Oh Dear - Rips and Tears, But Bright Thoughts and Events Too

There's something a bit disconcerting when you pick up your bath towel to dry off after your shower and you feel it tear - just a little bit - under your fingers. *sigh* I could have added two bath towels to yesterday's Kohl's order for new sheets (which were also tearing apart - so much that I tossed the old set immediately into the garbage). But, having not realized my current bath towels were falling apart, I ended up spending 20 minutes or so trying to find reasonably priced bath towels in Chocolate Brown (I ended up with a color called Espresso, but close enough - LOL). Hopefully, within a week, I'll have new sheets for the bed and new towels for the bathroom. I don't know how old the sheets were, but the towels were purchased during the Covid shut-down because I remember ordering them on-line and they brought the package to my car and put it into the back of Minnion for me - no physical contact or shopping at all. 

You wouldn't think it would be difficult to find 
bath towels in a dark brown, but it was harder 
than I had planned. Finally I found these - they're 
calling the color "Espresso". *sigh* OK, whatever 
they want to call it, it's the right color and it was 
at the right price. They'll be shipped to me this week. 

I took about an hour yesterday to clean up my desk too. DH and I had started the day with a meeting at his brokerage with my account advisor (his advisor is dealing with health issues right now) and an attorney, discussing setting up a family trust. We're getting older, and we're trying to work out where our funds should go after we die. It's a subject that has always made DH uncomfortable, which means he's also a bit confrontational. But, we actually got through the meeting pretty well, I liked the attorney - we connected in several places that I considered important. So we'll probably sign the contract and have him work out a reasonable plan that will include the things each of us consider important (including my taking care of "Puppies and Kitties" which is DH's general term for all of my charitable contributions). 

I finally had a chance to meet MY broker yesterday. 
Janna is young, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, 
friendly and smart. She's also very tall - I'd say 
minimum of 5' 10", possibly taller. That whole 
family is tall - her brother played pro basketball 
for a few years before moving back to MN, 
joining the family at the brokerage, and settling 
down. 

The fact that the sheets were shredded (quite literally - a hole scraped into the bottom sheet and a strip pulling away down the side of the top sheet), made my third load of laundry almost nonexistent. I decided I could just add the pillow cases to my normal personal laundry load of Sunday, so I only had two loads yesterday, instead of three. That was awesome! LOL (These days, it's those little things that excite me.) 

My desk wasn't this bad, but I've got so many things 
that I'm dealing with right now, that it's way messier 
than I want. So I tried to get things straightened up, 
and tossed away things that were outdated or 
unnecessary. What a mess! It's better now, but still 
needs some taming. 

I finished the afternoon with a lovely conversation with Aearwen. This is a tough time of the year for her, so if you know her, send some positive thoughts over her direction (West - California to be specific). We all have those times when memories crowd in and try to take over. This is one of those times for her, so I'm sending out lots of positives to her for the next two-three weeks, and I know many of you will join me in that. 

Sending lots of positive thoughts Aearwen's way, but 
I'm sure others of my on-line friends could also use 
a bit of a boost. So ... Positive Energies being 
sent to EVERYONE! (Well ... I might make an exception
for the idiot in the White House.) 

Except for that, it was a boring day. I can TOTALLY get behind a boring day - LOL. I did a bit of cooking, but saved quite a lot for Friday. I'll be VERY busy in the kitchen on Friday with pork chops and a pork roast needing to be cooked. Yum - I'm hungry already - LOL. I'm always grateful that I wasn't raised Kosher, I dearly love pork products ... ummmmmmm ... bacon! Have an excellent Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. Be kind, be strong and be you! Slava Ukraini. 

