Travel and I have a love/hate relationship.
I hate getting ready for the trip and making the plans but I love it once we have everything (and I mean EVERYTHING...I'll touch on that later) packed up and ready to walk out the door.
I love seeing new things and experiencing new foods and things like that. I love seeing family and friends that I haven't seen in many years. I love it once we are checked into the hotel and settled and ready to venture out into the 'newness' of a different environment.
This year we are going to Kentucky to visit with Tom's sister for a few days and plan on seeing an old old old (did I say OLD) friend of my husband's. I think he said his name is Don Clark. This is someone he grew up with (I think) and he hasn't seen him for about 20 years. I asked him if he was going to call him and see if we could visit and he gave me this little smirky grin of his and said, "No...I was just going to go to his house and ring the bell." Ah, the difference between Venus and Mars...
We went shopping today because I wanted some cropped pants to wear on the trip. I've never had cropped pants before but they are the popular pants to wear in today's world and they are EXTREMELY comfortable. When I was growing up they were called 'pedal pushers' and I think the were invented so young girls could wear them and ride bicycles (hence the name 'pedal pushers') without getting their pants legs caught in the chains of the bicycle. I wouldn't have been caught dead in them when I was growing up and they really don't look GREAT on me but my days of vanity really have passed (I think) because I bought three pairs of them today. Of course, they had some cute tops and sweaters/jackets to go with them so I think I'm pretty set for the trip now. I missed the Coldwater Creek 50% off sale that was going on during my birthday so today was a full price day. Ugh. Ah well, we only live once. 8-)
OK, back to the 'packing for a trip' saga. Packing is quite a process because we don't just take clothes...we pick out particular movies that we want to watch before we go to sleep at night and we pack up a DVD player (it's a little bitty one that works with most hotel TVs but if not then we use one of our computers to play it). Yeah, we take our computers, IPODS, IPADs, IPhones, wall chargers, Car Chargers, etc. (You get the idea, we must be entertained at all times...) Of course, I have to figure out which shoes, which jewelry, what medicines, what first aid items, etc are needed. My pillows have to be packed for the trip because I am a picky sleeper. (Yeah, two of them just for me...lol) I can have a bad bed but I have to have 'my' pillows. We pack an ice chest with water. The list goes on and on. By the time we leave, there is nothing of any real value left in the house for anyone to steal so we don't worry too much about that.
With this trip, we are paying the neighbor's son to come over every day and feed and water Shadow (our fat cat) and make sure her litter is cleaned out daily. This way she doesn't have to be traumatized at the kennel. We think it is a win-win situation. Even if he only feeds and waters her and doesn't empty her litter then we will be happy. (Not that I would tell him that.)
So, we venture out next Sunday (not tomorrow but the 3rd of July) and won't be back for about a week. Pray for us as we travel. Pray my strength will hold out to ensure Tom has a great time while we are away. He SOOO deserves a relaxed and fun time.
Here is a really good quote by Max Lucado today...
"In God’s plan every life is long enough and every death is timely. And though you and I might wish for a longer life, God knows better.
And—this is important—though you and I may wish a longer life for our loved ones, they don’t. Ironically, the first to accept God’s decision of death is the one who dies.
While we are shaking heads in disbelief, they are lifting hands in worship. While we are mourning at a grave, they are marveling at heaven. While we are questioning God, they are praising God." - Max Lucado.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
By Grace Alone...
I'm just in the mood to write a little. The sun is shining and the birds are singing and life abounds everywhere I look. I'm glad I went through Chemo in the winter months because I wouldn't have wanted to feel that oppressing weight that I felt during the light summer months.
I love summer. I've always loved summer. When I was growing up it was a time for getting up and going to the city pool and spending all day with my friends playing pool games and getting brown in the sun. The first summer my Mom bought me a season ticket to the pool, I stayed out in the sun 8 hours the first day it opened and burned myself to a crisp. I had to wait weeks for my shoulders to heal before I could go back out to the pool. I did stupid things as a child. (I was only 12...what did I know about sunscreen...lol) Now I'm not allowed to worship the Sun Gods...sigh. I get to look at it outside my window though. I wish you could hear these birds...they are so happy that summer has come.
I got my first haircut yesterday. YUP...the back and sides have grown much faster than the top and we had to even it up so it didn't look like a really bad haircut. That was kind of exciting. I saw a bit of hair come flying off of her scissors and I said, "WOW...I just saw hair fall...how cool is that?" I've been going to Nancy to get my hair and nails done for the last 4 years and she has become my friend and confidant. She is a kindred spirit. I love her dearly. We have laughed and cried together from the first time we cut most of my hair off so it wouldn't be so bad when it started falling out to now when we are rejoicing over the ability to have hair to cut. 8-) For those of you who might be wondering what type of hair I have now...it is definitely curly. It was curly before and it is still curly so it isn't always the opposite type of hair that one gets after it falls out from chemo. I wouldn't have minded having straight hair but I think that my hair is too fine for straight...it probably would have looked limp if it were straight so once again, God knows what he is doing. 8-)
My Mom is settling into an easy rhythm now that she has moved to Texas. My sister and her children are taking very good care of her and making sure all her needs are met. I'm really thankful for my sister and her sacrifices to take care of my Mom. (Of course, she is her mom too...8-)
We are defintely going to Kentucky to see Tom's sister during our vacation in July. We've decided that I really don't have the energy to travel on to see our son in North Dakota on the same trip so we will take this shorter trip and come back and relax before going back to work. I believe the trip will do both of us good. We are going to get the neighbor's son to check on Shadow (our cat) while we are gone. She did not do well in the kennel last time so I don't want to go that route again.
Here is a little Max for you for today...it touches Grace in an awesome way:
"To Be Saved By Grace
By Max Lucado
“God gives us a free gift—life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
One of the hardest things to do is to be saved by grace. There’s something in us that reacts to God’s free gift. We have some weird compulsion to create laws, systems, and regulations that will make us “worthy” of our gift.
Why do we do that? The only reason I can figure is pride. To accept grace means to accept its necessity, and most folks don’t like to do that. To accept grace also means that one realizes his despair, and most people aren’t too keen on doing that either."
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
I love summer. I've always loved summer. When I was growing up it was a time for getting up and going to the city pool and spending all day with my friends playing pool games and getting brown in the sun. The first summer my Mom bought me a season ticket to the pool, I stayed out in the sun 8 hours the first day it opened and burned myself to a crisp. I had to wait weeks for my shoulders to heal before I could go back out to the pool. I did stupid things as a child. (I was only 12...what did I know about sunscreen...lol) Now I'm not allowed to worship the Sun Gods...sigh. I get to look at it outside my window though. I wish you could hear these birds...they are so happy that summer has come.
I got my first haircut yesterday. YUP...the back and sides have grown much faster than the top and we had to even it up so it didn't look like a really bad haircut. That was kind of exciting. I saw a bit of hair come flying off of her scissors and I said, "WOW...I just saw hair fall...how cool is that?" I've been going to Nancy to get my hair and nails done for the last 4 years and she has become my friend and confidant. She is a kindred spirit. I love her dearly. We have laughed and cried together from the first time we cut most of my hair off so it wouldn't be so bad when it started falling out to now when we are rejoicing over the ability to have hair to cut. 8-) For those of you who might be wondering what type of hair I have now...it is definitely curly. It was curly before and it is still curly so it isn't always the opposite type of hair that one gets after it falls out from chemo. I wouldn't have minded having straight hair but I think that my hair is too fine for straight...it probably would have looked limp if it were straight so once again, God knows what he is doing. 8-)
My Mom is settling into an easy rhythm now that she has moved to Texas. My sister and her children are taking very good care of her and making sure all her needs are met. I'm really thankful for my sister and her sacrifices to take care of my Mom. (Of course, she is her mom too...8-)
We are defintely going to Kentucky to see Tom's sister during our vacation in July. We've decided that I really don't have the energy to travel on to see our son in North Dakota on the same trip so we will take this shorter trip and come back and relax before going back to work. I believe the trip will do both of us good. We are going to get the neighbor's son to check on Shadow (our cat) while we are gone. She did not do well in the kennel last time so I don't want to go that route again.
Here is a little Max for you for today...it touches Grace in an awesome way:
"To Be Saved By Grace
By Max Lucado
“God gives us a free gift—life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
One of the hardest things to do is to be saved by grace. There’s something in us that reacts to God’s free gift. We have some weird compulsion to create laws, systems, and regulations that will make us “worthy” of our gift.
Why do we do that? The only reason I can figure is pride. To accept grace means to accept its necessity, and most folks don’t like to do that. To accept grace also means that one realizes his despair, and most people aren’t too keen on doing that either."
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Happy Birthday to Me!
This year, I found myself in awe that we are almost a year after being diagnosed with cancer and having a 'birthday' means more than it ever did in the past. I actually made myself a cake this year. 8-) One of my coworkers told me about this angel food cake made with heath candy broken up and folded into heavy whipping cream so I gave it a shot and boy oh boy, was it delicious! Here is a picture of the finished product. OK, so it doesn't look store bought but it is definitely yummy.
