Sore, sore, sore. Even on meds. I have a throw pillow tucked under my arm where most of my stitches are, and it helps. If I take the pillow out it starts to ache pretty bad. I'm also perpetually tired, and in this case I'm sleeping as much as possible because I know my body is mending and I want to make it HURRY UP! I'm hoping it won't take more than a couple of days for the pain to subside. Going away entirely would be awesome but I'm not counting on that for awhile yet. ;)
Still, I'm not a complete invalid; I can do lots of stuff with my off-arm (which is also kind of sore because that's where they put my shunt in for chemo). And my hands are fine! I'm so glad I don't have to hunt-and-peck :)
I'm building up some fluid in my lungs a little bit. I'm not too happy about that. I do the clear-out A-HEM-HEM-HEM! every now and then, and I cough once in awhile (though with all the bruising on my torso from the surgery, it kind of hurts).
I had told one of the other teachers that we'd go out to lunch today but that's not looking very likely. I don't know if I'll feel up to Sunday School tomorrow, either. Mostly I just want to be able to move without having to be all slow and careful.
Also, they WERE able to find a sentinel node - apparently, despite my earlier mastectomy, my lymphatic system wasn't damaged in the least. The node appeared just a few minutes after I went into the scanner. Pretty awesome.
Better yet? The biopsy came back negative. Now, in the pathology report from the excision back in June, they also found cancer cells in the blood and nervous system, so I'll still need chemo just in case there are some stray cells that have spread that way, but this was definitely good news.
Well, I made my word count quite handily, so now it is time to tuck back in. Ta!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 30
Today is PAYDAY! I am so psyched. I need to make sure that I take my wallet with me to the hospital today because it's got my insurance card AND my debit card. And I'm going to need both. Probably. Except I let the Hunk take the insurance card when he went to get the sleeping pills for me.
I had originally planned to go for one of my walks this morning, particularly since the first thingumbob they're doing got moved back, so now we don't have to be there until 9. But I figured I needed rest, so I didn't set any alarm (I knew I'd be up WELL in time just to get there). And I woke up certainly early enough for the walk, but it abruptly occurred to me that I'm not supposed to have anything to eat or drink this morning. And I am always so so thirsty when I get back from my walk. So no walk this morning. I'm going to be hungry and thirsty ENOUGH by the time I get through all this today. Don't need to go making it worse.
Plus they're going to have me pee in a cup when I get there and if I go exercise I'll sweat everything out of me and I won't have anything left for the cup! Can't have that now.
We went out to eat again last night. Local place. Absolutely AMAZING FOOD. Food that soothes, relaxes, charms, and seduces. Oh, it was delightful. Happy birthday, Mom!
I'm debating whether to bother bringing my unit plans along today. I don't know that I'm going to have any time to work - it sounds like there might be an army coming to the hospital for support! lol.
I still really believe that human nature is pretty sucky... but there are quite a few people, it seems, who do an admirable job of acting against nature.
yay!
I had originally planned to go for one of my walks this morning, particularly since the first thingumbob they're doing got moved back, so now we don't have to be there until 9. But I figured I needed rest, so I didn't set any alarm (I knew I'd be up WELL in time just to get there). And I woke up certainly early enough for the walk, but it abruptly occurred to me that I'm not supposed to have anything to eat or drink this morning. And I am always so so thirsty when I get back from my walk. So no walk this morning. I'm going to be hungry and thirsty ENOUGH by the time I get through all this today. Don't need to go making it worse.
Plus they're going to have me pee in a cup when I get there and if I go exercise I'll sweat everything out of me and I won't have anything left for the cup! Can't have that now.
We went out to eat again last night. Local place. Absolutely AMAZING FOOD. Food that soothes, relaxes, charms, and seduces. Oh, it was delightful. Happy birthday, Mom!
I'm debating whether to bother bringing my unit plans along today. I don't know that I'm going to have any time to work - it sounds like there might be an army coming to the hospital for support! lol.
I still really believe that human nature is pretty sucky... but there are quite a few people, it seems, who do an admirable job of acting against nature.
yay!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 29
So I'm a bit late this morning and I might not make my word count even after I've shortened it.