It's My First Day of Cancer Treatment Freedom

Yesterday was my final Radiation Oncology appointment and I passed with flying colors. I didn't get the sunburn effect, I only had a single day when I felt poorly, and in general, I flew through the twenty-one days of targeted radiation. I received my "Radiation Oncology Diploma" which states: 

By Order of the Diploma Committee

Be It Declared To All Present That

(My Name)

Having Completed the Prescribed Course of Radiation Therapy with Outstanding

achievements in Courage, Patience, and Determination through all instruction given and

assigned, is entitled to receive certification as an active member in our "Favorite Patients

Club" with all the rights, honors and privileges thereof.

I was also allowed to ring the bell - a medium sized bell hung in front of the check-in counter which you are allowed to ring when you've completed your radiation therapy. I was VERY happy. Then I went down Summit Avenue once again, and returned to the shop and my day-to-day life. 

The Minnesota Governor's Mansion on Summit Avenue 
is a beautiful house. I gave you a twilight shot in 
yesterday's blog, this is a daylight shot from the front yard. 
Of course there is fencing all around the home, there 
have been various demonstrations over the years that 
have threatened the house and whoever the current 
Governor was. Safety is primary. 

Today DH and I start out early with a meeting with our stock brokers and a financial advisor. We're trying to make sure all of our "ducks are in a row" and that our future planning is in sync with our desires and goals. DH might be slightly late getting to the shop, but Chickie will be there. I'll take full advantage of my "day off" and do my usual Wednesday stuff - laundry, grocery shopping and cooking. Not too exciting, but I've been living the excitement and I don't recommend it - LOL. 

When we first started out investing, we were with 
a friend of a friend who worked for a downtown 
Minneapolis firm. That firm got taken over by Piper, 
and when that broker retired, we inherited Tom. 
Tom's been our broker for more than 20 years now, 
he's semi-retired now, but DH is one client he keeps. 
My own account is with his daughter, Janna. She's 
a lot of fun and keeps me on my toes. I'm not an 
active investor, but DH is a careful, but not sedentary 
investor. He understands finance. I'm not clueless, 
but I'm also not immersed in it the way DH is. 

I have a week of "rest" before I can start taking my pills for my "chemo" and return to a normal schedule of three days on the treadmill and three days in the pool. I can hardly wait to see everyone again next week, it's been FOREVER since I last was swimming and I'm sure I'll be out of shape and have to work on my breath work and stamina once again. I've only got two months until the outdoor pool opens and I have to be in physical condition for an Olympic-sized body of water. 

Final Day of Radiation and a Tour of Summit Avenue Houses

Happy April Fool's Day to all of my friends and readers. It's my final radiology appointment today, so I'm going to drop by the grocer's and pick up flowers for the clinic on my way out there. Fortunately the roads are fine, so I won't be dealing with dicey roads with snow, slush and ice going up and down the MASSIVE hill I traverse to get down to the clinic. I drive down Summit Avenue daily to get to and from the clinic. The Summit Avenue hill in St Paul is a steep one, but the avenue itself is known for it's fabulous architecture. When I have out of town visitors, I always make sure to go up and down Summit Avenue to give them a taste of old St Paul. 

I pass this house to and from the clinic every day. It's the
James J Hill house. Right now they've been doing some
construction because they've had trucks parked under
that archway to the left every day with different bins
to haul away the debris. 

Right now I drive down and up that street every day to get to and from the clinic. I'm going to miss that drive (although the Summit/Grand Avenue hill is NO fun in the winter - VERY steep with a steep drop on one side and houses built into the hillside on the other). I thought I'd share a bit of what my daily drive to and from the hospital and clinics has been over the past few months. It's hard to believe things are wrapping up now. It's been a long journey since the initial meeting in early February with my Oncology surgeon and her team. I'm not out of the woods yet ... there will be followup appointments and they'll keep a close eye on me - but I'm through the worst of it. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. 

There are a lot of classic Victorian houses along the street, 
this one with the decorative tower always catches my eye 
as I'm driving past. 

Radiation for me has been a breeze. With the exception of one day, I've felt pretty darned good. The techs are very happy with my skin color (apparently the radiation isn't burning the heck out of my skin). Of course, I never did tan well. My skin enjoys being pale. Northern European - LOL. 

