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

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  • intolight
    intolight Posts: 3,001

    @threetree Praying your scans go well. It is tough to go through all of that on your own and with not feeling well with RSV too.

    @irishlove Your DH sounds amazing and I can see why you are so proud of him. Sorry your weather is not cooperating either.

  • chicagoan
    chicagoan Posts: 1,477

    @threetree-Prayers for stamina to get through today. It's hard enough to go through scans but even more when you are not feeling great. Hope you can stay home and rest tomorrow and over the weekend.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390

    @irishlove I am glad to find out your husband is doing better and able to be so active. That is very good. As far and me and energy, not too sure about that but I do try to set and meet small goals in the house.

    I did put together a rather large order though forgot yogurt and fruitopia, oh well, debating a Paratransit trip on Saturday or Sunday, quick trip so transfer in 90 minutes keeps it cheap. I will see. Mostly got lentils, dried and canned, beef and tomato macaroni. I also got kraft bacon caesar dressing. Amazon makes you buy 3 of them. Got 5 of the veggie stir fry as well, got mini pot pies and regular size pot pies. Forgot yogurt, paying 16 dollars per week to pay it off, once it is paid off, will decide on getting other stuff. Still playing games for a couple dollars to earn snacks, got more veggie crisps, liking the ketchup flavour. Also got 18 eggs, they can be chopped into a fry pan if needed.

    I will be making some of the frozen vegetable stir fry with lentils and a mini pot pie when groceries arrive. Am also planning my games, want to buy Reese's Puffs so would use my mobile games booster to buy a gift card on Amazon to get that, probably take a couple days to get enough to make it free. Groceries are in the 60 dollar range with paying for less than 2 hours for delivery and Driver tip and got a LOT of food this time, easy to make with more fibre. Plan is to pay off purchase 16 bucks per week and once that is done, can look at other stuff I may have forgot to add. Got lots of veggies included and the protein from the meat pies will be good. Order is already on the way.

    Thinking lentils, the veggie stir fry and one of the mini pot pies on top, Microwave it and put some caesar on top. Lots of fibre and protein.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 9

    I am really looking forward to some easier meals to prepare for myself, can still get a lot of variety out of it. Will post what I have. First meal will be a veggie stir fry with some canned lentils and a mini pot pie. Probably heat for near 6 or 7 minutes in the 700 W microwave, eat as much as I can, will season with garlic butter, sour cream and onion dry seasonings, bind with one of my mayo and caesar and bacon dressings, if there are left overs, can eat with the second meal and boost ingredients. Total was 64 dollars for both delivery, groceries and tip. I did forget yogurt so if need be, book paratransit up to the store for Sunday or Monday and make a quick in and out of Walmart. Can get a 90 min transfer so be in and out of the Walmart and pay 2.65 round trip and pick up the yogurt.

    EDIT I did have one of the veggie stir fry with lentils added and one of the chicken mini pot pie, microwave 7 mins since extra stuff andd low watt microwave. After cooled a bit, scooped onto a plate, took a bit of garlic butter seasoning, bit of sour cream and onion seasoning and salt. Binders were a garlic parm mayo and a bit of bacon caesar dressing. It was super tasty, had a bit left over. Thinking I can put left overs on either a plate or pan, add extra lentils and dump in the air fryer for around 7 to 10 minutes, not too sure. Should add cheese and queso afterword. Also debating a lentil soak overnight to try out my dried lentils. I will start small though and find containers to keep the dried ones in.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 10,007

    Just sending you all gentle hugs from us!! 🤗

  • cookie54
    cookie54 Posts: 1,333

    @shanagirl Happy belated Birthday!! Sounds like it was a wonderful evening surrounded by family and great food. Nothing else better than that!

    @threetree So sorry you have RSV but glad you got an answer as to why you have been feeling so crappy lately..hoping for better days ahead! Hoping all went smoothly with your scan and you are resting well.

    @mara51506 Veggie stir fry sounds delish to me and I'm a chocolate peanut butter fan also. Have some Reese Puffs for me when you get them, enjoy!

    @candy-678 Thinking of you hope your hanging in there…. sending big hugs your way.

    @irishlove Yikes sounds like your having duck weather down there.. hope it clears soon! How wonderful for DH, he sounds like another energizer bunny to me. Hope you're feeling ok otherwise and you get to enjoy nice weather this weekend.

