Testy January Day With Some Delightful Spots

 

Well, it was not a good day! Some days start off marching on the left foot and only way to correct it is to go back to bed and start over, which was not an option for me today. I have dreaded and actually been fearful of going to chemo this morning as I wondered what kind of side effects I would have this time. We had house and refrigerator set for a week of illness and laundry done up. Then I could not get chemo due to blood counts being so low. Where was the power of all that liver I ate? The red blood cells required a shot to build up which scares me due to the possibility of increased tumor growth. I don’t have much left they can pull out with a tumor!

 

When I got home, there was a package from blogger buddy in Australia!!!! (http://myjustsostory.blogspot.com/)  It had this lovely tea cup that made her think of me…blue and orange with butterflies! It is lovely gift and thought; this writer has plenty on her own plate so really appreciate she made time for me! I set the splash of orange next to my orange fox. This picture taken and framed for me by a friend’s hubby.

So, I decided to stay up and push more. While a few snowmen still hover around the edges, I did away with the red tablecloth. This might be a mistake because the day is so bright and warm it is easy to forget we are still in January, still in winter and will probably face snow and more darkness. (I am not eager to face the spring tornadic stuff that poor Georgia faced this weekend!)

I decided to put out things that reminded me of the Santa Fe area. I have little but a few paper napkins and some red poppies on the new turquoise place mats remind me a little of that Northeastern corner of New Mexico we love so much. I don’t think I have seen a turquoise tea pot, but maybe that should be an item I could search for. The hunt is often more thrilling than obtaining the item.

Still trying to turn the tide of the day, I came to computer to put 2016 pictures all in a folder. I did and then lost them all. They are not to be found in this machine!!!! So I think I’m going to don a flannel nightgown, wait for evening to pass, and start all over tomorrow!  

 

Chemo in the Kitchen!

I learned recently that chemo started with the use of arsenic. That seems appropriate because chemo feels like poison in my body! The new formula that was to be a little easier was the worst ever. Then I found out I got more of a dose than the cancer team had suggested. It took a long time to come out of the cloud and I’m still not there. Too bad, but I return for another hit on Monday. You can bet I will be asking what the numbers are when they start that drip!

Chemo does lots of things, but there a real side effect called chemo brain. It is hard to bear, the not thinking clearly. The feeling of a numb mind is one of the biggest insults. Today DH went to help our son repair damage from last week’s ice that was worse at his house. He wanted me to go too, to get out, but I did not feel well enough. I wanted the comfort of my flannel robe, recliner, my own bathroom, etc. I also wanted the joy of being in my own house alone for a while.

 But I did try to do a few things including frying two pounds of liver and making a batch of fiber muffins. Liver thaws fast, cooks fast, but it is a mess as I get flour all over everywhere. But I am to build up cells when I can and liver is a good hearty blood building food. We like it too. But to give you an idea how my chemo acted just while cooking read below. I got ‘er done but not without some hurdles. The house smells like liver and I can only eat small amounts at a time, but hopefully it will help me next week!

 Cooking Today

Fed husband oatmeal with wonderful fresh blueberries. Sent him to son’s to fix ice damaged fence.

Dress. Then rest an hour with The View. Begin to cook two pounds of liver for extra iron and blood strength to face coming chemo again. Frying liver is fast and easy but so messy leaving flour all over the stove which will have to be cleaned.

Made some fiber muffins. Mixed dry ingredients and then the wet ones. Cracked three eggs and stupidly cracked one into the egg carton instead of the bowl!!!

Reached for raisins, none, but there were some currants. Soaked them.

Stirred all together and put into oven. Turned and saw currants still draining.

Felt so shaky and weak from being up. Forced myself forward. Thought it was time for a rest, maybe even a nap!

 

 

 

 

I Am a Wee Bit Back!

 

January is half over and we sit inside waiting for ice. For two days, our warnings have been dire about ice, but Mother Nature has danced around the freezing point so we have some passable streets. Since I am not going out much anyway, I think a pretty snow would be nice instead. But…we take what we get. I just hope one more day will put us past the severe ice danger and damage.

 

 

Inside the house does have snowmen. I put little out for Christmas this year due to health reasons, but still I only put away part of it. I could not bear the thoughts of silk spring flowers and rabbits yet. I also did not want to see bare winter dullness, icy scenes. So, I compromised and left out lots of reds, lots of cheerful snowmen, and winter tea pots.

I also dragged out some of my favorite blue and whites. They comfort me so.

 

I did a new chemo two days after Christmas and while still in the midst of surgery healing. It was hard and devastating for 12 days. So, the last few days as it has lifted, but I return on January 23 for more (sort of like hitting your own head with a hammer and knowing it is coming!). With these better days DH has helped me and together we put house back together to face next round. We/he swept floors, put out clean kitchen tablecloths, vacuumed up dog hair, wiped down refrigerator and did up laundry. Doesn’t sound exciting I know, but it is thrilling to someone who has not been able to wipe up a thing for long while. We often take so much for granted and don’t realize how delightful a wet sponge in our hand is until we can’t do it anymore!

There has been writing here, not even a blog page for nearly two months. That is sad, but I do still reach for your blogs to read when I can even if I don’t leave a comment. I am glad you dear pals are out there!

Reading is hard too, but I am reading a little on the better days. Right now, I am reading My Brothers’ Keeper. This is collection of bios of Christians that saved Jews during the Holocaust even at the expense of their own lives. Yes, it could be seen as a dark book, but I am so uplifted to know these people existed. I hope that our world still has such giving and principled people.

This is about all I can write today. Thank you all again for continued prayers and support. I hope you all are warm and safe and happy on this winter’s day!