I also love the stonework on this home. The color says 
it's actually St Paul stone from the river bluffs nearby. 
It's not as large as some of the others, but it's got a lot 
of presence. 

Not everything has gone swimmingly over the past two months, however. When I was really sick, I missed paying some bills, and DH is having fits trying to get our finances back into shape. We're back to normal again, but still getting the occasional invoice requesting payment or threatening this or that. Almost everything is actually paid up, though, and sometimes just requires a conversation to get things back on track. I'll be calling one company today - I haven't received a physical invoice from them this calendar year, but they're claiming I'm overdue on payment. I probably am ... but I need the invoices before I can pay. It should be an interesting conversation. 

The Governor's Mansion is also on Summit. I pass by it 
two times a day lately. It's a lovely house - quite spacious. 
There was a major re-do of the house not too long ago, 
causing the residents to stay elsewhere for several months. 
It's a beautiful house, and quite large. When the flags are 
flying on the flag poles, the Governor is in residence. 

So, that's how my Tuesday is shaping up. A little of this and a little of that. Enjoy the houses in the photos I'm sharing, and have an excellent Tuesday. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow, a day when I DON'T have to drive anywhere - LOL. Well ... probably the grocery store - I'll need food. Slava Ukraini. 

Sleepless in St Paul - ARGH

It's 2:15 am and my alarm is set to go off at 3:30 am. I can't sleep. I have no idea why I can't sleep except I've been dealing with some rather important contacts for the shop and just can't seem to get my squirrel brain to settle down and allow me to fall asleep. Usually I'm crashed in front of the TV at 8:00 pm, or easily sleeping within 15 minutes of when I go to bed at 9:00 pm. Not today/last night. *sigh* GRRRR

Today is my almost last radiation treatment. Then the next thing on the agenda is a week off before I start taking my medication for "chemo". Meanwhile, the next major event I have coming up is an extended memory test on the 17th. I'm required to bring along a person who knows me well and who would be able to speak to any mental lapses I might have had that caused them concern. So, Chickie and Chickie Mama will take care of the store until DH and I can get there after the exam (which will take 4-5 hours). Oh joy. I don't think I'm slipping that badly, but Chickie and DH both think I'm one step away from full Alzheimers (or at least that's what it seems like from their comments). It's annoying and nerve wracking at the same time. 

So I'm going to try and get a little sleep, I'll reset my alarm for 5:00 am, skip my run this morning, and at least I'll have 2-1/2 hours IF I can actually fall asleep. No pictures today - I'm grumpy, I'm tired and I'm just not in the mood - LOL. Hugs to all of you, though. Happy Monday. 

March is Winding Down, and So Are My Health Appointments - Yippee!

Can you believe that March is almost over? It seems like it's just flown by in an instant, despite the fact that it was appointment after appointment after appointment. I'm getting down to the finish line for my radiation treatment, and then, after another full week, I can resume my "normal" life again - return to the pool, take my vitamins and supplements, etc. I do have one major obstacle still in my path and that's my memory exam. That's scheduled for April 17th and it takes place in Minneapolis. Ick - I really don't enjoy driving in Minneapolis. But this dude works out of Abbott Northwestern Hospital instead of United Hospital. 

Abbott Northwestern Hospital is another HUGE 
complex of medical centers, buildings, and specialties. 
I've got directions (at least what they sent to me), 
but I'll be relying on Google Maps to get me to 
and from. I rarely go to the other "Twin City" these 
days, and have never been to this hospital complex 
before. 

Apparently it will take approximately four hours! That's a long time. The doc also requested that I have a second person accompany me. As the handout says: "It is helpful for the provider to understand your condition from another perspective so please bring a close personal acquaintance who has observed your symptoms." So, although I could bring Claire, and she was more than willing to come, she really doesn't know me that well. Instead, Claire will go to the shop to keep Chickie company, and DH will come with me. I'm not super happy about this, he's such a grump, but I really don't see any alternative. 

