Starting over....again

I haven't written about the treatment because it wasn't going so good. After the second Chemo once again it dropped my blood count to a dangerous level. So I won't be getting this treatment again. I've been pretty sick for a week. Twice they wanted to put me in the hospital but couldn't tell me what they were going to do to me so I just worked out the side effects at home.

To top it off, finally someone at the heart group decided all the water in my "elephant" legs was from the A fib and most likely I had heart failure twice or maybe even 3 times. I never had cellulitis. The new heart group decided to remove the water with water pills. After a week I had lost over 30 pounds and my skinny legs looked and felt like mine again. The awful pain I had just standing up on them is gone!

That all sounds good but it wasn't. They removed the water too fast which caused my blood count to drop even lower and my blood pressure to drop to 66 over 40. All treatment has stopped and all pills stopped too. I'll be starting the pills again on Monday at half the dose.

I'm thinking they get one more chance to get it right and if they don't, I'll just live out what time I have and try to enjoy it.

I have planted a small garden and an herb garden. I had started lavender early in the house and it's doing really well outside now. So I do get in a few of the things I enjoy and my son's make my life rich. They just know when I need a laugh or a hug.

Gift's lift my spirit

I'm not even going to feel bad about getting gifts in the mail because they have pulled me through some pretty awful days. I got a package on Saturday but it had been a bad night and I wasn't feeling good at all so I put the box aside.

Today I felt much better so early this morning I opened it. From the address on the box I new it was from Debby. (http://myblog-nannysplace.blogspot.com/ ) If you follow her you will remember the outfits she put together for her sister...classy, each having just the right accessory. The cute bright gift bag held a very soft straw hat. Not the kind you would do garden work in but the kind you wear to pull an outfit together. I just love it...Thank You Debby.

Of course she didn't stop there. She included a bracelet of pretty blue beads. I just bought new jeans and a yellow top and seersucker jacket in blue and yellow. My outfit for next weeks infusion has been pulled together!

I've noticed most of the women at the cancer center dress poorly, hang a rag on their head and their body language says they are sick. I have no idea why they want to look like this. I go once a week. Each time I go I dress for the appointment. I think it makes everyone a little more cheerful.

You can see how nice the bracelet goes with with jeans.

Hair...all gone

Well the new do didn't last long before hand fulls of hair began to fall out. Here is one of my caps...spider is Thanks to my friend Kathy!

New hair do

It's time. Hair is starting to fall out and there is nothing I hate more then working around cooking with bad hair. I've been cutting it a few inches once a week to help me deal with looking at the new short or no hair look.  Today I went from this to this.........

Spring....makes me feel so good!

Yes Rita, it's time for an up date. I love the new hospital and the nurses are GREAT. Of course Chemo is not for the lame or weak so tonight is one of those nights where I'd like to fall apart and have someone just rub my body and brush my hair.

For the past month I've been fighting a bacterial infection that won't allow me to even eat dry crackers so this week it's top priority to win that battle.  Lost 15 pounds this week because of it and had to have 2 units of fluid today. The blood work is a mess so there won't be any Chemo for 2 weeks.

By the time I got home today I was feeling light headed so I took the blood thinner and went to bed. An hour ago I woke up to a computer print out on the seat of my walker. It was from the Lancaster Heart Group....Your blood work came back and the number should be at 2.5 but is at 4.5. DON'T FALL ... DON'T GET CUT...DON'T TAKE THE BLOOD THINNER TONIGHT. CALL US FIRST THING IN THE MORNING...REPEAT...DON'T TAKE THE THINNER, DON'T FALL and DON'T GET CUT. EAT GREEN VEGGIES TO BRING THE COUNT UNDER CONTROL....BROCCOLI, ETC.

All weekend I didn't feel good. Your body tells you when there is something wrong if only you listen to it. Tomorrow I'll be eating lots of greens and probiotics.   They tried to make light of it so they told me I was going on a "puppy" diet.....rice, lean beef and banana's.

Now I love pretty things and in the very near future I won't have hair. I decided to balance that with neat hats and fancy ear rings. I've never worn any ear bobs other then one single pearl so this will be a dangle, sparkle event at age 70!  Just a little fun.

In the middle of all this mishap, my friend sent me a package of real sparkle. I gasped when I opened the package....for me? Oh wow how beautiful!  I'll be adding photo's when daylight comes. It sure doesn't matter if I live a week or a year, someone didn't look at that fact. She just looked at the woman who needed a little cheering up........Thank You Kathy! I just feel so special every time I look at the bracelet on my wrist. My infusion team who are all very young will be green with envy over the OWL mirror!

The hard part of having Cancer is that everyone looks at you like you have become Cancer. I'm still the person I was back in November. I love getting the flowers and candy but it sort of shows how people are feeling...give her something she can use up in a week since we don't know....I'm still sewing, I still have commitments to fill. This package made me feel like a woman again...so pretty!

Yes Debby, here is my addy:  B. Gibson  526 School Drive, Fredericksburg, Pa. 17026