Cocktails, Mocktails, and Wine
Today I finished Round Three of chemo! I am one third of the way through the chemotherapy part of my treatment! Yay!
Every round of treatment has been different. There are three chemotherapy drugs that are mixed and matched, two per round, to best slam my cancer. I call these mocktails, since they are SO not as much fun as actual cocktails.
This week's mocktail did not include the dreaded and oh-so-powerful Cisplatin (it's like kryptonite-I'm sure Superman himself would have trouble with it). I am grateful for this omission, but I am still host (literally) to big guns Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide. All chemos have dreadful side effects, these two in particular attack heart and bladder (both of which I have taken for granted, but now am very keen to preserve). They add lots of other stuff to my mocktail to minimize the undesirable side-effects, thank you. One side effect I have been assured that I will not be enduring is testicular pain. Thank God for small favors, and funny nurses.
More good news this week from MSK-my doctors said I can have a glass of wine now - as long as I am not taking narcotics at the same time, of course. I thought that this privilege deserved it's very own, meaningful, beautiful paragraph on this page. I can have wine now. 'ahhhhh.
Up next are scans on 12/20. These will tell us how much prayer and medicine has shrunk the tumor in my bone. Ultimately, they are for the surgeon to plan his surgery by. I told the doctors today that I am going for no visible tumor. Why not go big? Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is, right?!
On that hopefully rousing note (once a cheerleader.....), I am woefully unable to attach a Pixar Short that I have on my iPod, that helped us through John's cancer. We rely on it yet again to bound us through this cancer. I hope you can find it, in English, and it helps you bound through any battle you may be fighting. It is called Boundin'. Try and find it, then watch it, it's totally worth it, I swear! Good luck.
Every round of treatment has been different. There are three chemotherapy drugs that are mixed and matched, two per round, to best slam my cancer. I call these mocktails, since they are SO not as much fun as actual cocktails.
This week's mocktail did not include the dreaded and oh-so-powerful Cisplatin (it's like kryptonite-I'm sure Superman himself would have trouble with it). I am grateful for this omission, but I am still host (literally) to big guns Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide. All chemos have dreadful side effects, these two in particular attack heart and bladder (both of which I have taken for granted, but now am very keen to preserve). They add lots of other stuff to my mocktail to minimize the undesirable side-effects, thank you. One side effect I have been assured that I will not be enduring is testicular pain. Thank God for small favors, and funny nurses.
More good news this week from MSK-my doctors said I can have a glass of wine now - as long as I am not taking narcotics at the same time, of course. I thought that this privilege deserved it's very own, meaningful, beautiful paragraph on this page. I can have wine now. 'ahhhhh.
Up next are scans on 12/20. These will tell us how much prayer and medicine has shrunk the tumor in my bone. Ultimately, they are for the surgeon to plan his surgery by. I told the doctors today that I am going for no visible tumor. Why not go big? Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is, right?!
On that hopefully rousing note (once a cheerleader.....), I am woefully unable to attach a Pixar Short that I have on my iPod, that helped us through John's cancer. We rely on it yet again to bound us through this cancer. I hope you can find it, in English, and it helps you bound through any battle you may be fighting. It is called Boundin'. Try and find it, then watch it, it's totally worth it, I swear! Good luck.
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ReplyDeleteOh Mom, you are such a fantastic person.
ReplyDeleteYour ability to cheer through this is truly inspiring.
Also, you make me laugh so much (thank God you weren't saddled with those pesky testicles (pun intended)).
Ann...you are so right..."no visible tumor" on the scans. Prayers being lifted up to our Savior for your Healing. You are a strong woman. The Lord is strong in your Spirit. God bless you and your family.
ReplyDeleteMy love,
Kathy
Here is the Boundin' Song Lyrics- it is on Itunes and really is great.
ReplyDeleteHere’s a story on how strange is life with its changes
And it happened not long ago.
On a high mountain plain, where the sagebrush arranges
A playground south of the snow
Lived a lamb with a coat of remarkable sheen,
It would glint in the sunlight all sparkly and clean,
Such a source of great pride, that it caused him to preen.
And he’d break out in high stepp’n dance.
He would dance for his neighbors across the way.
I must say that they found his dancin’ enhancin’,
For they’d also join in the play.
Then one day…
Then a-boundin up the slope
Came a great American jackalope.
This sage of the sage, this rare hare of hope,
Caused to pause and check out the lamb.
“Hey kid, why the mope?”
“I used to be something all covered with fluff,
And I’d dance in the sunlight and show off my stuff,
Then they hauled me away in a manner quite rough
And sheared me and dropped me back here in the buff.
And if that’s not enough, now my friends all laugh at me
Cause they think I look ridiculous, funny, and pink.”
“Pink? Pink? Well, what’s wrong with pink?
Seems you’ve got a pink kink in your think.
Does it matter what color? Well, that gets nope.
Be it pink, purple, or heliotrope.
Now sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down,
When you find that you’re down well just look around:
You still got a body, good legs and fine feet,
Get your head in the right place and hey, you’re complete!
“Now as for the dancin’, you can do more,
You can reach great heights, in fact you can soar.
You just get a leg up and ya slap it on down,
And you’ll find you’re up in what’s called a bound.
Bound, bound, and rebound.
Bound and you’re up right next to the sky,
And I think you can do it if you give it a try,
First get a leg up, slap it on down…”
So every year, along about May,
They’d load him up and they’d haul him away,
And they’d shave him and dump him all naked and bare.
He learned to live with it, he didn’t care,
He’d just bound, bound, bound, and rebound.
Now in this world of ups and downs…
So nice to know there are jackalopes aroun
Love and prayers to you all!!
ReplyDeleteThe immense assembly of your thoughts seems absolutely mesmerizing- your bodies words and hearts & minds subjected to your will, and answering to your every thought & sentiment with the speed and exactness of electricity I hear every thought as clear as it was my own. Your pride of character is stimulated in a manner & degree far beyond what I thought could ever reach me in this life - long retirement to which i have withdrawn. I cheer your bravery, courage, and ability to deal with adversity with such a positive heart.... Your heart is enormous and is encouragement for anyone knowing you Ann...... Colt
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful message from anonymous above....You are such a strong and positive woman Ann. I'm having a glass of wine with you!
ReplyDeleteLifting prayers up to the lord for your complete healing....God is great <3
Hi Ann
ReplyDeleteAs the weekend approaches, I am filled with thoughts of you and hoping that the weekend will be 'fun' for you. Anonymous above sent you a beautiful message, and I too think you are amazing. I will have a glass on wine for you on Sunday. YOU will be healed, I just know it. God Love ya!
It is love and encouragement that get me through this every day. Thanks for being with me on this journey.
ReplyDeletelove,
Ann
Nice to have great nurses (they are amazing creatures, aren't they?) ;) love the "will not enduring testicular pain" lol what a great sense of humor in light of the pain u are in...or shall i say heavy....positive attitude is a great pain reducer & laughter, while it may hurt is great over all...happy #3 i am so very much thinking of you...
ReplyDelete"Bound, bound and rebound"....the Ann I know and love! You can do this my friend, testicles or not! And yes....aaaaahhhhhh....the wine is your "pink" and it is a marvelous color on you! Prayers continue from here in Plumas County. We love you Ann. The Murray's
ReplyDelete