Extra prayers being said here, too! You've had to wait for a lot of reports and results... and while you may get more used to dealing with it, I bet it never really gets easier. *hugs* as always.
Have you applied your temporary rose tattoo yet? Inquiring minds want to know where you put it... you'll have to post a photo, too, unless it ended up in a risque location. LOL
News (not so) good. Part 2
Thinking of you
Everyone get up and do the Happy Dance! Tumor markers are going down and the spots on the liver have shrunk to almost can't see them ! Had my 3rd treatment today and that went very well, Dr. decreased the dosage to see if that will minimize the painfull side effects and told me I can now take 2 instead of one pill for the pain.
Jill, I came to the conclusion that at this stage of the game I was not going to waste my time stewing over things. That is not saying it is not way in the back of my mind as I really was supper happy about todays reports. Almost like a breath of fresh air.
I remember way back when my doctor asked how I was handling things, I said, Well, when I first wake up my first thought is Not "I have cancer" It's "What do I want/or have to do today" That was a real big deal for me.
That huge whale in the room finally shrunk into a minnow.
I still have the rose tattoo, we are having a little staff party at the office on the 27th and I'm doing to let the girls apply it. Yes, I'll take my camera that day. And what's a tatoo if you can't show it off. And No, I'm not that kind of girl.
That's wonderful news! I'll be sure to swing by and look for you when I pass through town.
early_bloomer
Happy Dancing all over the room. Doing a little side step to the right and back to the left. Big smile on my face. LOL
That would be great John. I'm alway outside on good days.
Jan, hubby sounds wonderful! Laughing over ''afraid to stop." I understand!
Sally, thanks! Poke berries, oh my!! That sounds like something I would have done if I'd had any beries available!! ROTFL over krazee!!
LadyG, I never think to enjoy a simple thing like that. What a great idea! Laughing over the bird food :o)
Oh Chris!!! That is wonderful news!!! I feel so happy! I can only imagine how you feel! This is really going to boost your immune system! We'll ''happy'' the rest of those nasty cells out!!!
HUG HUG HUG HUG!!!
I posted last night... where did my Happy Dance go? No matter, I'm still *happy dancing* all over the place with this news!
Yahooooooooo!
So, LadyG, what do you want to do today?
:-)
Jill, I read your post last night, what happened?
Good thing Poke berries smell awfull, I might have tasted them too : ^ 0
I remember eating green apples that I picked from our old apple tree, Oh what a belly acke I had. Don't get the wrong Idea mom fed me good, I was just a picky eater and skinny as a rail. She reverted to giving me Geratol Jr. (sp?) just to bulk me up....That didn't work. Getting older did.
Today I plan to work in the veggie garden is morning for a while, I have to go over to the Hospital near work to get my Neulasta injestion at 1:30 and stop at CVS for some RXs and then back home. it will be a slow paced day. I am feeling a bit more numbness in you palms and soles of feet this morning.
Still feeling the high from yesterday!!
Lady, That's the absolute best news I've heard all year!!
Lady,
Good news always brightens everyone's day. The words come easier when the news is wonderful!! So happy that you're going in a positive direction.
WOOHOO!!! Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!
Such wonderfully great news!! You have brightened my day to say the least!! Hurray Hurray Hurray!!
Super Super Super!!
Absolutely the bestest news!! Yay, Yay, Whopee!
Billyporter is having a BD today. Join me in well wishes here..... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1088112/
You guys are the best, I am feeling the group hugs and love. So glad I am sharing this journey with you, what a support group, you'r the best.
Chris, this is fantabulous news!!! I know you'll be glad to be able to cut the medicine down a bit too.
I had the displeasure of imbibing poke berry juice at a party thrown by a professor I had in college who was into foraging, as well as bread made from ground acorns and assorted other stuff. It was pretty awful although the acorn bread was pretty good. I had always thought poke berries were poisonous but apparently it's just the rest of the plant, not the berries. Or something like that.
I hope you plan to post a photo of that rose tattoo. Perhaps while holding a picture of Tennessee Williams. LOL
Diane, I don't know about TW but we might be singing "My Wild Irish Rose". LOL Might be funnier hoisting a Genius but I can't drink now. Bummer.
