kathyjean

Wednesday 02.01.2012

2012-02-01T20:36:00.002-05:00

February 1st. Time marches on.

Several small animals dead in the road this morning--at least 3 racoons and 1 'possom. And another something unidentifiable. This weather has everything mixed up.

We had a good workday with a great group of co-workers, steady busy with lots of call lights.

The drive home was better--I don't know where the dead critters went, but the I only saw "evidence" of a couple in the northbound lanes.

A quiet night with another workday tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 01.31.2012

2012-01-31T19:48:00.002-05:00

Another awesomely beautiful day today!!

Blue sky in the morning, temp was 41 degrees at 0800. I went out for a run about 10 o'clock--it had warmed to 47. The birds were singing like it is spring. While I sooo love this mild weather, I'm also very concerned about what is happening to our environment/ecosystem. Definitely some changes happening...

After a shower and food, I went out for fuel for the car and a few grocery items. Wow--the temperature was up to 54 degrees.

It was so pleasant to have the sliding door open a bit, with the fresh air and birdsong coming in. It did cloud up and cool off in the later afternoon, but when I closed the door, I thought I heard spring peepers????? I think we're in for it....

A quiet evening.

I work tomorrow.

Thank you God for this wonderful life.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 01.30.2012

2012-01-30T20:36:00.002-05:00

Wow. almost the end of January...

I had a good day, starting with the MRI. I was a little anxious at first, but one of the technicians was a familiar face, and it helped a little. She started my IV in one poke, but had to move it around a little to get the fluid to flow. It turned out to be a good needle after all, thank you God.

Laying face down, dangling boobs in the boob holes, 30 minutes and almost constant jackhammer-type noises later, I was done. It took me several minutes for my head to quit "swimming", but it did. One of the girls, Carol, escorted me to the exit.

I went to Jackson for a meeting that went well and met up with Frank afterwards. We had a nice visit.

Back at home, I fixed food and ate before going to Leah's for the reflexology appointment. It was wonderful, as always, and this evening, I noticed that my feet are a little tender.

I'm also kind of tired.

Not sure what's up for tomorrow. I thought I had something to do, but I don't see it in the planner, so.....

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 01.29.2012

2012-01-29T19:36:00.002-05:00

What a great day today!

I slept fairly well, waking just before 0500. Oh--I guess I'm not needed this morning....I went back to sleep.

I dozed a while longer, getting up about 8. The sky was light, with an edge of pink at the horizon. But the snow started, continuing for the majority of the day, ending late afternoon. We ended up with maybe 4 or 5 inches or so. We've been shoveled, and plowed, here in the condos.

I did inside stuff--vacuumed, laundry, cleaned the vanity and polished the mirror.

Tomorrow is the MRI of the breasts (I don't have mammograms anymore), and a reflexology appointment with Leah.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 01.28.2012

2012-01-28T20:48:00.003-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't all fatigued and groggy when the alarm came on this morning. I was also surprised that it was snowing, and all was white again. Sheesh.

Holt Road was a little slippery again, but the highway was mostly wet all the way to Jackson. I was happy to park in the parking structure (we're allowed to on weekends and holidays) as the snow had increased in intensity and was blowing around.

We had a good workday, with great co-workers, and were able to leave in a timely manner.

The main roads were clear and dry, thank you God, but Holt Road was icy, and the roads in the complex were skate-able. It was obvious that cars had been sliding into the curbs--I went slow and was able to get into the garage without difficulty.

I'm scheduled to work tomorrow, but I'm hoping to be on-call. I'll find out in the morning...

My left upper arm is still ache-y, and I noticed that there is a fluid collection over my ribs and shoulder blade in the back. Kind of yucky, but I'd rather it be there than down my arm and hand. I see Leah in a week or two, and she'll be able to do a little something with that.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 01.27.2012

2012-01-27T20:26:00.002-05:00

The last day of our Ed Fair. Whew.

The morning drive started out on wet, fluffy snow that turned into ice after it had been driven on. The main road in the complex became more and more slick the closer I got to the entrance. I was careful to stop slowly, and happy to see that Holt Road had been salted.

The highway had been salted, too, at least in Ingham County, and was wet and drivable. Jackson County, however, had not salted, and was trying to be slushy. At 34 degrees, some areas were more yucky than others. I arrived safely to the hospital, thank you God.

We had a good day, but I was really tired, and several times had to consciously think about what I was presenting. We were done by 4 pm; I was happy to be on the way home.

It looked like a whole different day outdoors.

Sunny, blue skies, dry roads, 44 degrees. Huh?? This weather is very weird.

I will say I enjoyed the afternoon, and when I got home, I went out for a run.

After a shower and a bite to eat and a load of laundry done, I'm about ready for bed.

Tomorrow is a scheduled workday on the unit. *sigh* It has been a long week.

My left upper arm has been really sore today, and yesterday too, along the lymph channel. Tender, like a long bruise. My hand isn't swollen, though, and I'm thankful for that.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 01.26.2012

2012-01-26T23:37:00.000-05:00

The second day of the "education fair" went well. And well into the evening. We scheduled a later session--7-10pm--for the night shift, and it was very well attended. Thanks to all my wonderful co-workers for participating.

And now it's time for bed.

That left breast is sore, darn it. I'd like to just resolve, and stop being uncomfortable.

Tomorrow the "fair" is from 0700-1500, and that makes for a short night.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 01.25.2012

2012-01-25T18:39:00.003-05:00

I went for my six month lab draw today at the oncology office. One poke, 3 tubes, and done. I got a headache almost immediately, and had to sit there a few minutes, while my head stopped whirling. And when it did, I went over to the scales.

I stepped on.

138.6 pounds.

Wow!! Down from #158. Almost 20 pounds since July 7. Woo Hoo!!! I'm actually lower than when I started treatment. It feels good to be able to wear most of my clothes again.

I had a difficult conversation with my husband this evening; it didn't help the leftover headache from the blood draw. I've taken the tylenol and motrin that I gave myself permission for yesterday.

Tomorrow is Day Two for the "education fair" for our unit at the hospital.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 01.24.2012

2012-01-24T22:23:00.002-05:00

A busy day today.

We had the first of our three day "education fair" event for our unit. The first hour was a little shaggy, but it came together, and the sessions went well. Well attended with good feedback. Yay!!

That having been said, I'm tired.

And my left shoulder and upper arm and breast/wound bed have been annoyingly ache-y again. I would have been much more comfortable with tylenol/motrin on board, but I didn't take anything. I'll need to remember to give myself permission to use "comfort measures" if/when it happens again.

I'm thankful to be alive and cancer free.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 01.23.2012

2012-01-23T21:52:00.002-05:00

Very strange this morning--I saw a flash of light--what was that??? I opened my eyes, and heard a loud thunder. Whoa! A thunderstorm--in January!! It rained and blew, and lightninged and thundered, and settled down by the time I left for work. Thank you God, I didn't have to drive in that.

We had a good day, with great co-workers.

The drive home was gusty with spitting snow. This morning the temperature was 45 degrees; tonight on the way home, it was 33. So strange.

Tomorrow I'm back at the hospital, running a "station" in our "education fair" for the co-workers.

I've felt pretty good, overall, thanks again. I have truly been blessed with my life and my health.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 01.22.2012

2012-01-22T21:07:00.002-05:00

I had a low-key day today.

I did get outside for a run. Maybe 25 degrees and foggy in the afternoon. Very odd.

Shower, food, and I read some this evening.

I'm feeling pretty good, overall.

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 01.21.2012

2012-01-21T21:29:00.002-05:00

What a great day!!

After breakfast and grocery shopping, I went to Owosso to meet KS for a much-needed visit. While we weren't at home, the staff at the Wrought Iron Grill were very accommodating, feeding us, keeping us watered, and me coffee'd. We lingered the afternoon, chatting and catching up. Thank you, KS, I had a great time!

A safe drive each way, as the roads had been plowed and salted, and the sun was shining in a clear blue sky, so they were mostly dry.

I had a quiet evening catching up on some reading.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to go outdoors and exercise.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 01.20.2012

2012-01-20T21:27:00.002-05:00

We had a busy day on our unit today. Add 3 Orientees to the mix, and that makes a lot of activity. Fortunately, we all work together well and we had a great day. Thanks to all my wonderful co-workers.

The drive home was 45 minutes, thanks to a snowstorm in 14 degree weather. The fine snowflakes swirled around, looking like heavy fog, with minimal visibility. So, slow travel it was. I got home safely, thank you God.

And a quiet night to end the day.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 01.19.2012

2012-01-19T21:54:00.002-05:00

A nice day today.

I slept fairly well for a nice change, with "warm-ups" that were at least tolerable.

I breakfasted and did a few things around the house before going to meet the Condominium Association Manager and doing my Presidential duty--signing checks.

The clouds had cleared and the wind had slowed, and even though it was cold, I went out for a run. It wasn't so bad. In fact, I enjoyed being out in the sun, hearing the crunch of the snow with each step. It helps to be dressed warmly enough, and I was.

