May 23, 2022 Monday--10:45am

 Good morning!

We had some gorgeous days...

...where I could have the patio door wide open all day.

I do love all the beautiful clouds showing up again.  All winter they appear to be just a big gray blanket the majority of the time. 

Most of the week we had chilly days, though...or wet.  Not sitting out on the patio days.  They'll come.  Today is one maybe.

That broken coleus shriveled up to nothing.

We got down into the 30s and had frost warnings this week.  So the matching coleus in the other planter has started to collapse, get brown on the leaves, and shrivel up.  Did not like the cold wind.

I think that particular coleus is more fragile.  The other coleus...

...and all the rest of the plants are doing well.

Leah said she is going to Baker Nursery today so I asked her to get me a different pair of coleus.  Those were unusual and pretty--but not hardy.  The wind here is a killer of fragile plants, too.

I don't remember which day these came.

Two of us tied to win Connie's yearly contest as to guessing the date her biggest snowbank (named June) would finally melt.  She sent me a lovely hand-crocheted pouch with a zipper and that hand-made square paper cover folds around post-it notes!  She is so talented!  Love all the color!  Thanks so much, Connie.  You can visit her in Minnesota here.

Tuesday

I did a load of laundry and got it all put away right off.  When I watered the plants I also had a rag with me and scrubbed off the residual bird poop from my chair as best I could.  Was a puttery day where I got a lot done but nothing to really show for it, if you know what I mean--LOL!

Wednesday

I finished watching the final season of Ozark.  (Had a strange, yet appropriate, ending.)  Was a very tired day but a good one.  My legs are doing better than they were--so I thought it was time to do some testing--of them and my strength, too.  Actually brought trash to the dumpster for the first time since last fall!  The dumpster height comes to my neck so I have to be able to heave the bags head-high or higher--and I did!  TaDa!

Thursday

I guess it is just plain better that I isolate myself.  Probably for the summer.  As long as the numbers are down here McFamily can do a lot more in the summertime.  They have been visiting family and friends, catching up with dentist appointments, chiropractor visits, and are able to go to parks and the Zoo, etc.  Dagan's been back working at the office and is now going golfing when he can.  

So we decided that instead of Craft Nite Leah and I would do a video call on Thursday nights.  (Dagan often will pop in on those.)  I already do a video call over dinner with the boys on Wednesday nights.  But I won't be seeing much of them in person and if I do we will be masked, keeping our distance, and making it brief.

Now that Leah is sending food over I can use any energy that would have gone toward cooking for other things.  I haven't used my vacuum for so long I quite literally forgot how to work it--LOL!  Leah has the same Dyson so she emailed me instructions.  I need to tackle that this week.  I also want to try using the sauna--finally!  I may be draggy tired but my legs feel a little more dependable. Leah also sent instructions for how to use the sauna, too. 

I won't know how long these legs can last until I try longer, harder things.  Yes, they have just kind of failed me--but at least if I am at home I can just stop whatever I am doing.  Was it in February when I last visited at McFamily's and had to go home early because I suddenly could barely get out of a chair?  Anyways, I am aware of that possibility and will pay attention--and make sure I have the phone with me.  If I can do the vacuuming and bring out the trash again...and manage a step stool (haven't tried that yet)...then Dagan or Leah won't have to make weekly trips over for the helper visits unless something in particular comes up I need help with.  

For example, Leah is going to bring the summer clothes bins from my garage over to the front door for me in her car so that I can come out to the parking lot and haul them inside on my cart.  (My idea.)  I didn't want to push it that far right out of the gate by trekking back and forth to the garage.  So if it's not raining we will do that when she drops off the coleus.  

And I plan to later haul the winter clothes bins out to the garage myself.  I can always make one trip one day and another trip another day--and can sit and rest in the garage. too, if I need to.  I have been able (on a good legs day) to make it down to the office and back without having to sit down on one of the benches in the hallway to rest my weird, wonky legs.  :)  And I can pick a good-legs day to make it to the garage.  No time limits on that.  

