My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer

Mel, I think when I go for a mall walk and we sit for a bit, I just need to bring the usual water and a snack as well instead of buying stuff I do not finish, wasteful to do that if not intending to bring them home.

Not sure what today holds for me beyond the usual meal planning, laundry, been lazy about that and with a tiny washer it looks overloaded. Going to start it all over, wash cloths, handwash shirts, pants and undergarments, use a rack to dry, might use my heated rack, don't want clothes to get pilled up like others have done, liking my new clothes, I will see what I feel like doing. Tv playing ads is doing well, need to plan some light gaming to add to my money, I want the next cat food 1/2 off or free if possible. Not because I need it really but because then I can put more in my own budget. Only other thing to think of is that if I want a particular restaurant meal, maybe go to the restaurant to pickup and bring home myself vs all the service charges

Anyway as always, hope good days are had by all, still thinking about our struggling family and hoping things lighten up or get relieved, in pockets for everyone and for myself to organize my day better, debating making lists and times of getting stuff done as well time to be complete. When I actually do stuff, I can manage quickly doing a daily clean and weekly telescopic dust of ceilings etc. I can also fit in exercise with the bed workouts, chair workout and standing workout. PT and OT are the bomb and lots of it are done in bed, do my arm pulls from laying to sitting, need to learn I do not have to do it all first thing, just make a list for the day and follow it.

Im with you @micmel about a big tall ice-filled glass of water and how it quenches like almost nothing else. I crave ice water usually in the afternoons, sometimes Ill do half lemonade and half water. I also keep a litre bottle of cold filtered water in the fridge at all times. I can still do carbonation so in our crappy fridge that freezes anything towards the back, its lined with Coke. Oh man, nothing but nothing can beat an icy cold sip of Coke from the bottle (500ml not like a giant 2l). I can't drink a whole bottle in one sitting so it takes a few days to finish, but its just such an enjoyable hit to my crappy chemo-ravaged palate. Gotta be ice cold from the fridge though, warm in glass with ice not the same.

I got a bag of blood on Thursday so I have some get up and go today but I got nowhere to go and the weather is terrible so Im planning our trip home in late July and a trip to Madeira in late September. Walking in the evenings to work up stamina (I got a lot further in 10 minutes yesterday than last week) and also to improve sleep - my fancy watch tells me I actually enter deep sleep on the days I walk just 10-15 mins in the evening, so thats a good incentive too. And Im doing light arm weights and the 12 minute routine on Senior Shape Fitness to work the arms. Hip is stiff but definitely improving, so Im hoping in two weeks we can maybe go to a movie or go somewhere on public transport. So tired of taking Ubers to and from the hospital - it took an hour and 20 minutes on Thursday evening to go 8 miles due to London weekend traffic leaving the city!

We are considering a side trip from just seeing my parents, and I was wondering if any folks on here know of a good beach stop (clean,not overbuilt, kinda classy, maybe national beach front) between Washington DC and Williamsburg? My sister is moving to W'burg next week and Ive never been to that part of the country outside DC, a five day side trip would change things up a bit and hubs loves a bit of roadtrip. I dunno, might be a bit much but Im improving so quickly it could be ok, especially with 10 days to rest after at parents.

I hope everyone is doing much better and improving, thinking of you especially @emac877 - you deserve it!

I get it, threetree. One would think that after all the scans we have (me 6+ years at scans every 3-4 months), we would have LESS anxiety. But, for me, it is the opposite, as I think "sometime I am going to get worse" and "is this the time?". Thinking of you now. ❤️

Candy - You said it, exactly! You know that at some point, something isn't going to go well, and you always wonder, "Is this the time?" You hit the nail on the head. Thanks so much for the comment and good thoughts/wishes.

malleem - I am more than happy having you in my pocket, along with Mel. I will be thinking of all of you on Monday too. Hugs to you too.

Intolight - Thanks and absolutely wishing you all the best with your MRI. I like your storm analogy. I will have both. The "scan scare" plus the "pineapple express" that will be hitting us here in the PNW starting tomorrow.

