Thursday Chitchat

It's been a gray day here all day long. We've had some slow, soft rain. And it doesn't seem like Thursday, but it is.

The puppies and I stayed inside most of the day. I did play with them outside for awhile this evening. They would chase and fetch until they fell exhausted if I let them. It was good for them to get some exercise after lying around inside all day, though.

I made chicken pot pie for dinner, using up the leftover rotisserie chicken Ron got at the grocery store a couple of days ago.

We drove to the main post office to drop off some bills this evening, then stopped by the grocery store again. Ron is going out of town for two weeks, and I didn't want to have to go shopping while I'm neutropenic, so he went for me while I waited in the car. I only needed a couple of things.

When we left our subdivision, we saw two mama deer and four fawns. They were so cute. The fawns were tiny, and still had their spots. It just made my day to see them running. :o)

Our youngest son, who has been unemployed for several months, got a job and will start his orientation tomorrow. I'm so happy for him! He will be working for a cable company. I'm sending up prayers of thanksgiving.

Okay, I'm all chatted out. How was your day?

Platelets

Get it? Platelets? Ha!

Sorry for the slow blogging. I think I'm just sick of myself. :o)

All is well. I'm extremely neutropenic right now, so laying low. It's pretty boring.

Had a platelet transfusion and fluids today. Good thing I like my doctors and nurses; I see them too often.

Missed Mass on Sunday because I was feeling sick. Ron and Mom went, and ate at the Asian buffet afterwards. I think I slept most of that day.

I had to go to Wilford Hall for labs on Monday. It was a holiday, so the parking lot was nearly empty, very few people were at the hospital, and there was a skeleton crew working. It seemed very strange, since the place is usually bustling.

Tuesday was quiet; I went to Mom's and came home. It felt like Monday all day.

Today I was at the hospital for most of the day. Ron took me and stayed until we got the lab results to see if I'd need a transfusion. When we found out I did need one, he went to Mom's for me, taking her meds and some lunch. Then he went to work for awhile and came back for me when I was finished. They gave me benedryl and tylenol before the platelets, and the benedryl made me so sleepy! I crashed when we got home, and slept all evening.

And that has been my exciting life the past few days. :o)

Catching Up

Lily, Lyssa and Jacob having fun in the pool.

Jason and his family arrived last Monday evening, while I was still in the hospital for chemo. So they were here when I returned home Wednesday afternoon.

I really enjoyed having them here. We had fun. I didn't see much of my oldest grandson, who is 14 now and taller than me! He was usually sleeping, playing computer games or watching TV while he was here. He did go swimming with the others, but wasn't in the pool for the picture. We did spend some time watching crazy shows on TV, though.

The girls and Jake went with me to Gran's one day, and then to shop for belated birthday gifts. I got the girls each something from Toys R Us, and Jacob also got a toy. :o) Then we dropped him off at the house and went to the mall. The girls each got a couple of summer outfits, then we went to Marble Slab for ice cream. It was such a nice afternoon.

Reece loved spending time with his cousins, as always. He spent the night last night, and when they were getting ready to leave this morning he said, "They can't go home!" He would love to have them here always.

Thursday we had a big fish fry. Jason and Kismette cooked salmon, mahi mahi, talapia and catfish, and it was so delicious! Friday we had Asian chicken thighs, baked in the oven. The girls, Reece and I made cream cheese sopapillas for dessert. Very easy and pretty good, but next time I'll use a lot less sugar in them.

One evening the kids and I were sitting on the sectional watching TV, and I asked them if they wanted to see my bald head. They weren't sure, except for Lily, who said she did want to see. So I took off my cap, and they were so cute! The girls came straight to my sides and hugged me and felt my head. Jake thought it was hilarious, and would laugh every time he thought about it afterwards. :o) Caelen laughed when I did my little Six Flags bald guy imitation. It broke the ice, and then they were able to ask me questions and talk about what is going on. Jake wanted to know about my PICC line. I think they were all relieved that in spite of the cancer, Gramma hasn't changed.

After they left today, Reece and I went to see Gran before I took him home. I was tired, so napped for awhile, then played with the dogs this evening.

We don't really have plans for the 4th of July or Monday when Ron will be off work, but will play it by ear. Maybe a cook-out if it's nice, or we might take in a fireworks show with the Grands that live here.

Happy Independence Day, America!

Fourth Round Is Finished.