As is the case with Sister Kenny Rehab at United Hospital, 
St Paul, the actual clinic is located across the street from 
the main hospital. In this case, it's Abbott Northwestern 
Hospital in Minneapolis. I'm NOT thrilled about driving 
to Minneapolis a couple of times. I rarely cross the river. 
But in this case, I have no choice. It took me six months 
to get the appointment in the first place. 

I won't find out anything at the initial visit, but will be required to set up a follow-up visit (which can be a solo affair) which will last for about an hour. That's when I'll learn about the results of the tests and any recommendations for a plan of care. I'm going on record now that I'm NOT looking forward to this, but DH and Chickie are insisting on it. I think my general physical health had a lot to do with any memory issues I might have been having, but DH is sure I've got the beginnings of Alzheimer's and Chickie just says I'm off my game lately. So we'll see. 

So Jerry Halsten, PhD, LP and ABPP will be my 
doctor for my memory testing and diagnosis. At 
least I don't have to deal with that immediately. 
The appointment isn't until mid-April which will 
give me time to take a test drive over to check 
the layout. 

I did have some excellent news yesterday, though. After radiation I walked over to the Breast Cancer center and left a note for Dr Perez, asking about when I can start living a "normal" life again. He's got me on a pill that starts seven days after my radiation therapy ends, and I was hoping I could also start taking my vitamins and supplements again at that time too. I got the "no problem" response later in the day. I also asked when I could resume swimming, and it's the same time. So I'll be back in the pool on the 8th. I can hardly wait. I emailed a couple of my swimming friends immediately, so I'm sure the group will all know within 24-48 hours. Life will return to "normal", or at least until the memory test results come through. Then we'll see. 

I do love my first cup of tea of the day. I only drink 
herbal tea, but I must have it to start my day - LOL. 

So, on that note, I'm going to enjoy my "cuppa", have breakfast, and head off to the shop. Have an excellent Saturday and a great weekend. I'll still have to dash off to radiation, but only two session left! Enjoy your weekend, Slava Ukraini. 

It's Friday! What Fun Do You Have Planned?

Yesterday's appointments went VERY well. After radiation, I asked if I could just leave my car in their lot and walk over to my physical therapy appointment. The response was "Of course. When you're in our care, we take care of all parts of you." Great people in radiology, I'm going to miss them. 

The Doctors Professional Building is only a block East 
of Radiology, so an easy brisk walk. This new clinic is run 
by Sister Kenny instead of Allina, and I could tell. The 
people were lovely, but the actual amenities were lacking. 
There was water available, but no hot water and no teabags. 
The best waiting room is the Breast Center room. They even 
have herbal tea - perfect for me. 

So I walked over the block to the Physician's Building, checked in, and had a rather boring 90-minute  wait until my physical therapist was available for our appointment. The purpose of this was to make sure I was healing properly, getting my full range of motion back, had no edema or swelling, etc. I passed with flying colors. Apparently my range of motion (which is quite back to pre-surgery levels) was in the upper 5th percentile. So I might have a little bit I can still push for, but I'm one step closer to being able to return to the pool. I'll keep working at it. 

I am really hoping to get into the pool before the outdoor 
pool opens once again. I know I'm out of swimming shape, 
and would rather get used to the exercise again when I'm 
not dealing with Olympic lengths. But, I'll do whatever is 
necessary when I can finally get back into the water. 
Hopefully it won't be too much longer. 

I might take a quick drop-in to the breast center today, just to check about whether my oncologist will want a follow-up appointment and if/when that is set. I don't think I have anything in "My Chart", but I'll be sure to double-check that just in case. I'm almost feeling neglected because I am healthy once again - what an odd feeling to have - LOL. 

