An Update or On With the Fight!

 

I promised an update on what is next with my fight against this cancer. I do feel like I’m in a war against the cancer that is attacking my body and my plan is to put up quite the fight against it! After going through the first series of chemo treatments without much success, in fact the cancer actually grew a bit, I am now about to head into Round Two. I had an appointment with my oncologist last week and he has a new plan of attack. The first round I had chemo every third week. This one we are hitting it a bit harder with chemo once a week. The treatments will be a slightly lower dose each week but the overall amount of medication will be increased compared to the first series of treatments. He is also adding a new medication this time. So now my medications will be Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and Avastin. Avastin is the new one and it is supposed to do a good job at attacking cancer. They did not give it before because it can have more potential side effects. I am armed with several medications to help with the side effects including pain pills and a steroid to fight inflammation. Previously I took the steroid the first three days after chemo, this time I will take it the first seven days after the first chemo treatment using all three medications. Some of my treatments will just be the Paclitaxel, alternating with all three medications in one treatment. My first, which should be this coming week, will be all three medications and is expected to take all day.

So, knowing I am about to start a new and possibly tougher round, I have been trying to get things done around here so I can take it easy when the chemo starts. I’ve not really felt like doing a lot around the house but I’ve done what I can. I even gave Tom a haircut today!

There has not exactly been a lot of activity going on here but we have continued to have special family visits which we love! I think I mentioned in my last post that we were planning to go out to eat with my son Chris and his wife Kristi. We did that last weekend after first visiting them at their house. We had a wonderful time with them and great food at one of the many special Kansas City bar-b-que restaurants! Last Wednesday my other son, Sean who lives out of town, came and spent the day with us. It was so nice to catch up with him. Then on Friday my grandson Gavin came out to visit us, and even brought us some delicious homemade Snickerdoodle muffins that his girlfriend Amalia made!  We had such a nice visit with Gavin. He is really a kind and caring person and a very special grandson! Plus, I always enjoy him telling us about the various experiences he’s had as a firefighter in Independence.

After loading up on lots of family visits and love, I am ready to start Round Two with my fight against this cancer. It may be challenging but I have no intention of backing down to it! I want to thank every one of my blog friends here. There is something very special about bloggers. Even though I did not post for a year due to a variety of reasons, you are all still here and supporting me. That means so much to me. I may not post for a while depending on how things go, but I will post again as soon as I am able. Thank you all for being here! I am blessed in so many ways!

Amaryllis and ❄ Cold ❄ Weather!

 

Back in November Chris and Kristi (my son & daughter-in-law) gave me a lovely gift of an Amaryllis. Believe it or not, I had never had one before. What a fun gift this was since I was able to watch it grow from a bulb to beautiful flowers! 

11-26-23  This tiny growth popped up.

12-1-23 Five days later it has more than doubled its size.

Between 12-1-23 and 1-5-24 this little plant grew very tall, but no flowers. Then on 1-6-24, it greeted me with a bulb just beginning to open.

1-6-24 The first bulb opens!

1-11-24

                                                                    

Four days ago I woke up to three large blooms. By this time it had grown so tall that I had to tie it to a small dowel to support it.

 

1-14-24

Yesterday I discovered a fourth full-size bloom plus another bud getting ready to open! Kristi told me it would grow fast and she wasn't joking! Although it spent a month growing very tall with no flowers, once the flowers started coming they have not stopped!

It seems like winter has really arrived for most of us in this past week. Much of the country has had record-breaking low temperatures. Sunday we did not get above 0 F and on Saturday we didn't get much above it. I know the states north of us have had it much colder than that recently but for the Midwest, these are pretty cold days! Saturday our football team, the Chiefs, had a playoff game here and it ended up being the fourth coldest NFL game on record. It's hard to believe people fill the stands in this kind of cold but they do. Even Taylor Swift was there but she was in one of the enclosed boxes. She has been attending almost all of our games since she started dating one of our players, Travis Kelce.

I hope everyone is staying warm and healthy!

A Wonderful Mother’s Day

I was blessed to have a very special Mother’s Day.  It actually started early when I received a flower delivery from my oldest son Chris and my daughter-in-law Kristi on Friday.  Chris and I have a tradition of just the two of us spending Mother's Day together usually in Kansas City and often at the Plaza.  The Plaza is a popular shopping and dining area designed in the style of Seville, Spain.  Because of his busy work schedule, I don’t get to spend a lot of time with Chris so having this one-on-one time on Mother’s Day really means a lot.   

