"Oh Great Queasy One"

I just spent an exciting 3 days on the couch. I need fresh air!

More queasiness, more numbness, more muscle/joint pain, more tired... But, still all do-able. Liz brought me tea, nagged me about drinking my water, made me food, and entertained me all weekend. Typing is interesting this morning-my hands are very numb and my vision is not too snappy. Weird. That will be my excuse for any typos that you find!

Next chemo is scheduled for March 16th. 3 weeks following that I will have another round of CT scans. The results will determine if I do the other 2 treatments. Here's hoping! The bummer is that I have been told it will come back and we will do this again. But, fight the battle in front of you...and we are winning that one, I am sure!

Hugs!

Scrappy Insurgency

This should be half way! Round 3 went well yesterday and I was out of there in just over 5 1/2 hours. My cousin Liz was with me and we yakked and I dozed off a lot-so exciting for her! I just can't say enough good things about Dr. Kanard and the nurses at the Cancer Center. So caring and they answer your questions, acknowledge your fears. I feel I am in very capable hands.

Des took us to Fort Collins when she dropped her mom off at the shuttle and then Katie came down to get us. The forecast had been for freezing drizzle and snow and I did not want Liz (she is from Houston) to learn snow driving on the interstate. As it turned out, it was gorgeous-blue sky, sunny and dry roads. Best laid plans...

Blood counts came screaming back up and all looks good.

Shareen is going to have a Yoga-thon on April 17th. It will be at the Community House here in Cheyenne. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society (as part of our Relay for Life efforts) and, if folks so desire, toward some of my medical costs. What a sweet thing for her to do. I am, again, overwhelmed.
Please come and join us. The theme is 108 Sun Salutations. But, you do not have to do 108!! Come do as many as you can/want and share in a fun afternoon. No experience required. For more information, contact Shareen Muldrow. smuldrow@att.net

Thank you all for being part of my Scrappy Insurgency!

Happy Friday!

Pretty good week. My two uncles were here -so, I got to see Guy's bald "coconut!" We took pictures, so perhaps I'll post one of me.... Seems only fair, since I posted the pictures of Tige and Guy and did not even ask them!

My white blood counts are down so I am washing my hands all the time and avoiding anyone who sniffles! I am hopeful that the blood counts are on the rise so that I can do my chemo on Wednesday. My cousin Liz arrives tonight from Texas-yahoo! She is going with me to Fort Collins this time. Sounds like snow, so we may have to locate rides to and fro. I can't drive home after chemo and she has not driven in snow! We are a pair!

Refuse to dwell on what psychically depletes you of hope, contentment, and ease.

• Do things that strengthen you or bring you peace.
• Discipline your mind to stay with images of beauty and love.

Thanks again for all your calls, emails, cards and treasures. I am overwhelmed.

Fat Tuesday

I picture a huge Mardi Gras going on in my system-lots and lots of chemo revelers in the streets, lots and lots of trash (dead cancer cells), and lots and lots of beads!

So far, so good-no hair on my head, but I still have brows and lashes....Once they go I can't imagine how long it will take me to get ready in the morning. I can't draw even a stick figure and now I will have to draw brows on my face AND get them even! Sheesh!

I attended a wonderful program through American Cancer Society called Look Good, Feel Better. http://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org/
Each participant gets a box full of cosmetics and skin care products-all donated by companies such as Aveeda, Clinique, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal. A cosmetologist shows how to take care of skin during chemo, how to create brows and how to deal with hairloss. Each person could also take home a wig from the donation closet at ACS. (If you know someone who could use this program, please encourage them to participate or let me know and I will be happy to contact them.)

Numb hands and fingers make typing and picking things up a bit tricky and leg muscles are spazzing out a bit. But, all in all, things are good.

Snow here today-about to go take a walk and get a bagel. That will have to do for my Fat Tuesday feast this morning!

Chris's cueball club, pic 2 

Chris's cueball club - Northern Expansion 

Round 2

Yesterday was round 2 and it went much smoother than the first. "Only" 5 1/2 hours this time and no allergic reaction to the Taxol. Sheila came with me this time and fetched me tea and lunch. Her eyes got pretty big when then pushed the needle into my port. She figured I would be impailed on the back of the chair!

My appointment with the oncologist was not has hopeful as I would have liked. But, fight on! I left my notes at home, so will have to be more specific later.

I came back to work this morning to an email from my uncle Guy and my brother in Alaska-the subject line said "Chris' cue ball club, northern expansion." I will attach a picture on another message later today-after Des shows me how to do it! Suffice it to say--they have shaved their heads in support!
His message: YBSU and YBSB have caught your fashion change and are with you all the way...cheers.

(YBSU and YBSB = your black sheep uncle and your black sheep brother! Long story, goes back to a Jimmy Buffett song!)

I am at work today for as long as I can. If it works like the last round the muscle, joint and bone pain hit late afternoon the day after chemo.

Carrie and her boyfriend Bryan will be up this weekend to help me out. They have already made me soup and plan to cook for me while they are here-wonderful! Always good to get hugs from my kid!

Thanks again for all your cards and emails-they keep my spirits high! It is good to have all those foot soldiers out there helping me fight this war.