My Dad
Where did we leave off, and where do I need to fill in?
My dad was in the hospital in Bay City, after having emergency surgery 7 a.m. July 7.
My sister Bonnie came up and stayed with my mom in a Bay City motel.
John and I drove home late Monday, July 7.
My brother Allan left that night as well.
And that is when Carrie wrote a blog entry for that day.
That Wednesday, Bonnie drove the folks back to their house and helped settle them in. Then on Friday (July 11), she drove herself home to Erie, PA . Dad is quite sore, but thankfully, seems to be continuing to heal. He saw the doctor on Tuesday July 22.
I know that many people prayed for him and we appreciate that very much. Thanks too for dear Jan M. who drove Mom to the Bay City hospital and stayed with them and took good care of them while the family was getting up there.
Real Moving Thoughts
Recalling thoughts from the farewell activities.... I very much appreciated the goodness and kindness there, and realized that the good and the bad in a situation do not cancel each other out. They are all real.
Gifts
Food Gifts, Unpacking and Cleaning Gifts, Yard Gifts
Gifts of Food
We have been welcomed with "yummy" (as Karen C. says) meals from new friends Amy T., Donna Y., Joan J., Florence F., Shirley S., and Carol M. and Karen C.! How appreciated!
Before Chemo # 6, I realized that I was walking around the house or working in the kitchen humming. Humming! I am quite sure that without all the loving prayers and generous help, I would not hum so easily. Thank you!
Gifts of Unpacking and Cleaning
Debbie V. and Chris came over on June 30 and helped unpack and organize and shelve some books. They even brought lunch! (So glad to hear Debbie's daughter Laura is home from her year in Argentina now!)
July 11, Carol B. came all the way from the Lansing area to help. She cleaned and helped me tackle kitchen area things that were out of boxes, but had not yet found a home. She also walked with me. It was wonderful to see her, and she helped me get a step further.
Yard Work
Kathy and Bill C. (and others) have been over countless times, planting and caring for flowers and doing other yard work. How beautiful and welcoming!
You can see why I might hum!
Nesting
I sometimes find I am into "nesting" mode, making a new home for myself and my family here. The boxes are more concentrated now, but even when they were all over, more than one person commented that there seemed to be a sense of serenity here. Yes.
The Otts
To add to the fun, our first overnight guests Bishop Don and Jan Ott visited and participated in a welcoming ceremony at church two weeks ago. How fun to see them! He (who considers April 1 a holiday) did, however, introduce himself to my new neighbors as .. well, they still are unsure who he is. ;)
"Meet & Greet"
The church has organized home gatherings for our family to meet with small groups of church members. I understand the first scheduled one has been rescheduled for September, as we ended up out of town that day. The first one we attended was at the home of Patti and Noel, who it turns out, also know classmate Mary Ann W.!
This week, we gathered at the home of Pam and Andrew. What a lovely way to begin to know people! I do not remember all the names, but I am learning some.
My Medical Month
Tomorrow it is time for my monthly doctor appointment already, and am not caught up on last month!
I saw Dr. Malviya on June 27. I overheard another patient on her cell phone say she was at her "A.D.D., All Day Doctor". Ha! Indeed, I was there about 8 hours, but without one complaint.
Sheuli's Gifts
When Dr. Malviya came into the exam room, he immediately noticed my new purse on the ledge, a farewell gift from Sheuli that she brought back from her family visit to India. It is beautifully embroidered with beads and sequins and little tassels. I knew he would appreciate it!
As I remember Sheuli, I also remember that on her face, there was another gift: her gift of tears.
Dear Sheuli, I love you!
Each month, I type up a list of questions for my doctor visit. One was to help me understand better the number of cycles of chemotherapy. At first, I thought there would just be six cycles (with one infusion every four weeks). He explained that six was the basic number of cycles. After that there is about 10% more benefit. So it sounds like if the toxicity becomes too much, then the basic benefits are still done. (But for now, I think I am looking at 8-9 cycles.)
He said to watch for neuropathy of hands and feet, and he also suggested vitamin B6.
Basically, so far, so good with how I am doing.
Chemotherapy #6
It was scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, but a nurse called Monday night and asked if I could come Tuesday instead. Of course! Last time, day #3 was my hardest. So I figured this would give me an extra day to recover before Sunday. Plus, if I kept the Tuesday schedule, I would have an extra day to recover after chemo #7 before my Class Reunion on August 2.
I suppose I have been noticing some of the cumulative effects more this month. Thankfully, there was no nausea. But I may be more tired, and I did notice more numbness, especially in my feet. I am not sure if "numbness" is quite the right word. My feet ached, but did not seem to appreciate the usually very welcomed massage from John. Thankfully, my feet seem to be mostly better as the days pass.
I need to keep moving. I have been moving my fingers, and playing the piano some. As for my feet, I have not established a walking habit since moving in. Maybe I am afraid of getting lost and running out of energy! Anyway, I need to keep moving!
One small exercise. When I thought of things I would miss and things I would not miss, I listed my first-floor laundry. The laundry here is in the basement. However, that has worked out well so far, as it gives me more reason to go up and down stairs!
Tomorrow
Tomorrow is my next doctor's appointment already. Last time, it was a good opportunity to walk. I asked Maureen the receptionist, and she said he was not in from surgery yet, so I had plenty of time. So I walked for a while outdoors, then walked the halls of Providence Hospital (the Cancer Center is on its campus, but is a separate building) , as I did not want to get sunburned.
John has always been with me. He brings his computer and gets work done, or maybe he reads a book. He recently finished a biography of Harry Truman by David McCullough. Tomorrow, he will be with me for a few hours, then has to leave for a wedding. I think James will come to sit with me in the meantime!
James, by the way, took us to dinner last night for our anniversary!
