Sunday October 22 – Family

Sunday found my cousin and I choosing to get mani-pedi’s, and from there, grab a bit of lunch.  Of course we stopped at Starbucks to get tea/frappuccino and a snack to tide us over before we had lunch.  We had a great time just being with each other, and have already planned her next trip down.  We hung out until it was time to take her to the airport.

All the kids (well, all the kids that are talking to us), were over for Sunday night dinner.  Because we were in celebration mode this weekend due to Blink being smaller, Pizza, beer and bubbly were on the menu, and we planned a family night of Cards Against Humanity.  Grandson who is now learning to read and add, counted the spaces at the table and the number of people we had.  He wanted to know where his other uncle was.   Broke my heart just a bit that I had to tell him that his uncle does’t like us right now.  When he asked me why, I told him I really didn’t know.  He then asked his mommy why his uncle doesn’t like Nane and Gampa, his mommy told him she didn’t know why either.  So he left it that we have an open chair for the recalcitrant son, and maybe someday he will be back.  We had a great time after that.  We know how to have fun in this family.

Since my hair should start falling out sometime this week I told all the kids, to make this as normal as possible for the grandson, I will notify them all the day it starts coming out in clumps, and we will have a head shaving party that night.  They will all take turns, including the grandson, of taking my remaining hair off with hair clippers.  They have all agreed to be here for this.

When we were at Disneyland on Saturday I had taken a moment to show the grandson my port “lump” and even let him touch it.  We talked about how I have to take a lot of very, very strong medicines right now and because I have to take them through a shot that takes a long time, the doctors gave me the port to make it easier to get these shots.  He understood that. Last night as we were saying good-bye, I told him that all that medicine is so strong it’s going to make all my hair fall out.  He’s eyes got big, as in WOW.  I told him yup, Nane is going to be bald.  Then I told him about how I invited everyone to come over when it starts to happen so we can shave off the rest of my hair so I am not shedding all over the house like a dog.  He liked that idea and asked if even he was invited to do this, and I told him yes, even he gets to do this with me.  Told him I don’t know which day it will happen, but it should start happening sometime this week.  He’s now ready to help me embrace the next phase of my metamorphosis.

It was a wonderfully exhausting weekend.

I am starting to feel just a little anxiety over the second cycle of chemo that starts tomorrow.  I know how tired the first one made me, and even though I know we have the diuretic and will be taking that prior to my infusion, I know that in chemo school they did say the effects are cumulative, the more cycles I go through, the more it will effect me.  Thinking about this made me tell all the kids last night, they can still come over, even if I am tired, just listening to them and watching them interact makes me happy.  Don’t stay away just because I may not be feeling 100%.

We also talked about the upcoming holidays.  My final cycle for phase 1 is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  Even though Thanksgiving is usually held at our house, this year we’re not planning on this.  This year will be a very quiet Thanksgiving for us.  Christmas Eve is usually spent with my husbands cousins, Aunt, and anyone else that shows up at our house, eating Bar-B-Que and having a grand time.  Christmas day is usually the kids coming over later to exchange a few gifts and eat more of that good Bar-B-Que we pick up from our favorite restaurant.  We’re not sure how it will go this year, but the plan is to keep it going same as previous years.  Hubby thinks we may need to cancel Christmas Eve this year as I will be on phase 2 by that point and cycles will be weekly.  Phase 2 is Taxol and Carboplatin, which we now know can really mess with my brain.  I still want to keep the holidays as normal as possible.  It’s not like we cook, we order huge amounts from the BBQ joint and feed people.  It’s about being together more than anything.

Hubby and kids agreed, Christmas day should remain the same.  As for Hanukkah with my family, really not sure if I’ll be up for that drive to San Francisco Bay area to make that celebration. We will play that one by ear.  That is a lot of driving for my husband alone as we’re counting on me not being able to help with driving at that point.  I already worked out a plan with my cousin for us to still partake in the gift exchange, as that is part of the fun of our celebration.  We use white elephant gift exchange rules, draw numbers, and the hilarity ensues.  There have been a few years when a gift or two have been the coveted gift, and my cousin thinks she can outwit me.  So far, I have been the one to come out on top in those instances.  I keep telling her age and treachery win over youth and skill every time! (I am almost 5 years older than my cousin.)  This would be why I am the proud owner of a “Jew-Jitsui” Tee and have the Ceramic as Seen on TV knife in my kitchen drawer….

This year theme – The Sea.  Now to come up with a great gift to put into the exchange.  We will have to FaceTime the gift exchange if we can’t get up there.

Think I am going to get a “gift” for the Infusion department tomorrow.  Fruit plate or cookies… something.  These nurses are very kind and dealing with some of the most difficult situations.  They deserve kindness back.  Maybe I’ll bake cookies this time.  Fruit next time.

Life is Kith and Kin (blood and “adopted”)