In Which Cancer fills the Calendar

“What fresh hell is this?” –attributed to Dorothy Parker

Cancer has filled our calendar, and at the same time, too much is still unknown. My surgery date is set, two pre-op procedures are scheduled, and the follow-up appointment is on the chart.

And yet, it’s not enough. Chuck volunteers at the local history museum. He’s a docent, and a darn good one. He needs to give the museum director his availability for January, and he can’t. There’s too much pending. I expect radiation therapy to follow the surgery, but that’s too far out to call.

On the positive side, we don’t have to reschedule Christmas. That may not sound like a big deal to some, but when there’s a person with autism in the household, it matters.

I’m the prep in advance type, and this year I’ve been even more busy than ever with shopping and wrapping. Now that I know my surgery is a few days post-Christmas, I can relax a little. A little, mind you. I expect at least one package on my doorstep in the next few days, and I need to pick up chocolate for Christmas Eve. I already have books.

So, readers, on we go. There’s more anxiety around the corner, but at least the gifts are wrapped. Mostly. Wish me luck, folks.

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Upright and Not Crying

According to social media, there’s a Norwegian saying that works like “Not unwell, thank you” or “I’m okay, I guess.”

When asked, “How are you? How ya doing?” a Norwegian might respond, “Upright and not crying.”

According to family genealogy research, Ancestry, and the now defunct 21 and Me, I have a fair amount of Norwegian in my background. I could adopt this as my new script. For example, I walked into my audiologist’s office for new hearing aids – in my world, that’s exciting! He greeted me with “Welcome back! How are you today?” Upright and Not Crying would have worked perfectly. The new technology is always fun to learn and enjoyable to start putting to use. I told him that despite my breast cancer diagnosis, I was happy to get the new amplifiers in my ears. The new hearing aids provided a positive moment in a world that right now has me surrounded by negatives.

So far today, I’ve experienced a drive home from Milwaukee in bitter cold weather with coffee and a Denver omelet on a croissant to keep me warm and make an effort to eat the opponent: Broncos. See what I did there? Go! Pack! Go!

I’m unpacked, sipping cappuccino, and nibbling on cookies. Now it’s time to remain upright and watch the Packers.

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Cancer Craziness

My phone’s recent calls list Cancer Center, the Cancer Coordinator, the Surgeon’s Office, my primary care doc, and even the Genetics Department. It’s been quite a  roller coaster ride.

Two weeks ago, I had my annual mammogram. I get one annually rather than every two years because of my family history. This mammogram showed a new growth on the right.

One week ago, I had a biopsy of the right breast.

By the list of calls, you can infer that the biopsy showed the new growth is, indeed, cancerous. Invasive ductile carcinoma, to be specific. Go ahead and do an Internet search on it. I’m not planning on it. That’s a bit too much at this point in the game.

Timing is either great or awful – not that I had a choice in the matter. December is a big month for the barbershop chorus. They have three shows: the Barbershop Bistro dinner, the main Christmas show, and a show at a local senior living home. I have no idea how my surgeries and appointments will interfere with getting Amigo to his shows and seeing the shows myself. That’s the bad side.

On the good side, it’s not prime canning and preserving season. I have a pantry and freezer full of foodstuffs for the family. If money gets tight during treatment, grocery shopping won’t be too much worse than usual.

Also on the positive side, I’m one of Those People: I shop early for holiday gifts. With a number of birthdays in November, December, and January, I plan ahead. I could stop shopping right now and everyone would have gifts. Nothing is wrapped, but I can cope with that. I don’t buy wrapping paper; haven’t in years, but that’s another post altogether.

At this point, I’m impatient and nervous. I meet with the surgeon on Monday to make a plan for treatment. Readers, I’ll keep you up to date as to what’s happening and how I’m feeling about it. Cancer, basically, sucks.

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Crock Pots and Me

I remember a day when I asked Chuck to bring up the two biggest crock pots from the basement so I could begin processing tomato sauce. My sister-in-law asked, “Daisy, how many crock pots do you have?”

I couldn’t answer immediately. I had to think about it. Back in the heyday of the Mom Blogs there was a blog called Crock Pot 365; her goal was to use a slow cooker of some type or size every day for a year. I loved her recipes. Me? I don’t use them every day, but I do use them often.

On the left: butternut squash, simmering until suppertime. I’ll serve it mashed with butter and brown sugar.

On the right: the Little Dipper, with a chopped apple and caramel. A side dish with lunch.

How many do I own? Let’s see: three large (6 quart), two medium (3 or 4 quart size), the Little Dipper, and a Medium Dipper (2 quart). That’s seven – and that’s not counting the old one in the garage that we don’t use for food. It’s handy for a number of tasks.

