Yesterday was mom's first chemo treatment. She tolerated it well. 1 down, 11 more to go. The bone marrow came out clean, so she's officially stage 2b. It's true, what they told her. She walked out of there like nothing had happened.
While mom was in the infusion room, I spent a few hours talking to my aunt. It was great for me to have someone there who understood what was going on.
One thing I didn't expect was the strange feeling of sitting across from someone who looks like you. Strange, but positive. It automatically makes you feel like you belong. Having no siblings, and only one parent (the one I don't resemble, of course) and 2 kids that look like their dad, well... It was comforting to see at least a little bit of myself in someone else.
This is my aunt's last night here. I'll miss her.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
And the Beat Goes On
Yesterday my mom went and picked out a wig. I know that was hard. They showed her how to wash it and care for it, and let her know they offer free styling and trimming. Her mother went with her, so she wasn’t alone. This must be hard for my grandmother, to see her daughter going through this. I wouldn’t know because I’ve avoided calling her.
Holy mother of coincidence! A young guy from work just walked in here and told us he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s starting chemo in two weeks. It’s a small, fucked up world afterall.
My aunt got here last night. I loaded my mom and the kids in the car and picked her up. We went to dinner, where the kids acted like absolute savages. Didn’t get home until almost midnight, after dropping my aunt off at her hotel. I’m jealous. I wish I had a room and bathroom of my own!
Father’s Day is Sunday and I’m wholly unprepared.
Tomorrow’s the big day. We get up early and head to the hospital for mom’s first chemo treatment. Wish us luck.
Holy mother of coincidence! A young guy from work just walked in here and told us he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s starting chemo in two weeks. It’s a small, fucked up world afterall.
My aunt got here last night. I loaded my mom and the kids in the car and picked her up. We went to dinner, where the kids acted like absolute savages. Didn’t get home until almost midnight, after dropping my aunt off at her hotel. I’m jealous. I wish I had a room and bathroom of my own!
Father’s Day is Sunday and I’m wholly unprepared.
Tomorrow’s the big day. We get up early and head to the hospital for mom’s first chemo treatment. Wish us luck.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
And How Was Your Morning?
This morning, I awoke an hour before my alarm was set to go off. I *thought*, just maybe, I'd heard Hubs call out from downstairs. I listened for a moment and didn't hear anything. Decided to take the dogs out and start coffee, so I head downstairs.
Hubs is standing in front of the TV with a very strange, almost alarmed look on his face. Slowly, I ask, "Um, did you say something?"
Which led directly to this:
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Yes, that is me holding my husband's second most favorite possession (only after the Jeep) because the mounting was falling off the wall. So now the TV is temporarily back on it's original stand, and just over it, is A BIG HOLE in the wall. Yay! Goes well with the hole in the kitchen ceiling that was covered, but not repaired. Also the ZERO thresholds separating the rooms. Oh, oh, and the bathroom door that was only roughed in, and still missing the trim around it. And the kids' room, where it's only half painted after the wall was removed. Did I mention I have an aunt coming from out of town? She's going to take one look at my Half Done House and think I'm living the crack head dream.
Yesterday I went to visit an awesome friend in the hospital. A doctor was in the room, going over the surgery she's having today. Triple bypass, yikes. Anyway, the doctor is asking a ton of questions, and I can see how hard it is for my friend to give straight answers. They just begged for sarcasm and humor. Finally, she broke when the doc asked if she had any missing teeth. She pointed to the back of her mouth and said she'd had a wisdom tooth pulled. Doc asks, "Anything loose in front?"
to which my dear friend replied, "Well, I've got saggy tits, does that count?"
Today I'm blogging from the hospital where my mom is having her PET scan and bone marrow biopsy done. The waiting room I've been banished to has no coffee. Instead of breakfast this morning, I was on TV holding duty while we tried to get it off the stupid mount. It's going to be a long day. And how was *your* morning??
Hubs is standing in front of the TV with a very strange, almost alarmed look on his face. Slowly, I ask, "Um, did you say something?"
Which led directly to this:
.jpg)
Yes, that is me holding my husband's second most favorite possession (only after the Jeep) because the mounting was falling off the wall. So now the TV is temporarily back on it's original stand, and just over it, is A BIG HOLE in the wall. Yay! Goes well with the hole in the kitchen ceiling that was covered, but not repaired. Also the ZERO thresholds separating the rooms. Oh, oh, and the bathroom door that was only roughed in, and still missing the trim around it. And the kids' room, where it's only half painted after the wall was removed. Did I mention I have an aunt coming from out of town? She's going to take one look at my Half Done House and think I'm living the crack head dream.