I got up early! yay! I had the alarm set for 6:15 and I woke up a few minutes after six. So I got up and got dressed and went for my walk. I added in a little more running and LET ME TELL YOU, my body is NOT happy about that. I have a general low-key ache all over.
The Hunk went with me, which was pretty cool. He had stayed up all night again (he's a crazy night owl like that) and was up when I got up. So anyway I got home and showered and he made pancakes! Isn't he the bestest? So obviously I couldn't get my writing done then because the pancakes would've got cold!
I also did another load of laundry. That's another annoying thing about exercising: more laundry! I get home and I feel absolutely gross. I mean, I feel so gross that I don't want to take off my gross clothes because peeling them off my body is even grosser. Yurgh. But I dropped them in the washer and then I got in the shower and ahhhh, the hot water was soothing and it felt so good to lather up and scrub away all the yuck.
Mommy is here with us. She got in late last night (I was already asleep - yay pills!) and we're going over to her house in just a bit to make sure the AC is back on. You don't want to be without AC in July around here, that's for sure!
Oo, I hear her coming down the hall. Looks like it's time to go!
I got up early! yay! I had the alarm set for 6:15 and I woke up a few minutes after six. So I got up and got dressed and went for my walk. I added in a little more running and LET ME TELL YOU, my body is NOT happy about that. I have a general low-key ache all over.
The Hunk went with me, which was pretty cool. He had stayed up all night again (he's a crazy night owl like that) and was up when I got up. So anyway I got home and showered and he made pancakes! Isn't he the bestest? So obviously I couldn't get my writing done then because the pancakes would've got cold!
I also did another load of laundry. That's another annoying thing about exercising: more laundry! I get home and I feel absolutely gross. I mean, I feel so gross that I don't want to take off my gross clothes because peeling them off my body is even grosser. Yurgh. But I dropped them in the washer and then I got in the shower and ahhhh, the hot water was soothing and it felt so good to lather up and scrub away all the yuck.
Mommy is here with us. She got in late last night (I was already asleep - yay pills!) and we're going over to her house in just a bit to make sure the AC is back on. You don't want to be without AC in July around here, that's for sure!
Oo, I hear her coming down the hall. Looks like it's time to go!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 28
So when I went for my pre-testing yesterday I found out I'd lost six pounds! WHEE! So, I'm pretty happy about that, obviously. If I continue to eat sensibly and keep up my training I should be able to do the half-marathon in February!
It's going to be tough to do that once school starts. Even when I get going at six, I don't get back to the house until almost 7:30, which is about the time I need to BE at school. And it is SOOO hot in the afternoons. Plus I'll probably be doing my therapy after school as well. What I need to find is someplace that has an indoor track that I can use for a couple of months, just until things start cooling off again.
Today I didn't go on my walk until after seven, though. Why? Thanks to the MIRACLES OF MODERN SCIENCE, guess who slept for nine hours last night? ME! I did have my alarm set for five minutes to five, but when it went off I sat up, turned it off, thought it over and decided that another hour of delicious sleep would be worth walking in slightly-higher temperatures.
Slight downside: I didn't get to see my friend the hawk this morning. Bigger upside: I did get to see his girlfriend. She's sleeker, and leans toward a darker brown. He's more reddish.
So anyway, when I went in for pre-testing the nice lady was telling me about what I can and can't do before surgery (nothing to eat or drink after midnight, no NSAIDs, etc) and I asked if there was any way I could get something to help me relax because I've been so stressed that I just can't sleep for more than a few hours at a time, if that. So the one doctor called in a prescription for Ambien!
I was hoping for something to calm my nerves rather than just to help me sleep, but now that I've actually RESTED, imagine, my nerves are much calmer!
It's going to be tough to do that once school starts. Even when I get going at six, I don't get back to the house until almost 7:30, which is about the time I need to BE at school. And it is SOOO hot in the afternoons. Plus I'll probably be doing my therapy after school as well. What I need to find is someplace that has an indoor track that I can use for a couple of months, just until things start cooling off again.