    All ok here, happy to report my port worked just fine today ! Hopefully it continues…..Weather is looking good here into early next week, nice mood booster.

    Hi to all here reading along I hope it was a pain free day💕

  • goldensrbest
    goldensrbest Posts: 857

    Shanagirl - Happy belated birthday from me too🥳🥳🥳.

    Threetree - sorry you’re dealing with RSV. Hope you recover quickly. Hope you get good news from scan results.

    Candy - thinking of you and sending virtual hugs 🤗🤗.

    Pocket duty for all in need.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 10

    @shanagirl Happy belated birthday from me too. I hope you enjoyed yourself.

    I did sleep well last night, went to bed about an hour earlier than usual, bringing the bedtime back a bit at a time.

    Lots of rain today and in the rest of April's forecast but no snow finally. Rain is easier to deal with.

    Now that I have all the food bought yesterday, I can eat different varieties of it all, for got to get hash browns but that is OK, will wait to pay off this weeks two orders. I had to make two as I was out of yogurt and only had one pack of cheese and did buy some cheese and sour cream chips to have as a treat.

    EDIT speaking of sour cream and cheddar ships which were bought yesterday, found 5 unopened bags of the pringle mingles which are also sour cream and cheddar, I don't remember when I bought those but will endeavour to use them up a bit at a time. In this case. They are an puffed type of chip so might as well use them up, could even take a few and put them in the spice grinder and add to what I may be using to bind meals. Who the heck knows.

    EDIT2 I did wind up having leftovers from yesterday of the lentils, eggs and stir fry, not much left but that was fine. Did chop up green and black beans with cheese. Put everything in the air fryer, heated for a couple cycles of 5 mins on 205 C, close to 400 F. Just stirred things around both times. When plating, added tostitos queso and garlic mayo, super small amounts of each and lastly some salt. Not crispy, just really cheesy and rich and I loved it. I did add the newly discovered cheddar and sour cream flavour mingles which are puffy like cheetos etc. It was great with those on as well.

    Final Edit I am planning on having english muffins, just toast as normal, put butter on and put in breville oven. Once this cools down, plan is to be generous with the peanut butter and add a few lentils on top. After that, throw a small amount of honey on it. I know it will be good. Option 2 on this one is to pulverize any lentils and put on with the butter, I will see.

    Got laundry on the go, rather large load and there is some sitting in the smaller one. I am also known to use a dedicated salad spinner to do smaller items too. Goal for the laundry today is to get all done from washers and the smaller one that holds stuff to be washed, de facto laundry basket. I could use both of them at the same time as well but that is a lot to keep track of.

    I hope everyone has a good day, pockets for everyone as well.

  • eleanora
    eleanora Posts: 558

    @shanagirl

    Happy belated birthday from me as well. Hope it was wonderful.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 11

    @candy-678 Will be in your pocket as you await next steps sending my support.

    Not too much sleep, was up watching youtube shorts as well as facebook stuff when finally sent myself to bed. I am also guessing slept for a bit through the youtube. Oh well, got another week before next Herceptin on Apr 22.

    I will be doing laundry of course, will salad spin a head scarf in cold water and detergent. Those really don't get stains on them so the salad spinner agitation is enough then spin dry and hang on the shower rod. Regular laundry as well, got a couple of the reusable swiffer wet jet pads in there. They kind of remind me of the sock mops. Usually dust with those now or just wear like slippers. F

    EDIT I just handwashed the scarf in cold water and threw in the spinner to dry out. Felt lazy about it.

    Food is not as complicated as it used to be. Today, need to figure out a pasta fillled blend with the frozen veggie stir fry. Some of the stir fry is in fridge already so could go straight to the air fryer with seasonings thrown in and some cheese. I may also make a new cheesy seasoning out of the pringles mingles as I like the idea of adding a few chips to put in the spice grinder for powder seasoning. My plan is to take a meat pie, mash it up since in fridge and put all in the air fryer, dump the veggie stir fry in as well and some lentils. Heat at a minimum heat, not high heat so it can go for longer. Intending this to go for more than one meal. I will post once all is done and if good or bad. Decided the air fryer can replace the fry pan whose finish is coming off to reveal finish underneath. Later, could make up eggs and some of the left overs. I can also be free to use air fryer at a lower temp and cook stuff longer. I have enough groceries to go until end of month, if odds and sods needed, will book Paratransit for a quick shop, spend about an hour at whatever store and get the ride home. I would like to see how practical it is for me to utilize transfers. I do need to be careful not to overload my knapsack as the drivers are unable to assist with lifting groceries which makes sense to me. If it is a matter of keeping stocked in queso or sour cream, that can be done. Paying 2.65 for a trip to and from somewhere is awesome.

