September 18, 2023 Monday--5am

Good morning!

Well, first of all--this is my first time trying to schedule a post ahead of time.  I know--hard to believe that in 17 years I have never written a post ahead of time.  Actually writing this on Sunday.  I hope it works!  ;)

Last week I did some calling around, got an appointment with Dr. Kessler at Essentia in December, and thought I had my blood pressure pills lined up to be mailed...but no pills yet and nothing taken out of my bank account.  So if they don't arrive soon I will have to do some calling again.  At least I have about 10 days of pills left.

Anyways, I am excited I get to keep going to Dr. Kessler!  That is wonderful--even if it will be a little confusing going to both Essentia and Sanford.  She is worth it.

I decided to take the week off of the P&P or doing anything physical more than I have to.  So, all week I have been working on coloring the fronts of some Christmas cards I started so long ago it was when Leah and I still made cards together--lol!  In other words, there are over 100 cards to make.  Enough now for two years for me.  (You may remember Leah decided to go with the photo Christmas cards.)  So those of you who get my Christmas cards will get this same card again down the road in a few years--LOL!

They had already been stamped, embossed, and I had finished coloring all the green bulbs.  So, I knew they would be easy to be able to do sitting in my chair watching shows.

So, I would take one from the stack on the right side of my chair, color the same one or two bulbs...

...and then pile it on the stack on the left side of my chair.

In this picture the one on the left is the sample I had made up.  The only thing I decided to change was to make the very upper left hand corner one green instead of blue so the colors were more balanced.

Eventually I finished all the blues and then the yellows.

That took me five days--lol!  There are a lot of them.

Meanwhile...Leah dropped off the round organizer that wouldn't spin at UPS,I got my refund from Amazon, and ordered the octagonal one.  

This is how it arrived.  *sigh*  I wouldn't recommend this company.  I am sticking with what I have.

Meanwhile, I have gotten started on the fourth color.  Just endless grabbing from the pile on my right...

...and adding to the pile on my left.  But this color is taking longer because red is the only color I have left so I can color them all at the same time--tada!  Don't have to worry about coloring the wrong ones.  ;)

I am about halfway done with the reds.  Then the last color is silver for all the bulb bases.  Once I have all the coloring done then I will have to move to a table to work on these.  I have the inside pieces cut and the bases cut & folded but I still have to stamp the inside card pieces, add double sided tape to all the front and inside pieces, and finally tape them all together.  (And there are still a couple of optional steps I could do as well if things are moving along really smoothly.)  I'd like them to be done early October, I hope.

Friday I went to see Dr. Failing with Leah.  I had already seen my results online.  Still cancer free!!  Was a good visit!  But I had forgotten I was supposed to see the bladder viewing doctor again in 6 months--which is now.  Nobody called me or anything.  If I recall the computers were down or something at the time I left his office.  Anyways, I will probably get a call about scheduling that appointment this week.  At least I am more prepared this time.  Not pleasant, but at least not a surprise this time.

Also, I had asked about getting my port out.  Had psyched myself up for having it done right there in the office because I had read online they can do that right in the office with novocaine shots and a few stitches.  (Like when I had that lump cut off my head, I guess.)  But Dr Failing doesn't do it and they don't apparently do that in the office at Sanford.  I need to schedule to have it removed...but he wasn't sure they would want to do it at Sanford because they don't like to remove ports other places have put in, I guess.  So I might have to have it removed at Essentia.  He put in for a removal at Sanford anyways to see if they would do it.  I'll likely get a call about scheduling that this week, too.

I was really relieved not to have him cut it out in his office, though!  I had issues with my port getting plugged up several times when it was being used regularly, you may recall.  And it hasn't been touched since last December.  When they pull something out of a vein like that you would think it might bleed quite a bit--or maybe even been in there so long it is a bit stuck?  Those were the things I was nervous about.

Also, when I was searching online about port removal I read that they should be flushed at least every 12 weeks!  Really!?  And Dr. Failing hadn't realized it wasn't being flushed.  I suppose people are usually on a schedule for that at Sanford and he assumed it was being done.  Since I told him about having issues with it being difficult back then he thought it was a good idea to get it out, too.  

