Hair is kind of like grass.
We want it to grow,
and then we think we have to cut it down...
to manicure it neatly.
If you saw me right now,
you might need to take a second look to make sure it is me,
whether you remember me with longer hair,
or whether you are thinking of the bald days
(months - ok, pretty much year).
Right now, it seems kind of poofy,
sort of curly-wavy-ish.
In transition.
Last month, it had kind of a petite well-tapered look.
But now.... it seems to be having such a good time coming in,
celebrating growing.
I don't quite have the heart to cut it back yet.
"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Do not be afraid...."
Luke 12:7
Friday, April 3, 2009
Lawn Hair
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Yes! A New Season
It is springtime, and Wednesday was my first oncologist appointment since December.
Dr. Malviya said it is time to move on and address issues for the quality of my future life, such as bone density. ("Future life" has a rather musical sound, I think.)
Since it has been over a year since my hysterectomy, we need to watch for signs of osteopenia (bone thinning) or osteoporosis (porous bone). So he prescribed, and I scheduled, a Dexascan ( for Monday. Wait, do I need insurance pre-approval, as I do for a CT scan? Too bad I did not think of this before the weekend. I will have to find out.)
He also emphasized that I need to make sure I am getting enough calcium (such as a combination of one 600 mg tablet, plus two glasses of milk per day). (I have been doing this.)
Plus - Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, to try to keep those bones strong!
I still need this to be more consistent!
Another reason for exercise:
We are still watching a small hernia, just above my navel. Hopefully, it will not get bigger. He said, if we need to repair it, we will, but we certainly want to avoid surgery if we can (and greater risk for infection without my lymph nodes). So, for the next year, I need to concentrate on wearing elastic over it. (Just do it, Laura.)
AND... he did not say this, but I must be more consistent with stomach muscle exercises, specifically!
Everything is looking good. He re-checked a urine sample (as follow-up from a December test), and that was fine too.
That bursitis is better too! I took Naproxen for about a week, and my shoulder feels so much better!
So, my next CT Scan is July 27 (remember to wait 1 1/2 hours after drinking the contrast), and my next appointment with Dr. Malviya is August 5.
Summertime.
John and I were in our car on the way home by 8:00 pm. Yes, we were there about nine hours. John worked at his computer, and I walked about an hour (three times around the hospital campus) and did some reading/homework, and drew pictures (Ha!) with Nicole the art therapy intern that I just met. A day to celebrate and focus on the quality of life.
Choose Life
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that
I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.
Now choose life, so that you and your children may live,
and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice,
and hold fast to him.
For the Lord is your life,
and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
as quoted in Prayers and Promises, When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness by Ed Dobson
Given to me by Janey (Trudell) Hennesey
From an Armenian Poem:
"What's left for me on earth?
Only what I have given to others."
From my notes, a translation
from a poem used by the Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian
at the funeral the father of classmate Mike Mousigian 3-26-09
Dr. Malviya said it is time to move on and address issues for the quality of my future life, such as bone density. ("Future life" has a rather musical sound, I think.)
Since it has been over a year since my hysterectomy, we need to watch for signs of osteopenia (bone thinning) or osteoporosis (porous bone). So he prescribed, and I scheduled, a Dexascan ( for Monday. Wait, do I need insurance pre-approval, as I do for a CT scan? Too bad I did not think of this before the weekend. I will have to find out.)
He also emphasized that I need to make sure I am getting enough calcium (such as a combination of one 600 mg tablet, plus two glasses of milk per day). (I have been doing this.)
Plus - Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, to try to keep those bones strong!
I still need this to be more consistent!
Another reason for exercise:
We are still watching a small hernia, just above my navel. Hopefully, it will not get bigger. He said, if we need to repair it, we will, but we certainly want to avoid surgery if we can (and greater risk for infection without my lymph nodes). So, for the next year, I need to concentrate on wearing elastic over it. (Just do it, Laura.)
AND... he did not say this, but I must be more consistent with stomach muscle exercises, specifically!
