Yin and Yang

 Yin-Yang.  Light and dark.

These are the terms I use to describe the last two weeks.  After my fifth chemo I had an uncomfortable and tired/dark week followed by a good feeling/light week.  Fortunately the dark week was not terrible and the light week was great.  I have felt better this last week than I felt before my last chemo.  

The really good news is that Carol has been feeling great, walking, and playing Pickleball in addition to taking care of me during my dark week.  She is really looking good, even with her buzzed hair cut.  I have had to cut it three times already.  She wants to keep it buzzed until my hair grows back.  Who could ask for a better supporter?  Not me!

What fun having Flat Dianne and Janis with us.  Also fun that they shared Flat Nancy and Carol events with us and great that they sent a Flat Nancy and Carol to Ruth Ann for her 90th Birthday since we could not be there in person.  

                    Dianne Saba, Doris Fry, Constance Wray, and Janis Chernoff

Now Ruth Ann has us with her at Discovery Bay Resort in Washington.  She has been having a great time up there and they had two parties for her.  

Can you believe she was 90 years old?  I hope we all look that good at 90!  But then two days later she tripped and fell -

Broken little finger, bad scrape on head and glasses, but that did not slow her down.  She is still going out to eat, to a music festival, and more.   As she said, she is not pretty but is colorful.  Thankfully the broken pinky is on her left hand. 

What fun Carol and I are having going through our old photos!  It is a big chore but it is so fun remembering the old days.

Check out Carol's family photo from about 1964 and her car!

This week while I was feeling so good, we were able to meet up with Lisa Hartman for a great lunch and visit.  Lisa was the nurse in radiology at St Vincent Carmel when Carol was still working and we love her.  She has such a great sense of humor.  Many of you will remember her antics when they had the retirement party for Carol.  She is now working in a much less stressful environment and enjoying life.  

One evening we enjoyed dinner out with Marilyn Goff, Dixie Emler, Irene Heffley, Jean Ditzenberger, Caroline Collins and Xandra Hamilton

I need to share a dark story -  On Thursday morning Carol found a leak under our kitchen sink.  She worked hard taking everything out (too much stuff),  trying to dry carpet, and finally standing on her head to take the floor out.  What a mess but it would get worse.  We called a mobile RV repair company and they sent someone out on Friday.  The only way he could take out the leaky faucet was to take the entire sink loose.  Of course the new one had to be ordered and hopefully will get here in 5 working days.  He balanced the sink on our top silverware drawer and said to be careful not to move it because the sink would fall on the pipes.  Well, having the drawer open bugs me and somehow, I have tried to close it 3 times.  CHEMO BRAIN.  Luckily Carol fixes it each time.  No pictures since our RV is a wreck!!!!!!!!

Ok, I have two light stories to share.  At least it's better to laugh than cry.  First, we were doing laundry at Deanna and Chris's when Carol called my to see what a mess we had.  I had left a whole package of Kleenex in the pouch on my new hoodie and it was in million pieces all over all our clothes.  Oops!  Took a long time to get this all off.  

Next, Carol  made an appointment for Natti to get groomed in Carmel.  You may ask why we went all the way to Carmel (30 mins).  Well, our neighbors daughter is a groomer there and so we decided to try her.  Carol said the appt was at 10 AM on Sat.  We got up, got there at 10 and the place was closed.  Not to open until 11 AM.  When she checked the scheduled time it was really 1 PM!  Oops she had just added a 0 and it caused us this problem.  So we walked the dogs around pretty downtown Carmel and waited for the place to open.  Check out what we saw on our walk!

By the way,  Natti looks great!

Friday I got to actually help someone else and boy did that make me feel great.  Our friend Carol Trexler needed someone to drive her to IU for a MRI and I was able to drive her and enjoy a good visit. Then on Sat night we met Donna Hirt and Carol for Mexican, Margaritas, and a wonderful visit. 

Now to finish up on a high note I want to let you know that we have been enjoying watching the Indiana Fever women's WNBA basketball team play this summer and now they are in the playoffs.  They were the WNBA Champions last year but have had many injuries this year.  However they are playing great now!  Here is a photo of the night they played in all pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.  

GO FEVER!  

Check out the new bonnets our neighbor just stopped by and gave us.  She knitted them herself!

Made to keep not only my head warm but the back of my neck warm that has been getting so cold.   Outside I have had to wear hoodies but now I have this great bonnet!

We continue to be blessed with so many acquaintances, friends and family that send us cards, presents and especially positive thoughts and prayers.   I have received many good luck charms and many other items.  One of my favorites is this hat.

THANKS ALL!

Memories - In Person and Photos

I had great news last week.  The surgeon did another ultrasound and the two masses are smaller and she could not find the lymph node - and she really looked!  I also completed round 4 of Chemo (half way thru) and the Oncology Nurse Practitioner said I have done as well or better with this dose dense protocol than any patient.  They love my positive attitude and I love all of them!   Together, and with all your support,  we will eliminate all those "c" cells from my body.

