AnnieM's Stuff

Maria sent me this card yesterday. I opened it while I was at chemo and I laughed my ass off. I showed it to my "roommate" who also got a big kick out of it.

I found in chemo it's hard to listen to "audio books" when you have another "roommate" with you...the tendency seems to be that everyone wants to yak. So I got to yak with three folks yesterday...the first lady just came in, got a shot and left...just long enough for us to say hello and goodbye. The other three were yakkers, like me. So the time passed fairly quickly.

Patricia..the second lady, and I, took a little nap together as we were both under the influence of benadryl at the same time. Then we perked up and chatted. She told us a harrowing tale. She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was four months pregnant...with her first child. They told her that her options were chemo or abortion and she had a week to decide. She decided to have the baby and THEN start chemo. He's six months old now and she is struggling with the cancer. How the hell do you make a decision like that?

She gave me a good tip on her way out...she whispered to me.."carry hand sanitizer and use it frequently...we can't afford to get sick." She's very right and I have to be very vigilant. It helps that I go nowhere right now...but when I do get out and about and I will be doing that soon...I feel stronger and stronger....I need to protect myself from everyone else.

Last night Mary Anne Bouthillier dropped by on her way home from work to bring and get Christmas presents. We had a nice visit and she gave me "stress relief" body wash and lotion from Bath and Body works. Yes!

I thought for sure I would be crashing when I got home...but I was wide awake...and that continued when I went to bed...I laid there, not falling asleep, trying all the techniques I know to get to sleep...nothing worked. I got up and looked at the clock...it was only 11:45!! WTF!!??? When Sandy got up to go to work I asked her if any of the medications I got caused insomnia...wouldn't you know...ONE of them does...all the rest cause fatigue!

I came downstairs this AM...after sleeping about four hours...all full of pep. I made myself french toast, bacon and coffee for breakfast. After I ate I started feeling logey...which was not good, because Jean stayed over last night to be with me and stayed later this AM to take me down to Kohl's to pick up a pair of jeans and a pair of corduroys (all I need to make it through the winter with my new weight).

I sat down in the recliner and slowly sank into fatigue. Jean saw it and talked me out of going to the store...for which I was grateful! After she left I crawled upstairs and slept for three and half hours. That felt good.

Did I write here that Sandy got me the Wii Rock Band for Christmas? We, Sandy, Taylor, Ryan and I had a blast playing with it Christmas Day. I do really good (100%) on the singing, even songs I've never heard before! I did pretty good on the drums...Steve has to come over and try it...he'd love it. I didn't do as well on the guitar, but with it in bass mode I managed to not embarass myself.

We are going to have Carol and Mark come over...maybe tonight...to play with the band. It is so much fun...just like I thought it would be!

Hey, if you're putting your recyclables out...don't put all your boxes of things you got for Christmas (Rock Band, big screen tv, playstation, etc) out there where thieves will see them. Then they know what you have in your house. Put them in your NEIGHBOR's recyclables! LOL! I learned this lesson a long time ago...my Aunt Dottie had bought a new vcr, big screen tv and stereo system...the thieves saw the boxes out front and broke in and took everything! I always hide the labels, cut the boxes up to look smaller, put them under the recyle box, etc. Or I put them at the neighbors..whatever works!