Frankly, I very seriously doubt it is working anymore anyways.  And even though some people have them in for years with no problems, they can cause clots or infections, I guess.  To me, though, it is mainly just an uncomfortable cancer remnant sticking up on my chest (likely useless now) that I would like to say goodbye to. ;)

Dr. Failing talked about how lucky I am to be cancer free.  How bladder cancer does not always go well...especially when I had bloody urine several times for over a year before I got diagnosed--and it had metastasized.  Plus he said liver cancer doesn't usually respond well to immunotherapy (couldn't do chemo either).  I told him I read online that the chances of me getting rid of both the cancers altogether was .6 %.  He nodded and seemed almost amazed at my good fortune and quite happy for me.  I do really like him.  I like doctors who are honest with you.  He's got a good sense of humor, too.

Well, I go through the whole double-checking routine again end of Nov/beginning of Dec--but then if all is still well, I can probably go six months!  Nice!

So, all in all it has been a very good week (if I can also get my BP pills renewed--lol!).  I got to cancel that new lady doctor who ruptured the cyst on my head without warning and get to go back to Dr. Kessler!  No cancer.  Dr. Failing is so nice.  It feels good to have two doctors I know are on my side, you know?  And somehow, somewhere I am going to get this port out of me pretty soon.  (Notice I'm not adding any excitement about the bladder jab and search routine--rofl!)  I'm finally making progress on the Christmas cards Leah and I started so long ago.  Feels good to get a lot done on an old project that was started and left way too long.  

Some kind of bummer news was Chuck (D&L's BIL) changed his mind on picking up the Valley Con furniture this past weekend.  Mentioned "before the snow flies".  Well, we have a lot to deal with in there, too, before the snow flies and that ValleyCon furniture takes up at least a third of my garage.  Lots to move about in not much room so that we can get pictures in order to sell stuff before it's really cold.  I hope he can come sooner than later.  But we'll get pictures somehow--regardless.  Might take a heck of a lot of shuffling about--but it can be done.  Where there's a will there's a way.

Oh, I picked out the perfect bathroom faucet and sent a link to Leah--but I'm not sure she is won over.  I never knew there was such a thing as a bathroom sink with a sprayer!  I love that!  Would use it a lot!  Let's see if I can get a picture of it. 

Nope.  It's from Home Depot and you can't copy pictures from their website, I guess.  But it's a Delta Broadmoor...in black, of course.  I don't know about you, but I am always splashing water around on the sides of the sink to clean it off, so I know I would love having a little sprayer in there--whoohoo!!  Could it be more fancy!  Would you use one?

My hours are still off, (Hence the scheduled posting as I've been up for two days with only two 2 1/2 hour naps.)  The weather has been glorious, though!!  I love fall when it is in the 60s-70s during the day and chilly at night.  It came on quite fast, but I'll take it.  Keanna comes on Tuesday to clean.  I also have another apartment inspection on Tuesday.  Leah said she'd come by this week and bring in the bins of winter clothes for me from the garage.  Yup!  It's been that chilly--even during the day sometimes when it's windy.  Rather than close it up I'd like to add layers...but they're mostly in the garage...even my warm socks--LOL! ;)  I have a few items, of course, but only a couple of long-sleeve tops and a couple of button-down sweaters.  You can't live up north and not figure you will need a little bit of "other season" clothing around at all times.  Especially when winter can last a good eight months of the year--lol!  

No specific plans for the week.  Just try to get as much done as I can on the Christmas cards and possibly continue filling up these boxes I've had all over the place since the week before--lol!  It's been good for that creative piece of my soul to be doing these artsy projects lately, though...the Inchie Challenge and the coloring on the cards.  I've been quite content to be just coloring this last week.

I hope you all have a happy week behind and ahead of you, too.  Does it feel like your seasons are changing quickly, too?  Do you have any fun plans?  Till next week!  :) :)