Ready for Spring

This weather is giving me whip lash! I'm ready for the spring so I can sit outside and read in the swing my crazy daughter left behind when she went to Des Moines. At some point, she's going to realize that I have it still and want it back, but in the meantime, I'm reading in it! Instead, I woke up to snow this morning. YUCK! I think the least the universe can do for me right now is to give me some spring warmth! 🌞  Hopefully, the rest of the weeks plays out and we really hit 82 on Saturday. Something that did I enjoy in the last week was getting flowers from my clerks and Fluffy (one of our switchers) at work. A beautiful bouquet of purple and green that I love together. 💐 I have great co-workers for sure!

I went to my third treatment on Friday morning with Grandma and two tries on the port access - totally could have been worse. The poor nurse felt bad and said she hadn't had to stick someone more than once in probably three years. Leave it to me to break her streak. I told her it wasn't her; it was me LOL  After that, I got my pre-meds and started playing Skip-Bo. And before you say it, yes, I know I'm obsessed right now, but who cares? Since I have a different "entertainer" each week, they don't get tired of it! This next week will be the first one Rhys has come to since the first. I have so many friends and family lining up to hang out with all the cool kids at the cancer center, he doesn't have to work me into his schedule LOL 😎  I've been using the ice socks and gloves and between that and Mom and Grandma taking care of my feet and I'm slathering lotion on my hands, they're not in too bad of shape right now. It's freezing cold while their on, but seems to be helping since I haven't had any pain, numbness, or tingling so far. 🥶 Downside: no hot baths, no hot tubs, or anything that can heat up my hands and feet. That completely squelched my plans for Marcus and Rocki's this last weekend, but fear not! I'll be back in June...

Since my resting heart rate is now 92-102 regularly (used to be in the low 70s) and my blood pressure shot up to 140/86-ish (used to be 110/74-ish), my oncologist sent me to an oncology cardiologist who will be monitoring me through the rest of my treatment. He said he wanted me to take a pill to help with both numbers. Then he said the side effects are minimal, but it might cause me to be fatigued. Hell, what doesn't these days? I get fatigued in the shower half the time so no worries; I got this! 🥱 So another pill for my arsenal each day and that's one part that I definitely won't miss when this is all over. I have a terrible gag reflex and all these pills are doing nothing to help that LOL

I'm still working and even managing to make it back in on Monday each week, but I have an admin coming soon. Once she's trained, I'll have some help and won't feel so obligated to go in when I don't feel up to it. I'll also be ready when I need to go out on short-term disability for surgery and won't have to worry about what's happening at work. Super excited on that front! Also a total lie: I'll be thinking about working, but probably less than I would if I didn't have a trained backup in place.

TODAY'S SILVER LINING: I was able to stay awake most of the weekend, with just a few naps, and my Paper Pumpkin subscription came in so I made cards! Most of you know that all my birthday cards are handmade each year and Wilma's not stopping me from my traditions. Angel came over last month and I got through so many cards for the year and then I managed to finish them a week or two ago. When I had to get my nails off for this chemo cocktail, I went to her nail tech and she introduced me to another paper addiction: a monthly card making box! Since I was awake, I made all nine cards yesterday and they are already coming to mailboxes near you! ❤️