 

Mill Creek Fountain on the Plaza

We went to Cooper’s Hawk, which is a three-level winery and restaurant for our lunch.  In fact, we went there last Mother’s Day too and enjoyed it so much we decided to go back this year.  They served a complimentary glass of champagne to all the mothers dining there which was an unexpected treat. 

Cooper's Hawk

 

After lunch, we enjoyed walking around the Plaza checking out the shops and just enjoying the day.  Although it was overcast, it was one of the first days that were warm enough to not need a coat.

My Mother’s Day did not end Sunday because on Monday my other son, Sean came over to spend some time with us and then took both Tom and I out to dinner.  After dinner, he also treated us to frozen custard at a local custard shop.  I feel so fortunate to have two such wonderful sons! 

 

This Summer…

 

Where has this summer gone?  The days have raced by faster and faster and we are already looking at September tomorrow.  Schools have all started here but it will still feel like summer for at least another month.

So, what’s been going on here?  Earlier this month my granddaughter, Annika, spent the night with me just so we could spend some time together catching up.  Even though she is 25, we have always been close and can easily talk all night (which we did!).  Annika enjoys old movies so I introduced her to a really old one, but a classic: Arsenic and Old Lace.  This was released in 1944, stars Cary Grant and was directed by the famous Frank Capra.  It is a classic black and white comedy and one of my favorite old movies.  Many of you have probably seen this movie but if not and you like classic comedies from the 1940s, it is worth seeing!

We all had a bit of a scare several weeks ago when my 19-year-old grandson, Gavin, got sick with Covid.  This new Delta variant is all over the place here and spreading like crazy.  It’s almost worse here now than it was last year since this one is so much more contagious.  We are very grateful that although Gavin was pretty sick for a couple of weeks, he did not have to go to the hospital.  He is doing better now and has been back at work for almost two weeks.  He still doesn’t have his taste back and is not feeling his best just yet, but he’s getting there.  I am so thankful he is doing better!

I had my 69^th birthday on August 9^th.  (It seems impossible that I am nearly 70!)  Since Gavin had been sick and quarantined, I celebrated it late with my son Chris’ family this past Saturday.  I keep telling my kids that my favorite gift is simply to be able to spend a little time with them!  We had a wonderful dinner out and then went to Chris and Kristi’s house for cake and gifts.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with Chris, Kristi, Gavin, Annika and Nick (Annika’s boyfriend).

Left to Right: Gavin, Annika, Nick, Tom, Me, Kristi

 

Kristi, Chris and me

Well, this has been my August other than some usual medical appointments and such for Tom and myself.  Except for Gavin getting sick, it has been a good month overall.  I hope all of you are well and enjoying the final days of summer.  Take good care and thank you for your friendship even though I am not the most frequent blogger!

 

Mother's Day

 

This past Sunday was Mother's Day and my oldest son Chris sure did give me a wonderful weekend.  It started Saturday morning when the doorbell rang.  It was a florist delivering the most beautiful flowers from Chris and Kristi!

Sunday Chris picked me up for a special mother and son day out in Kansas City.  He has done this for the past several Mother's Days and I've come to really look forward to it.  We spent the day on The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.  It is a popular area of the city designed after Seville, Spain which is our sister city.  There are many excellent restaurants and unique shops and you can easily spend a day just walking around.  We went to Cooper's Hawk Restaurant and Winery and enjoyed a delicious meal.  We then enjoyed walking around the area and of course we had to visit the huge three story book store there.  We finished the day off at one of the coffee shops.  More than anything I enjoyed simply being able to spend time with my son and visit and catch up on everything with him.  I would like to have gotten more pictures of the area but it was a cloudy day and not the best for taking pictures.  I did get one of a smaller fountain, Neptune although the picture is not the best.  

Kansas City is known for its many fountains.

Despite it being a cloudy and cool day we really did have a great time!  I feel blessed to have two wonderful sons.  I did not see Sean, my younger son but he did call me and we had a nice, long phone conversation.  I hope everyone here had a wonderful Mother's Day!

An Ice Storm and a Birthday

 

We woke up this morning to a bit of an ice storm.  I know the picture looks like snow but it is actually ice.  A good day to stay home and off the roads which is just what we have done.  I did venture outside late this afternoon to roll our trash container out to the end of the driveway since tomorrow morning is our pick-up day.  It was a little slippery going but I made it! 

We had a nice coating of ice and sleet.

Today is my oldest son’s birthday.  Chris is 48 today and while he may think that is old, it really makes me feel old!  Many of us know that 48 is actually quite young when you are in your 60’s and looking back!  I sent him my love and birthday wishes this morning.  The day he was born was the best day of my life and it changed my life for the better! 

Chris at eight years old.