So far, decreasing the dosage and increasing the pain pill is working. I feel much better then I did after the other 2 treatments. Sometimes things take a little time to figure out, at least my doctor is willing to listen and adjust things so that I can function as close to normal as possible, a lot of Doctors will not to that and stick to the books.
I need to go back to the drug store again today, they did not get the RX again. The Hospital system is on it's way to paperless, and they e-fax the RX's to the pharmacies, there is a break-down somewhere. I am going to change pharmacies, to one that might be low tech and they know me from the office that I work in by first name. I also will ask for a paper RX to take with me.
I did get outside yesterday, it was wonderful, I fertilized the vegetable garden and hoed out some weeds there, laid my soaked hose, (I think this will be a dry summer). I cleaned out the water garden pump, and sweep up the deck when the metal glider set, Paul is refinishing the glider for me. Giving it that 50's look white frame and red seat. I have a picture of it in Spring Projects.
Made dinner, Pasta salad and hot dogs, to celebrate the warm weather. We are going to have a cold spell come through, so It will be basement gardening for me. So goes spring up north.
I slept good last night.
Love to all
Chris
Chris, I was warned when little, never to eat nightshade, so I don't know if I would have been smart enough not to taste poke berries. I grew up with grapes, rhubarb, cherries and apples, so outdoor grazing was what I did. I still eat my apples a little green. As soon as they taste like an apple in fact :o). Never ever got a belly ache. I wasn't a picky eater, but was skinny as a rail too. Mom used to call me and my sister ''Skinny Minnie!'' Yeah, getting older did me in too. I hope you feel that high for a few more days. Your calmness and upbeat attitude made it easy to stand behind you, but I'm so glad I was here cheering you on. Wow, you went out and just got so much done! The glider sounds like it will be very pretty when it's finished. And a great place to sit and enjoy life!!
It turned a bit cold here today. I went out, looked at my flowers, took pictures and am back to try and catch up on all I missed yesterday. It's almost like doing homework, LOL, but a lot more fun.
Yesterday I made a chocolate and white cake from scratch and DH made frosting. He makes much better frosting than I do, so I give him that job. I bought annuals at Menards. The robin was eating worms out of the area I'm going to make into a butterfly garden. Next year I need to move the rambler rose there and put a permanent bed in it's spot. I picked up deep purple petunias, white alyssum, and red dianthus for it, and gorgeous forget me nots for somewhere shady. I've never had them and it's the first time I've seen them on the shelf. I fell in love!! Then I got large pansies, small violas and red snapdragons. Some of those I could have started myself, but they were there and they looked good and I just couldn't stop myself. I did keep my promise to myself not to buy perennials. Giggle!
Thanks so much for the birthday thread.
I'm having family here for pizza, cake and ice cream, then we'll keep the boys overnight andf take them back tomorrow. I don't get anything done when they are here, so we have to cut it down to one night. I can't wait to put the tent up (in the yard) and sleep out with them.
Have a wonderful day everyone!!
Sally
This is the bed for the butterflies. I loved that birdbath. It had goldfish in the bottom. Somehow it had a lump and the tiles started fpopping out. I was so upset. It still holds water, so I use it on the ground now.
Sally,
Now that you have Forget-me-Nots---you will always have them! It can't be helped!
They self-seed prolifically--all over. You can help this along by cutting off the dried stems after all the bloom is gone and, carefully, shaking/rubbing them over another bed where you would like them to grow.
They are best planted amid all the Spring-flowering bulbs as the FMN's will be in full bloom when the bulb foliage looks at their worst....
The seeds will come up later on the Fall and survive the Winter as little whorls of leaves. Then they march on in the Spring and bloom their heads off. etc...etc...etc....
The seed is very small and, if you collect it, will be mixed with a lot of chafe. No problema!!!
To collect seed--gently cut off the dry flower stalks (you will drop about 100 seeds anyway!) and put them all in something like a white, plastic wash pan. Let them dry a bit and then just rub the stems to release all the seeds....
To separate the seeds from all the big chafe--sift the contents through a wire mesh sieve.