Today I didn't go on my walk until after seven, though. Why? Thanks to the MIRACLES OF MODERN SCIENCE, guess who slept for nine hours last night? ME! I did have my alarm set for five minutes to five, but when it went off I sat up, turned it off, thought it over and decided that another hour of delicious sleep would be worth walking in slightly-higher temperatures.
Slight downside: I didn't get to see my friend the hawk this morning. Bigger upside: I did get to see his girlfriend. She's sleeker, and leans toward a darker brown. He's more reddish.
So anyway, when I went in for pre-testing the nice lady was telling me about what I can and can't do before surgery (nothing to eat or drink after midnight, no NSAIDs, etc) and I asked if there was any way I could get something to help me relax because I've been so stressed that I just can't sleep for more than a few hours at a time, if that. So the one doctor called in a prescription for Ambien!
I was hoping for something to calm my nerves rather than just to help me sleep, but now that I've actually RESTED, imagine, my nerves are much calmer!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 27
Oo, I tired.
After struggling through my unit sequence yesterday, I was all jumbled up inside. It didn't help that it was raining and the internet connection was spotty (though I'm not sure why; it's not like we have satellite internet or anything).
I just had this knot of tension right below my solar plexus. And the tension kept spreading. My stomach tightened and I was slightly nauseous; I could feel stiffness in my upper back. I tried to do some slow, deep breathing, but it was like there was this silk cord tied around my ribcage. My lungs just would not expand that last 25% or so. I even went for a walk IN THE RAIN to try to burn off some of that nervous energy. Didn't help much.
Bless his heart, I have the best husband in the world. Night before last, the Hunk made brownies for me (of course he had some too!) and last night he was visiting friends and came back early because when I called to ask him to bring me something on his way home he could tell I was upset.
It's frustrating, because I need to be able to sleep through the night. (I woke up around two.) I mean, I'll probably be able to nap later today, but supposedly that's just not as healthful as getting a full night's sleep. And it makes me mad, because it's not like there's anything to DO at 3 AM anyway!
I'll probably put dishes away here in a bit and then when it hits 9:00 I'm going to call the doctor and ask if he has any suggestions. Besides alcohol - it helps, but I can't go around perpetually tipsy!
After struggling through my unit sequence yesterday, I was all jumbled up inside. It didn't help that it was raining and the internet connection was spotty (though I'm not sure why; it's not like we have satellite internet or anything).
I just had this knot of tension right below my solar plexus. And the tension kept spreading. My stomach tightened and I was slightly nauseous; I could feel stiffness in my upper back. I tried to do some slow, deep breathing, but it was like there was this silk cord tied around my ribcage. My lungs just would not expand that last 25% or so. I even went for a walk IN THE RAIN to try to burn off some of that nervous energy. Didn't help much.
Bless his heart, I have the best husband in the world. Night before last, the Hunk made brownies for me (of course he had some too!) and last night he was visiting friends and came back early because when I called to ask him to bring me something on his way home he could tell I was upset.
It's frustrating, because I need to be able to sleep through the night. (I woke up around two.) I mean, I'll probably be able to nap later today, but supposedly that's just not as healthful as getting a full night's sleep. And it makes me mad, because it's not like there's anything to DO at 3 AM anyway!
I'll probably put dishes away here in a bit and then when it hits 9:00 I'm going to call the doctor and ask if he has any suggestions. Besides alcohol - it helps, but I can't go around perpetually tipsy!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 26
Well, this morning I found out that the temperature yesterday was not due to how early it was. I set my alarm so that I could have a nice cool walk again, and I actually sat up and looked at the clock a minute before the alarm even went off. (Although I was really checking to see if it would be worth it to go back to sleep. Answer? NO.)
So I drudged out of bed and got dressed, got my little Sansa and went outside and MAN, it sure is muggy. Ugh. So, clearly, yesterday was just a fluke. Or who knows - perhaps today is. At any rate, I was NOT a happy cookie. It didn't help that I had not yet even gotten to the park and my Sansa shuts off because I had not charged the battery in days.
Darnit.