I showered, ate, and went over to the salon where Dan's daughter Breon works for a haircut. It was good to see her, and she did a good job, too.

The rest of the evening was quiet.

Tomorrow is a workday.

The numbness under my arm was bothersome today. Not sure why, but I found myself noticing it, and I usually don't.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 01.18.2012

2012-01-18T20:37:00.003-05:00

Wow! If you're reading my blog from the blog site itself, I hope you noticed my new badge!! I was "noticed" and picked up by www.breastcancerblogs.org , operated by Blog Nation, who described my blog as this:

"Blogger Kathyjean uses her site as a journal in which the posts glisten with both raw honesty and everyday nonchalance. She updates her blog nearly every single day, infused with the nuances of "treatment leftovers" and praise for the gift of life."

Wow again.

I had a pretty good day today, starting with a safe drive to Jackson for a meeting. After the meeting, I met Frank and his friend C at Target, where we visited while finding clothing deals. That was fun.

I came home and had a snack before going over to Leah's for my Massaahhge. You know I needed that. She did a marvelous job, as always, and was surprised to find the series of small lumps in my arm and breast. She worked on the wound beds also, moving the lymph fluid that had been accumulating. Those places are sore tonight, but I'm happy to have the fluid moved out.

A quiet evening.

Tomorrow I hope to exercise, and I have an appointment with Breon to get my hair cut. It might be fun to see what creative things she can do with my hair.....

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 01.17.2012

2012-01-17T22:23:00.002-05:00

What a workday! Turned out that I was orienting one of the girls we had interviewed recently. Which is ok--great, even. She is smart and quick to learn and personable.

It was finally time to go home. Daniel had already left for the trailer, concerned that the weather was worsening. Seems he was called back to work tomorrow. *sad face*

Tomorrow I have a morning meeting, then a massage that I'm sooo ready for.

My upper left arm and both wound beds are sore, with some numbness around the incision lines.

Stay warm, and thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 01.16.2012

2012-01-16T21:14:00.002-05:00

I was getting ready for work this morning when the phone rang. On-call. I put my jammas back on and went back to bed. I was pleasantly surprised to have slept another couple of hours.

I had a leisurely breakfast and checked the weather site. Hm. Sunny, and going to 40 degrees today.

I went out for a jog. Wow--it felt like spring with a light, warm breeze.

Shower, and I fixed something for me to eat.

Daniel got home. He has done his laundry, and we've had a quiet night.

He has appointments tomorrow; I am scheduled to work.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 01.15.2012

2012-01-15T21:44:00.002-05:00

I had a good day today.

Drove up to Prudenville for my Uncle Carl's 90th birthday. Amazing.

There were just a few of us there--his son and daughter-in-law and their son, Carl's sister D, Carl's daughter and her husband.

It was really good for me to be there, to see another family taking care of their elder. Carl is definitely declining, though he still has his own ideas and can walk and toilet himself. He needs direction/encouragement. M and V (son and daughter-in-law) are doing a great job taking care of him. Thank you.

I enjoyed visiting with them.

I had a safe drive home, thank you God.

My left upper arm, along the lymph channel, is very sore and tender. I'm surprised (and happy) that my arm/hand has not blown up (swollen). I see Leah on Wednesday, and I know she will help my arm to feel better.

Tomorrow is a workday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 01.14.2012

2012-01-14T22:30:00.002-05:00

Kind of a low-key day today for me.

Beautiful snowy day--finally. We got a total of maybe 5 or so inches. There was a light snowfall most of the day, and barely a breeze.

I went out for a walk in the afternoon; I was surprised that I had been out for an hour. When I got back, I took the car to refuel, and picked up a couple things from the store.

I fixed my supper and ate, and had a quiet evening.

Tomorrow I'm going to Prudenville to celebrate my uncle's 90th birthday with him and some family. I am blessed to have these people in my life.

Hug 'em while you got 'em.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 01.13.2012 Lucky Day!!

2012-01-13T21:14:00.004-05:00

The winter storm that came through last night was mild, as far as snow storms go. There was about 2-3 inches of snow on the roads this morning--just enough to make it yucky to drive in. The highway had the right lane open, but the left lane just didn't work for me. The depth of the snow over there was just enough to grab the tires and pull. I had been able to travel about 50-55 mph, until I caught up with others who were slower. But I wasn't comfortable in the left lane, so I stayed behind, traveled safely, and watched as the semi trucks passed us, splashing all that road slush on us. Near Jackson, there was a car in the ditch, headlights beaming up into the sky. Lucky?? Sure--wheels were still on the ground with no apparent damage to the vehicle. Or to other vehicles.

We had a busy workday again, and again with a great group of co-workers. About 4 pm, I was ready to be done. Just be done. I took myself off the unit, went to the cafeteria for a few minutes, and regrouped. I made it to the end of the shift. Ahhhh, 7 pm.

I cleaned about 2 inches of snow from the car and started home. The roads were much better--both lanes open and wet, but almost dry. 24 degrees with a light wind.

I'm tired tonight, and hope to sleep.

Maybe I'll be able to get outside and exercise tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 01.12.2012

2012-01-12T21:13:00.002-05:00

A pretty good day today.

Kind of busy--barometric pressure changes bring in the laboring moms, and it was bustling on our floor. I'm proud to be a member of a great team. Thanks to all my co-workers for their hard work.

Although I had to scrape about 1/4 inch of frozen, snowy ice from the car, and it was blowing and snowing still, my drive home wasn't as bad as I had thought it might be. Just slowed down a bit, and I arrived home safely, thank you God.

A quiet evening and I'm off to bed, to get up at 0425 and do it again.

That wound bed in the left breast was bothersome again late this afternoon. I noticed the axillary scar is reddened and itchy, too. I don't know--maybe radiation effects?? Maybe lymph fluid?? Maybe I should just quit trying to label it, and "it is what it is"? Anyway, that's what this blog is about, sharing the oddities of breast cancer treatment and it's aftereffects. And by sharing, we find out that "we're not the only one" experiencing these oddities.

So, I thank you for reading. And sharing. Hugs.

Wednesday 01.11.2012

2012-01-11T20:34:00.002-05:00

It was a good day today.

Started out sunny and quiet, 27 degrees when I got up about 8. The sun warmed up enough that I went out for a run with the zip sweatshirt and gloves. Must have been close to 40 when I got back in. The birds were singing like spring. Awesomely beautiful.

Shower, then food.

Dan came back from wherever he went while I was gone; we had a quiet few hours before he went over to his friend's house. He came back, but has left for the trailer. Humph.

I know, I know. Thankful for our jobs.

I had a quiet rest of the day/evening.

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 01.10.2012

2012-01-10T20:08:00.002-05:00

What a beautiful day today!! Although extremely uncharacteristic for January. 48-50 degrees. Clear blue sky. Just awesome.

I went to a meeting in Jackson for a couple hours, and after I got home, and Daniel got back from wherever he was, we went out for early supper before he went out with "the guys".

I went to Meijer to pick up a few items, as well as stopped for a car wash.

We had a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is unplanned, other than he will be going back to the trailer. *sad face*

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 01.09.2012

2012-01-09T20:22:00.002-05:00

I slept, but not much. Awake a lot during the night, and sometime after 5 I dozed to the radio for a couple hours.

I breakfasted and checked out the internet. The weather showed that it was supposed to be sunny, but the cloud cover was quite solid. I went out for a run. While I was out, it got a little brighter. Almost sunny. I like to think of that as God smiling on me.

Shower, and caught up on household chores, taking the trash up to the dumpster, and more stuff to the storage unit.

Daniel got in about 7pm. We had a quiet evening.

I have a meeting tomorrow; not sure what else is happening.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 01.08.2012

2012-01-08T21:41:00.002-05:00

We had a pretty good workday today, with a great group of co-workers. They are the best. The last few hours, though, I got almost steady busy, and even ended up staying over a bit to finish up with a breastfeeding couplet. (who was successful, I'm very happy to say)

The full moon was shining in the morning on the way down; on the drive both down and back the smell of skunk wafted by a couple two or three times. This weather has all of us confused.

Tomorrow I hope to exercise, as well as get over to the storage unit.

I'm feeling pretty good, too. Surprised that the wound bed on the breast has been sore the last couple of days, making itself known. It really doesn't need to do that--I know it's there.

Prayers to those who are dealing with health issues--both the patients and their families.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 01.07.2012

2012-01-07T20:50:00.002-05:00

Another workday.

Which was pretty good, with a great group of co-workers.

Home, now.

A quiet evening.

Repeat, tomorrow.

I'm feeling pretty good, too, thank you God, complete with hot flashes.

Please pray for mothers who are declining, and for those who love them.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 01.06.2012

2012-01-06T21:33:00.002-05:00

What a beautiful day again today!!! An awesome 50 degrees, in blue skies.

