A couple of times I experienced pre-seizure-type activity. My chest would begin to quiver but I was able to control it with relaxation and touch as I described during the hospital stay for seizure activity in February. So, I didn’t need to take extra medication, which was good.
Susanne did fix a couple of new food items this week sweetened with agave (sweetener from a cactus plant) to appeal to my sweet-tooth without adding sugar into the diet. One was strawberry sorbet and the other was banana-date nut bread.
On Tuesday, we had a new garage door installed to replace the one from 1956 that came with the house and no longer worked.
On Friday, 8-8-08, We thoroughly enjoyed watching the Olympics opening ceremonies….awesome and very dignified. The opening drumming was particularly moving. Those of you who know what our TV is like and that we never watch TV will be amazed that we actually sat and enjoyed the fuzzy performance!
On Saturday, I had a mini-reunion with guys that I was in an Astronomy Club with during high school (during the 1960’s). Turns out that two of them, who are still involved with the club, one currently acting as president, had been recently wondering whatever happened to me. A few days later, I found one of them on FaceBook. He was pretty surprised! Back in the 60’s (the club started in 1963) we were just a bunch of high school guys with telescopes. They have since purchased land and built an observatory, which I’m looking forward to seeing. We were supposed to be stargazing together last night, but rain dampened the event. I was having difficulty walking, but the park had a wheelchair, so Susanne pushed me around. We saw a makeshift indoor planetarium show, visited with the guys a bit, and headed home.
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The rest of the story…
Monday for me was an annual medical checkup with a doctor I’ve seen for about 15 years. He knew about Craig’s situation and spent a few minutes compassionately checking in with me about how I was doing emotionally and let me know he was always available for support. Nice! A number of people in my support group are on anti-anxiety or anti-depressant pills, and he asked me whether I felt the need for them. We agreed not now. I told him I appreciated his asking me and not just writing out the prescription.
Support group was difficult this week…at least three people with loved ones close to dying. One of them died yesterday…glioblastoma patient. Different from Craig, of course…less operable and all that, but still too close to home.
Thursday morning was a bit scary. Craig was too weak to even carry his breakfast and lunch trays out to the back porch to eat. It’s hard watching him walk so shakily right now, too. He’s back showering downstairs where there are bars to hold onto, and we are having bars installed upstairs in the shower next week.
By evening, Craig was well enough for me to leave him resting and go to Toastmasters, since I had a role and he didn’t. I was “Topicmaster” for the night, the person who asks people to speak for 2 minutes spontaneously on questions that I throw at them. The theme was “Dog Days” (a term used to describe this very hot time of the year.) You can also use any related questions/topics you can come up with, so, these were some of my choices!:
1. Dog Days were popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" – Tell us of a time when the weather or something in nature affected your personality and responses.
2. Dogs were sacrificed in ancient times during this period of time. Now instead of sacrificing animals or people, we tend to sacrifice by volunteering time, money, or objects. What is your understanding of the value of sacrificing and how do you do it in your life?
3. Tell us about your favorite dog or other pet…how old were you when you got it and describe your relationship with it.
4. Carla Genender wrote a book called Dog Sense in which she gives relationship tips that dogs remind her of. Please comment on her relationship advice of “Be enthusiastic when he asks you to join him” and how this could be like a relationship with a dog.
5. Carla also says this advice, “Listen when she talks to you”. How is this important in a relationship and how is this like a relationship with a dog?
6. If you are feeling “dog tired”, what do you do to revive yourself?
So, it was a fun break in chemo week.
Friday Craig was also stable enough to leave, so I slipped away for a few hours to my retreat center in the country to work on the next book (for parents who want to help their children have happy marriages). Then Saturday, it was clear that the walking at the park was too much, even with his cane. I was very glad they had a wheelchair, but it definitely felt like a step backwards to have him in it.
It was also fun to do a bit of baking this week…I quit doing that a long time ago to help Craig with watching his weight. Now he needs fattening back up! And, overall it was a calm enough week to get quite a few hours in working, so that part of life went forward, too.
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