A Lazy Sunday

How do I begin to thank everybody that sent well-wishes, prayers and positive energy to my mom?  It isn't something I am all that good at, putting stuff all out there, but perhaps Tammy's comment puts that in perspective:

I understand keeping private things private. But sharing can also bring a wealth of results in prayers. There was a study @ Duke several years ago that showed that people had better medical outcomes as a result of people praying for them - even if they didn't know that the prayers were being made. So prayers for your Mom and for you.

I have read similar articles and studies and when you really think about it-who the hell am I to deprive my Mom of all the prayers and healing energy that can be sent her way?  So I encourage you, no, not encourage, ask from my heart, that you continue to include her in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. 

And how is she doing?  Well.  She is my mom and she has her quirks.  She is three weeks into her daily radiation and weekly (with this past week off) chemo treatments.  She has some fatigue, but is able to spend a few hours at work and doing her ebay thing and getting around.  Even the days when she has only radiation can sometimes be three or four hours out of the day (the actual radiation takes about ten minutes, but you can wait for that sometimes), so considering that she is doing pretty well.  She has been receiving acupuncture treatments and has added supplements and healthier foods to her diet, and so far has only had a bit of nausea, so her weight is steady and she is able to eat.  Not all foods are comfortable to eat, thanks to the radiation to her esophagus, but she is doing pretty well.  Astonishingly so, according to her doctors, who expected her to be doing much worse than she is.  Her response to that?  "Well, there is next week, and that is when it will get worse."  And, when asked how she is doing she will respond, "I'm thriving, I hope my tumor isn't!"  Because you know, if you aren't feeling close to death with the treatment then it can't possible be working, right?

As I type, I am sitting on my three season porch, and since it is March and still winter I guess that makes it a four season porch, no complaints here.  With the glass in and the sun shining it gets warm in here, warm enough to sit out with a small pot of tea (this green blended with this herbal-the mint verbena not lemon, because I know you were curious), a small bit of chocolate, and my laptop.  I'll grab my knitting next.  I would have taken a photo, but because my camera battery died you will just have to imagine it.  The teapot is a small cast iron and the mug is one of my Blue Sheep mugs.  The chocolate is Taza 70% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate.  Apparently soy lecithin may be one of the things that is bothering me, and this chocolate is soy free.  And very good.  I can't wait to find some of their chocolate discs to try.  The Chocolate Mexicano discs, Guajillo Chili sounds good or the cinnamon one, or the vanilla.....  Thanks to Laurie I found Michel Cluizel chocolate bars and did you know that the Whole Foods 365 brand of chocolate bars are soy free as well?  I'm back in the little bit of chocolate per day groove.  A very good thing because I just read that chocolate has, along with teas, pears and apples (among other things) have flavanoids that help reduce belly fat.  I eat all of those things every day.  Now if they would only tone me up and give me that washboard thing people talk about, I'd be all set! 

I earned all this sitting around by mostly sitting around all day and then getting my butt off the chair to go for a walk.  If Cheryl hadn't called me from her walk, I may not have gone out.  I should be thanking her, right?  No, I am, really.  It was a good thing.  I haven't really done much since my injury in January and this walk was, well, I could feel the lack of muscle tone in my legs.  Luckily, that just makes me want to go out again tomorrow because I want the muscle back.  Why couldn't tea and chocolate do that for me as well, I wonder? 

Pete has been away all weekend, down in Florida to see the Red Sox at spring training.  More talk of spring!  Opening Day will be here before we know it!  Things are different around here when Pete is gone.  A person can sit in their pjs half the day, doing things like photographing fiber stash and adding to their stash page on ravelry without feeling guilty that she isn't out doing something.  And Pete, love him as I do, has a way of hovering around until you feel like you really should make a plan of some kind.  Go somewhere.  DO something.  But my house is picked up and clean and I kind of like staying here doing nothing sometimes.  And I did things.  Organized the fiber stash, some of the yarn stash, excercised, last night I watched Seabiscuit with Erin (why had I not seen that movie before?  I loved it!) and you know, regrouped.  I'll admit that I was feeling a bit the slug though, thank God for the walk.  Now when Pete calls I'll have something to tell him when he asks what I did today.

What is up for the week in Blues?  I have knitting to show you!  Things finished and in progress and if I can decide to actually part with somethings, maybe a stash reductions sale.  I thought digging through the stash would help with that, but all I wanted to do was start spinning all of it.  I need Claudia to come up and be a voice of reason.  Will you Claudia?  There is chocolate and tea in it for you!

Forty.  Is it bad that I am back in my sweats already?  I am not leaving this porch for a while yet, time to brew another pot of tea.

Comments

[margene]

The porch sounds lovely with the sun coming in for warmth. I can see you there and thank you for letting me know every little thing. Love it, love you...this was almost as good as talking to you!

[Kim]

Hmm....I hear a sense of calmness in this post, which is good considering some of the stress in your life right now.

Ken would have loved to go to Florida to see training camp too.........and to be honest with you, I enjoy the little bit of freedom from schedules when he is away too. :)

Good to hear that your Mom hasn't been too sick!

[claudia]

Sure. You certainly know how to entice me.

;-)

[Tracy J.]

Thanks for a nice long post! It's been quieter on the blog-reading front since you stopped posting every day.

Sounds like things are going well. This may well depend directly on eating chocolate every day, so keep it up.

[Nora]

Glad your mom is doing well, and that you are back on the chocolate! Nothing like a nice, long Sunday full of lovely treats.

[Carole]

As I just told Vicki, I love days when I get to just stay home. I'm praying for your mom.

[Vicki]

Your porch sounds so nice! I'm glad to hear that your mom is doing okay!

[Manise]

Thanks for the update on your mom. I've been thinking of you both a lot. Radiation can be awful regarding its burning one's throat and esophagus. The one thing that completely calmed it down for my mom was after her Barium swallow. The Barium coated the irritated tissue and made swallowing sooo much easier. Woo Hoo on the safer- for-you-chocolate too!

[Chris]

Healthy, happy wishes to your mom!