Last night on the way to the grocery store this was going on in the sky. I find it interesting because in Colorado Springs the sun set behind the mountains which made some interesting sunsets. Here there really isn't too much very tall to get in the way of the sun setting, so you get some great layers with the sun, the sky, and the clouds. Enjoy
As my phone is far cooler than it used to be, and can take half-way decent video you might just start to see more video here on the blog. Keep an eye out. I'm sure it'll be cool. Maybe. Probably... perhaps.
~B.
Sunset Over Houston
It's like a mini-weekend
A mini-weekend full of waiting.
Wednesday is, once again time for chemo. Although my blood draw was scheduled for 7am and my first doctor appointment of the day was scheduled for 1:15 I didn't bother to get into the hospital until 11:30. So instead of it being a 12 hour day it was only just shy of 8 hours.
Here's how I'm looking: Cholesterol jumped up again. Got smaller pills so perhaps that number can stall and / or go down. Triglycerides were down (go diet!), and platelets were at levels reserved for "leukemia patients". (Their words, not mine) They are low at any rate, but since I am not bleeding out of any part of my body they decided I really didn't need a transfusion right then and there, but they will wait until Friday morning, look at my blood again and decide if I need a transfusion to make it through the weekend. And then probably another checkup on Monday to see how I am doing. (So essentially cutting hours ot of my time today at MD Anderson was only so I could "spend more" time there later in the week!)
When the medical staff left me they left with strict instructions to "go to the ER" if I started bleeding. At all.
Funny aside: I was telling the doctor who has been doing my checkups about some side effects I have had to getting transfused before (small very itchy rash), and she said, "They usually give benedrill for that." To which I replied that I was allergic to benedrill. She stopped and thought for a moment and said, "Well, you're just special aren't you?" I of course couldn't help but say, "Have you SEEN the research on the stuff in my chest?"
Lisa and I were talking afterwards and we decided it was because I was "special" that I was there in the first place. She's a pretty great doctor though and it's nice to see a friendly face once a week.
Thanks again for the continued support, prayers, emails, phone calls, facebook messages, etc etc. I do read them all and they are great to get while I am sitting in a waiting room somewhere while staring up at the ceiling. Thanks!
~B.
Vegitanarianism 2000
Ok, the subject might not be a word, but you get the idea. Today rounds out the fourth day on my highly low cholesterol/fat/sodium/high fiber diet. I had two cubes of chicken last night, but other than that I have been meat free. I made a roasted vegy sandwiches tonight. I have to admit that it's not that bad so far. I kind of thought my body would go into "AHHH! Where is my meat!?" mode, but it's been pretty cool about the whole thing. The grocery bill was a little higher I think because of all the extra veg but we've been doing some interesting things with them. You needn't worry about me turning this into a vegetarian blog or anything, you don't need to worry about me preaching to you about the benefits of a mostly veg diet either. I mean, really, that cow/pig/chicken isn't going to eat itself! Dinning out is going to be a little strange though... like today I ended up having a fresh fruit plate and a bit of waffle when we went out with folks after church.
I realized as well that by going on this diet I probably eliminated over 75% of the places to eat in Houston. (Assuming I don't want to spend ten dollars for a salad I could have made at home for less than three)
Oh, also, happy milestone for my blog! This is post 2000! I really had no idea eight and a half years ago I would still be pounding away at this thing... or the adventures (Marriage, attempted vacations, cancer one, cancer two, a move to Colorado, a move to Texas (?!)) this blog has seen. It's been a wild ride. Here's to another 2000 posts and if where I am sitting (err, lying) right now is any indication, looking back, I really have NO idea what the next X years, and posts, hold. May God see me safely through them!
Prayer please for my internal workings (heart, cancer, etc) that the stuff that is supposed to be there will work like it should and the stuff that isn't supposed to be there would take the hint already and leave. (Talk about a house-guest who doesn't know when to leave...)
I think I will try to get to bed now, past couple of nights it's been at least midnight before I got off to sleep and that's not the way I really want to live. Thanks again for all the support, Team! Take some time today to thank God for the health you have!
~B.
Mortal Home
Several things:
1. Since starting this cancer thing a few years back my mortality has continued to sit in front of me and tug on my shirt like a needy little three-year old. Sometimes when I think I have forgotten it for a while the strangest things will bring it roaring back. It seems to me like everyone knows they are going to die, but lives like they won't. It's kind of "funny" but only having chemo once a week really dials up the "oh my goodness something is wrong with me!" thoughts. In some ways chemo on a daily basis is easier (mentally) than once a week. Daily, fighting cancer and balancing chemo side-effects is a job. Weekly, I have a "life" and cancer is something that is happening in/to my "life".
2. I've been evaluating the meaning of "home" lately with our moving from Seattle to COS and then to Houston. We left one "home" to do something and hopefully make a new one, but as we settled in cancer rose up again and we had to move again. I know Lisa still thinks of Seattle as home. And I guess that depends. If "home" is where you are the most known and know the most people then yes, Seattle would be "home". But we aren't home... and we can't go home easily.
Humorously enough the thing that got me thinking about BOTH of these issues was the movie Inception. If you see the movie/ think about the movie in a heaven and earth type arrangement it makes the movie that much more interesting. I won't say more as the movie is newly out and wouldn't want to wreck anyone's viewing of it.
I've been thinking about what "Home" is, especially combined with the ton of bricks that is the reminder that I will die. Add the pain of life and I honestly am starting to understand more and more the draw of making heaven home. There are many upsides to this as I can see it: It doesn't matter where you go on earth because my home isn't here, and homes here on earth can be destroyed, but no one is touching heaven.
I don't know, just some thoughts this morning as I consider my life and the things that have "wrecked" what I thought it would be.
~B.