I had never whipped cream before and really had a lot of fun watching it go from liquidy to fluffy and firm. I keep thinking that it will revert to it's liquidy state but nope...it is Sunday and almost two days after I made it and it is still holding firm. This made a very light cake that we both enjoyed. Thanks to Jay for the recipe. 8-)
We also went to Newk's for lunch and I had this GREAT vegetable pizza and Tom had a steak sandwich and then we went shopping for new computers. We were both having trouble with our other laptops so we knew it was time and they made great birthday and father's day gifts. Tom had already gotten me a black diamond necklace but when he mentioned getting new computers it really did seem like a good idea. We were due for some new technology. 8-)
I was pretty beat after trecking all over town looking for the 'right' computer so instead of traveling all the way to Florence to Texas Roadhouse, as we had originally planned for supper, we decided to go to the El Olmeca Mexican restaurant that is just down the road from where we live. This finished the day up quite nicely.
So, suffice it to say that I am completely thankful to have celebrated another birthday. May each of your birthday's be as special to you. Don't take any days for granted...they are all a gift from God. 8-)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Spring is almost over!
A 'lot' and 'not a lot' has happened since Mother's Day. 8-)
A lot because we actually did our first trip since I was told that I am in remission. We traveled up to Tennessee to see Mom while she was up there. We had a great time visiting with her and her friends. (We had Dinner and games at Gene and Judy Roger's mother's house. Marion is Judy's mother.)
Marion is an amazing woman. She is 92 years old and sharp as a tack. She stomped us playing Dominoes. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her stories (and she had quite a few of them). Tom and I both were amazed by her clarity of mind. I wouldn't mind living to 92 if I were still that sharp. 8-)
So, bottom line, we traveled and I really had more energy than I have had in several years. I feel 120% better than I did prior to being diagnosed with Cancer.
My hair is growing in and my beautician, Nancy, actually had to cut some off of the back of my head to even up the straggly look at the base of my neck last week. I probably have a good inch and a half now after almost 5 months. YEAH for hair. 8-) I actually found one hair on my pillow this morning where it had fallen out. So, the cycle of hair is going as it should now. As for it being straight or curly...well, the back is definitely curly...more curly than it was prior to chemo. The front and sides still look straight but I think it just hasn't grown enough yet to look curly. About a half inch behind the back still. As long as I have hair...I don't care if it is straight or curly.
Weather here in Alabama is in the 90's and we are thoroughly enjoying what seems to already be the end of spring and the beginning of summer. The back yard is beautiful and green (Tom is out there cutting it as I type).
Work is full force now and I have the energy to take care of everything that I need to there. I could not be more blessed than I am right now. I thank God everyday for each day that comes my way. Life is GOOD.
We have to start planning our July trip soon. We are planning to get up to Kentucky and visit with his sister and up to North Dakota to visit with our son.
Well, not much else going on here...our life is simple and I really like that. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
A lot because we actually did our first trip since I was told that I am in remission. We traveled up to Tennessee to see Mom while she was up there. We had a great time visiting with her and her friends. (We had Dinner and games at Gene and Judy Roger's mother's house. Marion is Judy's mother.)
Marion is an amazing woman. She is 92 years old and sharp as a tack. She stomped us playing Dominoes. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her stories (and she had quite a few of them). Tom and I both were amazed by her clarity of mind. I wouldn't mind living to 92 if I were still that sharp. 8-)
So, bottom line, we traveled and I really had more energy than I have had in several years. I feel 120% better than I did prior to being diagnosed with Cancer.
My hair is growing in and my beautician, Nancy, actually had to cut some off of the back of my head to even up the straggly look at the base of my neck last week. I probably have a good inch and a half now after almost 5 months. YEAH for hair. 8-) I actually found one hair on my pillow this morning where it had fallen out. So, the cycle of hair is going as it should now. As for it being straight or curly...well, the back is definitely curly...more curly than it was prior to chemo. The front and sides still look straight but I think it just hasn't grown enough yet to look curly. About a half inch behind the back still. As long as I have hair...I don't care if it is straight or curly.
Weather here in Alabama is in the 90's and we are thoroughly enjoying what seems to already be the end of spring and the beginning of summer. The back yard is beautiful and green (Tom is out there cutting it as I type).
Work is full force now and I have the energy to take care of everything that I need to there. I could not be more blessed than I am right now. I thank God everyday for each day that comes my way. Life is GOOD.
We have to start planning our July trip soon. We are planning to get up to Kentucky and visit with his sister and up to North Dakota to visit with our son.
Well, not much else going on here...our life is simple and I really like that. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
How out of touch could I possibly be?
Because of the storm, I lost track of time. Really...it's true.
We don't have cable at our house but we do have internet. When our power went off last week, (for almost a week) I wasn't thinking about Mother's day but as time went on, I started wondering when it was. I knew it was in the month of May and I thought it was after my mother's birthday on the 16th. I had the card and the gift all ready to send off. Thursday, after the work flurry died down (you know what it's like when you've been away from work for a week and you have to play 'catch-up') I took a minute to ask Google when Mother's Day for 2011 is. I was sadly surprised to find out that it was three days away. OK, that was 2 mailing days so I BLEW IT. I am the WORST daughter in the world.
I read Mom her mother's day card on Friday so she would at least hear it and know that I really had thought of her. I also got her some Farmville gift cards for her playing enjoyment.
So, Mom...know that I love you and think about you a lot and always pray that you are happy and content in whatever activities you are currently 'into'. We are looking forward to seeing you in TN next weekend and we will spend some time laughing and enjoying ourselves while we're together.
(Bellsouth is having internet connection problems still so we are up and down today with the internet. I am working feverishly to get this posted before it goes down again.)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Because of the storm, I lost track of time. Really...it's true.
We don't have cable at our house but we do have internet. When our power went off last week, (for almost a week) I wasn't thinking about Mother's day but as time went on, I started wondering when it was. I knew it was in the month of May and I thought it was after my mother's birthday on the 16th. I had the card and the gift all ready to send off. Thursday, after the work flurry died down (you know what it's like when you've been away from work for a week and you have to play 'catch-up') I took a minute to ask Google when Mother's Day for 2011 is. I was sadly surprised to find out that it was three days away. OK, that was 2 mailing days so I BLEW IT. I am the WORST daughter in the world.
I read Mom her mother's day card on Friday so she would at least hear it and know that I really had thought of her. I also got her some Farmville gift cards for her playing enjoyment.
So, Mom...know that I love you and think about you a lot and always pray that you are happy and content in whatever activities you are currently 'into'. We are looking forward to seeing you in TN next weekend and we will spend some time laughing and enjoying ourselves while we're together.
(Bellsouth is having internet connection problems still so we are up and down today with the internet. I am working feverishly to get this posted before it goes down again.)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Friday, May 6, 2011
How I Have Changed
Everyone says Cancer changes you.
I don't think it is the Cancer so much that changes you but God changes your heart as you go through Cancer.
So I want to journal how I think I have changed and I will look back on this in a year and see if I have kept these changed qualities or if my sinful nature has taken back over these positive changes. (I sure hope it doesn't because I like this 'me' much better.)
I lost a lot of my prideful nature. I am no longer wearing hats to cover my very short hair. I HAVE hair which is more than I had a few months ago. I've never been 'model' beautiful but I could cover up the lack of beauty before with hair. 8-) I'm not so concerned with being 'beautiful' anymore. I am now concerned with being 'alive'. 8-)
I find myself wanting to talk to people, to get to know them...I was more of a loner before Cancer.
I find myself being more tolerant of others. So people aren't perfect...I am over caring whether they are perfect or not. I am learning to look beyond their flaws and see more of the inner person that God created for me to enjoy.
I no longer look to other people for 'acceptance'...I think because of my own father's rejection of me as a child (in my mind...probably not in reality) I was always looking for others to accept me and if they accepted me then I was 'ok'. I now realize more than ever that it doesn't matter if others accept me or not, God accepted me just as I am (sinful nature and all) and because of this, I can accept myself.
I have always been thankful for my time with my husband but it has become even more precious since going through Cancer because we never know when one of us might be taken away to be with God. (Which would obviously be more glorious than being together but one of us would be left to wait for the time when we would be together again in heaven.)
I am more relaxed about 'stuff' than I used to be. I can remember a time when I could not stand to go to bed if anything in the house was out of place. No problem now. Things around me don't have to be 'perfect'. Don't get me wrong...I like clean and organized, but the world won't end if it isn't. (Of course, the effexor may be part of the reason for this change...HA!)
Those are some of the most obvious changes in myself. It will definitely be interesting to look back on this in a year and see what 'took' and whether or not I reverted back to my basic nature. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
I don't think it is the Cancer so much that changes you but God changes your heart as you go through Cancer.
So I want to journal how I think I have changed and I will look back on this in a year and see if I have kept these changed qualities or if my sinful nature has taken back over these positive changes. (I sure hope it doesn't because I like this 'me' much better.)
