Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Slow Weekend with New Side Effects

Saturday & Sunday March 10 & 11, 2012
Lithia Springs Park Site 23

 

 

I hate it when my favorite clothes wear out.

 

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Have you ever had a pair of pants that you just loved?  No matter how old they got, they were so comfy and cozy that you just couldn’t stop wearing them. 

 

 

 

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Even when they got ratty looking and you couldn’t wear them outside the house.  Still you couldn’t give them up??  Well I’ve got a pair like that and decided today was the day to mend some holes and make them a little more decent as I continue to try not to give them up.

 

 

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So I sat outside sewing all the tears and holes while David made some yummy walnut pancakes with maple syrup and fresh strawberries on top.  Should have taken a picture of those but they were gone before I thought of it.

 

 

 

 

The other shoe dropped on Saturday

 

After breakfast he told me for the first time that his ankle had been hurting him yesterday and was again today.  His ankles have been swollen at night  the past couple of evenings but go back down after sleeping.  But now, after being up a couple of hours about half of it sitting and half standing, his ankles are bigger than baseballs and his feet look like balloon feet.  Swollen ankles and feet seem to be a side effect of both Velcade and Revlimid so we aren’t sure which one is causing this or why all of a sudden.  Of course getting a medical person on a week-end without going to the ER is an impossibility and especially getting one who has a clue about your history and disease.   We will be going in to the Moffitt Cancer Center on Monday; I hope this doesn’t get worse before then.

 

 

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So he is sidelined spending the day (with some pillow assists) in the anti gravity chair which puts his ankles up higher than his heart and brings the swelling down somewhat.  I guess it’s about the most comfy place one could choose to do the income tax. An onerous task to be sure but it has to be done.  It gives him something to do while  he’s immobile and allows him to be accomplishing something.   An important thing for David.

 

The week-end warriors have arrived and we have the usual hoopin’ and hollerin’,  loud music and last night a campfire that smelled like they were using human hair for kindling.   Worst thing I’ve smelled ever I think.  One of them couldn’t manage to turn off his car alarm at midnight last night so it blared and blared jarring us awake out of a dead sleep.  Hope they got it all out of their systems and we can have a quiet Saturday night.

 

 

Sunday was one of those overcast rainy days.

 

David’s ankles and feet were some better this morning although he said the “soreness” in his right ankle remained.  Despite that, we went for a 30 minute “power walk” to Nancy Mill’s tunes.  David was listening and keeping the pace.  I just went along for the exercise since I “should” have run but couldn’t work myself up to it with the time change irritation.  

 

Those of you who know me or have followed this blog for any length of time know that I usually do a HUGE rant over this subject and the stupidness of it in my opinion.  I’ll just say this one thing and spare you the rant.  JUST PICK ONE EST or DST, I don’t care but then LEAVE IT ALONE.  If any of you know WHY we continue this foolishness PLEASE inform me.

After the “walk” David took up his position in the anti-gravity chair with book in hand.  Every time I looked over his eyes were closed but his hands were still holding the book up in mid air.  How does he do that?  I would have gotten a picture of this feat but didn’t want to wake him.

 

Last night, the week-end warriors pulled their car alarm trick at midnight trick again.  Letting it go on and on and on.This is two nights in a row.  How I wish there were camp hosts here.   Check out time is noon here but clearly nobody enforces it on the week-ends.  The gang finally pulled out around 2:00 when the rain started in earnest and then the noise level got back to “normal”.  This was one of those rain for 5 minutes and quit and then start again in 10 minutes and all the while the sun is still shining but there is no rainbow kind of rains.

 

The off again on again rain went on for several hours but as soon as it let up,  the leaf blower was johnny on the spot to make sure we didn’t get to enjoy the lack of noise.  He set about cleaning up all the wet leaves from every campsite AND all the roads including the one into our campsite much to my irritation as I sat out under the awning reading.

