Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Chicken nuggets, baked beans, and twizzlers - Oh, my!

2/9/11 – Hello all!  I feel like I need to start my blog with my song of the day instead of ending with it.  My song of the day is “Eye of the Tiger”.  I need some theme music to carry me through the day.  I recommend listening to the song as you read my blog.
Today was much better than yesterday.  My fever hasn’t come back.  All I have is the same old, same old, nausea and fatigue.  I slept late and took it easy most of the day.  I did manage to do a little work but I passed out (not literally Tara) on the couch around 4:00 and didn’t wake up until around 8:00.
Since I’ve been watching a little more TV lately I have one random commercial observation.  Have any of you noticed how unreal the Kay commercials are?  There’s one where this couple is standing by a window and it a little stormy outside.  The guy gives the girl some jewelry (personally I don’t think the jewelry is all that pretty).  She, of course, loves the jewelry and then they hug as she says “Don’t let go.  Ever.”  Lame.  Oh, so lame.
While I’m on a roll of making fun of people I have to tell you about the girl at the drive through window at Chick-fil-A yesterday.  So, after they gave me some anti-nausea medicine at chemo I felt like eating.  Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets please!  Mom and I roll through the drive through.  The voice we heard on the other side was the furthest you would ever expect to hear at Chick-fil-A.  It sounded like a fake horrible radio voice.  Very nasally.  She left us with “plEEase pull to the next windOOoo…”  As soon as mom and I pulled away we burst out laughing.  Mom was holding her nose imitating her voice and I kept saying “WindOOoo…”  “WindOOoo…”  Hahaha!  It’s good to laugh.
I’ve been watching American Idol this season.  I broke up with the show a while back but it was still set up on my DVR.  When it first came on I had nothing better to do so I figured what the heck, might as well.  I am now totally addicted again.  I thought that the new judges would be lame but I have always liked Randy.  Stephen Tyler and Jennifer Lopez really add a lot to the show.  I’m glad there are no longer anymore mean judges and sweet judges.  They are all just normal judges.  I have also learned that I’m in love with Stephen Tyler.  I never knew this about me, but he intrigues me and makes me laugh.  I also love Jennifer because she’s a diva – diva’s need role models too.  Diamond studded microphone please.
Tomorrow I get my pump removed and port de-accessed.  I am ready.  Thursday/Friday were the harder days for me last chemo session so I’m a little nervous but I already feel better today than I did yesterday so maybe this session will go backwards from the last one.  I hope so. 
For dinner I had baked beans and twizzlers – weird, I know.  I basically eat whatever I feel like I can handle.  Since I slept until 8:00 I wasn’t very hungry just smunchy (**new word alert: smunchy is a word that I created for snacky and munchy = smunchy).  I really want a smoothie.  I always want what I can’t have.  Y’all have a great night!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Glacial Proportions