Yesterday I went to visit an awesome friend in the hospital. A doctor was in the room, going over the surgery she's having today. Triple bypass, yikes. Anyway, the doctor is asking a ton of questions, and I can see how hard it is for my friend to give straight answers. They just begged for sarcasm and humor. Finally, she broke when the doc asked if she had any missing teeth. She pointed to the back of her mouth and said she'd had a wisdom tooth pulled. Doc asks, "Anything loose in front?"
to which my dear friend replied, "Well, I've got saggy tits, does that count?"
Today I'm blogging from the hospital where my mom is having her PET scan and bone marrow biopsy done. The waiting room I've been banished to has no coffee. Instead of breakfast this morning, I was on TV holding duty while we tried to get it off the stupid mount. It's going to be a long day. And how was *your* morning??
Monday, June 14, 2010
Disturbing Mental Images
I was at the park with the kidlets when Daimean says, "Hey mom, how does that Halloween thing go? You know, trick or treat, smell my feet...."
I said yes, I know it.
"Give me something good to eat. If you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear??"
Again, yes, that's the way it goes.
Cue serious, disturbed face while he says, "But isn't that kind of sick?"
I said yes, I know it.
"Give me something good to eat. If you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear??"
Again, yes, that's the way it goes.
Cue serious, disturbed face while he says, "But isn't that kind of sick?"
Get Yer Game Face On
My mom went out of town this weekend with her brother. When she came back, I expected her to be in good spirits.
I was wrong.
She’s impatient, emotional and quick to anger.
The good news is that she’s always been like that. The bad news is that now she has a damn good reason for it. We sat down and reviewed the plan for this week, what tests on which days, etc. She’s really pissed off that the PET scan is early in the morning, but the bone marrow biopsy isn’t until the afternoon. How dare they make her wait! No matter how many times I explain that they have many other patients and that they did, indeed, schedule her tests as quickly and closely as possible… waiting is inevitable, just deal with it. Again, she’s always been like this. I remember once, when I was a child, we were waiting in line at Montgomery Ward, and she had an armful of clothes for both of us. After 3 or 4 minutes, she declared the wait to be ridiculous, dropped it all and walked out. *sigh* She also believes that cutting up a credit card and mailing it to the issuing company effectively closes your account. So you see the irrationality I’m up against.
We received some good and practical suggestions regarding her hair and making a transition to a wig. Yesterday I talked to her about it, but before she could make a decision, she got upset. Hell, it’s not even my hair and it makes me upset. I told her we could get matching blonde wigs and pretend we’re Marilyn Monroe. She didn’t laugh.
Good news – my aunt from FL is coming in to town. My mom has always liked her a lot, so to me, it’s like calling in reinforcements. The big plus is that my aunt works in oncology. Now that’s a great person to have on your side. She’ll be here for the first chemo treatment, and while I have a feeling she thinks she’s coming here to help my mom, having her here will make me feel a million times better. Oh, and this aunt is from my father’s side, meaning she’s not insane. Had to clarify.
I was wrong.
She’s impatient, emotional and quick to anger.
The good news is that she’s always been like that. The bad news is that now she has a damn good reason for it. We sat down and reviewed the plan for this week, what tests on which days, etc. She’s really pissed off that the PET scan is early in the morning, but the bone marrow biopsy isn’t until the afternoon. How dare they make her wait! No matter how many times I explain that they have many other patients and that they did, indeed, schedule her tests as quickly and closely as possible… waiting is inevitable, just deal with it. Again, she’s always been like this. I remember once, when I was a child, we were waiting in line at Montgomery Ward, and she had an armful of clothes for both of us. After 3 or 4 minutes, she declared the wait to be ridiculous, dropped it all and walked out. *sigh* She also believes that cutting up a credit card and mailing it to the issuing company effectively closes your account. So you see the irrationality I’m up against.
We received some good and practical suggestions regarding her hair and making a transition to a wig. Yesterday I talked to her about it, but before she could make a decision, she got upset. Hell, it’s not even my hair and it makes me upset. I told her we could get matching blonde wigs and pretend we’re Marilyn Monroe. She didn’t laugh.
Good news – my aunt from FL is coming in to town. My mom has always liked her a lot, so to me, it’s like calling in reinforcements. The big plus is that my aunt works in oncology. Now that’s a great person to have on your side. She’ll be here for the first chemo treatment, and while I have a feeling she thinks she’s coming here to help my mom, having her here will make me feel a million times better. Oh, and this aunt is from my father’s side, meaning she’s not insane. Had to clarify.
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