I lost a lot of my prideful nature. I am no longer wearing hats to cover my very short hair. I HAVE hair which is more than I had a few months ago. I've never been 'model' beautiful but I could cover up the lack of beauty before with hair. 8-) I'm not so concerned with being 'beautiful' anymore. I am now concerned with being 'alive'. 8-)
I find myself wanting to talk to people, to get to know them...I was more of a loner before Cancer.
I find myself being more tolerant of others. So people aren't perfect...I am over caring whether they are perfect or not. I am learning to look beyond their flaws and see more of the inner person that God created for me to enjoy.
I no longer look to other people for 'acceptance'...I think because of my own father's rejection of me as a child (in my mind...probably not in reality) I was always looking for others to accept me and if they accepted me then I was 'ok'. I now realize more than ever that it doesn't matter if others accept me or not, God accepted me just as I am (sinful nature and all) and because of this, I can accept myself.
I have always been thankful for my time with my husband but it has become even more precious since going through Cancer because we never know when one of us might be taken away to be with God. (Which would obviously be more glorious than being together but one of us would be left to wait for the time when we would be together again in heaven.)
I am more relaxed about 'stuff' than I used to be. I can remember a time when I could not stand to go to bed if anything in the house was out of place. No problem now. Things around me don't have to be 'perfect'. Don't get me wrong...I like clean and organized, but the world won't end if it isn't. (Of course, the effexor may be part of the reason for this change...HA!)
Those are some of the most obvious changes in myself. It will definitely be interesting to look back on this in a year and see what 'took' and whether or not I reverted back to my basic nature. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
God's Not Done with Me Yet...
As you all have heard by now, several tornadoes ripped through the part of Alabama that I live in last Wednesday. I got into work on Wednesday at 6:10 in the morning and was ushered into the shelter area in our building for 20 minutes. I went back to my desk and 6 minutes later they were ushering us back into the shelter area in our building. About a half an hour later, I got to return to my office again.
The next time the announcement went off telling us to report to the shelter area, I ignored it and shut the door to my office and continued to work. I had too much to do to stop every few minutes and sit in the auditorium and do nothing. I wasn't taking that silly tornado business too seriously. I'd survived hurricanes over and over in Florida, how bad could tornadoes be?
We left work around 3:30 at the urging of management to get us home before the really 'bad' tornadoes hit. As soon as we got home, our power went out. We stood looking out the kitchen window as a tornado was strolling by about a half a mile away. Again, we didn't take it too seriously...I fixed us some cold sandwiches out of the left over roast beef from the night before and we sat around reading on our iPads until it was bedtime and dark.
We went to bed and slept the night away and decided the next morning that it was time to drag out the generator. We got everything hooked up (I wish I had taken a picture of the living room while all those extension cords were snaking through it for your amusement but alas, I did not.)
After we got the generator going we decided that we would need some fuel to power it if we were going to run it for any length of time. We proceeded to get gasoline, some lunch, and some groceries to tide us through the next day or so. (This was Thursday) The wait in line for gasoline was like a flash back to the 1973 gas wars. We waited in line for a little over two hours to fill up 3 five gallon containers and the truck's gas tank. Here are some of the sights that we saw in the aftermath of the storm.
The picture below is of people searching through the remains of their home after it was hit by a tornado. It broke my heart to watch them searching for anything that might be left.
This is a picture of a new lake in the area. This used to be a farmer's field. We Christened this one Lake Tom.
Another view of the church that was flattened.
Still another view of the church. (I was pretty astonished by this one...)
If you look in the horizon, you can see where the power pole is broken and leaning over.
This is a local furniture store. See the sign that was uprooted and is now leaning on the truck?
LARGE tree totally uprooted.
Power line damage...
Another new lake that used to be a farmer's field. We christened this one Lake Hammond.
House, tree and power line damage...
The next time the announcement went off telling us to report to the shelter area, I ignored it and shut the door to my office and continued to work. I had too much to do to stop every few minutes and sit in the auditorium and do nothing. I wasn't taking that silly tornado business too seriously. I'd survived hurricanes over and over in Florida, how bad could tornadoes be?
We left work around 3:30 at the urging of management to get us home before the really 'bad' tornadoes hit. As soon as we got home, our power went out. We stood looking out the kitchen window as a tornado was strolling by about a half a mile away. Again, we didn't take it too seriously...I fixed us some cold sandwiches out of the left over roast beef from the night before and we sat around reading on our iPads until it was bedtime and dark.
We went to bed and slept the night away and decided the next morning that it was time to drag out the generator. We got everything hooked up (I wish I had taken a picture of the living room while all those extension cords were snaking through it for your amusement but alas, I did not.)
After we got the generator going we decided that we would need some fuel to power it if we were going to run it for any length of time. We proceeded to get gasoline, some lunch, and some groceries to tide us through the next day or so. (This was Thursday) The wait in line for gasoline was like a flash back to the 1973 gas wars. We waited in line for a little over two hours to fill up 3 five gallon containers and the truck's gas tank. Here are some of the sights that we saw in the aftermath of the storm.
The picture below is of people searching through the remains of their home after it was hit by a tornado. It broke my heart to watch them searching for anything that might be left.
This picture is of a church that was taken down by the tornadoes.
This is a picture of a new lake in the area. This used to be a farmer's field. We Christened this one Lake Tom.
Another view of the church that was flattened.
Still another view of the church. (I was pretty astonished by this one...)
If you look in the horizon, you can see where the power pole is broken and leaning over.
This is a local furniture store. See the sign that was uprooted and is now leaning on the truck?
House, tree and power line damage...
I have more pictures, but I think you will get the idea from all of these. We were more than blessed since the only thing that we lost was a large 96 gallon trash can that was sitting out in the street waiting for the trash people to pick up the trash out of. I was pretty sure that since God didn't see fit to take me out with Cancer that he wasn't going to take me out with a Tornado. I really don't believe that God is done with me yet, but I will be a bit more cautious during the next storm. I have learned a healthy respect for tornadoes after this one. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Setting Life/Work Balances
I am very excited! I finally got up the nerve to ask my boss if I could work a 9/80 schedule.
I am the only one of my kind at this site so I figured that since that was the case that I would always have to be on duty when anyone else that I support works. My husband has worked a 9/80 schedule since we moved to Huntsville. What this means is that he gets every other Friday off and he works 80 hours in 9 days. Since I already work 9 plus hours a day, that meant that I was actually working 9 extra hours a payday (every two weeks) that wasn't paid. I've always been ok with that because there is always plenty of work but...Cancer has changed my outlook a little bit.
I need to get a life/work balance going and make sure that Tom and I spend as much time together as we can just in case tomorrow doesn't keep us together. So I broached the subject.
I sent him an email that said, "I know the 9/80 schedule was offered recently to our group and I declined but I'd like to re-evalute this thought. My husband has always worked a 9/80 schedule and I would like to go to his schedule, if possible. We'd like to start driving in together when possible. With the price of gas and because I would like to spend as much quality time with him as I can, it would be great if I could get on his schedule. I've attached a copy of his schedule from April 18 - July 8th for this year for your review. The way it works out, I would be working 44 hours one week and 36 the other week. Since I work through lunch anyway and I would be getting here around 6:15 instead of 6:30 (since he has to have time to get to work) you'd be getting way more hours than that out of me.
You can say no and I'll just chalk it up to "I tried"…8-)"
He replied with, "I don't have a problem with the flex time but you would need to change the Friday off to align with the day that GMD is off. Since they are our major customer. Can Tom change his day off?"
I wrote back, "No, he can’t change his day off. Other people take days off that aren’t GMD’s day off…why would this be different?"
I was about to get into whiney mode at this point...He replied with, "Not necessarily different just trying to serve the majority of our customers….."
I'm feeling like he is jerking me around now so I write my other boss (yeah, I've got two) and ask him if he thinks Jack is jerking me around. He assures me that he isn't and that as long as I am available for 'emergencies' that he thinks that Jack will agree to the change in schedule.
So, the agreement is that I will have my work computer up and running in case there are any tool emergencies that anyone needs help on. I have no problem with that. It's a win-win for everyone.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
I am the only one of my kind at this site so I figured that since that was the case that I would always have to be on duty when anyone else that I support works. My husband has worked a 9/80 schedule since we moved to Huntsville. What this means is that he gets every other Friday off and he works 80 hours in 9 days. Since I already work 9 plus hours a day, that meant that I was actually working 9 extra hours a payday (every two weeks) that wasn't paid. I've always been ok with that because there is always plenty of work but...Cancer has changed my outlook a little bit.
I need to get a life/work balance going and make sure that Tom and I spend as much time together as we can just in case tomorrow doesn't keep us together. So I broached the subject.