Me at 2nd chemo session.
2/8/11 –
The first part of the day was good.  I felt great.  Mom and I headed to the cancer center.  When I first arrive they always have to test my blood to make sure that I’m healthy enough to take chemo.  When I returned from giving blood I found mom in the waiting room playing with her iTouch.  I started to check facebook and answer a few messages that I’ve neglected.  Out of nowhere I hear “I got GPS to work.  I can never get GPS to work in Phenix City.”  Awesome – GPS.  It is important to note that I hadn’t had my coffee yet.  I’m still sitting there looking on facebook when all of a sudden I hear “hit start to begin workout…”  “Mother!”  You have to turn that down, we are in a waiting room.  She hit “end” and then started it again but turned the volume down.  She then navigated away from her RunKeeper and went to iTunes instead.  I’m then called back to be weighed, poked, and checked.  When I made it back to my room, mom was still playing around on her iTouch.  The nurse is inputting my numbers into the computer when we all hear a very soft voice say “Run Time: .1 miles in 15 minutes….”  What?!  We all look around.  Mom is confused.  I said “mom, it’s your RunKeeper”.  She said “but I went to iTunes”. “Yes, but you did not stop the GPS.”  Parents, you can’t take them anywhere.
I met with my doctor before chemo to talk through what my symptoms were the last time.  I mentioned that it seems so surreal that I feel so good but as soon as I put that stuff in my body I feel miserable.  It is very hard from going from good to bad so quickly and knowing that I’m intentionally doing this to myself.  He said that I needed the chemo because it takes my chances from 50% to 70% of the cancer not returning.  He also asked if I had ever heard of someone having an easy time on chemo – no.  No, it’s not easy, but it is necessary.
I then headed into the infusion room.  I tried to take it easy and relax.  A fabulous friend had left me a fuzzy blanket and pillow that I snuggled under the whole time.  Toward the end of my chemo I started to feel nauseous.  I thought it was probably a normal thing but couldn’t hurt to check.  The nurse said no, if I started to feel nauseous when I was with them make sure to let them know.  She gave me some extra nausea medicine.  At the end of the treatment I was already definitely feeling the effects of the chemo – nausea, fatigue, and some tingling in my hands and feet.  I asked the chemo nurse if my symptoms could be stronger this time.  She said yeah, it could be stronger by the second session – lovely.  Mom and I headed out.  I am proud to report that I did not almost fall this time. 
We went to Chick-fil-A and I got some chicken nuggets and a diet lemonade, no ice, since I was feeling better.  As soon as I took a sip of the no ice diet lemonade it felt like a glacier was in my mouth.  So cold!  Mom had a DSW gift card that she wanted to spend.  After eating I felt better so she and I headed to DSW.  I heart DSW.  I heart shoes!  Well, today I actually was so tired that I opted to stay in the car while mom went inside my favorite shoe store.  Sad.  It’s like I could hear shoes crying.
After DSW mom and I headed home.  She left soon after and I camped out on the couch.  I wanted to take a nap but I couldn’t get comfortable.  I kept switching sides of the couch.  After some Tabatha’s Salon Takeover I decided that I needed to be in the bed because I was freezing.  I had on flannel pj’s, my fluffy robe, socks, blanket, and the thermostat was turned up and I was still a popsicle.  The bed warmed me up a little but not 100%.  Do I have a fever?  Nah….  I took my temperature and I was at 98.9 – not bad.  I laid around and tried to relax.  Phillip and Tara came over for dinner but I had zero interest in food.  I thought I was feeling hot again so I got Tara to check my temp.  After using the thermometer my temp had gone up to 100.5 – uh oh.  I’m supposed to call the doctor if my temp is at or above 100.5.  It’s not like me to run a temperature.  I called the off hours number and my oncologist called me back.  He said that I have a contrast and that I should take some Tylenol and if I continue to have a fever over the next 6 – 9 hours to call back.  I probably have the beginning of bone marrow suppression though all my blood count numbers were good this morning.  I am supposed to call back if I feel worse or if the temperature returns.  He said that I will probably have a rough couple days.  I’m feeling a little better since the Tylenol.  I’ve eaten 4 chocolate chip cookies and a half bag of pop corn.  Dinner of champions.
Right now I’m better.  Not 100% but better.  I have to remember that this will make me better in the long run.  It’s just really hard when I’m going through it.
So that was my day.  I would say an “ok’ day.  Not fabulous, but it could be worse.  I have to stay positive and remember that I can do this!  I’ve got this!  I’m fighting like the diva I am!
I’m not really hungry but I would like a coke Icee (too bad I can’t have cold right now).  My song of the ay is Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice”!  Night y’all.
Dear Nausea,
 I don’t like you.  You’re really mean and don’t play fair.  Please leave me alone.
                                                                                                                Not Your Friend,
                                                                                                                Shea