I went out for a run; started with a sweatshirt, removed that and continued in a t-shirt and long pants. And I had the thought that it was almost warm enough for shorts!!

Shower, laundry and other household chores. The rest of the seasonal decor has been collected and most of the "everyday" stuff returned to their places.

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

I've felt pretty good today, but those hot flashes are happening with the frequency and intensity that are bothersome.

I'm happy to be alive and cancer free.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 01.05.2012

2012-01-05T19:59:00.002-05:00

I slept pretty good again last night, thank you God. I woke, though, a few times with those hot flashes. Today, I compared the labels from last month's and this month's letrazole (generic Femara, made in India), and this month is a different lot number. I think I'm in for another 27 days of hot flashes...

It was a beautiful day today. Blue sky with just a few thin clouds, and temperature reached 40 degrees. Awesome!! But quite odd for a Michigan January. It should be frozen, with sub-zero wind chills.

I went out for gas and groceries, and also had a nice run.

Tomorrow I'm going to try a "live feed" meeting, instead of driving to Jackson again.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 01.04.2012

2012-01-04T21:04:00.002-05:00

I slept pretty good last night, though I did wake up hot a few times.

I got up and ready to go to Jackson for a meeting. On the way, I was caught in a traffic stoppage for about 1/2 hour. It seems someone had robbed a pharmacy, drove northbound into Lansing, then southbound, and was finally stopped just north of Leslie. The person (aka "perp") had been taken away long before traffic was allowed to move again, but the vehicle was still in the middle of the right hand lane, all doors open. Very strange to drive by that.

After the meeting, I had a reflexology appointment with Leah, which was wonderful, as always.

The rest of the evening was quiet--reading, exploring the world wide web, etc.

I hope it's a nice day tomorrow, so I can get outside and exercise.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 01.03.2012

2012-01-03T20:08:00.002-05:00

I had a pretty good day today, overall.

This morning was cold--low 20's--but the sun was peeking through. Dan went for his appointments, and I went out for a run. I was pleased that I had figured out how to dress, and was not cold, even with the wind bringing the wind chill down.

Shower, breakfast, and I left for a meeting in Jackson.

From there I met Daniel at Olive Garden for our Anniversary Dinner, which went well. Yummy food, dessert on the house, and half of the meal paid for by gift card. When we left, he went on back to the trailer and I went back home.

A quiet evening.

Tomorrow I have another meeting in Jackson, and see Leah after that.

My left upper arm is achy and making itself known. Lymph?? My hand doesn't look full...

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 01.02.2012

2012-01-02T21:12:00.002-05:00

What a weird day...

I woke up feeling startled, almost disoriented. I looked at the clock--5:18. Hm. Then I wondered what day it was, and did I have to work?? I think I do, but why did the radio not come on?? Ugh....I'd better call the hospital.

I reached over for my phone and turned it on. When I got to the dialer/number pad, somehow I kept toggling the screen to something else, and I was confused. Why can't I make the phone work?? I finally got it, and called the unit. When my co-worker answered, I identified myself and asked her if I was working today. She laughed a little, and said yes. I told her that I had just awakened and would be about an hour or so late. No problem, be safe, she said, there was snow down there.

I got ready and on the way. It had just started snowing here, but the further south I got, the more yuckier it was. The highway was mostly one lane travel, but speed was still 60-65 or so. I was surprised that I made it just a half hour later than scheduled.

We had a good workday, with great co-workers.

The drive home was frozen, as the temperature had dropped to low 20's. Where the pavement had been wet was now glare ice with a light dusting of snow. Fortunately, the highway was mostly dry, with only a few areas of that ice. The main road into the complex, though, was mostly that ice, with just hints of pavement here and there.

Dan was home and had a load of laundry done. We visited a short bit before he fell asleep in his chair.

Tomorrow he has appointments and I have a meeting in Jackson. We have a dinner date to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. Time flies....

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 01.01.2012 Another New Year...

2012-01-01T20:40:00.002-05:00

Amazing how time flies.

I had a wonderful day yesterday with my very dear friend V. We hadn't seen each other in a couple of years, and we had a lot to catch up on. To my surprise, it was after 11 pm when I saw the clock--holy crap!! I've got to get going---almost a 2 hour drive home, and I had to work today.

I got home safely, thank you God, and settled into bed about 0115 for a power nap, waking a couple times before the radio came on at 0430. Up and at 'em...

We had a great workday with a great group of girls. I was pretty tired, though, and was soooo thankful that it was an eight-hour day today.

When I got home, I promptly changed into my comfy clothes and closed my eyes. I was surprised that I only slept about 15 minutes, and I've been awake the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow is a workday, too. There is a winter storm advisory until 0700, but not much more than gusty winds and occasional flurries are happening so far here. I do hope there's not a lot of snow for me to navigate in the morning.

And other than being tired, I'm pretty good. Thank you God for this life.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 12.30.2011

2011-12-30T21:36:00.002-05:00

Another workday. Busy, but ok, with a great group of co-workers.

It's rained all day, and the little bit of snow that was on the ground is now gone. The temperature on the drive home was 41 degrees. Odd, isn't it, for the last of December??

Tomorrow I'm taking a bit of a drive to visit my dear friend V. You know how you think of someone and say "oh, we should get together..." Well, we're getting together. And I'm looking forward to it.

I forgot to mention yesterday that both of my breasts have been sore and tender for a couple of days. Which makes me go "hmm". Not unlike the "monthly" tenderness I used to have. The question is, Why?? My hormone levels should be absolutely flatline. I still wonder about the generic Femara (letrazole) made in India. And you know that I'll be talking to Doctor about it in January. (Today they are not as sore.)

And it's New Year's Eve. Of course, Daniel has to be at the casino, and I'm scheduled to work on the First, so we won't be together. *sad face*

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 12.29.2011

2011-12-29T20:05:00.002-05:00

I had a pretty good day today. Slept fairly well, overall.

It's interesting that the hot flashes are much less often and much less intense with the generic letrazole (Femara) that's made in India. I did have a doozy of a flash though this afternoon. "Reminded me of the old days..." Note that I did not say "good".

I got the second bathroom, and guest bedroom cleaned, bedding and all. Ready for the next guest.

And Christmas is almost put away, too.

Tomorrow is a workday. (I'm secretly hoping to be called off in the morning...)

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 12.28.2011

2011-12-28T21:19:00.002-05:00

We had a good day today. The sun was out, but it was cold.

We went to lunch with Dan's friend, A, and A's friend H. I had not been to P.F.Chang's -- it was very good, (though a bit over-priced, even if it was lunchtime. I enjoyed the food as well as the company. Thank you, A.

When we got back to the house, I couldn't keep my eyes open; I laid down for a 20 minute rest. But the sky was clear blue, and I had to get outdoors. I was glad I took a scarf, as the temperature was about 25, but the wind chill felt about 10. Whew!--Winter has arrived!

Not long after I got back inside, Dan left to go back to the trailer. *sad face*

I've had a quiet night, and am sleepy.

Not sure what's doing tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 12.27.2011

2011-12-27T21:49:00.002-05:00

A good workday today, even though I didn't sleep more than an hour or so last night. (Daniel was sleeping noisily.)

We had wet snow all day today in Jackson. I was happy that the roads were only wet and almost slushy. I didn't have to clean the car off, either, as it was mostly melted. A safe drive home, thank you God.

Tomorrow we have a lunch date with the "trailer dwellers"--Dan's friend who's travel trailer is at the JC. And Dan will go back to being a "trailer dweller" too.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 12.26.2011

2011-12-26T22:21:00.002-05:00

What a great day today!

Kris helped me get the turkey stuffed and in the pan, and went on her way for the afternoon.

Frank came up about 1:30, and we enjoyed the afternoon together, taking a short walk in the clear blue sky sunshine. Lovely.

Nick showed up about 4:30, just as we had begun to carve the bird. We three went ahead and ate, as the girls (Bre and Kris) and Daniel weren't here yet. They all showed up, though, and we didn't have much in the way of leftovers.

We had our gift exchange with Frank after getting the kitchen mostly cleaned up. Bre and Nick left after a bit, and Kris did, too. Frank wandered out about 9:30, and Dan went to bed.

I'm tired, and my back hurt, but a little tylenol and motrin helped the discomfort.

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 12.25.2011 Christmas Day

2011-12-25T21:09:00.003-05:00

I ended up working today, and it was a pretty good day, overall. And it was only 8 hours.

This afternoon/evening I made a pumpkin pie. (with molasses...)

Tomorrow I'm fixing a small turkey and Holiday Salad. I miss our "family food". And I wanted my house to smell good. If Frank doesn't come up I'm going to have a lot of leftovers.

My hips are a little sore--that happens when I jog/run consecutive days. But I had to get out in the sun...

I hope everyone had a blesssed day today.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 12.24.2011

2011-12-24T20:40:00.002-05:00

Kind of a slow day today.

