Hands free!

attempt #3

     Okay people...mom and I are sitting in the waiting room, waiting for the moment of truth.  If we are a go today my infusion will start at 11am, which means I should be done by 5 or 6pm.  I like that better than 9 or 10pm.  I have some laundry that needs to be done.  Funny how someone with all the time in the world still puts off doing laundry.  It's not that I don't want to do it, I just forget it's there.  I also don't like to do it.  My co-workers can attest to that:/.  There are just so many more important things to do before laundry (at work at least) until we have no blankets or towels for the babies...then it's important.  At home I really don't have anything more important to do so I have no excuse.

     Jeremy and I joined a wellness centre yesterday.  We have not enjoyed it yet and if I get treatment today I won't be able to for 2 days at least.  For 2 days after chemo no one can be in contact with my fluids.  I have to flush the toilet twice.  If I throw up, whoever cleans it has to use gloves.  It's almost like I'm a villain and if you make me mad, I'll spray you with chemo saliva like a viper sprays his venom (I think it's vipers that can do that...been out of the game too long).  I could be a hero and only spray bad people.  Honestly, the only people that make me mad are bad people, but then who am I to judge?  I digress.  The wellness centre.  It has an indoor walking track, an indoor lap pool (salt water) and an indoor hot pool and sauna.  Those are the things this place has that the Y next to our home does not.  It is a further drive but monthly is only $10 more than the Y and I don't have to worry about swimming in the sun.  Plus it's a quieter crowd.  I just hope my doc says it's ok to use the pools and sauna.  They also have a bunch of classes (yoga, tai chi, etc).  For some reason I can not find the motivation to do yoga at home.  Once I am home by myself, getting up to go to the wellness centre will be my job.  The nice thing is I can take my time.  I can spend hours there.  I don't have to worry about rushing to get to work after my workout.  After that, I will work out a plan for dinner and cook a fresh meal.  I feel like one of those new tampa women that don't work outside of the home.  I just drive around in a less expensive car.  When I was working, my day was broken down in hours and depending on the day exercise would get squeezed out.  Get up at 6 to work at 7, get off at 3:30ish and then work out and shower and then figure out dinner.  Unless we had social plans.  In that case the gym gets the axe and I go straight home to clean up and get cute.

     Okay, any minute now the doc is gonna come in...(9:11am)

11:00am...infusion centre is on schedule. It's going to be a good day.

    Yay! We made it.  I get my own room this time.  Usually I'm in an alcove with another person with just a curtain between us.  Last time I was here I met Nate and his mom.  High school kid.  I can't remember what he was in for...I blame the chemo.  So my counts are good.  My liver is good.  We are backing off of the drugs that affect my kidneys.  It will still be effective and serve its purpose but be less taxing on my kidney.  The doc also said I am good to go with the pools and sauna at the gym so that's awesome.

     Alright, time to hunker down and watch some movies.

It's been awhile

     We've had a busy week!  We go out in the early afternoon and get home by 7 and I am pooped! Wednesday we met up with our friend Michelle and explored the Henry B Plant museum and had lunch.  It was actually really cool.  Super old hotel that had a bunch of items from around the world.  The couple that created this place had way too much money and time but it really is a neat place full of history.  Definitely worth a visit.

plaque telling of proper etiquette of the time

Look, I go on forever.  I would have moved the vase out of the picture but they don't like you to touch things.

I want one when I have a garden.  They were placed all around the gardens and people sat on them.  Not too comfortable but was anything comfortable back then?

A super cool piano

     Thursday, we drove to St Pete for the day.  We had lunch with with friends and then went to the Holocaust Museum.  We didn't quite get through everything in the 2 hours we had until they closed and they kicked us out.  They had so much information and pieces donated from people that had actually lived it.  It was a perfect day to walk around outside.  Not too sunny, a light breeze.  We went to a coffee shop and later an ice cream shop.  I could definitely spend more time down there.  One of these days we will go back and see the sunken gardens and maybe some other museums.  I'd like to see what is on the pier too. 

     Today, I don't know what we are going to do.  I might find someone to give me a foot massage or go sit by the pool and read for hours.  I do know I have all day to decide :)

Well it looks like I get another week off :/.  My neutrophils are to low and there is nothing I can do to help them increase.  Those are the little bits that, when they are low, means I should stay away from crowds and sick people or else I end up in the hospital.  So we wait another week and hope I'm up enough next time to get this ball rolling again.

So today, we are going to see Jeff and the moose.  I already checked it with the doc.  She just can't kick me or scratch me and I can make that happen.  Then we are going to find a library so I can get a card again to borrow books on my kindle.  We might come back to the hospital later to do some silk painting.  And that's all I have for today.

     Had a nice weekend.  I got to see some friends at trivia on Thursday.  We did not win.  I'm not very good at trivia.  Even if I know the answer, as soon as they ask the question I forget the answer and start over thinking it.  This is the same thing that happens when I take tests...not that I've had any tests to take in the past 10 years.

     Friday, I had a movie night with my friend Krissy.  We watched Warm Bodies.  I never really got into the whole zombie craze and it was a movie I was on the fence about setting.  I highly recommend watching this movie.  It was really good/funny.   Loved it!    

    Saturday was full of errands and then cooking some delicious chicken.  Today, we finally went to a produce stand we always pass when we go to whole foods.  Excellent prices on a variety of produce.  Mom helped me make a delicious dinner.

Things I learned today

     Today, I learned I can make delicious pancakes all by myself without making a huge mess.  Almond milk makes tomato soup taste funny and my taste buds do not like it.  White Kraft singles are not as good on a grilled cheese as the yellow ones.  The last thing I learned today...I cook a mean stir fry!

     I have decided that almost everyday I am going to go to Publix to and just get what I need to make dinner.  This may sound crazy to people who make one weekly trip to the grocery store however I have time and need something more to do with it.  Those who know me, which you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't, know I don't cook well.  I'm going to change that.  I was going to learn Spanish but I think cooking might be easier.  I guess I could try to do both.

Anybody have an old Rosetta Stone laying around?

phooey

     Jeremy and I went to my doctor this morning as scheduled.  My labs came back showing my counts still too low which means no chemo for me today.  We are going to try again in a week.  This is the longest I've gone between treatments.  I do not like going off schedule but no matter how good I feel the numbers don't lie.  So keeping it low key until next week.

meow