Starting chemo April 2023
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NJ: The Book of Mormon sounds like a very fun celebration! I know you will both enjoy it. I haven’t seen it, but my 2 oldest both saw it on their school trips to London for IB theater class. It was the coolest trip as they took them to London and they saw like 10 plays in various theaters and also did workshops. I was like, hello, can parents sign up for this? 🤣. No worries on missing posts. I do it as well. I love both of those things from Brilliant Earth. I have several pieces of jewelry from them, including a wedding band. I looked at the Greek eye one also. I already have a pendant from them that I wear all of the time or I might have done that. Good luck making a choice!
Cat: Hope you are feeling well and having a nice weekend.
I feel much better today. Yesterday, I was the tiredest I think I have ever been. I just couldn’t stay awake at all. Today, I can stay awake and the body pain is gone. Moving in the right direction. My buzz cut seems to be growing quite a bit, which is weird. Random leg hairs also. My family has gone to a Renaissance festival in a castle today. It looks insanely crowded so not my cup of tea, but I am glad they headed up there. It was about an hour away. I’m still struggling with food. But that is expected and it will pass as well. I really want pizza from the Neapolitan wood pizza oven spot. I love how specific my taste buds are. That is pretty much the only pizza that suits. Now I have graduated to 90 Day Fiancé. Reality tv is truly addictive lol.
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Good morning!
Bird: Glad you're feeling better and that the body pain is gone. Yay on the hair too! Can you put in an order for the pizza? Perhaps the family can pick it up for you on the way home!! Do they have door dash in Finland? I haven't been eating as well during A/C chemo. I went from healthy wraps, tons of veggies and cooking each evening to yogurt, fruit sherbet, an occasional Caprese salad. It isn't just the taste buds. I'm not really hungry. As for the fatigue, I usually have a couple of days of steroid buzz, a week of can't stay awake, a week of I must nap for several hours and then several days of feeling better right before the next chemo.
I've been binge watching brit box - all of the old Miss Marple and Poirot mysteries. I've seen them so many times that if I fall asleep in the middle, I don't feel like I've missed anything when I wake up. No obligation to rewind or start over.
It's been so cool here these past few mornings. I'm feeling a bit more energetic. It's 64 right now, I have the windows open and I'm snuggled in a hoodie enjoying a cup of coffee. Or perhaps the energy is from steroids. Or the coffee. Or both! 🤣
I'm trying to figure out the timing of the hike into NYC. I think I'll have a better sense after the MRI on September 8th. I should have a schedule a couple of days after that. Do I risk going before surgery or wait until a couple of weeks after?
Cat: I hope you are feeling good! Hotlanta seems to be about 10 degrees warmer than NJ this morning. Even still, must feel pretty cool given the summer you've had thus far.
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Good morning!
Glad you both seem to be doing well and glad, Bird, that your body aches are improving too. Boy those leg aches were quite painful for me. Not sure if it’s the 2 Claritin (just first week after the injection) or my body adjusting to the shot, but I’m very glad to not be suffering with that side right now.
NJ: so so glad Thing1 is on the mend from the big surgery. You must be so relieved. I really enjoyed your post about how the time has gone so quickly and yet so very much has also transpired with so much great sharing and caring. Totally agree. And yes, yesterday was cooler than usual in Hotlanta. Got my pup out in the am for a walk. The cooler weather got me excited for fall and pumpkins!
My SIL (in Pittsburgh) made bourbon cherries last week. Well, I really enjoy a “canning” project (my go-to is usually jarring pickles with cucumbers from my garden) so this cherry project took my fancy. Made a few jars yesterday, very fun with the cool cherry pitter I bought on Amazon. As for the boozy cherries? They are boozy & tasty but it’s hard for me to fully taste them as my taste buds are off with the new chemo. BTW, I wish I had less of an appetite like you both. The steroids make me ravenous!
Hope you both have a great day!I’m available for our chat tomorrow am if that works on your ends.
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Happy Sunday!
I am feeling a lot better today. We took a long walk this morning, I made cookies (butter pecan) and we just finished the women’s soccer final. I am still struggling with taste buds, but have been awake all day. Go me 🤣🤣. EC chemo, for me, seems to make me want to eat all carbs and very little fresh fruits and veggies. I bought and ate a can of peaches yesterday because it sounded good. So random! Fried rice, lasagna, cheese enchiladas are other current faves. I did get my wood fired pizza. We have Wolt delivery service so you can get anything delivered if you are willing to pay for it. They had some big neighborhood celebration in the park across from our house. Mostly for small kids but fun to watch. I have several school events this week and my CT for radiation planning.I’ve never had CT before. Is it easy? Clothed? Just wondering what to expect. I’ve done PET and MRI.
