Not Quite So Grumpy Friday

It doesn’t help when you wake up to snow going sideways.  Most of the snow is already gone this evening.  Flood warnings are out but I’m on high ground. 

I can tell myself that “it is what it is” and “get over it” and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Today I got dressed about noontime right after I got a call that Lory and John were coming over to start working on painting my bathroom.

They got a lot done but there is still a lot to do.  The new bathtub left areas that needed drywall and spackle.  That’s all been done. 

Today Kilz was put on the ceiling and the patched places.  We are trying to preserve the wallpaper border which makes it tricky. 

Tomorrow I am going to rouse myself and get out of the house.  I need to go to the bank and pick up a few things at the grocery.  If that works out I may even buy paint.

I was disappointed with Bandit this morning when he walked right by some rabbit tracks in the back yard without giving them a sniff.

later…. 

 

Grumpy Thursday

I’m going to grump today. 

I was given a booklet titled Understanding Chemotherapy.   On page 54 there is a paragraph which says:

“Recent research has shown that chemo can impact the thinking functions of the brain (known as cognitive functioning) for up to 10 years after treatment.  Some of the brain’s activities that are affected are concentration, memory, comprehension (understanding), and reasoning.  The changes that are found in patients are often very subtle, but the people who have these problems are very aware of the changes in their ability to think.”

So now I have an excuse. 

I’m supposed to take my temperature every day to make sure I don’t have an infection.  I take it first thing in the morning and the last 2 mornings it has been 93.1 and 93.4.   Maybe that’s why I don’t want to get out of bed.  Maybe that’s why I have to close one eye so I don’t see double.

Eventually it gets up to my normal.  Then I get to take a bunch of pills which often get stuck in my throat. 

Yesterday taking a shower was the total accomplishment of the day.  Today I don’t think I’ll even do that.

later….

Chemo - Round 4 Treatment 11

Everything went well yesterday.  My blood was good so I got my drugs.  I dozed off and on, just give me drugs and I can drift off.

Maybe that’s why I woke up at 4:30 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep.

I ate a bit last night and felt full before I ate.  I think the upset stomach thing is starting to build up.  Everything has side effects.  The pills for nausea have other side effects that I have to take pills for. 

The weather has turned back to winter.  I had planned to do some running around today but the car is covered with ice.  The TV news is warning of black ice on the roads so I guess I’ll hibernate some more.

It rained yesterday.  The dogs finally had to be brave and go out in it.  When they came back inside Bandit went to the bathroom and stood there barking. 

It finally occurred to me that he remembered being dried off with a towel – one time – several months ago.

Now I am trainable, maybe a bit slow at it.  He got dried off with the towel and so did Teddy.   

When spring finally comes and the dogs come in with muddy feet I will have to teach them to let me wipe their feet off in the “mud” room.  When I had 4 dogs instead of just 2 that was quite a job.

Later….

 

Nice Weather For a While

Thursday  Feb. 17 - I’m trying not to get used to the nice weather.  We have all of March to go before there might be dependable weather.

I did venture out into the back yard to pick up some dead branches that the wind brought down.  I keep a stack of dead wood for an occasional bonfire. 

The dogs have been in and out often in this nice weather.  The neighbor’s dogs are also in and out.  They hear one another and it starts again.

After all these weeks of giving Teddy his carrot treats and giving Bandit his chewy dog treats – suddenly Bandit will take carrots, too.  Maybe it’s because he sees Teddy running away with his carrot, defending it and enjoying it. 

If Bandit wasn’t so camera shy I would get a picture of him with his carrot.  He runs away even if I am clear across the lawn with the camera.

Sunday – Feb. 20 -  I just had a heads up call from Lory telling me I hadn’t posted since Wed. 

As you can see I started one but didn’t post it so I will add to it now.

The really nice weather is gone.  Ice pellets and rain for today.  The rest of this week calls for rain and cool temps.

Today I was really hungry at lunch time so I ate too much and have been paying for it ever since.  I am now sipping juice and munching crackers.  I think the worst is over.