It’s been quiet and slow around here since Christmas.  I appreciate the quiet days after a holiday.  It seems like there is always a lot of rushing around with cooking, cleaning and other preparations for Christmas and a break afterwards is welcome. 

There’s not much to write about today but I wanted to stop in and say Hello and see how everyone is doing post-Christmas.  I don’t think I am the only one that has this very wintery weather today from what I have been reading on other blogs.  I made some homemade White Chili soup for dinner tonight and that just hit the spot for a cold, icy day.  I send my best to everyone for these last days of 2020. 

 

It’s That Time of the Year

 

Every year about this time I become more acutely aware of the change of seasons.  The days are colder and the nights are longer.  I like the changing of seasons because it keeps me in touch with that part of our world that continues on as it has all my life.  It reminds me that there is something bigger in life that moves forward despite us.

A Squirrel eating one of those hedge apples I mentioned in my last post. 

Saturday was a nice day here with temperatures in the low 70’s, windy but warm.  I spent the day outside doing yard work and getting ready for the winter months.  We have a redbud tree in the front yard that badly needed trimming and I got that done and bagged.  It felt good to be outside in the fresh air especially knowing that we would not have many more days like this.

Saturday night we were able to spend a few hours with our oldest son, Chris, just visiting and enjoying the opportunity to be together for a bit.  We don’t get to see family very often and it is special to us when we do get together.

This past week has been busy with a lot of the basics of life.  I saw my eye doctor as my vision continues to challenge me.  I was given a prescription for new glasses and I got a new pair picked out and ordered.  I look forward to getting them as the pair I have been wearing has not been doing me as much good as they did at first.  This time I ordered the kind of glasses that get darker in the bright sunlight.  I’m supposed to wear sunglasses but I rarely do as they are such a pain when you wear glasses.  I don’t want to carry two pairs of glasses or try and put sunglasses over my regular glasses.  So, I will give these a try and see how they work out. 

Winter was beginning to feel much closer on Sunday when instead of temperatures in the low 70’s our high was in the low 40’s and it was damp and cloudy.  I was glad I had done my outside work on Saturday as this was a day to stay in with the heat turned on.

When it gets cold Zeus always heads for the covers!

This new week will be busy with the usual variety of appointments, grocery shopping and such.  Also on Friday our younger son, Sean, is having outpatient surgery and we are taking him to the hospital for that.  He is not married so we help him out with things like that.

It has been fairly routine days around here.  Many bloggers I know write about their day to day activities but I’m not so sure there is much of interest in my days!  I hope everyone is well and having a nice week!   

A Pleasant Walk

Three days a week I take Tom to his cardiac rehab appointments at a small hospital not too far from our home.  The hospital has a very nice walking trail on the grounds for use by both the patients and anyone else interested in a short or long walk.  I've been enjoying walking on this trail to pass the time while he is busy with his appointment.

We are just beginning to see a bit of Fall here and the weather is perfect for walking outdoors.  The trees have not quite started turning yet but I hope to catch them changing soon.  The world has become so crazy this year that I often feel the best when I can be alone with nature, even if it is in the middle of a busy city.  It can be good to turn off the rest of the world even for a short time.

We did have a nice opportunity to visit with Chris and Kristi (my son and daughter-in-law) yesterday.  We usually see them once a month or so as they live in a nearby town and stay busy with their jobs and other activities.  They had us over for dinner and a chance to have some relaxing time together.  Kristi served dinner on their screened in back porch as the weather was so nice.  It was so good to catch up with them, especially since these days it is rare for us to see anyone other than people at medical appointments or the grocery store.

I hope everyone in blog land is doing well.  I enjoy seeing the season change from all the different blogs I follow.  So many of us are in different stages of the changes leading into winter.  Before we know it the holiday season will be here and although it likely won't be quite the same as previous years, I expect to stay busy with the simple preparations I do for my family.  I send my best to everyone here! 

  

  

Birthdays and Graduations and Anniversaries, Oh My!

June has always been a busy month for our family and this year is no different, pandemic or not.  My daughter-in-law, Kristi, celebrated her birthday a couple of weeks ago.  For the first time in three months we went to their house in order to celebrate her birthday with them. 

Last night we celebrated my husband Tom’s birthday with the family.  His actual birthday is later this week but it is easier to get everyone together on weekends.  We went to his favorite barbecue restaurant and then came back to our house for cake.  This was the first time we actually went in a restaurant since early March.  I must say the restaurant did an excellent job of social distancing.  They even had employees in the parking lot telling you where to park and letting the waiters inside know that you had arrived.  We did not go in the restaurant until the table was ready and then they took us directly to our table.  There was a QR code on the table that you scanned with your phone and then you received the menu on your phone, thus doing away with physical menus, so nothing would be shared between people.  It seems like there is a whole new way of doing everything these days.  Tom did have a very nice birthday and we really enjoyed seeing our family again.  He actually gets a double celebration this weekend because tomorrow is Father’s Day here.

