SpruceHill

First four days of Xeloda

I started my new chemo treatment on Friday morning, it was so easy. I took three pills and bam I was done! No trips to the hospital no sitting in a recliner for 4 hours. No hospital cafeteria food for lunch. It was a breeze. It's a scary thing though taking a drug for the first time not knowing how it will affect you. Wondering if you are allergic or not. But I did really well. I was able to eat a nice dinner and really enjoy tasting it. It was a good Friday.

On Saturday we all piled into the car and headed out on a trip to visit a college for Miss H. I took My pills along and after stopping for a donut and some coffee I downed my next morning does of my medication. We arrived at our location and went through the open house without a hitch. I walked the whole campus (slowly but I did make it the whole way) and after we were finished we headed towards home and a birthday party. Now two weeks ago I would have not been able to go but I got to go this time. It was so nice to get out and do something not involving driving to the hospital. I enjoyed dinner and had a nice big piece of birthday cake. It seems that my appetite has returned and I am enjoying sweets, and other things that I did not have interest in eating before.

We spent a quiet day around the house on Sunday, Laundry, Football games and homework were the main events. I was a bit tired but not as sleepy as I usually am on the weekends. This morning I am feeling pretty good and am still drinking coffee. Which you know makes me very happy.

So far the only side effect I have is a bit of bone pain but Motrin takes care of that. I am back to cooking and cleaning a bit too. From what I understand I will probably have more side effects in my next cycle, but for now I am enjoying evey minute of feeling pretty good for now.

Happy Autumn

This morning I set out to get a few pictures full of fall color. There is still a hint of summer in the air, but the leaves here in Maryland are starting to change and fall.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, I love the crisp, clean, cool air. Sitting on the porch in the sun and enjoying the last warm rays of the sun.

I look forward to the changes and all the photos I can take. New things evey day, slight changes in my everyday surroundings.

I had a little trouble taking photos this morning because I was attached to this.

Finny is now a full time wearer of the cone of shame and still has to be on a leash outside. Sadie is afraid of him when he is wearing it. She runs away from him. Today on our walk Cocoa our goat backed away from him and ran away. It cracked me up! Poor guy.

  

  
  
  

Some updates

 
Last week I had a really busy week. Monday I had yet another blood transfusion. My red blood cell counts continue to drop after a couple of chemo cycles. After I get my blood I am good for a few cycles and then they go back down again. When My red cell counts go down the oxygen in my blood is very low and it makes me anemic. It is very hard to breath and I find it hard even climbing the steps to read Little E a book at bedtime. After I get my transfusion I am back to normal and feel great.

Last Wednesday I had a scan to see how my chemo is coming along. There were some slight changes in a few areas and I will find out tomorrow wheather My Doctor will change my chemo. We are talking Millimeters here. So He is right on it, conferencing with other doctors and even consulting some of his buddies at Hopkins. I was not prepared for the change but am confident in how my doctor is handling it and I am ready to do whatever I can to keep plugging along here and kick cancer's butt!

Finny is doing very well. His leg is healing nicely and we are hoping to get his bandage and staples removed tomorrow. He is not at all fond of being on a leash every time he goes out. He is ready to go out and resume his daily activities. Harassing goats, chewing boots, and knocking over trash cans, oh and rolling in dead toads. I however have not missed any of his trouble causing activities and find the short break a welcomed change. I know deep down inside that he is planning a doosie of a day after he is a free man! I will be prepared!

Finny's lesson in ATV safety

Yesterday Finny got into a little scrape with our John Deere Gator. He ran right out in front of it and there was not time to stop. We took him into his vet last night and they couldn't really do much because it was so late so they bandaged up and sent him home.

When we got home he was very sleepy, He tried his best not to close his eyes.

He got lots of hugs and kisses, but was not too thrilled with his cone collar that he had to wear to bed.

We took him back to the vet this morning so they could sedate him and get some good x-rays, and clean out his wound and stitch him up. I just got a call from the office and he is doing well and resting comfortably. He has no broken bones and has 3 staples. He will have to be bandaged for over a week but he should recover nicely. When he gets home we're going to have to have a little talk about vehicle safety.

Fields of Sunflowers

This week I set out to go on a photography field trip to see the sunflower fields planted in the northern part of our county. They have created quite a buzz around these parts. Everyone is talking about them. The farmers that planted them are harvesting them for seed and oil. The sunflowers only take about 3 months to grow and be ready for harvest. This enables the farmer to plant two crops in the same field in a season. They are just breathtaking.

 

I could have spent an hour taking pictures in this spot!

 It was a beautiful breezy day. As we stood there looking at the sunflowers they almost seemed to be alive and in motion with the wind. Nodding their heads at us.

It was one of the high points of my week.  How could a field full of bright yellow sunflowers not brighten your day?

Untitled from Sarah S. on Vimeo.