(View of the sky from my hospital room window).

Finally got out of the hospital around noon today. This cycle of chemo was a unit of Rituxan, then 4 units of Ara-C, each taking 3 hours, with 12 hours in between units. So they didn't finish the last unit until early this morning from 4 to 7 AM. I tolerated it well, but have a new side effect I hadn't expected. My feet get cold and achy. I didn't connect it to the chemo, but looked on-line just now, and see that it is sometimes a side effect. So weird.

The great news is that my PET and CT scans look, in my doctor's words, "...really, really good, actually." :o) He showed them to me yesterday--the ones taken in April, and the ones taken this month, side by side. I could see how the lymph nodes have shrunk back to normal. My doctor said that looking at the scans he couldn't see any cancer. But I will still have to go through the whole chemotherapy regimen in order to be as sure as possible that all of the renegade cells are killed before going on to the stem cell transplant.

Just to recap, after the sixth round of chemo, they will harvest my hopefully healthy bone marrow (stem cells), then I'll be in the hospital for 6 days while they give me more very strong chemo treatments. Then right away they will give me back my healthy stem cells, which we hope will start producing strong, healthy cells right away and I'll be cured.

I spoke with one of the transplant team doctors yesterday, though, and he was not quite as upbeat and confident about a cure as my doctor. He said they can't call it a cure because mantle cell lymphoma is notorious for coming back. As I understand it, sometimes the cancerous mantle cells are so slow growing that they stay hidden and are hard to kill. So a few years down the road, they may start to grow quickly and I'll be right back where I started.

But that is the reason they are giving me the very strong 6 day chemo treatments just before the transplant--to go deep and kill as much as they can (without killing me). So I am holding onto my faith and praying that it is God's will that this be cured.

I'm sure the reason I felt so good last week is because the cancer cells are mostly gone, so my body was returning to normal. It makes it hard to go back for more chemo, knowing that it will make me sick again, but I'll continue my treatments hoping for a complete cure. I don't want it to come back!

Ron and I stopped at Mom's on the way home from the hospital, then came on home where I got to see our visiting grandchildren and get big hugs from all of them. They had fun swimming in the pool, despite the cloudy weather we're having from Hurricane Alex. They may not get a chance to swim again if we get the expected rain from the outer bands.

Sister and Katy were happy to see me. I played frisbee with them for awhile, and they couldn't get enough!

I'm happy to be home, grateful that I feel as well as I do, and so very thankful for all of your prayers and support!

Blue Monday

I'll be in the hospital on Monday and Tuesday for my fourth round of chemotherapy. Really dreading it this time. I think it's because I've felt so normal this week. I just hate the thought that I'll feel yucky again after the chemo.

But Jason and his family will be here when I get home, so I am looking forward to that!

Prayers much appreciated!

Reecisms

Reece, playing with my knitted hat and the photo booth on my computer. The camera flashed and the picture is way overexposed, but I still think it looks cute.

I told Reece to come and put his shoes on today. I was sitting on the floor, and he walked over to me and rubbed my head with both hands, then flipped my ears forward, looked at me and said, "You wook wike a monkey." :o) Oh my gosh, he makes me laugh so hard!

He loves watching Peter and the Wolf on YouTube, even though he's kind of scared of the wolf. He likes to act part of it out, particularly the part where Peter is upset because his Grandpapa won't let him go out in search of the wolf. Reece pretends to kick the toy wolf, then leans his cheek on his hand and looks grumpy. It's so cute.

He came into the kitchen Friday night and said to me, "I can't find my whammer hammer." :o)

He got potato chip crumbs all over the couch and floor. I got out the vacuum cleaner and cleaned everything up. Later he was sitting on the couch and looked down at the floor and saw two little crumbs. He said, "Gramma, you need to use the vacuneenah and clean up that mess!"

I asked him if he had to go potty, and he answered, "No, thank you," and went right on playing with his cars.

My Laugh For The Day

Y'all, I knitted myself some hair!

I found instructions for a "chemo cap" called a No Hair Day Hat.

I had some balls of yarn that are brown and white and fuzzy, so I decided to give it a try, just for fun.

It was pretty easy, but I hated working with the fuzzy yarn. It turned out too small for my big old head, but I had to put it on anyway and show you my knitted hair.

Everytime I'd look at myself I would laugh out loud and startle the puppies.

Maybe I'll try making a bigger one in red or purple or something.

