Good Morning, Everyone.....

I woke up early this morning, poured myself a cup of hot coffee and walked outside on the back porch.  What a lovely morning.  

The trumpet vine is so heavy with blossoms they are hanging way down over the pergola.  The hummingbirds love the sweet nectar and I love watching the hummingbirds.  

  

I am feeling really well since my last chemo treatment.  My very last chemo treatment, by the way (forever and ever)!    

I still have a bit of neuropathy from the chemo but that will eventually go away.  My energy is slowing returning.  My appetite is back.  I really have no complaints.  

Surgery is next, and that is scheduled for August 20.  I am very anxious about surgery.  Every time I think about it I have to take deep breaths and tell myself everything is going to be fine.  I've made it this far and I can surely make it through surgery.  

After surgery, then comes six weeks of radiation, every day, Monday thru Friday.  I've heard that radiation is not all that bad.  

The end is in sight.  

I've been spending time in the garden and reading lots of books while my body heals.  

Oh, and one more thing.  My hair is finally starting to grow back!  Yea!  

Thank God for small miracles.  

And thank you, my dear friends, again, for all your thoughts and prayers.  

I know they are helping me.  I love you all.  

The last one!

Chemo # 8.  Can you believe it!  The last one!  

I thought this day would never come, and it's actually here!  

When I look back at the months of chemotherapy, I can only think "nightmare".  

It was like being in a dark hole and never getting out.  

Now I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Well almost.  

By tomorrow night my chemo treatments will be over....  

just a few side effects for the next two weeks, but that's ok.  

And, of course, I have surgery and radiation to deal with in the near future....  

but I feel the worst is over,  

and I can handle it!    

Yea!  


Love you all for being there and helping me get through this first very hard phase of breast cancer.    


P.S.  I'm sorry, I really never meant for my blog to turn into a "cancer blog".  
Not very fun or interesting.  
I guess when this happens, it just takes over your life.  

Welcome sunshine

I love the early morning sunshine coming in our kitchen window.  

I love the shadows it makes on the floor when I open the back door.  

I am thankful for little things these days.  

Sometimes I find myself thinking ahead to the day when this long journey will finally be over and feeling that that is when I will truly be happy again.  
Then I tell myself not to think ahead, just enjoy this day.  Today I will be happy.  Today I will enjoy it's beauty.  


I have one more chemo treatment to go.  I'm feeling pretty good right now, almost normal.  My taste buds have returned and I can eat everything I used to.  My fingers are a bit numb but I am thankful I can paint and do my regular housework and gardening.  My toes are numb but at least I can walk.  


Often times it's hard to focus on the right now and enjoy what we have.  I will do that today and enjoy this lovely summer morning.  

Getting creative

My paint brushes were calling me.  

I haven't been painting in so long I just had to feel those brushes in my hand.  This little wooden Humpty Dumpty will be attached to a wooden toy whirligig Galen is working on in the shop.  

There are more pieces to paint but this little guy came first.  

I'll show you the whole toy whirligig when it's finished.  

By the way, chemo yesterday was reduced 20% because of my neuropathy and, no neulasta shot (that's what gives me all the pain) so I will be pain free for the next two weeks!  
All I can say is thank you for all your prayers.  They are definitely working.  

Onward we go

After a really good and enjoyable week (thanks to my chemo being cancelled last week), and my neuropathy has gotten better with the medication, it's now time to head off to the cancer center tomorrow for my 7th chemo treatment.  

Ugh, I'm not looking forward to this at all.  I'll be down for about 5 days.  The good thing......after this one, I only have one more.  Thank Heavens!  


I cut some yellow day lilies and brought them in from the garden this morning to brighten up the dining room.  The garden is filled with these big yellow blooms, it's like sunshine everywhere.  


I picked the first of our "Better Boy" tomatoes today.  I think we're going to get quite a few this year.  Tomato sandwiches, yum!  

I'll be back soon.  


Thank you again for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers.  
It means so much to me.  

Happy arrival from NY

Yes, that's our youngest daughter, Amy, and Bruno arriving at the Raleigh airport on Saturday.  Our visits are far and few between so we were so happy to see them.  We had some great family time together over the weekend with the two of them, and our other daughter,Jen, Rob and Maddie.  
Another arrival will be coming in September when Amy and Bruno will be the happy parents of a new baby girl!  We are so excited!  Granddaughter #2.  


And hopefully by September my cancer treatments will be over and I will be finished with this long process and maybe start feeling like myself again.  
Chemo treatment # 7 is coming up this Thursday.  I am struggling right now with numb fingers and feet.  It's hard to do the simplest of things like button my blouse and open lids.  

Hanging onto good thoughts and happy days ahead.  
Until next time.......

Chemo # 6 coming up

Thursday is chemo # 6.  After this one only 2 more.  

Oh, I just can't wait until I can say "this is my last one."  I am doing my best to stay strong and positive.  I have neuropathy now, (numbness and tingling in my fingers and feet).  My fingernails are lifting, and I will probably lose my nails altogether (fingernails and maybe even toenails).  

I am told they grow back.  Same as your hair.  

(sigh)

I am thankful for all my good days and having some energy.  The garden has kept me busy pruning and weeding after large amounts of rain the past few days.  I am enjoying the sunshine.