I have taken all the pills for chemo tomorrow.  I have the rides arranged.  If my blood is good it will be a go.

later….

 

Car Fixed

Yippeee!!!  They got my car to act up so they could figure out what was wrong.  It was something to do with an idle arm that sometimes stuck.  The bill actually says “replace IAC motor”.

The bill to fix it wasn’t cheap but nothing is.   In fact it was less than one car payment, if  I remember right.  I haven’t made car payments in at least 10 years.

It sprinkled a bit this morning, now the sun is out.  The washer is running and the dishes are waiting to be washed.  They may wait a while.

Trying to avoid the full feeling in my stomach today.  I find that means not eating much at all. 

While I was gone picking up the car Bandit found the last apple fritter on the counter.  I hope he gets a stomach ache.

later….

 

Car & Me Update

Updates on me and my car.

I feel full all the time even when my stomach is growling for food.  So I eat a little bit at a time anyway.  I’ve almost gotten used to my ears ringing.  I noticed today that my eyelashes are gone.  There are just some tiny 1/4 inch ones left.

Yesterday I changed the sheets on my bed.  I think that is about the hardest work there is in a house.  My bed has two sides to the wall, maybe that’s part of the problem.

Ramble Warning----

I once dislocated my kneecap while making a king size bed.  That’s the kind of pain that you just draw in a gasp – don’t even cuss. 

I was on my hands and knees backing off the bed after tucking in the middle of the top sheet. 

I looked at it once and then couldn’t look any more.  I reached down and put it back where it belonged. 

I happened to be seeing an orthopedic doctor about an elbow problem so the next week at his office I told him about it.  He had it x-rayed and said I did a good job of putting it back.

I had been wearing an elastic brace on that knee for a while.  I stopped wearing that brace as I think it weakened the tendons holding the kneecap in place.

Now for the car.  They can’t make it do the stall thing.  They are letting one of their employees drive it home tonight to see if they can get it to act up.  They have tried it on the computer and find no problems.

If they find nothing I will bring it home and give it one more chance.  Just one more stall and it will be traded to a dealer.  I couldn’t let someone I know have the problem.

Got a copy of a draft of my new will.  This shouldn’t be that complicated.

Later….

Sunday and Monday

Sunday - Took my steroids and then went grocery shopping this morning.  Is that power shopping?  It didn’t take me long as I had a list. 

The sun is shining today and it feels warm at 50 degrees.  My son-in-law had the top off his car.  High tomorrow is supposed to be 39.  So I guess we have to enjoy the warm days when we get them.

I even took a walk in my back yard which is mostly still covered with snow.   By evening most of the snow was gone.

On Monday I see a physicians assistant (PA) instead of the doctor.  Tomorrow will be chemo treatment 10, the start of round 4.  Sure hope my port works this time.

Monday – My port worked!!  Hoorah.  My blood was good.  I got Zometa and the chemo, Taxol.  I dozed and even snored a little which kept waking me up.

I asked how many more rounds of chemo were planned.  The PA checked and said I was to get a PET scan after a couple more rounds. 

I asked for a prescription for the Mucinex-D since I can’t buy a weeks worth at a time over the counter.  I got that – a months worth with 1 refill. 

Going to the prescription counter to pick stuff up is when you can stand beside people with colds and flu etc.  So I hate to go there often.

One side effect (affect?) of Taxol is tingling and numbness in hands and feet.  That has started lately and 2 toes on my right foot are numb. 

I mentioned this to the PA and she consulted with one of the oncologists (mine is out of town).  He said to take vitamin B-6.  Since I also take Centrum Silver they checked to see how much more I would need and they said 200 mg.  So we stopped at the drug store and got some.

That’s about it for the appointment.

Before I went to my appointment I dropped the car at the garage.  Twice more it has stalled while the engine was warm.  It seems to start fine when it is cold.  They still have it, they haven’t been able to make it do it.  I have told them if they can’t find the problem I will shoot the car.

Machines are supposed to do what they are supposed to do and I have very little patience with them when they don’t. 

We’ll see if the car can be fixed better than I can be fixed.

later….