A letter from mom...

Ten days ago was my 4th Chemo.

I am over the halfway point. My good friends, Ann Bailey and Carolyn Modarelli Adams accompanied me . The weekend before, we and our husbands went to the dueling piano bars, “Chopsticks”. We, women, had a great time. Our elderly husbands are claiming eardrum damage! Fortunately, we still had plenty to talk about during treatment. I brought cards and we played a new game.

Time passed quickly.

They took me to a late birthday lunch at “Stanley & Seaforts”. We still had plenty of things to talk about... the advantage of husbands and kids.

Carolyn had made up a special “Harper’s Bazaar”, which featured the 3 of us in our black cowboy hats in wonderfully sexy poses and clothes. I will bring it to the next luncheon of the ladies. The magazine has a permanent spot on my coffee table.

I have many brave friends who go to chemo by themselves and have no doubt, I could do the same. Having my friends accompany me has made a difficult day fun. When I look back on the past 4 visits, it is not what they have done to me or what news and treatments they have discussed, It is always the memories of my good spirited friends, that I take away with me.

Thank you, all!

Definite patterns are developing in my routines. The 3 days following chemo, I am on heavy doses and shots of drugs. Except for the first session, the side effects are under control. However, last week, I was very fatigued by the weekend, more so than previous treatments. Also by the 2nd week, my white blood cell count was very low and I was susceptible to germs, virus,etc. I was warned to stay away from anybody sick and avoid crowds. They give me a shot following treatment to increase new white blood cells but it apparently doesn’t kick in for a week. By the time of my next session, it should be in the normal stage.

Last week, I also got swelling all over my body and especially in my left arm, where they took out 19 nodes. We were worried that Lymphadema had started. (Something, I had been warned about, that could occur at any time in my future.) So...I was sent into the hospital for another MUGGA test to see if my heart has been affected by my dosages. I haven’t heard the results, which were due 2 days ago, so I assume “no news is good news”.

Every Thursday, I go to physical therapy, where the therapist works on my arms and scar tissue to break it up. That can often be painful. She keeps me talking to distract me from what she is doing. ...again husband and children provide lots to talk about...

Mike and I saw “Wonderful Town” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Robe” in the past weeks. Both were fun and entertaining. They were in Seattle so we made a day of both productions. Chico stock goes up on the days I’m in the big city. We’ve also driven to Bellingham to look at boats. I think we’re in the boat buying mood again. It would be nice for Mike to have a hobby other than me!

Since we are rather confined to the immediate area, a boat would be a good diversion to our regular Dr. visits.I’m trying to walk daily if weather permits. I’ve found some friends who have come over to play cards once a week and I read a lot.

Joe and Georg will be home next week and liven things up on the homefront. The pace is slow but LIFE is good.

Thanks for checking up on me.----Susie.