Monday, February 7, 2011

Please move

My prom look

2/7/11 – Hello all!  I’ve had a good Monday.
So, I promised to tell all of you about prom.  For prom I wore my new-to-me black dress that I bought at the consignment store Friday night.  I ran to Charming Charlie Saturday to find the perfect jewelry.  I thought I was going to get into a fight into the parking lot at the mall.  I don't know what was going on but apparently, unknown to me, February 5th must be a national holiday - there were an insane amount of people at the Mall of Georgia.  So, I was driving through the parking lot trying to keep my cool.  I'm driving down an isle and all of a sudden an SUV rounds the corner like they just spotted the only spot out of 50,000 (though there wasn't a spot) and heads towards me.  As the SUV is passing me she stops.  (1) You're driving too fast for a parking lot. (2) You obviously don't understand HOW to drive. (3) You're blocking my car from going any further because your tank of a car is blocking my way.  Generally I don't engage in conversation with other drivers because that is just a slippery slope but I saw no other option as this moron was not moving for some unkown reason.  I roll my window down and say "Will you please move some.  I can't get past you."  She says "sure" and pulls forward.  Victory!  That's what I THOUGHT!  Take that!  Fight averted.  After that I found the perfect necklace combination which completed my ensemble for prom.  I now had my dress, shoes, jewelry, and the coolest headband with peacock feathers on it.  I wish I was allowed to dress like that on a daily basis.  I love to dress up.
Prom was Saturday night.  We met some friends and went out to dinner.  We had a lovely dinner.  I am always a fan of any place that serves shrimp and grits.  The shrimp and grits were not the best I’ve ever had but it was really good (the best I’ve ever had were at Creolina’s in Davie, FL http://www.dixietakeout.com/).  After dinner we headed to the prom.  Prom was at a local high school.  We got our professional picture taken and then started making the rounds.  I’m not a big dancer.  I danced some slow songs with Todd and then Sherry drug me out on the dance floor for one fast song – it was fun.  I mostly made the rounds and had a great time catching up with people and just enjoying the night.  I had a lot of fun. 
Once we got home from the prom I wasn’t sleepy.  I thought we were supposed to go cosmic bowling just like my high school prom!  Todd wasn’t down for bowling, something about being sleepy.  I talked Todd into watching TV.  I watched one show and still wasn’t sleepy.  I started another show.  Halfway through the show I looked over and Todd and Todd’s head was nodding forward.  He was OUT!  What a lightweight!
I’ve quickly learned that it’s a small, small world.  I got a real kick out of this today.  You’ll have to pay close attention to get the whole tie in.  This morning I got an email from my brother-in-law’s mom.  She has a friend who lives in Gainsville who is familiar with the cancer center that I go to.  She gave me her friend’s number so we could chat.  I called and she and I had a nice long conversation.  We found out that my oncologist is one of her neighbors!  Isn’t that crazy!  So, my brother-in-law’s mother’s friend is my oncologist’s neighbor.  Wow! 
My mom just got into town.  She is going with me to chemo tomorrow.  Guys, I’m a little worried about chemo.  I don’t know if it will be better because I know what to expect now or if it will be worse because I will have more in my body.  I’m trying to stay positive.  Right now Todd is telling my mom the story of the first night after I had chemo.  Remember the chemo makes me cold sensitive.  So, the first night after chemo Todd had the thermostat on 74, a fire going in the fireplace, and my electric heater was pointed at me too!  Yep, I was really that cold.  Todd enjoys telling that story.  It is kinda funny when you think about it.
Mom brought some of Granny’s strawberry cake and my Uncle Bubba sent some pudding for when I want something sweet (like ice cream) but can’t handle the cold.  That’s a pretty smart idea.  So, right now I am about to have a slice of cake and some coffee.  I couldn’t ask for anything more.  My song of the day for Todd.  He brought me home some beautiful flowers and has been an awesome husband through all of this – Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat’s “Lucky”.
I’m off to enjoy my cake and coffee.  I’ll let all of you know how I do tomorrow.  Night!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

