Trip to Zion

Life is zooming past and I feel like I am running behind trying to catch up and jump on the bus! Seems like no time for anything lately. Beni has been working crazy hours at work getting Lion King ready for the opening. Tech rehearsals and focusing going on now. 14-16 hour days, six day weeks for the past month and a half. He finally got two days off and we took off to Zion National Park with some of the technical team. One of our favorite places up there is Flannigans, just a really serene hotel and spa.

Zion is always great with plenty of hikes for any level from easy to strenuous. It felt great getting out and actually being able to do some of the hikes. Good to have the energy level going up. Not quite where I was a year ago, but very glad to pretty much keep up.

Hair is coming in, about 3/4" long, is very thick and appears to be curly! I always wished for curly hair, careful what you wish for eh?

Today is my parents 59th Wedding Anniversary! Isn't that just amazing? They raised me up so I could stand on mountains, they raised me up to walk on stormy seas, and I am strong when I am on their shoulders, they raised me up to more than I should be.

Okay so I changed that a little, but they raised us kids with a tremendous amount of love and laughter and I am tremendously grateful to have been raised by parents who showed us what a loving home and loving parents was all about. Love you Mom and Dad!

FaceBook Whore

I am still alive. Thanks for all those who were asking where I was and if I was okay. I've been seeing someone else...well, not someone. My tennis buddies told me to get on Facebook to keep in touch when we wanted to play tennis and as a fun way to get in touch with old friends. "Not for me," I said. They convinced me to give it a try and I thought, "what the heck." And then I was hooked. Hooked finding old friends from high school, hooked playing Word Twist, hooked playing Geo Challenge. But there were also blog friends there too. Peter, Gary, cool. It's quick comments, quick updates throughout the day, games at night, find more friends, be someone's friend, lots of friends!

Then V-grrl brought me back to earth the other day. I realized I missed my blog friends and I felt so guilty, you know that feeling when you haven't called your mom in a couple of weeks. I'll try to do better, I promise! But if you have a FaceBook account please be my friend!

Skating on the River and Stuck in Denver

Okay, so I am here in Denver Airport waiting to see if I am going to be purposely bumped from the flight. Sure, I'll give up my seat if the price is right!

Anyway, thinking of the nice weekend with the hubs in minus 20 degree Winnipeg. I was very surprised by the very flat landscape. I was expecting mountains and lots of trees. However, it was very beautiful, seeing a endless blanket of snow as far as your eye could see. We had some great walks bundled up with so much outer wear I could hardly bend my knees and elbows! We had a super time ice skating on the river. I had only ice skated once in a rink in Vegas (not really the thing in Vegas!) with my daughter. She was great, but I pretty much just held on to the edge of the rink and scooted along.

So, this was a big deal! I got the hang of it pretty fast and we skated about a mile down the trail and then back. Now for all you skaters out there, I know that might not seem like much, but I was pretty out of breath and feeling very out of shape by the time we got back to where we started. AND it was minus degree weather!

I also had tremendous good fun making paper airplanes and throwing them out the window of our 18th story room....good fun!

But for now, I'm still waiting at the airport. Excuse me, that would be the MILE HIGH airport!

Note: I'm at the hotel in Denver, officially bumped and flying back tomorrow afternoon.

Blustery Day and Eyelashes

Well, it's a blustery day in the neighborhood with a distinct chill in the air! I am feeling very wimpy bundling up and complaining of the cold when it's probably all of 48 degrees outside and I know the hubs is up in Winnipeg where it is -30. I will be flying up there to spend a few days with him and wondering how I pack all the outer wear/boots/gloves/socks/thermals/handwarmers and then my regular clothes in my carry on suitcase....along with my laptop of course! I am most concerned about my eyeballs. Won't they just freeze solid the minute I step outside? Why do people live in such a cold place? Thank you to all my ancestors who traveled to the hell pit of the desert which became Las Vegas!

Today i used mascara for the first time in 5 months! Okay they are miniscule eyelashes but they are there! I looked really hard and I saw them this morning and knew I must pull out the mascara. Enhancement is a women's best friend!

Peach Fuzz!

Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

It is starting to come back. It feels like peach fuzz. It looks grey and white. After six months of baldness, total baldness, the fine soft hairs are starting to grow back. It's not easy being bald, but you know it wasn't anything I cried about. I did/do wear a wig at work, but when I am home it's Miss Baldy.

What's it like? At first when you start losing the hair it itches quite a bit. After it is totally gone you realize that your head has a thermostat all of its own. Hot, then cold. Cold, then hot.

