Pens

 My treatment went just fine on Wednesday, though it was delayed by about an hour, so we didn't get home until after 6 pm.

It's so frustrating when that happens, but it seems to be the norm.  The one or two times that everything ran on time were definitely the exceptions! 

We've had a GORGEOUS few days here, with cool nights, and reasonable days!  

The recent rain brought us nearly 8 inches in 48 hours, which is, of course, too much to really nourish the land, BUT was good for refilling our water reservoirs. 

We are supposed to have 80s by the end of the week, but in the meantime, normal temperatures and light winds will be SUCH A TREAT!

I finally got my journal a few days ago.  It's smaller than anticipated, which is, of course, no surprise, since I learned that the company is NOT in the US, after all, but in China.

My plan is to make the best of it, though, and I have purchased a pack of pens in different colors.

Now, I just hope that I can find something to write about every day, even if it's just a line or two.

Today, we are going to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, and attend an Oktoberfest event at the fair grounds.

This event originated at a German restaurant out in the town of Choctaw, OK in the 1990s.

Dave used to go to it because he knew the owners of the restaurant, and they were fellow BMW auto fans. There was always a car show during the event, too.

When I first moved here, we went to it for a couple of years, both when it was at the restaurant, and then, when it got too big, and was moved to a park in Choctaw.

Unfortunately, the restaurant closed its doors in 2018, but the event still happens, and now is local to us, which is nice! 

I am looking forward to a Bavarian pretzel, and maybe some bratwurst and saurkraut, and a nice, cold beer.

Tomorrow, a major home improvement process begins.  We are having the ductwork for our HVAC system replaced.

It's all under the house, and there are areas of it that are collapsed and damaged, and full of moisture, which, of course, results in mold.

We are financing this through our home equity line of credit, so it will only increase our monthly payment by about $120, which is manageable.... AND, hopefully, it will reduce our chronic allergy symptoms, and reduce the amount of dust in the house as well! 

On that note, I am off to make some pancakes for our Sunday breakfast, and then to the shower, so we can go eat some more, later,  at Oktoberfest!

Have a great week!

What's cookin'?

 Well, the weather cool down did not last long.  That was what was predicted, though, so it was not a surprise.

Next week's mid to upper 90s, though?  Do we really need to do that?  Ugh.

They're saying, though, that actual autumn WILL arrive the week after next.  Once again, I will believe it when I feel it! 

My treatment went just fine last week, and, over this weekend, I have finally started sleeping again!

After weeks of intractable insomnia, I can't put into words how WONDERFUL it is to wake up at 3 am to use the bathroom, and realize that I've slept past midnight.... AND THEN TO GO BACK TO SLEEP!

I feel SO much better, in so many ways, just due to being able to sleep!

Anyway, as I have mentioned before, and as happens so often during this time of year since I moved to Oklahoma, I have gotten tired of waiting for cool weather to begin to enjoy cooking some of my favorite things.

Yesterday, using my new cast iron stove top cauldron, I made one of my favorite soups.  It's a recipe I developed when I was doing living history, and it's SO very good.

Butter beans, onion, carrots, celery, cabbage, barley or farro... It's so simple, but so nourishing and yummy! 

Today, I will be making pot roast with potatoes and carrots! 

Dave got the front yard mowed and edged yesterday, and it looks so much better.  He will be doing the back yard today.

I want to start putting Halloween decorations up soon, too! 

Have I mentioned that I want to start back with the practice of hand written journaling?  

It's been an urge bubbling away inside of me for a while now, so I have ordered a nice, leather bound, re-fillable journal, and gotten ink refills for my "fancy pen."

The pen is a Mont Blanc that I found in the parking lot of the carpet installation company where I worked WAY back in the 1980s.  

I know that one of my bosses dropped it, because they drove expensive cars, wore designer clothes, and used Mont Blanc pens......but I decided, then and there, that if they were so careless with a $400 pen, then it was meant to be mine!  Finders keepers, after all!  

Neither of them ever asked about it, so I kept it! 

It's taking weeks, however, for the journal that I ordered to get here.  

Even though the company I chose is supposedly in the US, their merchandise is shipped from.... you guessed it.... China.

The package was SUPPOSED to be here between Oct. 1 and Oct. 5, but, according to tracking, it is JUST NOW leaving China.  There's no telling when it will get here.

This disappoints me, and I am hoping that I can find refills of  paper the right size that doesn't have to come from China!

Despite the fact that I will be keeping a written journal, with memories, recipes, ideas, poems, or whatever I might feel like writing, I will continue to keep this electronic journal as well.

The idea of leaving something behind, some day, FAR into the future, that is in my own hand writing, appeals to me.    

I have so few treasures that are in the hand of my parents or grandma...and I know how special they are.

That being said, I am so anxious to get started that I am already thinking of what I will write in my first entries.... It's sort of become an obsession, HAHA!  I'm really looking forward to it.

In other news, our oldest feral kitty, the one we named Luke Skywalker when he and his mom, Star, showed up in our back yard WAY back in the 20teens, has been coming around for meals again!

Our yard cat, Sammie, had driven him away about 3 and a half years ago.  He started staying with the other feral cat helper across the street, and we saw him only rarely, always on the other side of the street.

Now that Sammie is gone, though, he feels safe coming back to visit us, and we are SO happy.

He is doing GREAT for a street cat who is about 13 or 14 years old!!   That is because of us.

We trapped him and his mommy at the same time... in the same trap...when he was still very young.  

We got them both TNR'd, and they took up residence in our back yard for the LONGEST time.  They adopted the one we called Silver when her mom abandoned her.  They were fixtures. 

Then, they started wandering, as feral cats will do....going back and forth to the other cat friend across the street.

When her time came, Star came to us, and died in our back yard. We were finally able to pet her, and to comfort her, in her last hours.  Luke watched us bury her.

The year Sammie and her mom, who is long gone, showed up, Luke started coming around less frequently....but when Sammie had her kittens, and raised them in our back yard, she drove him off once and for all.

Anyway, I went to the back door last Sunday evening, just to look outside, and THERE HE WAS!  He has come almost every morning and evening since.

He has had recurring infections that have rendered one of his eyes possibly blind, but he's doing just fine otherwise.  He meows to us, and last night, he ate while I sat on the stoop just a few feet away.

Then he flopped down on the patio and rolled around, onto his back, feeling completely safe.  It did my heart SO MUCH good!

Let's hope he continues to thrive, and to safely come to see us.  I hope that I can get him to play with me again, like he used to, using one of those wand toys....basically a long stick with a strip of cloth tied to the end, and a little toy at the end of the strip. 

