Buzz

I did it, or rather my granddaughter did it for me.  I went to her beauty school this morning and had her take off the falling hair. 

She also styled a wig for me.  The wig is not real hair so when it was cut the little tiny pieces are more prickly than real hair.  It is now drying from being washed in an attempt to get rid of those tiny pieces.

My whole head feels like the back of a little boys neck after that first trip to the barber.

Susan stopped by for lunch and took the pictures.

My head is cold even though it is above freezing today.  The snow is going away fast.  We are supposed to get rain or snow this week-end. 

Hope it doesn’t keep us away from Willie’s performance Sunday night.  He is in a band that will be playing at the Canal Street Tavern.

That’s all, just wanted to share the bald head with everyone. 

And the scar from where I had a cyst removed years ago is not a smiley face as I asked for, it is a tiny straight line.  You just can’t trust anyone.

Congratulations to my sister for passing her driving test in a 38 foot RV!

Later….

 

Wednesday Shopping

Pushed the energy level today to go do some shopping.  The list has been growing for several days.  Of course, it was very cold but it felt good to get out of the house and do something.  I got gift cards for most of the Christmas gifts I will give.  Just need one more that hasn’t been found yet.

I also picked up the laptop computer at the shop.  There was nothing wrong with it.  No charge.  

I give up.  It quit on me and wouldn’t come back on the next day.  Maybe the plug wasn’t in good and the battery ran down but it usually gives a warning before it does that.  All’s well and end well.  Now the old desk top computer can get a rest.

I took a nap when I got home.

I have been getting “comments” on old blogs, the comments do not publish.  Apparently this is a new way of getting ads to people.  I suppose there is a way to block them but it isn’t worth the trouble. 

Some of them are funny, some in French.  The French one I translated by going to a Google translation site.  It just said something about having great knowledge.  I’m sure I am supposed to try to find out what that is.

Short Ramble Warning -

Got a call from my brother today about a website he was interested in.  It has a film of how they harvested ice in 1919.  I watched it and it is interesting.  I never knew how they did that.

Of course the video is in black and white and there is no sound.

www.farmcollector.com is the website.  They have other videos on youtube.  Back then there wasn’t  TV or all the distractions we have today.  They worked hard and probably were ready for bed at dark. 

I guess I’m glad we have all the stuff we have today.

later….

 

Monday, Chemo Day #3

Today 2 of my friends and I went to lunch, then they dropped me at the Dr's office for my chemo.  Now one more person knows where I go and how to pick me up if I need them.  Friends are WONDERFUL.

I think I have found the limit of the reduction I can do on the steroids the day before chemo.  Today I burped a few times during chemo and that can be a precurser to upchucks.  Maybe even step it back up by 4 mgs.

Several of the other women there were chatting and we shared stories.  One young woman with lung cancer was particularly troubled.  This was her first chemo so some advise was shared.  We shared the reactions we both get to the steroids the day before.  Apparently that is standard issue. 

Lory picked me up and brought me home.  Getting home I had to be careful walking, a bit unsteady on my feet.  So I guess that solves the question of whether I should drive myself to and from chemo.  Bummer.  Next Monday is a week off from chemo, I just need to go for blood tests.  I CAN drive myself for that. 

Now for the projects of last night. The tote with a mixture of tools took a while and had to be done on my knees on the hard floor so I took it in small doses.

The before picture -

 The after picture - doesn't look like much difference but it really is much more organized.  There were pieces of metal that I had no idea what they could be used for so I threw them away.

 The really hard part was the string mess.  At least this could be done at the counter sitting in a comfortable bar stool.  Before -

 After - I found the plastic part in the bottom of the tote.  I think this is a thing to make a straight line, maybe in a garden to make long rows.  There is probably a second piece for the other end of the line but it was not found.  If anyone has other suggestions for its use, let me know.

That mess of string almost defeated me.  I got out the scissors and showed them to the tangles.  They immediately were solved - so I kept going.  By midnight I was still involved with knots and forgot to look at the sonic clock to see whether it said a.m. or p.m. at 12:00.  There will be other times to check that, if I remember.

So if I get my vegtable garden area tilled and if some one wants to help with a garden next spring and if we want straight rows, this tool may come in handy.  At least I know where to find it now.

Now for a quiet evening and maybe some sleep tonight.  One of the nausea medicines makes me sleepy so it may get used tonight.

