Today I got the green light to head into Chemo #4 tomorrow. This is the halfway treatment. Seems bizarre that it's ten weeks since my first treatment. You get into this little coping bubble and time just marches along! Lindsey and Jonathan are playing final playoff eliminations in their basketball seasons and the days are still bright at 6:00pm. .. yay ... Spring is just around the corner and Winter was sweet!
I've recovered from the cold that I battled through this last treatment, it required some significant decision-making to just stay home and rest (very hard for me as most of you know).
- I had a lovely visit from my cousin Ivie and Mike Parker from Calgary,
- was gifted with copious gifts of breads, soups, chilis, cookies and fruits and muffins and a fabulous massage! from K-groups, family and friends and neighbours, as always from your generous spirits to the stomachs of the Pankratz's and the folks that come to visit. So Thankful we are.
- I managed to attend a lot of basketball games for the kids
- Kissed Derek good-bye as he headed out to Kelowna/Big White for a month of skiing and working(clearing snow) with his friend Vaughn.
- Read 15 books, some enlightening and some just "park your mind at the door" reads since that was all I could retain...thank goodness for the Public Library!
- Started a new quilt commission for Mennonite Church Manitoba
- made a great little book bag with Lindsey! go Pre-Calculus!
- enjoyed great "tea-times/coffee-times" with friends who popped in others who delivered meals-on-wheels. Thanks to all of you! and Thanks for the parking money this month too!
- was glad Doug had fewer rehearsals this month since that meant at least he could do the basketball runs with some help from Michael and Derek.
- hope to see Michael's project in the "GOSA" student gallery at the UofM, chosen to represent the 3rd year Architecture program. (till March 2nd)
- Looking forward ( I hope) to the Westgate house concert featuring choirs, band and House of at Pantages theatre
- received a lovely quilt from the Victoria Quilts project which supplies quilts to cancer patients, a lovely and warm gift to receive! My daughter has declared it her new favourite.
So, I'm thankful that by Day 10 of the 21 day treatment cycle, I've felt better and have energy to enjoy lots of life... I know others are not always so fortunate with their treatments. #4 Chemo marks a change in the kind of chemo I receive, I'm now going to something called "Docetaxel". The side effects have less nausea but more body/joint fatigue and aches... and other bizarre effects on fingernails etc...we'll see how I weather this one. Doug is coming to treatment with me tomorrow and I'm happy he can do that during Report card week.
So Thank you for coming on this journey, I'll invite you again to respond via email, phone call or even a visit. You're always welcome. I'll also correct the spelling error in my blog address and include it here, hopefully this time the link will work if you just paste in in your browser window.
BLOG site: http://www.sparetimeobsession.blogspot.com/
Unfortunately the calendar continues to be a bust unless you have a google account...so, untill I find a better way to post, here are the next treatment dates for me:
Feb 29th Chemo #4
March 21 Chemo #5
March 23-April 2nd = Spring Break for Doug and the kids
April 6-9 is Easter Weekend
April 11th Chemo #6 YAYYYY
then 4-6 weeks of detox and recovery before I start 5 weeks of Radiation
So Thanks again for all your prayers, support in many ways, bad jokes (Leo loved it, Karin, always a giggle) and care for all of us (Doug's seen a few Winnipeg Jets' games this season!)
Be well all of you.
Val Pankratz for the crew.
This link seems to work if you have gmail account... haven't quite figured out how to bypass..
Calendar site to paste in your web browser: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=personaltouchbyval%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Winnipeg
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