Chemo #2

Ask me why I didn't get to sleep til early this morning? Well, Grand Central Christmas yesterday that is why! And, who wants to leave all the fun when bedtime brings morning and my plans for today were chemo.

Some of my highlights of 2018 Grand Central Christmas were as follows:

• Jake, Marissa and Alex were home for the season!
• Dad and Bryan's "as seen on tv" specially wrapped presents
• Watching all of the new clothing outfits opened by the teenage girls.
• The few little ones left who still open toys and are excited about dolls and nerf guns.
• "Sisters" share their talent.
• A special version of "Your Ways are Higher Than Mine" sung by my two favorite female voices.
• Low brass talent and even more this year I think was the special Indiana Jones boulder roll!
• Dad/Grandpa shares his story with a special question and answer session at the end.
• Dad's purchasing and Johnse preparing my favorite meal of the year...prime rib and all of the fixings Mom adds to my very favorite comfort food!
• Karaoke with Jeremy (aka Aaron Neville or was it aka Kermit the Frog...I've just learned to "go with it")
• Hearing "Eye of the Tiger" in Matts karaoke debut.
• Ryan and Stacey karaoke duet "Take on Me"
• Getting to sing Impromptu Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

And, just overall enjoying the lighter side of life after quite a heavy start to this winter. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. Although we didn't sing it during Karaoke, it is true actually from the Word of God. So, before the heaviness of another treatment, (not necessarily the infusion, just knowing what is coming the next week) I let myself enjoy the fun!

Couldn't get a good one without the glare on my glasses

I had an amazing amount of white blood cells today! So whoever has been praying for my bones to be producing, keep up that prayer! They even made me pee in a cup to make sure I didn't have a hidden UTI that wasn't showing up in my symptom range. Nope...just good bone marrow I guess!

I will be wearing a mask in public this next week so don't be shocked. I am not going to chance the germs (and not willing to stay at home if I feel like I can get out and about a bit). I have also started wearing hats and scarves. I have not officially shaved my head but I have begun to do some aggressive thinning of my own. It doesn't "pop" this time, there was a very strange popping feeling last time that it came out. This time it just gently comes out in my hands.

But, for now I will cover it so that it doesn't shed everywhere. I thank Jody Anderson at Family Smile Care for gifting her hats and scarves to me a couple of weeks ago. I think I have something for every color. Eventually it will mostly come out, but for now a little fringe sticks out the bottom of my neck and from the front of my ears. Makes it look like there is something under there anyway.

So, chemo was calm today. I worked on scouting recharter which because of distractions is pretty late this year. More fun than doing that, I had a nice visit from my friend Meegan who sat and chatted for awhile. Today I opted for a foot massage which was nice! I smiled for the woman who had pretty much every family member there to hear her ring the bell for her last treatment. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I once rang that bell too. Bummer and this time I won't be able to again. I certainly didn't sit and ponder that for long!

I ate a pretty decent dinner tonight, thanks to some friends who brought food I didn't have to make. The steroids will make me eat voraciously these next two days, and then it is back to graham crackers and ginger ale for pretty much the next couple weeks. Its okay though, I am still maintaining my "bad news diet" weight loss although I am starting to notice my chemo puffiness starting in my legs and feet.  But I am here and God is still good...life is still good!