It seems funny sitting on the back porch without my coffee.  I haven't had a cup of coffee in a very long time.  

Tomorrow Otis and Riley will visit the groomer to have their nails cut and then we will stop by the park so they can run.  

It's hard to believe that Memorial Day weekend is here already.  

I hope you all enjoy it, and....

I will be back later.

  

Welcome sun

What a beautiful day it is today and I'm feeling as good as can be expected.  


The garden is so lush and green right now.  A couple of days of heavy rain made a big difference.    
We have three raised beds in our vegetable garden in the back yard.  

This year we planted broccoli, lettuce, onions, red beets, tomatoes, and potatoes.  We also have a strawberry patch, blueberries, and a peach tree.  



It's great to walk out to the garden and know you have healthy food right at your fingertips.  

Tomorrow I'm off to UNC Cancer Center again for my 4th treatment.  At this point I will be halfway through the chemotherapy.  This last one knocked me down pretty good, so tomorrow could be a doozy.  


I'm hanging in there and I want to thank all of you again for your love and support.  I love readying your comments and heartfelt wishes.  It means so much to me.  Thank you for your prayers and I hope you will continue keeping me in your thoughts.  


One of my friends who had gone through breast cancer last year said to me, try not to look too far ahead,  but look back and see how far you've come.  I'm keeping that in mind.  

....I don't know if I can do this...

The more chemo treatments I undergo the more severe the side effects and the longer it takes for my body to rebound.  Ugh.  Some days I feel like a deflated balloon, hardly having enough energy to walk from one room to the other.  

Can I do this?  I don't know.  

Bad days.....good days......

hoping for more good days and the strength to get through all of this.  


I did manage to walk out to the garden today and picked some fresh strawberries from the strawberry patch.  

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.  

Round 3

Hello everyone!  Once again, tomorrow I head to the UNC Cancer Center in Chapel Hill for my third chemo treatment.  Ugh.  I guess I shouldn't dread this so much, but I do.  I should be thankful that I haven't been getting really sick.  Just some nausea, weakness, a bit of anxiety and depression and a few other little issues.  It knocks me down for about 10 days but I guess it could be worse.  

On my 5 really good days when I feel normal and my energy returns  that's when I catch up on whatever was put on hold while I was spending time on the sofa for a week.  Oh, by the way, you know what a big coffee lover I am, right?  Well, coffee just doesn't taste the same to me anymore and I seem to be drinking more tea.  Tea and Gatorade....strange.  

Galen has been my rock.  He does whatever has to be done.  He cooks and bakes, he does laundry, he vacuums, takes care of Otis and Riley and does all the yard work. I don't know what I would do without him.   

He's going to need a nice big vacation as much as I will when this is all said and done!  

So here I go again, Round 3, 

5 more to go.  

Oh happy day!

I woke up this morning feeling normal, yes, normal.  What a wonderful feeling!  That first week after chemo gets pretty tough.  But today the sun is shining and the birds are singing and I feel normal and happy.  Thank the Lord!  

I guess by now most of you know I have lost all my hair from the chemo.  Wow, what a shock that was.  I didn't think it was going to be so hard, but it was.  Sometimes I feel like an alien from outer space!  I've been wearing pretty scarves, hats, caps, and my wig......very strange though every time I put the wig on, just getting used to wearing it takes some effort and an attitude adjustment.    

Tomorrow is Easter and we will be spending the day with family.  I can hardly wait!  Jen, our oldest daughter and her husband are hosting.   A big Easter ham and an Easter egg hunt for the kids....and spending time with my granddaughter.  Happy Day!  

Our azaleas are beautiful right now.  Galen took some photos early in the week of our front yard.  Our street is filled with color.  I love this time of year.  

 I hope everyone has a beautiful day today, and tomorrow, Easter Sunday!  

Love you all, and thank you for your prayers and support.  It means everything to me.  

Chemo # 2

Tomorrow (Thursday) is Chemo treatment #2.  We will go through the same routine as two weeks ago.  Up early around 5:30am and out the door by 7:00.  The car is packed, Otis and Riley are loaded up, and Galen and I head for the highway.  A stop for a breakfast sandwich and a Starbucks coffee.  Along the way we will pick up our daughter, Jen in Garner.  She has been going with us from the beginning and has been a huge help and wonderful support.  

By around 9:30 we are in Chapel Hill and drop off Otis and Riley at my sister's house.  Then off to the UNC Breast Cancer Center.  Lab work at 10:45am, an 11:20 appointment with my Oncologist, and then the infusion at 1:20pm.  This takes about two hours.  I pick up my pills for the week at the pharmacy and then we return to my sister's house for a relaxing evening and a nice dinner.  

Then off to bed.  

Next day, Friday, we head to the UNC Center again for my Neulasta injection to help boost my white blood cells.  This usually doesn't take very long and we are in and out in about an hour and a half.  I am then finished at the UNC Center until my next treatment in two weeks.

Finally, we head back to my sister's house, say our thank yous and goodbyes, pick up Otis and Riley and head for home.  We drop Jen off in Garner and get to see our granddaughter  and son-in-law for a bit, and then head for Wilson.  By this time I am feeling worn out and will no doubt be spending the next few days on the sofa.  

  

So this is my (our) routine and will be for the next 12 weeks ( 3 months).  

Hopefully it will go fast.