to yoga-out some of the worst kinks, but today, it's just as if someone is sticking bamboo skewers into my hip (worst) & various other random parts of my body. I just can't imagine that it's at all interesting to read about someone describing her various aches and pains.
Of course, it's even less interesting to have them! Well, perhaps that's incorrect - it can indeed be interesting, but it is by no means fun!! I'll be damned if I'm going to become one of those (prematurely-) old ladies who does nothing but whine about her aches and pains to anyone she can corner. See, all y'all have he ability to just *CLICK* your way to greener pastures if I get to morose and whiny,
The funny thing is, despite the humongous amount of pain that I'm in, I've also got spring fever something fierce. Lloyd and I have been talking all morning about putting in the front garden (as long as he de-toads it for me first) and putting up my patio swing. I'm just dying to be out in this gorgeous weather, and yet walking to the bathroom is excruciating. Maybe Sparky would like to go for a scooter walk …
So, that's about all. You really haven't missed a single thing! There just hasn't been anything happening. We did take some photos at the Brewery, so I'll have to hit the laptop downstairs and put those up. Otherwise..........pain, dogs, doctors, cats, chemo, naps.... Kinda sounds like fodder for a really bad country song, huh?!
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