Everything is looking good. He re-checked a urine sample (as follow-up from a December test), and that was fine too.
That bursitis is better too! I took Naproxen for about a week, and my shoulder feels so much better!
So, my next CT Scan is July 27 (remember to wait 1 1/2 hours after drinking the contrast), and my next appointment with Dr. Malviya is August 5.
Summertime.
John and I were in our car on the way home by 8:00 pm. Yes, we were there about nine hours. John worked at his computer, and I walked about an hour (three times around the hospital campus) and did some reading/homework, and drew pictures (Ha!) with Nicole the art therapy intern that I just met. A day to celebrate and focus on the quality of life.
Choose Life
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that
I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.
Now choose life, so that you and your children may live,
and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice,
and hold fast to him.
For the Lord is your life,
and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
as quoted in Prayers and Promises, When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness by Ed Dobson
Given to me by Janey (Trudell) Hennesey
From an Armenian Poem:
"What's left for me on earth?
Only what I have given to others."
From my notes, a translation
from a poem used by the Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian
at the funeral the father of classmate Mike Mousigian 3-26-09
Thursday, March 19, 2009
CT Result
I just talked with Gail, Dr. Malviya's nurse, who gave me the result of my March 11 CT scan:
"No evidence of recurrence or metastatic disease."
Hallelujah!!!
I am so thankful for this health!
I am reminded of a song:
"There may be times when I have everything life offers,
There may be times there's nothing I can claim;
In poverty or in abundance I will praise Him
With my last breath, I will praise His name."
(Part of "Yet I Will Praise Him" by G.Gaither/J.Gaither, B.Smiley)
I think of that attitude, because I want to trust God consistently, whatever my situation.
And yet, and yet...
I am so thankful for this particular situation today!
More Joy - Outdoors
The day of my CT scan, March 11, was also the day I saw my first robin of the year.
I was walking around outside the hospital after drinking my CT contrast,waiting, and there, on the iron fence post, sat the robin! Beautiful!
More Joy - In Study
Resurrection
In our Disciple study last week, as we studied I Corinthians, I read the assurance of the disciple's experience:
"... Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ...
he was buried, ...
he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and...
he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred.... Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and last of all to me...."
(I Cor. 15:3-8 excerpts)
That reminded me of a song as well:
"I've Just Seen Jesus"
(Also by G.Gaither/W .Gaither, D. Daniels)
I love the beauty of both the message and the music!
"I've just seen Jesus, and I will never be the same!"
Friday, March 13, 2009
Happy Girl
I saw a primary care physician today, had some x-rays on my sore shoulder, and was told that - good news! - it seems to be an ordinary ache, probably bursitis. I stopped by the pharmacy, got the Naproxsen, and stopped on the way home for food and water to go with my first pill. Ahh, I might be starting to feel better already!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
CT Scan Day
Today was my CT scan day. I prepped for two days, so was so hungry that food was mostly what I thought about. Yes, I also prayed that my scan will be clear. But then I thought about making an omelette when I got home. An omelette with onions, mushrooms and cheese. Maybe it was more of a frittata. It was Sooo good!
It is possible to worry at times like this, especially with the recent death of another former "Calvary" church dear person, Jan M., from a similar cancer.
But I try to concentrate on what I can do, not on what I have no control over. So I pray and I think about food. And then I drank water and chocolate milk and cranberry pomegranate juice and cranberry apple herbal tea to wash the iodine (contrast) out of my system.
As for the CT scan, my doctor wanted me to drink the contrast (thick liquid) and then wait an hour and a half, longer than people usually wait, just to give the contrast a better chance to work its way through my body for better visibitity. I also walked most of that, mostly outside around Providence Hospital. It is another cold windy day in Michigan, but lovely and sunny.
This is the first time I have had a male tech for a CT scan. His name was Murray, and he was kind and reassuring. Also, surprisingly, this was the first time, a rectal contrast was not ordered (something extra. The other two contrasts are the drink and the IV I have when I am in the machine that makes me feel warm).