Could I use a slow cooker every day for a year? Maybe. I’m more likely to pull out the big ones for canning projects like broth or tomato sauces. The 3 and 4 quart sizes are the ones I use the most. Chili, soups, fall basics. Today, butternut squash. During apple season, the Little Dipper is handy. Today it holds one large Honey Crisp apple, chopped, and a spoonful of caramel for a topping. Not only can this apple treat be a side dish, but I’ve added caramel apples like these to oatmeal or Dutch baby pancakes. Yum!

Eating the Opponent: New York Giants still remains. Since the Giants actually play in New Jersey, we’re going to start with Jersey Bagels. New York style pizza is an option, but we’ve had a lot of pizza lately. We might want to go a different route. Stay tuned, readers. Our Packers seem to need all the help they can get.

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Eating the Opponent: Cleveland

“Eating” the Cleveland Browns wasn’t easy. Cleveland, dear readers, has a lot in common with Milwaukee. My Internet searches found references to Lake Erie perch or cod. Would a Lake Michigan fish fry count? It’s Great Lakes fish. Pierogies and polska kielbasa were options, too. I found terrific pierogies at a Polish deli in Milwaukee when I was bunny-sitting for La Petite. I’m certain we have a polska kielbasa in ring bologna form in our freezer.

Then we found the Polish Boy sandwich. Polish sausage, with coleslaw and French fries piled on it, topped with barbecue sauce. Nope. This pile of foodstuffs, no matter how yummy, wasn’t going to cut it in our house.

We cut down the Polish Boy to a simple Polish sausage on a bun with pierogies on the side. We got our pierogies from the grocery store because we weren’t going to be in Milwaukee this week. Added a fresh peach from the farm stand, and that was supper.

We made an effort, Packers. Jordan Love and company will need to do the rest. Go! Pack! Go!

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Foot, Feet, more foot, sore foot

I opened up my dashboard to find that all of my recent posts have to do with my right foot and its healing status. Well, folks, I have some reasonably good news to share this time.

The joint fusion was successful! I can start wearing shoes again. I plan to ease into it by wearing shoes in the morning and the surgical shoe (not the Big Ugly Boot) in the afternoon. There is still swelling, so I’ll adjust to that by taking the transition slowly.

The second toe still has issued, but they’re fixable (#ToeTwoTendonTrouble). The tendon is pulling the toe under the Big Toe, so doc wants to loosen the tendon. It’s an in-office procedure, no major surgery this time, and I can wear shoe until that day. I’ll be in the surgical shoe or sandals for a little while after that.

With all of the above in mind, I wore a shoe on my right foot all morning. I’m currently in my surgical shoe, sitting on the couch, letting the Milwaukee Brewers entertain me. Go Brew Crew!!

Wish me luck and good vibes, folks. I hope to have more interesting posts in the future as my mobility improves.

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The Agony of the Feet

To be clear, it’s the right foot again. In February, I had a somewhat routine fix – a bunion and preventive procedure for two tiny hammertoes. In March, I tripped. Big time. Stubbed the toes badly enough to need the surgery redone and the ligaments surrounding the big toe sewn up.

Now it’s April (Cue deep sigh of self pity here). Bone healed well; soft tissue did not. The ligaments are pulling the toe out of position (again) and causing pain. I dug through my closet and found exactly one pair of shoes that I can wear with minimal pain, and I’m wearing them for yard work. Again, minimal. The next surgery, a joint fusion, will happen in mid May.

Ugh. And double Ugh. I’m doing what I can while I can and getting the tomato and pepper seedlings ready to plant. The re-landscaping of the front yard may fall on Chuck. We’ve been planning since last fall, and we picked up containers (big ones!) for that project. I’ll help prep the containers and plant if we can do it before my surgery. I’m even setting up containers on our deck so I can maintain them without going up or down stairs. Getting my hands in the dirt is emotionally healing, so having plants around is a priority.

Unfortunately, this surgery will require absolutely no weight bearing for two weeks. I’ve reserved a knee scooter and I’ve been adding to my Kindle. Recommendations and books are welcome (I’m looking at you, Green Girl!). I’ve contacted a local candidate I support and offered to volunteer from my home (my couch) and I might help a local organization with their grant writing. All those factors should help keep me busy enough to prevent excessive self-pity.

Readers, this is a lousy situation, but it could be worse.

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Starting Over Again

I’m starting over and looking at six weeks of healing for the right foot. Lots of resting and elevating, reading books, icing once every hour (at least for a few days) and just general bump on a log activity. Like, no activity.