Anyways, back to the week.

Friday

Dagan dropped off food for me at the patio door.  I had made a bookcard for Liam to thank him for making the Mother's Day card so I sent that home with Dagan along with a few other things.

The kids were almost ready for bed when Dagan got back home.  Liam had finished eating dinner and was watching his favorite TV show...but when he found out he had a letter from Gramma (his first just for him) he wanted to have Daddy read it to him right away.

Leah said Ian had been finishing his dessert and was excitedly running back and forth to the table to finish it up.

I forgot to take pictures of the bookcard but I picked one with gardening pictures on the cover because I also thanked him for being a helper with my planter boxes.  I cut and pasted some things inside, too.  I think he liked it.  I sent over two empty bookcards for the boys, too, to do whatever they want with them.  

Dagan and Leah finally got the school room/gaming room mostly finished.  They had to wait quite a long time for items to get back in stock at IKEA...and some parts of the bookcases are still not in stock (hence the "mostly" done).  She sent me pictures and a video of the big reveal to the boys.

The big reveal video.

They seem to love the new space for school and all their art & craft supplies are stored in there now, too.  They got their new IKEA paint sets out.

Learning Chinese Checkers.

I asked Leah what was Ian sewing?

Some kind of dividers for her brother, Aaron.

Anyways, I'm glad they have a dedicated space for school.  I'm sure that helps with focus, you know?

Speaking of school.  Liam has suddenly gotten interested in drawing a couple months ago so that is why he's improved.  Used to be just jagged scribbles--LOL!

Saturday

It was Leah's birthday and the boys made these for Mama.  They made pictures, folded them up, wrapped them in red paper, and drew a bow on top.

Ian drew a farmer with a humungous pig--with a note that the farmer could get 1,000,000 strips of bacon from that pig--LOL!

As one of the gifts Ian also made wavy strips of bacon from red and white paper--but Leah said a drink got spilled on them and she didn't get a picture--LOL!  (Bacon cheeseburgers are a family favorite...with me, too.)

Liam made his pictures on the red paper.  Copying Ian he made a farmer and a pink pig.  Hard to see the pink pig on red paper--LOL!

This one is a farmer and a pink pig and a cow.  I guess the cow has the black spots, eh?

Then he drew their house...from the front...

...and from the side with the front steps and the back deck.

My guess is all the lines are to show the siding.

Anyways, Leah said she had a great birthday!

I did another load of laundry and we had frost warnings that night.

Sunday

Another busy, puttery day.  Got the rest of the laundry put away.  Worked on getting winter clothes out of the closet--just piling them on the table in the bedroom.  Been procrastinating about cutting and filing my nails--got that done.  (Does anyone else put that off, too?)  

Today 

I had to be up early because the Federal Housing guy was coming this morning...and he is always early, too.  He didn't have a mask so I gave him a paper one.  He said he should have one in his pocket all the time.  That he did in his winter clothes but is forgetting now with the summer clothes.  

[Note: He has never worn a mask during the entire pandemic--LOL!  Maybe he figures he is in and out so fast and never stops moving?  But at least he was very nice about wearing a mask for me.  And yes, it gets into the 50s and people here get out their summer clothes...heck!...upper 40s will do--LOL!  In the fall--same temps--people are complaining they are too cold.]

I am still renting DVDs of Inspector Lewis.  Have two more seasons to go.  A lot harder to binge watch when it's on DVDs in the mail--LOL!  I've started watching the latest season of Outlander.  Still scattering in Death In Paradise episodes.  Didn't realize I was a season behind!  Speaking of seasons behind--I think I am only on season seven of Call The Midwife!  I am way behind on that one.  Too many good shows to watch, eh?  

Well, this week I will hopefully be seasonally switching clothes again.  Don't want to be as far behind as I was last fall.  Good grief--half the winter was gone before I got them switched, I think--LOL!  The donation bag is pretty full already.  Need to start another one.  I'll have donation bags to cart out to the garage, too.

