Tuesday and still home!

I am feeling better this morning, but not quite energetic enough to go to work. I'll be there Wednesday!!! It is really important to me to take care of myself and give me plenty of time and rest to heal and deal with all the effects of the "cure". I want to come through this healthy and happy and to do that, I have to slow down a bit now. So one more day of comedy videos can only help!

Thanks to all the folks who have brought me dinners... besides not being a very good cook myself, it really has helped while my energy resources are low. My appetite has been the one constant and even though things taste different after chemo, it is all so much better than my cooking! :-)

What about this snow?? I like it since I'm not driving in it!

Sunday Night

I just arranged my sub for tomorrow. I've been in bed all day today and just feel tired and sore. I'm going to take one more day to rest and recoup from the chemo. I should be feeling better tomorrow and should be ready for work on Tuesday. My body takes such a "hit" from the chemo that I really want to give it as much care as possible so it can be as strong as possible!

Guess what the best thing for me to do when I am feeling sick like this?? Comedy videos!! I can't seem to concentrate long enough to read or watch a movie but a comedy DVD works great! If you have any suggestions for good comedy, let me know! See you soon!

Half way there!

3rd chemo is done! And, though I was feeling a bit down before hand, I went into it feeling really good. Strong, ready and able to handle it and use it for my benefit (to get rid of any of those pesky cancer cells) and then go on with things.

Today I did show up at school (who could miss guitar hero???) I hung around for lunch, downloaded a book on MP3 for a student and checked out the MP3 player, and did a few errands. Oh yeah and sang happy birthday to Travis and ate some German Chocolate cake thanks to Vickie! Not a bad day at all.

So much of getting through this process has been a mind thing, which has surprised me. So much of how I feel and react depends upon where my mind is and what I think about. This time I really concentrated on the positive, on using the process for healing, and trying to make the mind-body connection work together. And guess what? I really do feel better. Feeling good and laughing have also been big "healers" for me.

Thank you to anyone who has been reading this, has been a part of this, and has been thinking about me. It has helped! Only 3 more to go - and poof! - back to being high energy and healthy. See you at school on Monday!

I have decided to continue this blog, even though I am back to work. That way I still get the "outlet" to write about my experience, students can still check up on me even if they can't make it to the library, and, since many of my (out of town) family members found this blog, I will keep it up for them too!

Work has been great. It is nice to be back in the library... though you can often hear me ranting about the germs on keyboards! (Also be sure to check out the posters my student aides are working on for the bathrooms to encourage hand washing!!)

Thursday is my 3rd chemo - and I am halfway there. I am really upset to be missing Friday and guitar hero (come ask us about playing at lunch - it is really fun!) Next Friday I want to play... any staff members want to challenge me??? :-)

So, this week I am a bit down... it is tough to feel like the next chemo is looming over me waiting to make me sick (and just when I am feeling good.) Ok, ok so I get to whine a bit, and really I do see it as a means to an end (getting well) and am good with it but it still is frustrating sometimes. And my "advisor" Miki says I need to not only put in the "good" stuff but share the "downer" stuff too. I do want to be as truthful as possible! (Another good thing, Miki says.)

Well, I have to go - until next time!

Vacation is almost over...

Well, I think I have finally felt like I was on vacation because I have not updated this blog!! It feels more like a vacation when all of you are off from school too!

Yesterday was my 2nd round of chemo. All went well, dear friends were with me, and honestly life is good. Just mixed in it all I have to deal with this "new thing".

Alright... so last week I was getting some hair on my shoulders, more and more in the shower, and plenty on my pillow. After about 3 days I was pulling out HANDFULS!!!! It was driving me crazy! It was everywhere. So I jumped in. I had a friend start cutting....

What fun we had though (Sorry Mr. Whiteford, the idea of fundraising off of shaving my head is over -- of course this had to happen during break!!) and took it off in stages. Of course I had to take pictures... I'll see if I can somehow post them because they are pretty fun.

What I found out?? Hair really helps keep your head warm. I no longer need a big glob of shampoo when I take a shower. Wigs look pretty hysterical on me. There is a wide variety of hats out there. I have a really nice head, no scars, good shape, awfully white! In those 'get to know you' games where they make you answer the question... "You'll never believe it but I...." I will now be able to respond with "I have had a Mohawk!" (now those are some good photos!) Change can be a very good thing. What you can really believe at one moment (loosing my hair will be so awful, can I bare it?) can completely change with time (when will I ever give myself the opportunity to see what it is like to be bald again?) So much of how I feel and look, really comes from inside my head, not on top of it!

I hope you are all enjoying your break, I look forward to seeing you soon!!

(Note: I figured out how to post photos and there are a couple of them at the bottom of the left column!!)