D is for Determination

2/6/11 – I-am-so-sleepy….  I hope all of you realize just how committed to blogging I truly am.  I am very tired after watching the Super Bowl but I am blogging because I can’t miss 2 days in a row.  That would just be wrong.
I will have to catch all of you up on the prom tomorrow.  We had a great time, but I’ll save that story for later.  Today was good.  I went to sleep late Saturday night so hit the snooze 31 times and pushed it so that I only had 30 minutes to get ready to leave for church this morning.  I think wasted another 12 looking at prom pictures that I had been tagged in on facebook.  Can you believe it?!  I was only 10 minutes late to Sunday school.  Not bad, right?  Church was great.  I love seeing all the middle school girls they always make me feel so special – old but special.  There is something about being called Miss Shea that just weirds me out.  Please just call me Shea – please! 
Tonight Todd and I went to the Flerl’s for a Super Bowl party.  It was cool to hang out with the singles class and friends from church that we wouldn’t normally mix and mingle with since we aren’t in the same class.  I’ve really enjoyed getting to know new people over the past several weeks.  I am relatively certain that I did not watch more than 10% of the game, though I was in a room with the game on the entire time.  I didn’t even really watch the commercials – too much talking and storytelling to be had to bother with TV, though at 11:30 I found myself riding home with a giant cheese block on my head.  Am I a Packers fan?  Nope.  If you remember back a few blogs ago I randomly chose the Jets to be my team of choice.  I stand by that decision.  For the Super Bowl I feel like you should have a team to root for so I chose the Packers solely because of cheese.  I love cheese.  Why not?  I’m glad they won otherwise the cheese head would have just been a poor fashion choice.
I’ve decided that I have eaten entirely too much this week because I don’t feel nauseous.  Apparently I am trying to make up for what I lost last week.  I need to watch Mike & Molly more so maybe I can pick up some Overeaters Anonymous tips.  Seriously y’all I have eaten a lot, lot this week and not the most healthy choices either.  I still would like a cookies and crème milkshake from Chick-fil-A.  I am also happy to report that another person has been influenced by my food choices and purchased her own bag of Krystal’s today!  I say way to go!  I approve all cheeseburger consumption.  Glee started back tonight after the Super Bowl, so my song of the night is a combo tribute to the Packers and Glee (because it’s a Glee song) – “U Can’t Touch This!”
Night y’all!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Shea just wants to have fu-un


2/4/11 – Hey everyone!  Today was another good day.  It was harder to get out of bed this morning because I am starting to get tired from working full days, but I made it through the whole week – sweet!  I’m starting to get another mouth sore – great.  I’ve been using my mouthwash that tastes just so yummy (if you haven’t figured out yet, I love sarcasm).  It does work well.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned it in my blog but tomorrow night is prom.  Yes, you read that correctly – prom.  How old am I?  It’s funny to think that my high school prom was 10 years ago!  Our church has marriage prom around Valentines.  They started doing it last year and it is a blast.  When I first heard about it I thought it might be lame (sorry, just being honest) but it was a TON of fun!  It was so cool to see couples of all ages hanging out and dancing.  Can you believe it?! Baptists do dance.  The prom is at a high school, there’s a DJ, tons of yummy treats, and we all get professional pictures made.  I totally cannot wait! 
I had a dress prepared but I decided to run by Panache (a local consignment store) to see if I could find anything I couldn’t live without.  The store is really cool.  I picked out 3 dresses that had potential and one of the owners started a fitting room for me.  I kid you not, when I walked into the fitting room I looked up and on the wall there was a decal that said “Diva”!  What?! How did she know!  Once I picked out my perfect dress I asked if all the fitting rooms said diva – nope!  It was destiny.
After doing some light shopping I headed to Salon Sedona to get my hair done.  I am happy to report that my hair did not turn out orange or green.  I had it cut a little shorter so when it starts to thin I won’t freak out too much.  I also had some blue put in just for fun.  The blue was supposed to be indigo.  We were going for peacock blue.  I got some on my finger on accident and it was really dark.  Well, in my hair it didn’t turn out as dark as we wanted.  It is like a light Cyndi Lauper color blue.  All I need is a crimper and I am set!  It is pretty but we are going to try to make it a little darker next week.
Some of you may be wondering if you read the last paragraph correctly.  Did I say I was putting blue in my hair?  Yes – BLUE!  Todd had mentioned it just joking when I was first diagnosed.  The more I thought about it the more I thought it might be kinda cool.  I just did peekaboo highlights that are up under my “natural” color.  I can show them if I want or not.  I don’t want y’all thinking that I’m having some quarter life crisis.  I think it looks tasteful and is just plain fun!
I am happy to report that I was able to eat some frozen yogurt!  Yay!  I can handle cold stuff for a few days before the chemo kicks back in.  Tara came and hung out with me when I was getting my hair done and she picked up Menchies – it’s kind of like Yogurt Mountain or Yogli Mogli.  It was SO good.  Mine had gummy bears on it!  It did make me really cold but at the time I was sitting under the hair drier so I warmed back up quickly.  I heart the hair drier.
After that I headed home to some yummy taco soup.  It was delish!  If I could have anything to eat right now I would like a Krispy Kreme fried pie.  I did not know those even existed until the other day when one of my friends said she got one at Publix.  That just sounds fan-flippin’-tastic!  A Krispy Kreme fried pie!  My song of the night is in tribute to my light blue hair – Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors”!
I’m not sure if I will have time to blog tomorrow night, but I will definitely update you Sunday with all the details of the prom and maybe a picture or two.  Night y’all!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Workin' it out

