Saturday 1.12.2008

Another beautiful day. I started out rolling over onto Dan's side of the bed, stretching and reaching my arm and leg way out. Oh, yeah, that's good. I do have to get up, though. I see that the sun is trying to come through the clouds. I have breakfast, then get started cleaning our shower. The combination of hard city water and soap residue is a challenge, as many of you know. I try a couple of the products we have here in the house, but I'm not having much luck. I get it as best I can, though, and before long, it's time to go for my massage.

I enjoy my time with Leah, who is helping me immensely with this cancer process, as she has many other clients with cancers, both healed and active. Thank you, Leah, for your professionalism, kindness, and reassurance. And for taking the stress from my shoulders.

Back home, I continue the relaxation process with a warm shower. Have a bite to eat, and head to Jackson to meet my friend and co-worker MaryLynne (you may remember her--she rewrapped the ace wrap for me one day) to discuss some ideas for nutritional support.

Yes, Kim, I am concerned about what is about to go into my body. And I think I've done a pretty good job through the years in limiting preservatives, over-processed foods, and keeping active. I also think that "western medicine" has its place--after all, my cousin Marian, the only female cousin on my Dad's side, is a Breast Cancer Survivor of 4 years, having had similar treatments as I'm about to experience.

So far I've chosen to add the acidophylus, which is the active organisms in yogurt, to help protect the mucus lining in the digesive tract. (A lot of patients get horrible mouth sores, maybe I'll be able to prevent them?) Also a beta-carotene to help the immune system that's about to get knocked out. Perhaps I might have done something a little more aggressive, nutritional support wise, if I had a few more weeks to build up. But my thoughts are that I'm pretty stable now, and don't really want to get the boat started rocking before the wave comes in. I hope to be able to choose healthful foods even if I'm not feeling well. And I still like the peanut butter that needs stirred...And chocolate.

I got to the care home to feed Elaine, who was watching the door waiting for me. I fed her and got her ready for bed and tucked in. She was somewhat responsive tonight--my Frank called, and I put him on speakerphone so she could hear the conversation. When he said he would come in tomorrow night, she nodded her head yes. I was kind of surprised, because the statement was kind of in the middle of the paragraph, yet she picked up on it.

I left to come home, and stopped at Lowe's for a furnace filter, new evaporator pad for the humidifier, and light bulb for the microwave. I had a nice conversation with my brother Tom on the way home, then called Daniel. He's enjoying the sun and warmer weather and soreness from golfing so much. (Is that a little violin I hear...?)

Thank you all for reading, for supporting me/us on this journey. You are truly gifts from God.

Note to Upnorth Annie, who added a comment to "Wig Shopping, Day #2" : please contact me by email katherine_putnam@hotmail.com (that's an underscore between the names-it gets lost in the underline)