  The garage IS something I need help with...speaking of donations.  But I doubt Dagan and Leah will be able to come and help me with it this summer because I think they are finally going to start finishing off the basement!  Took them a few years to get the patios poured, garden beds in, grass in, deck done, and yard landscaped.  Time to move on to the basement.  :) :)

All I got done last week on the bookcards was search out some older paper to use for the bookcard signatures.  So I hope to do some more with those.  I never make promises these days...not even to myself--LOL!  When you have limited control over your days...your body...it is too frustrating to have much on your to-do lists.  ;)  I still make them...but they are often just transferred--unfinished--untouched--to a new list.  Such is my life.  But things are truly going well and Annie is still doing okay...life is good.  I even have flowers on the patio--whoohoo!! 

Be interesting to see how it goes with Dr. Kobrossy on Friday...and will my bloodwork still be okay enough to get my infusion?  Fingers crossed all of it goes well.  I am still taking all the extra vitamins and supplements.  Leah is coming with me this time.  Wish me luck!  And see you next week! 

P.S.

I love that Leah asked me to save her some coffee grounds (they don't drink coffee) and when I asked her why she sent me this.

Now I am really saying goodbye...

love and hugs from Fargo

May 16, 2022 Monday--1:30pm

Good afternoon!

I have lots of pictures today!

Thought I would take before pics of the patio.

The grass is green and it has been warm enough to qualify for spring.

Tuesday

Dagan had been more exposed than since the pandemic started.  On Wednesday last week he had a meeting/meal with the big wigs because of his new position...and no one wore masks, of course.  So, to be on the safe side we postponed everything a week (Leah and my Craft Nite on Thursday and doing my patio on Saturday).

Wednesday

I know it is hard to tell and I forgot to take pics in progress but I worked on bookcards.  The covers we had cut previously I folded and paired up with the signatures...

...and I folded more signatures with this watercolor-y paper I ordered...must have been last year.

So, I am finally back to doing a little something with my next batch of bookcards!

Annie wanted to be up next to me but can't jump that high anymore.  She let me pick her up and put her in her spot with her memory foam cat bed.  :)

She's been jumping up regularly on to the footrest on my chair, though, this past week!!  A little less appetite, but otherwise seems like she's doing well and is happy.

I also set up letters ready to go (10) and did laundry.  Lately it is easier for me to do smaller loads more often and I am down with that.

Thursday

Katie came to clean.  Nice to have such good news to share with her.

The stamps came for card making.  A couple of line-drawing type bird stamp sets.

About 5:30pm there were suddenly masses of people running and jogging down the sidewalk--most of them kids.  They were doing some kind of marathon--had numbers and headbands.  Mother's with strollers.  A girl in a wheelchair with a broken leg being pushed.  Dog companions--who loved the running and the crowds.  I've never seen so many people on that walkway!  They ran from right to left and I could hear a crowd clapping and cheering somewhere off in the distance.  But then they all came back going from left to right...very few still running, some determinedly jogging, and many too tired and just walking.  So a lady went by with some kind of big bells around her ankles clanking away.  Sounded like she stopped at the end of the sidewalk and just took them off and clanked them endlessly to motivate the runners--either that or she was running in place for 15 minutes!  (Cow bells?)

Later that night we had our first tornado watch of the year.  Nothing here but some rain.  I'm not sure there were any tornados that touched down anywhere.  Between the runners, bells, and thunder...I didn't see Anne all night--LOL!

Friday

Leah went plant shopping with a girlfriend.  Sent me pics and got all my plants for the patio!!  We changed plans again--decided that if McFamily stayed outside and I stayed inside they could come and fix up the patio for me on Saturday!!!  Wonderful!

My big purchase this month arrived...a hepa air filter.  Figure it can't hurt and might even help with my chronic sinus.  I'll appreciate it more come winter, I'm sure.

That was a project for me.  Moving out one side of Grandpa's desk and back so I could plug it in.  Good place for it--centrally located.

