Still Plugging Along

I have a shoe box, Naughty Monkey of course, that is full of cards that I have received since I started this journey. The box is filled to overflowing, and I am going to have to start a second box. Whenever I start to feel down, I’ll open the box and just start reading the well wishes that people have sent me. Each card is in the envelope in which it was received and dated the day I received it. So, like Hansel and Gretel, I have a trail that leads me back to the beginning of this journey. If I follow the cards, I’ll go back to where it all started. This has not been an easy journey, and each word that has been spoken in loving support or written from a heart that cares has been cherished. Not only have those words encouraged me at the time they were received, they have continued to support me when the times got dark and cheer my heart when the heaviness seemed overwhelming. These small treasures have helped to carry me through.

I continue to plug along through this round of chemo. The nausea is still minimal and I am able to eat small simple meals. But if its not one thing, its, the pain is taking its toll on me this round. My legs and particularly my hips hurt terribly. I have to find just the right combination of pain medication in the right dosage to bring it down to a dull ache from the raging roar of pain as it screams at me. I have tried both heat and cold to dull the pain and I don’t think either really helps, but heat seems to be more soothing, so I apply a heating pad to my hips while I am waiting for the pain medication to kick in. Once I get it under control, I can usually keep it under wraps for quite a few hours before all the sudden it rears its ugly head and the roar of pain is back. And then we start the cycle again.

I working my way through Season 5 of The Gilmore Girls and enjoying the romance between Lorelei and Luke. Too bad she screws it up in a future season, but for now, ah, the beauty of a budding romance. I think I have seen all the episodes at some point in time, but it is so enjoyable to be able to watch them all sequentially and see the story develop. As before, I am too tired to really spend much time on the computer writing or with my nose in a good book reading, the pain medication has dulled my senses, so TV seems like a good alternative.

I still haven’t heard when my bone scan is going to be. The CT is already scheduled for the end of the month, but the bone scan is all contingent on availability of the isotopes. Christy is supposed to call me near the end of the week and let me know if I got scheduled, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Get these last two scans out of the way and move on with my life.

For now, its one step at a time. One day at a time. That’s the best I can do.