NJ: Yay for cooler weather. I have heard that many women feel really well after their lumpectomy. In fact, several people agreed that it was the easiest part of their entire treatment. So I have hopes for you that you will feel well quickly afterwards. If that is the case, you could choose to go before or after I think. Just remember that you will likely have a similar arc of side effects for your last one so plan far enough out. Ha. So Death on the Nile, most notably this latest version, is why I am currently obsessed with going to Egypt and on a luxury Nile cruise for our 30th anniversary. It’s just so beautiful. Plus, I read all sorts of a British fiction as a young adult where they were archaeologists in Egypt. I’ve never been and it really is a thing for me.
Cat: Yum to the boozy cherries. Those sound fantastic. And yeah. Bananas taste so weird to me. Like metal on my oatmeal. Sigh. And coconut water is the worst taste ever all of the sudden. I am also glad you don’t have bone pain anymore. I love the fall. It’s my favorite time of the year. The colors, pumpkins, etc.
I am actually thinking that I should either go a couple of weeks early for Christmas or stay a couple of weeks later rather than flying to the states in early November and then again in December. We are at increased risk for clots so my doctor was saying I have to wear compression socks (which I already do). Two long distance flights definitely don’t appeal. We figured out why hotel rooms are so expensive in Edinburgh when we start our cruise. Taylor Swift is apparently there that weekend. Aargh. 🤣
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Happy Sunday!
Glad everyone's body aches seem to be in check at the moment. I've learned from the past couple of cycles to just stay on Claritin rather than stopping after 5 days. The comments about the support in our thread were heartfelt. Living alone and having so many stressful things on my plate these past bunch of months has been a challenge. I would have fallen into a pit of despair without you ladies!
Cat:
Thing1 is doing so well! He's sprung a leak or two these past few days but from what I've read on Tripawds, this is pretty normal especially because he doesn't have drains. I'll call the surgeon in a bit to ask if we should come in and have it checked. We restarted our traditional Sunday brunch dog date today. I went to the bagel store and got them a bacon and egg sandwich to share. We haven't done that in many months. There were lots of wagging tails. I look forward to them coming along for the ride and following up with the dog park. We'll have to get back to that.
Boozy cherries sound amazing! Would you mind sharing how you make them? I'd love to try!
Bird:
CT scan is no biggie. They may ask you to undress from the waist up and wear a gown. They ask you not to wear jewelry or metal. If it's with contrast, the CT contrast may give you a warm sensation for a moment making you feel like you urinated. You didn't. :) The scanner tells you to breath in, hold your breath etc. It's quick and far less annoying than an MRI.
I think you're right about a longer single trip rather than having all that flight time. In addition to minimizing the blood clot risk, it's just more restful to spend less time traveling and to settle in for a bit once you're at your destination. I think you're also spot on about the theater trip. I'll have a better sense of the surgery schedule after 9/8. I'll hold off picking a date until then.
30th Anniversary trip sounds amazing and a luxury cruise … so relaxing!
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Good morning all!
So great to chat with y’all. As ever:). I am happy to say that I am feeling much more normal today. Taste buds still a bit finicky, but much better. I got a new wig yesterday and I love it. Somehow the ones that don’t look like my normal hair make me more comfortable than the one that does. This one is a more expensive pink one and it definitely shows. It looks really pretty natural I think. I am waiting for the bus to the metro now and heading to my CT scan. The plan is to try a new Mexican spot after for lunch. Chris is meeting me there.
I have teeny tiny new brows growing back. So that is exciting. I do expect to lose stuff here soon as the chemo takes effect over the new few weeks.
NJ: I am glad you have the neighbor out of your hair. And I hope that you are having a better day today as well. And that Bray is continuing to do well. I’m hoping your sinus exam gives you a specific plan now as well.
Cat: Same for you. I am hoping you feel better every day. And that your taste buds recover a bit also. The story about eating your sub instead of fancy steakhouse dinner definitely resonated. I mean, we want what we want I think. And there is no rhyme or reason. Beyond carbs 😂.
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Good morning!
