Salad days

From wikipedia:
 The phrase was coined in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra in 1606.^[1] In the speech at the end of Act One in which Cleopatra is regretting her youthful dalliances with Julius Caesar she says:^[2]

"...My salad days, / When I was green in judgment, cold in blood..."

For me it means that I can eat salad again! I am finally starting to eat some raw vegetables and fruits. It's enough to make me laugh!

Weird nervous energy

I haven't been posting much lately, mostly because I feel like a kid that's been let out of school! No appointments, no blood draws, no meetings with doctors or nurses. The after effects of the radiation/chemotherapy seemed to have abated. But I seem to have this weird nervous energy on the weekends - like I can't sit still (which I can't, just ask David).

Last weekend I filled three yard waste bags plus most of our yard waste container (in which you could stuff a couple of bodies). This weekend I played tennis twice on Saturday and cleared out a closet and gathered things for a donation (see below).

I had to cover everything with a tarp as it just started to rain. I'm not complaining, but it feels like I'm living on borrowed time before I won't be able to do much of anything. At this rate, the house should look pretty good by the time I go in for surgery.

Some good news in our house

David met with his prostate surgeon yesterday and his PSA level has dropped a little more than one half! That is great news and we were both very pleased.

Other good news, after 14 1/2 years, David and I are getting married! We may hyphenate our last names to keep our individuality - Darrow-Darrow. Ha!

More to come...

Execution is looming on the horizon

My first round of treatment came off like a walk in the park. My schedule was barely interrupted; I kept working, playing tennis and going about my daily business. Towards the end I was more tired and had some GI issues, but that was the worst of it.

Now I have a little over two months to think of the next treatment (my surgery) coming down the pike. Don't think about it, you say! Enjoy your freedom while you can! Don't stress yourself out!  Keep a positive attitude! Easy for you to say, I say! David, having had two cancers, understands what I'm going through and applies project management standards. He told me I am out of the development and testing stage and ready for the execution stage. Nicely put, right?

It's not so much the surgery, I can deal with that. It's being in a hospital for a week and having to wear a c-bag. And to any one who tells me wearing a c-bag isn't so bad, I say take one for a test drive! I do have a good idea that the medical oncologist liked. In order to keep the apparatus in place, I'm thinking of wearing Spanx. I think it would be better than having to use a lot of tape which will irritate my skin. So, when the time comes, I'll let you know how that idea works.

I have some friends who have volunteered to spend nights with me while in the hospital. One has had breast cancer and has been wonderfully helpful!

I know I just have to put my head down and keep trudging into the wind. I also know I don't have to like what I'm going through or pretend to for others benefit.

Here is a wonderful blog by a young woman who went through leukemia cancer treatment. She's an inspiration.

Last treatment - a week later

Sorry for the delayed post - it was almost giddy not having to show up every workday (kinda like work!) and the freedom got to my head. Or, is it the sunny weather we've been having?

The last treatments were called boosts, not blasts, but they did blast my a**. Tuesday I noticed some redness on my behind, like a mild sunburn. So Wednesday, everyone got a good look at my butt (in case you are wondering, you can just check your dignity out when going through this kind of treatment). I was prescribed, given and bought all sorts of stuff: stuff to wash my butt, stuff to wipe my butt, stuff to soak my butt, stuff to soothe my butt, stuff to slather my butt...

On the way back to work I composed a poem:

The boost burnt my butt,

And I'm waiting for the SLUT.

Of course, that's not the official name, but try to tell that to any Seattlite.

Memorial Day I baked some good-bye goodies for the staff, black and white brownies and walnut/coconut squares. Yummy indeed!

And the staff had a treat for me. This was on the pillow on the radiation table.

How sweet is that?

 

Things are healing, I'm still dealing with some GI issues but overall, I've leapt the first hurdle. I have some time before surgery on 8/6, but I have more to say.

Thanks for reading!