I put the final touches on the Christmas decor and the wrapped the last packages.

The sun had come out this afternoon, and I couldn't resist going outdoors--I went out for a run in the sun. That felt really nice.

Shower and a snack, and a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is a workday, unless I get the morning phone call.

Thank you for reading.

And remember, Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

Christmas Hugs.

Friday 12.23.2011

2011-12-23T21:40:00.003-05:00

I was disappointed to see the clouds this morning--I was hoping to be able to run in the sun.

But, alas, I went out in overcast, 28-degee weather.

Breakfast, then shower.

Over to daughter Kim's for the Jacque Christmas.

Kris, Kim, Bre, Dan, Kathy, Frank. Our blended family, minus Jeremy.

We had a nice afternoon. Dan left work early to join us, stayed a couple hours, and went on back.

Kris had an event to get to, and we left a short while later.

I've had a quiet evening--candles and soft music.

I've felt pretty good again today. Thank you God.

We'll see what tomorrow brings....

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 12.22.2011

2011-12-22T23:12:00.002-05:00

Drizzly gloomy day again today.

I worked; it was busy.

A safe drive home in the snain (snow/rain mix).

Kris and I had an enjoyable evening, listening to some quiet music.

Tomorrow we go to the Jacque Christmas, and I get to see my husband. (I've been missing him)

I'm feeling pretty good tonight, too, other than being tired.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 12.21.2011

2011-12-21T21:55:00.002-05:00

Whew. Another workday. And we were busy. Total of 17 discharges--rooms cleaned and the influx of patients to fill the unit again. Ugh.

The day finally ended, 12 1/2 hours later, and I was able to leave.

I went over to Lauretta's for a much needed haircut. Thank you for helping me look good!

A safe drive home, thank you God, and Kris was there! Yippee!! We had a nice evening, talking and catching up. It's good to see her.

Tomorrow is a workday for me, and I'm tired tonight.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 12.20.2011

2011-12-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

I'm happy to say I slept pretty good and woke up feeling rested. Thank you God.

I've done a few errands today, grocering, post office, car wash. Cleaned house, guest bedroom readied.

I work tomorrow, and Kris called to say her friends were asking her to stay another night with them. So, she'll be coming tomorrow, too.

Come on, Christmas.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 12.19.2011

2011-12-19T23:49:00.002-05:00

Dan was up and out this morning, a couple errands he needed to get done. When he got back, we wrapped gifts. Almost done!!

He ended up leaving to go back for a meeting this afternoon. Ugh. This salaried position is requiring a lot of his time.

I went out for a run. It was a balmy 47 degrees.

The rest of the evening was quiet.

Tomorrow his daughter Kris will be joining me for several days. I'm looking forward to seeing her.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 12.18.2011

2011-12-18T20:49:00.002-05:00

I worked yesterday, but my wonderful co-workers (and the workload) made it possible for me to leave just after 5 pm so I could go to the "Sanders Christmas Sing--South". The roads were less than optimal, with a snow that had been falling most of the day, almost melting on the pavement; the overpasses were glazing over making my heart beat.

I made it safely to Holt, thank you God, and met Frank, who also had arranged for someone to cover his work hours, at the Park and Ride. He made it safely, too, thanks again.

We drove over to Grand Blanc. The roads improved about halfway there, and we arrived at the beautiful Mortimer residence safely. The remaining guests arrived and we got the party started.

And what a lovely party it was. We enjoyed the music, singing, family, and fellowship. This is what Christmas is all about for me. And for most, if not all, of the rest of my family.

We left somewhere around 11 pm and got back to Holt about midnight, the highway having been salted and much better driving. Frank continued on his way home and I got myself ready for work in the morning.

After maybe 3 hours of sleep, I got up and back on the road to Jackson, which was mostly dry. It seemed the car had barely cooled off...

We had another great workday, with great co-workers, and we were able to leave in a timely manner.

Dan was home when I got home. We had a quiet night.

Not sure what we'll be doing tomorrow before he goes back.

I'm hoping to sleep tonight....

Thank you for reading. Fa la la la la.

Friday 12.16.2011

2011-12-16T22:27:00.002-05:00

Another Good Day!! I sure like it when I'm feeling good--better than I have in, probably, years. Since Before Cancer. Even with the heart acting up, though the last few weeks it has been less frequent and less intense. Thank you God.

I had a wonderful massage with Leah. And after a shower and a bite to eat, I went out for fuel for the vehicle and fuel for the body.

The rest of the evening, I got several of the gifts wrapped. Just about ready for Christmas.

Work tomorrow, and the Sanders' Christmas Sing South tomorrow night. I'm ready...

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 12.15.2011

2011-12-15T21:39:00.002-05:00

I had another good day!! Loving it....

The rain stopped mid-morning. When I went out for a jog it was 52 degrees and overcast. Very interesting. The air felt like humid Florida.

Food and shower.

I sorted through clothing and did some laundry. Phone calls, picking away at chores.

Tomorrow is massaahge with Leah. Oh, Yeah.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 12.14.2011

2011-12-14T22:12:00.002-05:00

I had a good day today.

Washed bedding, getting ready for Holiday Houseguest--Daniel's daughter Kris from Colorado. Although I don't know what days/nights exactly, just that she's planning to spend a few nights here. Last I heard....

Did some Christmas shopping, made good progress. Just about done.

A quiet evening, and hope to sleep well tonight.

Thank you to all who may have prayed for the surgical outcome--it turned out well. (No, not me.)

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 12.13.2011

2011-12-13T21:33:00.002-05:00

I had a good workday with great co-workers.

My heart is flip-flopping tonight; a little unnerving, although it hasn't been as "busy" as it was.

Reason?? Maybe because the last two refills of the Femara/letrazole has been a different generic. Manufactured in India. And what is their quality control?? I've "googled" Indian drug manufacturing quality control, and didn't get too far.

Tomorrow is unplanned, though I have a few holiday tasks that could be done.

And the prayer hotline is lit up for those having surgery tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 12.12.2011

2011-12-12T22:30:00.002-05:00

Another Beautiful Day!

I got up and ready for work. Well, almost ready. I was just going to "do" my hair when the phone rang. It was my turn to be on-call. Umm. Ok... So put my pj's back on and climbed back into bed. Ahhh.

Dan got up to do his errands. When one of his afternoon appointments was cancelled, his face brightened. He was able to "go hit some golf balls" at the golf dome, which was as pleasant way to fill that unexpected time slot.

While he was gone, I went out for a jog in the beautiful sunshine. Wow. I took of my gloves, then my insulated sweatshirt. And pulled up my sleeves. It was at least 40 degrees. My forearms were a little pink when I got in, and they still look "healthy" tonight.

When he got back, we ate, he got his things, and left.

A quiet evening.

I work tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 12.11.2011

2011-12-11T20:57:00.002-05:00

Beautiful, sunshiny day today.

We had a quiet morning, and decided to go out for breakfast. The first restaurant was overflow parking in the lot--we passed, and went over to Flap Jack Shack instead. I don't usually go out for breakfast--overpriced as I see it. And it was. But it was nice to sit across the table from my Daniel.

From there we made a couple more stops--Home Depot for a specialty light bulb, then over to Meijer for a few groceries.

Back home, it was a quiet afternoon.

He went over to his friend's, and I did some coursework. When he got back we had supper, and a quiet evening.

I'm scheduled to work tomorrow; he has a list for his day tomorrow.

I've felt pretty good today, thank you God.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 12.10.2011

2011-12-10T20:05:00.002-05:00

Slept pretty good, yippee! The sun was shining and the birds were noisy when I woke.

A quiet morning, and breakfast while I waited for the temperature to warm a little before going out for a jog. When I did go out, it was about 28 degrees with a light breeze. I wondered what the wind chill was.... But the sun was warm.

I cooled off, got ingredients out for supper.

We ate when Dan got home. He went back out to get gas for his car; when he got back, he said the price had gone up almost 10 cents/gallon. Geesh.

A quiet night.

Tomorrow I have to go to Jackson for a "drill" that we're doing for our staff, and later I have a Dinner Date with my husband. I'm looking forward to it.

And I've felt pretty good today.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 12.09.2011

2011-12-09T23:32:00.002-05:00

I was pleased that I slept as well as I did. Thank you God. My head was just a bit sore, but sure felt like the migraine was ending. Thanks again.

An almost slippery drive in the snow--traffic was just a little slower this morning.

Busy on the unit today, but we got through it. Thanks to the great co-workers who support each other.

Finally, a safe drive home, and a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and Daniel comes home, too.

Hmm, maybe I'll cook something...

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 12.08.2011

2011-12-08T22:52:00.002-05:00

What a Day!!

Meeting from 10-1 in Jackson, errands until dental appointment. Waited 40 minutes--have never waited longer than 5 or 10 minutes EVER in the 28 years I've been to that office. My anxiety level was rising.