We used to play with one of those while Star watched. 

Anyway, I am off to make myself some breakfast.  Part two of my treatment is Wednesday.

Have a great week! 

The cool down

 This past week has seen MUCH cooler weather, and a goodly amount of rain.  The burn ban in our county has been lifted, so I can look forward to using the fire pit...eventually.

It's going to be in the low 90s by the end of next week, but we surely won't see 100 again until next year.

I AM reminded, however, that we had a 97 degree day this past March, as well as a hard freeze that killed the peach blossoms in April.

My scan process on Friday went smoothly.  They were even running on time, so I was done, and breakfast was eaten at the little cafe outside of the CT/PET imaging center, before 10:30.

Because it was Friday, there are no results in My Chart yet, but I don't look at them until after the doctor discusses them with me, anyway, and that appointment is this coming Tuesday.

My next cycle of chemo is on the schedule, too, so I was mistaken (or mis-informed, as has happened before with this doctor) that the doctor was going to wait until she saw the PET results.

Unless something changes, I will start my next cycle on Wednesday.

Last Sunday evening, I started feeling bad... I had a headache and that distinctive feeling in my throat that indicates an impending head cold, or the flu, or whatever..... 

I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately, and sometimes, I get that feeling when I am super fatigued.... but this time....I actually was sick.

Monday brought with it a low grade fever, and the clear fact that I had caught some kind of bug.  Cough, congestion, sore throat....

I am always careful to distance at the gym, or at the grocery store, or where ever, but it's impossible when in the chemo chair, or when getting my immune booster injection, and the timing indicted that I got it from a nurse in one of those situations last week.

Anyway, since the fever was so low, I didn't waste a covid test, and decided to just ride it out, and see what symptoms would develop.

Dave went to the gym by himself on Monday, and I skipped the whole week of workouts because of this.  I got plenty of rest, drank lots of broth and other liquids, and took extra vitamin C.

I am pretty sure it was just a head cold, because the cough was only ever due to sinus drainage irritating my throat,  there was lots of goop in my head, and the fever of Monday never returned.

It has passed now, and I am just left with some lingering congestion.  I am also finally sleeping better.  The past two nights have been wonderful!

Then, last evening, Dave said he was feeling sick...UGH... but he said he was doing better already this morning.

He is going to get some stuff done around the house and the yard today, and I am going to wash bedding and towels, and finish the chores I didn't get to yesterday.

We need to take advantage of this gorgeous weather.... might go for a woods walk some time next week, before the heat returns! It will be the first one since... I can't remember when... May, maybe?

Have a lovely Sunday, and a great week! 

Three down....

 My third cycle of this chemo protocol is complete, and my PET scan is this coming Friday.

I looked at MyChart, and another treatment cycle is now scheduled.  I was thinking that my doctor was going to wait and see, but apparently not.

SO, onward we go.

I'm feeling the effects of this Neulasta injection, so took it a little easier at the gym on Friday, and only did my chores and cooking yesterday. Nothing "extra."

I will enjoy this week off from chemo as much as I can, once I start to get past the Neulasta funk.

We've had a little bit of rain overnight, and some comforting, distant thunder.  On Friday night, though, we had REALLY LOUD thunder and no rain.  Weird.

There's a hurricane in the Pacific that is supposed to bring us actual, beneficial, measurable rain next week, along with a temperature drop.

We've been back up in the 90s this past week. Yuck.  Last night's rain will basically just make it more humid today.

For now, though, it's still relatively cool outside, and the windows are open.  At least it's not in the 80s at night anymore.

Our policy has been to close up the windows when the A/C comes on for the first time.  We sometimes get a couple of hours of fresh air.

There's really nothing else to report this week. 

We'll be watching the last Cub game of the regular season this afternoon, and I will be making a pot of pasta fagioli soup.

The baseball playoffs start next Tuesday, and I hope we are able to see sone of the games, since the Cubs clinched a Wildcard slot.  The first game, though, is on cable, and we won't be able to watch it.

We paid extra this year for our MLB TV subscription on the advice of a friend, and I THINK having access to at least some of the post season games was why, but that was way back in March, and I've been through some stuff, and don't actually remember, HAHA!

Have a great week! 

Is the end near?

 The end of this horrible, hot summer, that is!

We have steadily had temperatures in the upper 90s and 100s since July.  

Today SHOULD be the last day hovering in that temperature range, with a predicted cold front due to pass through at some point.

The forecast shows a low of 68 for tonight, but, as I have said before, I will believe it when I feel it.

This has been the longest stretch of truly dangerously hot days on record.... They have never extended all the way through the summer, and so far into September (without a reasonable break) before.

They might not have been as intensely hot as the summer of 2011, but the stretch has gone later in the year than ever before.

There is supposed to be some rain tonight, too, but the chance keeps dropping... At first, it was 80%, then 70%, now 50%.... so the extreme drought may not end any time soon.

The forecast shows highs next week in the 80s!!!  Maybe we can get back out to the woods for a walk at some point.... I miss my nature time more than I can express.

Nature is the basis of my spirituality, after all. 

Plans are starting to come together for having a friend here at Yule and Christmas.  

In a way, I dread it a little, because she will be here for almost a week, and I don't know how I will be feeling....  

BUT, we have been friends for decades, and she knows me very well, and will pitch in, and entertain herself, when needed.  It should be a very relaxed, and pleasant, visit!

I REALLY look forward to having someone else-especially her- at the table for my medieval Yule feast, and then for Christmas Eve Ham, with our friends from Switzerland!

Since we canceled our plans to maybe go up to Illinois for Christmas, due to my needing full blown chemo again, this will make up for that disappointment.  For me, anyway.... Not for my family.

Sigh.

My treatment went just fine on Wednesday, and, while I did not sleep that night until some time after 5 am, I did not have any cold sweats! 

Maybe I am starting to tolerate the steroids a bit better?  My face also never really turned red and puffy the next day, either.  

For some reason, though, treatment days continue to mean at least 5 hours at the cancer center.  My treatment itself is only about 2 and a half to 3 hours all together, and there's the hour wait for my labs to process.

However, aside from that, it always takes SO LONG for nurses to show up at my chair, and for pharmacy to fill my orders, that it inevitably adds an extra hour to hour and a half to how long we have to sit there.

Oh well...it is what it is, until it isn't.

I continue to take my iron supplement, and to eat high iron foods as much as possible.  My labs looked better last week, so I hope that trend continues this coming week, when I go for part two of this cycle of chemo.

Tonight's dinner will be turkey breast and beets.....roasted in the oven, despite the 100 degree weather.