2/3/11 – Hello all!  I have had another good day, but I’m starting to feel a little tired.  I think the full week is starting to catch up to me.  I’m just going to keep on truckin’.  I’ve got this!
If you can believe it I did not have anything embarrassing happen today - thanks in part to me not driving and Todd throwing away the pop paper.  One random question that has started to form over the past two days is that I wonder if Percy is really 100% dog.  I think there may be some kind of bird down his line of kin.  Reasons for this questioning are as follows:
-          He is crazy little.  Like he could probably fly if he had wings and sometimes when he runs it looks like he is hovering slightly above ground level.
-          He likes to find random things to build something.  I can only assume that he is building a nest.  He grabs paper towels, socks, plastic bags and RUNS to wherever his secret nest may be.  I’m sure one day I will find all of these items but for now I just see a tiny dog flying through the house at unheard of speeds for his size to some undisclosed location. 
-          Stella stalks him as if he were a bird from outside that accidentally flew in the house.  If Percy walks around the couch a few seconds later I will see Stella crouched as low as she can get moving oh-so-slowly, slowly, focus.  You can tell in her eyes she is calculating her attack.  It is at that particular moment that Percy usually turns and runs directly at her.  Foiled again!
If he’s not related to a bird in some way then my second guess is a Tasmanian devil!
I’ve been trying to exercise a little each day.  The first day I did a crunch I wondered if I might do more harm than good but I survived.  I haven’t been able to walk as much as I had before starting chemo.  I did walk one day last week and I was huffing and puffing once I got home.  I have a 5K to run in September!  I’ve gotta get in shape!  Tonight I finally made it back to ladies workout.  I hadn’t been to workout since before the surgery.  It was nice to get together with all the ladies, talk, and do some exercises too.  I can actually feel the burn! 

One of my coworkers who knew I like to garden bought me some paper white bulbs and a cute container to put them in.  I planted them and they’ve been hanging out on my kitchen table.  I’ve taken pictures of them along the way.  They have finally bloomed and they are beautiful.  They are very fragrant but it is a smell that my bionic nose actually likes.  Here are some pics of their progress.
In the beginning...

Starting to grow....

BEE-utiful!
That was pretty much my day – work and workout.  Tomorrow I am going to get my hair done (aka – therapy).  Let’s all cross our fingers that my hair doesn’t turn out some horrid color from the chemo.  I am actually planning to put blue in my hair.  I thought a little blue would be fun and it will be up under so hopefully it won’t be too ostentatious. 
I finally got some pizza last night.  It was delicious.  I’m feeling a Chick-fil-A cookies and crème shake – Mmmm…  My song of the day would be Oliva Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical”.  Does anyone else watch The Office and remember when Michael Scott and Holly did “Let’s Get Ethical” for their ethics talk at work? One word – hilarious!  Completely wrong, but hilarious.  I found the clip on youtube!
Tomorrow’s Friday!  Yay!  Night y’all.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Ain't no germs on me!