After the x-rays were done, the hygienist sees something "suspicious". Crap. The new dentist (what? there's a new guy? yep--fresh out of school...) comes in and picks around and looks. Seems I have 3 new (small) cavities that need attention. CRAP again.

Since Deb had already done the scraping part of the cleaning, all that was left was the polishing part. I told her I had to defer the polishing--it was now 3:30. I had to pick up Sandy and Allison yet, get back to Holt, load the car, unload the car at the clubhouse and set up for my 5:00 party.

Over at Sandy's, (we missed picking Allison up from school, so now we waited for the bus) we visited a bit. Allison arrived, and we were on the way by 3:50.

And it was a good drive home, thank you God.

Got turned around and to the clubhouse about 4:50, and Tom and KS pulled in as I opened the trunk. Bruce, Bruce, and Diane came in a few minutes after them, and a couple more shortly after. Between the group of us, we got the place set up.

It was a small turnout, but we had a lot of fun, eating, talking and singing. Diane had brought her keyboard with her, and she brought it in and played/accompanied us. Thanks, Diane, your music was a wonderful contribution.

Thanks to all who helped set up and break down and carry stuff back upstairs with me. We made quick work of it, and I've got things sorted, washed up, and mostly put away.

I enjoyed seeing everyone.

Now I'm fighting a migraine.

Tomorrow is a workday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 12.07.2011

2011-12-07T23:30:00.002-05:00

Busy day today.

Unable to sleep after the school buses went by, I got up and started the day. I had computer stuff to do, then breakfast.

The majority of the afternoon was food prep for the Singing Party tomorrow night, (Thursday). Aspen Lakes Clubhouse, 5-9 pm, Potluck at 5pm.

Sloppy joes made, veggies cleaned and cut for the crudites plate. All the miscellaneous stuff collected to take to the clubhouse--trays, serveware, etc.--and boxed. And boxes carried downstairs, ready to load into the car. The list of last minute "remembers" tomorrow is pretty short.

I also got out for a jog this afternoon, when the sun was shining. Bonus! Thank you, God!

Tomorrow I'm in Jackson: meetings and appointments. I'll get back home and load the car, freshen up, and get the party started!!

Looking forward to seeing those of you that can come, and thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 12.06.2011

2011-12-06T22:37:00.002-05:00

A long, busy workday. Glad it's over.

The drive home was ok, but with the temperature hovering at 31/32 degrees and light wet snow, the overpasses threatened to be greasy. But I got home safely, thank you God.

A quiet night with the occasional flip-flopping heartbeat.

Tomorrow I'll do the food prep for the Singing Party on Thursday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 12.05.2011

2011-12-05T20:55:00.002-05:00

What a day!

I had someone work the first part of the day for me, and was called and told that they wouldn't need me for the last four hours of the shift. Ok!!

I did a bunch of paperwork,and after being told not to come in to work, I weeded though some stuff that needed weeded (successfully, I might add), made a trip to the storage unit and the grocery store. Bonus afternoon!

I've felt pretty good today, overall.

Tomorrow is a workday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 12.04.2011

2011-12-04T20:25:00.002-05:00

Started out a gloomy, drizzly day, stopped drizzling in the afternoon, then rain again this evening. I didn't sleep well, which surprised me.

We went out late morning, picking up a few things we each wanted.

He went over to his friend's house again this evening.

A quiet night.

I work the last 4 hours of the shift tomorrow; not sure when he'll be going back to the trailer.

I had a short period of heart irregularity this afternoon that didn't last very long, and I don't want to feel any this evening, either. Time will tell....

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 12.03.2011

2011-12-03T23:39:00.002-05:00

I didn't sleep as much as I thought I would...but I didn't have to get up early, and had a quiet morning. I enjoyed breakfast, did a couple chores, then went out for a jog. While I was out, the gloomy sky had a brief opening, and the almost-sun broke through. I took it as God smiling on me.

After a shower, I got some food ready for when Daniel came in. He had brought his bedding and towels home this time, and he got the laundry started.

We had a quiet evening; he ended up going over to his friend's house to watch the last half of the MSU football game.

Not sure what we're doing tomorrow; I'm just happy to see him.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 12.02.2011

2011-12-02T23:07:00.002-05:00

What a day!

Somehow my alarm got turned off, and I woke about a half hour late. And I was grateful that I woke when I did. I had been sleeping pretty good...

I left on time, taking the rest of my breakfast with me. And I see that it's been snowing. Lots of slush on the roads, making for slower travel. It was the kind of slush that grabs the wheels and can pull you off the road.

Like it did for a minivan in the median just a few miles down the road.

I made it safely and was happy to see the shuttle there.

Our day on the floor was very busy. I had a good day, but a rough one. I'm glad to be clocked out and home.

A quiet evening.

I noticed during the night that my heart was still irregular, but I had been able to sleep some. And tonight it's bopping around at times, also. Still not ready to take a daily pill for it.

Tomorrow I hope to get the rest of the seasonal decor done, with a trip to the storage unit. And I hope the weather is such that I can go out for a jog.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 12.01.2011

2011-12-01T20:33:00.002-05:00

Another workday, that turned out ok after all. I was pulled off to do interviews--4 of them--and the co-worker left on the floor did a great job taking over. Thanks, Kim S.! You Rock!!

When I returned, I stepped back in. It was pretty easy to pick up where we were and the rest of the afternoon/evening went by.

A safe drive home, thank you God.

And a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is another workday.

My heart is flip-flopping around tonight. I hope it settles down.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 11.30.2011 Snowy Day

2011-11-30T20:56:00.002-05:00

I knew that the "storm" was happening when I went to bed last night. I had listened to the police scanner and heard that vehicles were sliding off the road into ditches, and getting stuck on the roadways as well, including the city buses ! and the police cars themselves. One call I heard was that a tow truck itself had gotten somewhere it couldn't get out of, and had to wait for another to pull it out. Wow!

It sure was snowing and blowing last night.

I woke to blue skies and sunshine glittering on the white snow. And lots of it.

We had 8-9 inches here. The roads in the complex didn't get plowed until about 7:30am, and that wasn't hand shoveling. I still shoveled directly in front of the garage door--I don't think the car could have gotten through it.

I went out late morning to do errands. Pharmacy, grocery, etc.

The sun was pleasantly warm, melting the salted roads, so they were pretty good. I took a side road back home--the roads were not as clear, and there had been branches down in the road, as well as larger limbs and even a couple of trees. The roads were passable, having already been cleared.

Back home, I've cleaned and tried to organize some stuff, gathering what's needed for the Singing Party on the 8th. Come on up!

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 11.29.2011

2011-11-29T20:43:00.002-05:00

What a day!

I slept pretty good last night, thank you God. I enjoyed breakfast and a lovely shower, then went over to the storage unit, taking over the autumn decor and bringing back the Christmas stuff.

The rain turned to sleet, with the icy pellets blowing against the windows. The older I get the more I don't like storms. I called Daniel and we talked for a bit.

I also tried to keep busy--cleaned the foyer and the stairs, emptied, cleaned and reassembled the china cabinet. Set up the tree, but haven't decorated it yet. I did get the wreath on the door.

A bite to eat, another couple of phone calls, and the snow is about 2 inches all over everything. It's wet, so it's sticking to the branches and such. Beautiful.

Tomorrow is more of today--finish the decorating, maybe go back to the storage unit.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 11.28.2011

2011-11-28T21:40:00.002-05:00

I slept kind of fair, waking earlier than I thought I would. I got up, thinking I would go out for a run before my appointment with Leah.

But it was 33 degrees, and the hourly projection on weather.com showed that it would warm up to low 40's with sunshine. I decided to wait 'til the clouds moved out.

Leah did a great job, as always. My feet feel so much better this evening.

When I got back, I got ready and went out for the jog, though the heavy overcast never did go away today.

I had a quiet rest of the day, and am ready for bed tonight.

Tomorrow is errands.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 11.27.2011

2011-11-27T23:17:00.000-05:00

Another workday, which turned out to be a pretty good day, again. Great co-workers and a nice group of patients make a 12 1/2 hour day pleasantly tolerable. Thank you to all my team mates.

A rainy drive home.

Daniel chose not to come home tonight, as he would need to go back tomorrow night. He did not mention a compensatory day since he worked extra yesterday. Again, the joys of a salaried position.

Tomorrow I have errands to do, one of them includes a Reflexology appointment with Leah. And if it stops raining, I could go out for a jog.

Feeling pretty good today, too, thank you God.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 11.26.2011

2011-11-26T21:05:00.002-05:00

Slept fair; got up for work. Which turned out to be a pretty good day, thank you God.

Dan came home for his two days off, only to be called to say that he had to come back in the morning. Ack!! The joys of being salaried...

I work again tomorrow.

I felt pretty good today, too. Just a little niggle of soreness from that good stretching/warm up that I did before going out for my run yesterday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 11.25.2011

2011-11-25T20:18:00.002-05:00

Oh My Goodness, What a Beautiful Day!!!