Last night, I baked fish, and made a pan of sauteed beet greens and spinach with white wine vinegar. it was SO GOOD!

We got to the gym all three days last week, as per usual.  I am really pleased that the only day we have missed, so far, was that first chemo day, back in August, when I had to be at the clinic literally all day.

I am off to make us some brunch.... sweet potato hash browns, cooked in ghee, with Moroccan spices, and fried eggs on top!

Have a great week.  I hope the coming Autumnal Equinox brings you the changes you are seeking, too. 

Anemia

 Well.  I was so focused on my low sodium and white blood cell levels that I never looked at my lab results for hemoglobin.

WOW, have they dropped. 

When I saw my doctor last week, she was concerned enough to say that I might need a blood transfusion, if my dietary efforts aren't enough. She told me to really focus on upping iron-rich foods, again.

SO, on the way home from that appointment, I picked up some of the liquid iron supplement that I used to take when I was having really heavy periods, and was anemic.

I've been taking that every day since, and have also been focused on making meals that are high in iron.  

I ditched my menu plan for part of last week, and changed things up.  

I made a Brazilian style black bean soup with added spinach and lime juice, and OH MY GOODNESS was it delicious.  There is still a lot of it in the freezer, so I can have it for lunches.

Then, last night, I made a favorite Greek casserole, but with butterbeans (instead of chicken), rice, spinach, onion, lemon, and feta.  YUM!!!

Butterbeans are higher in iron than chicken.

I am also snacking on pumpkin seeds, and have had oatmeal with dried apricots for breakfast.  Both of those (pumpkin seeds and dried apricots) are good sources of iron, and there's a little in whole grain oats, too.

Prior to this focus, I HAD noticed that I was pretty pale, and that I was getting light headed when I stood up, and could hear my pulse in my head when everything was quiet.

Those can both be caused by anemia, but also dehydration.  

I try REALLY HARD to stay super hydrated, but I don't always succeed.  SO, I have re-focused on that as well, since the doctor mentioned it again, too.

The result is that I DO feel a bit better already.  I didn't get light headed yesterday upon standing, and I didn't notice the pulse sound last night, and yes, I was listening for it, because it had become disruptive to my sleep.

In the mirror this morning, I do not look as ghostly pale, either.

I will need to keep this up as long as I am on this chemo, and hopefully, will be able to stabilize my hemoglobin levels.

If not, there will be a transfusion.

In other news, it rained twice this past week!  Not very MUCH, but some is better than none!

It was 106F yesterday, before the storm, and will be 102F today, with high humidity, thanks to the rain.... YUCK.   

This is the latest into September that this area has EVER had this much intense heat, and there are still several days of it in the forecast ahead.  

However, they ARE saying that there will be a cold front on Autumn Equinox, as if the weather is paying attention, and realizes that it's time to get over it being a blast furnace down here.

I will believe it when I feel it, as I have said before.

Despite the heat, though, I am determined to grill chicken for dinner.  Tomorrow, there will be red meat and greens! 

Back to the chemo chair this coming week to start round #3.  Wish me luck with everything, and have a great week! 

(addendum:  my blog readership is back down to single digits.... I wish I knew why there were 20-30 something views, all of a sudden, last month, and now... almost none.  Weird.)

Improvement

 The lowered dose of the chemo seems to have helped tremendously.  I have not had one bout of diarrhea (or abdominal cramping) yet!

Treatment appointment went fine, neulasta appointment went fine, Pepcid and Clairtin are keeping the neulasta side effects at a low roar.  I'm tired, but totally was able to do all of my chores yesterday, and not need a nap!  Neulasta gives me a headache and chills, but the bone pain isn't a factor, which is great.

It's been SO much better than the first round.

I've had a lot of insomnia, though, which I have always gone through from time to time, so it may just be my "usual."

My only concern about the lowered chemo dose is that it's no longer working, as happened when we lowered the dose of the chemo pill I was on previously.

All we can do is wait for my scan, which is scheduled for Oct. 2nd.

I see my oncologist for a check in this coming Wednesday, and I can ask her if there is a concern that it may not be enough chemo to be effective.

Anyway. 

Dave got the second part of his long-delayed dental cleaning done this past week, and has now purchased a "Water Pik" to use every night.  

Since he refuses to floss, this is the next best thing, and I am SO GLAD he is finally taking care of his teeth and gums!

Since we are unable to travel, due to my treatment regime, we are spending some of the money we saved up on some home improvements.

We had a non-slip coating applied to the front porch and back stoop, to reduce fall risk.  That happened this past week.

Next up will be insulating the floor, under the house - in the crawl space.

We will also be getting our duct work replaced.... but THAT is going on the home equity line of credit, as it is a much bigger expense in all, but will fold easily into the monthly payment we are already making (that was the expense for the window replacement project).

There is mold and moisture in the old duct work, and that is probably why we are always congested, and have itchy eyes.

The intense heat continues, and keeps us trapped indoors most of the time.  I am very grateful for our outings to the gym, and to do errands.

I also go outside every morning, first thing, and water the flower bed (which has very few flowers in it  this year, and which really shows lack of attention...but there's no way we've been able to keep up with tending it during this brutal summer), and refill the watering stations for birds and bugs.

The forecast shows that we might get another day or two of upper 90s at the end of the week, but that is seriously all the "relief" we can hope for right now.  Hopefully, the forecast will change as the week goes along.

We have no plans for Labor Day, as no one invited us to anything (as per usual), and, besides, my immune system is compromised anyway, so we would had to have said no.  

That is also why we didn't take the initiative to invite anyone over here, either. 
Not that any of our few friends would actually have come. 

We don't really have friends around here who we do stuff like that with anymore.  They've either moved away, or become estranged.

So, if you have plans, please have fun, and be safe!  

We got our traditional package of hot dogs, and chips and dip, but will be boiling the hot dogs, since it's too hot to use the grill outside.

Have a great week! 

Modifications

 I saw my oncologist on the day before I returned to the chemo chair last week.

She took note of my rather extensive digestive system side effects, and prescribed two additional medications to ease the symptoms, as well as ordered a lower dose of the chemo for the second round.

I had the first part of my two-part treatment on Wednesday, and, though I was there for SIX HOURS (for a 3 hour treatment), due to delays in the lab and pharmacy, all went well, and I have felt pretty well since.

Treatment night was mostly sleepless, but I know that's the norm, and is not unexpected.  Cold sweats and insomnia are the rule.

My hair was mostly all gone by the time I saw the doctor, too, and we shaved the rest of it off, because all that was left were whisps here and there, and it was a LOT uglier than a bald head.