I do not know when I will know the results. I will know at least, by my doctor's appointment in two weeks.
Also...
I have been using an email "signature", an automatic printing of my name and blog address link, with the date of the most recent posting, along with the phase, "My journey - Cancer Chapter." This week, after posted all the fun photos of vacation, I changed the phrase to "My journey - "Live your life!", which is what my doctor told me. "Live your life, " he said, "and then if something comes up, we will deal with it."
Today, I live my life with gratitude.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
We're Home!
(We came home Monday, but I am just posting Saturday.)
Monday, March 2.
Our flight coming home from Philadelphia was scheduled for 6:30 p.m, but was delayed because of a snow storm that closed schools there. We ended up leaving about 8:40 p.m. and landing in Detroit about 10:30 p.m. Everything went fine, except that our luggage did not appear. No one's from our plane did. (We figured they were busy with other delayed flights.) We waited until around midnight. Eventually, they said we could wait "20 minutes longer" or have it delivered the next day. James had already been waiting a long time to bring us home, so we came home, and the luggage was delivered to our house the next day. Ta-daaa! Everything worked out!
Tuesday
The next morning, in the daylight, I noticed that most of the snow had melted from our yard!
I will back up to tell about our Philadelphia trip.
We flew there Thursday night (Feb. 26) and had a good visit with Carrie.
Carrie's kitchen, with Carrie mixing up a delicious salad dressing!
Carrie's kitchen, with Carrie mixing up a delicious salad dressing!
Carrie wishing me a wonderful birthday!(Note family photos on her living room wall, on viewer's right.)
We were glad to be warmed up in Florida. And now we were in for some northern weather reality. We had cold and snow, but it was such fun to be with Carrie.
Carrie shoveling snow on her porch and the steps from her upstairs apartment.
Carrie shoveling snow on her porch and the steps from her upstairs apartment.
We do not go out until she is done.Saturday, we went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and concentrated on the Henri Matisse exhibit, where I enjoyed the colors and reminders of warmth! Then we shopped and cooked together and celebrated my birthday!
And after the snow, we walked along the Manayunk towpath by the canal.
(Manayunk is an area of Philadelphia.)
John by a beautiful Manayunk mosaic.
John by a beautiful Manayunk mosaic.
Laura by the canal, watching geese and appreciating the graceful arches of the bridge.
Cozying up for our photo!
(Note the embroidered cat quilt made by Grandma Hall on Carrie's right.)
My birthday was actually Monday, March 2, the day we flew home. I am now gladly 54!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Vacation - More Warmth
That was just Tuesday through Saturday.
Next...
Sunday morning, we visited the "Contemporary Service" at the First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton with Otts. Then we ate at the Cheesecake Factory, which really is a restaurant (and I ate real food, yummy huge salad).
Sunday afternoon, we drove a short distance to (classmate) Kent and Marta Martindale's, where we stayed through Wednesday morning. Marta and I went for walks through neighborhoods, and up and down between towns, and even over to the ocean! (I also had walked with Adcocks and Jan O.). We ate wonderful food; we watched the movie, "Life is Beautiful"; we laughed. We missed Marcelo, who was away at college, but did get to say Hello by phone.
Kent as chef
Marta, Kent, Laura and John in their kitchen
Lots of lizards (iguanas) along the way
On Delray Beach
With my "sister" Marta and the shawl she gave me
Farewell for now
Wednesday, we drove back up to Orlando, found our hotel, and called John and Toni Genitti (with whom we used to go to church and for whom I used to work at Genitti's restaurant). We were told the Genittis were already in Florida by Sher Watkins, who we were surprised to see at the Detroit airport when we were flying out of Detroit.) So we had dinner and more fun with them! When we drove to dinner, we encountered a particularly long traffic light, and John G. commented "While you are waiting for that light, you could raise a family!" Ha!
In our Orlando hotel with the Genetti's
That was Wednesday evening. Thursday morning, we returned the rental car, and flew out to Philadelphia, where Carrie picked us up! We are now in Manayunk in Philadelphia. Ah!
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