The sun was shining, though it looks like a "winter sun" to me--kind of pale and low in the sky. But warm none-the-less.

I waited a bit after breakfasting to go out, and had a nice run. I am so blessed to be feeling good and able to be active and enjoy this life. Praise God!

I made a dent on the chores, getting the upstairs/loft vacuumed and the majority of the dust moved around. We both have put a few boxes up there that need attention. I kind of just moved them around, too, neatening up collections.

Supper and a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is a workday; Dan comes home tomorrow night, too. I'll be happy to see him.

Enjoy God's world, and the people around you. Hugs.

Thursday 11.24.2011

2011-11-24T22:41:00.002-05:00

I slept pretty good, though not as well as the night before. I got up about 0830.

Breakfast, shower, selected the wardrobe for the day.

I met Daniel at a park and ride location and we went together over to his brother B's house.

There were lots of folks there. Maybe 35.

We had a great afternoon that included an informal photo shoot. Those images will be treasures.

A safe drive home, thank you God, and a quiet night.

Tomorrow has household chores on the list.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 11.23.2011

2011-11-23T20:44:00.002-05:00

What a beautiful day!!!

Blue skies and mild temperatures.

It rained most of the night, and I slept really well, waking only a couple of times. Thank you God. When I woke the sun was shining, and the birds (I call them the winter birds) were noisy. I was surprised to hear of the black ice and many crashes this morning on the roads.

I had breakfast, and waited for the sun to warm up a little. When I did go out for a jog, I ended up in short sleeves and long pants, plenty comfortable.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to meeting up with Daniel and visiting with his family. Hope the roads stay good.

May we remember the gifts of life and love, thank God for our blessings, and be kind to each other.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Tuesday 11.22.2011

2011-11-22T23:08:00.000-05:00

Worked.

Busy.

Tired.

Dark.

Raining.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 11.21.2011

2011-11-21T21:40:00.002-05:00

I slept fairly well, though I had to get up about halfway through to go to work. And let me just say, I'm thankful to have a job.

And the j.o.b. was busy today. But with a great group of co-workers, we had a great day.

A safe drive home and a quiet evening.

Thank you God for this life.

And thank you for reading.

Hugs.

Sunday 11.20.2011

2011-11-20T21:10:00.002-05:00

Dan was up early this morning, and I couldn't go back to sleep, either. He got up and went to breakfast with his guy friends--and then golfing---

I had a quiet day. Cleaned the kitchen, 2 loads of laundry, walked up to the clubhouse/trash compactor. Fixed food and ate and cleaned up after that....

Dan went back to the trailer from the golf course.

I've had a quiet evening, too.

Tomorrow is a workday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 11.19.2011

2011-11-19T22:48:00.002-05:00

Yay!! I finally slept!! I was very surprised to see that it was after 6 o'clock when I opened my eyes and looked over. Not believing, I turned and looked at the other clock. Yup--it's after 6 alright. And I don't remember waking up since 11:30. Finally. Every once in a while it happens...

I dozed back off, too, waking again just after 9. I got up and wandered about, checking out the day.

I ended up going out for a run in the odd weather. Thermometer shows 45, it's overcast and gusty. So I get out there, and it feels about 50. Maybe the wind was warm and humid?

Breakfast and shower.

I read some, listened to music, sorted and repacked some stuff, played the piano for a while. Dan called to say he was on the way home; he arrived about 7.

We had a quiet evening.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 11.18.2011

2011-11-18T22:49:00.002-05:00

Worked today--busy in the morning, busy in the afternoon. Finally able to leave at 7pm.

It was cold this morning; 26 degrees on the way down. 42 degrees on the way back. I wore a neck scarf with my coat.

Tomorrow I hope to rest and catch up on some household things.

I'm tired tonight.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 11.17.2011

2011-11-17T19:46:00.002-05:00

Didn't sleep much last night, other than a couple of 1 & 1/2 hour blocks. And woke with the back of my neck starting to ache like a migraine. I got up and ate and took tylenol and motrin, hoping it wasn't going to get any worse.

After breakfast, I went to Jackson for the annual health physical with Dr. Taylor. First stop, scales. Today's weight was 148 pounds, down from 167 in October of 2010!!!! Woo Hoo!!! 19 pounds off!! It's hard to believe I had collected so much. But it's gone now... Since I now see a gynecologist, that part didn't need to be done, but he did look over my skin, moles, spider veins, bigger veins, etc. Asked a lot of questions, listened a lot. He had some good suggestions for the near future, which I will consider and likely pursue.

I'll see him again next year, or sooner if I get sick. Ugh. Hope not.

When I got back home I took another dose of tylenol and motrin, and Daniel and I went out shopping. He wanted a new mid-weight jacket, and he picked up a couple of shirts for work, too. We met Breon, his daughter, for supper, and enjoyed our visit with her.

Back home, he went off to see the chiropractor before going to visit a friend of his.

I've had a quiet evening, catching up on some internet stuff.

Tomorrow is a workday, and could be busy. I hope I sleep tonight. My head is just a little sore, but I think the headache itself is gone.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 11.16.2011

2011-11-16T21:15:00.002-05:00

Although I slept fairly well, considering. I woke about 7 and didn't doze again, and just got up. I really don't like being up that early, but I started laundry. I considered going out for a run, but I was too hungry to not eat, so I enjoyed breakfast instead.

To my surprise, I had a few episodes of diarrhea--so much so that I needed to shower! What?!?!? Fortunately I felt better in the early afternoon, and went out for a run in the sunshine. Lovely!

I made a pot of chicken-y potato soup, and when Dan got home we ate. We had some general conversation and a quiet night. And he fell asleep in the chair about 7:30.

Tomorrow is my physical exam with Doctor Taylor in Jackson.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 11.15.2011

2011-11-15T22:50:00.002-05:00

I slept some last night, almost waking when the radio came on. Then the song got real quiet, there was a pause, and I dozed back off. The music crescendo'd--oh, I did hear the radio. Ugh. Time to get up...

The first part of the day was extremely busy. The car was taken to Discount Tire for the tires to be rotated, and I thought they were looking a little worn on tread. When I had gotten out the paperwork, they are 45,000 mile tires. Hm, they've got 40k on them now. (I've done a lot of driving the last couple of years...)

The guy called, saying they were worn, blah, blah, blah. And with Michigan winter coming up...The bottom line is that I bought 4 new tires, making a deal for less than what he initially quoted. Good job, me!

I had a challenge taking care of "business" and being so busy, but I had to take care of me, first. We finally slowed down some in the afternoon, thank you God.

A safe drive home, thanks again. I saw at least 5 deer carcasses along the road on the way home. Ick.

A quiet night; a couple of phone calls (thank you KS) and a load of laundry.

My heart has started flopping around again this evening. Definite Ugh.

Tomorrow is chores.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 11.14.2011

2011-11-14T21:19:00.002-05:00

I didn't hardly sleep last night, finally shutting down sometime after 3. The alarm woke me at 0425. Agh.

I did surprisingly well at work, having a "sleepy time" about 4pm. I went for a walk, had a hot beverage, and revived.

A safe drive home, a quiet evening. Off to bed.

Tomorrow is another workday.

My heart has been just a little out of whack, which I find surprising, too. Oh, I'm very ok with it. Hope I can sleep...

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 11.13.2011

2011-11-13T23:45:00.002-05:00

Ahhh. I finally slept last night.

I went out for a jog--54 degrees, overcast, and windy at the lake. Away from the lake, though, it was quite pleasant.

When I got back, KS got ready and left. Jeremy and I had breakfast, then went out to rake and burn what leaves we could. It was really windy, and we were diligent about flying ash. No extracurricular fires needed.

We finished the leaves, and as I was putting things away, having a last look around for "winter readiness", I realized the trickle charger wasn't on the boat battery, so we took care of that.

Ok, looks like I'm ready for snow.

Jeremy left to go to his hunting camp, and I did the "closing chores", finally leaving about 5:15. Later than I had wanted, but Dan had called, and I talked with him a while.

A safe drive home, thank you God, even though it was creepy. The wind became stronger and more gusty the further south I got, and north of Flint the temperature rose to 65 degrees. As I approached Lansing, there was lightening in the northwest, and a waning full moon in the south. The wind was bumping against the car; I just wanted to get home.

And I did.

Unloaded, unpacked, turned around and ready for work tomorrow.

It rained here; the wind has eased a bit.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 11.12.2011

2011-11-12T23:21:00.002-05:00

I'm happy to say I slept pretty good last night. I had awakened about 2, wondering where my Jeremy was, on his way to Michigan, as he could be arriving soon. I had dozed off, then heard an electronic tone--like an alarm chime or something. What was that? Something on a computer? I was getting out of bed to investigate the noise, because you know I wouldn't have been able to ignore it and go back to sleep.

Then I heard the back door open.