I know it was hard for Dave to help me with this, but he was a trooper, and did most of the the job for me.

We got to the gym all three days last week, and plan to do the same this coming week.  I know, now, that my next Friday work out, after I receive the Neulasta injection, will be subdued, but I also know that I can still get some activity and exercise in, despite how the Neulasta makes me feel.

The addition of pepcid and clairtin really made a difference, so I will continue that, for sure.

In other news, there was one surviving baby wren, and it fledged on Friday!  I have named it Hope, and I really HOPE that it is out there somewhere, growing and thriving.

I chased the neighbors' cat away at least a dozen times on Friday, so there's that worry, but there is nothing to be done for it now.

It's been so quiet since the wrens left..... we had gotten used to a lot of bird activity and noise (the parent wrens making "angry bird" sounds to protect the nest), and now it's just.... over. 

The symbolism of it all, though, will never leave me.  The timing was immaculate, and I am SO glad that the extreme heat didn't kill ALL of the chicks.

We went from 5 eggs, to three tiny hatchlings, to two nestlings, to one surviving fledgling.... and it was so cool to be part of it all!

After a very brief respite from the heat a few days ago, we are back to over 100F every day for the foreseeable future.....this has been one of the worst summers on record for days over 100.  I really, sincerely, hate it. 

They are saying we will see 100F every day at least until the third week of September.

BUT, going to the gym really helps with my cabin fever.  To be around people, even if we don't really interact, and to get my walks in, even if it's on an indoor track, is MUCH better than just endlessly sitting at home, out of the sun and heat.

An added bonus to both the Wellness study that I did back in the spring, and now going to the gym consistently, is that I have lost ten pounds.  I needed to lose that weight, so it's not anything to be concerned about, and is not related to my treatment.

I feel a lot more comfortable in my skin than I did six months ago.  I still do a lot of the exercises I learned during the study, and have the added advantage now of access to the equipment of the gym.

I also know that I am a lot stronger, and can see and feel great muscle tone in areas where I had lost it from being too sedentary.

It also benefits my mental health, both as I mentioned above, AND by seeing the progress I have made.

Anyway, that's about all I have for you today.  I will be back in the chemo chair on Wednesday, then go in for my Neulasta on Thursday, then I get the week after next "off."

Have a lovely week! 

...sigh....

 Well, the chemo side effects really kicked in shortly after I posted last week.  

What had been a bit of mild digestive upset turned into painful cramping, and diarrhea multiple times per day and night.  It was not what I would call severe, like I had with the chemo pill during the winter, but definitely NOT NORMAL, and very uncomfortable/discomforting.

I was able to bring it under control, for the most part, using imodium and metamucil, but the cramping was still an issue.

SO--it has not been a fun week, to say the least.

My hair also started falling out heavily, so I got it cut short, and now can see my scalp through what's left of it.  My guess is that it will all be gone by the time I see my doctor on Tuesday.

I had not anticipated being bald again, but here we are.  None of the other treatments I have had for the past ten years have caused this level of hair loss.  Sigh.

It hurts my heart, and having to throw away expensive shampoo and conditioner for curly hair sucked, too...but I won't need it again for several years, so it had to go.

I go outside a few times a day and remove the loose hair, so it's not all over the house.  

Seeing the longer hair still in piles on the patio is a bit distressing, but it will eventually blow away.  That was why I got it cut short....I remember that it was easier to deal with falling out when it's short.

A dear friend in Michigan is sending me a box of scarves and what not, as I donated most of my scarves years ago.  I also got some bandannas. 

Thankfully, I don't have to go back to the chemo chair until Wednesday, and my guts seem to be better today.  So far.

Despite my tummy issues, we were able to go to the gym all three of our usual days, and, on Thursday, we finally got to the special exhibit at the art museum!  It was lovely.

The weather has continued to be extremely hot and dry, with daily highs over 100F.  Today will not be any different, in the long run, but this morning, it was 74, so the windows were open for a little while.

I have been putting out water for birds and bugs, and the wrens seem to be finding ample food for their two surviving nestlings!  

The babies are getting bigger, and louder!  At first, their tiny voices were just barely audible, but now, I can hear them even with the windows closed and music playing in the house.  It's so exciting, and fun, and heartening, to have them here!

I will be making a new-to-me recipe today for "Cafeteria noodles" with broccoli.  I don't remember cafeteria noodles from my school days, but apparently, they were a thing in the 90s.  It looks really comforting, and I need that however I can get it.

Have the best week you can, and I pledge to try to do the same! 

No prisoners!

 My dear, long time friend, Cathy, who passed away last year, said this when herself, or any of her tribe of friends, were facing health challenges.

I completed round one of Trodelvy chemo last week.  The treatment went well, and I have had only slight side effects from the chemo itself, so far.  That could change any minute, though.

The day after, I received my first Neulasta injection.  My chemo nurse counseled me in a method to fight the side effects of this injection, which, you may recall, was the ONE THING that made me call in sick during my first year of chemo.

He suggested taking over the counter pepcid, and clairtin, every day, for five days, to combat the intense flu like symptoms caused by the immune boosting injection.

So far, it has been helping!  It also seemed to reduce my steroid reaction, so that's a plus.

I have been very tired, and headachy, but I have been able to function.  Even went to the gym on Friday, though I did scale things back a bit, and took it easier than usual.

I have been trying to focus on hydration, have been avoiding my nightly glasses of wine, and have been resting when I need to.

Let's hope things stay at about this level, rather than getting worse, as we go along.

I am VERY grateful that I have no more appointments until the 25th, when I see my doctor ahead of starting round two.  During this break, I can focus on recovering from round one.

I am ALSO EXTREMELY GRATEFUL that I am no longer working full time during this process.  This is a new experience for me, and I love being free to just take care of myself, instead of having to fulfill the attendance obligations of my unreasonable former employer.

In other news, I am curious about the number of views my blog has been getting.   The numbers suddenly spiked last week!

Usually, I see an average of maybe 7 to 10 views per post, but now, looking back down the list of posts, there are 20, 30, or even more views.

Do any of my readers know why this might be?  YOU CAN LEAVE COMMENTS, you know!  *wink*

Maybe Blogger updated their tracking, or maybe, for whatever reason, people are suddenly interested in the journey of one cancer patient who lives far away from friends and family, and who keeps a blog to help them all stay informed, and to stay connected when things are good.

Writing one post a week for everyone is easier than updating people one at a time, HAHA!

The weather here has been insufferable, and there is no end in sight.

Every morning, I go out and fill watering dishes, and the bird bath, and we put out bird food.

