Happy Thanksgiving

My Dear Friends,

Dad babysat me at his place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Watched some Three Stooges and Little House on the Prairie reruns. I feel like I should be doing something meaningful and profound to make every day count but didn’t have the energy to do much.

Dad’s boy cat, Orange Roughy, was moping around today because it snowed and he couldn’t stay out very long.

Mark says I’m getting around better. It doesn’t seem to be going fast enough for me. The hip stiffness is still bad. I’m thinking it could’ve been prevented by a good old-fashioned ice pack right after surgery but I was too drugged at the time to think of that.

I’m debating between being totally honest about how I’ve been feeling or just saying I feel fine. People shouldn’t have to worry about me. I certainly don’t want to bum anybody out.

Maybe I’m a bit depressed because I haven’t been sleeping well. It’s hard to sleep in the same position for hours and not turn over. Right after getting into bed last night, I had some nasty muscle spasms in the thigh. Poor Mark was running around as I yelled, “Ice!” and then, “No ice! Heat!”

The microwaveable ricebag heating pad finally calmed the leg down, thank God.

Mark has continued to play nursemaid to me. He really is a saint. I’ve been making his nights pretty sleepless. We decided it’s much like having a new baby in the house.

Had a bunch of questions for my surgeon but she never called me back today. The receptionist took my list of questions and when I got to the muscle spasm question (like why that happened and what can I do about it) she said that just happens sometimes. If it’s occasional, the docs don’t do anything about it.

Have to go see the surgeon on Monday. May get the staples out then. She will probably give the OK for the strong chemo to start the following Monday. Not looking forward to that. Don’t know what my reactions to the new chemicals will be. That stuff always messes up your stomach and I’m still healing from those three days of being so sick. Been drinking milk and chomping on TUMS to try to avoid heartburn. That’s a bummer because I’ve always had an iron stomach.

Went to Dr. Snyder, my chiropractor, both yesterday and today. I had a headache even the Motrin couldn’t touch. Fortunately, she cracked my neck and took the headache away. She’s not allowed to do much else because of the hip. No cracking the low back for six weeks per the surgeon. I was happy she got rid of my headache, though. My neck had been feeling about two inches shorter because of the tension.

Everybody was bummed out because of the snow but it made me happy. It looked pretty and clean. Then again, I didn’t have to drive in it.

Mikey is reading over my shoulder right now and picking out the words he knows. He’s so sweet. He hugged me today and said, “You’re surrounded by love!”

Tomorrow, we will have Thanksgiving dinner at our house. My stepmother MaryAnn and my mother-in-law Karin have been conspiring to concoct the feast and just bring it all over here. All we need to do is provide the table, which will be a challenge since I have all my craft stuff on it right now. The boys will straighten up the house tomorrow morning for our guests.

Thank you for your continued prayers and demonstrations of love and support. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Jeanette