I sent him an email that said, "I know the 9/80 schedule was offered recently to our group and I declined but I'd like to re-evalute this thought. My husband has always worked a 9/80 schedule and I would like to go to his schedule, if possible. We'd like to start driving in together when possible. With the price of gas and because I would like to spend as much quality time with him as I can, it would be great if I could get on his schedule. I've attached a copy of his schedule from April 18 - July 8th for this year for your review. The way it works out, I would be working 44 hours one week and 36 the other week. Since I work through lunch anyway and I would be getting here around 6:15 instead of 6:30 (since he has to have time to get to work) you'd be getting way more hours than that out of me.
You can say no and I'll just chalk it up to "I tried"…8-)"
He replied with, "I don't have a problem with the flex time but you would need to change the Friday off to align with the day that GMD is off. Since they are our major customer. Can Tom change his day off?"
I wrote back, "No, he can’t change his day off. Other people take days off that aren’t GMD’s day off…why would this be different?"
I was about to get into whiney mode at this point...He replied with, "Not necessarily different just trying to serve the majority of our customers….."
I'm feeling like he is jerking me around now so I write my other boss (yeah, I've got two) and ask him if he thinks Jack is jerking me around. He assures me that he isn't and that as long as I am available for 'emergencies' that he thinks that Jack will agree to the change in schedule.
So, the agreement is that I will have my work computer up and running in case there are any tool emergencies that anyone needs help on. I have no problem with that. It's a win-win for everyone.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Zometa Infusion
I received my infusion of Zometa today to prevent osteoporosis that could occur because of the Femara medication I am on. They will be giving me this treatment every 6 months for as long as I am on Femara. (5 years) It wasn't bad at all. They put the needle in my port (at the lab) and then I headed over to the short term area for the infusion. The nurse talked to me about all the possible side effects. (Nausea, vomiting, tiredness, fever, headache, loss of appetite, low levels of red blood cells, bone pain, and difficulty breathing and one biggee that is called Osteonecrosis of the jaw which is necrosis (dying) of the jaw bone. She assured me that only 1% of patients ever get that and it is usually because they had some type of infection in their mouth to begin with. Niiiiiccce.
It's three hours after the infusion and so far, no problems. Yeah!! Now I have to get some calcium supplements and vitamin D so that the Zometa will have something to work with. Zometa takes the calcium in your blood stream and deposits it into your bones. Pretty cool, huh? Well, it only works if you have calcium in your blood stream to deposit. HA!
I went back to the office to work this week and it has been fine so far. My white count is still slightly low so I am still being cautious around sick people. Of course, you can't deny someone a hug if they want to give you one and that seems to be the favorite thing to do around here since I got back. 8-) I work with a lot of really nice and caring people.
I hate that I don't have a lot of chat time with Mom now that I'm back at work. It is back to the hectic pace again and I work all day, rush home to cook supper, and then collapse on the couch for about an hour before bed. It was nice to play and chat together for a while anyway. 8-) I'm sure we'll catch up on the weekend.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
It's three hours after the infusion and so far, no problems. Yeah!! Now I have to get some calcium supplements and vitamin D so that the Zometa will have something to work with. Zometa takes the calcium in your blood stream and deposits it into your bones. Pretty cool, huh? Well, it only works if you have calcium in your blood stream to deposit. HA!
I went back to the office to work this week and it has been fine so far. My white count is still slightly low so I am still being cautious around sick people. Of course, you can't deny someone a hug if they want to give you one and that seems to be the favorite thing to do around here since I got back. 8-) I work with a lot of really nice and caring people.
I hate that I don't have a lot of chat time with Mom now that I'm back at work. It is back to the hectic pace again and I work all day, rush home to cook supper, and then collapse on the couch for about an hour before bed. It was nice to play and chat together for a while anyway. 8-) I'm sure we'll catch up on the weekend.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Time Spent with Mom
I've been spending a lot of time on Skype with my Mom just chatting and doing Farmville together and it's really been enjoyable. She is really funny breeding her sheep. I can see where I acquired my analytical abilities. She is almost 78 years old but her mind is just as sharp as can be.
After being there for nine months, she is beginning to settle into Texas. She has found a church that feels like 'home' to her and she and my sister seem to have settled into somewhat of a routine. She has her favorite places to eat scoped out and she's beginning to make friends. It's never easy when you move to a new place. I have moved a LOT in my lifetime (I was in the military for years and then married to a military man so moving became second nature after a while) and I know that it is always a challenge to establish true friendships in new places. Most people already have their friendships established and aren't looking for new adventures with friends. Since I am shy, it made it doubly hard. My mom, however, is ANYTHING but shy. (Those of you who know her know that this is a true statement.)
Anyway, it is a bit of a relief to see her mostly happy and settled in her new environment and I thank God everyday for my sister and her husband who have gone to so much trouble to get her settled there near them. They made the transition look easy but I know it's been a lot of work for them.
Here is a little Max for you for today:
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
After being there for nine months, she is beginning to settle into Texas. She has found a church that feels like 'home' to her and she and my sister seem to have settled into somewhat of a routine. She has her favorite places to eat scoped out and she's beginning to make friends. It's never easy when you move to a new place. I have moved a LOT in my lifetime (I was in the military for years and then married to a military man so moving became second nature after a while) and I know that it is always a challenge to establish true friendships in new places. Most people already have their friendships established and aren't looking for new adventures with friends. Since I am shy, it made it doubly hard. My mom, however, is ANYTHING but shy. (Those of you who know her know that this is a true statement.)
Anyway, it is a bit of a relief to see her mostly happy and settled in her new environment and I thank God everyday for my sister and her husband who have gone to so much trouble to get her settled there near them. They made the transition look easy but I know it's been a lot of work for them.
Here is a little Max for you for today:
"Not Yet Complete
“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished.” Philippians 1:6
Not only are we ignorant about yesterday, we are ignorant about tomorrow. Dare we judge a book while chapters are yet unwritten? . . . How can you dismiss a soul until God’s work is complete?
Be careful! The Peter who denies Jesus at tonight’s fire may proclaim him with fire at tomorrow’s Pentecost . . . A stammering shepherd in this generation may be the mighty Moses of the next."Not only are we ignorant about yesterday, we are ignorant about tomorrow. Dare we judge a book while chapters are yet unwritten? . . . How can you dismiss a soul until God’s work is complete?
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Organizing...
So my days for working at home are now numbered. The number today is 2. Today and tomorrow and then on Monday I go back to my office at Boeing. It will be good to be back among people but it has also been pleasant to sleep a little later because I didn't have to commute in to work.
My mom sent me an early birthday present this week. It was some containers from the container store in Dallas. (Or it might have been a container store in some suburb of Dallas.) Anyway, I got those four containers and started organizing some of my kitchen stuff. One of them was to put tea bags in, one was for those little packets like gravy and taco mix, the other two were the Good Grips POP containers. Those two had that special lid that seals when you press in on the top button. Very cool containers. I had fun organizing my oatmeal in one and my tassimmo coffee and cream in the other.
Well, needless to say, that spurred on a lot of other organizing. I realized that I have just TONS of different shampoos, mouses, hair sprays, lotions, gels and creme rinses that I have bought, tried, didn't like for one reason or another and couldn't bring myself to throw away. So, I gathered them all up into a box and it looked like this when I was done.
I sorted through them and ended up with a trash bag full of products that I didn't think we would ever use (most of them were almost empty...those were times when I would buy a new one because I was almost done with the other one and couldn't wait to try the new one...sigh...so bad.). So, here's the trash...
And here is all that is left.
Then of course, I couldn't stop there...next I dove under the bathroom sinks in the master bath. Okay, not literally but figuratively. When we moved to Huntsville in 2007, I was here working when they packed up the house in Florida (Tom stayed behind to get it all packed up by the movers) and everything got packed whether it should have been or not. I probably would have weeded through stuff before the move but that's just the way I am. Anyway, things were hectic when we were moving into the house so that stuff just got unpacked and put somewhere. I found medicine under the sink that dated back to 1997. So I proceeded to through all the outdated stuff out and other stuff that I had no idea what it even was. It is totally amazing the junk that we hang onto. Under Tom's sink there was this cardboard box with stuff in plastic bags from trips that we have taken over the years. (You know how you have to have 2 oz liquids to take on airplanes and for security reasons you can't have more than that....we had all kinds of baggies of that kind of stuff.)
I don't have before pictures (thank goodness because they were BAD) but here are some after pictures. I had been given this really neat basket from my coworkers filled with care packages when I was first diagnosed with cancer and I used it to replace the cardboard box that he had under his sink.
Under my sink after the purging...and no...that isn't really a box of cheese under there...I turned that box into a holder for tubes of stuff like hydrocortisone creme, etc.
I still haven't found a place to put the old shampoos, creme rinses, or lotions. I know that pantry in the master bathroom will have to be my next purge (muwha wha...evil laugh) and they will probably end up there. I have two more days to get that kind of stuff done. As I said, my days are numbered...8-) Thanks, Mom, for motivating me to organize and clean up the hidden clutter. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
My mom sent me an early birthday present this week. It was some containers from the container store in Dallas. (Or it might have been a container store in some suburb of Dallas.) Anyway, I got those four containers and started organizing some of my kitchen stuff. One of them was to put tea bags in, one was for those little packets like gravy and taco mix, the other two were the Good Grips POP containers. Those two had that special lid that seals when you press in on the top button. Very cool containers. I had fun organizing my oatmeal in one and my tassimmo coffee and cream in the other.