Later....

Haircut

Do I look a little scared?  I think those big eyes are due to steroids and my hair usually looks better than that.  We were going for a big change so we didn't fix it for the before picture.

This is the before picture.  At the advice of my beautician daughter I just got a severe haircut tonight. 

I had to agree that the after was much better than a buzz as well as better than the before.  This will work until it all falls out and when it falls out it won't be such a mess.  I felt a draft during the haircut.

The floor was swept and it was done.  I think I look fatter fuller in the face without all that hair.

It's going to be cold this week so a hat may be in order just for warmth.  Not supposed to get above freezing this week.  Winter is really here.

Spent some quality time on the phone with my sister this evening - just before the haircut.  She got a hint of how I babble when on those drugs.  Also opened the box she sent and sniffed all the scented candles that they make in Fredericksburg, TX.   What an aromatic gift.  The cookies are good, too.  Thanks Sis.

Okay I have to get started on a project to use some of this hyperness.  It will not be as noticable as the one last week.  I will be untangling a tote with tools tossed in it.  Somehow a long string got in there and got all mixed with everything else, nails, saws, etc.  A scissors will be used. 

Still using the desk top computer and it took forever to figure out how to get the pictures on it and then posted.  Why do computer geeks have to change things when they aren't broken? 

Later....



Falling Things

Things are falling here, things like snow, things like hair.  It started this morning.  If I run my hands thru my hair I get 20 or 30 hairs.  The biggest surprise was that a couple of those hairs were brown.

The snow is also falling, slowly, not really a storm at all, but it has added up to 3 or 4 inches anyway. 

Last night my laptop died suddenly.  I am doing this on the old desk top computer.  Today I took the laptop to the Dr., the PC Dr whose office is just a few doors from my house. 

He said it would be Monday before I heard the extent of the damage.  Then he asked why I was still in town since I usually go away this time of year.  I told him I was tied to doctors this winter.  We chatted about the neighborhood and the weather and the fire that happened a few months ago in the restaurant next door to his store.  His area was also damaged so he was closed for a couple of months.

Tomorrow I plan to get a buzz and get this hair thing over with.  If it had started on top I could have worn a hat to cover that part but it started along my neck and around my ears.  So that plan won't work.  I will just be happy if my scalp stops tingling.

Tomorrow is another steroid day.  The dose will be reduced again.  Maybe I'll be able to sleep more.  Hope springs eternal.

later....

Usual Friday

I am being poisoned!  Looked up the chemo drug I am getting, Taxol, on the internet.  It is made from the bark of a specific kind of yew tree.  Do not chew on the bark of yew trees.

Still have my hair but my scalp tingles a lot. 

I am on a 2 hour eating schedule.  A whole big meal sets in my stomach like a brick.  So I break up the meals and eat more often.  Used to have yogurt with cereal mixed into it for breakfast.  Now I have the yogurt then 2 hours later, the cereal. 

Received a nice phone call from the doctor’s office this morning.  The test for HER2 was negative.  That means there won’t need to be another chemical added to my chemo – I think.  A negative test is always good.

The snow has melted but more is predicted. 

Spent the afternoon at the barn with Lory and my friends.  Tried on a purple wig – just not my style.  Picked up some scarves in anticipation of lost hair.

Picked up the mail and found a Christmas package from Texas.  It smells REALLY good. 

The temperature didn’t get much above 40 degrees today.  We are due some more snow tonight or tomorrow.  I have the snow melt stuff and a shovel in the mud room so I’m ready. 

later….

 

 

Snow

It started with just a few white flecks floating around in the air early this morning.  At noon it was still not amounting to much.  By 3:00 p.m. it had covered most of the ground. 

See those two bowling balls gazing balls? They show up nicely in the snow.

I guess no one wants to sit on the bench beside the driveway today.

I overate last night so had a stomach ache.  Lesson learned.  I will no longer be a member of the clean plate club.

Just received a breathless phone call from daughter, Susan, telling about her drive home from work and several close calls on the road.  She witnessed several accidents right in front of her and stopped to call 911 and be sure everyone was okay. No one injured but some cars were dented up. ICE on the road.

The dogs have been in and out extra times to check out the snow.  Finally got them settled down while I took a nap this afternoon.

I think I will hibernate till spring.

later….