The Sunday before my Chemo I had a wonderful visit with my Gastroenterology buddies from the VA.  I cannot believe it but it has been 17 years since my early (blessed) retirement.  What fun we had visiting and reminiscing. 

Linda Ritchison, Ron and Frances Lind, Dr Lawrence Lumeng, me, Ruth Bertram, Marylee and Dr David Pound.  

Dr Pound iis the one who cured Carol of her horrible GI problem this summer.  So Carol really loves him!  Dr Lumeng just retired from IU, Ruth, Frances, and I have been retired for a long time, Marylee has her hands full with two teenagers, and Linda not only has three boys - 18, 15, and 10 (I think) but she also is the only one of us back working at the VA! 

Our friends Mary Roelle and Linda Webb invited us to dinner at their house on the Tuesday after Chemo.  Connie Kelley and Treila Craft also were invited.  Not only did we have a wonderful dinner and visit but we even did some home improvements.  Before dinner we got talking about the problem they have had with their SunSetter Awning for 6 years. When the awning was out it was so low that Linda had to duck under it and they could not see the pool and yard from inside.   With this many strong women you can guess that we had to fix the problem.  Treila looked and said she thought the awning was adjustable.  Carol said we just need some hex wrenches.   Nancy looked up the instructions on the internet.  Soon everyone was working.  Low and behold, we fixed it.  You knew we would didn't you?

I have a sad tale about our pets.  I promise NO pictures.  We came home last week to a real mess.  The dogs, probably Natti started it, got into a bag of Natti's chewable medication and ate almost the whole large bag.  Then they proceeded to barf huge piles all over the house, at least 20 places.  Even the cat was sick.  Besides taking them immediately to a nearby vet and spending $300 for shots and medication Carol spent hours cleaning up the rig.  Have I told you that I am so blessed to have Carol.  She is working so hard to take care of me and keep this rig clean.  Three cheers for her!!!!!!!! 

By the way, I did spend two whole days and several partial days very fatigued and sleeping but we push to keep going and enjoying our lives. 

We were blessed to meet new friends at our KOA on Labor Day weekend - Scott and Patti Cameron, their daughter Kennedy and their Golden Retriever, Carrot.  Carol met Patti while out walking.  Carol noted that Patti has Chemo hair growing in and stopped to talk to her.  Patti goes to my Oncologist and just ended Chemo.  She said she wanted to meet me and had a book for me.  We did meet and her book was wonderful.  I read it all in a few nights.  It was just what I needed.  It is called UPLIFT Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors by Barbara Delinsky.  What positive words of wisdom!  Patti herself was also very positive and supportive.  I have already gotten us a Kindle edition and passed the book onto Deanna Medsker's aunt who is depressed after her recent breast surgery and starting Chemo.  I sure hope it helps her!

On Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Tammy Haley and Tammy Hansen came here to visit.  They brought a wonderful homemade chicken dinner.  Even made brownies with pink ribbon sprinkles!  Had fun talking about going with them to Alaska next June.  Tammy Haley has also volunteered to help us get back to AZ in November.  What great friends we have!

Carol and I have spent much time the last two weeks going down memory lane.  Our friend Connie Kelley has stored stuff for us for the last 4 years.  We actually forgot what we had there!  Now she has bought a new home and is downsizing so we need to go through everything and decide what to do with it.  Yes I can hear many of you saying that if we did not need it in 4 years we probably do not need it now.   But it is so hard to let go of your memories and treasures.  When we sold our home 4 years ago we did sell most everything but had boxes of old photos and items we really thought of as treasures to enjoy later.  Now we have put a lot of it up for sale at the garage sale but it is still sad letting go.

OMG, Carol and I each had 7 big boxes of old photos and slides!  So I have started to sort/pitch my photos while Carol has been helping Connie and friends prepare for a moving sale held this weekend.  I have really enjoyed seeing so many friends and family from years ago. Those were the days my friend, we thought they would never end but they did and now here I am having to decide what ones to keep and put on discs to keep forever!

Donna Hirt, me, Elizebeth Hurburt, Barb Romine, Marti Burcham, and Barb Corell 1981

Jay and Mary Jo Knochel with Opal and Nancy Shoop 1953.  

Both KEEPERS!  

By the way, I want to mention that I am so very proud of our friend Chris Paulsen.  Besides working full time she is the President of Indiana Equality and is now on the Board of Freedom Indiana.  Great work Chris!!!!!!

Carol wanted me to tell you she is going to be very busy now watching the FEVER in the WNBA end of season and playoffs, the Indianapolis COLTS, Denver BRONCOS (because of Payton Manning) AND Arizona CARDINALS playing football.  Oh, and going to movies too.  She is sooooooooo happy! We are still on plan to go back to Apache Junction in November if we can work around all the games!