Day Forty Three - Second Chemo

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  2 Corinthians 1:2-4 

So this time I wasn't in such a panic as last time, thank goodness. I went to bed normal like, and woke up normal like. Riley and I started out by going for a lovely walk. Then I ate my usual wonderful breakfast of Riley's oatmeal, and then I got myself ready. I made a great lunch of carrots, celery, whole grain crackers with organic cream cheese, cherries, and cantaloupe. And then I got my bag packed with all kinds of things to do.

I had once again promised to take Emily to her "jump group", and this time I knew I could manage. I got over to green gables just a wee bit late, or were they the ones a wee bit late, I can't remember. But anyhow I picked up Nanny Annie and Emily and we headed off to church. But lo and behold there was no sign of the "jump group". Maybe it was closed for the summer. That's understandable.

So I headed towards town and asked Emily what she would like to do. It seemed she needed some suggestions so I asked her if she'd like to got for coffee or go to a book store. Well she wanted both, so I kept on driving towards the Lloyd Center. Just as we passed Barnes and Noble she yelled out that that's where she wanted to go. She could identify it from her car seat. I was impressed. She knew where you got coffee and books in the same place.

We went in and first collected stuff to read and then met up at a big table in the coffee shop. Emily wanted apple juice and Annie wanted a toffee nut somethingorother. Annie's was easy, but they only had huge glass bottles of apple juice, so instead I got her a bottle of lemonade. I don't know why. But she liked it nonetheless. I got water. We sat ready our stuff when it suddenly dawned on me that I had to put this numbing stuff on my port ahead of time, and there wasn't hardly that much time left. I hurriedly said goodbye (much to Emily's disappointment), and dashed out. Annie and Emily were going to walk home. Well Emily was in her stroller. As it turned out they first walked over to Anzen, where Emily had a wonderful time because she recognized that it was Japanese. Emily is very aware of different cultures because of the movies she watches. I think this is very unusual for a 2 year old.

Well as it turned out I didn't put the stuff on the correct way. You're supposed to put wither plastic wrap or a certain kind of bandage over it because otherwise your clothes will absorb the stuff instead of your body. When I had grabbed the container of numbing stuff out of the china cabinet in the passage way I had noticed the bandages but didn't give them much thought. Fuzzy brain? It was the nurse who was to draw my blood who realized what I had done wrong. So she drew my blood from my left arm, and then helped me put the numbing stuff on the correct way.


Next I was seen by the nurse who takes my weight and blood pressure. And then in to see Dr. Look. He said that my blood work looked fine. Then he checked the lump under my arm and said it was indeed smaller. He hasn't yet figured out how to check all the little tumors in my breast. I sure hope they get smaller, or fewer, or whatever. But anyway, he seemed to think everything was going fine, and he said that it was okay that I hadn't been feeling nauseous. I hoping for the best in that area. I hardly ever had morning sickness either.

Then up to the chemo room (infusion suite). I was quickly told to go on in and find a seat, but that wasn't easy as there were so many dreary looking people in there. I finally chose a seat facing the windows, but I soon realized that I was sitting across from the Greek man I had seen down stairs in the waiting room who looked absolutely terrified. He seemed to have liver cancer, and was accompanied by his sister. I recognized him for Greek because he resembled the Greek gardener my family had while I was growing up - Joie Stephanopolis (something like that). Because the man was so terrified he wasn't talking and his poor sister looked very bored, so I offered her my news paper, which pleased her a lot.

My nurse for this day was the very nice pregnant one. Her baby is due in three weeks, so I probably won't have her again. She only had a little bit of trouble getting the needle (which I've never looked at, but feels like it must be huge) in. My port is placed low on the left side, just at the top of the bra line, and it seems that that area is a bit squishy, making it hard to get resistance. First i got anti nausea and steroids, and when that was gone she plugged in the chemos, two of them. This was followed by have no idea what. But after the initial putting in of the needle things don't hurt. I sat there working on the puzzles in the paper and munching on my lunch things. None of the other people seemed to have a lunch. They ate things like cheezits out of the vending machine. I don't understand why they don't offer them healthy foods.


I had told Annie that I would pick them up after my chemo so we could make bakewell tarts for the Daring Bakers. She was a bit confused and she and Emily and Christian walked over to my house and got there before I did. Emily was very excited to be at my house with all her things - her books, her dolls, her toys, her easel, etc. It was a bit slow going making the stuff. 


First we got the pate sucre make, but Emily was not happy that I wouldn't let her separate the eggs. But she was soon distracted with a set of cookie cutters that I had bought from IKEA.


But when I started in on the frangipane Annie noticed some bugs in the almonds. Well those went into the garbage, and I went to the store. Somehow, when all was said and done, I finally got the almonds ground and that was that. Maybe it was that Heidi showed up to collect her kids. So off they all went, and I said we'd finish them the next day.

I was pretty tired by then, and when Riley showed up we decided to go out for dinner. Pho Van, of course. I wish I could think of more restaurants that sound good. There must be some out there. We came back home, watched baseball for a while, then we went to bed. I was feeling nervous about getting my hair cut the next morning at 9. Riley had decided that he would accompany me, not wanting to miss the event.

Psalm 139:1-5

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You understand my thought from afar. 

You scrutinize my path and my lying down,

And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 

Even before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 

You have enclosed me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.