Bird: The new hair looks amazing! It's such a pretty color! And your brows look great too! I'm excited for your CT scan and radiation planning to be behind you. Like all the other phases of this journey, I'm hoping that getting some traction and forward momentum provides some comfort. Mexican food sounds fun! I look forward to the day when we all crave margaritas!
I love that you're wearing a cardigan in your photo! It reminds me that fall is coming along with the cool weather and the energy that comes with it! It's in the 60's here this morning and it feels great!
I asked my therapist about apologizing to the annoying neighbor and she suggested that I use it as an opportunity to share how fatigued I am by the conversations. I may do that in the coming days but for now, I'm enjoying not being stalked. There's another neighbor I sit with occasionally. We talk about the quality of corn on the cob this season, where to get the best pies and home repair projects on our to do lists. I love those conversations. I come home feeling relaxed.
Cat: I hope you're feeling better! On the radiation topic, I was planning to continue at the same cancer center that I've been going to but hadn't realized there may be newer, better technology available so I'm going to do a bit of research.
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Good morning!
Loved our chat yesterday as always! Bird, LOVE the pink wig and it really does look “natural”- looks great on you! I probably should post a photo soon but I’m not a big fan of my steroid “moon” face and I’ve gained 10 lbs so I’ve really been avoiding photos…… I am also ravenous, even with so many foods not sounding good I’m still super hungry with the steroids.
Bourbon Cherries (speaking of food); pit 4 cups of cherries. (buy a cherry pitter on Amazon if you don’t have one. It’s worth it.) Put 3 ½ cups bourbon and 2/3 c sugar in a pan. Add pitted cherries. Bring to a boil. Turn off. Put cherries and sauce in glass jars (or something similar) and keep refrigerated. Jars last up to one year in the frig per my SIL. My batch made 3 (24 oz?) jars or makes 4, 16 oz jars.
More food: just scarfed down a DIY sub sandwich like the one I ate Sunday night- WHITE yummy bread and all. I can’t get enough of these and this is SO unlike me! Strange tastebud cravings!
NJ: Love that 1) nosey neighbor is not in the picture. I hope that continues. Boy she sounds like A LOT and someone offering no positive value right now and 2) love that you and the pups did your breakfast sandwich routine. Super cute.
Bird: How’d the CT go and are you continuing to feel better?
Today is a “soft start” day for me. Not much going on. I’m going to play bridge after lunch and make some slow cooker tacos for dinner. Yup, that’s about all I have planned and I’m looking forward to taking the day slowly.
Oh and NJ, connecting with you and Bird has really meant so very much to me as well!
Hope you both have a great day.
Cat
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Cat: Thanks so much for the recipe! I'm going to make them this week. I ordered a cherry pitter and put a couple of lbs of cherries in my shopping basket for my next supermarket order.
The ENT went really well. I was expecting to have to juggle surgeries in the fall but things seem to be healing so that was great news. I can hold off on the sinus surgery for now.
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NJ: I am so happy to hear that! The less stuff to juggle this fall, the better! And yes. Fall is coming quickly to Finland. September 5 will be our one year anniversary in this country, which means we are 1/3 of the way through this tour. Which is crazy. I am hoping that the next year doesn’t hold quite as much drama.
Cat: Those cherries sound delish. What a fun project. And tacos for dinner is always a good night.
My CT radiation planning exam was very anticlimactic. They had me practice my breathing, ran me in and out of the machine a bit, practiced a bit more breathing. Made sure I could stay in the position they want for the radiation. Luckily I can hold my breath and stretch my arms above my head so we are all happy. My first session is September 18 and they will give more explanations of skin care, my plan, etc. then. It seems fine. I am a bit nervous because my breast was quite hard to get and I definitely don’t want it damaged. But not that nervous.
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Good morning!
Bird: Glad that radiation planning was anticlimactic and that you have a start date. It's all frightening, especially given how much you've been through to have a breast you like. You'll have the latest technology protecting you through treatments and you demonstrated you can stay in position so you know they will only be hitting the target. Apologies - chemo brain… Did your surgeon set any expectations for what, if anything, happens after radiation?
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An aside: Oddly, I find myself wanting a gelato maker rather than jewelry.
