4 done 4 to go

I watched tv and fell asleep on the couch until about 2:30AM and then went up to bed. To my total surprise Nick stayed in his bed until the sun was poking through his windows. I decided not to send Nick to preschool today but he will be going tomorrow. We had breakfast and got Ellie off to the bus and Nick packed up to go to Mom's. I packed my bag with my blanket and pillow, lunch and some magazines I needed to catch up on.
I took Nick to Mom's - he was happy to have Mom all to himself today - he had brought trains and dvds with him. I drove to Kellogg and Claudette was my nurse today. I had my port draw and told her how I felt like Plum was jumping from my skin and she said it just makes their job easier but said she to mention it to Dr. Marsh. My appointments were all jumbled today because every infusion involves a series of appointments with the nurse, the doctor and then the nurse again and this infusion didn't have the correct order originally.
I was able to catch up on a magazine before my Dr. Marsh appointment and eventually Margaret came in. I told her about the neurotoxicity and how it was truly gross, the eye cramps when I cry, the jaw cramps when I eat, the lower back pain - all the evils. Dr. Marsh was double booked with a conference call and my appointment today and I got the later visit. I repeated everything to him and although he doesn't want to lower my dose of oxy he did say that since it was so debilitating he would lower this infusion to 65 instead of 85 and see if it works out better. He did my exam and listened to my lungs and then we talked about scheduling my CT scan for the next week or so.
I went back down to meet Claudette - all my blood work was good level wise and infusion could take place. Claudette said it would be a few minutes because she needed to finish up the lady who was in the room she wanted to put my in - about 30 minutes later I was pulled back. I read a couple magazines while the anti-nausea and steroids were flowing - I ate a quick lunch before the infusion began. I got real sleepy and I got out my blanket and pillow and pushed the recliner back and I was asleep until about 10 minutes before the bags timed out.
Claudette hooked up my pump and taped me up and I was on my way. I called Mom to say I would pick Ellie up and then come back to get Nick. We went to Mom's and smelled fresh bread - Nick and Mom were busy cooking elves and made some carrot bread. I have found that simple things like a slice of bread or a mini muffin soak up some of the yuck going through my body and also are easy on my tummy. I fell asleep on the couch for a while and woke up around 5PM to take the kids home.
My friend, Christi, was kind and had made us a dinner - I think it will be for tomorrow. We had Chili's carryout this evening - I was craving their mashed potatoes and broccoli. Nick finally ate - finished his entire ear of corn. I had a heart to heart with Ellie because the social worker has emailed a couple times in the last two days about some incidences happening at recess - the big, angry, cancer Mom might be making an appearance at school soon to test the bullying policy. We have had issue long before cancer came into our lives with Ellie wanting to be friends with girls who could really care less about being friends with Ellie. Now the "spawn of biblical spewing Mom down the street" is really zeroing Ellie out at recess and trying to possess whoever Ellie is playing with - oh you really don't want to mess with me on this one.
The other issue that has come up is that the 3rd grade class will begin to read "Sarah Plain and Tall" tomorrow which begins with the mother dying during childbirth and both Ellie's teacher and social worker didn't know if this would be the best book for Ellie right now. I told them both I want her to read the book and I will check it out of the library and I will read it too and we can discuss it together each night. I gave Ellie a brief description of the book and her eyes welled up when I said the Mom died. I reassured her I am going no where and that this crappy chemo is really just to make sure of that. Family counseling is in our near future.
So far, finger tinglies are not too bad and I have a turning tummy right now - time to chew on a piece of ginger. I got a call that my pictures are ready to be picked up - Mom and I might try to pick them up while Nick is at school tomorrow. If this infusion is like last time - tomorrow was the beginning of the clay fingers that couldn't do anything - we will see. Visualising my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal me, Tree