I must report on this week….

After my last very low-spot-post, I want to report that I’ve had 3 really good days!!  Monday morning was Guy’s 1^st appointment with a primary care physician – same one as mine.  This was good timing since he had just had that nosebleed.  It was doing well, though, with no more bleeding and has remained that way.  The doctor took down all the initial information, and Guy will go back in a month for a full physical. 

I had to call United Health Care the other day for address change, and she actually ask me if I had had my Wellness checkup.  They pay for a Wellness checkup and one other yearly visit.  This was one of the nicest insurance ladies I’ve ever talked to on the phone.  Most agents hardly give you the time of day.  I’m actually noticing that many customer services I’ve talked to lately seem to be going out of their way to be nice and friendly.  KUMC and the Hutchinson Clinic want you to fill out an online survey each time you visit. AND if you don’t fill it out, they call you on the phone!  I got a phone call from a guy the other day, and many of the answers were unsatisfied, somewhat unsatisfied, satisfied, very satisfied.  He was going on and on, and I tried to cut in and say “very satisfied,” and he said, “No, no!  You can’t interrupt me.  I have to read the entire answer before you answer!”  WELL! OK, then!!!  Drone on…..

Anyway, after the doctor’s appointment, we went to eat at one of our favorite restaurants – the Dutch Kitchen.  This is run by the Mennonites and is just good home cooking.  And of course, that includes about 10 different kinds of homemade pies!  We had to have take-home boxes, so we both got two meals out of that!  My coconut pie piece was so big, I even had to take half of it home!

Tuesday morning, I got up and felt strong.  I thought of things I would really like to do.  As I was sitting at the table, all of a sudden I felt myself headed south again.  I sat down in my recliner and relaxed for a while, and I was fine the rest of the day.  It is SO weird how one minute you can feel on top of the world and the very next, clear under it.  But that spell did not last long, thankfully.  I even opened up the piano and played some of my favorite hymns for a while. I haven’t done that for some time. 

I even felt good enough for us to attend the Little River High School girls and boys basketball game Tuesday evening.  The girls, unfortunately, lost big time.  I just wonder if we girls looked that awkward when we were that age and playing basketball!  J  When we played, we only played half-court.  I played defense.  The LRHS boys put up a good fight but they lost, also.  What was really neat is at half-time of the boys’ game, they invited all the veterans out to mid-court, and the Windom grade school children presented all the veterans valentines they had made. 

I tried to upload the video, but I guess it was too big, and I got an error notice.  It was just so sweet and meaningful.  I learned that this is an annual tradition. What a great way to teach the youngsters patriotism and honoring our vets!  Windom is a little town even smaller than LR 5 miles to the east.  They have grades K-5, I think. Then LR has grades 6-12.  Watching these games brought back a lot of memories, but I can see that times have changed.  Guy mentioned how our gym was always packed with standing room only.  They have a new gym attached to the back of the school, and the old gym is now a theater room.  In the spring, we attended one of the school plays.  That REALLY brought back a lot of memories!!!  How I loved the junior and senior plays we were in!!

Today, I was finally able to get back to attend the ladies Bible study.  Oh, how much I enjoy that and those ladies.  Several were out sick.  I understand that there ae a lot of colds and flu everywhere.  I know I’m kind of taking a risk getting out in crowds, but I’m still on antibiotics for finishing out this sinus infection, so I figure I’m OK, and I wash my hands carefully.  Plus, my blood counts are still good.  So, I’m going to enjoy being out while I feel like it.

Later this afternoon, we took the official paperwork for initiating our loan application for our new house to McPherson to our banker.  We locked in our loan interest.  It had already gone up a 0.125% adding an additional $5 to our payment.  UGH!  You just never know what that stinkin interest rate is going to do.  We are just in a waiting pattern with the Alabama house.  The appraiser did his job Monday and has 5 days to get it to the closing lawyer.  Once our mortgage company there has the check in their hands to pay that off, our banker said we could close here in about a week.  Everyone here is getting excited!!

I’ll be going for chemo tomorrow.  That will be my 2^nd infusion of my 3^rd month.  It seems like I just started this yesterday.  I’m glad I’ve been sleeping better.  That probably has a great deal to do with my feeling better during the day.  We will need to take both vehicles tomorrow, because we have to leave my car at the body shop – remember?  We hit that deer?  UGH! I have been trying to drive more, so it isn’t such an effort for me.  My appointment is at 9:30. My eyes do not do well in the mornings, so I’m not looking forward to that drive.  Somehow, I’ve managed to scratch both lens of my glasses right in the middle!!  ARGH!!!  I’ve ALWAYS been SO careful to not ever get a scratch in the past.  I can’t stand to have even a tiny speck on my glasses!!!! Of all times to have those when I’m struggling so hard to see.  I don’t really want to pay the money to have the lens replaced because when this chemo is all over, I’ll most likely need an eye exam and a change in my prescription.  I’m wondering what chemo does to cataracts???  I wish I could somehow have had mine removed before we moved back to Kansas, but it just didn’t happen.  I know that one of the biggest problems with my eyes is droopy eye lids.  This makes the edge of the top lid cover up the top part of the pupil. This must be hereditary.  My dad had them, and my brother had them.  In fact, my brother had surgery to correct his.  It completely changed his looks!  But he could see better.  I have to make a conscious effort to hold my eyes open to see well.  For about half a day, my eyes are rather swollen, too.  I’ve started using Refresh eye drops (without the preservatives), and that seems to help a bit.

Well, enough of that old-age stuff!!  One thing I’ve noticed the last few days is my feet seem to be just a bit better.  I was using my essential oils on them (Valor).  I asked one of the FB oils groups about what oils might be good for this, and most said they did not recommend using EO during chemo therapy.  I could diffuse some oils, but not use them directly on my body.  Well….that is a dilemma, because I use several different oils in a coconut oil base I made to prevent restless leg syndrome, and I use that every night.  I guess I’ll have to ask my oncologist at my next appoint with her at the end of the month.  The aroma therapist online recommended diffusing lavender.  That’s not going to do a thing for numbness in my feet, I can tell you that!!!

I’m just very thankful for 3 whole days in a row of feeling good!  Oh, and another thing.  During Bible study this morning, I was talking about how much God’s peace is vital to my life and my recovery.  Afterward, the youngest lady of the group came to me and handed me a crocheted bookmark she had made, and it had the word “PEACE” crocheted into it.  Now that was a God-thing!!! And I will treasure it!!!

From Jesus Calling today: 

I am above all things: your problems, your pain, and the swirling events in this every-changing world.  When you behold My Face, you rise above circumstances and rest with Me in heavenly realms.  This is the way of Peace, living in the Light of My Presence.  I guarantee that you will always have problems in this life, but they must not become your focus.  When you feel yourself sinking in the sea of circumstances, say “Help me, Jesus!” and I will draw you back to Me.  If you have to say that thousands of times daily, don’t be discouraged.  I know your weakness, and I meet you in that very place.  Eph. 2:6 Matt. 14:28-32

As always…….I remain in His hands…..