    EDIT Meal was good. I took a veggie stir fry, a medium pot pie and lentils, dumped in the air fryer. The pot pie and stir fry were in fridge overnight, needed them soft enough to heat up. Air fryer was set at 180 C and cooked low and slow, lots of stirring and additions of salt, sour cream and onion dry seasoning and the garlic butter. It came out creamy so no extra fat added for a binder this time and it was very good. I have about half left so put it in container in the fridge. I also realized that the plain yogurt I purchased, I can turn it into a sweet treat OR make it savoury or stretch my queso. Can also be sweet by mixing some with a bit of water and a mio flavour of fruit punch. Makes a good shake like consistency.

    I do hope everyone has a good day, pockets for all, meals will be updated if good or bad. I am not shy about posting ones that are not good.

  • tanya_djamila
    tanya_djamila Posts: 1,629

    Happy belated shanagirl.

    Candy you have a good plan for yourself. I hope it’s easy for you and works really well for you for a long time.

    Went and got mulch from Lowe’s and other errands. My sons supposed to come tomorrow and help me do some outside projects.
    Mara you hid potato chips from yourself!!! Good job hiding. I usually can find all the snacks!!!

    Take care all

    Tanya

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 13

    @shanagirl My schedule for getting up is all over the place myself. The spring forward losing an hour really messes with my sleep schedule. I did get to bed at 3 instead of 4am. I am sure I doze on couch though as well. Give yourself a break and allow for rest or lazy days. You also deserve them. I am in pajamas most often and wigless. Just wear scarves. Makeup is reserved for going out.

    Not sure what is on the agenda, nothing major, I did get a lot of laundry complete yesterday so that was good, floor looks good, loving the swiffer wet jet and use my vileda mop as a duster only. I found it too prone to leaking to be happy with it as a mop but the pads are useful to pick up the dust. Dusting in places a duster would not reach is done by my blower which was meant to keep laptop clean but has a kick butt motor. I do the dust first and then do the sweep, vacuum sweeper and then the mop. Takes a few minutes.

    I am planning meals around beef and macaroni dishes, they need to be done up, they thawed in fridge and will use my air fryer to put everything in. I still love how easy to clean and not having to put grease in it is great. I have also found the plain yogurt I got works well in smoothie with mio fruit punch powder but has also subbed in to stretch queso a bit when adding a meal binder but could have dry seasonings I have added to a bit of it. I will see. I will post meals if good or bad. I am actually thinking of rice, lentils and beans and some canned chicken, make a larger meal for one of my meals, others using up beef and tomato macaroni. I have to decide and need to figure out sides.

    EDIT took a small package of the beef and tomato noodles, dumped into the air fryer, took a can of chicken and mashed it a bit and a ton of lentils, seasoned with the el paso cheesy taco, some mild taco seasoning and the garlic butter. Put on high and stirred every couple of minutes. When it came out, dumped in a bowl and put tostitos queso and a dollop of plain yogurt as binders. It was really filling, tasted great to me and put leftovers in the fridge.

    EDIT 2 Final meal was simple, toasted english muffin with butter, a boatload of peanut butter and a bit of honey, it was good.

    Weather is rainy, that is OK better than snow. It is getting warmer more often so will have to as DB to help me out on it and ask to get rid of the one the put out back. I managed to get it off the wee garbage can I was using but now can put garbage in containers out back. Since the bedroom door is closed to cats so I can sleep I need to have a window AC.

  • chicagoan
    chicagoan Posts: 1,477

    @mara51506 Was the AC in your bedroom not working? It seemed like it worked last year.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390

    Well, coming down with something, sore throat, bit of phlegm as well. Took a Mucinex already, rinsed nasal passages with a nasal spray a couple of times. Funny how saline tastes really gross, I get the same thing when getting a saline injection and it is just salt and water. Oh well, biggest goal for me is to avoid anything getting to my chest. I have a boatload of stuff to relieve symptoms anyway.

  • cookie54
    cookie54 Posts: 1,333

    @mara51506 Sorry you're starting to feel under the weather. Hope you caught it early enough to stop it before it gets to your chest, rest well tonight.