Our wren babies have started to hatch, which is SUCH a miracle in this horrible weather.  I am enlivened, and cheered, by this magical event taking place right here.

This coming week, Dave has his follow up dentist appointment to get his permanent crown, and we will get to the gym, as per usual.  

No other pressures threaten our daily functioning, which is such a lovely feeling.

Here's hoping all of you (apparently there are a lot of you) have a wonderful week.

Community

 Our house guests are on the road, and our weekend was comfortable and successful!

I had no adverse reactions to my first part of cycle 1 of the new chemo, so was able to do all of the things I wanted to do, like making food for the guests, making sure of every possible comfort for them, cleaning, and going to the Pagan Pride event yesterday.

I have been to every one of these events since moving here, and it is a great pleasure to me to see the community growing by leaps and bounds....especially in OKLAHOMA.

The group I belong to was one of the sponsors, and though I wasn't able to extend any energy to volunteer, it was a pleasure to show up and support my new friends.

Dave did okay with the noise and crowds, but ultimately, he had enough, and we had to leave.  We DID get to see our friend perform, and I got to see some other friends here and there.

Didn't buy anything this year, though, other than a piece I had commissioned from an artist a few months ago that was pre-planned.

It has been extremely hot and dry here, and the grass is suddenly brown.  Which is good, in a way, because it's too hot to mow.

My treatment day last Wednesday was extremely long.  

We were at the clinic for something like 7 and 1/2 hours all together, because they have to do the first treatment very slowly.  

They do this, and they observe me the whole time, to be sure there isn't an immediate bad reaction.  I'm given a bell to ring, in case anything happens while a nurse isn't actively watching me.  

The first hour was spent waiting for a blood test result that has to be run before each infusion.  (There will be an hour wait at the beginning every time I go.  Whee. )

Anyway, the steroid sweats that night were the worst I have ever had, I think, though I DID make sure to tell my doctor's PA that the dose needed to be what it was previously.  

Even the reduced dose caused me to soak through three sets of pajamas, and my sheets and pillows.

I got very little sleep, so I was VERY grateful that our guests were able to delay their arrival, so I could mostly take it easy on Thursday.

After the steroids wore off, though, I actually have been feeling almost normal.  My mouth feels.... different..... more dry, and sensitive, so we will see how that goes.

Part 2 of cycle 1 is Wednesday, and it it only scheduled to be 3 hours, but we shall see.  The day after, I have to go back for the Neulasta injection, which is just a shot in the arm. 

(Neulasta was the ONE THING that made me feel really bad during my first year of chemo)

I am just as pleased as punch that I did not have any ill effects this weekend.   Things may change going forward, but, for today, I am grateful.

We plan to return to the gym tomorrow, and I don't have to be at the clinic until 1pm on Wednesday, so we can go on Wednesday, too!  

I am off to continue putting things back where they were, HAHA..... (taking stuff out of the closets, where it had to be stashed to make room for guests).

Have a great week! 

Respite

 This weekend, we have had a break from the intense heat.  It's been nice to be able to open the windows in the morning, yesterday and today.  

Our wrens' nest has 4 eggs now, and we have seen momma going into the nest, so it was NOT abandoned as we had thought over the past week! 

There were also two butterflies on the prairie phlox yesterday, which REALLY made me happy.  It's been so hot and dry the past couple of weeks, that we had not seen any pollinators of any kind anywhere in the yard.

The heat met an old record of 108F on Friday, with heat index (how the humidity makes it feel outside) of 113F.

But, then a front came through in the middle of the night (making ALL of my bones hurt), and we woke yesterday to 73F, the coolest morning in a long time!  

Dave got the front yard mowed yesterday, and will do the back today. 

We are both in the process of working through lists of chores to get ready for house guests to arrive next Friday.  Thankfully, they were able to change their plans when we found out that my chemo starts on Wednesday.

I will "attack" the guest room today.  It's become a sort of catch all since I stopped working from home a year ago this past week.  My retirement anniversary was July 31st! 

It's been really nice to not be on any kind of cancer drug for this little stretch of time.  My body needed this break, even if the cancer might be spreading faster at the moment.  
I still feel fine, other than some aches and pains, and we will be hitting the cancer HARD very soon.

Because of the less hot weather this weekend, I've been able to use the grill, so I made burgers last night, and have some new-to-us fish to try tonight.

Neither of us has ever had steelhead trout, and it was on sale, so we are trying it!

We both have multiple appointments this coming week.  Dave sees his cardiologist and the dentist (miracle of miracles), and I have chemo and my own 6 month dental appointment.

The super hot weather returns tomorrow.  Ugh. 

We never made it to the art museum last week, but the exhibit will be there for a while, so we will get there eventually.

Have a good week! 

Back to chemo

 Well, the news wasn't great again.

My doctor had previously said she hoped to go with a different oral chemo to continue treatment, as the cancer has awakened and spread again.

But no.  I have to go back to the chemo chair.  

This protocol is even more frequent than the Enhertu was.  I go one day, then again 8 days later, then the day after that, I go back to get a Neulasta injection.  Then a week off, and do it all again.

She did not say for how many cycles before we scan again.

Ugh.  Neulasta was the ONLY THING that made me sick back in 2015, so I dread it.

Back to steroids and injected benadryl, too..... and back to not knowing which side effects will hit hardest.

Needless to say, I am not happy about it, but I am, as always, resolved.  Chemo works miracles, and I am ready for the next one.

My first treatment is Aug. 5th.

The day after that, house guests arrive, and I have a dentist appointment.  Both of these things have been on the calendar for many months.

I am asking the guests to delay a day, and arrive on Friday instead of Thursday.  I am not sure why they were going to come two days before the event they are coming for, which is not until Saturday.

Hopefully, they can accommodate my  needs, as I will be accommodating theirs for nearly three days right after my first treatment.  

We are in the midst of an extended heat wave.  It's been over 100, and will continue to be that hot every day for another week.

I put water out every day for the birds and bugs, though I have not seen many bugs at all.  We never had any June bugs this year, and I have not seen the usual bees and butterflies on my prairie phlox flowers.

We do, however, have a pair of Carolina Wrens building a nest in one of the hanging baskets on our front porch!  It's an odd time of year for nesting, but there they are! 

I look at it as a good omen.... I love wrens, and to me it is a sign of hope and renewed life.

We had another great week at the gym.  Dave's stamina is slowly increasing, and by Friday, we were doing 6 laps of the walking loop and 10 minutes total on two different cardio machines (rowing  and elliptical).

