A Monster Of An Update

I spoke too soon. 

I haven't been quite up to par, but this last few days, immediately before the second chemo, I was great! I made a cake from L and K's yummy recipe to finally thank the neighbors for looking out for my house, and bringing in the mail while I was watering my friend's trees again. I fell down that dang hill the first day, so I called for backup, and another friend came over and watered the bottom half of the slope. The dirt wasn't soft enough for the cleats to work for me. Just skinned up this time. Lots of drought everywhere. 

I just rested a lot the first couple weeks and managed a few naps here and there. 

I continue to read as much as I possibly can. I realized I hadn't turned the TV on for maybe months! 

A few days ago, I had 10 books checked out from the library. I'm getting very good at juggling which ebook to read before which library book. I keep checking return dates, and I know if it's a "fluff" book, it's a really fast read. If you have a Pinterest account, you can see what I've been reading lately. (TucsonPatty "Books I've Read")

I just finished "Soil" by Camille T. Dungy.  I'm going to read it again immediately! It is fascinating! She is a professor at Colorado State University, living in Ft Collins. She is trying to make a "wild" space in her back yard, and I've been looking up the flowers she talks about like crazy. If you like flowers and gardening I think you'll like this book. She interspersed historical facts about Colorado, also. I loved it! 

One of the most fascinating plant explanations was the master class on Bindweed. I never realized quite why it was such a huge deal to Dad. It seemed to be pretty much the same flora as western Kansas. 

I'm again sitting in chemo - maybe 3 1/2 - 4 hours worth I think. It's kind of an issue with veins this time, because they don't want me to use the one great vein, which is on my right arm. That will be the surgery side. I keep asking what will happen when I can't use either side for blood pressure.  I have never liked having an IV in the back of my hand, but last time, the nurse used a teeny butterfly needle and I barely felt it. No bruise, no scab. Nothing. This one: aii-yii-yii!!

I asked if they could do it that way again today. I'll let them do whatever way they want next time - my hand is going to be a mess. She couldn't get any blood to come out from the first stick in my wrist, for testing it, so had to go in the second time in the back of my hand. Lots of blood under the skin. It's going to be two huge bruises. 

Let's go back a bit to fill in blank spaces maybe. The first week after the first chemo was uneventful, maybe a little fatigued. A week and a half later, my hair began coming out. Just a bit. Within four days I had lost so much I had my Hair Person "A" clip my hair all off. Then we put temporary tattoos all over it. Her daughter had a birthday with mermaid tattoos, so I have mermaids and fish and bubbles all over my head, plus several pink ribbons. It's fun.