I never used to notice anyone's hair, color or style. Now I notice everyone's hair. Everyone looks like they have nice thick long hair. Beautiful hair. But when all is said and done...it's just hair.

My First White Christmas

Happy New Year! We are back from our Christmas escape to Santa Fe and we had a wonderful white Christmas...my first! It was truly beautiful! Cold, very cold, but beautiful. We had such a great time and lots to see. From old missions and pueblos, to our trip home taking the historical Route 66 from Santa Fe all the way through Arizona to the border of California. Yes, that is us "standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona!"

I even found mistletoe growing on a tree on the way there and made Beni stop so I could go and climb the tree and pull it down. I spotted it as we were driving down the snowing mountain hiway and he's such a great guy to find a place to turn around and drive back 2 miles... Not that we needed the Mistletoe in our room! But hey, real, fresh Mistletoe, how often do you get that? And isn't Mistletoe such a nice name for a parasite you kiss under?

It's good to be home and hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!
For us it was the first New Years we hadn't worked in decades...Pyrotechnicians in Vegas sorta are busy that time of year!

Over-Whelmed and Over Achievers!

In case you haven't read the last post...I had my last Chemo Treatment! Huzzah! I have had some problems with infection and some tests that the doctor has decided to run, Renal Ultrasound, bladder scoped, and a cat scan. Most of the tests will happen mid-December just prior to Christmas.

Christmas. The thought has me totally overwhelmed. Usually this time of year I am planning the trip to go cut my tree. Yes, I cut my own tree. I have taken my Grandson since he was one (he is eight) and it's just a fun time. But this year, I know I do not have the endurance to hike the mountain to cut the tree and carry it out. Bummer.

Then there is thinking of Christmas shopping. I usually have a list and ideas, I have a big family, organization is a must. Unfortunately, I don't have a list. I don't have ideas. I think about going to the mall and doing the zombie shopping and it is so overwhelming. Knowing it will be at least one more week before I even start getting any energy back from this last chemo, I'm just not getting that warm fuzzy Christmas spirit feeling and the idea of being at the mall with last minute shoppers (who I have made fun of in the past) is way too scary. Gift cards are starting to sound like an okay idea! Gift Cards! I can't believe I would even consider it, me, the one who decided on Thanksgiving one year to make my four kids crocheted afghans for Christmas. That's FOUR afghans, figuring out exactly how many rows a night I needed to do to complete them in time. My calculations were just a little off because I actually included Christmas day as one of the days and had to do some last minute recalculations, increasing the row counts! I can handle the Christmas pressure, but I do like original type of gifts to give. But this year it just all sounds like too much stress. I'm not seeing the fun in any of it.

Then there is all the stress with Christmas cards. Such pressure. I couldn't believe I started getting Christmas cards last week! Do they want an award or what? And I thought I was an over achiever.

I love being with family, but this year it just seems too much to deal with and so, I am running away. Really! I have to use my vacation days because the college decided to close the campus over winter break and since my summer vacation was spent recovering from surgery I decided to just take a trip. A road trip! My husband thinks it sounds great. We haven't decided where to yet, maybe Santa Fe, maybe Montana, but some where, somewhere away from all the glitz and the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. Perhaps I should bake some cookies or put up some lights. No, I know what I need! The video of a Charlie Brown's Christmas!! Or a good road atlas!

Happy Turkey Day! Good/Bad news

First: HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY WONDERFUL BLOGGER FRIENDS!!
Enjoy my Thanksgiving Card for All

Now the Good News and the Bad News:

This Friday was supposed to be my LAST Chemo treatment. Hurray!

I get a call this morning at around 9:30AM from the chemo infusion center, right when I am deciding where to start first, mopping floors or making , and they asked me "where are you?" I inform them that I do my chemo on Fridays not Wednesdays. "But we are closed Thursday and Friday for the Holiday and the doctor scheduled your chemo for today." Well shit I think. I take the day off of work so I can do some pre-baking and preparing so it won't be so hectic tomorrow and now I have to go and spend 7 hours at the hospital. So, that's the bad news, because our five year anniversary is Saturday. With Chemo on Friday's I would be find on Saturday to celebrate. With Chemo on Wednesday, I will be hugging the camode on Saturday.

BUT! It is the LAST one and now it's done.

I did manage to make 2 pecan pies tonight. One I left out some of the ingredients and didn't find out until after it came out of the oven. Looks pretty but probably is hard as a rock! (pre-drugs make you loopy and brain dead) So then had to make another with all the ingredients.

Hope everyone has a good time with family and friends, lots of good food, full bellies and left overs!!