He is very good about letting me "coach" him, and when he wants to quit, I don't let him, and he says he needs that, so I do it when necessary!

We are hoping to go to the OKC Museum of Art this coming week. They have a special exhibit that includes one of my favorite paintings, Flaming June, by Leighton.

We will also start getting the house ready for guests, so that it's all done by the 5th, and I don't have to worry about anything in that regard after my treatment. 

Have a good week! 

Slow News Week

 ... at our house.

We got to the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  

Dave is slowly increasing his cardio exercise, and I am coaching him on proper form, breathing, using hand weights, and stretching before and after exercise.

I also think it's good for him to be around people, even if he doesn't interact with them much, if at all. 

This coming week brings Oklahoma-style summer.... 

We will have at least two weeks of temps between 100 and 105, with heat indices in the 110 to 115 range, so having an air conditioned place to go to keep MOVING, and stay ACTIVE, is going to be SUCH a blessing!!

I had a flare up of my hip flexor tendinitis this past week, possibly from using some of the cardio equipment at the gym, but I have been able to calm it down through self-therapy techniques from my lifetime as a massage therapist.

So far today, I am virtually pain free, but will continue to pay close attention to anything at the gym that feels like it might irritate it again.

I will finally see my oncologist on Tuesday.  

Hopefully, by then, the biopsy samples will have been analyzed,  the specific new mutations identified, and presented to the research team, so that we can move on.

I can't help but feel that this chemo isn't doing anything, and that I am taking it for nothing, so I would like to get going on something different.  I'm worried about the tiny new spots in my liver, and want us to get ahead of that with a new med.

I still have zero bone mets symptoms, and the biopsy area is completely pain free now.

There's not much on the agenda for today.  Dave did some mowing and weed whacking yesterday, and plans to do a bit more today.  

I will be doing my usual laundry load of towels, and will work on my next lesson in the course I am taking.

I'm making a chicken and broccoli pasta for dinner, and, in the meantime, there will be a Cubs game to watch.

Have a great week! 

Easy Peasy

 I was desperately afraid of every aspect of the bone biopsy, but it turned out to be virtually painless in every way.

(below is an edited cross post from the book of faces, so I don't have to type it all out again)

I talked with a friend yesterday, and it helped me to realize that I am still recovering from the stress of the bone biopsy. I may be for a while, and I had not thought about it that way until she and I spoke. It could take a while, and that's OKAY!

It's really surprising to me that no one thought to tell me things that I would not have known to ask about....

Like, what kind of sedation are you talking about? NO ONE ever told me that they were just going to do conscious sedation, with fentanyl, until the very last minute, so I had no idea what to expect, and was afraid of being "put under" and waking up with extreme nausea.

I told the admitting nurse this, and she made no comment.

Then, for all I knew, based on my dad's bone biopsy 30 years ago, they were going to cut me open and take divots out of my pelvis the circumference of a pencil.

The friend who offered to bring us food, and do chores if needed, had told me that her friend had a bone biopsy that was HORRIBLY painful, and that she was "down for the count" for days.

YIKES! She reiterated it a couple of times, unintentionally making my fear deepen beyond reckoning.

The pre-op nurse came in, and took all of my vitals, and then took them again - because my heart rate was so high. I told her that I was utterly terrified because I had no idea what to expect, other than what I knew from my dad in the 90s. I also told her about my fear of waking up from anesthesia.

She made no other comment.

When I expressed my surprise that they would not order antibiotics or pain meds, no one said THEY WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY because the procedure is considered minimally invasive, and safe.

SO...when the doctor came into my pre-op room (all of this, while Dave was out of the room getting lunch), to get my consent and explain the procedure, he said they would be using a "pretty big" needle, and a drill.... so, yeah, that made me even more scared.

I pictured the huge bore needle they used to do the core biopsies on my right breast, which was akin to medieval torture, with no pain relief and no sedation.... gushing blood until noon the next day....and the bruises remained on my breast until it was removed, months later!~

All I could see in my mind was 1/8 inch holes in my pelvis, like they left in my breast.

(Aside: My left breast biopsy physician, at the same facility, was MUCH more compassionate, male, and saw to it that I was as comfortable as possible.... a complete change from the physician, named PAULA, who brutalized my right breast).

So, the doctor who would be doing the procedure on Monday didn't say that the needle and drill are actually REALLY SMALL. He was very young, and probably didn't realize that needles used in years past, even just a few years past, were MUCH BIGGER....

He didn't mention that the puncture wounds would actually be quite tiny, and would close up quickly. To him, the needle he would be using was BIG.

Sigh.....

Then, the third nurse (the one who would be prepping me for the procedure) asked me, as I was being put on the table, "have you ever had a bone biopsy before?" I answered "no," and all she said was "okay." Like...duh???

She ALSO KNEW that I was in a state of near panic with fear, because I had told her, but she said nothing to assure me that it would really be very easy to go through, and that I would not feel a thing beyond the lidocaine numbing medication being injected into my hip.

She DID tell me that she would arrange for anti nausea medications for afterward, if I needed them, but did not tell me that they were doing conscious sedation, and that I would just feel relaxed, and not go to sleep, until they were prepping me for the procedure.

NO ONE TOLD ME that it would all be relatively easy to endure, and easy to heal from, so I was completely freaked out until the fentanyl took effect. (And, I have to say, wow, that felt really good...)

Anyway.....

When the fourth nurse was getting me ready for discharge, all she told us was to leave the bandage on for a day, and that I could shower after removing it, and to not lift anything heavy. No other instructions were given. She said I would need to request those from the ordering physician!

So, I rested the remainder of Monday, and first thing on Tuesday, I messaged my oncologist's office, to request recovery guidelines, and on WEDNESDAY, I got a response.

THAT was when I learned everything I really needed to know ahead of time.... that the procedure was safe, and minimally invasive, and that the recovery would be easy, with little pain and little chance of infection, and that I could return to normal acvitity in 72 hours, including being able to take a bath or soak in a hot tub.

UGH!

All that being said, my conversation with my friend also confirmed, for me, that it takes a long time to recover from that degree of intense stress, and that it's okay to still be tired, and sore (from having to lie face down, and hold my arms over my head- "like superman flying"- for 90 minutes.)...yeah, it was a few days ago, but my neck and shoulders still freaking hurt!

The chat was good for both of us, I think, as we both went through intense "stuff" this past week from which we are still healing.

My appointment to see my oncologist isn't until the 21st. The samples were sent to an external lab to identify specific mutations in the current form of cancer that has resisted my current chemo.

Those results will then be reviewed by the research team at OU, and they will determine next steps. In the meantime, I am to keep taking the current oral chemo, even though it doesn't seem to be working.