"Jeremy?" I called out. No answer, but I heard the storm door close. "Jeremy?" "Yup" was the reply. Woo Hoo!! Jeremy was here!! 0300. He made good time, coming from South Carolina.

We visited for just a few minutes, getting his things in and somewhat settled for the night.

I woke with a bit of a naggy headache. (But my heart was doing ok, thank you God.) It proceeded to turn into a migraine, with pain that was making my eyes water. What's with the headaches recently?? (Life stress, perhaps....??)

I took tylenol, motrin, and a bit of a tylenol #3 for the codeine, and an hour or so later, I felt much better. The pain had been interrupted, but the numb sensation on the right side of my face was still there.

After breakfast (which was late morning) KS went to visit her parents and I went outside to check on the garage and shed.

I swept what I could in the garage, started the van and let it run a bit, looked in the shed and swept that, too. Jeremy came out, and I asked him to disconnect the battery on the van, which he did, as well as did some minor maintenance on the shed door. Thank you Jeremy!

When KS got back, we went into Hale to the Fish store. We found a couple of things there, then went down to the grocery store for a few items.

Back at the JC, I took another dose of pills, minus the codeine, and we fixed lunch/supper and ate. While KS and I did clean up, Jeremy went outdoors and started burning leaves, as there were a few areas where the piles had collected. Dusk was falling fast, and it was dark when we decided to put the rakes away for the night.

Then we went out for a flashlight walk.

47 degrees, though felt like 35. So quiet. The moon had risen and stars were bright with the reflection of moonlight. We looked into the trees and across the ground. We first saw a skunk up next to a garage. We watched as it came a little nearer to us, then turned and walked away. There were a couple sets of eyes reflecting back at us, beyond where the skunk was heading. That was pretty cool.

We also saw a large woodpecker, and we circled down to Grace Street back to the JC to the lake. The only activity we saw in the lake was a frog, hiding in the rocks.

Jeremy and I looked at my pictures, and the night wound down.

It's been a lovely day. Thank you God.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 11.11.2011

2011-11-11T21:42:00.002-05:00

I had a very unsettling night.

My heart never did stop flopping around. I would wake up and it would still be floppin'. It's never done that for so long--I did a self-check. Let's see--chest pain, pressure, numbness, tingling in face, hands, arm?? Shoulder pain? Neck, back, difficulty breathing, anything?? Everything was negative, and I would try to breathe to get back to sleep. Sometime after 2am I woke again--this thing was really busy. No shortness of breath, but extremely irregular, and I have to say I was becoming a bit unsettled and anxious.

I considered calling Dan, but... I considered taking myself to the hospital. Bright lights and all the activity... no, there's no pain or any other symptoms... but I sure wasn't liking it.

When it finally turned into morning, it was still beating irregularly. Hmph. And I was feeling shaky. I had a BM, (was this heart attack stuff?) then another, and the next one was loose if you know what I mean. The shaky feeling was starting to ease up, and the heartbeat was less erratic.

Hmm. Something I ate? One more stool, and I was definitely better.

I rested a bit, wanting to go for a jog today. I ended up going out, and it was ok--a pretty good run. Sweaty, but my heart was back to normal.

Finally.

Breakfast, shower, housework. Got things collected and packed, and I left to go north about 4 pm.

A safe drive, thank you God.

KS had arrived at the JC about a half hour before me. It heated up nicely. Full moon, light wind, 35-feels-like-25 degrees out there.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring.

I'm thankful my heart settled down. And I do think that it was something I ate (from the salad bar at the hospital *sad face* .

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 11.10.2011

2011-11-10T20:50:00.002-05:00

Went to work without breakfast this morning, so I could have my fasting lab work drawn. I couldn't get drawn until after 7--and when I heard report, I was thinking that this is not a good day to not have had breakfast....

I went to the lab anyway, thinking I would be gone maybe 15 minutes. Wrong. 35 minutes later I was back on the unit, with no time to eat. But I got started on the work for the day, and was finally able to fix my food and eat it, sometime around 10 o'clock. That's a long time for me to be up without eating, and I still have just a little naggy headache.

The day went on.

I was able to go back to the lab later in the day and pick up the results. Everything looked good, other than the total cholesterol level was 215. The HDL and LDL were in the right levels, though.
I'm not concerned with that result, and I hope the doctors aren't, either. I'm not interested in taking a daily pill for the rest of my life.

We had a pretty good snowshower this afternoon. Not just a few flurries flying around--a near whiteout of good-sized snowflakes. Enough that I had to sweep the car off when I left for home this evening. And the foliage--trees, bushes, grass--everything covered in white. Pretty cool.

The funny thing was, that when I got to Mason, the road was dry, the stars and the full moon were shining in the sky, and there was no snow on the ground. Amazing how that works.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to jog, catch up on a few household items, and probably head for the lake later in the afternoon. Guess I'd better put the snow brush in the car...

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 11.09.2011

2011-11-09T21:43:00.002-05:00

Uh Oh. Rushing past the first weeks of November, into the Holidays. It seems so far away, then SMACK!! there it is, like running your face into the closed sliding glass door.

Guess I'd better get ready. Maybe a little more than a string of lights on the balcony.

Workday today. Steady busy. Probably more busy tomorrow, as there were still more babies to deliver when we left.

I felt pretty good today, overall. A little tired.

And ready for bed.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 11.08.2011

2011-11-08T22:08:00.003-05:00

I slept the usual intermittent sleep. It sure helps that I didn't have to get up at 0420.

After breakfast I went over to see Dr. Rhonda Maney, who I've seen for the "spotting" I've been having. Today was a "routine" annual exam--pap and manual breast exam.

First stop, weight and height. #153.2 Down 5.2 pounds since July!!! Woo Hoo!!! My height is the same at 64 inches. Good news. One of the side effects of the aromatase inhibitors is calcium loss/osteoporosis.

Typical exam. She was surprised at how sore the woundbed is, but didn't feel anything unusual. Next exam November 2012.

At home, I had a couple of phone calls and visited with Daniel before he left for his doctor appointment. (which was a good appointment for him, too). I left to go to Jackson for a couple of meetings.

Back at home, we enjoyed a quiet evening.

I work tomorrow; he'll be gone before I get back home. *sad face*

I've had a little naggy headache today, just enough to bother me, but not enough for medicine. I may take some tylenol before going to bed.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 11.07.2011

2011-11-07T22:40:00.002-05:00

I slept pretty good, when the pieces are added together.

Went for a jog this morning; breakfast, shower, then over to Leah's for a workover. I mean massage. Geez--she sure found some knots today! She also did a nice job moving the lymph fluid from the pockets on my back over the ribs, along my side, chest, and arm. Thank you, Leah.

I had wanted to get groceries and put supper together after that, but I was soooo tired, and a bit nauseated. Maybe from moving the lymph fluid? I was happy when Daniel called to say he was on the way home, and did I want to go out for supper?

Oh, yeah.

And from there, we went over to the grocery store.

So I did get dinner and groceries!

Tomorrow we each have a doctor appointment, and I have a meeting in Jackson.

Hope I sleep good tonight.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 11.06.2011

2011-11-06T22:53:00.003-05:00

We were quite busy for the first half of the day. I had been on my feet, non-stop moving, from 10-1. Finally, there was a break in the action, and I was beyond hungry, (breakfast was at 0515) with the dull annoying hunger headache making itself known. I sat down and ate.

It was maybe an hour or so after that before my brain came back. Since I had the time, I tried to chart, but I had to "think", concentrate, or focus, on the computer. I was pretty sure that if I waited another half hour or so, I would be better. I waited, and it was much easier to "think". I got the documentation completed.

Strange how the brain works.

Some of that "thinking" decrease is something I've noticed since the cancer treatment. Forgetfulness, too. It's much more noticeable when I'm tired/fatigued, hungry, or stressed. Another variable is that I've had birthdays, too. Factor in the hormone blocker that I take every day...

So I exercise, try to eat good, and challenge my brain. Try to take care of myself to minimize whatever side effects there are.

Tomorrow I see Leah, as well as try to catch up on some housework.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 11.05.2011

2011-11-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

Worked today. Gently busy.

Hoping to sleep well tonight.

Prayers to those facing surgical procedures.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 11.04.2011

2011-11-04T22:29:00.002-04:00

Wow. November 4th already.

We had a great day at The Lake. Sunshine, Blue Skies, gentle breezes. Low 40's.

After a laid-back morning, we all went for a walk. It was very beautiful--

While we were sitting on the dock at the GC, we saw the eagle soaring. After many minutes, it flew right near us. Hunting, it seemed, but looking to see what those 3 lumps were down there on the shore. So cool.

I had to leave, but Gail and Diane decided they could stay another night. So I got packed up, we had a bite to eat, and I left, arriving home about 8:30 pm.

Thanks to God for the gift of this life in this world and someone to share it with.

Hugs.

Thursday 11.03.2011

2011-11-03T22:51:00.002-04:00

Wow, what a beautiful day at the lake!