 

As I said, David’s feet looked much better this morning and I think the walk did his spirits some good.  He was up and down most of the day when he wasn’t napping and drank more water so perhaps by tomorrow the ankle swelling will be a thing of the past.  Hope so.  But he’s also developed what appears to be a swelling of his liver.  I’ll be glad when the week-end is over so “maybe” he can get someone on the phone about these new symptoms.  At worst he has another treatment appointment on Tuesday.  He, of course, doesn’t seem concerned.

 

About 5:00 he went inside and turned on the country music while he made a pizza.   This is my only picture for today but it’s a beauty.  And it tasted as good as it looked.

 

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17 comments:

  1. Isn't daylight savings for the farmers??? I like it being lighter later in the evening...but would be happy then if it would just stay that way, for the farmer's :)

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  2. Well hopefully by now you've found out what is causing the inflammation and it's been corrected.

    I hate those darn leaf blowers too!

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  3. One of the very few smart things the Arizona legislature has ever done - eschew daylight savings time. I'll never forget going to Alaska in the summertime, when there are about 20 hours of daylight, and learning that they go on DST. Ha! How much more daylight do they need??

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  4. Glad you get some enjoyment from the 'tunes';o))

    I really would love to know what is in your pizza crust. I love the toppings and can replicate that, but my crusts never turn out:o(( Help!!

    Oh if you haven't tried it, throw some sweet roasted red peppers in your hummus;o)))

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  5. Oh forgot to tell Sherry... Those pants have seen better days. They remind me of the blanket that kids will never let go. I think they call them binkies!?!? Anyhow, they must bring you great joy as you look so happy mending them:o))

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  6. The pizza looks wonderful & healthy! I'm getting inspired to do one up.

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  7. Swollen, achy ankles and income taxes, kudos to David for putting up with all that pain!

    We're going to take up a collection to buy you some new pants. ;c)

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  8. And when you try to replace those comfy pants, you are never successful. :(

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  9. I love my old raggedy clothes, too, Sherry. And, at my age I'm entitled to wear them. I wore high heels and suits for so many years that I swore once I retired I'd never wear them again. Avoid dressing up at any cost.

    I hope they can adjust Davids meds to keep the side effects at bay. His attitude (and yours) is an inspiration to everyone.

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  10. I always assumed that extra daylight hours were for the convenience of the people who play golf.

    It is totally stupid, when you think of the productive time lost by the time change twice a year. It was once necessary when farmers with a team pulled a plow, but with todays huge farm equipment with lights that could illuminate a runway, I doubt if they really need it. Plus, why extend the time to cover March through November.

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  11. love your pants have some the same :) Maybe I will sew them up!!! Hope the side effects subside soon...take care

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  12. Those pants!! I had to smile!! :) Tough few days for the feet and liver, but, I happen to know there's good news ahead :) Glad you have that anti-gravity chair - looks like he had a mighty comfy set-up!

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  13. I think I've seen those pants and they look very comfy on ya. That pizza looks yummy!
    Syl

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  14. I'm glad I'm behind reading and saw Carrie's comment above :) I think she probably has an inside source! Hope that it was really good news!

    BTW, I currently have a pair of pants like that...they've been in sad shape for years and I just can't find a comparable replacement so won't give them up.

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  15. I just patched two pair of Mike's pants that he refuses to get rid of.

    Thanks to Carrie for her spoiler alert. Looking forward to hearing the good news.

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  16. Like Gail, I'm a bit behind ... so Carrie's hint allayed some of my concerns about the side effects.

    Comfy pants are meant to be worn until they are in tatters ... I've had to give up a pair recently :-((

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  17. I had some of those pants-jeans. Got too fat for them. I was keeping them until I lost a little. Catherine tossed them during our clean out because.....they had holes in them:) I almost cried. On the roasted red pepper front Catherine puts it in the hummus. She roasts the red peppers on the grill and then tosses them in the freezer- great on everything.

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