Smiles

It was cool enough under the canopy of da woods yesterday that I met Mom's bus when she got home and asked if she'd like to go for a walk up to the sunny part of the lane where our day lilies, iris, roses and Memorial Trees are.

She sees them when the bus comes and goes, but the windows are high enough, and they're going fast enough that she doesn't really get a good look. I've been trying to take her for short walks daily -- weather and appointments permitting.

She hadn't seen the painted sunflowers, lambs' ear stalks covered in deep blue, bee balm, tickseed, lavender, blazing star, clematis blooming on _both_ signposts, cosmos, yarrow, coneflowers... There are black raspberries ready to be picked before the birds get them all. I also wanted to check one more time that the hole we tilled for Uncle Shorty's oak tree was still where she wanted it planted.

When I asked her if she'd like to go for a walk, she looked at her stocking-covered feet in her wheelchair and said, somewhat disappointedly, "Well, yes, but I don't have my shoes..."

*wry smiles*

...the photo is from this spring, looking out from the front of da green house, when the flowering almond at was still in bloom behind us.



On the HealthWatch:

I've been managing nausea with meds this past week; headaches are becoming less frequent and manageable with OTC meds. Am also needing meds to sleep through the night. ...guess you might say we're managing... *grins*

The past few days, I've walked the mile, done gardening, house and bird chores, and done breathing/relaxation exercises; my breathing isn't getting better, but it seems not to be getting worse, either...*shrugs*

Thank you, dd, for the wonderful massage today! Your energy, warmth, and levity this afternoon was just the healing I needed; I hope you were able to catch some of the reflections in return. So pleased to see you so on the mend; I know a lot of us have been missing you. *hugs*

*big heartful smiles*



Stay cool and make nice!
*nice cooling smiles*

Squirrelly Squawks

...suppose we should feel great about the fact that we've held the squirrels at bay from these two particular feeders for almost two years now. They both hold blackoil sunflower seeds and are advertised to be 'squirrel proof'...yeah, right!

Two years ago we finally hung them in (what we thought until yesterday) was the perfect place. I suppose I should have figured what that plume of a tail flashing was going inevitably to mean... I suppose I should have known what their chewing on the supporting ropes wrapped around the trees would mean...

A double feeder (seed and suet) has been safe for over two years now. I suppose I should have known when Kevin yelled, "Get off there, you little $h!+!!" that the feeders could again be in danger from this year's new crop of squirrels. (The rope stretched on this one enough that s/he could just jump straight up to catch the suet basket. ...not any more...) *heh*

We've said for years that we're training Olympiad Squirrels...I should have known... *winces*

Today s/he gnawed through the rope, in the middle, right above the hanger. Fortunately the ten foot drop didn't destroy the feeder or the squirrel baffle. So now we're looking for a rope-like substance that they won't be able to chew through...

It's not like we don't have special feeder stations for the squirrels...

*goes out to check the ropes and ports on the remaining feeders*

*feels great to have the energy to do that*

Today's photo is one of Kevin's from this past winter.

Hope your weekend was enjoyable!

We wish you, "Happy Billiards' Day!"

Make nice!

Uneventful Infusion

Got to the hospital at 7:45 this morning. Did the blood draw thing, the vital signs thing and met with Dr. C. White blood count is 6600, platelets and red blood cells were borderline, but close enough for chemo.

Thursday doesn't seem to have as many infusion nurses as Friday, so it was 9:30 before we got to a chair. There are sixteen suites, I think, each with two to four stations for chemo. There's at least one nurse for each two-chair suite (maybe 1.5, average), but today there was one nurse in our four-chair suite. Still, we were the first in and the first out of that suite -- I think we were done before chair 4 even got started.

The chemo was uneventful, and we were home a little after 11. Diana is feeling okay. Antsy from the pre-chemo steroids and tired at the same time, but otherwise fine.

So now, with some luck, we've got 15 days without a hospital visit -- that would be a record since March. It's raining tonight, and it's supposed to rain tomorrow, just in time to water the new plants in again. And, we always appreciate opportunities to sit on our storm porches.

The photo is of the foxglove in one of the front flower beds.

Enjoy your Friday, and your weekend!

No News...

...can be good news; and in this case, it is. *grins bigly*

Thank you for the flattering comments about our walk! Do come and enjoy it yourselves whenever you can make time.

Another result of 'A Walk in da Woods' was that we couldn't help but inventory all of the yard chores that still need doing. Then, another set of the March-ordered plants arrived on Monday...that's where I've been the past couple days. So much so that I haven't been doing my metered laps, and I'm still getting a mile or more in a day *yeah*

These past couple days, I've actually felt the best I"ve felt in a while. Right on time -- we go in for another infusion tomorrow morning...

If my white cell count has returned to within a normal range, I'll get the gemzar dosage that I couldn't receive last Friday because of the low white cell count.

If the white cell count is still below normal, a protocol of a growth hormone will be started so that the gemzar doesn't bottom out the white cell count...

