I think it's officially summer in DC with temperatures near 100 degrees. I urged Mike to take the RAV to work today because he'll be stuck in traffic and I'd rather him have air conditioning if he's going to be driving for an hour. That meant I drove the Escort to NIH today and the air conditioning isn't really working. Luckily I only had a 30 minute drive to NIH and traffic wasn't bad on the way home, but it certainly is HOT. Normally the air conditioning at NIH makes me freeze, but it felt really good today. I also drank about 4 cups of ice water when I arrived. Everything looks good for this round. I go back tomorrow for my last day of chemo treatment. After this I have one more round to go!
I can't believe I'm nearing the end of chemo and sometime soon, I'll get some hair back on my head. Of course, I'm kind of enjoying not having my full head of hair right now in this heat. I've gotten used to the stares of strangers and never wear my wig because that would be stifling today. I do plan to wear my wig when I return to work because my casual headbands definitely don't give off a Proposal Manager vibe. I might wear some of my dressier headbands to work as people get used to seeing me again, but for the first few weeks I'm wearing my wig. Let's see how many people don't even recognize me because the hair color is darker than my own and it's short.
I've been studying my cancer "cookbook" for some ideas of food to eat next week when I'm neutropenic. I'm really crossing my fingers that I don't go to the hospital. If anything, I just simply want to give my poor arms a break from all of the IVs. I really dread them now because I'm starting to become a "hard stick" and as I've said before, it's no fun. I'm looking forward to starting the antibiotics on Wednesday to see if they really work and in the meantime, I really need to make sure I stay hydrated, especially in this heat.
I'm very jealous of my Nurse Practitioner, Doug Matthews, because he's going to Colorado next week for a week-long rock climbing vacation. I don't know if I'm ready to climb in Colorado (especially not now), but it sounds like a fun trip. I would like a vacation and while I've been out of work since April, it certainly isn't vacation. I long to do something fun and go somewhere fun and sit on a beach or travel somewhere where I can relax. Mike and I are planning a nice vacation next year for our 10 year anniversary/1 year anniversary from cancer and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm leaning towards Venice, but we can go wherever as long as it's vacation. I really do want to go to Europe somewhere since Mike's never been, but I'm totally open to other ideas from Mike.
One last thought about my upcoming birthday on Friday -- the thirteenth. I feel very lucky this year that I'm here to celebrate my birthday, especially when I looked at the cancer survival rates yesterday. I also read that Beverly Sills and Joel Siegel recently lost their lives to cancer. I also read in the obituaries yesterday (I really try not to read the obits these days) and a young woman of 42 recently lost her life to breast cancer. It truly humbles me to still be fighting Priscilla. She might have surprised me, but I'm not letting her take over my body. I do get down sometimes because I know that I will be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, but I will try not to let this rule my future. I will be happy from now on to have a birthday to celebrate, instead of moaning about being another year older. I am lucky and blessed.
7 comments:
You know, the longer you've been duking it out with old 'Cilla, the more she's started to look like Amy Winehouse to me. Amy Winehouse on a bad night. Beehive all wonky, mascara running, drunk on chemo coladas, bobbing and weaving and slurring her words into a microphone. I don't care what she says, 'Cilla's going to "Rehab"!
And I vote for starting in Amsterdam for your grand tour. (I say this like I get a vote on your vacation.) It's a nice place to ease into Europe, because most people speak English (among other languages) but it still feels "European." And they have a great rail station that has trains that will take you almost anywhere. And they make really good cheese. mmmmm, gouda!
Julie B.
Dear Angela & Mike,
I am sorry to say that I have only just learned of this horrible health issue you are going through. I wish I lived closer so I could be of some help to you both. From reading your blog, (also something I have just learned about), you have a ton of support very close to you. I hope you get better real soon and although I am not real close if there is any thing at all I can do to help, please let me know.
Love Always,
Aunt Karen
Hey Angela, Greetings from the south coast of Massachusetts. Just wanted to check in and let you know I'm thinking about you. It's been a long haul, but you're so tenacious that I expect you'll be 'proposaling' before too long. It's hard to imagine you with dark hair, but I expect any hair is welcome although not in the heat of this week. I'll make you jealous by letting you know that it's 64 degrees here this morning and will climb up to the low 80s later today.
If you need a change of venue or a break from the big city, come spend a few days near the ocean (actually Buzzards Bay). We have a comfy guest room and the price is right! We're only a block from the water and it's so peaceful here. Only a short plane ride from BWI. In the meantime, please know that another of your many admirers is praying for you and delighted to know that you maintain the bright spirit that we all love. Best to Mike. Love, Pat
Hey, if you go to Amsterdam, you can legally smoke some "medicinal" herb... I bet that will help you relax, and get you to eat more and get your weight back up! In fact, I can't see a down side... go for it girl! Make sure to go to an Ajax game while you're there... they're the best in the netherlands. And happy birthday, I didn't know our birthdays were only 2 weeks apart!
I've been to Amsterdam and one memory I have is of a pigeon wacking itself on a powerline near our car and dying on the street. I was also not impressed with how dirty the city was because Germans are so clean and pristine. My most bizarre memory is when my family and I were walking down the street, near the outskirts of the famed "Red Light District" when a club owner asked me if I would come work for him in his shop. I was 19 and scared! I quickly caught up to my parents and we went on our merry way.
One cool thing was accidentally experiencing the Queen driving by in her motorcade. That was really nice.
hahahah 'Cilla looks like Amy Winehouse.. julie B has the greatest reference on this blog! hahahaha
Prague would be a great stop. It's kinda dirty like Amsterdam (nothing is as clean as germany! those martha stewarts of europe make all the other countries look bad) but it's cheap and has a ton of stuff to check out. also Czecky Krumlov is a great two about 1.5 south east of prague and is a beautiful town right on a roar'n river. you just drink beer and tube up and down the river all day. and when you're sick of that you can head up to the city castle. or somewhere in Spain or a coastal mediterrianian villa where you can kick back and chill.
'Cilla's going to REHAB!
That's my girl!! I know there will be many more birthdays to come, because Priscilla's going DOWN!!!
Love you,
Mom
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