AND remember all your blessings, even in the worst of times there is much to be thankful for.

Lego Land and Boob jobs!

I am ZONKED! Had Chemo two weeks ago, flew to Phoenix immediately following, attended Step-Daughters graduation, rode home on the motorcycle for over 6 hours, came home went through the worst of it the next three days and then left on Thursday with my daughter and grandson to Lego Land! Have I mentioned I hate to miss ANYTHING?? We spent the next two days at Lego Land, me being pushed around in a wheelchair. I thought I would be completely humiliated in the wheelchair, but I wouldn't have made it otherwise. The upside was we got to go to the front of the line. Well if their had been any lines, that is, the place was empty!

Saturday morning we awoke and just took our time packing up and then headed for the beach in Carlsbad. My daughter and I plopped our butts on the sand and watched Preston run and chase the waves. There were some surfers out and that was pretty cool too. After an hour or so, we decided it was time to hit the rode. My daughter drove my car, you know, Goldy the hippie mobile that survived the wreck with the semi, and got us home safe and sound. A good time was had by all....of course, it wasn't Disneyland, my most favorite place, but the Grandson had fun and that's why we were there.

Okay, now boob jobs. I'm watching the weirdo bimbo on TV that has had all these breast augmentations and now is going from triple F's to triple M's! What doctor would do that? She looks hideous! She says this is it now, she is happy that she set the world record for biggest jugs! Oh, we are all so happy for you! Watch the video, it's not in English, but the pictures will be all you need anyway!



Why am I watching this? What have I become? Must be another side effect from all that chemo! Give me Survivor, I can't take any more of watermelon girl!

Motorcycle Ride Back From Phoenix

Last Friday I had my 5th Chemo treatment which lasted 7 hours and then went from there to the airport to catch my 6:20PM flight to Phoenix for my step-daughter's college graduation. I get there and the first thing I see is that my flight had been delayed by 2 hours not leaving until 8:30PM. I then hope I can get on standby on an earlier flight. I go check out other flights and see that every thing is delayed because of the runway construction at McCarren. GREAT! Then I see that the 3:30pm flight is scheduled to leave at 6:20PM....that's my best bet. I go stand in line at the counter and hear the attendant tell the guy in front of me after his pretty good sob story, that there were 37 people a head of him on standby. THINK QUICK! Need to think of a better story!

I did and almost everything was true, including that I had come straight from the hospital after having chemo, that I would be getting sick soon, that I needed a shot after chemo and had to be there at 8:30PM Well actually all of that was true, except it sounded like I needed the shot before 8:30PM...I had already had the shot after my treatment. But, it worked, I was given a boarding pass for the 3:30pm, now 6:20pm flight and able to get there at my original arrival time. I know it was bad and I will be punished. But I really needed to get in, find something to eat and get to bed or I would have been dead the next day.

The graduation went super, the party that night was even better. I was rock queen on the quitar in Rock Band! Even though I didn't get too much sleep that night. I went to bed at 11PM and the kids continued with beer pong and Rock Band until 4AM! Not too conducive for sleeping. Somehow, my hubs slept through it.

Next morning the hubby and I headed for home on his 1982 Goldwing. Old, but a fun bike. The desert from Phoenix to Las Vegas is just beautiful. I was really looking forward to the ride because I haven't had a long ride since getting this cancer sh*t in May. We hit some pretty hard winds and then some rain just when we were coming into Wickieup. So, we had lunch and waited for about an hour. Other riders came in from the direction we would be headed and said they had hit major storms and the roads were very slick. We decided to give it ago anyway as it looked like there was a little clearing of sunshine and that we might just be able to skirt the storm. We did. However, it was very cold.

We stopped about every hour in the normally 6 hour trip for me a butt break and to stretch out my tingling feet. The desert aroma after the rain was incredible. The smell of creosote was so strong, and everything looked wonderfully clean. I was tired and cold when we rolled up the driveway, but it was such a fun adventure after all this chemo crap. Speaking of chemo, the doctor says only one more! Huzzah! The pictures here are not mine and I think the photographer is listed, but they pretty much sum up what the desert looked like up close and personal on the bike. If you click on the picture you can go to the website of more glorious photos.

Still Pluggin' Along

I have chemo number 5 this Friday, and then there should be only one more to go. Tomorrow I see the doctor and find out if she will be adding additional chemo treatments. PLEASE NO MORE!!!

All depends on the CA-125 some cancer counter. Need to get mine in single digits. Everyone think good thoughts come 3:30pm Nevada time!

