Saturday, April 4, 2009

A subject near and dear....

What is a fart?
A fart it is a pleasant thing,
It gives the belly ease,
It warms the bed in winter,
And suffocates the fleas.

A fart can be quiet,
A fart can be loud,
Some leave a powerful,
Poisonous cloud

A fart can be short,
Or a fart can be long,
Some farts have been known
To sound like a song....

A fart can create
A most curious medley,
A fart can be harmless,
Or silent , and deadly.

A fart might not smell,
While others are vile,
A fart may pass quickly,
Or linger a while......

A fart can occur
In a number of places,
And leave everyone there,
With strange looks on their faces.
.
From wide-open prairie,
To small elevators,
A fart will find all of
Us sooner or later.

But that farts are all bad,
Is simply not true-
We must never forget....
Sweet old farts . . . like you!

Kinda brings a tear to your eye doesn't it?

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Thursday before the Final Four

Lazy day today...we were slugs, just sitting in our respective recliners, catching up on "Little People, Big World" shows that we had recorded. I don't think we even got out of bed until 10am...even the puppies wanted to stay in bed!

Finally about 2pm we roused ourselves out of our stupor and went down to Walmart to get glasses for me. They have a limited selection of frames...but they take the insurance Sandy has for eye care....so we went there. I picked out a nice pair of Christy Brinkley frames...a rose color...and got the progressive and transition lenses with anti-glare and scratch resistant treatment....all for about a $150 less than the last time I got glasses (which were only bi-focals). Now they will send in the insurance papers so I get reimbursed for at least the frames and part of the lenses! Good deal! I like the way they look on me...I haven't had colored frames for YEARS!

I'll get them next Thursday or Friday...can't wait! Now I'm excited about the frames and the fact that I will be able to see better!

As Sandy went up to pay the guy for the glasses, I "hit the wall"....I could barely get up from the chair and walk out to the car. Came home and went up to bed.

Then Sandy decides to get all busy, dusting, vacuuming upstairs, washing the floors, etc. I'm lying there and there's all this work going on around me. Finally she finished and took Bubbles and Truman to the barn for agility class, leaving Lily and me home alone...and quiet.

I got up and did some more loads of wash and changed the sheets on the bed---that will surprise her....she told me not to do it...she would take care of it when she got home. Hey, I had the energy then...why not do it?

Heard from Pam today. She said they saw a pileated woodpecker on their weekly Audobon walk. I can't wait to be able to join her on the walk! Soon.....soon.

That's what I keep telling myself....soooooon.

Hey, Ocean State Job Lot is having a huge sale on kayaks....name brands at GREAT prices! If you don't have a kayak...I highly recommend that you get one...or two. So easy to use, so much fun and you can join us when we finally get out on the water!

Nighty night!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Miscellaneous

Have to admit right off the bat that I'm not feeling the greatest. I'm having lots of side effects and I'm hoping they wear off soon! Nothing is overwhelming, but the combination of things is very wearing and leaves me feeling "icky" most of the time. I continue to be amazed at how exhausted I get from doing nothing!

Heard from Cindy down in Virginia, her surgery went well...but she's hurting now that she's home. I can relate! I feel for her, I have all kinds of help and she's down there alone. She should have someone staying with her and looking out for her. Keep her in your thoughts please and send those good vibes her way!

Very happy the Huskies won and both teams are in the Final Four...very exciting times! I think Mark and Carol will be coming over Saturday night to watch the guy's game and I invited Barb and Mary to come watch the final game on Tuesday...if the women make it past Stanford. I'm very nervous about Stanford to be honest. This is the team that had me worried from the day they had the Selection Show.

Sandy made a nice chicken dinner for us and I could taste most of it...hopefully my taste buds are recuperating already from the chemo. I can't get used to the strangeness of how things taste now. I don't WANT to get used to it, truth be told!

Jean and Frank came up yesterday and did a lot of work in the yard. Frank fixed the lights out front...found out that one of the connections wasn't sealed and when it would get damp, the lights would go out. Jean blew leaves out of the plants out front and bagged up three huge bags of them. Frank put together the stake body for Sandy's cart on the tractor. Now she can haul more stuff in the cart, the sides will hold it in.

For my part, I went out and laid on the chaise on the deck. It was wonderful out there...so warm, the sun shining down on my bald head. I wanted to take off my shirt and sit out there in my bra, but I figured Sandy would get upset so I didn't. I just lifted my shirt and exposed my bare belly...maybe it will help the scar from my surgery. It felt great being out there and I stayed out there for quite some time.

When I came in...I felt sick and went up to bed. I was having chest pains and Sandy got concerned that it was my heart...I was pretty sure it was gas. She took my pulse and blood pressure--which was a little up...but not bad. I was having trouble falling asleep...the pain kept coming and going. Then I got my answer.....gas, gas, gas.....I let it fly and felt SO MUCH better. I was able to sleep after that!

Life is a gas.

Nighty night!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Back to "work"

Went to work today, for an inservice. Sandy drove me up to Charmine's in the new car...which went over the 200 mile mark while we were en route. Charmine drove us to UConn and we ate in the cafeteria, joined by Alina...one of our co-workers.

