Current Ramblings...

It has been a busy week and I just realized that I hadn't told how my MUGA scan came out yet.  Anything over 50% output is considered good and mine was 74% so we don't have to worry about excessive heart damage.  YEAH!  My doctor believes I just need to cut back on my salt intake so that is the route we are going for the swelling problem.  I am good with that.  8-)  I hate the way they just jump immediately to the worst possible problem and then work backwards to the easiest solution.  I mean...even if there had been heart damage from the Adriamycin, what were they going to do?  LOL.

I went into my actual office for the first time since July on Tuesday.  I had a dental and then went in around 11:30.  I met Kathy at the entrance to my building (she was heading out for a meeting and we just ran into each other) and I'm glad it was her because I just started bawling like a baby I was so glad to see one of the people that I work with.  It is funny how the emotions just overwhelm me sometimes.  Everyone was giving me hugs as they saw me in my office and saying how glad they were that I was back.  We joked about my bald widdle head and just moved on with business.  It was really great to be back. 

I worked my first full day on Wednesday and had to walk the half mile from my car to my office, then at 9 I had an executive meeting in another building which is about a mile and a half from where I was able to park and then I went back to my building and walked the other half mile so by the end of the day I had walked about 5 miles getting to and from buildings.  I was BEAT, I can tell you when that day was over.  I was looking longingly at my bed when I got home.

I found that I have a whole new attitude about work and being at work now.  I find joy in just being able to be there and do all the things that I haven't been physically able to do in the last seven months.  God has given me a real attitude adjustment.  I find myself smiling all day long.  I sent out a string of audit emails to all the programs this morning and my boss sends me an email and says, "How's it going Tiger?".  I went laughing into his office and told him I was just doing what he paid me for and to quick picking on me.  8-)

Radiation has been painless.  I walk into the radiation area and scan my badge (they give you a badge to scan so they know you  have arrived) and go to the changing rooms and get into a gown.  Then I sit for about a minute in the waiting area and they take me back.  I take my right arm out of the sleeve, remove my hat and glasses, climb up on the table and lay in the cast they made for me.  They line me up to the machine (it takes three of them working to get me lined up just so) and then they spend 2 minutes radiating me.  Yup...only 2 minutes.  Takes longer to set me up than it does to do the radiation.  The doctor told me yesterday (I see him once a week during radiation) that it has a cumulative effect and while I have no side effects now, he expects me to feel some fatigue and irritation to my breast somewhere around week 3.  I just say, "Bring it on...it can't be worse than chemo...I can handle it." 

My mom has had a rough week with shingles...keep her in your prayers...she is keeping to herself so she doesn't spread them and I am concerned that she is alone too much.  I know how easy it is to fall into the isolation mode and then you have to motivate yourself to get out and around people again.  The weather is so beautiful right now...I'd like to hear that she is getting out there and enjoying it.  8-)

A little Max for today....Amen and Amen.  Wise words for we sinners.  8-)

"More Than Forgiveness

By Max Lucado

“This is my commitment to my people: removal of their sins.” Romans 11:27, The Message

God does more than forgive our mistakes; he removes them! We simply have to take them to him.

He not only wants the mistakes we’ve made. He wants the ones we are making. Are you making some? . . .
If so, don’t pretend nothing is wrong . . . Go first to God. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross."

By Grace Alone -

- T

Busy High Energy Day

Yesterday was definitely a busy day.   I can honestly say that I have more energy right now than I did before all this started.  (My feet have been dragging for the last couple of years and never really knew why.)  I think I was feeling the pressure of getting everything done yesterday before I physically go back to work on Tuesday. 

Yesterday:

1)  We hung new curtains in the bedroom
2)  We put in a new towel rack in the laundry room
3)  We hung a new wall hanging over the couch in the living room
4)  I ironed all my clothes for work next week (yuck, I have to start dressing up again...)
5)  I ironed the new wall hanging and the new curtains
6)  I made homemade soup for lunch
7)  I made some yummy homemade brownies using the pan like I got Carol for Christmas that separates each brownie into individual pieces so you don't even have to cut them.  We ate one after supper and I sent the rest with Tom to share with his coworkers.  Too many calories to keep them here.  8-)
7)  I washed my car (Tom helped me set up the hoses since the one by the driveway was all frozen...)
8)  We cooked supper

And then we rested the rest of the day...HA.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful brownies and the new wall hanging in the living room.  At Tom's workplace they have some kind of paper that allows people to sell stuff they don't want anymore.  He found this wall hanging for sale for $25.  It is a woven hanging and the colors went very well with the living room.    And yes...that throne sitting between our seats on the couch belongs to Queen Shadow.  She perches there every evening as we watch TV before bedtime.

OH and to continue the saga of the game Tom was trying to download and play...he got it working yesterday and actually got to play for a while.  8-)  The disk he bought at Walmart actually worked once he uninstalled the downloaded version.  Whew...I was SO GLAD it worked for him.

By Grace Alone -

- T