Back story: on February 1, I had surgery to repair a bunion and two tiny hammertoes on my right foot. The second and third toes, tiny as they are, healed beautifully. Getting the pins pulled out wasn’t pretty, but neither was it awful. Those toes look great now.

The big toe, however, encountered a problem. I tripped. I wasn’t wearing my boot, and I stubbed my toe. Stubbed it hard. Yes, folks, it hurt, enough so that I may have let loose a few four letter words. I was loud enough that Chuck came running across the house to ask, “Are you okay? What happened?” I sniffled and told him I’d bumped my toe. Sniff. Sob.

Move the calendar ahead a few days to my follow-up appointment and the removal of the pins. The doctor came in the room, took one look at the big toe, and almost shouted, “What happened?! This toe was perfectly straight the last time I saw you!” I sheepishly explained what had happened as she examined the crooked toe that by now was at a 45 degree angle from the foot. She immediately scheduled me for repair surgery.

I told you she scheduled me immediately, right? I saw her in the office on Monday, and I found myself in the surgical center three days later, on Thursday. Surgeon (let’s call her Dr. Toes) put the bone back in place and repaired the soft tissue, ligaments and tendons, around the toe.

And here I am, once again, sitting on the couch. There’s a basket on the end table with almost anything I could need: hearing aid batteries, lip balm, lotion, my medicines, hair scrunchies, and more. I’m watching a marathon of Homestead Rescue and reading a book on my Kindle. I have the Harry Potter series next to me, too, ready for a reread.

Readers, do you have any recommendations? Books I should read while I’m resting and healing? I’ll find them on Paperback Swap or download them to my Kindle. Thanks for your help during this long healing process!

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The Fairies are Back!

Have you wondered what happened to the Fabled Fairies of Thanksgiving? They made an appearance several years ago, along with a Butterball turkey. Covid19 put a stop to family gatherings for a while, but now it’s time for the Fabled Fairies of Thanksgiving to come out of hiding and help us again!

 Thanksgiving Dinner? No problem! I’ll call in the fairies. They’ll do everything.

The laundry fairy washes, dries, and presses the table linens, including the cloth napkins. If she’s feeling generous, the sheets and towels might get folded, too.
The turkey fairy will practice her specialty and make sure the bird is cooked and carved just in time for dinner. White meat and dark, it’ll all be juicy and savory and leave just enough leftovers for sandwiches and a turkey noodle soup.
The baker fairy will take care of pies, pumpkin and otherwise. He’s an expert on flaky crust, selected spices, and the perfect portion of whipped cream. Don’t let that Simple Simon guy get in the way; the kitchen’s too small for anyone who begs to taste the wares.
The brownie — the cunning little house elf — will clean the home thoroughly, put the leaf in the big table, and get the extra chairs out of the basement.
I wouldn’t dream of neglecting the wine fairy: the sommelier so tiny she only recommends, never lifts, a bottle. Her taste is impeccable. Now if we could stop her before she over-imbibes and falls asleep on top of the piano…
Did I mention the decorator fairy? She’ll fix the fireplace mantel with something tasteful and seasonal before she makes sure the couch and rocker are properly arranged for the annual holiday gladiator contests known as NFL football.
The ambiance fairy keeps the wood fire crackling in the fireplace, the aromas wafting deliciously through the home, and the family discussions neutral and apolitical.
The kitchen fairies: really, there must be a whole crew of these talented sprites. One to do the shopping early and avoid the crowds, another to make sure the cranberries are perfect (and local, of course), and a magical maestro with the potato masher. Then we’ll need a feisty fairy, one with attitude — yes, you, Tinkerbell, you can make the coffees.

Mom, you can send the fairies over to my house now that we’re hosting the annual family Thanksgiving dinner. Let them know that I’ll have their room ready and their favorite cookies baked. If they arrive on Sunday there should be enough time to get everything done.

Wait. What do you mean…they’re…not….real?

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Distraction and Harmony

I arrived at the clinic a wee bit nervous for my third ultrasound guided knee injection. Don’t look it up; you’ll shudder. The first was fine, the second a week later more painful, and I imagined the third injection would increase the pain factor.

Well, Expert Doctor asked me how my weekend had been. I told the doc and nurse all about our weekend in the Minnie Apple for barbershop chorus competition. Amigo’s chorus gets better every year. Two of the quartets associated with our chorus came away with trophies, too. Add to that the simple pleasure of being surrounded by vocal music at a high competitive level all weekend long and–

The shot was finished before I knew it started.

On the medical side: I’m walking much better than I was six weeks ago when I could barely cross a room without tears. The set of three injections made a major impact.

On the musical side, the weekend was wonderful. Next up: Veteran’s Day program and Christmas concerts.

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