Billie Holiday swinging in the background...the lights on the tree twinkling...totes of wrapping paper and ribbon gathered to work on getting more of things ready. The majoirity of the shopping was done a week ago, despite me not being able to get "out and about" like I would have before. Bill's dog is curled up at my feet and checking the door everytime he hears a noise to see if Bill, Laura and Liam have come back from her parents. They got here on Thursday and it's been wonderful getting to know Liam as well as seeing his parents again for the first time in a couple of months.
In a few minutes when I actually settle in to wrap I'll be slipping "White Christmas" into the DVD player. We watched "Holiday Inn" a few days ago-both are favorites of mine, with "Holiday Inn" actually getting an extra half a star for the music for all the other holidays that echoes around in my empty head at the appropriate times.
My favorite song from "White Christmas" (other than the title track, done in both movies and perhaps more wonderful in the first) is "Count Your Blessings". I've always heard that in my head when I was depressed, or times were rough and it's always managed to change my perspective. This year, it's especially poignant.
Among those blessings, I count each of you who have found your way here through the years. The ones that still visit now are especially dear right now! Your comments; your kind words; they've meant so much through all of this!
May your Holidays find each of you near those you love and if you can't be together physically, may you find some other way to be close to each other through this magical season!
Merry Christmas to each of you and the Happiest of New Years as well!
alan
Monday, December 23, 2013
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Letting sleeping dogs lie...
kind of sums things up around here!
They still haven't scheduled the P.E.T. scan because they're trying to give the chemo some time to max its result. I cancelled the pulmonologist appointment accordingly, though I'm beginning to regret it a bit. I'm on my 3rd round of antibiotic, having changed drugs for this 3rd round and finally between it and Mucinex it seems perhaps, grudglingly, the bug is giving up.
I've been keeping better track of my O2 numbers this past week as well and would almost bet money they've slipped a bit again. I drop just wandering around the house now with the concentrator set on numbers that used to let me walk at a fast pace on the treadmill. If I don't concentrate on my breathing I drop to a point that is scary low-down in the 70's. I'm using a shower chair now because that's the time I drop the worst, even with the concentrator maxed out.
So I'm starting to think in months now, rather than years...
Despite Kansas City falling into the "deep freeze" of late, things are coming together nicely for the holidays! A good thing, as I'm not up to shopping like I used to. The box to Vermont is gone and a lot of the shopping for here is done now; we're still waiting on lists from a few hold-outs to finish things. We haven't gotten our tree yet, but will in the next few days. I'm also hoping to get a new glasses prescription as I haven't had new ones in 6 years and my reading is starting to suffer from that along with some badly placed scratches on my old ones.
What I've been lacking there I've been making up watching TV as I've had to spend a lot of time on the couch this past week due to some swelling in my left lower leg (jokes of tapping it didn't make Dottie laugh at all). A few weeks ago I picked a Roku box (internet television running off my wireless router) and between the free outlets available and the others I've spent a lot of hours watching things from it. Now that the Chiefs game is over and I can take my eyes away to fix some lunch, I'll be moving there in just a bit to either watch Dawn French or Chaplin-I haven't quite made my mind up yet. I've also spent some time watching the NASA channel (free) and actually got to see them discussing the delivery vehicle for one of Bill's projects!
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement each time you come here. I know it isn't easy when I don't sugarcoat what's going on but life is a bit too short for that anymore!
I hope the holidays find each of you somewhere wonderful with those you want gathered near!
May the world be kind to each of you!
alan
They still haven't scheduled the P.E.T. scan because they're trying to give the chemo some time to max its result. I cancelled the pulmonologist appointment accordingly, though I'm beginning to regret it a bit. I'm on my 3rd round of antibiotic, having changed drugs for this 3rd round and finally between it and Mucinex it seems perhaps, grudglingly, the bug is giving up.
I've been keeping better track of my O2 numbers this past week as well and would almost bet money they've slipped a bit again. I drop just wandering around the house now with the concentrator set on numbers that used to let me walk at a fast pace on the treadmill. If I don't concentrate on my breathing I drop to a point that is scary low-down in the 70's. I'm using a shower chair now because that's the time I drop the worst, even with the concentrator maxed out.
So I'm starting to think in months now, rather than years...
Despite Kansas City falling into the "deep freeze" of late, things are coming together nicely for the holidays! A good thing, as I'm not up to shopping like I used to. The box to Vermont is gone and a lot of the shopping for here is done now; we're still waiting on lists from a few hold-outs to finish things. We haven't gotten our tree yet, but will in the next few days. I'm also hoping to get a new glasses prescription as I haven't had new ones in 6 years and my reading is starting to suffer from that along with some badly placed scratches on my old ones.
What I've been lacking there I've been making up watching TV as I've had to spend a lot of time on the couch this past week due to some swelling in my left lower leg (jokes of tapping it didn't make Dottie laugh at all). A few weeks ago I picked a Roku box (internet television running off my wireless router) and between the free outlets available and the others I've spent a lot of hours watching things from it. Now that the Chiefs game is over and I can take my eyes away to fix some lunch, I'll be moving there in just a bit to either watch Dawn French or Chaplin-I haven't quite made my mind up yet. I've also spent some time watching the NASA channel (free) and actually got to see them discussing the delivery vehicle for one of Bill's projects!
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement each time you come here. I know it isn't easy when I don't sugarcoat what's going on but life is a bit too short for that anymore!
I hope the holidays find each of you somewhere wonderful with those you want gathered near!
May the world be kind to each of you!
alan
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