Tedium
DEFINITION: (noun) the condition of being tedious.
My life is far from being tedium these days. God just keeps me turning to different areas of my life. Just when I think I am on track and concurred another feat, He gives me something else. He doesn't want me tedious, for sure.
Parker, the diabetic, blind silkie, ate a cactus before I got home this evening. He is sicker than the dog he is suppose to be. We had two - 2 x 2 pillows and one bed pillow in the sun room for the three larger dogs and Parker ruined them all today. Poor guy.
ChemoSabe is out of town. I finally convinced him he needed to spend the night instead of driving in and then back in the morning. He wanted up at 4:15 this morning and when he began snoring I went to the spare bedroom. I set the clock for 4:15 and tried to sleep. I was afraid I wouldn't get him up in time. Well, I got him up and went back to my own bed with pillows in hand and when I reset my clock for my time I noticed is was actually 3:15. I never set the clock back on hour in the space bedroom. Poor guy... he got up anyway.
It was a good thing..... After about an hour into his leaving I heard the alarm deactivate and saw the stair well light come on. I was wondering who could be in the house. I thought I was dreaming. Well, it was him.... He had forgotten his luggage. I hadn't helped him pack or get his things together last night so he could start depending on himself. Guess I should have helped! ha
Mom is not much better as far as eating and her memory. She looks very good and seems to be stronger physically. She is tedium with her goals and doesn't want to participate. She has been threatening to slap the therapist nurses and if she doesn't cooperate within the next week they will be dismissing her from her activities. That's where we will have to deal with medicare and medicaid issues again.
ChemoSabe started his Bridging Therapy on Saturday again. Four days of steroids and Thalidomide, along with three other meds. I am still doing the gut shots and yes, I am still bruising. I believe I may put the needle straight in instead of a 45 deg. slant like one nurse advised.
He still has numbness and no feeling in his left foot. He is taking three pills a day for that, but it doesn't seem to help. He can't get his hopes up because he was advised it might always be that way.
We got to babysit Big E last weekend and I believe that gave us a refreshing breather from our normal. He is such a charm to be around. He has us wrapped around his finger. But, of course, I know all grandchildren are like that.
We wanted to ride last weekend, but I got ChemoSabe on the rake and I got on the blower. We finished out the front yard and the dog yard, which is bigger. I may get out on the back yard tomorrow. It is mostly woods, but I still do it. After I do, it looks like a city park.
We are thankful to have a little break from the chemo. I am trying to get a little break from the nursing home as I was going three times a day. She is just getting to dependent on me. I want her to be able to acclimate and be able to make decisions on her own.
I have Pete sleeping with me tonight. The early hours that I go back to sleep when ChemoSabe heads out I have been having dream tremors. So, if Pete is with me and he doesn't get up growling, then I will know I am truly dreaming and no bogey man is shaking my bed.
Thank you for you continued prayers, calls and emails.
Good night and Love -- Pepper
Chemo Sabe
- ChemoSabe
- Benton, AR, United States
- Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma-- May 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Replete -- Word for the Day -- Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Replete
DEFINITION: (adjective) filled abundantly.
Although the last few weeks have been pure hell, they have been repleted in that our life together, in some sense of the word, has been back to normal.
My oldest brother came in for the weekend again and that gave ChemoSabe and me time to clean a little on the house and to blow and burn leaves. Our yard was completely clear, UNTIL..... The rain came in on Monday night along with the wind and now we are covered again. I try to blow at least once a week during the fall and that gives me a leg up on being drowned by the cleansing of nature.
The weekend was also one that reminds me of old times with Poppy. The brisk air and the exercise was more medication that he needed to feel revived and repleted. No aches and pains were in our vocabulary after the workout. Just enjoyment and satisifaction.
My mom has been progressing well physically. Her memory has a lot to be desired. She still has problems with her speech in completing sentences and forming words. At times, she is as sharp as a whip. She doesn't miss a beat in telling you a story and then..... She seems to know ChemoSabe very well, but she calls him "Johnny". That was my grandpa's name. He lets her rub his head each night before we leave and she laughs and tells him she is proud his hair is growing back. The other night she said, "Him and his damn head!"
His hair is growing back in very thickly and is quite longer than peach fuzz. His eyebrows are more black that white now and I see that in his hair, but we won't know until it gets longer. We are told the next round of chemo will not have an effect on his hair and he won't lose it.
We are getting ready to begin the bridging therapy again. That is the four days of steroids and chemo by mouth. We do that for 21 days along with four other meds and then start over again, until we reach the time for the consolidation. We believe some time in January we will be beginning this process. Until then, he will be doing the daily labs which will start in about a week. He has been bruising very easily and that is from the daily 150 mg of Levonox (blood thinner).
