Happy New Year

Guess we have been busy just enjoying the holiday. We went to friends last night for New Years Eve but came home pretty early.

I watched Virginia Tech win their football game last night. YEAH!!!!

Started doing some minor exercising this week. I've decided I am so out of shape that I needed to do something. SO.... I'm now climbing stairs for 10 minutes. Doesn't sound like much but my lungs and legs are NOT enjoying it at all. I'll keep chugging and huffing away and I'm sure it will get better. I did some sit ups yesterday but took the day off of them today so that I wouldn't overdo.

We finally got around to putting the Christmas decorations away this afternoon. I always enjoy having them up but am happy to get things back to normal. It was great to have Steve's help. It didn't take as long and he carried all of the boxes up the stairs. We decided not to dismantle the pre-lit tree. Just put it in the attic covered with a sheet. Should be a piece of cake next year.

I have been feeling really good this go round. I swear it had something to do with those chicken livers. We are going to order them out again tomorrow evening so that I can build up the iron again before my Wed. treatment. Hopefully I'll do as well with the one coming up.

Christmas Update

We just had a fabulous Christmas. First of all I have been feeling really good this time. YEAH!!!

Ross, Valerie and JR came over Christmas Eve for gift unwrapping and dinner. We decided to have take Chinese so I'd ordered it online that morning. We unwrapped gifts prior to dinner. The kids got us each a couple of really good books. (We've actually spent the rest of the weekend reading and I'm almost 1/2 through the first one and can't hardly put it down (The Help by Kathryn Stockett). Steve is reading The River of Doubt; about Teddy Roosevelt's trip down the Amazon.

The dinner was to be ready for pick at 6:00. Steve still wasn't home at 6:30 so I called and he said the place was a ZOO. We ended up eating at 7:15 but had to feed JR eggs and applesauce in the interim. Food was great once it got here. Steve made an apple caramel pie for dessert.

Christmas morning we had a slow start, enjoying the homemade cinnamon rolls that I had made. We went to Ross and Val's for brunch at 11:00 with her family. Ross made a great spread of quiche, bacon, apples with walnut maple stuffing, homemade cinnamon rolls and french toast. It was all so yummy. He spent all morning cooking but to all of us who ate it, it was well worth it. We got back home around 2:00 and opened our gifts to each other. Steve got clothes and I wanted new pots and pans. Steve went to visit his Dad and I stayed home to read. The rest of the day we parked it on the couches and read. What a glorious day!!!

Day after Christmas: What else it there to do but GO TO THE MALL. We headed out to Short Pump at around 10:30. Got a parking space no problem and decided it wasn't bad at all. Went to Red Robin for lunch and had a yummy fish sandwich. While eating we noticed that the mall parking lot was full and lots of cars were driving around looking for spots so I guess we got there before the huge crowd. We ended up stopping at Trader Joes and REI (bought Steve a new down vest) before going home to get back on the couch to pick up the books again.

We've been eating Chinese leftovers for the past two dinners. It's actually pretty good if warmed up in the oven. BUT now tomorrow I have to come up with something else to eat cause we're out of Chinese.

Don't know what we have planned for the rest of the week (Steve is off). But I'm sure we'll either come up with something or spend the time vegging on the couch with the new books that we have.

Hope your holiday was FABULOUS!!!

Wednesday Dec. 23

Been kinda lazy for the last couple of days. It's hard to get motivated to go outside when everything is covered in white and it LOOKS FREEZING.

Steve has been off all week still doing the cleaning and the ironing as well as reading lots of books.

I had to go get lab work done today. Red cells and hemoglobin are all good but those white cells are in the toilet again (2). I was actually surprised that it was even 2 since it was only 2.9 on the day of treatment. Means staying away from people who are sick, large crowds, no hugging etc. AGAIN. So I'm going to take precautions and my bottle of Purell and enjoy the holiday.

I stopped at the mall on the way home from lab work and picked up a couple of small things for stocking stuffers. Steve was also out so I called him and he happened to be in the same mall so we met for lunch. I had a great cheeseburger and fries. Brought 1/2 home for lunch tomorrow.

Took Paxton on a couple of walks today. The sun was out and not too cold (45).

Mixed up a batch of yeast rolls that I'll turn into cinnamon rolls tomorrow. YUM!!! We have a tradition of having homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Ross is also making them for a brunch he is having on Christmas day. I'll let you know how he did. :)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It started to snow last night at around dinner time and went all through the night. Looks like we have 9-12 inches now but as I look out the window we it looks like we are getting the second wave that they kept talking about this morning.

Steve has been gracious enough to take Paxton out for his two walks today. This morning Steve drove around the neighborhood in the car to make tracks so he and Paxton would have somewhere to walk and of coarse do the most important business of the day. The roads were plowed this afternoon so we won't have to melt so many frozen snow balls off of Paxton when he comes in.