Just went outside and took these pictures for you.
Here is a clump if F.M.N.'s in one of my beds....
edited to say that in the Spring--as the new clumps of F.M.N.'s come up everywhere--you can easily dig one up and move it to wherever you want--with NO ill effects....Water right after re-locating them. That is a standard rule for transplanting anything!!!!
Gita
This message was edited Apr 16, 2010 12:51 PM
Here is an even closer shot of the blooms--macro! Some a bit out of focus---I was sooooo close to them!
Lovely--NO?
Gita, you are so right about those forget-me-nots. I pull out most for the reseeders. And trim off the spent flowers so I can have some control over the reseeding. I do leave a few, as I like the plant and flowers when they are young.
Sally, I just can't sit still, I have been learning to pace myself. And pick and choose my chores according to how I feel.
I usually make scratch cake too, but yesterday I pick up a Partridge Farm cake on sale. But I also got some crushed pineapple to make a carrot cake, when I'm feeling up to it. I may just do the cake layers and freeze them till I'm up to frosting it. That works very well, frozen cakes are easier to frost too and you can keep them in the freezer for a short time and just frost when to need them.
That will be a lovely butterfly garden, can't wait to see it's progress. Did you know that the common butterfly bushes are pretty easy to grow from seed, They usually take a year or 2 to bloom but they are fun to grow. All of mine, except Black Knight, are my seeds. I get lots of butterflys and I have some right next to my living room window, I can seed their shadows it the living room and I can also get a close up view with out scaring them. I also collected some Monarch cats and raised and released them. Here are 2, 2007 releases.
LadyG,
I really don't want to offend anyone, but I have to say "Thank you, Lord!!!!!"
Pam, you are certainly not going to offend me. Everyone has their own personal ways of handling things and I respect that. DG was meant to be a place of love and respect.
As long as we do not try to be pushy with our spiritual beliefs.
Which I feel you and others on this thread are not at all pushy.
Keep posting everyone, this is such a wonderful thread and it has been so helpful to me, and I hope others dealing with cancer who my be lurking, can also feel some comfort here too.
♥♥♥
Edited for a spelling error
This message was edited Apr 16, 2010 6:36 PM
*nodding* The DG policy has always been -- no religious debate. That doesn't mean faith is un-mentionable, just that pushy evangelism (or critical atheism) don't have a place here.
This thread is comforting and inspiring to all of us, I expect, each in their own way.
Amen! (LOL)
Day 4 after treatment, I feel very good. The lower doze, up the pain pills, (steroids) what a difference! Nurse called yesterday and said that my Potassium level had dropped below normal, so eat banana, pineapple, orange juice. I went on line and printed out 2 lists of high potassium foods. So I ate a banana, added more pineapple to my fruit mix, cooked up some Brussels sprouts for dinner.
The lists has some surprises, The highest is beet greens 1,309 per cup where a banana has 467 for 1 medium, Carrot juice 689 1 cup, orange juice 496 1 cup. So I think I do a quick trip to the local small grocery store later today. I am really turning into high maintenance, LOL
Yesterday was a real literal wash out in the garden, I was hoping to get in some beet seeds and bunching onion seeds in. But when I thought it was good it started to rain. I did make a row marker in the garage, I took 2 clothes pins, the old fashion kind, not the pinching spring ones I drilled a small hole in the head of one and threaded a nylon cord through the hole, tied the cord and melted the end. measured about 10 feet, cut, tied the other close pin to the opposite end and melted that end, rolled the cord up. Now I have a row guide that will fit nicely in my garden apron, and will help me keep those rows straight. It will be in the 40º all this weekend, so I guess back to the basement to get in some dirt playing.
I guess next week when we are back to work it will be nice gardening weather. Never fails. sigh.
My weeping cherry has dropped all it's petals with the rain, it was just gorgeous this spring, so full of blossoms, and the honey bees were all over it.
The flower quince has been blooming and I have my hummingbird feeder up, but no sign of a hummer, to is a bit early but the migration map shows they are around the area. I'm just waiting. No sign of the Baltimore oriole either. But the redwing black birds have visited the yard.