    @candy-678 Thanks for update…continued prayers and support as you wait. Hugs❤️

    @sf-cakes Hope the wedding was a nice mood booster for you…glad to see ya. Sending you good vibes and an energy boost.

    @shanagirl I understand how you feel, I also do better on a routine. But as others said it's ok to give yourself a pass, God knows you deserve it!

  • irishlove
    irishlove Posts: 764

    "Give yourself some grace". @intolight. Well said. We have all heard this phrase or use this phrase in life. I wondered what it meant. I suppose it depends on one's personality to define what it means to them. Well last week I finally repeated this phrase to myself. Here's my personal take on doing just that.

    With me being a strong Type A personality and going thru life pushing almost all the time, I found cancer sure can rearrange life. Somehow I fight it anyway. Last week, I gave in. Not up, but in. I stayed in bed all day. Well with the exception of filling bird feeders, water bowls outside, cat food outside and peanuts outside. lol I found I was able to let go of controlling thoughts and actions. It's a beginning, but I believe it's much needed on my part.

    My thoughts are with you all as you make new medical decisions and prayers for success with your health.

    Irishlove

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 13

    @cookie54 I am medicating as needed. No real productive cough but have started on the mucinex to try to prevent it and aerius to keep nose clear as well. I slept almost 10 hours last night which I think was due to meds taken before bed, no coughing fits. I think I will be safe enough.

    It is HOT in the apartment. The temp is was warmer outside but the heat is still on in the building. They are regulated to have it on in certain months so complaining makes little difference. I do have the split AC going right now to bring down temps which is 86 currently, about to turn on some fans, lucky I did not get rid of a lot of them. Think that beyond toasted english muffin, will keep Breville off. Anything I need will be done in air fryer. Need to eat up the canned chicken, season it up well and possibly chop in with an egg and some chips for flavour. Need to try out the dry lentils, simmer on the stove a while, not the whole amount, thinking about 1/3 cup and add 3 times the water, simmer for 20 mins or so then drain. I forgot to soak overnight but that is fine. I would season them in the air fryer AFTER simmering so they do not get tough. If they turn out, may buy those instead, I will see as I know they are cheaper. I can probably get away with not soaking them. Putting some on now. Will be adding them to one of the beef and tomato meals that come with pasta. I will post as usual if good or bad.

    EDIT 1 I boiled a cup of water first and added 1/3 cup of the dry lentils, they really only took about 10 mins of simmering, dumped them in the strainer, planning to add the lot into the air fryer with a bean and tomato meal, also could put an egg in. They are red lentils so I think they come out a bit different but that is fine by me. Got the rest of the dry lentils in an air tight container in the kitchen. I felt like the instruction to add a cup of them was too much for me. I will have another edit with what I dump in the air fryer including seasonings and binders.

    EDIT2 The red lentils, 1/3 of cup when dry but feel like they expanded after the 10 min heat up in pot. They had a feathery consistency so by the time I threw them, the veggie stir fry and the macaroni and beef with tomato sauce, they blended in. When it was done in the air fryer, two 5 min sessions of stirring, put in a large bowl, ate as much as I could as it was super filling. Used queso and garlic parm mayo as binders and garlic and butter seasoning and some sour cream and onion seasoning. It is an inexpensive nutritious meal with all the stuff I would need. I am guessing that I can split this meal into 3 separate meals if I want to. Cheap but good.

    Laundry will be done as usual, floors and such, also. Sometime this week, time for taxes this week as well.

    I just put some kitchen garbage out back, had almonds that were 7 years old so did not want to keep them. I can say temps out back are much more pleasant. I think the heat will be off in June, I will find out, that will make a real difference. Got fans on the go, hip fan sitting on my belly blowing up at me, love it and the other two fans in the living room are on the go as well. It is supposed to cool down a bit, one day even showing a dusting of snow but that is fine. Lots of rain too. I am debating an amazon delivery of AC window unit for the bedroom or once may hits, get DB to take me out for one.

    Anyway hope everyone has a good day in pockets for all.

  • cookie54
    cookie54 Posts: 1,333

    @mara51506 Well 10 hours of sleep is what your body needed , glad to hear. Oh but 86…sheesh that's rough, sounds like warmer in the apartment than outside! Well if anybody knows the system it's you, I 'm sure plenty of other residents are complaining. I guess they don't have a good way to regulate between the change of seasons. Hope it's a better day today.