Well, needless to say, that spurred on a lot of other organizing. I realized that I have just TONS of different shampoos, mouses, hair sprays, lotions, gels and creme rinses that I have bought, tried, didn't like for one reason or another and couldn't bring myself to throw away. So, I gathered them all up into a box and it looked like this when I was done.
I don't have before pictures (thank goodness because they were BAD) but here are some after pictures. I had been given this really neat basket from my coworkers filled with care packages when I was first diagnosed with cancer and I used it to replace the cardboard box that he had under his sink.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Effexor is your FRIEND
I had the first good night's sleep last night that I've had since September. I didn't have one single hot flash. I took my first effexor yesterday and it really was amazing. I figured it would take 30 days for it to start working but nooooooooo, immediate relief. So if any of you out there are having hot flashes, go directly to your doctor and tell him what you need. Low dosage effexor does the trick.
Now the bad thing was that I woke up after 4 hours of sleep and realized that I had been sleeping for 4 hours (I haven't slept more than an hour at a time since September because I would wake up hot every hour on the hour.) and I was so giddy with excitement that I woke myself up to a fully awake state of mind. I couldn't believe it and kept thinking, "This must be a fluke" and "Will I be able to get back to sleep?" and threw myself into a mini-anxiety attack over it. So I pulled out my iPad and read for a while (about an hour) and finally turned over and realized how wonderful the bed felt (it usually feels like a torture chamber) and drifted back off to sleep and slept for four and a half more hours. I really could grow to like this sleep thing. 8-)
Don't ever underestimate the healing power of sleep. It is required to heal your body and mind. I hunger for sleep the way a starving man hungers for food. Now it looks like I am finally going to get some. 8-)
Hope everyone is having a GREAT day.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Now the bad thing was that I woke up after 4 hours of sleep and realized that I had been sleeping for 4 hours (I haven't slept more than an hour at a time since September because I would wake up hot every hour on the hour.) and I was so giddy with excitement that I woke myself up to a fully awake state of mind. I couldn't believe it and kept thinking, "This must be a fluke" and "Will I be able to get back to sleep?" and threw myself into a mini-anxiety attack over it. So I pulled out my iPad and read for a while (about an hour) and finally turned over and realized how wonderful the bed felt (it usually feels like a torture chamber) and drifted back off to sleep and slept for four and a half more hours. I really could grow to like this sleep thing. 8-)
Don't ever underestimate the healing power of sleep. It is required to heal your body and mind. I hunger for sleep the way a starving man hungers for food. Now it looks like I am finally going to get some. 8-)
Hope everyone is having a GREAT day.
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Can you say REMISSION?
Well, one more post in this continuing cancer saga. 8-) I don't want to leave anything out in case someone could use the information from the process but we are heading towards the end here, I promise. 8-)
I saw my oncologist today and he told me that I can consider myself in 'Remission'. Yes, I capitalize that word because it is an important word. I am considered cancer free for the moment. Isn't that just the greatest news? Praise God for such a great and gracious gift!
I am now on a medication called "Femara" which is used to block the estrogen and progesterone in my body. We want to block them because I had the type of cancer that feeds on those hormones. Don't want to feed any bad cells. No No NO. He also put me on a low dosage of Effexor to help with the hot flashes. Vitamin E helped a little but considering that I am waking up every hour with hot flashes during the night, we needed something more effective to take care of that.
Because the Femara also causes bone loss (Osteoporosis), I will be getting an infusion every six months to help with that. I have forgotten the name of the drug they will be infusing but will try to post that at a later time. I will have to take the infusions for the next 5 years (as long as I am on the Femara). That's only 10 infusions...that won't be so bad. I still have my port so I will probably keep it until that is over.
I did get a cute happy dance video from my sister. (She tried to send me a still picture but as far as I was concerned, that wasn't a real happy dance so she sent me a video. HA!!) I am going to try to attach it to the blog so you can share in her joy! (And No...she isn't driving while she's doing this dance...big grin) She has such a sweet and tender heart!
Speaking of my sister, her son (Daniel J Bennett) has just published his new book called "A Passion for the Fatherless" and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I am really proud of all that he has accomplished in just 33 years. He is an amazing young man! I am so thankful to have lived to see his life shape in the way that it has. He is also the pastor of a church in Illinois. Wow...this is all making me feel ancient and as though I have wasted a lot of my life...lol. I'll have to work on that. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
I saw my oncologist today and he told me that I can consider myself in 'Remission'. Yes, I capitalize that word because it is an important word. I am considered cancer free for the moment. Isn't that just the greatest news? Praise God for such a great and gracious gift!
I am now on a medication called "Femara" which is used to block the estrogen and progesterone in my body. We want to block them because I had the type of cancer that feeds on those hormones. Don't want to feed any bad cells. No No NO. He also put me on a low dosage of Effexor to help with the hot flashes. Vitamin E helped a little but considering that I am waking up every hour with hot flashes during the night, we needed something more effective to take care of that.
Because the Femara also causes bone loss (Osteoporosis), I will be getting an infusion every six months to help with that. I have forgotten the name of the drug they will be infusing but will try to post that at a later time. I will have to take the infusions for the next 5 years (as long as I am on the Femara). That's only 10 infusions...that won't be so bad. I still have my port so I will probably keep it until that is over.
I did get a cute happy dance video from my sister. (She tried to send me a still picture but as far as I was concerned, that wasn't a real happy dance so she sent me a video. HA!!) I am going to try to attach it to the blog so you can share in her joy! (And No...she isn't driving while she's doing this dance...big grin) She has such a sweet and tender heart!
Speaking of my sister, her son (Daniel J Bennett) has just published his new book called "A Passion for the Fatherless" and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I am really proud of all that he has accomplished in just 33 years. He is an amazing young man! I am so thankful to have lived to see his life shape in the way that it has. He is also the pastor of a church in Illinois. Wow...this is all making me feel ancient and as though I have wasted a lot of my life...lol. I'll have to work on that. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Life is GOOD!
My sister reminded me recently that one of my favorite sayings used to be "Life is Good"... It really is today because my last radiation treatment was administered about thirty minutes ago. I couldn't be happier. I was driving home and reveling in the way the sun was shining and how wonderful that God planned this in such a way that it would be spring when it was all over. His timing is perfect (as always).
The doctors have done all they can to get rid of the cancer that had decided to invade my life. They cut it out, they attacked the blood cells with chemo and now they have radiated the entire breast. During the last 7 days of the radiation treatments they gave an intensified 'boost' (higher dosage of radiation) to the area that had the tumor.
The next phase will be the phase where they try to prevent any cancer cells from growing again by giving me 5 years of anti-hormone medication. They call it a 'tool' that they have to help me. I thought about not using the anti-hormone medication because of the side affects but if they believe that it will keep the cancer at bay then I may as well let them use their 'tool'. Since my kind of cancer grows when it is supplied with estrogen and progesterone, the idea is to starve them. I'm good with that. 8-)
The radiation treatments were really a breeze. I didn't have any bad side affects from them and the hardest part was just making myself drive all the way in to the Cancer Center every day. I had some minor sunburn type irritation from the treatments but I had a worse sunburn when I went to Puerto Rico when I was in my twenties. HA! After chemo, radiation really didn't seem like anything.
We are now three months after the end of chemo treatments and I actually have about a half an inch of hair. It is beginning to thicken up a bit also. I really thought it would grow in faster than this since 'Before Cancer' (BC) it grew about a half an inch every three weeks. I started taking some vitamins about 3 weeks ago and it seems to be helping with the growth rate. It was totally white when it started growing in but now has a nice salt and pepper look to it. I don't believe that I will be coloring it anymore. I'm pretty much done with the vanity thing. God planned how my hair would look at this age and I'm just gonna let Him have fun with the design. 8-)
I am looking for some good (easy) spicy recipes. If anyone has a good one, could you leave it for me in the comment section? I am having a lot of fun now that my taste buds are working again. YEAH!! I'm all into flavor now.
Well, I just wanted to give everyone an update on where I am with the treatments (DONE...WHOO WHOO!! Yeah, I'm a little excited...sue me.) since you have all been following the progress it has always seemed like we were in this together so it is only fair that you get in on the good news. 8-) (An interesting side note: It has been almost 9 months since the diagnosis for anyone that might wonder how long the whole process takes.)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
The doctors have done all they can to get rid of the cancer that had decided to invade my life. They cut it out, they attacked the blood cells with chemo and now they have radiated the entire breast. During the last 7 days of the radiation treatments they gave an intensified 'boost' (higher dosage of radiation) to the area that had the tumor.