I haven't been in the Breast Center for quite a while, and 
I'm curious about when I'll have a wrap-up with my 
team head and be free to re-learn how to live my life. I'd 
also like to leave a note for my Chemo doctor. I had a 
couple of questions for him. 

I'm in good shape in the kitchen, so really don't need to cook anything, but I have a house that needs a serious cleaning, and I might get a start on some of that. More than that though, I'd like to download the audio books I purchased last week, and keep working on my new tablet, to get it all set up properly and figure out how best to use it. Did I tell you I purchased a tablet computer? Amazon was doing their annual deep discounts sale, and I couldn't resist. I've wanted one for years - the one DH uses is ancient although I've borrowed it from time to time. Now I have my own, and I'm just getting it set up and starting to get used to it. I suspect it will be quite the handy thing to have. 

It's Friday! The end of the work week 
for many of you. It's a "Day Off" for me, 
and even though I have radiation therapy 
this morning, the rest of the day is open. 
How wonderful! 

So I'm wrapping this up. I was lazy today and decided to skip the treadmill. I might use it later today, but I might skip it altogether. It's not like I don't get a lot of exercise, I'm pretty darned focused on keeping up with my physical movements and condition these days. Have a great Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week. Slava Ukraini. 

I'm Seeing Light at the End of the Tunnel

I'm getting down to the end of my radiation therapy. Tuesday is my final treatment, and on Wednesday I meet with Doc for a final exam. I'm thinking that I'm going to miss my team of people - from the receptionists to the technicians and Doc, I'm going to miss them all. I'll also miss the various other patients with whom I share the reception/waiting area. We don't really interact, but we do see who is there and who is missing. But I'm down to four days of radiation remaining in my original 15, and I'm seeing the end of that road ahead of me. 

The road ahead is always uncertain. You can plan and plan, but 
life has a way of throwing challenges and events - both good 
and bad - at you just to throw you off your balance. It doesn't 
do to become too complacent. 

Today, after radiation, I get to walk a block East to a building they call the "Physician's Building" or the "Doctor's Professional Building". Yeah - that's the official name of it. Rather silly, but I suppose it's descriptive. I have an "Initial PT Lymphedema Edema Visit" with a doctor Thomas G. I've never met the guy. I'm supposed to wear comfortable clothing and athletic/tennis shoes. Well, I only wear my athletic shoes on the treadmill, not to walk outdoor sidewalks, so I'll carry them along in a bag. This is for an "initial assessment" and the doctor "may not be able to begin treatment on this visit". Considering that my lymphedema issues are pretty much taken care of by now, this appointment may be moot, but I'll keep it anyway. It may be a simple in and out, but I might also learn something valuable. 

The "Doctor's Professional Building" is directly across 
the street from the hospital, a block East from radiology, 
and a block West from my Breast Cancer Clinic. I'm hoping 
to just keep Minion parked in the radiology parking lot 
instead of moving her to the parking ramp and paying 
$3 for parking. It's an easy walk back and forth, the 
weather's just fine today. 

The dual appointments of Radiology and Lymphedema assessment will keep me out of the shop until noon or shortly afterward. It is what it is, however - I have no real choice. Tomorrow I'll be back to my normal schedule of an early morning radiation and a regular "day off". I'm already looking forward to it. 

I have three containers of my roasted/blended tomato 
soup in the refrigerator waiting for me to heat it up. 
So yummy! It's one of my favorite recipes, it's very easy 
to cook up, and tastes absolutely lovely. 

I did make my roasted tomato and red pepper soup yesterday. I'm very much looking forward to my dinners for the next few days - LOL. It requires a high powered blender and my Wolf is more than up to the task. I also received a new tablet computer I had ordered on sale from Amazon. I'm looking forward to getting to know it in more depth today, if I have any time to play. I've been wanting a tablet for quite a while, and it was on an excellent sale - more than $100 off - making it a very affordable treat. I hope all of you have a wonderful Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow morning to greet the sun and all of you. Slava Ukraini.