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NJ : Haha. You should do it 🤣🤣. I don’t like ice cream that much. I mean, i will eat it. But it isn’t my thing unless it is a banana split or hot fudge sundae or some other over the top creation. But eating it daily in Italy is totally a rule. I am glimpse to see my surgeon after radiation to see what things look like and what is needed in Phase 2. Nipple tattoos for one, but also we can look at sizing and adjust. She said that the radiated breast sometimes shrinks a bit, maybe 10%. We can either add fat to the DIEP breast or reduce the other a bit more.
Busy day. I had a friend visit for a bit this morning and then went to a back to school event. Cas seems really comfortable and pleased with teachers and classes. This was funny though. Her science teacher started going crazy for my hair. She started asking detailed questions aboitt how hard it is to keep it pink and whether maintenance is really difficult. I blushed and told her that it was actually a wig because of breast cancer treatment. She looked mortified. I think she knew that it was going on because we did tell the teachers last year. She had just forgotten and apparently the pink wig looks very natural. I told her it made my night. I kinda felt nervous about it so because I haven’t been at the school much since my surgery in March. But it was fine.
I feel really tired and run down though. It was a lot and it is taking me longer to recover and I still have this darn cold.
Hi Cat: I hope all is well ♥️♥️
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Bird: Her science teacher is right. You look amazing, especially in that color. The hairline and roots look perfect too. It's really an outstanding wig! Sorry that you're feeling tired and run down. It sucks. Your counts should be on the rebound now and by next week in good shape so hopefully that will help you beat the cold.
The ice cream machine probably defeats the Swedish Death Cleaning goal but none of the jewelry I've been looking at is really speaking to me at the moment. I'm sure I'll lose interest in the ice cream maker too. I don't use the one I have.
Something to look forward to next month for fans of the current Agatha Christie adaptations:
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NJ: Aw. Thanks! I love Kenneth Branagh and Venice so that will be awesome. Bray got his drains out today, right? I hope he is continuing to heal and feel well.
Still feeling crappy and rundown. I have been monitoring for fever, but don’t have any. So I just assume that this last batch of chemo has lingered along with the cold. Hopefully better tomorrow. I’m tired of this. I just slept on and off all day. I am pretty sure I overdid it yesterday and that didn’t help. Don’t worry. I did manage to eat a mini pizza for dinner 😂. So I still have some appetite.Anyways. Nothing much to report on because I am blah.
Hoping everyone else is doing okay and feeling well.
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Bray had his stitches out today. He didn't have drains so I kept a surgi-suit on him and tee shirts when the surgi-suits were in the wash. Kept his bed tidy. :)
Bummer that this cold is lingering for you. Sleep is a good thing. I hope you feel better tomorrow!
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NJ: Yes! Chemo brain was all like drains/stitches, same same. 🤣🤣 Was that the last of your busy week? Is Friday a more restful day?
I am finally feeling a lot better today. Not 100 percent because taste buds and runny nose are still happening. But just an overall sense of improvement. I even ate our old fave of Caprese salad today. Like I have literally been avoiding fresh fruits and vegetables. AC chemo (or mostly my diet after the chemo and increased inactivity) has caused constipation rather than diarrhea and now I have Cat’s favorite side. I’m doing sitz baths and looking at the Metamucil. I am convinced it will taste gross. I am also having a fresh fruit smoothie now with chia seeds so that is something.I do think we all have treatment fatigue at this point. And really, no wonder. My body is like what the heck? . Enough already🤣. Glad to have friends to laugh and commiserate about these small and big indignities with. Seriously.
We were actually going to stay a night in Estonia and take the boat to and fro this weekend, but I am not up to it quite yet. I hate to cancel fun stuff because I am so bored! But I think taking it easy for another weekend is the best plan. Plus, my taste buds are still off and I want to eat all the stuff when we do a getaway.
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Good morning!
NJ: very very glad you can wait a bit on the sinus surgery. Good to not be juggling that right away with the breast surgery.
Bird: glad CT “ dry run” went well and was uneventful. I’m also hoping you are feeling more “normal”, like yourself with each passing day. I’m sorry to hear that it has been a rough week but glad you are feeling better today. Love the wig story and totally agree w NJ, you are rocking that wig! It DOES look natural, which makes me giggle because now pink hair can be part of a “natural” hair conversation, ha!
Funny enough, I’m not an ice cream, frozen dessert gal either but I do think you should get the gelato machine NJ because it’s fun! I’m more a cake/ cookies gal. I don’t know what’s gotten into me but I’ve been cooking a lot which is so unlike me, especially with my daughter cooking. I made a sugar-free angel food cake yesterday (pretty tasty!) and a yummy pork tenderloin for dinner. I’m waiting on an 8” springform pan for my latest concoction- a layered roasted vegetable dish. I think a lot of this is coming from the steroids. I’m hungry all the time like a teenage boy! I am totally craving carbs. I do think it’s part of the AC chemo.