Started out cold, gloomy, had rained during the night but stopped by morning. I took the boat up to the marina while the other 2 put together a fantabulously wonderful breakfast. Thank you Diane and Gail!

We were lolling over coffees when Bob knocked on the door. We let him in, and I called for Evelyn to come over, too. I fixed her a cup of tea; Bob left and us girls had a nice visit.

We wanted to go into Hale, and stopped at M & K McK's on the way in. It was good to see them.

We had a lot of success at the Fish store (local resale shop), as well as the grocery store.

Those girls know how to cook. They knocked it out...

We went for a walk after Diane warmed us up inside with a step aerobics session. It sure is getting cold out. Close to 35 degrees out there.

A quiet evening. Stars, moon growing past the first quarter, reflective lake...Ahhh...

Thank you God for letting me be here.

Tomorrow we'll be heading south.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 11.02.2011

2011-11-02T23:42:00.000-04:00

What a great day!!

Dan went golfing; I went for a jog, enjoying the morning before leaving for The Lake.

I picked up Diane, and our friend G came along, too. Just so happened she could, at the last minute. (She had been here a couple years ago, but had become ill and took herself home. She ended up being sick for 8-10 days.) So we are happy to have the opportunity to get together!

Thank you God!

51 degrees and quiet darkness when we arrived. We enjoyed the stillness on lawn chairs on the deck. The occasional calls of the waterfowl--ducks, geese--and the light rain that comes and goes...Awesome!

Tomorrow I'll take the speedboat for it's winterization. It's time.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 11.01.2011

2011-11-01T21:58:00.002-04:00

Another workday.

We were busy--with a few "quieter" times. And it worked out that I could go to part of a meeting.

A safe drive, thank you God, on a pleasant autumn night. 51 degrees on the drive home; stars, new crescent moon. Beautiful.

Dan had the laundry done when I got home. Woo Hoo!! Thanks, Dan!!

We had a quiet evening.

He's going to golf again tomorrow, and I'll be going to the lake in the afternoon, stopping to pick up Diane on the way. She needs a break...

Hope we have dry weather.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 10.31.2011 Spooky

2011-10-31T22:18:00.002-04:00

We had a pretty good day on the overflow unit today. Busy, but we just kept pecking along. Finally, we were able to move the remaining patients over to the primary unit at the end of the shift. Whew.

I'm tired tonight.

Tomorrow is a workday, also a meeting in the morning. And, as I didn't find anyone who could/would work for me, I may not be able to attend.

Happy Halloween. Hugs.

Sunday 10.30.2011

2011-10-30T22:00:00.002-04:00

What a day.

I did sleep. Felt like I had gotten some rest when I woke again about 8:30. Was surprised to see that I had dozed off and it was 9 o'clock. Time to get up.

I got ready and left for Mt. Pleasant. I was going to D's, where she was going to drive us to Houghton Lake for our cousin's funeral.

It was very nice. Different, but healing. Was good to see people I hadn't seen for a while.

D and I got groceries, and she also used her massage skills on the back of my neck before I left for home.

A safe drive home, thank you God.

I had a little snack, got turned around for workday tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday 10.29.2011

2011-10-29T21:56:00.002-04:00

Ugh.

This morning I woke up dizzy. Very strange. I wobbled over to the bathroom, thinking I would stay up, but decided to lay back down. I didn't feel well.

I dozed again, but was still dizzy when I woke about 9. I stayed in bed, hoping it would pass. I was also queasy, the back of my head and neck hurt. It almost felt like a hangover gone wrong.

I had wanted to jog this morning. Couldn't go out like this. It had started raining, anyway.

After being up an hour and a half or so, I wasn't any better. The pain in the neck and head--I realized it could be migraine--I decided to take tylenol/motrin/and a little codeine. But I had to eat to take the pills.

So I did. I hoped the digestive processes would function normally, not reject anything just put in, and went back on the sofa. I laid down and slept again.

When I woke, the pain was decreased and the nausea gone. Praise God! I was feeling pretty yucky. The dizziness was minimal.

It was close to 4 by now. The roads had dried up, with a little sun poking through. I decided to go out for a gentle jog.

And I did ok.

Back inside, I cooled off, showered, and had a light snack. Still not 100% right in the gut.

Daughter Breon graduated from her cosmetology program and her celebration was tonight. I really didn't feel like going out, but I did. I didn't stay long.

Tonight I'm tired, head and neck sore, still just a little queasy, and infrequent wooziness in the head. Geez.

Virus? Bad food?? Migraine??? Whatever, I hope to feel better tomorrow, as I plan to go to a funeral.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 10.28.2011

2011-10-28T22:12:00.002-04:00

Another steadily busy workday. Good thing I get paid to do this...

It finally ended, and I clocked out in a timely manner.

A safe drive home, thank you God.

We had a fairly good frost last night; everything was white and sparkly this morning.

Tomorrow I hope to catch up at home.

I'm tired tonight.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday 10.27.2011

2011-10-27T22:10:00.002-04:00

Wow! What a Day!!

I spent the majority of the day in Flint, with my aunt, EM.

I helped her with the craft project: decorating the boxes for, then filling little zip-top bags with, the cremains of her husband of might-as-well-have-been 63 years. Very odd, playing with cremains. Creepy, sometimes. But we got it done, and she is happy with the results.

She also had a few other "projects" for me to help her with, and all the while, she (and I) talked.

We looked at pictures, and she reminisced about her past, much of which I was unaware. She is my father's sister. It was good to hear him talked about.

Thank you, Aunt EM.

On the drive home, I received a call that a cousin has passed. Another call after I got home; funeral is Sunday.

And the world goes around.

Tomorrow is a workday.

My heart has been "quieter" this evening. So far. And that's a relief to me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday 10.26.2011

2011-10-26T22:15:00.002-04:00

I woke several times during the night, my longest stretch of sleep being from 0635 to 0905. When I got up, my hips were aching, as well as the bottoms of my feet. My foot discomfort is probably from the busy, 12 1/2 hour workdays, and maybe the hips, too.

I went out for a jog. Breakfast, shower, out to run errands. I finally took tylenol and motrin before going out.

Back home it was time to eat, and I rustled something up.

Board Meeting this evening, and now I'm tired again. I'll go to bed soon.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday 10.25.2011

2011-10-25T22:19:00.002-04:00

I slept really well last night, all 4 hours of it, once I got to sleep. And since I was awakened, the morning hours were, shall we say, sluggish? I tried caffeine mid-morning; little improvement. After eating lunch an hour and a half or so later, I started to feel a little better.

We were busy again today. One of the girls agreed to work some hours for me so I could attend a meeting. I was still a little punky, but a small cola beverage helped with that, fortunately.

When I got back to the floor, the fan had been turned on while we were gone. Ack!!!

We finally finished the shift.

Tomorrow night is an Association Board Meeting.

I'm tired tonight and the heart has been moderately irregular, intermittently throughout the day today. I'm hoping to get the rest of my sleep out tonight.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday 10.24.2011

2011-10-24T21:15:00.002-04:00

I worked today, floating out, and ended up working on 3 different units. The morning's experience reinforced to me that it is very important to take care of the physical self, as well as the psychological self.

Back on my home unit, I valued the familiarity and experience. Especially since we had a "situation". Of course, the fabulous team of nurses on the 4th floor did a wonderful job, and the patient was stabilized within an hour. By the end of the shift, she was feeling much better. Ahh, the joys of nursing.

A safe drive home, thank you God.

Dan was home and was finishing up the laundry. What a guy.

Tomorrow is a workday for me.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday 10.23.2011

2011-10-23T22:29:00.002-04:00

What a good day today!!

Blue sky, 63 degrees, birds singing like ... umm ... spring??

I put away the table and flower containers that were on the balcony. I also got the cutters and cut the way tall bush/tree foliage that has grown up taller than our second story window. When it's windy, the branches will slap against the glass and startle the snot out of me. Ha--not funny, and not any more.

I took the summer decor items over to the storage unit and brought back the autumn stuff and put that on the doors. I also brought back a couple of strings of Christmas lights--I put one out on the balcony railing, and one going down the stairs to the front door. The stairway is really dark in the morning; the little lights are just enough to be able to see the steps and get safely down to the landing, where there is a sensor that turns on the light down there.

By then I was hungry again, so I made my food, ate, and packaged the rest in portions, labeling them and putting them in the refrigerator. If they are still there in a couple of days, they go over to the freezer. An easy way to have my lunches ready!!!

A quiet evening.

Tomorrow is a workday.

My heart wasn't as goofy today, but it was flipping around a little in the late afternoon/evening. Strange, it is. That, and the hot flashes. I've been trying to pay attention to each of those events, but so far, haven't correlated anything. Another day for the Arimidex, another day without a heart pill. Eventually I'll be done with the Arimidex; I'm hoping that's the cause of the arrhythmias and I won't need a heart pill. Amen.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.