Friday, April 27, 2007 -- Forgtful Memory

Arrrrgh Bloggy!

I can't believe it... or maybe I should?? I didn't remember today was Friday. I have no idea what day I thought it was, but for some reason it didn't dawn on me that it was Friday.... and I totally forgot to go to the lab on Burrard St. to get my blood work done for the chemo on Monday!! Arrrrrrgh!! That surprises the heck out of me because, although my memory can be affected by Chemo Brain, I have never forgotten something like this! And the thing was, I was at home all day today. I could have gone up at any point, which is why I asked Dr. Gill if I could go to the Burrard lab, which is closer to home, than the Cancer Agency lab, which is that much further away and I'd have to drive.

Well, I don't think all is lost. I will get myself to the Cancer Agency in the morning on Monday and tell them my plight and that I have a 2:15pm chemo appt, so if they could slip me in and get it done. Then I'll drive to Steve's place, and come back with him in the afternoon for the chemo which will be from 2:15 - 6pm or so. Gotta remember to arrange with Robyn/Graie to take Bridget out in the afternoon because it looks like it's going to be a long day for me on Monday... only to have to get up early on Tuesday to be back at the Cancer Agency at 8:45am for the Radiation scan.

Let's see... what else has happened around here? Oh yes, Peggy and Greg came over to my place yesterday and we had a Hair and Pizza do!! Greg flatironed my hair again, so it looks great! Even though I'm losing hair each time I brush, touch or wash it... I have so much of it, that the flatironing actually takes a long time to do, hence why it looks way better when Greg does it than when I do it!

Peggy and Greg discussed how she would like her hair and she said that how she'd really like it, other hairdressers have told her they couldn't do it because her hair wouldn't suit it. But Greg figured that it wouldn't be a problem if cut with "deep points" vs "cut straight". I'm not sure of the terminology but suffice it to say, Peggy told Greg to do whatever he felt would work... and away he went at it. We had soooo much fun!! Greg was snipping away, we were all laughing and talking, then the pizza came. I made a Caesar Salad and we took a break while we ate. Then Gray's Anatomy came on, so the hair salon switched over to in front of the tv .

Here is the before sort of picture... when Greg was just starting out with Peggy's hair. She has gorgeous hair and I'm sooooo jealous! It is already straight. Of course, the curse of straight hair is that if you DO want to do something different and maybe have some curls, the curls don't stay longer than 20 minutes :D

And here we have the "AFTER" picture with the blunt cut bangs. The picture doesn't do total justice because what you can't see is the wisps/feathers all down both sides of the face. It truly looks gorgeous and Peggy was really happy with the end result!

So now, Greg has been given orders never to move out of town... and we have to get together in 6 weeks to have another hair/pizza night. Then in the summer we will have a hair/pool day :D

Ok... it's 10pm on Friday night. I did absolutely nothing today, and as I mentioned above, didn't even think about going for the blood work today. I was kind of sluggish. But I have a bit more energy tonight. Not enough to have gone out anywhere, but I do have a load of laundry in the washer, so I'm going to run downstairs and put it in the dryer. That will be nice to get it done before the weekend :)

I also have dishes in the kitchen to wash, dry and put away (no, I do not have a dishwasher) (grin). Also, I believe the Barbara Walters special on 20/20 is about to start... so I'm torn. Do I finish watching Notting Hill with (hubba hubba) Hugh Grant, or do I switch over to the Special?

Ciao for now!

Cheryl

Wednesday, April 25, 2007 - mid week

Hi Bloggy,

Well, nothing too exciting to report, which could explain why it's been a couple of days since I've posted an entry. Right now, I'm watching the 2 hour American Idol-AID special, meanwhile, I have a little four-legged diva sitting at my feet complaining because she wants her evening baby carrots (grin). She is such a routine girl... heaven help us once we get into a routine she likes and I'm late for it! My name is mud... and there is no excuse as far as she is concerned that is acceptable. When she wants her baby carrot, she wants it NOW!

Oh, but there was a funny incident yesterday. I forget what it was I was cooking on the stove, but sure enough, I spilled some of it on the hot burner, which of course caused the smoke alarm to squeal (not unusual when I cook). Well, Miss B. does NOT like the high pitched alarm and as soon as she smells burnt anything, she makes a run for the bedroom. She is terrified of any high pitched noise and the smoke alarm is one of her worst enemies! Anywho... I just let her go pout in the bedroom and I continued cooking whatever it was I was cooking.

A little while later, I went into the bedroom to check on her. Hahahaha! Her little Royal Highness had set up camp in bed, on her Mommy's side, not only amongst the bedding, but with the pink fuzzy blanket with the satin lining. She was quite content, thank you very much!! Hahahaha!

Well, I plum wore myself out this past weekend. What with going to the theatre Sat night with Steve O., Jo, Don, Steve S., Alan and Colleen to see Pat W. in the closing night of Sand Castles and not getting home until 1am, then on Sunday we celebrated a belated birthday for Steve and an early birthday for Jo.. well, let's just say on Monday I was knackered big time! And I paid for it... ended up napping a lot on Monday.

Tuesday, I went to see Dr. Gill (oncologist) and her assistant oncologist. They are both very pleased with how well I'm doing and both confirmed that my blood work is excellent. The results from the bloodwork show that the bone marrow is in excellent health/shape. Since the white blood cells are created in the bone marrow, this is a very good thing.

She did send me for an ECG while I was there, though. She was a little concerned about the reaction I had had after the second Chemo... that Tuesday morning when Bridget and I went out for our morning walkies and the cold air shut my throat down and hampered with my breathing. For a couple of days after that, I had a "heavy" feeling in my chest, so she wants to make sure my heart is ok and get a "baseline" for the heart, should I have any other problems with breathing/chest because of the Oxalpilatin(sp?) chemo drug. Well, the ECG came back just fine. Strong heart, no murmurs or skips. So it's just one of those weird side affects. Apparently, the tingling and super sensitivity to the cold in the hands and feet is very common... the throat and breathing problems is not as common, but is definitely caused by this chemo drug.

So, next Monday I go for Chemo #4. Then, even though I'll be hooked up to the chemo pump, I'll have to go back to the Cancer Agency the next day and go to the Radiation department where they need to take a scan and get the info needed for when I start Radiation (May 14th). Then on May 10th, it's back to see Dr. Gill because she will be putting me on an oral (pill form) of chemo which I'll be taking twice/day for the whole 5 weeks I'm getting the radiation.

All I can say is thank goodness for date books. One has to write EVERYTHING down, otherwise there is no way one would be able to remember where one has to be and when :) I sure hope I have mine up to date and haven't forgotten anything!!

Well, back to American Idol I go. Will be back soon... well, in a day or two :D

Cheryl