ONE WEEK IN THE BOOKS......

I have ONE WHOLE WEEK - FIVE treatments in the books - MEANING - I ONLY have 23 treatments to go!!  Needless to say it has been a very interesting week!  Monday morning I arrived at the Oncology Department to have my pump placed.  The whole thing is about 6x3 inches and fits into the fanny pack I have pictured here.  One half is the PUMP and other half holds my POISON - otherwise known as the CHEMOTHERAPY!  There is a tube coming out of it which attaches into the portacath in my chest.  If you look at the picture you can see the little tube coming out.  I was worried about how I would adjust to having basically a ball and chain on my body - but it was not bad at all.  AND - I am NOT the first person to ever experience this!  I was told it could be noisy - but the noise is barely noticeable for which I am GRATEFUL!   It pumps every so often - the amount of medicine in my pack for the week was a little more than a cup - so that amount was spread out over the five days, pumping a sure, steady stream into my body. 

After my port was accessed (I had used the NUMBING CREAM and it wasn't bad) -  they just hooked me up and sent me on my way - down to RADIOLOGY where I had my first radiation treatment.  They laid me down on my stomach, pulled down my BRITCHES just a bit and BEAMED ME UP!!  I had the radiation treatments every day at 1 pm.  Friday I was scheduled at 3 pm - then went immediately back up to Oncology and got the pump OFF!   YAY - I have weekends free of any ATTACHMENTS - for that I am HUGELY GRATEFUL!  I actually did a few jumping jacks - ONLY because I felt FREE!!  My body adjusted fairly well - I felt some nausea - for which I have nausea pills.  I am so NOT a pill taker but I ended up taking two pills during the week.  I was able to maintain my normal schedule but by night time I was ready to hit the bed at about 8 - just on TOP - and only to watch TV.  Not to actually go to bed.  If I was tired I went to the computer room and laid down on the floor with a blanket in front of a little space heater and watched TV.  It must be some psychological thing with me - I CANNOT get in bed during the day - I don't want my bed to remind me of being sick. 

Monday night we decided to watch a movie.  My first day of treatment - couldn't find anything we wanted to watch on TV so I got propped up ON my bed and we went through our movie stash!  There are many still in their cellophane wrappings that we have never watched.  Out of ALL the movies we have - we decided to watch one we had never seen before - TERMS OF ENDEARMENT!   OKAY - like I said - we have NEVER seen it - we have had it for  years and unwrapped it and watched it.  Out of ALL the movies we could have chosen - we chose the one about a CANCER PATIENT - who DIES!  I chuckled because of the irony of the whole day!  I cried and cried and cried which launched me into a massive headache which by Tuesday was still there!  That scared me just a little because I had no clue whether it was from crying or the medicine!  By Wednesday morning it was gone - I chalked that up to CRYING! 

Throughout the week I handled the treatments very well.  I felt just a little nausea.  You are told to drink a lot because that will help flush the chemo out of the system.  I am NOT a drinker by any means - meaning I hate to even drink water.  By the end of the week Water is all I CAN drink.  There is just a small metalic taste you experience!  I am off DIET PEPSI which is probably a good thing - it just tastes WRONG!  I can drink orange juice - I tried lemonade and other drinks I like but they all taste YUCKY.  My body began to retain water and so I am a little PUFFY - actually that is a LIE - I am A LOT puffy!   I just keep on drinking water and sooner or later it will all flush out of my body.  This morning I CANNOT even shove my ring on!  I can't even use lotion to shove it on - it WILL NOT FIT for the first time in my married life - Oh well - It's just a RING!

As I lay on the radiation table I try to distract myself by letting my mind drift off to things that I find THERAPEUTIC.  I am looking forward to summer!  My FAVORITE season is FALL but  I do love summer.  I love mowing my lawns and taking care of my yard.  We live on a half acre of land with about 35 fruit trees.  The front yard takes me about a half hour to mow and the back takes almost an hour.  My children have asked why I don't hire someone but I NEVER will unless I think I am dying.  If and when the day comes I hire someone - just KNOW that I am on my way OUTTA HERE! 

One of my GOOD features happens to be my long legs.  During the summers I wear NOTHING but skirts and tops.  I love my skirts.   I have Business skirts, Church skirts and Casual skirts - ALL pencil skirts which are form fitting and come right to the knee.  One fun distraction that I find TOTALLY therapeutic  has been BROWSING on-line at FLORAL PENCIL SKIRTS!  I have about 25 in my currrent collection!  I have found some beautiful ones on-line to add to that  collection.  I was hoping to order a size smaller - Now I will wait until I finish this stuff to order my skirts.  I can't be PUFFY and order a size smaller!  It is just so FUN to actually find ones that I like!  I am so excited and cannot wait - not only to be finished with treatment - BUT to order my summer skirts!

It is very HEALTHY for EVERYONE to find a way to relax, rest and be restored.  It is HEALTHY to find something THERAPEUTIC - something that helps you fill up your tank so-to-speak and renew that strength within your own being - a renewal of your spirit.  Find that SOMETHING which will give you that peace and help you along this JOURNEY we call LIFE!  I am THANKFUL for great FRIENDS.  I am THANKFUL for my FAMILY!  I am THANKFUL for my SOUL MATE - who holds my hand along the way - each and every day.  I feel such GRATITUDE!   Please continue to pray for me and my family.  I HONESTLY feel your PRAYERS!  THANK YOU!  Love and Hugs to ALL.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:  "Take Time to Think .. it is the source of Power.  Take Time to Read... It is the Fountain of Wisdom.  Take Time to Pray....It is the GREATEST POWER ON EARTH"