The next phase will be the phase where they try to prevent any cancer cells from growing again by giving me 5 years of anti-hormone medication. They call it a 'tool' that they have to help me. I thought about not using the anti-hormone medication because of the side affects but if they believe that it will keep the cancer at bay then I may as well let them use their 'tool'. Since my kind of cancer grows when it is supplied with estrogen and progesterone, the idea is to starve them. I'm good with that. 8-)
The radiation treatments were really a breeze. I didn't have any bad side affects from them and the hardest part was just making myself drive all the way in to the Cancer Center every day. I had some minor sunburn type irritation from the treatments but I had a worse sunburn when I went to Puerto Rico when I was in my twenties. HA! After chemo, radiation really didn't seem like anything.
We are now three months after the end of chemo treatments and I actually have about a half an inch of hair. It is beginning to thicken up a bit also. I really thought it would grow in faster than this since 'Before Cancer' (BC) it grew about a half an inch every three weeks. I started taking some vitamins about 3 weeks ago and it seems to be helping with the growth rate. It was totally white when it started growing in but now has a nice salt and pepper look to it. I don't believe that I will be coloring it anymore. I'm pretty much done with the vanity thing. God planned how my hair would look at this age and I'm just gonna let Him have fun with the design. 8-)
I am looking for some good (easy) spicy recipes. If anyone has a good one, could you leave it for me in the comment section? I am having a lot of fun now that my taste buds are working again. YEAH!! I'm all into flavor now.
Well, I just wanted to give everyone an update on where I am with the treatments (DONE...WHOO WHOO!! Yeah, I'm a little excited...sue me.) since you have all been following the progress it has always seemed like we were in this together so it is only fair that you get in on the good news. 8-) (An interesting side note: It has been almost 9 months since the diagnosis for anyone that might wonder how long the whole process takes.)
By Grace Alone -
Teresa
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A Time for Everything
Solomon asked God for Wisdom and was given his request. Every time I read Ecclesiastes, I always remember that ignorance is bliss. It didn't seem that Solomon was always happy about what he learned through his wisdom. It opened up to him his own failings in his life. Much like parents try to forwarn their children of possible pitfalls in their lives, he tries to teach us in this book how to avoid those pitfalls. He makes it sound tremendously easy. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12: 13, 14 LAB) Wow...sounds so simple but it is so amazingly difficult. Get thee behind me sinful nature. 8-)
Ecclesiastes has always been one of my favorite books in the bible. Over and over, Solomon tells us that toiling is meaningless throughout these scriptures. Only pleasing God will satisfy man (or woman). He also tells us that there is a time for everything...
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)
The time for this blog is over. This season has passed. It has been a wonderful therapeutic tool. During my time of tears and frustration, God provided this as an outlet to help me deal emotionally with all that transpired through the cancer removing process.
You have ALL been wonderful listeners, encouragers, and sympathizers. I could not have asked for a more supporting audience. I didn't start it wanting an audience, but you all became very important to my healing process. God knew what I needed and provided it.
It is now time to move on with my life and put this portion of it behind me. I know that I am not considered to be in remission yet, but I am not going to worry over what the future might hold but am going to go out there and live it now and hopefully glorify God in the process. Through God's Grace, I am a survivor.
May you all find God and the peace that follows in your daily lives. 8-)
By Grace Alone -
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Management Styles
My boss has changed.
He used to be really pushy. Kind of a bully actually. My plate would be full and he would pile someone else's work on top of what was already there and never take no for an answer. Now if I push back in the slightest, he says, "OK...no problem." I thought it was just because I had been doing chemo but that's all over and others have noticed the change in him also.
This morning, he came into my office and plops down in one of my chairs and I think "Oh boy...the only time he visits is when he wants something." He starts off with small talk and we chat for a little while and then he asks me if I'll go to his boss's meeting for him tomorrow. I say sure...and ask if I have to make slides for it. He says he'll send them to me. Then we start talking about the this meeting that is usually led by our team every other week and he wonders when we had the last one. I said it had been a few weeks. He wants to know if I would take leading that meeting over from Mike. I'm like "unh unh...no way....that one is Mike's." Normally, he would argue with me about it and then force it down my throat. He likes to give me stuff because he knows it will get done. I get tired of doing everyone's job when they drop the ball. This time he just says, "Ok, I'll talk to Mike about it."
An interesting point to make here is that there are a lot of layoffs going on at our site and while my job is pretty secure because I am the only one of my kind, he and my other boss would be vying for the same position if layoffs came in our department. The other manager is the really nice one...he is SO good at what I call 'smoozing'. He asks you to do something in such a nice way that you're almost begging him for the privilege before you leave his office. We all agree that we want to work for that manager. 8-) Maybe my manager is working on his people skills so he doesn't lose his job? Who knows...for whatever reason, I'll take the relief.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
By Grace Alone -
- T
He used to be really pushy. Kind of a bully actually. My plate would be full and he would pile someone else's work on top of what was already there and never take no for an answer. Now if I push back in the slightest, he says, "OK...no problem." I thought it was just because I had been doing chemo but that's all over and others have noticed the change in him also.
This morning, he came into my office and plops down in one of my chairs and I think "Oh boy...the only time he visits is when he wants something." He starts off with small talk and we chat for a little while and then he asks me if I'll go to his boss's meeting for him tomorrow. I say sure...and ask if I have to make slides for it. He says he'll send them to me. Then we start talking about the this meeting that is usually led by our team every other week and he wonders when we had the last one. I said it had been a few weeks. He wants to know if I would take leading that meeting over from Mike. I'm like "unh unh...no way....that one is Mike's." Normally, he would argue with me about it and then force it down my throat. He likes to give me stuff because he knows it will get done. I get tired of doing everyone's job when they drop the ball. This time he just says, "Ok, I'll talk to Mike about it."
An interesting point to make here is that there are a lot of layoffs going on at our site and while my job is pretty secure because I am the only one of my kind, he and my other boss would be vying for the same position if layoffs came in our department. The other manager is the really nice one...he is SO good at what I call 'smoozing'. He asks you to do something in such a nice way that you're almost begging him for the privilege before you leave his office. We all agree that we want to work for that manager. 8-) Maybe my manager is working on his people skills so he doesn't lose his job? Who knows...for whatever reason, I'll take the relief.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
By Grace Alone -
- T
Monday, February 28, 2011
Love is a Fruit...
We had a really nice weekend. It is wonderful to be doing fun things again. 8-)
Saturday evening we went to Florence (about 45 minutes from home) and ate at Texas Roadhouse. This is absolutely my favorite place to get a good steak. We accomplished our Walmart shopping that afternoon.
We also saw the movie Unstoppable. Great action packed movie. My son BJ would love it. For me it's a love/hate relationship because I find myself drawing my legs up to my chest and telling them what they should be doing while my eyes shut until the scary part ends. Denzel Washington is in it and he is one of my favorite actors.
Speaking of BJ, I got to talk to him this weekend. He has been moving from on base housing to off base housing so he was pretty whipped when I was talking to him but he is doing well.
Sunday was a total relax day. I was feeling a little run down on Sunday so we took it easy. I tried to figure out how to add music to my blog but it is a convoluted process and finally just said, "ACK...too much trouble"...and closed the browser. I find myself avoiding stressful things these days. Why work myself up over something when it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. I wanted to put the song 'Above All' by Lenny LeBlanc as the background music to my blog but since I didn't feel like taking the time to figure out how to do it...that didn't get done.
Tom had copied all his CDs over to his computer and transferred them to his Ipod and then showed me how to do the same so we did get that done this weekend and now I can listen to all my favorite music at work.
My friend Terrie is going to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She will be walking 39 miles in two days and is currently in training to achieve this goal. She is pretty amazing! For anyone that is interested in this event, here is the website. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
Here is the Max for today...may The Spirit produce these attributes in all of us!
"Love is a Fruit
Saturday evening we went to Florence (about 45 minutes from home) and ate at Texas Roadhouse. This is absolutely my favorite place to get a good steak. We accomplished our Walmart shopping that afternoon.
We also saw the movie Unstoppable. Great action packed movie. My son BJ would love it. For me it's a love/hate relationship because I find myself drawing my legs up to my chest and telling them what they should be doing while my eyes shut until the scary part ends. Denzel Washington is in it and he is one of my favorite actors.
Speaking of BJ, I got to talk to him this weekend. He has been moving from on base housing to off base housing so he was pretty whipped when I was talking to him but he is doing well.
Sunday was a total relax day. I was feeling a little run down on Sunday so we took it easy. I tried to figure out how to add music to my blog but it is a convoluted process and finally just said, "ACK...too much trouble"...and closed the browser. I find myself avoiding stressful things these days. Why work myself up over something when it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. I wanted to put the song 'Above All' by Lenny LeBlanc as the background music to my blog but since I didn't feel like taking the time to figure out how to do it...that didn't get done.
Tom had copied all his CDs over to his computer and transferred them to his Ipod and then showed me how to do the same so we did get that done this weekend and now I can listen to all my favorite music at work.