No, I haven't even turned it on yet.  Haven't read the manual and it has been so nice out that I have had the patio door wide open all day every day it hasn't rained.  Been in the 60s and even hit 72 one day I saw.  Been gorgeous out there!

Saturday

So exciting!!  Lots of pictures!!

They moved back to let me decide where the pots would go.  The boys handed me the pots.  I took some quick before pics.

The little marigold plants were just filling in here and there so they waited on one of the little tables.

Dagan made trips to the garage and went around the building so he never came inside.  He brought the bags of dirt, fertilizer, my patio chair, pot with the hose in, and the bird water dish.  He also planted.

Ian and Liam did a lot of finger-stirring in fertilizer and then planting.

That lonely guy from our building showed up and tried to give the boys candy again.  No thank you.  He hung around for quite a while.

Leah did a lot of planting and overseeing the boys.

Then everybody took turns soaking the planters.

Dagan sprayed off the chair and tables.

The boys were getting restless.  Eventually they ran down the sidewalk to the big cottonwood tree and back a couple of times.

Leah started spraying the entire patio plus patio door and screen.

All done!

I wanted pictures of all of them so I went out quick.  I do enjoy the candid shots the best, I think.  ;)

Family shot.

Liam wanted them all to jump--so they did.

Funny how they race over to see themselves jumping.  Kids are growing up in such a different world in so many little ways like that.  Just being able to take a picture and see it instantly on a phone!  What a world.  But to them this is normal, you know?

Anyways, the newly cleaned and potted patio!

You might notice on the front planter on the far left there's a coleus that has fallen over.  I tried to put it upright and pack some dirt around the base to hold it up--but it felt broken.  

Maybe too hard of water spraying or something.  But it is the only plant that didn't fare well.

After they left Annie came out to inspect the patio.

I sent Leah a picture of the poor coleus.

Here's the matching one in the opposite planter.  (I have three different pairs of coleus.)  

Leah said she has to go back to Baker Nursery for some things so she could pick up another one for me if this one doesn't make it.

Sunday

  I think it is a goner.

Totally collapsed.  :(

I was so tired again that after McFamily left about 2pm...I was asleep by 3pm and didn't wake up till 7pm!  Another marathon nap.  No wonder my hours are messed up--LOL!  But I am sure getting sleep so I can't complain.

Today

I already got my JetPens order.  The pens are uni-ball one gels.  I'm really liking how smoothly they write.  I got a "new colors" set of three (I have the original colored set) and a couple more of the ones I have been using a lot (blue and blue-black).  Yes, I am a pen junkie!!

This is a Lamy cursive nib!  A brand new type of nib for them.  Can hardly wait to try it out.

But these!

OMG!  The smallest post-it type notepads I have ever seen!!  Look how tiny they are!

They just make me smile when I look at them!

Anyways, that's about it.  I watched the rest of the new season of Billions.  Been renting Netflix DVDs of Inspector Lewis.  Have now started the final season of Ozark and when I need a break from the heaviness I watch some of Death in Paradise.  (I know doesn't sound lighter but it is--LOL!)  I've been writing letters...got half of them sent off.  Beautiful, quiet days--except for the unexpected hundreds of marathon runners--LOL!  

If nobody gets sick, Leah and I plan a Craft Nite on Thursday.  Otherwise I only plan to try to get more letters written, to make cards, and to sit out on my patio!  Have a fabulous week!!  :)  

May 10, 2022 Tuesday--noon

 Whoohoo!  

I have good news to share this week!  I'll make it short and sweet.  ;)  

First of all I did the coconut oil and Band-Aid treatment and my finger was all better in two days!

Dagan took a few days off last week (he has accumulated so many he needs to use some, I guess) so he brought me to my appointment again last Thursday.  My port was acting up.  She tried to flush it four times but it wouldn't work.  Had to shoot some heparin in there and leave it for half an hour.  Which meant they sent someone down from the lab to draw my blood for the tests.  We were thinking--oh no!  This isn't a good sign.  