Thursday Chitchat

The week is flying by and I haven't accomplished much.

I had the PET and CT scans yesterday and am wondering about the results. Maybe my doctor will call me to let me know what he sees. We are hoping for diminished cancer cells.

I'll have labs tomorrow to get ready for the 4th chemo on Monday and Tuesday. It seems like I just had a round of chemo. Twenty-one days sure went quickly!

I've been watching the news a lot, keeping an eye on what is happening in the gulf, on the border and what was happening with General McChyrstal. Sorry to say, my disdain for the commander in chief has not changed. I should start a blog called What I Would Do If I Were President. :o) Ha!

Gotta run. It's time to go to Mom's.

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window...

Sunny, gorgeous day. Blue skies, fluffy clouds. We haven't reached 100° yet this year, but 90s are hot enough!

I am thankful...
that I don't feel sick and that the AC is repaired. The motor on the blower went out Sunday evening. Some nice young men came and replaced it Monday morning. Beaucoup $$$$.

I am wearing...
Dark blue denim capris, purple tee shirt, bare feet and bald head. :o)

I am remembering...

St. Peters and St. Charles, Missouri, 1981-1986.

I am going...

I've been to the airport this morning to drop Ron off. Next stop will be Mom's.

I am reading...
Theology And Sanity by Frank Sheed. I keep starting and stopping. This time I hope to finally finish it! It's a wonderful book.

On my mind...

missing my grandchildren in Houston, but happy that their daddy is coming for a visit next week. They always spend some time with us in the summer, and I'm hoping for more good weeks so that they can come for a week or so.

From the learning rooms...
I've been looking at some homeschool sites for kindergarten, and also looking into Handwriting Without Tears. This cancer has slowed our homeschool efforts to almost nothing since I don't see Reece as often now.

Pondering these words...

"Therefore a sacrament is a sign that commemorates what precedes it--Christ's Passion; demonstrates what is accomplished in us through Christ's Passion--grace; and prefigures what that Passion pledges to us--future glory." St. Thomas Aquinas

From the kitchen....

Josh and Cyrise have shared a pork tenderloin and kalbi ribs with us lately. It's so nice to a main dish already made, so all I have to do is add a starch and some veggies to make a complete meal. Thanks, sweeties!

This morning (and yesterday morning) I've had frozen waffles with a tiny bit of syrup and a lot of raspberries (frozen, also). Yum!

Around the house...
I'm going room to room and making lists of things that need to be done. Loooong list.

One of my favorite things...
Fireflies.

A picture to share...

I may have shared this picture before.

Sister and Kate, behind the gate.

They are so good about going to their yard. However, I'm able to leave them in the "big yard" longer now, because they aren't so destructive. And since it's been so hot, they spend quite a bit of time indoors, just snoozing in the coolness. :o)

As always, check out Peggy's daybook site to read more daybook entries.

A Quiet Father's Day Here.

(God the Father, St. Peter Catholic Church, St. Charles, Missouri).

I hope everyone has had a lovely Father's Day. It was a low-key day around here.

We went to Mass at noon. I got to meet one of my dear readers and two of her children in person after Mass today, which was so nice!

In the afternoon, Josh and Reece came over and we went shopping. Josh got some shorts and shirts (more a belated birthday present than Father's Day gift). Reece and I dropped him off at home and went shopping for a Father's Day gift for Reece and the girls to give their daddy.

We went to Dollar Tree and got a blue bucket and filled it with lots of little things daddies might need or like. We got things like a level, duct tape, some nylon rope, bungee cords, Goo Gone, a car washing sponge, a shammy, work gloves, a barbecue lighter, some beef jerky, some Red Hot Tamale candies, and I can't recall what else. Reece had fun helping pick out the gifts and put them in the bucket. When we got home, I told him to give the bucket of gifts to his daddy and say, "Happy Father's Day!" It was so sweet. He said, "Happy Father's Day" in a shy, soft little voice as he handed the gifts to his daddy.

His mommy wasn't feeling well and stayed home with the baby girls, so they didn't stay long after that.

Kelly took her dad out for brunch yesterday, just the two of them, and Jason called him this evening to tell him "happy father's day," and chat. Jason is planning to come visit the week after next. He had planned to come a few weeks ago, but it didn't work out. We are looking forward to seeing him.

I'm praying for God's blessing on all the fathers and grandfathers of my readers. Thank God for them!