ChemoSabe's dad had minor surgery yesterday and will be in the hospital for about four days. My SIL began chemo/radiation this week and is in a wheelchair. Our friend, Shooter's mom had surgery last week and they have discovered more cancer and she also will begin chemo/radiation when she is strong enough.
When it rains, it pours. But, we are still thankful for our blessings and good fortune.
Please continue to pray for us and we will pray for you.
Good day and Love -- Pepper
DEFINITION: (adjective) filled abundantly.
Although the last few weeks have been pure hell, they have been repleted in that our life together, in some sense of the word, has been back to normal.
My oldest brother came in for the weekend again and that gave ChemoSabe and me time to clean a little on the house and to blow and burn leaves. Our yard was completely clear, UNTIL..... The rain came in on Monday night along with the wind and now we are covered again. I try to blow at least once a week during the fall and that gives me a leg up on being drowned by the cleansing of nature.
The weekend was also one that reminds me of old times with Poppy. The brisk air and the exercise was more medication that he needed to feel revived and repleted. No aches and pains were in our vocabulary after the workout. Just enjoyment and satisifaction.
My mom has been progressing well physically. Her memory has a lot to be desired. She still has problems with her speech in completing sentences and forming words. At times, she is as sharp as a whip. She doesn't miss a beat in telling you a story and then..... She seems to know ChemoSabe very well, but she calls him "Johnny". That was my grandpa's name. He lets her rub his head each night before we leave and she laughs and tells him she is proud his hair is growing back. The other night she said, "Him and his damn head!"
His hair is growing back in very thickly and is quite longer than peach fuzz. His eyebrows are more black that white now and I see that in his hair, but we won't know until it gets longer. We are told the next round of chemo will not have an effect on his hair and he won't lose it.
We are getting ready to begin the bridging therapy again. That is the four days of steroids and chemo by mouth. We do that for 21 days along with four other meds and then start over again, until we reach the time for the consolidation. We believe some time in January we will be beginning this process. Until then, he will be doing the daily labs which will start in about a week. He has been bruising very easily and that is from the daily 150 mg of Levonox (blood thinner).
ChemoSabe's dad had minor surgery yesterday and will be in the hospital for about four days. My SIL began chemo/radiation this week and is in a wheelchair. Our friend, Shooter's mom had surgery last week and they have discovered more cancer and she also will begin chemo/radiation when she is strong enough.
When it rains, it pours. But, we are still thankful for our blessings and good fortune.
Please continue to pray for us and we will pray for you.
Good day and Love -- Pepper
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Zealous -- Word for the Day -- Thursday, November 6, 2008
Zealous
DEFINITION: (adjective) filled with eagerness, fervor, or passion.
Please pray for a family in Southhampton, PA who lost their 15 year old daughter to a hit and run accident this week. She was walking with her friend when a 24 yr old hit them both and drove off. The paper said he thought he hit something, but didn't know what it was. Her name -- Chelsea Lynn Lancieri. Her dad works for the same company as ChemoSabe.
We got overly zealous last weekend. My older brother was in town to spend some time with mom and suggested we get away for the weekend. He didn't have to suggest it twice. We called Rainman and Stretch and headed north to Eureka Springs on the bikes. A perfect time for the changing of the leaves.
ChemoSabe was scheduled for his next round of chemo tomorrow. We have made numerous attempts to convince the doctors he is not covered under insurance until January. Hasn't been since early September. Well, we finally made the decision to insist the treatment is postponed until January. The last reports indicate he is cancer free except for the lesions that remain. Two doctors have advised us that one month for the "Consolidation" therapy will make no difference. From here he will be on a 'maintenance' schedule. Continuing on medications between each chemo process. The focus will be to reduce the lesions and to keep the cancer from coming back.
My mom seems to be doing better now that she is in a nursing home and getting settled. She is moving around more as they do not let her lie in bed all day. Far from the hospice service and actually far from her home activities. Her appetite is improving, but not enough for what they expect. She has been overly zealous herself the last few days. She is beginning to get cocky with some of the nurses and she is complaining to me about some of them. (Back to her ole self. ha)
She still does not know my older brother. She can ask me if I have talked to him lately and claims he hasn't been to see her, just as he has walked out the door to go smoke. Some of the things she says and does are quite humorous. My only fear right now is she is coming around very good and she is beginning to insist of going home.
ChemoSabe continues to travel at least three to four days a week. His legs are still bothering him, but since he has the meds for the nerve endings he is more cautious about his walking and stumbling. The medication seems to be working. We continue on with the stomach shots for blood thinner (150 mg). They want us to do this daily, but he has cut himself back to every other day. I still give him a whopping bruise ever so often, but we can't figure out what causes them.
