Day Before PET Scan

Woke up feeling great tody! It is Kelly's 15th birthday  (my granddaughter, Rachel's daughter) . Dale and I bought her the perfect gift months ago but.......... I couldn't find it in that "Perfectly safe place" I had hid it in. We spent a couple hours tearing the house apart knowing she was coming around 1PM to get it. (and I haven't even started chemo yet) I called Rachel to ask her if she had any idea where I might have hid it (like she should know???) She said very calmly "well, mom you took it out to show it to me in your office, have you looked there?) Of course I had!  I went back to look, just in case, and sure enough found it there about 15 minutes before they got here. Here's a couple pictures of their visit:

Kelly with her gifts (perfume and a chinese good luck pig bank with $15 worth of quarters for a 15 yr old)
She loves anything to do with the Chinese Culture

Rachel

Then I look at Alex (Kelly's older sister) and I say "Wow, you have a birthday coming soon too don't you? She says "Yeah, in 3 days". Do I feel like an idiot or what? (I really thought I had more time). So I gave her a couple gifts for HER birthday.......so glad I had them.  Here are a couple more pictures with Alex:

Alex picking out her perfume (good luck piggy bank to the left)

Rachel, Kelly and Alex

After they left I called the American Cancer Society and got a whole bunch of contacts to call.  I am impressed with the information, classes, help, etc that is available from them.  I'm going to a "Look Good, and Feel Good" class on May 9th that is supposed to help me with "options" during my chemo treatment.  I don't know just how "good" a person can look or feel during chemo, but I'm willing to give it the old college try.  I'm also going to go to a Cancer Support Group this Monday evening.  I've always recommended them to patients, I want to give that a try too.  Only another cancer patient can "truly" understand how I feel.

They say it is really important to try and have a really positive experience your first time (with chemo), because our brains imprint the experience, and remember, and make it harder to have a good experience after that if you have had a bad experience, or vice versa. I'm trying.

Then "The Wall" hit.  I am still trying to get used to the fact that I just run out of energy and I am ......done. I haven't even started treatment yet, so I know it has to be "stress". I am constantly surprised at how it can literally affect a person physiologically.  It is real, I am exhausted!  Bummed because I can't get the rest of the stuff done I want to , I look around at my mess and decide to accept it, eat dinner, and get ready to go to bed and read and prepare myself psycologically for my big day tomorrow......The PET scan and echocardiogram.

The door bell rings and by the time I answer it no one is there............just a package waiting. Hmmmmmmmmmm. When I opened it up it is from my dear friend Kathy in Utah (my BYU roommate).  It is a "help me through chemo package" with a cozy blanket to help keep me warm, inspirational pictures, and inspirational music I can listen to during treatment (or any time).  You got it.........I burst into tears again. Thank-you Heavenly Father for such dear angels you sent to me in my life.  I can not express to you the gratitude I feel, the encouragement it gives me, and the arms of love I again feel.  I can't tell you how much I NEED it!  It also makes me acutely aware of how much we all need to be there for each other.  It is part of the plan of life.  If there is someone out there without support, we have got to find them and help them!!!!!!

Once again.......LIFE IS GOOD!  It is truly all about the Love, and gratitude for what we DO have.