Chemo and Creativity

So darnit (?!) my bloodcounts were good and I was a "go" to get chemo today. I spent from 9am - 230pm at the chemo suite today, giving my blood and "infusing" and then they hooked me up to a portable pump ("Fillup"). I'll go in on Wednesday to get "DCed" (disconnected). So far, so good.

The first few days of chemo aren't so bad, except the being tied to a portable pump and the time spent infusing. You even get a little chemo high rush from all of the pre-meds and "roids" (steroids).

So I like to take advantage of those highs. On my way home from chemo I stopped at Hollywood Video and rented the last CD of the last season of 24 because for some reason, my husband and I never saw the season finale. And we LOVE this show. I also rented the first CD of the 1st season of Sex and the City because several people told me "you have to go see this movie". And I've never seen an episode. I figure I can watch it on the portable DVD player or my Ipod while I'm at chemo for 6 hours every other week. That ought to catch me up quick ya think? But geez, was that show really on for at least 6 seasons? That's a lot of catching up. Maybe if I just get the gist of the characters.

I also stopped at the post office to mail several things. A birthday card and little gift to my friend Amanda (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY 6/9!), a gift to someone special (It's a suprise!) from Simba. A copy of the Write Around Portland anthology (in which my poem was published) to my motherinlaw in California, some more Christmas cards/letters (if you haven't gotten yours, it's possible I don't have your updated address!!! Email me!), a congrats card for my sister in law who made "Phi Beta Kappa (is that the honor society one?) at Mill's College (you rock Ali!) and a card to let my friend Teri know I'm thinking about her after the loss of her husband. I've learned from a lot of you (and especially Teri Cutts and Chris Taub) about how meaningful it is to send a card every week or so to let people going through hard times know you're thinking abou them.

Once I got home, I organized and prepped dinner: Maple Marinated Roasted wild Alaskan Salmon (Paris' recipe!), baked potatoes with organic sour cream and chives, organic steamed asparagus and spinach salad with strawberries and sautayed almonds, organic of course. The reason I tell you this is that this is impressive for me. I never have the time or energy or oranizational and time management skills to cook like this. And everyone is never home at the same time during dinner time. Well, dinner for us will be around 830ish but at least we're together. And schools out for summer!

While dinner was baking/steaming/sautaying, I made and finished my cards for Jessie and Kaelin's 2nd and 3rd grade teachers, who happened to be married! I made them a quick card to send dance recital tickets to them! It's for her "Spider Dance". This will be the first time I post anything creative, besides writing, which I have done on my blog. Look out! Don't get too excited, I literally threw these together while dinner was in. So don't expect masterpieces that will ooh and aaah you! It was easy to use the Hot Off the Press Finished in a Flash kits (Halloween) and Use Em For Anything (Citrus papers and Monograms), because everything was there in one place and coordinated. I used Paper Zone cards/envies, which I love and want to marry. Check me out!!!

From my weekend list, I pretty much got everything done except cleaning our downstairs bathroom and changing the sheets on my bed. Dave will help with the sheets and who knows about the bathroom. Maybe I can get Spencer to do it for money. He's really motivated right now. He's been doing the laundry for me the last few days. $1 a load to wash, dry and fold. He doesn't get an allowance, but he gets certain amounts for certain jobs. He has a list he can choose from. He also has jobs he has to do daily/weekly that he doesn't get paid for. Not sure if this is the smartest parenting or not, but we do the best we can. Read about this somewhere along the way.

Well, I've talked your ear off. Tomorrow is a special day. Well, not sure special is the word. Monumental is more like it. I'll share tomorrow...

xoxoxo

Shauna

ps. it's NEVER too late to send a card to someone! If you want to support and participate in the card shower for a 13 year old cancer patient named Jessie, mail your card to:

"B+" Jessie

P.O.Box 538

Monrovia, CA 91017

I can tell you from experience that getting cards, especially in the mail, means a lot to someone fighting cancer. It makes you feel less alone and it lets you know that people care. That there is hope. That you can do this. You can fight. You've got people in your corner. Behind you. Thinking of you.