This week has been a little rougher on the AC. I have felt more nausea and fatigue. Have also been up early (4:00 am) with my favorite “side”. It has all been tolerable but, coupled with the heat here in ATL, has lead to me having a “soft” week with not a lot going on. I saw an out of town friend, played bridge twice and then there’s been the random cooking/baking. It’s funny because I’m a bit bored but also don’t feel motivated to do very much. I do think part of that is treatment fatigue. It all gets tiring and I don’t think any of us have a “normal” day- there’s always “something” chemo related.
Getting nails done at 1:00 with my daughter. (My oncologist is ok with this.). Might go see “Oppenheimer”. Hubby is out of town so it’s just my daughter & me today/tonight.
So glad Bray is doing so well!Cat
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Happy Friday Compadres!
We are grinding to the end of chemo and a grind it is. The last infusions, the last multi-week side effect adventures and then the wait for all of this to unwind over time. I think we're all just burnt out from it. Even with the end in sight, it seems never ending.
Glad you are feeling better today Bird, at least from an energy perspective. Smoothies sound like a great place to hide Metamucil. I wonder how long it takes for the taste buds to rebound. I meant to ask, how was the new Mexican place that you went to? What appealing things did you find on the menu?
During round 1 of chemo, I was going through a box of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries weekly and a giant box of baby spinach. During AC I found myself not even opening the boxes. I can't wrap my head around how these aren't appealing to me anymore. The only veggie that sounds appealing to me lately is potato knishes with mustard and sea salt. Carb heaven but not a healthy diet.
I envy your cooking enthusiasm Cat and sorry you're dealing with sides. AC every third week sucks. I can't imagine dose dense. Fatigue coupled with boredom is really frustrating. I looked the other morning and it was in the high 60s here and in the 90s in Atlanta. That heat sounds brutal! Your random cooking projects are an inspiration. Veggie tortes look beautiful and taste great! Let us know how it turns out. Yum! The cherry pitter arrived from Amazon yesterday and I picked up my groceries this morning so boozy cherries are on the agenda. I can't wait to try them!
Aside from picking up the groceries this morning, I plan to have a mellow weekend. I had a front porch take out Thai dinner with my neighbor earlier in the week and it was lovely. The conversation was light and normal. We talked about restaurants and food preferences. I even satisfied the itch - fried bananas with ice cream. I'm supposed to visit another neighbor over the weekend for a cup of tea and some quilting chat. I look forward to that too.
The gelato maker is probably not a great plan although it was tempting, especially that I had run out of fruit sherbet. It's been my thing these past few weeks but I may totally hate it a week from now. My pre-chemo favorites were cheesecake and cannoli rather than ice cream.
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Morning!
NJ: I’m so glad Bray is doing so well and that hopefully the hardest parts of the surgery are behind you!
Your dinner sounds lovely and visiting with a neighbor sounds very nice too. Let me know how the boozy cherries turn out. The cherry pitter is really pretty cool. I’m thinking about making some boozy cherries as gifts for the holidays- hostess gifts etc. My SIL was thinking about making some for the holidays too. She was going to pit the cherries and then freeze them, then add the bourbon closer to the holidays. Fun!
Bird: before I forget, my runny nose is maddening! I’m constantly taking Sudafed. I feel your frustration with this side effect. Glad you are feeling a bit better.My daughter and I saw “Oppenheimer” yesterday. I think you’ve seen it too Bird? Anyway, I found it too long and thought it wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped. It was interesting but I was disappointed in it.
Today I’m first trying to get motivated to take my dog out for a walk before it gets hotter. Not too bad right now and I’ve not been good about walking this week. (My daughter has been taking Lucy out in the evenings.)