But--tada!  This time my ANC number went from the .7 to 1.3 and I was finally close enough to be able to get my infusion!  And after the heprin treatment the port worked fine.  Whew!

The not so good news was that the only doctor there at all for my next visit in three weeks is Dr. Kobrossy.  Since he's the only full-time oncologist it was bound to happen at some point...but I am not looking forward to it.  And I plan to more or less demand he keep his (blankety-blank) mask on. 

Dagan came in afterwards to do the helper tasks (trash, vacuum, spot bot, water plants, etc).  But this time he swept up the accumulated seed shells since we had snow again a few times.  I have not put out any seed on the patio since then.  I want my patio back for the summer--LOL!  (If I do put any out I will toss it out on the grass.)  Dagan and I had another nice visit--albeit with masks on--LOL!

This whole cancer adventure has been such a total roller coaster ride, as you all know.  I was so thoroughly exhausted that after Dagan left I took a "nap"...for 5 1/2 hours!  Still slept 7 1/2 hours that night, too.  I think it all wears on me more than I ever think it does, you know? 

I had a pajama weekend, believe me!

Yesterday...CTscan.

I suggested to Leah that since it usually doesn't take long and she just has to sit in the waiting room at the hospital that she could just wait in the car.  Less exposure for her, you know?  She agreed...and it was busy.  Always busier at the hospital, it seems.  I was in and out pretty quickly, though.  I know the routine and dress with no metal whatsoever so I can just jump straight on the table.  

Leah came in afterwards when I got home.  We went through my vitamins and supplements.  (She knows more than I do on that score and maybe they have been helping, right?).  I had a list of questions and things to chat about.  Hadn't seen her for so long!  :) :)

Oh, and BTW--was me that didn't want Leah cooking for me after I had started to feel better.  Like I have said, I usually think I am doing better than I am or can handle more than I actually can.  I have truly learned this about myself going through all of this--LOL!  But--on the other hand--the optimism keeps me going.  Even when it is probably ridiculous sometimes.  Like I just ordered a couple of stamps to use making cards...for when I am better.  Even if I haven't been feeling well enough to work on anything much for all this time since I was diagnosed last June...and I probably wouldn't have finished the first set of bookcards even yet if Leah hadn't helped me with them...watching the Wanderlust videos every week and ordering a little something here and there for when I am better...makes life feel more normal, you know?  I will be working on bookcards again...and other cards.  I will get out my art stuff to play again.  I just know I will.  :) :)

AND--

drumroll!!!

--the results of the CTscan online:  

The 1.2cm tumor has shrunk to .8cm.

The 8mm tumor has shrunk to 4mm.

No other signs of cancer anywhere.

TaDa!!

I was so happy I couldn't sleep last night till almost 4am--ROFL!  Just so grateful for everything and everybody...and so very glad to have so much good news this week.  Finger better, got my infusion, and tumors are still shrinking!  (I am happy dancing in my mind right now--LOL!)

Oh! Oh!  And how could I forget Miss Annie!  She's been doing a little better!  She's even started jumping up on my chair via the footrest now fairly regularly.  Nothing beats finding a purring cat sleeping with you in the middle of the night.

Oh, and I also forgot to show you my Mother's Day card.  This year Ian and Liam made them.  Mine was made by Liam...and has he ever improved on writing his name and drawing since last year!

McFamily all signed it.

Leah wrote who made the card on the back.

I do miss those little guys!

Well, Katie asked to switch to Thursday afternoon to come to clean and I am just as glad to have a quiet day of rest today anyways.  So that change worked out just fine.  Nice!

It has suddenly gotten so warm that I need to finish going through winter clothes for donations (many of them are too big now since I've lost 40 pounds) and get the summer clothes bins in from the garage.  It is 68F (20C) right now!  Crazy for early May.  I need to get my chair back out on the patio for the summer--soon!  Won't be long and we'll be planting flowers.  Leah and I discussed the plan for the planters when she was here.  Fun!  :)

That's it.  About as short and sweet as I get--LOL! 