The Hunk made brownies last night, too. I had one then and I am probably going to have one this morning. So there.
I hope to be able to stay up until at least nine so that I can call the doctor's office to say WHAT GIVES? And then I will probably go back to bed.
My feet are sore. I don't seem to have any blisters. Besides, they are not that KIND of sore. They just kind of ache.
I am also still tweaking my unit sequence. I am going to move my book club unit to the end of the year, because putting it AND the poetry unit before winter break is going to squeeze both of them. And I really really hope I can go to the NCTE convention the week before our Thanksgiving break, which means that's another week that I would not be able to teach, which would mean those units would be squeezed even more.
Woo! that's 305. Ta, all!
So I drudged out of bed and got dressed, got my little Sansa and went outside and MAN, it sure is muggy. Ugh. So, clearly, yesterday was just a fluke. Or who knows - perhaps today is. At any rate, I was NOT a happy cookie. It didn't help that I had not yet even gotten to the park and my Sansa shuts off because I had not charged the battery in days.
Darnit.
The Hunk made brownies last night, too. I had one then and I am probably going to have one this morning. So there.
I hope to be able to stay up until at least nine so that I can call the doctor's office to say WHAT GIVES? And then I will probably go back to bed.
My feet are sore. I don't seem to have any blisters. Besides, they are not that KIND of sore. They just kind of ache.
I am also still tweaking my unit sequence. I am going to move my book club unit to the end of the year, because putting it AND the poetry unit before winter break is going to squeeze both of them. And I really really hope I can go to the NCTE convention the week before our Thanksgiving break, which means that's another week that I would not be able to teach, which would mean those units would be squeezed even more.
Woo! that's 305. Ta, all!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Discipline Update & Freewrite: July 25
Boy am I sleepy! But I have redone my unit sequence and I am almost done planning out the first unit. Hurray! You know, it's amazing what you can get done if you don't sleep.
Yep, that would be right. I did try to go to bed around ten or so, but I just could NOT chill out enough to actually get to sleep. For some reason I have just been sooo wired. I think it may be because my planning-for-school mojo has kicked into high gear. When I was cleaning - was it yesterday? - I got done with putting things away in the small bathroom and it was time to go through my school stuff. And that started things percolating in my brain.
But I also discovered that I much prefer going for my walk at about six.
Oo. Of course, I may look at these after I actually get a chance to get some sleep and go What were you thinking, Clicky? Ah well.
Anyway, it was just starting to get light when I headed out. It may have even been below 80. I had my little Sansa Clip that I love so much, and the Hunk's headphones (my favorites) and I cued up my "Inspire" playlist. It starts out with "Flying" and then goes to "Go the Distance," both Disney tunes, to help me remember my goals.
So I walked over to the park and I did FIVE LAPS today. I ran the top loop of the lap on laps one, three, and five. I figure that more than made up for the chips and candy that I scarfed down when we went to go see The Sorcerer's Apprentice yesterday.
It was neat to watch the sky turn from deep murky blue to a lighter bluey gray. After a bit I could see the outline of clouds where they got reflected light from below the horizon. The streetlamps went out one by one, but it still stayed relatively cool. The hawk who lives in a tree in the middle of the lower loop came out; whether he was hunting or just defending his turf I can not be sure. Maybe both.
Also it was not the least bit crowded. I only saw one other person walking, though I did see a couple of cars.
There are definitely quite a few benefits to walking early-early in the morning.
Right now we are at IHOP. But I have been very, very good. I have continued working on my lesson plans, and I also requested a box with my order. I ate the two fried eggs and the hash browns and half a piece of sausage, but I put the two pancakes and the rest of the sausage in my to-go box. The sausages should reheat nicely; we'll see about the pancakes.
Unfortunately IHOP does not have free wireless, so it will be a little bit yet before this gets posted. But at any rate I am fairly sure I have met my word count. Yey!
Yep, that would be right. I did try to go to bed around ten or so, but I just could NOT chill out enough to actually get to sleep. For some reason I have just been sooo wired. I think it may be because my planning-for-school mojo has kicked into high gear. When I was cleaning - was it yesterday? - I got done with putting things away in the small bathroom and it was time to go through my school stuff. And that started things percolating in my brain.