My days continue to be long with visiting mom twice a day (before work and after) and keeping up with our daily routine. Seems like this would make a big difference on my weight, BUTTTTTTT....is getting wider. At least I am not hanging over the edges of my bike seat.
We finally heard from Billy (Alabama) that had the stroke. He is doing much better and is getting physical therapy 2-3 times a week.
The church where I work assists in housing cancer patients from out of town going to UAMS. We had a MM patient that has stayed a couple of times. His name -- Steve Ryan. He passed away yesterday morning. Another, Mike Clark, is now in the hospital at UAMS and is doing very badly. Please pray for Mike and for Steve's family during these times. It has been very difficult for their spouses. One of them had to go back home to her nursing job only to discover she had been terminated. She then started and new job and now her husband has passed.
My sister-in-law is still having PT and is having a port inserted tomorrow for her chemo/radiation. They have found more spots in her liver and her lymph nodes. She still has numbness and problems in her left leg.
Our friend, Shooter's mom had colon surgery on Wednesday. She had a major portion her lower colon removed. They have found more spots in other areas of her body also, and have taken biopsies.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your calls and emails. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you that let me vent, complain and fume. It keeps me sane and zealous.
Good afternoon and Love -- Pepper
DEFINITION: (adjective) filled with eagerness, fervor, or passion.
Please pray for a family in Southhampton, PA who lost their 15 year old daughter to a hit and run accident this week. She was walking with her friend when a 24 yr old hit them both and drove off. The paper said he thought he hit something, but didn't know what it was. Her name -- Chelsea Lynn Lancieri. Her dad works for the same company as ChemoSabe.
We got overly zealous last weekend. My older brother was in town to spend some time with mom and suggested we get away for the weekend. He didn't have to suggest it twice. We called Rainman and Stretch and headed north to Eureka Springs on the bikes. A perfect time for the changing of the leaves.
ChemoSabe was scheduled for his next round of chemo tomorrow. We have made numerous attempts to convince the doctors he is not covered under insurance until January. Hasn't been since early September. Well, we finally made the decision to insist the treatment is postponed until January. The last reports indicate he is cancer free except for the lesions that remain. Two doctors have advised us that one month for the "Consolidation" therapy will make no difference. From here he will be on a 'maintenance' schedule. Continuing on medications between each chemo process. The focus will be to reduce the lesions and to keep the cancer from coming back.
My mom seems to be doing better now that she is in a nursing home and getting settled. She is moving around more as they do not let her lie in bed all day. Far from the hospice service and actually far from her home activities. Her appetite is improving, but not enough for what they expect. She has been overly zealous herself the last few days. She is beginning to get cocky with some of the nurses and she is complaining to me about some of them. (Back to her ole self. ha)
She still does not know my older brother. She can ask me if I have talked to him lately and claims he hasn't been to see her, just as he has walked out the door to go smoke. Some of the things she says and does are quite humorous. My only fear right now is she is coming around very good and she is beginning to insist of going home.
ChemoSabe continues to travel at least three to four days a week. His legs are still bothering him, but since he has the meds for the nerve endings he is more cautious about his walking and stumbling. The medication seems to be working. We continue on with the stomach shots for blood thinner (150 mg). They want us to do this daily, but he has cut himself back to every other day. I still give him a whopping bruise ever so often, but we can't figure out what causes them.
My days continue to be long with visiting mom twice a day (before work and after) and keeping up with our daily routine. Seems like this would make a big difference on my weight, BUTTTTTTT....is getting wider. At least I am not hanging over the edges of my bike seat.
We finally heard from Billy (Alabama) that had the stroke. He is doing much better and is getting physical therapy 2-3 times a week.
The church where I work assists in housing cancer patients from out of town going to UAMS. We had a MM patient that has stayed a couple of times. His name -- Steve Ryan. He passed away yesterday morning. Another, Mike Clark, is now in the hospital at UAMS and is doing very badly. Please pray for Mike and for Steve's family during these times. It has been very difficult for their spouses. One of them had to go back home to her nursing job only to discover she had been terminated. She then started and new job and now her husband has passed.
My sister-in-law is still having PT and is having a port inserted tomorrow for her chemo/radiation. They have found more spots in her liver and her lymph nodes. She still has numbness and problems in her left leg.
Our friend, Shooter's mom had colon surgery on Wednesday. She had a major portion her lower colon removed. They have found more spots in other areas of her body also, and have taken biopsies.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your calls and emails. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you that let me vent, complain and fume. It keeps me sane and zealous.
Good afternoon and Love -- Pepper
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