Well, this high maintenance gal is going to get her high fiber breakfast ready.
Good morning every one, have a great day!
♥♥♥
Gitagal, I'm thrilled! I can't believe I never ever had any before and I'm looking forward to spreading them around! Lovely, yes! LOL!
Chris, I love carrot cake! I feel I'm eating healthy, LOL! I'm looking forward to making the temporary butterfly garden. Next year I'll put in low perennials. I was hoping to find lantana, but they didn't have any. I wish it was perennial here, but I've heard it's a pest where it is. Same for the butterfly bush. I've never tried it from seed, but I am getting tired of buying it and having it last a year or so before dying. I grow the butterfly weed and never get tired of the Monarchs. Those two are beautiful!!
Pam, smiling, we've been praying to High Heaven, so feel free!! It's how we all feel!
Chris, I can my own tomato juice. I read that two glasses a day are a complete potassium dose. I have high blood pressure, so I have to watch salt and potassium levels. Too much or too little of either is not good. I've kept my levels in check on my own. Luckily it's an easy fix. I'm laughing because I did the same thing. Printed out a list. I did the same for fiber. I love your idea for the straight rows. (It's hard to concentrate. The Grandkids keep needing to tell me things LOL!) Our wrens are here the first week in May, the oriole, the next week after. The hummers, I'm not sure. Suddenly they are here when the columbines are blooming. It sure is noisy in the mornings when the robins and other birds wake up.
We take the boys home today. I can get back to exercising and eating right. Too many Teddy Graham snacks! I need to get kids breakfast. They're starting to get pesky for attention ;o)
No time to proofread. I hope I didn't misspell. I hate that!
Yay LG! Seems like green leafs are soooo good for us. Smart rabbits. Neat row marker idea! I needed that last week. But made do with boards laid down, eyeballing and hand spanning distances.
billy--
Don't you have the "spellcheck" option? I think it is somewhere under "properties"????? Anyone????
I have it on everything...Not sure how it got there, though.....
I seldom mis-spell, but my big fingers hit 2 keys often and then it is mis-spelled.....
Sometimes, I also have problems with double "r's" on a single one...Some words just seem to need 2!
Billy, We use the google tool bar, it has all kinds of useful stuff including spell check. It's not great for plant names, but you can teach it as you go. Ric
Gita, I have spellcheck and just put the online dictionary on my desktop, LOL! I mis-spell more these days, but don't type well at all, either!
Ric, I bought a plant book with the pronunciation and spelling. I use it a lot!
We had a frost advisory for last night and it was 37° when I got up. We should be done freezing. I need to clean the garage and repot pepper plants, in that order. I can't find my bench :o) All the yard ornaments get set out today! I put the birdbaths out and filled them the other day, and they have been using them. No rain in sight for the week either. I should tote water too. I need to weed around all the plants that will blom next so they look good, LOL! All of a sudden everything needs it at once!
Chris, I hope your energy comes back quickly and you can get back to normal. Still praying anyway!
Have a great day everyone!!
I use the Google spell check too, but sometimes I have the problem of typing on and adding an e (one) or of when I want to spell off. Spell check doesn't help with that. LOL
Cool here too Billy, staying inside today, and looks like it will carry on throught the week. About 1:00 yesterday, the sore joints set in, I was not do for pain pills till 4 so I just chilled at the computer, DD called and we had a nice long talk. They will be putting their boat in the water next weekend, we hope to get up to Sandusky OH to stay a few weekends with them on the boat. Have to coordinate it with their time off and my treatments.
I took the pills at 4:00 and started to come back around. I'm not to 95% yet this morning but this is better then what I was after the last 2 treatment. I started to keep a daily journal on how I am feeling and what I am doing to print out for the doctor for the next visit. I'm using a spread sheet format for easy reading. She is a busy woman, but still takes time to talk and find out what is going on and even exchange some chit-chat. I am really blessed to have her.
Love to all.
Chris
I'm glad you have a good doctor, LadyG -- and one who will take time to really listen.
I don't really relax about frost for another month, here. Tomatoes will probably get planted out the second weekend in May.. that's conservative, but a friend of mine who has been gardening around here for decades probably won't put her (hundreds of) tomato plants out until Memorial Day.