The meeting/inservice was interesting and fun. Lots of folks there, including my pals, Jan, Anna and Rosalinda. It was so good to see everyone. I was tired at the end...good thing I had consumed a "five hour energy" drink prior to leaving for Charmine's!

Charmine brought me home as she had to make a trip to Kohl's anyway. Saved Sandy a trip to Colchester.

Now I'm watching Louisville play Maryland. Rooting for Louisville...I'd like to see them make the Final Four.

I think I'll watch the second half from bed. When Sandy comes home from class with Lily (Rally-O class tonight) I'll head upstairs. I need the sleep....very tired now.

Nighty night!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Later Sunday

Well...as predicted..right after the Huskies won I crashed. This is how it has been going in the days after chemo...I'm flying high Friday night and Saturday, crash Saturday night and Sunday and then am fairly steady for Monday.

I figured out that maybe we can purchase the Sirius satellite tuner and antenna and have it installed cheaper at Best Buy. We'll compare how much they charge to what Toyota charges....I bet Best Buy wins.

We just decided what would be a good day(s) to go get my new glasses ordered. Wednesday or Thursday. I'm postponing my dental hygienist appointment for Tuesday...to rest up. I'm nervous about getting work done when I'm under the influence of chemo, so I will wait on that.

So, now I eat my shepherd's pie, with lots of pepper, salt and seasoning on it....a side salad with Robusto Italiano dressing...strong...on it....hoping to kick start my taste buds. With all those spices, I can taste "something" on my food. I hope I get to taste again soon...this is very disconcerting.

Off to bed early...that two and a half hour nap didn't put a dent in my tiredness....and then big day tomorrow.

Sweet Sixteen

Watched the guys win a big one yesterday...they are in the Final Four! Now I'm watching the women try to make it to the Elite Eight. So far they are down three points...and Tina has two fouls...has to sit. Not good....but I have complete faith in them.

Something that is disconcerting....one of the chemo drugs has effected my sense of taste. I noticed it last time, but this time it's more pronounced. It won't last..should wear off...but it's rotten in the meantime. Last night we had a wonderful meal.....filet mignon, mashed potatoes, spinach...and all of it tasted rather blah....a disappointment. Last time it lasted about a day or so...this time it's still hanging in there.

Oh...game is on again....I'll be back.

Back...UConn losing by largest deficit of the season...I'm still not worried.

Anyway...went shopping yesterday with Lynne. We met at Coldwater Creek...I was flying high on the cortisone--didn't really sleep Friday night and felt great Saturday AM. Anyway, we got some nice stuff on sale, including size 10 pants for me! I had just bought size 12 there a month or so ago and Roxie pointed out that they were too big on me! I'm sure that as I get further out from chemo I'll put more weight on...but for right now it's nice to have pants that look nice on me.

After we shopped we went to Panera Bread for lunch. I had never been there before. I liked it and will have to go back when I can taste things better.

Then Lynne headed home and I did too and then found myself at Kohl's! I got a nice hot pink jean jacket, some bras and a pair of sandals. The sandals are the wrong size...I have to exchange them. The bras DO fit me--unlike my old ones which were too big.

Okay...Huskies are proving me right...they're back.

Jean came up to stay with me last night and made the aforementioned great steak meal...that I couldn't taste. She is so sweet to come and stay with me. Sandy doesn't want me getting up in the middle of the night and going up and down the stairs without someone here...so Jean comes and stays on the off-chance that the dogs will need to go out....or I need help. This will be the last weekend she has to do this, hopefully. When I switch to the one drug only chemo sessions I shouldn't have these reactions.

One reaction I am having from the one drug is high blood pressure...it's not super high...but it is in the range where my pressure used to be when they put me on drugs....and I am getting the headaches. I asked Dr. Lachance about getting on meds again for this. and he said he will have to check the protocol for the clinical trial. Hey, it wouldn't bother me if I had to withdraw from the trial! I didn't say that to him. Maybe there is some medical value to me continuing in the trial and getting the medication. Maybe I won't even get the medication in this part of the trial. So many variables.

I love Facebook. I found some more relatives (Leavstroms) through Facebook. I have tentative plans to meet two of them...one who lives in New Haven and one who lives in VT, but who comes down here every six weeks to visit her siblings who are in a nursing home in Meriden. Their grandfather was my grandfather's brother. They have information about the family tree; family photos, including pictures of the family home in Sweden; and information about other relatives living in Sweden.

It is all very interesting and exciting. They are excited too, about learning more about our family.

It's raining and I love it. Yesterday was so nice and warm...I loved riding in the new car with the windows down. I sat in the driveway and programmed the bluetooth feature for the phone.

I also discovered something that was a disappointment. The car is "satellite capable" but doesn't have a satellite receiver or antenna installed! That's an extra $400 something. Sandy is kicking herself for not noticing and getting it included in the deal. She says she's going to get it for me....I don't know how she can afford it, but I won't argue...she's into getting me things lately...I think it's cause she's glad I'm not going to die! Well...not yet anyway! You know what I mean. So, it looks like I'll be getting that satellite after all.

Tomorrow I get to go to work for the first time since October! We are having a Patient Instructor training session and Charmine and I are going to go. Sandy will drive me up to Charmine's and will pick me up later. I can't wait to see everyone...I have missed them (and the work) so much! They are such good people.

Okay, it's half time now and I am going to close my eyes for awhile.

Later!