My daughter and I are going to recover a fabric headboard today. Should be fun and satisfying! And of course there’s the vegetable torte, but I think I’m going to go out with hubby tonight. He’s been gone since Wednesday on a guys biking trip. Sounds awful to me but he’s had fun so that’s good.Cat
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Good morning! I am still a little puny. The coughing at night was a lot last night and it was hard to get to sleep. Lots of my neighbors also have this cold in their homes. It seems to linger a bit and is just making me feel less than great. Cat went to the vet today because she has routinely has started pooping outside of the litter boxes. We have 3 for the 2 of them that are cleaned every day. It’s super frustrating. After ultrasounds and blood tests they seem pretty sure there isn’t anything wrong with her physically. So we might try to move a litter box to another area to see if that helps any
Cat: That sounds like a really nice weekend. I was disappointed with Oppenheimer as well. I mean, it was absolutely well acted, but I found it overall tedious and a bit dull. I would watch Barbie again, but not Oppenheimer. I can see the boozy cherries making great gifts! Cherries don’t seem to be available here at the moment so that is off my temptation radar. I love the sound of your layered veggie dish as well though. I bought a ton of zucchini that I need to do something with asap. Enjoy your night out!
NJ: You are so right! Fatigue seems to be heart of my attitude lately. I’m grumpy and just sick of it all 😂. Your weekend sounds really nice and just what the doctor ordered.
Okay. Feel better all!
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NJ: I meant to add that potato knishes (which are like Polish pierogi I think?) sound like my idea of vegetables lately as well 😂. As for the Mexican food spot, it was actually very good. I had black bean and chicken enfrijoladas which are like enchiladas but with a black bean sauce. And an agua Jamaica which was a nonalcoholic sparking water and hibiscus drink. Their margaritas looked really good but I am not there yet. 😂
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Good Evening!
It sounds like we're all feeling a bit puny of late. I couldn't seem to accomplish anything today and didn't even successfully nap. Needless to say, I didn't pit any cherries yet. Perhaps I'll get to it tomorrow.
Another neighbor invited me for tea and to talk about quilting so I did that for an hour this afternoon. Her quilts are beautiful! She has 4 and 5 projects going at the same time which is impressive. Once I swap to a different project, the previous one lands in the stack of UFOs and likely won't ever be finished. I have some in that stack from 20 years ago. Sad. 🤣 Now when I look at them, I ask "What was I thinking?"
Thanks for the heads up on Oppenheimer. I'll wait until it's on Netflix or Hulu.
Bird: Sorry that you're still feeling icky. Lingering colds can really wear you down. I hope you're nearing the tail end of it. Cats are so weird with litter boxes. I'm glad the vet didn't find anything physically wrong with her. I went through this with Finnegan and never successfully resolved it. I even know the event that triggered it - house guests. He really liked routine and strangers in the house upset him. It is super annoying and if they start peeing, it's destructive. I hope you're able to resolve it!
Cat: How did the headboard turn out? That sounds like a big project!
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Good morning,
Bird: I’ve had this runny nose & chest congestion for over a month. I think the runny nose is from the chemo but I think the chest congestion is viral from a cold a month ago. I was on antibiotics for the face rash for almost a month and they didn’t help the chest congestion so my team thinks it must be viral. My cough is productive (gross) and super annoying. My family thinks I sound worse and are tired of it too. I’ll talk to the oncologist again on Wednesday. I share all this as it sounds like we might be in the same boat yet again and that it might be hard for our bodies to fight the colds with the chemo. I do hope you round the corner and feel better soon!
NJ: I love that you quilt. I’m one who has done many hand crafts/arts but I have not quilted. I used to be an avid sewer back in the day. I loved how I’d get completely engrossed in my projects. Speaking of…… the headboard turned out great! My daughter and I need to make the back look nicer with some fabric and cover the legs. Front looks great!
Cats: ooof, I, too, have had cats that started going to the bathroom in the house. It’s a hard situation. My only thought is to try different litter. I read somewhere that some cats can get fussy about that.
Thankfully I felt pretty good yesterday. Walked, did the headboard then grabbed a bite with hubby & my daughter. Today is looking pretty much the same with I believe a vegetable torte in the picture!Hope you both are feeling okay and am planning on chatting tomorrow.
Cat
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Good morning! I am feeling better today. Less coughing last night. It is cold and rainy here today. We went to a nearby spot for some salmon soup for lunch.
The litter boxes are in an area that has a motion sensitive light. We have now deactivated it based on a hunch that the light coming on suddenly might freak her out. Next step is moving a litter box into the laundry room. So, fingers crossed we can figure it out. Trying a new litter is also a good plan. Lola is very picky about that. This one is the type she has typically liked, but who knows!
I will miss our chat tomorrow:(. They are swapping out embassy badges and we have to do it in person and have our photos retaken and a team from Washington has come to do it. So we all have to troop up there tomorrow afternoon after school. Such a pain.
