Recuperating -- Word for the Day -- Saturday, June 27, 2008

Recuperating

1: to get back : regain
2: to bring back into use or currency : revive
3: to regain a former state or condition ; especially : to recover health or strength

CRP today was 65. I am still not happy with it, but it is coming down. We are in the recuperating stage.

ChemoSabe didn't let me go with him to UAMS yesterday or today. He believes the sitting is too hard on me. Plus he went into the office for a little while yesterday. I guess I could catch up on house cleaning and such. I still have not sat down to pay bills. I am telling myself I will do that tomorrow evening when he does his computer work. No, I am not behind or late.

He got up at 6:30 to get ready to make his trip for his IV. When he is resting he doesn't cough as much. He has slept well the last two nights as I have been giving him my itch medication (Hydroxzine). It is helping his rash caused from the antibiotics.

I waited for him to leave this morning before I got out of bed. I knew if I got up he would think I was up to something. I didn't even comb my hair. I rushed out and soaked a bandanna with ice cold water, wrapped it around my neck and headed to the storage building for the mower. I only did the boulevard and front yard. I had weedeated excessively last week so the edges and trees weren't too shabby. It took me 45 minutes and a tank of gas. I had on a tank top and shorts. I was soaked by the time I got back to the garage. It was only 10:00 and already 93 deg.

I got a bottled water out of our little frig in the garage and sat. I recuperated and then this bottle of insect killer kept staring me in the face. I have been a little ticked off about a mole in the front that pushed up my metal shafted landscaping lights along the driveway. So, I pulled out the hose, connected the chemical and away I went. The day just got hotter.

My face turns blood red when I get out in the heat. So, I sat again and cooled off. It usually takes about 4-5 hours for the redness to go away and I really wanted to get my nails done. I had not had my two allotted cups of coffee and the pot was still on so I had them. I guess the hot liquid did the trick. My face was back to normal in about an hour. I felt safe to take a shower then. Maybe I should send that in to Heloise. Drink hot to cool off. Big E says spraying him with cold water makes him hot... He is so funny.

ChemoSabe caught up with me at W-M... He was on his way home. You are not going to believe what he wanted to do... RIDE THE BIKES. I just couldn't see it. I came on home and we had two movies left to watch. He mentioned a nap, so I felt comfortable we wouldn't be riding. I fixed us a sandwich and we started a movie.

Our new neighbor came over for about two hours. We enjoyed it. She is originally from El Salvador. I love to listen to her. ChemoSabe napped off and on while she was here.

His face is still red with rash and he looks pewny, but his attitude is better. After the movie he was craving fruit so we headed to Kroger. Ran into some of our old church buddies.

He was given some more meds for coughing. They look like Vitamin E pills. Yellow/gold jelly-like. They have helped tremendously. At least when he gets up and moves around now he is not coughing like his insides are about to erupt.

If we can just get the CRP down, I will feel better. That will be when I know he is recuperating. I know it may sound silly, but I have cried a lot the last few nights thinking this would get the best of him. I haven't wanted to really stick my head out of the house, but I needed to get out. Especially when he is at UAMS. If I stay in I will brood and he will be able to see it when he comes home. This week has been similar to my feelings last year when he was diagnosed. I look at him feeling so sick and it crushes me. I can't loose him.

Are you thinking ?????? Talk, talk, talk, talk???? I am just relieved he is so much better. He is eating a lot better, too. He promises to fix me his famous bacon in the morning and bring me breakfast in bed. I can't wait. He is pale and he still looks strained, but he is moving around more. He has cabin fever, even though he is gone a half a way to Infusion every day.

Thank you so much for listening. You have been my strength through it all. Together we will continue learning about Multiple Myeloma, caregivers and sometimes our own diagoses and medication. We WILL make it.

Good evening and Love -- Pepper.

p.s. I got a pedicure, too. I have an American flag on my big toe nails... ChemoSabe flipped over them. Especially since they are hand painted and not a sticker. It made him laugh..... That's all that counts.