In other news, today is our 18th anniversary! We are going to make a nice brunch for ourselves, and go out for dinner tonight. We are going to a new to us Italian restaurant that looks really good. We had a good amount of rain overnight, so it will be like a steam bath by this afternoon, but for now, the cool morning fresh air is coming through open windows. It's lovely.

Have a good week!

Tomorrow

 While I was sitting in the waiting area for my bone treatment this past week, OU Health scheduling called to set up the bone biopsy.

I completed the call right before the nurse came to take us back for my treatment.

Needless to say, between that and my anxiety about potentially having another port-access fiasco, my blood pressure was high, HAHA!

Fortunately, I got a nurse who was familiar with me and my port this time, and she was able to confidently, and accurately access my port on the first try!  That was SUCH a relief!

The treatment was easy and quick this time.

We took my b.p. after my treatment, and it had improved, as one would imagine, but still showed the deeper anxiety about having to undergo a bone biopsy.

Anyway, the appointment is tomorrow, July 6th.  I have to be there at 11:30 for a 1:30 procedure.  They said I would be sedated, and that the procedure would take place under CT guidance.  They are taking a biopsy from somewhere in the right side of my sacrum.

I have NO idea what is involved, or how badly it will hurt afterward, or for how long.

I'm also nervous about recovery from sedation, since, after my surgery in 2015, I was violently ill (dry heaves, of course) upon waking up.  It was terrible. 

So, my anxiety level has been through the roof, as you might imagine.  I had a horrible nightmare about it last night, after the illegal fireworks FINALLY stopped around 3 am

I have done a little extra cleaning with my chores this weekend, since I don't know if I will be "out of commission" next week, and will cook up a batch of spaghetti and meatballs to portion up and freeze for next week, too.

A nearby friend, whom I have helped out many, many times, has offered to be available if I need anything.   I've asked her to make a batch of avgolemono soup to portion up and freeze, too.

In other news, my eye exam went fine, but my new glasses aren't ready yet, and now I don't know when I will be able to go get them, when they ARE ready, since I have that stuff happening tomorrow.  Oh well!

We had a big storm last night, with high winds and torrential rains.   It stopped the illegal fireworks for a while, but they picked up again the second the rain stopped, and were the worst they've ever been.

I loved the 4th of July growing up.... so many fond memories....but since moving here, it's become just another day.  Dave hates it, and it's always WAY too hot, so we don't do much of anything.   We get hot dogs, and I usually make a side dish.

This year, it was Grandma's three bean salad.  I was able to find Vidalia onions, and it turned out perfectly.

It's a shame that this year's weather ruined so many celebrations across the country.  Parades and fireworks shows were canceled due to extreme heat in some places, and flooding in others.

This should have been a big deal 4th....sigh.

Oh well.  Maybe it's a reflection of what's going on in this country.

Anyway, if you have the ability, please join me in hoping/praying/intending for a painless, nausea-free procedure tomorrow, and for a swift and manageable recovery.  Thank you. 

Scan results

 Well, when I had made it to after 5 pm on Friday evening, I thought I was in the clear.

The scan process itself went just fine this past Tuesday, though the long hours of fasting ended up going even longer because the cafeteria was closed when I got out of the scan..... so we had to go find me something to eat on the way home.

Anyway, my oncologist called just after 5 on Friday.  There IS new activity in the bones, and a couple of TINY spots elsewhere (liver and supra-clavian). 

She has ordered a bone biopsy, with the sample taken from the pelvis bones, which I do NOT look forward to.  

The reason for the biopsy is to identify the specific mutations that are taking place, which are causing the current chemo to no longer be effective.

Identifying the mutations will allow for a more accurate treatment plan for the next steps.

She is still hoping that we can do a clinical trial with a different oral drug.  That would be my preference, too....

They are getting the biopsy authorized by my insurance, and then they will call me to schedule it.

To say that I am pretty much terrified of this procedure is an understatement.

But, people undergo these kinds of procedures all the time, and they recover, and so will I.  My dad had one, but that was in 1997, and I would think that the method has improved since then. I can hope, anyway.

I just do not know how I will handle that kind of pain, or dealing with a hole in my lower back.  A friend has offered to help out, if I am incapacitated for a few days.

I have NO idea what to expect yet, so my mind is full of worst-case fantasies, and it's very stressful.  I'm also remembering my first biopsies, which were like medieval torture.

I am working on narrowing my focus, as it my usual practice. It really helps me manage my anxiety.  Yesterday, it was chores and reading.  Today, there is a baseball game to watch.

ANYWAY..... I am getting my eyes checked tomorrow, as our vision insurance through COBRA expires in the next few weeks.

(Pretty sure I am seeing the dentist before that one expires, too.... )

When we went to pick out Dave's new frames, I picked mine out, too, ahead of time.  They're really cute, and quite colorful, just like me! HAHA!

We finally got a decent amount of rain on Friday night, and now we are in the sauna, with highs in the upper 90s along with the high humidity, for the foreseeable future.

Ugh.

I despise this time of year.

This weekend is Pride in a lot of cities across the country.  We have gone before to show our support, but no way are we going this year.  Sigh.

Today is to be 98 with high winds.  The trees are already whipping around, and the wind chimes are clanking.

Oh, and my next bone treatment is Wednesday.  I will go for labs on Tuesday.

I am off to put away laundry, and make some iced tea.  Have a lovely week!

Summer Solstice Greetings

 Summer Solstice is here, and with it, another high heat warning for central Oklahoma.

All of the rain predicted recently has split up and gone past us, but there is more in the forecast, so we are hoping some of it actually falls on OKC....just not enough to cause flooding, please.

We are currently in an extreme drought, so some rain is much needed.  What we got last weekend was negligeable. 

My garden boxes continue to not thrive at all..... I am thinking we got a bad batch of organic raised bed soil.  It has been very frustrating.

My PET scan has been approved, and is scheduled for next Tuesday.  REALLY hoping the news is good... that the increased reflectivity is just the chemo doing its job.

Otherwise, we will be changing medications, and starting over with a new set of side effects, which I do not relish the thought of.

Yesterday, I attended a gathering of local people taking the same courses that I am taking. We celebrated the Summer Solstice.  It was lovely, and I felt at ease, though it took a substantial amount of will power to make myself go ... alone, and to meet with strangers, some of whom I had "met" on line.

Now I have gone to one of the gatherings, and know what to expect, and hopefully will be able to go to the next one!

Some of them are held here in OKC, some are much further away, so we shall see.

