Saturday, June 19, 2010

Yesterday I spent the morning traveling through the Sahara with Michael Palin, following camels and Jeeps, in the company of Tuaregs and other nomads. Despite the great distraction I felt restless, uncomfortable and still very weak. I finally gave in to John's urging and call my doctor (imagine that!). Lab work showed I was still low in potassium and newly low in magnesium. Newly fortified with mag ox pills and and an increase in those huge potassium pills I awoke today feeling much better. It is not clear that a few doses of electrolytes really made that much difference, but in combination with the waning of the cis-plat side effects it surely seemed to. The restlessness was from the compazine (for nausea) which I had been taking regularly.

Today I spent outside in the yard, weeding and deadheading and supervising shrub reduction. I call our yard a profusion but John says there are just lots of weeds. It was sunny and breezy, a perfect afternoon. Lola (canine) enjoyed the chance to endlessly chase a tennis ball.

I went wigless today. John had to remind me to wear a hat outdoors for the sake of my naked head. Actually I feel like a little boy who just got his summer haircut. It is an odd sensation to rest my head against a chair and feel the little hairs object if I move the wrong way.

Finally, dinner was of note. Yellow new potatoes with butter and parsley, garlic and balsamic vinegar pork chops and broccoli. A great end to a nice day.

3 comments:

  1. Kay, you are truly fashionable now with your naked head. Every where you turn you see shiny crowns! So, does yours have a nice shape to it? Some do and some don't. I bet yours does. Do you recognize yourself in the mirror?!
    I never knew that potatoes are high in potassium. Jim planted a bunch in the garden so it'll be fun to see how much we get. By the way, I'm sending you a surprise from my Smartypants Book Group. Hope you like it! And as previously mentioned, you're a wonderful writer. I'm glad you're sharing your thoughts and feelings with us. Your fans are keeping you company thru' your trials and tribulations even if it's after the fact. Hi to the chef!

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  2. Hi Kay - I'm back from a great trip to Phoenix. It was a delightful change of pace with no official responsibilities. We stayed in a friend's beautiful home with a pool in the backyard. We were swimming every morning by 6:30 am, then a quick shower before taking turns fixing breakfast for each other with new recipes for easy, healthy meals. Then later in the day a bit of shopping or sightseeing before dinner out at Camelback Inn, the original site of our first gathering in 1984 and other good restaurants. It was all a lot of fun with much laughter and many occasions of faulty memory, which brought on more laughter.

    Today Stuart and family are coming for events associated with a Letcher wedding this weekend. Jean is marrying at the age of 51, for the first time. This is the groom's third. Isabelle will spend tonight with me so her parents can party with the family at a hotel. Of course I'll be in heaven and only wish Dan could be back from FL so he could enjoy her too. However, he's got another week of work so I won't see him until next weekend.

    The only other news from here is that it's HOT!!!! I'm staying in pretty much and using my treadmill instead of walking in the neighborhoods.

    I checked your blog once when I was out of town and will keep an eye on it now that I am home. Hope the week has passed quickly for you and that your discomfort is minimal.

    Love and hugs to you and John,
    Lynn

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  3. Kay,
    You inspire me to go outside with my bare head. Never knew I was so vain until now. While my hair is now coming in as fuzz, it is encouraging to know that it does come back when chemo is completed. Now on my 25th day after chemo. I did get a satin pillowcase early on at Penneys and that has helped with the sleeping. Thought that might be of interest to you. Take care. Thinking of you! Kathy J

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