2/2/11 – Happy Groundhog Day!  Sorry I didn’t get to write yesterday but I was busy, busy.
Yesterday my day started out on a slightly traumatizing note.  I woke up and got started working at my laptop.  All of a sudden a sneeze came out of nowhere!  I like to practice the “sneeze into your elbow technique” so I did that.  Though I did not sneeze on my hands I did sneeze all over my laptop!  Yes, I know this is totally gross thus the trauma.  So, now instead of getting grossness on my hands for a short period of time and then washing thoroughly I was going to be touching it all – day – long.  I wanted to go and get the disinfectant and spray the laptop but you just can’t DO that.  How do you properly disinfect a keyboard?  I’m not sure if this technique is approved by the Surgeon General but I wiped off the keyboard with a dry paper towel, washed my hands, and then doused my hands in hand sanitizer.  I put the sanitizer by the computer and would randomly put it on throughout the day.  My goal was to protect my hands and maybe disinfect the keyboard through transference.  So far I’m not sick and the keyboard smells fresh!  (In case you’re wondering, yes, I did just put on more hand sanitizer while typing this.  You can never be too careful.)
After that my day went smoothly.  I had another good day and was able to work a full 8 hours.  I love not feeling sick!  Yesterday was rather drizzly and then it began to rain just when I needed to leave the house – pur-fect.  I learned 3 very important things yesterday:
1.       I should not be allowed to drive in the rain and the dark.
2.       I should not be allowed to drive places I’ve only been in the daylight in the rain and the dark.
3.       Seinfeld had it right when they proposed an “I’m sorry, I’m an idiot” sign for driving.  Society has signs for much worse things.  There should totally be an “I’m sorry, I’m an idiot” sign because I needed to use it last night.  I think a peace sign would’ve just added insult to injury.
I remember when I first moved to Georgia I was amazed at how people could not function on the road when it rained.  For some reason we have a crazy amount of standing water that doesn’t run off but people also act like they have never seen this wet stuff that falls from the sky.  “What is that?!” “I don’t know, but drive slower and swerve a little to avoid it hitting the car.”  I used to make fun and pity these people.  Well, apparently I have now turned in to one of them – great.
If you’re finished laughing at my disgust with myself let’s move on to my day today.  Today was another good day.  I got a kick butt mouse pad from a fabulous friend that says “Cancer picked the wrong Diva!”  In case you’re wondering I totally sit at my computer and work all day with my tiara on my head.  I hate to admit it but I have eaten my Snickers scepter.  I don’t really miss it.  It was delicious! 
You may be wondering “Shea, are you ever going to run out of weird and slightly funny things to share with us?”  Well, I am 100% certain that as long as I keep eating, driving, shopping, listening to music and watching Bravo I will never run out of material.  For instance, today I was sitting at my disinfected laptop when Percy came over.  I am trying to potty train Percy so every time he comes to see me I get up and encourage him to go outside.  So, I get up and head to the door to let him out.  All of a sudden “POP!” “BANG!”  What?! Is someone shooting at me?! (Um, yes, that thought did run through my mind.  Too much Bravo I guess.)  I look down and I had stepped on some pop paper that items are shipped in.  It was the kind with the big bubbles so it sounded much louder and since I nearly fell twice last week I have become more intentional with my walking.  I nearly had a heart attack.  It took me a moment to recover.
I know all of you have been idly reading my blog waiting to see if I will have the conclusion of The Song Title Dialog well, wait no longer. 
What you may have missed:  Alejandro’s car was smashed by a drunk girl named Iris.  Deliah told Alejandro that she was in love with a stripper.  Will Iris even call Alejandro back?!  Is Deliah really in love with a stripper or was she making that up?!  What is this “diary of Jane” that I mentioned for no apparent reason other than to be elusive?!
Deliah: “Alejandro” I have some “Confessions”.  I’m not “In Love with a Stipper”, I was quoting the “Diary of Jane”.  I wanted to encourage “Jealousy”.
“I Can’t Fight this Feeling” “I Honestly Love You!”
Alejandro: “It Can’t Be True!”
Deliah: “What Can I Say” to “Make You Feel My Love”?
Alejandro: “Stop!” It would be a “Bad Romance”
Deliah: There’s “No Such Thing” as a “Bad Romance!”
Alejandro: I’m “In Love with Someone Else”
Deliah: “Iris?”
Alejandro: “No”.
Deliah: “Who Dat Girl?!”
Alejandro: “Hey There, Deliah…”  “I LOVE Rock N’ Roll”
Deliah: I’ll “Bust Your Windows!”
I hope you all got a good laugh from The Song Title Dialog.  I had fun putting it together.  Maybe one day I will be inspired and have another episode. 
Tonight I would love some pizza.  I need to eat pizza before red sauce grosses me out next week.  I am concerned that all my calories are going to catch up with me sooner than later.  I guess I should enjoy eating while I want it, right?  My song of the day is in tribute to Deliah – “Bust Your Windows” – get him girl!
I’m off to work on my art project.  Night y’all!