Saturday, my step-daughter gradates from college. She works full time so this has been a long time coming and a very special day for her. My hubs jumped on the motorcycle this morning to head to Phoenix to help her with some home repairs and to be there for the graduation. I will have my 7 hour chemo on Friday and then have my daughter take me straight to the airport from the hospital so I can be there too. Then Sunday morning I will ride back to Vegas on the motorcycle with the hubs. It will be a long day, but this is her special day and I knew I would just hate to miss it. So, I will suck it up and hold on tight! Hoping I won't fall asleep and fall off....Ouch! Hoping if I do, the hubs will notice!!!

Chemo and Semi's

Been a downer week. I had a doctor appointment last Tuesday to find out if there would be additional chemo treatments.(I was supposed to be done by now!) Obviously, I had been anxious all week, hoping counts would be down and I would be finished with this tortuous treatment. On the way to the doctor's office I was hit from behind by a semi-truck! Well, actually the car behind me was hit by the semi who then preceded to smash very violently into my cute, little, sunflower yellow, Xterra-Goldy! BAM! So, there we were in the middle of the road waiting for police with people driving around us and yelling at us, or making stupid comments. "Right, Buddy!" "Yea, really funny!" "Yep, we wrecked to ruin your day!" What a-holes!

I missed the doctor's appointment and had to go the next day, stiff neck/back and all."Counts aren't down enough, three more chemo treatments."

I started this new round this past Friday, so today am feeling punky, achy, but better than yesterday. God, I don't want to do more of this, it sucks! But,the good news was I didn't have to have the blood transfusion! Actually, compared to the last treatment when I had the infection, this isn't so bad at all, I think the worst is over for this round. I may even get out of bed today and go find something to eat. Panda Express!

My show this past weekend-Dracula-was great, wonderful! Standing ovations each night! Didn't raise as much as we had hoped, but did have a decent turn out. I was absolutely bushed as I had the chemo on Friday and then two shows, two receptions to set up and of course, I have to be all cheery and welcoming everyone, do the preshow announcement and thank all our supporters, etc., then get off stage and go puke! Onward and upward and hopefully, little Goldy will get repaired this week!

Dracula and Blood Transfusions

Been a wild week. I got an infection, blood counts plummeted, doctor wants to do a transfusion, which grosses me out. There's just something about having someone else's blood in me...who are they? Did they wash their hands after using the restroom? I need to convince the doctor tomorrow to wait a day until my next blood test on Friday and then go from there. I'll see if she will go for that.

Then in between the health crisis I have my big benefit concert I am
producing/co-sponsoring at work....Dracula the New Musical! Much running around getting stuff for the VIP reception, making flower arrangements, getting sponsors, creating ads, creating all the graphics for the program and on and on. Somehow having a low blood count is starting to make a lot more sense. Wasn't that a bat I saw fly by my window last night?

Feeling the Blues

Monday is always my bad day after chemo on Friday. I keep thinking I will get used to the symptoms and be able to roll with it better, but puking' and having every bone in your body feel like it's broke, just isn't any fun at all. And that's just the top two side effects! There's about four others that we won't even discuss!

The pain and nausea seems to get worse with each treatment. Knowing this last treatment was supposed to be the last one, really got me down, because it won't be. Knowing I would have to go through this again, one to three more times got me upset to the point of tears and I hate being a blubbering idiot. Hurting and thinking, "I don't want to hurt anymore!" "I don't want to do this shit anymore!" Then feeling really guilty because I know there are many out there that have gone through way more treatments than I will have to go through.

And I'm tired of being the scary bald grandmama. And more than anything, I'm tired of being tired! I hate missing my tennis clinic, but there is just no way I can go the week after the chemo, I know, because I tried it last time. Big Mistake!

So, today is better than yesterday, and I know tomorrow will be better than today and by Thursday I will be back to work. I just hate feeling like I'm wimping out. And yesterday, I was a big old wimp!

Slacker Uprising!

Michael Moore, as you may well know gave permission to download, share and is giving this documentary away for free to US and Canadian citizens. You wouldn't believe the Hoo-Haw at the college because I am showing this in our theatre! Hopefully, it will encourage some of the deadbeats to get up and vote!

I Qualified for Nationals!

I am totally beat down, had my 3rd chemo yesterday, but Tuesday through Thursday I participated in the Nevada Senior Olympics, three matches a day, 8AM, 10AM and Noon. Let me tell you in Vegas in September it is hot! So if playing three matches a day wasn't bad enough, playing them in mid day was just killer.

