Chemo 2 and more

Today is chemo 2 day 2 and all is well.  I am sure I am doing so fine because of all the great positive thoughts and prayers everyone is sending me!  THANK YOU

Saturday we went to visit friends that live nearby but we have not seen for 2 years.  They have a big home and yard out in the country and the dogs had fun running around outside.  These are the friends we went horseback riding with in Hawaii.  So here I am with Cathy and Medy:

On my : my hair started coming out on Saturday.  Glad to see that chemo is still working on the bad  cells as well as the good ones.  Scalp started out being sore (like a sunburn) when touched so I pulled on some hair and out it came.  Decided to cut most of it off on Sunday evening.

Sunday we rode our motorcycles to Carmel to visit with my cousin Jerry (Howard) Smith and his wife Ann.  Carol also rode over to St Vincent Carmel to visit with some techs she worked with.  It was wonderful to have a cool day to ride!  We took back roads and loved seeing things we had never seen and all the changes to places we knew.  

My cousin Jerry is sooooooo funny.  He remembers all kinds of jokes and is quick with funny responses.  He has a very bad heart and Ann has been fighting breast cancer off and on for 25 years.  But these two have great strong attitudes!  They maintain a beautiful home and Jerry still drives (concerning to their kids).  As a reminder to all, make sure you get and keep good insurance.  Jerry was in the Medicare doughnut hole the end of January and now has to pay $2,000 / month just for prescriptions!  I recommended seeing about getting some Meds from Canada.   So Jerry taught us a new word - SHART.  It can be a noun, verb or adjective.  It is a cross between shit and fart.  Been there done that, know a few, and have even been one!

Sunday evening our friends Connie Kelley and Trelia Craft came over for the big hair buzzing.  Connie brought red hair glue so we decided to do something fun.  Carol used the Flowbee to cut everything shorter and then used a hair clipper to design a Mohawk.  

 Then Carol painted it RED on Monday morning. She is so good!  Sure got lots of support from friends and cancer center staff.  I believe it is best to have fun and keep my spirit UP!  

So had chemo 2 yesterday with no issues.  They were slow getting me in and the lab was extra slow - lessons in patience for me.  Sent Carol to movie and then out to feed and walk dogs.  After chemo went with Carol to Pickleball with friends ( she played/ I talked) and then to Steak and Shake for dinner.  

Donna Hirt, Carol Trexler, me, Sherry Miller, Deanna Medsker, and Carolyn Collins.  Not in pic but playing: Carol, Chris Paulson, Pam and Scarlet

Got home tired and full.  Washed out RED.  Watched the new "Unforgettable" we recorded, then fell in bed.  I will probably not post for a few days so I wish you a great week of health and happiness.

Oh, I forgot to mention that our wonderful dogs and cat keep me busy and entertained! 

 Note - Tully really has brown eyes not yellow demon eyes.  

Here are the last two pics for today:

Feeling good - visiting family and friends

This has been a very good week.  We started the week by Carol playing Pickleball with Indy friends and me going to visit my friend and former VA Oncology Nurse Nancy Powell.   She has such a nice home on the south side.  We had a good visit and I had a wonderful glass of Reisling.  Then I met the Pickleballers for dinner.

Carol and I have make two trips to the Lafayette area to visit this week.  First we went to my cousin Becky's for lunch on Tuesday.  Had a great visit but we forgot to take any pictures. So here is one of my favorite pics of Becky and Joe at their daughter Kim's wedding.

We have had two campfires this week since the weather has been so nice and cool.  First we had Connie Kelley over on Wed. night and then Connie, Deanna Medsker, and Chris Paulson on Thursday night.  Yes, our friend Connie loves campfires as much as Carol.  Carol also cooked - she is the BEST!

Yesterday we went back up north to visit my "little sister" Jane Knochel Ehresman and her husband Ron.  For the many of you who remember my sweet friend Mary Jo Knochel that passed away 4 years ago, Jane is her younger sister.  

We all grew up together just like sisters!  Ron also grew up with us and I am so glad they are now married.  We had a great visit and our dogs playing in their lovely backyard.  Fun seeing all their antiques and old pics.  Next Ron drove us to Buck Creek on the new 25 and then to Americus for my all time favorite catfish dinner!

Today we are going to visit Cathy Moore and Mady Myers at their home nearby.  Cathy is a nurse that Carol used to work with at St Vincent.  One of my funnies pics was taken with them in Hawaii.  

Life is good!!!!!!!!  Wishing everyone health and happiness.

Indiana weather good and so am I

July 25

A beautiful cool morning in Indiana. What a blessing for July!   I am up early and continuing to feel good.  Learning about this blogging is a little frustrating but I will figure it out.

Although our travels have been interrupted we are in the best place for that to happen.  We are blessed to be in a very nice campground only a few miles from many many friends.  We are also only a few miles from where I am getting my Chemotherapy.

I promised I would start this blog to keep you updated on my detour so here is what has happened so far.  I had my first chemo on Friday July 12.  I felt fine during and after the infusions.  I keep picturing this poisonous mixture killing each little "bastard" c cell.  Since I am an old Trekkie I of course see Phasers and Proton torpedoes doing the killing!

If you want to see the video, check out my Facebook page!

I did feel weak and flu like on Tuesday and Wednesday (days 4 and 5) but then stared feeling better.  Have felt good since so have been going to visit friends and family we have not seen since getting back here.  We even went to Peru, IN to join our Ohio River Valley RVing Women friends for a potluck dinner.  

The doctor has told me that Carol is to be the boss throughout this detour but as you can imagine that is a bit difficult for me!  I am really trying to let go and just focus on getting well.  Boy will I have a lot to do next year to make up for all she is doing now.  

My next chemo is Monday July 29, then every two weeks.  By the way, I still have my hair but they say not for much longer.  We are going to do something funny before it goes but we are not completely sure what yet.  I will post pics next blog.

Thanks to everyone for your positive thoughts, prayers and cards.  Thanks especially to Vicky Para for sending me her protective healing rocks!  Damn the c cells!  Full steam ahead!