Happy-dancing, grateful thoughts from Fargo.

Till next week...

May 2, 2022 Monday--11:45am

Good Morning!

Monday

I did that load of laundry and baked some fish.  Dagan came over after work and we managed to get what I needed for Federal Housing all printed off but the printer is not fixed.  Kept going offline for some reason...even right in the middle of a job.  Made no sense and Dagan could not figure out why it was doing that.  So as a last resort Dagan updated me to Windows 11, I believe it was.  They've been pestering me to do that for months.  Who knows if that will help or not, but I managed to print something since...once...so we will find out.   

Tuesday

Leah dropped off a few groceries from Cashwise pickup.

Wednesday

On the way to the mailbox I ran into the maintenance man in the hallway and told him I hadn't even called yet but the washer was still leaking.  Wasn't making the terrible loud noise it had been when spinning, though.  So he stopped by late in the afternoon and it was a loose hose.

Thursday

Total pajama day.  Started to watch Ozark.

Friday

Dagan took me to the clinic again.  Was a day of mistakes.  

First had the port set up and blood drawn.  No doctor visit because just a yes or no for the infusion--so we went back out to the waiting room.  David (nurse) came to get us to take us back.  We found an infusion cubby and David said the bloodwork was fine.  What a relief!  But then a lady from the pharmacy came down to tell him--no--the numbers are too low.  Turns out David had been looking at the wrong absolute result!

There are five absolutes they test for: Neutrophils, Lymphocyts, Monocytes, Eosinophils, and Basophils.  My one that is below normal is the Neutrophils or ANC (absolute neutrophils count).  Supposed to be minimum of 1.5 (not sure what they measure).  When I almost wasn't able to get my infusion it was 1.2--but they let me get it anyways.  Three weeks later it was .8 and now a week after that it was .7.  David had been looking at the Lymphocyts--which is my only absolute that is in normal range.  The last three are right on the minimum line.  Nothing I wanted to know about in my lifetime--LOL!

Anyways, the neutrophils have something to do with the white blood cells ability to fight off infection/bacteria.  (I searched online to find out what the heck it was.)  If it gets low enough it's called Neutropenia.  Below .5 is what I saw as dangerous--where you can lose your ability to fight off the natural bacteria in your body--such as in your mouth and digestive system.  So you can get mouth sores or diarrhea and worse.

One of my sweet pen pals (Joyce B) emailed me earlier in the week to tell me she'd looked up what could help raise the ANC numbers--vitamin C, E, B12, and omega-3s for example.  I also went online to research that and also how to improve immunity in general.  So, since last Wednesday I think it was, I am taking some extra vitamins and supplements.  Can't hurt!

Anyways, made an appointment for yet another Friday, cancelled the follow-up one in 3 weeks, and headed to my place.  Dagan helped with trash and a really awful job that is a pain in the patoot--cleaning blood out of the bottom of the frig that leaked, dripped, and dried.  A mess!  (So much for being vacuum-packed.)  

We did have time to chat during all of the tasks for the day.  Annie is doing about the same--BUT she even jumped up onto my chair from the footrest!!  [Has done so three times now!  The last time I saw her wanting to try so I lowered the footrest a bit to make it easier for her.  :)] 

Saturday

Made soup.  Had some frozen pulled pork I wanted to use up, mixed beans, lentils, peas, carrots, and some crushed tomatoes.  Been a long time since I made soup!

With my immunity being low...Leah and I were discussing supplements and...well, I reluctantly had to admit to Leah that, once again, I could use some help with meals I can nuke.  This past month or so I have been so tired and feeling weak all the time so that most of the time I am just doing whatever takes the very, very least effort to make to eat...like canned soups, cheese, toast, etc.  (The low count is what pushed me to bake the fish earlier in the week and to soak the beans to make soup on Saturday--lol!)  Anyways, Leah will help me out again for a while.  I hate to bother her, of course.  But--goodness!--she was here right away on Saturday with some meals I can reheat!  Liam even helped to make food for Gramma, she said.