Cat: The headboard sounds really cool. The fabric ones are definitely au courant lately and I am glad it turned out nicely. I am sorry that you are struggling with the cough and congestion as well. I think you are right. Our bodies are at their limit and can’t kick this stuff as easily as they used to.
NJ: I think it is cool that you have quilted as well. My mom had a rogue cat that peed everywhere. He was especially fond of people’s luggage and tended to do it when they had house guests. He would pee in open suitcases. The worst was when my SIL was newly pregnant and had come home with a plastic bag from the drug store that had prenatal vitamins and Easter candy in it. Yep, the cat peed on it! The weather is definitely changing here. It feels extremely fall like today. I might start swapping some clothing around tomorrow. I think we are done with the sweltering 70 degree temps that we had like 10 times this summer 🤣🤣.
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Good morning!
I sure wish fall would arrive here! I think we have another month of hot and humid before we switch to chilly and damp. 😄
Cat: I'm so glad your headboard turned out well! I love visible home dec projects because you get to smile every time you pass by them. I've been quilting on and off for more than 25 years. When I moved from New York to Pennsylvania, I thought it obligatory to learn to quilt so I signed up for a class. It was all hand sewing and I had a sewing machine so as soon as that class was over, I moved on to machine piecing/quilting and never looked back. I don't have a long arm machine yet. They're so expensive - over $20k for a good one. Perhaps when I retire and have more time I'll get one.
Bird: Salmon soup sounds yummy and trekking to the embassy for new IDs sounds like a pain. Are there any great restaurants in that area to motivate you? haha Have you decided which wig, if any, you're going to use for the photo? Fingers are crossed that the motion light was the trigger for the litter box issue. Perhaps Lola has been reading the boards and wants a bidet installed!
Sorry that you are both still dealing with respiratory issues. They can be lingering and a pain to clear under the best of circumstances.
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Hey Cat! May we chat later in the day or perhaps switch to another day? It's 2:30 AM and I'm having trouble falling asleep.
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NJ: I am sorry. I’ve found sleeplessness, especially early morning waking, has returned for me also :(. And yes, I did mention to Chris that going out for dinner tonight would be good. It is raining buckets here today. And supposed to be really windy. So, as far as the wig for my pic goes, we don’t fully trust them to not make up some reason that wigs aren’t allowed on the federal ID. So I am going to wear my gray one and not say anything. It looks natural so I think it will be fine. I mean, I don’t think they would care if it was pink, but these are folks from DC and who knows what funky rules can be involved. I’d much rather wear pink. I think the one they fitted me for is actually a bit tight for my taste and there is just something about it I don’t like. Nope. That trick didn’t work for Lola. She peed on the floor outside of the boxes and pooped on the upstairs fireplace mantle. Niiiiice! Because I need this:)
We decided for a little city break this weekend. Weather looks less than stellar, but we rented a nice hotel room with a rooftop bar and made reservations at a French restaurant. We are gonna hit the town (can I stay awake past 10 lol) and maybe do a walking tour Sunday after sleeping late and having brunch. I also want to see an exhibit at an art museum. We live about a 35 minute commute from the city so it will be fun to be there.Cat: So glad you are feeling well. I remain so impressed by your overall stamina. True to form, I am not making a vegetable torte today, but I am making a Spanish Tortilla. Because potatoes, olive oil, eggs and salt. Yes please. True story, I studied in Spain for a year and was a strict vegetarian back then. The Spanish, especially way up north in Galicia, are not so vegetarians. I literally ate Tortilla Espanol daily at my dorm. In a sandwich, with a salad, ha. I didn’t turn into a potato thankfully.
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Gals,
Just want you to know I saw both your posts about not chatting Monday at 10:00 am, no worries!NJ: hope you got some sleep after the 2:30 am wake-up call!
Chatting later today isn’t good on my end but let’s regroup later on another chat time.
More later but have a bunch of things calling my name so gotta run!Hope you both are feeling ok!
Cat
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Thanks! I got some sleep. I didn't wake up until after 10. I've had some vomiting issues during the previous and current rounds of chemo. Now I'm glad I bought emesis bags back in April. They're coming in handy. I still think it's sinus related rather than chemo because I'm not nauseated before it happens. Gross, I know and that's probably crossing the over sharing line.
So tired of feeling tired 🙄
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