HI gals, Reporting for pocket duty for threetree and intolight and all else with a challenging week ahead. ❤️

Good morning all you night owls or early risers. The double lot next door that is not developed has morning glories growing on a vine. Sure wish I could "borrow" a vine and transplant it, but it's a bit too far off the road and into the woods. Worry about spiders and other critters.

In pockets for threetree and intothelight and emac, and all that are in need for support. My pet/ct is June 10th. Not nervous just yet, but I'm sure it'll come over me. The best thing I believe I have advocated for that has helped since diagnosis is the pallative care to work with pain/pain meds. I am not able to do much and as soon as the pain meds kick in, I feel mostly like my old self and have been cleaning and cooking (for others). Still can't shake the GI stuff however, it was not nearly as bad today. Of course all I ate was applesauce, corn flakes with lactose free milk and some home made chicken noodle soup and an apple and small amount of watermelon. I'm with you gals on drinking lots of water. With lots of ice. Man what I'd give for a steak, even if it's just to smell it. lol

There were gobblers in my garden wild turkeys... I might have to put up a fence! I put up some hummingbird feeders and they have found it.

I have radiation all next week and then start new med everolimus. I'm nervous about the med side effects. Already started exemestane. I think radiation might be making me tired but it's hard to tell with everything else.

Shanagirl, Irish and everyone else I hope you feel better today.

Shanagirl - I was just having my coffee while reading also. Like you I think I m just going to have to live with and learn how to power through these side effects. I'm starting to notice some patterns, and when I think I've reached my limit and that there must be something really bad and new going on, I too review the side effect lists for Faslodex, and there it all is! I sure wish they could reduce the Faslodex dose, like they can with the Verzenio, but I understand that reduced doses of Faslodex have been tried and that they don't work as well. My onc has said lowering the dose is not an option. I am glad you are finding some comfort and ways to deal with all of this. It's just so hard!

In pockets for intolight, threetree for scans, and mkestrel for starting a new medication. None of this gets any easier. I'll be in your pocket, munching on dry toast (sorry for the crumbs).

Sondraf, so good to hear that you're slowly building up stamina, and that the evening walks help you sleep better.

Emac, thinking of you.

Mel, I'm with you - if someone could go hide the cancer in the woods (and also snag some of Irish's morning glories at the same time) that would be great.

Had something hit my system, headache and diarrhea, thought it could be covid but tests were negative. So am eating dry toast, rice, bananas... the usual boring bland stuff that makes me long for a pizza! But it's working so I'll stick with that for today at least.

Intolight - I become a broken record with the "Go slow" stuff when I get my shots. The second I feel anything, I let them know and ask them once again to please slow down! So far, that has worked pretty well, and the ones who go the slowest leave the least damage! Love the pictures, and that breakfast looks like something I would have enjoyed some years ago, but not anymore. I can "kinda/sorta taste it" though in the old way I would have. Looks like you've had a very nice Sunday morning.

SFcakes - Thanks for your nice thoughts - I'll take them, crumbs and all! Hope your health troubles pass soon. I get stuff like that from time to time and wonder if it's Covid, but then test negative. I'm beginning to think it's an occasional drug side effect thing when what happened to you happens. Just don't know, but feel better soon!

Great photos! We have turkeys around us but not nearly as big. Also have coyotes so everyone with dogs is on watch. Last week someone in our neighborhood found a deer carcass in the back yard😳.
Mel - what fabulous birthday gifts - anniversary too! You are loved not only by those around you but by all of us here❣️❣️

Mae - have a fabulous trip!

Here for pocket duty for tests and treatments. Sending wishes for comfort and ease for those struggling from this damn disease.

Mel, what a birthday "spoiling" indeed! So nice that you have so many people around you who care so much. We should all be so lucky! What wonderful gifts you received. I'm glad you had such a wonderful, albeit bittersweet, time.