We are off to a special "bacon brunch" at the local Irish Pub this morning.  I think it was scheduled for today in honor of Father's day.

Dave is looking forward to it, and I hope I can muster up a good appetite by the time we get there for our 11 o'clock reservation.

Have a good week! Happy Solstice, and Happy Father's Day to anyone reading this who celebrates those things.

"Rainy day, dream away..."

 After some brutally hot, windy days, we got the weather front they'd been promising.  It's to be a HIGH of 75 today, and it rained on and off through last night.

AHHHHHH!  The windows are open, and the fresh air smells so good!

It might rain a bit more today, too. Fingers crossed.

My oncologist said that there are some areas of "increased reflectivity" on the nuclear bone scan results, so she is working on getting a PET scan authorized by my insurance.  

To be clear, there were no NEW spots, but some of the previous spots looked different.

She is relieved that I have no new, or increased pain (mostly, I have NO pain in those areas), and just wants to be sure this is not progression of the cancer, but merely the chemo doing its job.

Unfortunately, I have to undergo another scan to make this determination, and it's the kind of scan my insurance likes to deny.

SO, we shall see.  It could take weeks to find out.

Dave had his echocardiogram on Friday, and looked at the report on MyChart on Friday evening.  All is well!  

He still has substantial swelling in his feet and ankles by the end of every day, but they usually look normal in the morning, which they were not before he started on the Lasix.  

Hopefully, the solution is that he just needs to get out of that damned chair, and be more active.

He's also decreasing his alcohol intake, which I have asked him to do for over a decade... so that's a positive change, too!

Our kitties seem to be adapting to Annabel's absence.  Frank has become MARKEDLY more affectionate, and it's a wonderful thing!

After a few days of quiet, the boys are romping and playing together again, and getting back to their normal routine.

I need to get my usual every-3-weeks blood draw on Monday, which is a walk in (no appointment needed), but other than that, neither of us has any appointments this coming week....which is lovely.  

That is, unless they get me in for the PET, which is highly doubtful.

It's supposed to be cooler for a few days, so maybe Dave can finally force himself to get out and remove the saplings and choking vines from the flower bed out front.

The new mower works really well, and he got the back yard mowed one day last week, and has effectively fired our lawn crew.

Today, I am going to do my usual Sunday things.... a little laundry, and the next lesson in my spiritual course, and maybe watch the Cubs game.  

The game is supposed to be on regular broadcast tv, and sometimes our local network affiliate channel won't show games that are with teams that aren't of local interest.  If there's a different line up for a more popular regional team, they will show that instead.

It's not fair, but then, neither are the MLB tv black outs.  Sigh.

Anyway, have a good week! 

Goodbye, Annabel

Back in April, our Annabel started having coughing fits, wasn't eating as much, and wasn't being her usual active self, so we took her to the vet.

(I posted about it here, but I can't remember the date, and don't feel like scrolling back.)

The vet did a thorough physical exam, and said her heart and lungs sounded fine, and that her trachea felt fine, so he speculated that maybe it was allergies, like we were all having at the time.  He gave her a steroid injection, like the ones Pete had been getting previously, that would last a month.

He said to get back in touch if she wasn't better at the end of the month, and he would do more extensive testing.  

She did really well at first, though she still wasn't eating as much.  The coughing stopped, but she still wasn't her old self, running and playing, and having her "corner yodeling" sessions.

(when she was having her "zoomies," she would go into various corners, and YOWL.... then RUN through the house)

We would be out of town when the steroid wore off, but we let her be, as she seemed to be feeling better with the steroid still working.

Then, we were gone for 8 days, during which time the steroid wore off.  

Our cat sitter said Annabel seemed like her normal self, and she said that the food was always all gone when she'd come back the next day, but when we got home from our trip, Annabel seemed even skinnier than she was before we left.

She wasn't coughing, that we knew of, but she was hiding more, so we kept an eye on her during our first week back in town, and determined that we would call the vet on June 1st and take her back for more testing.

Well, sadly, we didn't make it to Monday June 1st.   

Last Sunday morning, Dave heard her having an extended coughing fit that I didn't know about until later in the day.

She hid all day, until around 5 pm, when I was getting ready to make dinner.  At that point, she came out of her hiding place, flopped down on the dining room floor, and was in OBVIOUS respiratory distress.

Dave pulled up local emergency vets (we never want to go back to the place we took Sammie), selected one, and off we went.

After checking us in, they put her in an oxygen chamber that had little doors so we could reach in and comfort her.  

The oxygen didn't seem to be helping, so they gave her an injection to relax her, and slow her breathing, so they could do an ultrasound.  The injection worked, and she was able to breathe more normally.

The ultrasound revealed our greatest fears.  Apparently, that coughing fit in the morning had ruptured something, and her lungs and pericardium were filled with fluid.  There was also a mass in one of her lungs.

The vet said we could go through the ordeal (and expense) of draining off the fluid, but that we might end up back in the e/r at 2 am, or the next day.... He said there wasn't much that could be done, so we decided to let her go.

Annabel Lee was 13 years old, and had been the first female cat I have ever loved.  May her little spirit rest peacefully.  I hope her beloved Jack was there at the rainbow bridge to meet her.

I held her as she went to sleep, and her ashes are now ready to be picked up.  I will be cleaning our little "shrine to the lost ones," so that her ashes can be placed there with respect and love when we bring them home.

It seemed so very sudden.  SO, it's been a long week, with lots and lots of random tears.   I burst into tears when I opened a can of tuna, and Annabel didn't come running, meowing as she ran, to beg for the "juice."  Sigh.

There will be no new adoption here, either.  Two cats are plenty to keep up with, especially when one has a chronic health issue.

Speaking of Pete, he is doing better after his increased steroid dosage for a while.  He is now off of that, and we will (hopefully) go back to "as needed."

In other news, I had my scans on Monday, and all went smoothly.  No long delays like that last time.  No phone calls this week from the oncologist, so I feel relatively confident that the results were favorable.

I see her on Tuesday to find out for sure.

Dave has been getting good results from the lasix his PCP ordered to address his swollen ankles, and he has been trying to not sit as much, though it doesn't seem to happen every day.

He has an echocardiogram this coming Friday, to be sure we are not dealing with anything more serious than him being sedentary.

We got a new lawn mower on Friday, and gave the old one to a friend with a smaller lawn.

Once the lawn dries out from the rain we have had this weekend (some but not enough), Dave has said he will start mowing regularly as part of his effort to be more active.  If the weather is really hot, he will mow early in the morning.

No more paying someone to mow.

Today, I will do a few chores, and the next lesson in my course.  Have a good week.