I'm debating whether to forge ahead with getting the deck powerwashed & stained this week... it would be nice to get it done, but taking things off my plate is good also. It'll work out one way or another.
I tried to get out with the sprayer this morning, but the breeze started picking up... I think I need to get everything ready and mixed and sitting at the back door, then head straight out as soon as I get up. Early morning is generally calm. The fruit trees need spraying, and I also have some weeds on which to wage chemical warfare (sometimes pulling and pulling and pulling just isn't going to do it... and I ain't pulling the poison ivy! LOL).
Chris, I hope it's as nice there, it's 46* and sunny, makings for a great day here. Hope you have a great day and can enjoy some of it outside. Ric
Chris, I got to laughing at myself. I'll be typing along, ( I am still hunt and peck, but faster than I was.) and I seem to need to hit the back key as much as any other. Sounds like I'm really going to town when half of it is corrections, LOL! You need a nice vacation like that! Let someone else do the ''driving'' for a change. The journal is a great idea and you do have a great doctor!
Critter, climates amaze me. Those of you in zone 6b are having frosts and cold weather. We, cross fingers, seem to be done with the last freeze, not frost, but hard freeze that can happen till the end of April. It's back to normal, temp-wise and will be cool for another week. Those 80° days really had me spoiled. Last night I had on long sleeves and my flannel jammie pants. I was cold! I hear you on the wind and spraying fruit trees. Same trouble here! ROTFL over the ivy!
April seems to be going nice and slow. March just flew by. I still don't seem to be accomplishing much. It's like Critter said, pulling and pulling isn't doing it. No rain the last couple of times they said it would, so I'm pumping and watering the garden today.
Chris, I bet your doc also reallly enjoys working with you, being proactive and positive as you are!
And I am glad you added the parentheses to the title, since the news IS Not 'not so' good these days!
billySally, gosh a real well pump, how fun. And what a nice neat garden!
Billy, What a nice set up for the pump, and gardeners dream, I think. I still hunt and peck, but faster now and use the spell check before hitting send, and proofing, but still fine mistakes (notice the Edit on my posts) LOL
I went to work today, still ache and walking slowly, but I needed the mental stimuli and getting back to my patients, they always asking about me, and worry when I am not there, and my co-workers are always willing to help if I need them and they have time. Staying home is something I can only do for so long, and I start to get really restless. It's worse if I can't get out to garden. LOL
Ric, the weather is getting better. about the same as you are having. An other day or two and I'll be ready for some lite gardening outside. I have not been in the basement for a while but the last time I was down there I took care of watering things good as I knew what was coming. When my walking is unsteady I stay away from the basement stairs.
Sally, I needed to change that title, I bounce around so much and change. Glad you like the change. Hoping to change again when I can get a break from chemo and things are again stable. I told DH when this all started that it might be a bumpy ride but I did not think it was going to be this bumpy.
Sally, we are so glad we put it in. I hand water and I can feel my Grandparents call out from their graves. "No don't start! Use the hose!" It's good exercise and I enjoy pumping. When the power goes out in the summer, we have water for flushing :o)
Chris, work is good medicine when you like your job!
I think you should completely change the title next time the thread gets too long too. By then you'll know just where you stand. Use something that makes you feel good every time you see it.
It's a bumpy ride and we can only stand by. I'm hoping once you get to take less treatments you really bounce back. You can't change what has happened, but you can get better! That's my prayers.
It's another cool day, but that's the best for weeding and running around the yard!
Good thoughts for everyone! Have a great day!!
Fresh new beginnings, hostas, bleeding hears, corydalis and columbine bed.
Billy, How nice your Veggie garden looks. Love the hand pump, my son is looking for one he has a very old one that is damaged in some way. Not sure if he will try to get it working or get a newer one.
Ladyg, Good idea staying away from those basement steps. Sorry this has been such a bumpy trip. I see you being dragged along in a little red wagon over a rut filled dirt road bump bump bumping along headed towards the smooth black macadam road. Who know where that road will take you over the years to come. Holly