As we were leaving our favorite restaurant tonight, our waitress came to get me and tell me someone wanted to speak to me. Well, OK! I went back in and there was a lady who had asked the waitress what my name was. The waitress told her my name, so the lady came and told me who she was and that we were in college together. Didn't I remember her? Well, hell NO! That was 40 years ago! I would never recognize anyone that had aged 40 years. How the hell did she recognize me? I didn't even recognize her name. She told me we did lots of things together! Hell if I remember! Now I'm wondering if I should remember this kind of stuff because I surely don't! I'm lucky to remember yesterday!
I have a black stove, which is a pain in the ass to keep clean. Today after I returned from Mom and Dad's, I had peaches that needed to be fixed some kind of way so I made a peach cobbler using the glass pyrex dish that I have used many times for cooking in the oven. I sat it on top of the stove...no burners on...when it was done for it to cool. As I was kicked back in my recliner reading the paper, I heard a noise. Upon investigation, I found the the bowl of cobbler broken and cobbler spilled out all over the stove. Holy Crap....what a mess! And why did it break? I don't get it! Looks like it's time for a nap!
We have finished round 2 of chemo, which took Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and back today for a Neulasta shot. Next week we see the doc again and probably do scans to see if the chemo is doing any good. Dad still hasn't had any real ill effects yet...other than losing some hair. The pain that he has been having in his shoulder is not cancer, but probably his arthritis coming back that, thankfully, has been gone for several years after a series of those high powered shots...whose name escapes me right now. I just know they were very expensive, but when medicare stopped paying for them, Dad stopped taking them and his arthritis didn't come back....well, maybe until now! Just when he doesn't need it!!! It's always something! I think I'll take a nap.
Here in Louisiana, the legislature just voted themselves a 200% raise. The citizens of Louisiana went insane...me included! Our new governor, Bobby Jindal, who I voted for and had a lot of hope in, vowed that he would not veto it even though he promised while running for office that there would be no raises. He didn't want to jeapardize his own agenda by pissing off the legislators. The grass roots anger grew and, apparently, the gov had a change of heart after he learned that a recall petition had been filed with the Secretary of State for him and 4 legislators. I guess he saw the light and realized the people of Louisiana were serious. He vetoed it. So...the moral of the story is "Speak up"! Someone might just heed.
Although it is INDEPENDENCE Day, I just became dependent on someone else's vehicle. As soon as I started south to my mom's this morning, I noticed my car felt like I was in a truck. I felt every bump, which I knew to not be normal. When I got there I saw that the rear of the car was really low...like a ton of bricks were in the trunk. I recognize it as being something I have seen happen to other Lincolns.....rear air suspension went caput! I left it at Mom's and my brother will get it to a mechanic for me on Monday while I go all day taking Dad for his chemo.
We had a family reunion today...my dad's family. He didn't feel good, but he went. Usually, he makes a little speech about his heritage and how proud he is of it. Today he said nothing, but they did have a special prayer for him. It makes me tear up because I am afraid it was his last reunion.
I was invited to join a group of friends this evening for more festivities, but I didn't make it there. My body just said, " Ummmm, NO"!
I broke my own promise to myself Wednesday because I told myself that I would go see Dad every day, but I didn't go on Wednesday. There is no excuse except that I was just a waste of lazy skin on that day. Today we went to his favorite place to eat because he has a waitress there that he calls his girlfriend. In fact, he has girlfriends everywhere, but this one is really special to him. We always tip her well and I always throw an extra $5 on the table after everyone heads out the door because I am so grateful that she makes my dad happy. Usually, he eats their catfish really well, but tonight he could not eat. The Neulasta shot has his bones aching a lot and he just does not feel well today because of that. It's also causing him to not be able to sleep even though he is taking pain pills for it.
I have been down at his house this morning trying to rescue his berry plants from the weeds. We have just not been able to keep up with the work in the garden. My poor brother couldn't do it all. Dad bought all these berry plants and he was so worried that the grass was overtaking them. He was right, but I got them cleaned out today. Now maybe Dad can relax a bit; I, on the other hand, got tired and HOT very quickly. I still don't have my strength back, but I'm trying. Yoga last night helped some.
This morning I went to my first Bible study class since April 7th and I was so happy to be back. Those people are just awesome. That hour of sitting on a hard chair was all I could take though, so I didn't go to the worship service.
Last night I had to go to a wedding. I thought I was finished going to weddings, but I guess not! If I had had to travel to get to it, I wouldn't have gone, but it was right here in my town and I broke out of there before the bride and groom even got there.
The fruit flies have invaded my home and I am determined to rid my home of these obnoxious pests. The drains are cleaned with clorox, no fruit is out, nothing sweet is on the counters or in the garbage. I will NOT lose this battle. I never had them before and I always have fruit out in the fruit basket. Today I started to open a SEALED package of sweet rolls with fruit in the centers. The damn bugs were INSIDE the NEVER BEEN OPENED package. I threw the whole thing away!!!
When I went to see Dad today, his jugular vein was really hard and it was bothering him. I took him to get a Sonic burger and he wanted to stop back by the doc's office, but it was closed for lunch. When Mom got home from the beauty shop, she took him to the doctor's office. Doc was gone, but his staff called the surgeon who put the port in. She told Dad to go to the hospital and get an x-ray of the area. They couldn't get me on the phone, but the doc's office manager left me a message telling me where my parents were and that I should go to the hospital and find them. My brother is hosting a rehearsal dinner at his lake house, so he was out of pocket. As soon as I got home and got the message, I rushed to the hospital and found Mom sitting in a wheel chair in the waiting room. They thought she needed a wheel chair worse than Dad. Turns out that his neck had been swollen since they put the port in last Friday and when the swelling went down the vein was very prominent and hard. We all learned something new! There was a plastic tube in that vein coming from his port!!! Crisis averted!!!
Finally, I got a break! The abscess that I thought was coming did not materialize after I started back on antibiotics. I went to the doc yesterday morning as he instructed, but he was not there. His wife is a pediatrician and between the two of them, they could not get the fever down of their youngest child. I saw his truck at his office later on during the day, so I'm sure everything is OK now.
My dad is sleeping a lot. I hope this is the only side effect that he gets from the chemo since he is getting 1/3 of the usual dosage due to his age. I make sure I see him every day.
Dad's chemo was short today. We were finished by 9:30. Mom went with us today so she could see where he gets his chemo and I took her to get new glasses while he got his drip. Tomorrow my brother will take him for another short day of chemo. So far, he has had no ill effects. I suspect that will change though. I went back this afternoon to see for myself if he was OK.
The staph infection has reared its ugly head again. I am feeling a bit of discomfort sitting, but I cannot yet see an abscess. I suspect one is forming deep down below the surface in the same general area. I called the doc and got more antibiotics. His office called and wants me in the office first thing Thursday morning. They are closed on Wednesday. I just finished my last antibiotic a couple of days ago. Will I have to be on them forever??????
I ordered a shingles vaccine because I have a fear of shingles and I know stress can cause an outbreak. The shot costs $219 and is not covered by insurance. I will suck it up and pay for it. That's how scared I am of shingles. Doc gave me a prescription for it and it takes 7 days to get it in to the drugstore. With my luck lately, I'll get shingles before it comes in!!!