My friend Terrie is going to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She will be walking 39 miles in two days and is currently in training to achieve this goal. She is pretty amazing! For anyone that is interested in this event, here is the website. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
Here is the Max for today...may The Spirit produce these attributes in all of us!
"Love is a Fruit
“The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22
Love is a fruit. A fruit of whom? Of your hard work? Of your deep faith? Of your rigorous resolve? No. Love is a fruit of the Spirit of God. “The Spirit produces the fruit of love” (Gal. 5:22, NCV)."
By Grace Alone -
- T
By Grace Alone -
- T
Saturday, February 26, 2011
More Ramblings...
(I got to shave my legs today.) I whispered that for anyone that might find that a sensitive subject. 8-) Of course, we spend all our adult lives thinking what a chore it is but I found it very exciting that I had even grown hair on my legs. Whoo Whoo!! Count your blessings, ladies!
I did a lot of other things today also, like cleaning off my disaster of a desk (at home). Oh my...it had really piled up. I also made us some of the Quesadilla Chicken Soup for lunch. I love to make a big batch of it and then take a cup with me to work for lunch everyday. I have no problem eating the same thing for lunch all week. Some might think "BORING" but I like routines and as long as it is something I really like, I can eat it every day. We also finished the laundry today.
I'm sitting here with my Eminence facial drying on my face and maybe after I get done with that we will go out shopping. I can't think of anything major that we need but just the regular weekly shopping needs to be done.
It has gotten into the high sixties outside today and the birds are singing and Shadow is sleeping in the sun. See cat below...what a life...
"You Have a Place With Him
None were more shunned by their culture than the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the deaf. They had no place. No name. No value. Canker sores on the culture. Excess baggage on the side of the road. But those whom the people called trash, Jesus called treasures."
By Grace Alone -
- T
Friday, February 25, 2011
Recipe Day
Those of you who know me, understand that I don't LOVE cooking but can do so when I need to. 8-) This blog will NEVER be dedicated to cooking so don't get all excited that there is a recipe coming out of it and expect more....LOL.
A friend of mine (Terrie) asked me to post this really good soup recipe that I invented while on chemo so here you go, Terrie. Terrie and I named it together today. 8-) It is very easy to fix if you're wanting a quick and delicious soup to warm your tummy.
Quesadilla Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
2 14-15 oz cans of Diced Tomatoes (seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic...it comes already seasoned)
3 boneless chicken thighs
1 small can rotel tomatoes
Half of a large bag of mixed vegetables (your choice what the mix is)
12 oz cubed velveeta cheese
~2 cups water
In large pot, put the diced tomatoes, rotel tomatoes, chicken and water and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes (or until chicken is tender)
Remove chicken and cut into small pieces then put back in pot
Add mixed vegetables and bring back to boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cubed velvetta cheese and stir until melted in. Bring to a boil stirring constantly and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
By Grace Alone -
- T
A friend of mine (Terrie) asked me to post this really good soup recipe that I invented while on chemo so here you go, Terrie. Terrie and I named it together today. 8-) It is very easy to fix if you're wanting a quick and delicious soup to warm your tummy.
Quesadilla Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
2 14-15 oz cans of Diced Tomatoes (seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic...it comes already seasoned)
3 boneless chicken thighs
1 small can rotel tomatoes
Half of a large bag of mixed vegetables (your choice what the mix is)
12 oz cubed velveeta cheese
~2 cups water
In large pot, put the diced tomatoes, rotel tomatoes, chicken and water and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes (or until chicken is tender)
Remove chicken and cut into small pieces then put back in pot
Add mixed vegetables and bring back to boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cubed velvetta cheese and stir until melted in. Bring to a boil stirring constantly and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
By Grace Alone -
- T
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Small Acts of Kindness Are Remembered
My sister asked about the helicopter on the bookcase in my office. There is kind of an interesting story behind it.
The gentleman that gave it to me was someone I worked with back in 1997 when I started with Boeing as a writer. He took a particular 'shine' to me for some unknown reason. He was in his 60's at the time and was heading towards retirement. His name was Gene and he had a strong case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He would come into work at precisely 7:00 every morning. Not a minute sooner or later. He would proceed to sit down at his desk and work diligently until exactly 9:00 and then he would take a ten minute break and come into my office (it was next to his) and chat with me for exactly 10 minutes. He would tell me all kinds of adventures that he had had in his lifetime. Then after ten minutes he would go back to work until 10:50 when he would go to the fridge and get his sandwich and soda. He would put his sandwich on his monitor (we used to have big CRT monitors) to warm it up. He would continue to work until exactly 11:00. Then he would proceed to eat his sandwich, drink his soda and then go and take a walk. While he was out walking, I would proceed to rearrange everything on his desk and he would come back and take a nap from 11:30 until 12:00. At exactly 12:00 he would wake up (with no alarm...I would guess he was just resting his eyes and not really sleeping) and put all of his desk articles exactly where they belonged before I rearranged them and go back to work until 2:00 when he would come back into my office and chat with me for 15 minutes. Then at precisely 2:15, he would go back to work and work until 4:00 when he would leave for the day.
We worked together like this for about a year and then he decided to move back to California where he was originally from and eventually retire there. Before he left, he asked me if he could have this little silly toy that I kept on my desk (see...I've always had toys of some kind on my desk for people to play with). It was a little girl on roller skates with braids in her hair and you could pull on the strings on her body and they were all rubbery. He said he'd like to trade it for this helicopter that he had that I always liked to play with when I visited him. (It plays 'Happy Days are Here Again' when you wind up the propellers.) I told him that I didn't think it was a fair trade but he assured me that it was. So we traded and I have always had it on display in my office.
Once, when I was sick with a cold, he walked in the Florida heat to the pharmacy to get me some cold medicine when I didn't have enough sick leave to take off and go home. When we were all put into this huge room in cubicles, he fought management against them putting the copier near my cube so that I would have a quiet place to work. I don't know if he is still alive or not but I am sure he is retired and enjoying life to the fullest. It will always be the small acts of kindness that I remember from him.
By Grace Alone -
- T
The gentleman that gave it to me was someone I worked with back in 1997 when I started with Boeing as a writer. He took a particular 'shine' to me for some unknown reason. He was in his 60's at the time and was heading towards retirement. His name was Gene and he had a strong case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He would come into work at precisely 7:00 every morning. Not a minute sooner or later. He would proceed to sit down at his desk and work diligently until exactly 9:00 and then he would take a ten minute break and come into my office (it was next to his) and chat with me for exactly 10 minutes. He would tell me all kinds of adventures that he had had in his lifetime. Then after ten minutes he would go back to work until 10:50 when he would go to the fridge and get his sandwich and soda. He would put his sandwich on his monitor (we used to have big CRT monitors) to warm it up. He would continue to work until exactly 11:00. Then he would proceed to eat his sandwich, drink his soda and then go and take a walk. While he was out walking, I would proceed to rearrange everything on his desk and he would come back and take a nap from 11:30 until 12:00. At exactly 12:00 he would wake up (with no alarm...I would guess he was just resting his eyes and not really sleeping) and put all of his desk articles exactly where they belonged before I rearranged them and go back to work until 2:00 when he would come back into my office and chat with me for 15 minutes. Then at precisely 2:15, he would go back to work and work until 4:00 when he would leave for the day.
We worked together like this for about a year and then he decided to move back to California where he was originally from and eventually retire there. Before he left, he asked me if he could have this little silly toy that I kept on my desk (see...I've always had toys of some kind on my desk for people to play with). It was a little girl on roller skates with braids in her hair and you could pull on the strings on her body and they were all rubbery. He said he'd like to trade it for this helicopter that he had that I always liked to play with when I visited him. (It plays 'Happy Days are Here Again' when you wind up the propellers.) I told him that I didn't think it was a fair trade but he assured me that it was. So we traded and I have always had it on display in my office.
Once, when I was sick with a cold, he walked in the Florida heat to the pharmacy to get me some cold medicine when I didn't have enough sick leave to take off and go home. When we were all put into this huge room in cubicles, he fought management against them putting the copier near my cube so that I would have a quiet place to work. I don't know if he is still alive or not but I am sure he is retired and enjoying life to the fullest. It will always be the small acts of kindness that I remember from him.
By Grace Alone -
- T
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Life Has an Easy Rhythm
Life has settled back into an easy rhythm.
I remember now how to get ready for work and get there on time. (Sounds like it should be easy but that was the hardest part of going back to work.)
I have balanced the grocery shopping, cooking, and having fun after work to an acceptable level. Not so much Farmville anymore...priorities have shifted. Sorry Farmville friends...I don't have unlimited time anymore to visit you everyday like I was. I'll still try to get in there on the weekends though and fertilize your crops and check for eggs in your henhouse. (grin)
Radiation treatments have become part of my daily life on Mondays thru Fridays (The doctor assures me that cancer doesn't grow on the weekends...HA!) and there is still no pain associated with those treatments. I was worried about shoulder pain because my sister's friend had said that was the worst of it but I am having no problems with that. I am probably laying with my arm over my head for a maximum of five minutes so it really isn't a big deal. They only radiate for a total of 2 minutes.