So, Leah dropped off food and a few supplements she had that I didn't.  It was sprinkling and the boys were excited to have their clear umbrellas full of raindrops.  She came to the patio door for the drop off so I got to see the boys from a distance.  :)  

That night when I went to add the upcoming appointment to our shared google calendars...I realized that the lady had made the appointment for two weeks later (13th) and not for this Friday (6th).  ??  So, I knew I had to call Monday to find out what is going on.  Another error from last Friday? (Yes, it was.)

Sunday

My skin gets very dry in the winter...especially my hands.  The skin peels around my nails and I do pick and pull to get rid of it.  This has been going on for years...decades!  I guess this is proof that I am having trouble fighting off bacteria...

All of a sudden yesterday my finger started swelling up and is red on the side where it had bled where I pulled the loose skin away.  Something my body normally has dealt with all my life.  I did have this happen once over 40 years ago.

Took those pics last night.  Can you see how swollen that ring fingertip is?  Good grief!  Oh, and I noticed I still have some blue ink under my little nail--LOL!  Fountain pen ink can be messy.  I really dislike inky hands--that's why I usually use a syringe to fill when I can. But yesterday one pen was empty that can only be filled by dunking it into an ink bottle--and I always seem to make a mess of myself in that process--LOL!

Anyways, this morning I had to call the clinic about both the appointment and my finger.  Took me over 20 minutes (on hold twice because I needed to speak to an actual person in oncology) but I finally got through...and then they put me on hold to ask McCune about the appointment issue.  Yes, I needed to come back in this week...and this time he wants to see me, too...the usual appointment sandwiched between lab and potential infusion.

They were full so I have to go in on Thursday morning.  Leah will take me this time.  I convinced the lady to leave the appointment for the 13th as it is--just in case--so I will already have a Friday afternoon appointment if I can't get the infusion this week.  Can always cancel that one if I do get the infusion this time.

The finger.  Well, I had put coconut oil (natural antibiotic) on it and a bandaid last night.  It was not quite as swollen, red, or painful this morning.  I am supposed to keep a close eye on it.  If it does not continue to get better or even just stays the same I am to go in to have it looked at.  She reminded me how I could have a hard time fighting any infection. Yes, I know...I know. 

So I will rewrap it with fresh coconut oil early in the evening to get a good look at it...but it feels better than it did and doesn't seem as swollen.  Yes, I am judging with a bandaid around it, though--LOL!  Who knows what the week will bring as far as this goes now.  Hopefully all will go well and it will heal.  (Antibiotics can really do a number on me with my touchy gut issues so I'd rather not have to take any.)

Then...Blogger has been a royal pain.   Many of you have also mentioned having issues with making comments.  Well, I also get notifications of blog posts by email and I am getting one email with anywhere from three to ten post links!  Especially with people who post more often.  So I read them but maybe only comment (or try to) on one or two of them.  I am not sure I am getting all my notifications, either.  Maybe they will straighten that out one day, too.

FYI:

I will likely not post until Tuesday next week.  I have a CT scan scheduled for Monday the 9th.  Unless it gets cancelled because I haven't had my next infusion--but I will make a stink if they suggest that.  You can bet on it.  I want to know where I stand.  Anyways, I do want be able to let you know what they found out and I can read online usually within a day or so.  So, could possibly even not be posting till Wednesday--if I don't get the results (might as well wait till I can tell you the results of the scan) and I do have Katie coming to clean on Tuesday.  So don't worry if you don't hear from me till Wednesday.  If you haven't heard from me by Wednesday--okay, then you can worry--ROFL!  Just kidding--I don't want you to worry about me.  :)

I guess that's it for this week.  I'll see you later next week...hopefully with some good news!  Fingers crossed and say a prayer.  :) :)

*love and hugs*

PS I have no idea why there's a highlight over all my words??  Can't figure out how to get rid of it.  Sorry.  Blogger--Blogger--Blogger!!  Yup!  A pain in the patoot!!