But I also discovered that I much prefer going for my walk at about six.
Oo. Of course, I may look at these after I actually get a chance to get some sleep and go What were you thinking, Clicky? Ah well.
Anyway, it was just starting to get light when I headed out. It may have even been below 80. I had my little Sansa Clip that I love so much, and the Hunk's headphones (my favorites) and I cued up my "Inspire" playlist. It starts out with "Flying" and then goes to "Go the Distance," both Disney tunes, to help me remember my goals.
So I walked over to the park and I did FIVE LAPS today. I ran the top loop of the lap on laps one, three, and five. I figure that more than made up for the chips and candy that I scarfed down when we went to go see The Sorcerer's Apprentice yesterday.
It was neat to watch the sky turn from deep murky blue to a lighter bluey gray. After a bit I could see the outline of clouds where they got reflected light from below the horizon. The streetlamps went out one by one, but it still stayed relatively cool. The hawk who lives in a tree in the middle of the lower loop came out; whether he was hunting or just defending his turf I can not be sure. Maybe both.
Also it was not the least bit crowded. I only saw one other person walking, though I did see a couple of cars.
There are definitely quite a few benefits to walking early-early in the morning.
Right now we are at IHOP. But I have been very, very good. I have continued working on my lesson plans, and I also requested a box with my order. I ate the two fried eggs and the hash browns and half a piece of sausage, but I put the two pancakes and the rest of the sausage in my to-go box. The sausages should reheat nicely; we'll see about the pancakes.
Unfortunately IHOP does not have free wireless, so it will be a little bit yet before this gets posted. But at any rate I am fairly sure I have met my word count. Yey!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Once, in a litte house surrounded by tall trees and grass...
... there lived someone who didn't like to write.
The name of the blog is a hat tip to Justine Larbalestier, who is a lovely writer and a lovely person.
She suggested giving your in-progress writing project a working title. This helps set your project apart from others and helps you think of it as something "real." I liked her idea so much that I appropriated it for this blog.
I had been concerned that my freewrites were kind of taking over Epic Adventures, so I decided to create a separate blog for my writing foibles. I also had been grinding out seven hundred fifty words, and it was taking forever, so I cut my word count requirement to two hundred fifty, with the goal of also creating a "real" blog post each day instead of getting bogged down with the freewrite.
That would be the idea, anyway. I stayed up late last night - AGAIN - and so I woke up kind of late but I still went on my walk. Unfortunately, I had also taken some NyQuil before I went to bed, and even though it's supposed to be four-hour medicine I was still feeling kind of groggy. So after getting cleaned up and relaxing a bit, I went back to bed.
Which means that I got up to do my freewrite and the Hunk is already awake and about. Usually it's just me. So he's over at the other computer watching Hellboy II, and it's kind of distracting. ;)
Lesson learned: do the freewrite before the Hunk gets up. *grin*
The name of the blog is a hat tip to Justine Larbalestier, who is a lovely writer and a lovely person.
She suggested giving your in-progress writing project a working title. This helps set your project apart from others and helps you think of it as something "real." I liked her idea so much that I appropriated it for this blog.
I had been concerned that my freewrites were kind of taking over Epic Adventures, so I decided to create a separate blog for my writing foibles. I also had been grinding out seven hundred fifty words, and it was taking forever, so I cut my word count requirement to two hundred fifty, with the goal of also creating a "real" blog post each day instead of getting bogged down with the freewrite.
That would be the idea, anyway. I stayed up late last night - AGAIN - and so I woke up kind of late but I still went on my walk. Unfortunately, I had also taken some NyQuil before I went to bed, and even though it's supposed to be four-hour medicine I was still feeling kind of groggy. So after getting cleaned up and relaxing a bit, I went back to bed.
Which means that I got up to do my freewrite and the Hunk is already awake and about. Usually it's just me. So he's over at the other computer watching Hellboy II, and it's kind of distracting. ;)
Lesson learned: do the freewrite before the Hunk gets up. *grin*
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