Doing pretty well today for the Saturday after. Been on the couch but have only had one nap so far. (Didn't really sleep very well last night). I've done some reading, knitting and now I'm working on a batch of cookies (coconut, chocolate chunk).

I have the worse bruise yet on my wrist from the I.V. It was in my right hand, pretty close to my wrist. I knitted the whole time I was there so I probably really irritated it. Doesn't hurt but looks pretty ugly.

Appetite is kinda funky today. I've tried every kind of liquid beverage and nothing is tasting too good but I just keep plugging along. Ate a good breakfast and lunch so food really isn't an issue.

Good day to take it easy, sit in front of the fireplace and listen to Christmas music.

Thursday one day after

Still feeling good today. Steve was off so we decided to get out of the house. Ross's company moved to a new office building so we went to visit them and see the new office. What a great place. They are in a building named the Stonewall Jackson building. Apparently it used to be a school back in the day so it has old hardwood floors and VERY tall ceilings. They have much more room for everyone. They actually need desks for 6 people. They also have a conference room with a little kitchen area. VERY NICE. We went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant and then stopped at a couple of places to pick up some stocking stuffers.

We were actually home by about 1:00 so we decided to bake some cookies. Steve made the almond macaroons that they serve at the Dupont Hotel in Wilmington. Only three ingredients but more work than I would have patience for. They taste exactly the same but don't look quite right. I made peanut butter with some peanut butter pieces and chocolate chips. Again, another one of Steve's favorites. We have a couple of more that we'd like to try but that will have to wait for another day.

The rest of the day was spent vegging out and taking a whirlpool bath prior to watching survivor.

News is we have another Noreaster coming so expecting quite a bit of snow, for here. I'll let you know. Says should start Friday eve and go until Sat. eve.

4 Down and Only 2 to Go

Had my appointment this morning at 8:30 BUT didn't get home until 4:00. What a long day. Don't know why it took so long but I asked them about it at the end of the day and I should have been out of there at 1:30 or 2:00. Paxton was about ready to go crazy by the time I got home.

White blood cells came in at just the lowest point they could be in order to get the treatment. I't will be interesting to see what happens next week. I've been reassured that there will never be a point where I have none of them and as the Doc said "the number will go up again." He told me not to let it ruin my Christmas. I need to not hug anyone or get in their personal space. Take some minor precautions and enjoy the holiday. That's my plan.

Had a good check up with Dr. again. He says I'm doing great. I finally starting hearing about the C125 blood test. Apparently they don't give it to all women to check for Ovarian cancer because it has an 80% false positive. They start using it after a diagnosis to tract the effectiveness of the chemo. Apparently I had my first test on Nov. 4th - C125=126, Dec 2nd was 52. They took it again today. It needs to be below 35. So I asked him if that means I have some loose cancer cell floating around and his quick response was no. He basically reiterated that they use it as a tracking tool only. So on the way down is good. I also told him that it gets really difficult in the chemo room at times listening to other ladies getting treatments. I told him I have to remind myself that I have Stage 1 and they are dealing with Stage 3 and there is a difference. He looked me right in the eye and said "There is a Huge difference." Also told him I'm still having intermittent aches in a small section of my abdominal muscle. Question: do I baby it, exercise it or stretch it. Answer: Baby it. So another 3 weeks of not doing much. This inactivity caused my to gain 4 pounds. ACH!!! But my husband and bff both said you're still looking pretty skinny. Thinking the nightly ice cream may have to go????

I happened to meet a lady in the office today that had Stage 1 O.C. that she found on her own. VERY RARE. She had the 6 treatments, has regular visits back to the Dr. and is doing great. She was diagnosed 4 years ago. It was REALLY nice finally having a conversation with someone in a similar situation.

So I'm feeling pretty good this evening. My mouth is very dry, due to the Benadryl they gave me today but I'll be asleep soon and the water bottle is right here next to the bed.

Night all.

Monday - 2 days prior to #4

FINALLY today I'm feeling like my old self again. Of coarse this always happens about this time. Just when I recuperate it's time for me to go through the whole thing again. Oh well, counting down to just 2 more after this. YEAH!!!.

Success on the H1N1 vaccine front. Got a call from my primary care physician saying they had received some more doses. I call Dr. West's office and ask when is the best time in my treatment schedule to get the shot. Answer: 2 days prior to the treatment. Vwala - that would be today. So I got an appointment for this afternoon. So check this off of the to do list.

I had much energy today so I finished mopping the hardwood floors and cleaned the utility room; including the cabinets. Also got our bedroom and bathroom floors cleaned. Tomorrow I have plans to dust and clean the bathrooms. I just figure I need to get some of this stuff done when I'm feeling good.

Since I didn't get much knitting done today, that is the plan for tonight (in front of the t.v.)