...I feel like a walking test tube...

nancyturtle, we'll consider buying stock in Neosporin and Bacetracin... I don't walk barefooted any more, I wear gloves when yardening. I notice that insect and spider bites are _very_ slow in healing.

dd, we're delighted to hear that you're well on the mend! It will be wonderful to hear that you're feeling strong enough for a massage next week! *crosses fingers* Hug that wonderful Mother of yours for me??

Cathy and Hannah, we hope you got our email and we wish you a safe trip to Seattle; regards to Arlin!

Connie, it sounds like neither of us will recognize the other; keep up the good work, and we'll do the same! *cheers*

Seth, we're looking forward to your return.

Cranium Man, thanks for the update on R2. Is W the "Namer" in your family? Kevin is the "Namer" in ours...except for Trooley, that is *grins*

Co, I wish you were here to help us ID some of our prairie flowers. How is your prairie project doing?

C-Mo (now reading as Cure-Mo *heh*), we hope that you and yours are on the mend. Feel free to reschedule your visit as you can.

Glad to hear that so many of you enjoyed the Fathers' Day card! We liked da woodsy feel of it *grins* How did you spend the day??


Tomorrow is what we calculate to be Trooley's birthday; he'll be seven.

Tomorrow is also the Summer Solstice; here's wishing you the best! *celebratory thoughts*

Make nice!

A Walk in da Woods

Click the photo for a slide show.

The flower photos were taken this morning; Bardini and woodland photos were taken last week.

The music is "When You Dream," by Barenaked Ladies.

Enjoy!

Low White Cell Count

Got to the clinic on time, did the blood draw, and then met with Dr. C.

White cell count range is 3000-10,000; mine was 1008...no chemotherapy today. We've rescheduled for next Thursday morning, June 21, so we'll be celebrating the Summer Solstice partly at the hospital.

I asked about the diminished capacity of my right arm. "If it happens again, we'll need a scan of your brain," is what Dr. C said. I've been working the hand and arm, and we focused on it with my massage yesterday. The strength is returning, but still not quite where it should be (I used to able to close a ziplock bag, even the ornery ones).

...I have to take precautions to ensure this hangnail doesn't get infected. ...am needing to learn to be more careful and to accommodate a slower pace. And, I must say, this relaxation regime brings its own kind of stress...

I also asked about the Nulasta and Procrit. If my white cell count doesn't return to within normal range, they'll administer a G-CSF called Neupogen (similar to Nulasta) to boost the count. His take on Procrit was that it was illegal to administer it except in cases of chemotherapy/cancer related anemia...

Gardening should be a good way to work on my grip this weekend. The shade garden plants -- ordered in March -- arrived yesterday...better late, I suppose... *sighs* And, of course, there are plenty of chores to do around the house that could be written off as that kind of exercise, as well. *heh*

NancyTurtle asked about the shrubs we planted: two forsythia, two pink Rose of Sharon, two red weigela (Asian honeysuckle family), and two spirea. We put them up where the lilacs are near the mailbox to solidify that line of shrubs. So far, they're still looking good. *crosses fingers*

Worked today on some Chemo Caps. Patty turned us on to them as she wore them during her chemo. Lily made them out of Fun Fur for Patty and then I got the pattern.

Olive sent us some skeins of the Fun Fur yarn (did I remember to tell her they got here??), and I had the right size knitting needles, but not a crochet hook or the knitting needles to do them in the round. I got those today and got one started in bright yellow with the crochet hook. Am not sure which is going to work best; the yarn is very furry and difficult to work with...

If I get the hang of them, I'll see if either of the Cancer Centers here would like to make them available. I noticed also that one of the Healing Ministries gives away shawls, something else I can still make if no one wants the caps.

And, Olive looked pretty cute in the one she tried on, so maybe even those who still have their hair would like to wear them. *blinks*

...and Tuna, I could use your head to help with sizing *grins*


Stay healthy and make a great weekend.

Flag Day

Happy Day!

...this is what I found, dd:
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress proposed that the United States have a national flag instead of the British Union Jack. There were few public ceremonies honoring the Stars and Stripes until 1877, when on, June 14, it was flown from every government building in honor of the centennial of the adoption of a national flag.

The first official Flag Day was observed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1893. New York also proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day 1897. Other states were slow to follow. Some people thought that the day was too close to Memorial Day and Independence Day.

In August 1949, President Harry S. Truman proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day.
(Source: About.com)



BirdWatch:

We did have a bird siting late yesterday afternoon! A smaller barred owl landed on the bridge over the crick and then perched over the feeders for almost an hour. It appears there may be a Barda somewhere around since the one we saw yesterday sure looks like either Bardino or Bardina. Tried to get some photos as this one's legs were visible, but they're all a bit blurry.

Will watch again this afternoon. If this is going to be a regular thing, we'll need to set the tripod up.


cancerWatch:

Tomorrow should be a shorter day at the hospital as I'll be receiving only the gemzar. ...sounds like something from Farscape or Dr. Who... I'll see if we can't do the IV in the _left_ arm this time.


FamilyWatch:

Here's wishing R2 a speedy recovery from _her_ surgery, and dd the best with _hers_.

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Make nice!