    @irishlove I'm with ya with pushing all the time. It's my "other" sickness lol but I feel it has helped me in many ways too. I guess we just need to learn how to balance and yes " give ourselves some grace". Looks like the Phillies bats are coming alive..fingers crossed!

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390

    It was 90 at front of apartment this morning even with fans all running. I decided that the existing window fan was blocking airflow vs bringing in cooler air. It is only 64 F outside so removed the window fan and opened up the window wide, lots of ventilation going on. They cannot shut off the boiler til June. DB does not think I should buy an AC until he can take me shopping which will be fine, not replacing the window fan, they want over 100 dollars and I am not interested in paying that much for a window fan when a regular window AC could be purchased for less. I got another hip fan and it is sitting on the table next to me, loud but working. Those things are great flashlights too. Once boiler heat is off, the apartment will not be so hot. In case those people wonder why I need window AC in bedroom, it is for the simple reason that I cannot sleep with cats coming in and out of bedroom, need to close the door. Oh well, I will wait til later and it will be cooling off anyway.

    I do have a cold BUT the Mucinex twice a day, hydra sense nasal spray is helpful too and kicking the worst of it to the curb. Just want to avoid it going to the chest.

    I am on the go for some laundry, keeping eating simple. Take some dry lentils, cook up some eggs near end of their cycle, toast an english muffin and just put some butter on it. Still have some leftovers from yesterday so I may eat up some of that and need to heat up the rest of the stuff that did not fit in the freezer. Been 3 days in fridge and do not trust leaving it longer. Option 2 take rest of tinned chicken which I am not fond of and turn it mexican, will be a supper meal since I am craving a burger meal.

    Got a Happy meal with apple juice, cheeseburger with tomato, lettuce and mayo added and a mini fry and also got a yogurt with it. Cheap meal and good. This is my first meal of the day. Will edit with others if they are significant in any way. Also put a wig on, wanted to feel more human. Got to remember the happy meals for a less expensive price. The chicken big macs look gargantuan.

    I hope everyone has a good day, in pockets for everyone. for

  • chicagoan
    chicagoan Posts: 1,477
    Cherry Blossoms.jpg

    Went to see the Cherry Blossoms at a local park today.

    @cookie54 Could you please have the Phillies bats cool down until the Cubs leave town? Last night's game was embarassing. We got rid of Schwarber for nothing!!!!

  • cookie54
    cookie54 Posts: 1,333

    @chicagoan Hahaha, sorry but the Phil's have been stinkin on offense so they needed it for morale! However I will allow a closer game lol😜Glad you got to enjoy the cherry blossoms, always so pretty.

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390

    @chicagoan Those are very pretty I agree for sure.

    House is feeling much better, hip fan is working hard beside me where laptop is kept when not in use. I have a gabillion fans I can use that were not disposed of and I will not get rid of them. I decided that the other fan was doing nothing but blocking the window, it is super wide open now

  • mara51506
    mara51506 Posts: 7,390
    edited April 15

    I slept OK, woke up to cats meowing because my ear bud fell out overnight. Normally cannot hear them. Oh well, worse things can happen for sure. I still have a cold, mostly stuffiness in nose, not too much being produced when need to cough, mucinex is still being used to treat symptoms

    Supposed to be very rainy here, cooler weather on the way, supposed to get a bit of snow, not likely the type that would be sticking around since it has been very warm and the temps rise well above freezing again.

    I do plan to do my taxes today. Never takes long as it is mostly automated and that is good for me and as a single, uncomplicated as well. Also receiving another hip fan, I do really like them for 30 bucks and can run it off a portable charger and goes anywhere in the room.

    No idea for meals, will post if anything remarkable is eaten. I am thinking a rice meal and not sure after that, perhaps some dry lentils, I am enjoying the red lentil feathery consistency. We will see, need to fit eggs in there too.

    EDIT 1 First meal was two eggs, some canned chicken and a 1/4 cup dried lentils, put some extra water in to cover lentils. 8 mins in high in my 700W microwave. Took out and drained extra water in strainer, put all back in same bowl. Added sour cream and onion seasoning, garlic butter seasoning and caesar dressing as the main binder, put in a handful of the cheddar and sour cream mingles. Kind of like cheetos cheese puffs. Stirred all together, surprisingly good. I wasn't sure about it.

    Hope all have a good day and in pockets for all.

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