I'm glad they got the chemo out of the way first. I always do hard chores first and then work my way to the easier ones so they played right into the way that I would have planned it. 8-)
I actually have little stubbles of hair growing out of my head now so I feel great hope that I will eventually have my full head of hair back...8-) Hope is such a wonderful thing. I will be so glad to burn all these hats that I am currently wearing to cover my widdle bald head.
My energy levels are even better now than they were before the cancer was discovered. I can go and do anything I feel like doing now and I don't get winded or tired at all. I can't remember when I felt this good last. Now I just have to start fitting the treadmill into each day (somewhere). If I could wake up an hour earlier in the morning, I could fit it on that end of the day but I already wake up at 5 in the morning...not sure my body would like 4:00. I may have to wait on that until after the radiation treatments are over in 5 and a half weeks.
Tom and I are trying to decide what to do with our vacation time this year. In June, I'll reach my max vacation that I can store away so I'll need to start taking some then (because I lose it if I don't use it) but I'm not sure I'll have hair that is acceptable by then. It has been 6 weeks since the last chemo and I only have stubble...maybe it will start picking up the pace now that the follicles are healing. We would like to go up and see Tom's sister, maybe see BJ for a bit, and I'd also like to see my Mom and Sister but all of them live in three distant areas of the US so we can't do all of them in one trip. We'll have to make that decision in the next few months.
Here is a little Max for today. It is so good to know that God is unchanging, uncaused, and ungoverned. Knowing that he is in control of things just lets me rest easy without worry.
"An Ungoverned God
By Max Lucado
“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” I John 3:20
You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. The terrain tells us how to travel . . .
God—our Shepherd—doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it.
God is what He is. What He has always been. God is Yahweh—an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God."
By Grace Alone -
- T
I remember now how to get ready for work and get there on time. (Sounds like it should be easy but that was the hardest part of going back to work.)
I have balanced the grocery shopping, cooking, and having fun after work to an acceptable level. Not so much Farmville anymore...priorities have shifted. Sorry Farmville friends...I don't have unlimited time anymore to visit you everyday like I was. I'll still try to get in there on the weekends though and fertilize your crops and check for eggs in your henhouse. (grin)
Radiation treatments have become part of my daily life on Mondays thru Fridays (The doctor assures me that cancer doesn't grow on the weekends...HA!) and there is still no pain associated with those treatments. I was worried about shoulder pain because my sister's friend had said that was the worst of it but I am having no problems with that. I am probably laying with my arm over my head for a maximum of five minutes so it really isn't a big deal. They only radiate for a total of 2 minutes.
I'm glad they got the chemo out of the way first. I always do hard chores first and then work my way to the easier ones so they played right into the way that I would have planned it. 8-)
I actually have little stubbles of hair growing out of my head now so I feel great hope that I will eventually have my full head of hair back...8-) Hope is such a wonderful thing. I will be so glad to burn all these hats that I am currently wearing to cover my widdle bald head.
My energy levels are even better now than they were before the cancer was discovered. I can go and do anything I feel like doing now and I don't get winded or tired at all. I can't remember when I felt this good last. Now I just have to start fitting the treadmill into each day (somewhere). If I could wake up an hour earlier in the morning, I could fit it on that end of the day but I already wake up at 5 in the morning...not sure my body would like 4:00. I may have to wait on that until after the radiation treatments are over in 5 and a half weeks.
Tom and I are trying to decide what to do with our vacation time this year. In June, I'll reach my max vacation that I can store away so I'll need to start taking some then (because I lose it if I don't use it) but I'm not sure I'll have hair that is acceptable by then. It has been 6 weeks since the last chemo and I only have stubble...maybe it will start picking up the pace now that the follicles are healing. We would like to go up and see Tom's sister, maybe see BJ for a bit, and I'd also like to see my Mom and Sister but all of them live in three distant areas of the US so we can't do all of them in one trip. We'll have to make that decision in the next few months.
Here is a little Max for today. It is so good to know that God is unchanging, uncaused, and ungoverned. Knowing that he is in control of things just lets me rest easy without worry.
"An Ungoverned God
By Max Lucado
“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” I John 3:20
You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. The terrain tells us how to travel . . .
God—our Shepherd—doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it.
God is what He is. What He has always been. God is Yahweh—an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God."
By Grace Alone -
- T
Monday, February 21, 2011
Back at Work
As I've said...I'm back at work. I thought you might like to see my office. Unfortunately, it will be pictures of pieces of my office since I can't seem to get it all into one picture. It isn't as neat and uncluttered as my home office. Things are a lot more frantic here and it seems that organizing always gets shoved to the bottom of the pile of things to do...HA!
Okay, I have to get back to work now...hope everyone is having a great day!
By Grace Alone -
- T
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| These are things that remind me of others and they give fidgety people something to play with when they're sitting in my office. Toys are important. 8-) |
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| This is where I sit and work all day long when I'm in my office. |
 |
| The rest of my desk....You can see my brain under the hutch (all those little stickies to remind me of things). That is a little space heater underneath my desk that I don't need so much right now due to very good internal heating going on. 8-) |
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| Just another view of my desk....blah blah blah... |
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| The bookcase I need to clean up. Mom...you'll recognise that "Teresa" plaque from the Greek Festival. |
By Grace Alone -
- T
Sunday, February 20, 2011
God Hurts With You...
Life is getting back to normal. Probably even better than normal. 8-)
We ventured out yesterday after all mundane things were taken care of at the house. (Which, by the way, is NO LONGER MY PRISON...)
We decided to go to the Bridgestreet Mall and see what Coldwater Creek had that was new. I can always use new clothes...HA! That was our original mission. Funny how things never finish up the way you start them. I love the Bridgestreet Mall because it isn't an indoor mall, it is all out doors, kind of like you would imagine a Mainstreet Shopping experience in the olden days might have been. There is a place there for children to play in the water (yeah, there weren't any doing that yesterday...although, the temperature was in the 60's and was quite nice, still not nice enough for kids to be playing outside in water.) There is actually a bridge on the street that runs over a flowing stream of water. (Hence the naming of the Mall) t really is done quite nicely.
Anyway...we went straight to CC and I found a new jacket and some sweaters and ordered some of the pants that I love so much. Then we decided to go to P.F. Chang's to eat. Tom loves oriental food and I like it pretty well too.
But...on the way...we saw the Apple store and I thought Tom might enjoy stopping in there and browsing around so I asked him if he wanted to stop. I could see the wheels in his little head turning and he said, "Sure!" So we went in and started looking at the iPod Touches. We already have iPads but the iPod Touches are really neat...they are actually thinner than the iPod Phone and would be much less bulk to carry around to the doctor's office than the iPad. (There were lots of reasons to go in this direction beyond these but I won't bore you with ALL of it...) We give ourselves an allowance every week and neither one of us had touched it in months and we thought this might be a fun celebratory gift for being done with chemo. (Yeah, whatever rationalization works for a new toy, right?) So we spent about an hour and a half in that store getting the iPods and all the accessories. We also bought a new mail system for them so that we can synchronize all our mail between our PCs and our iPods. That has been quite an issue with the iPads because if you delete your mail on your PC, then it still exists on the iPad and that is one of my major gripes with the mail program. They could do a lot of things better with the mail program on the iPad.
So, after that, we moved on to P.F. Chang's and had what we both thought was kind of a disappointing meal. I would have just thought it was my taste buds post chemo but Tom said he was disappointed also. We decided we wouldn't eat there again in the future. (Hopefully, we'll remember that next time we think we want to eat there...HA)
By the time we got home, about 5 hours after our trip out began, I wasn't even tired. It is REALLY good to do fun things again and still feel human after they are finished. 8-)
Here is a picture of Tom taken with my iPod...it has really good resolution. I took some pictures of moving cars and they were clear as a bell too.
 |
| My Honey! |
Here is the Max for today...this truth reaches all levels of my heart. 8-) Through all that I have suffered, God has been right there hurting with me and carrying me through it.
"He’s Here
“The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.” Psalm 138:3, The Message
Where is God when we hurt? Where is he when sleep won’t come? Where is he when we awaken in a hospital bed with pain that won’t subside? He’s right here! He hung on the gallows to prove once and for all, with pierced hands and blood-stained face—that he’s here—that he didn’t create the hurt, but he came to take it away. When you hurt, God hurts with you."
By Grace Alone -
Where is God when we hurt? Where is he when sleep won’t come? Where is he when we awaken in a hospital bed with pain that won’t subside? He’s right here! He hung on the gallows to prove once and for all, with pierced hands and blood-stained face—that he’s here—that he didn’t create the hurt, but he came to take it away. When you hurt, God hurts with you."
By Grace Alone -
- T
Friday, February 18, 2011
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
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
Monday, February 14, 2011
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
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
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