On 01.02.02, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Too late for surgery, I had chemotherapy, which failed. In May the chemotherapy was changed and I was soon in remission which was celebrated and welcome and lasted nine years - until October 2011. There was progression in 2011 so more treatment was indicated and I am now back in partial remission. But I'm not only a cancer patient - I also enjoy my family, walk my dogs and am learning to draw and paint. Life is good!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

In between treatments, part 2

When I finished the 21st day of the eighth cycle of Taxotere on May 10th, I really believed I was back in remission and life would go on.  We flew to Honolulu for Oldest Son's graduation from law school and I secretly celebrated the end of treatment.

Not so.  That date turned out to be the one before hospitalization and a surgical procedure in August.  I'm glad we took advantage of the interlude, we just didn't recognize it as such.

This time I know.  I'm in the space of time between surgery and radiation.  So, before my world starts falling apart again I have to Get Things Done.

During my sixth month hiatus on the living room sofa last winter things broke and no one did anything about it.  So we're in repair mode.  The dishwasher works again and so does the dryer.  The ice maker will be repaired as soon as a part is received.  I still need to call the guy for the spa and Steve says the garage door needs to be fixed or replaced.  We're on it.

But yesterday, instead of routine maintenance and repairing past breakage, we actually went forward.  It was time to replace the carpet in the living room, but wait!  With three dogs, that just doesn't make sense.  How about more cherry laminate, which we love?  So the installers came in, did their thing and were out before 4:00 yesterday afternoon.  When I came home from my art class Steve had the furniture  returned to proper positioning and was busy dusting and arranging our gazillions of books.  (Now we need the books for a new reason, to stiffle some of the echo that the carpeting managed to muffle!)

The floor is so much easier to keep clean - those three dogs, remember - with just some spritzing of floor cleaner and a dry mop to bring out the sparkle.  No more shampooing, no doggy smell (today it smells like freshly cut wood!) and the space looks larger.  I have a new plant table by the eastern windows and I plan to make it a little breath of the natural world throughout the year.  There are two bird feeders on the outside of the window which are frequented by scrub jays (sunflower seed) and house finches (nyjer seed) and an occasional something else.  

In a week or so I'll be too tired to deal with more than the most necessary items, that's my dread, but by Thanksgiving I'll be in between treatments again, or, knock on wood, back in full remission.  So I can keep looking forward.  Keep Looking Forward.

4 comments:

  1. AND, I continue to keep you in my prayers every day. When I read what you are going through, I know I have not ONE thing to complain about !! Keep the Faith ~~ Hugs, Ginny

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  2. Oh, Ginny, you are much too hard on yourself! I'm sure you have life challenges - things that are important to you - and, I hate to tell you this, but more are on the way! I appreciate the support and prayer, but don't do it at the expense of your own real complaints. It's just the way life is. - Barbara

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  3. Congratulations on all the little (and not so little) repairs--and enjoy the new floor, which sounds glorious! Keeping you in my thoughts as you head into this round of treatment.

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  4. Thanks, Rebecca, I appreciate it. Hopefully this will be an easier round and the fatigue will actually end.

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