Tom's Birthday Gifts

Next weekend our grandson, Gavin, will be graduating from high school!  We were not sure if there would even be a ceremony due to the Covid restrictions.  However, many of the restrictions were lifted in our state last week.  His graduation will be held in a much larger auditorium than would normally be required in order for there to be socially distancing seating.  There are only seven tickets available per graduate and each family will sit together but be spaced from everyone else.  Gavin is our second and last grandchild and I can’t believe he is graduating already!  We are very proud of him!  

Then just two days after Gavin graduates my son and his wife, Chris and Kristi, will celebrate their 25^th wedding anniversary.  Time does go fast!  My brother, Charlie, also has a birthday on July 4^th but he lives out of the country and I have already mailed him something.  This is definitely a busy time of the year for us!

Tom and I have been very good about following all lockdown restrictions since they started last March.  We have only gone to the grocery store and have worn masks when there.  We have not spent time with family at all until this month.  Since many restrictions have been lifted, we are not breaking any this month but we are seeing family each weekend.  With the exception of the restaurant last night and the graduation next weekend we are not spending time around large groups of people and even those are guided by social distancing rules.  It is so strange that in these pandemic days there can be a concern about even being with your own family.  I am thankful we are able to see our family now while many of the restrictions have been lifted.  However since the state has opened up, we have seen a slow but steady rise in the number of cases of Covid and there has been some mention of the possibility of another lockdown.  I certainly hope that is not the case but if so, at least we have gotten to see family a bit now before we lockdown all over again if necessary.

 

An Early Morning Surprise

I received an early morning phone call from my oldest son, Chris, telling me there was something on my front porch.  This was a bit confusing to me because he does not live in the same suburban town as we do, so how could he know if something was on my porch.  I got off the phone, opened the front door and sure enough, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers propped up on the porch across from the door!  What a surprise and a wonderful way to start the weekend!

When I called Chris back he said he and Kristi (my daughter-in-law) had been to the City Market in Kansas City early this morning to shop for some fresh vegetables and had picked up those flowers for me.  They quietly dropped them off on the porch and then called me after they had driven away!  I sure love my family!   

A Busier Week

For the most part things have been moving fairly slowly around here.  Last week did seem to be busier for a variety of reasons.  I finally made us some masks to wear when we buy groceries.  Since I make quilts, I have lots of fabric scraps to choose from for making masks and I wanted to make a special one for my husband, Tom.  He has always been a superhero fan having grown up on Marvel and DC comics.  Even today he never misses any of the movies about those popular characters.  So, I made him a mask from some Marvel characters fabric. 

                                                                                                                             

We were also busy getting my old Honda Civic cleaned up to loan to my granddaughter, Annika.  She was in a car accident recently when someone ran a stoplight and hit her and then drove off.  Luckily, she was okay although I know she had to be pretty sore as it totaled her car.  It makes me so mad that this was a hit and run accident!  I just don’t understand some people.  Annika is still working despite the pandemic and has to have a car to get to work and back home.  She was hoping to buy one and looked at several but could not find what she wanted that was also in her price range.  I have a very old Honda Civic that I had not been driving much since we usually use my husband’s Toyota.  Despite the age of the Honda it is still in good running condition.  I spent a little time getting it emptied out of my belongings and we cleaned it up inside and out for her.  She still wants to get a newer car but this will give her the time she needs to look for one and also save up a bit more money.  I was happy to know I could do something to help her out as she has had a run of bad luck recently.  My son Chris (Annika’s Dad) brought her out Sunday to pick up the car.  It was such a treat to get to spend a little time with them both as we had not seen any family since the pandemic started.  We stayed outside and followed social distancing because she has been around many people in her job.  But let me tell you, it sure was hard to not be able to give both her and my son a big hug!      

  

We finished the week off with another trip to the grocery store.  You know I always have hated buying groceries but I swear, since this pandemic started, I now hate that job even more than before!  It was our luck that just when we came out of the store with a cart full of groceries it started pouring rain.  By the time we got home and got everything in the house every bag was soaked. 

I’m glad last week is behind us now and because I’d like to end this on a happier note, I will leave you with a couple of pictures of my two sweet cats.  They each send you lots of purrs and cuddles.

Zeus

Sophie