Additionally, in the Senior Olympics you play in age groups not by your rating which is also difficult if you are on the low end of the ratings...like me. Which meant I played players above my level. I am 3.0 and played mostly 3.5 players and the last day a 4.0 player (I lost that one, 2-6, 4-6, but had more games on her than anyone else, so was very proud of that!) I came away with SILVER in Singles, SILVER in Women's Doubles, and a GOLD with my sweetheart husband in Mixed Doubles.

I am totally exhausted, I don't know how much is the Chemo and how much is all that running around this week, but I am thrilled that I qualified for the National Senior Olympics in California next year. The National Olympics isn't played every year and this was the qualifying year, so I was very determined to make it.

We met lots of great people and became great friends with two guys from the Ukraine! We had them over for dinner last night and what did they bring? Russian vodka and caviar! We will be saving that for a special occasion I am sure.

On another note: This should have been my last chemo, but my counts apparently weren't where the doctor wanted so more have been added. That's a real bummer, but just got to deal with it. Also, here is a tip for anyone else undergoing chemo, losing their hair and wearing synthetic wigs. Be very careful getting things out of the oven.

Last night when I was getting stuff out of the oven, without being aware of it, the bangs on my very cute short wig got melted up to the base of the wig. I will have to figure out what to do about that later. For now, I will admire my three medals... baldly!

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH

Join me in celebrating and reflecting on International Peace Day.

Peace to All!

I'm a Dweeb!

Today was my league tennis match. I'm the captain. I usually get to the courts early and make sure everything is all set for our matches. Which is what I did today. Except this morning I forgot one little thing.

First off, you got to know, the match started at 7AM and I am not a morning person in any sense of the word. I was playing singles to try and build up my stamina for the Nevada Senior Olympics that I am doing next week so was looking forward to playing.

For some unknown reason I woke up this morning at 3:30AM and couldn't get back to sleep so I just decided to get up after an hour of tossing and turning. I putzed around the house, watered my little patio gardens, swept up more leaves, made me some oatmeal, read the morning paper and then left for the courts that are a good 30 minutes from my house.

I get to the courts and get them all set up with the score things, get new balls down off the shelf, make sure the bathroom is opened, set out the snacks and bananas I brought. The other team and my fellow team members arrive, I assign courts and as always I am the last to go to my court to play. As soon as I stepped onto the courts something seemed wrong. I looked down at my feet and there I stood in sandals. SANDALS! FLIPPIN' SANDALS! No socks, no tennis shoes. My opponent asked me if I wanted to default. I said "no way." I took out my sport tape and TAPED my sandals to my feet. I would like to say I won the match. Unfortunately, I did not, though I did win the first set, I lost the match in a tie-breaker, taped on sandals and all. What a dweeb!

The Tree and Me

Leaves turn brown and fall away
Each morning I sweep the patio
Knowing tomorrow there will be more
Until one morning the tree will be bare.

It’s the very normal part of the seasons.
Days get shorter and cooler
Leaves turn brown and fall from their host
Until it is left barren to face the wind alone.

My hair has fallen
Let loose by the poison
Pumped into my body
Destroying all in it’s path.

I feel naked and embarrassed
At my new frightening image
It makes me look old and sick
It labels me a cancer victim.

I see the tree standing tall having no choice
But to let the leaves drop to the cold ground below
I understand the helplessness of watching part of you fall away
Having to accept the bareness with strength and grace.

In spring the days will once again be warm
The buds will promise the beauty of renewal.
Perhaps come spring the tree and I can rejoice
That we are whole once more.

For now I will sympathize with the tree.

Bald Pros and Cons

I got in the car today on my way home from work, and looked desperately around for a hat or cap. Spied a tennis cap in the back seat. Perfect. Wig off. Hat on. Thank you God! My poor head was itching like crazy and I just couldn't wait to get home to take off the wig.

This got me thinking about what sucks about being bald, which then got me thinking about what is good about being bald.

PROS:
*No need to buy Shampoo/Conditioner/hair spray
*No time wasted to fix hair
*You can rub your head for luck whenever you want
*You can scare people at will
*No falling hairs on dark tops
*Don't have to worry about messing up hair when putting on or taking off top
*Don't have to worry about touching up roots
*Can go from long hair to short hair and back in a day

CONS
*Wigs cause head to itch like crazy
*Rash,itch,scratch
*head feels cold and wet all the time, except when covered and it itches
*Scares self when catching site of self unexpectedly in the mirror(keep thinking some bald man is in the house!)
*Ears appear much larger without hair


Well, see there. There are more positives to being bald then there are cons. I should be so happy. I guess I need to work on that.