I guess I should get myself checked out of the hospital, huh?

I was made aware last night that I was "still in the hospital" on my blog. Oops. Been awhile, sorry. I did okay after I was released, but those last couple of days were hard. I had a lot of pain from the neulasta shots to boost my white blood count, and I felt nauseated. I was pretty discouraged and ready to go home by Monday. I literally cried when I sat down on my own couch. It was sooo good to be home again. I was able to get all the swelling down, with some improvement in what it normally looked like. I have to stay on it with the wrapping and massage though or it puffs right up. Lymphedema is such a high maintenance problem. It just gets knocked down the totem pole of importance when chemo side effects take precedence.

I had a scan last week to check on things. I had some slight shrinkage on the tumors in my liver, and everything else was stable or unchanged. So it was good news. The better news is that my doctor wants to try to keep things stable with the Avastin and Faslodex (an anti-hormonal shot) for 6 weeks or so. I mentioned this on FB, but I had a lot of shots in my booty, but this one by far topped them in the pain department. It hurt all night, like only sit on one cheek hurt, and it is still tender today. Okay, okay, I know--too much information. For the record, I do have high pain tolerance, so I am not just whining--wah, wah, wah! The doctor thinks we have gotten what we are going to get out of Taxotere right now. He seems to have a good balance of fighting the cancer and giving me quality of life. I really appreciate that about him. He has such a kind heart and he is a good doctor as far as being on top of things. We will re-check after the holidays, so I am praying for everything to behave and stay stable in the meantime.

The last couple of treatments have been the usual ups and downs of good days and bad days. Days where I am feeling crappy and tired all day and don't really get off the couch, and then days when I am up and about and getting things done. Those are not many, but there are enough of them to keep my spirits up. Hopefully there will be more of those over the holidays. The good thing is that, this last treatment, I didn't feel any nausea at all. My nurse practitioner suggest adding a prilosec at night, and that worked like a charm. She said you get more acid buildup as treatment goes on.

I am certainly looking forward to Thanksgiving. Last year, my mouth hurt horribly from the osteonecrosis in my jaw and I wasn't even feeling that well to eat. I forced myself to eat because I wanted all the yummy food so bad, but it was hard. This year, I had better wear my stretchy pants, because I plan on indulging until they have to roll me out the door. I am soo glad I don't have to worry about the preparations and I can just enjoy the goodness of it all!! I was in the store yesterday grocery shopping, something I haven't done in a coon's age, thanks to my dear husband. I passed the turkeys and for a split second, I thought--oh, turkeys, dressing, thanksgiving, I have to get busy--then I remembered--ah, I don't have to cook anything. Keep walking on, pushing my cart. Turkey day, here I come, and I am oh so grateful for that big yummy bird!!!

Grocery shopping isn't that bad, I just have trouble when it comes to the checkout line hurrying to get all my things on the belt. My left arm hasn't been quite the same since the cellulitis bought. I think the muscles are not used as much, because I baby it more now and keep it in a bent position upward. So when I go to lift something heavy with that arm, it actually hurts at the crease in my elbow, like a sore muscle. They say it is okay and can be good to lift some things with your lymphadema limb, but I wonder what the balance is.

So, blah, blah, blah, I am working on my eldest daughter's scrapbook, finally, and I am almost finished with the film portion of the pictures. Hooray!! Then on to digital. . . which is soooo much easier as it is all on the computer. I plan to do easy shutterfly-type books which are just drag and drop, so those should move okay, granted that I don't get tempted to do much editing on them. I also have some sewing projects I want to do as always. I enjoy it so much and I am grateful that my family gives me the space to work on the things that help me keep in touch with my creative side and stretch the artistic side of my mind. It brings me much joy and keeps me feeling productive as they don't take up a lot of my energy (unless I end up being tempted to stay up late at night as I am a night owl). I try to be careful. I really do. But it is so quiet, and I feel charged up to get things done when I can actually concentrate. I have much fabric in my stash now and many projected projects. Hopefully some of them will turn in to some Christmas gifts for some. Stay tuned for those. Maybe you will be a recipient, if you are related to me.