Christmas Update

Please note that it is Friday when I am typing this, but it won't be posted until Saturday because all the pictures are on the desktop computer and I won't be peeling myself out of this recliner until then!

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ONLY 364 shopping days 'til Christmas! (ducking and running for cover)

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I'm sitting here in my recliner, resting after packing up all the decorations except for the tree. Although I don't have a lot of decorations, it still was too daunting a task for me to do it all today. So I could do the tree or everything else...I chose everything else.

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However, I am quite proud of myself! I did something I've needed to do for several years - weed out some of the old, cheap stuff I've had for years. I threw away a bunch of stuff and have two boxes of stuff to take to Goodwill! woo hoo! I would say I would do it every year, but by the time I got all the decorations down and ready to put in boxes, I was tired and ready to be done. So I guess doing this over 2 days was a great idea!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Since we didn't get to go to Todd's family in NC this year, we had Cyber-Christmas with his brothers and sisters on Christmas Eve. Then Christmas Day, Chris took his laptop to Grandma's house and we got to see Ronnie and Carolyn, and all the aunts and uncles and cousins. It was wonderful!

This is us talking to Bradley:

Since this was the "off" year, just us Tyler family got together. Daddy, Odessa, Mike, Ruth, Carissa, Taylor and Emily came over for Christmas dinner. Todd got us a free Greenberg turkey by surviving a torturous procedure to give blood. Everyone brought something, so it was pretty much stress free cooking. (Til we realized we didn't think about gravy....Odessa to the rescue!!!)


Now back to that Greenberg turkey.....folks, if you've never had one, you are missing out! It's even made Oprah's Favorite Things! Yep, smoked right here in Tyler! http://www.gobblegobble.com/ It's already cooked when you get it. YUM!


It was warm outside (good ol Texas weather!) so the girls were able to play outside, and Sydney took Taylor for a walk. We just enjoyed the day and everyone's company, and a good time was had by all. Stress-free was the word of the day. We didn't eat until 4 but oh well. By the time I sat down and checked my phone, I had 17 "Merry Christmas" texts! WOW! Thank you all so much for thinking of me!


The chemo seems to have settled in and I fatigue really quickly now. I hate it and don't have time for it, but have learned to make the best of it. I know what happens if I overdo it, and I don't wanna do that again. So I want to thank Ruth, Odessa and Carissa who made it so much easier in the kitchen. And I can't forget my precious husband who has some mad kitchen cleaning skills! No kidding - ask my family!


Mike and Ruth stayed over and we played "Would You Rather...?" Hands down, Todd got the prize for the grossest invented question. Just don't even ask!


Todd really made this Christmas special for me. For my birthday he bought me a webcam and the Willow Tree Nativity. I was totally shocked at the Nativity!



I love the WT Nativity because Mary is actually holding the baby Jesus. I have always had a problem with the ones of everyone staring down at baby in the manger. Yes, I know the Bible says "...and laid Him in a manger." But Mary was a new mother, and I know if I had just given birth to God in flesh as my firstborn, I wouldn't let him lie in that hay very long! LOL So, I had told Todd I wanted one someday, but I had no clue it would be this year! He even built me a creche for it. To buy one is very expensive, and I like the one he made me even better so it is extra special!


Then he got me a digital frame that plays videos and even music! My dad just laughed when I asked him if he ever thought in his 81 years he would see a picture frame with a remote. LOL



This is a perfect thing for me because I am terrible about printing pictures and even worse about getting them in albums or frames! So now I can download 1000 pictures into my ONE frame!


Todd and Zachary also got me my first Wii game - "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" The answer.....not yet. Todd won a million with the help of Zachary who knew that inert gases were also known as "noble gases". We were hoping a million dollar check would shoot out of the slot...but no luck.


Well, Monday I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist where we will discuss my radiation options. I ask for your prayers that I will have peace about the decision I make. I won't make it for awhile, but I want to make sure I'm making the right one.


Then I head to the green recliner to get chemo. The good thing is NO MORE STICKS since I got my PICC line put in last Monday. The bad thing is there are two little tubes with ports on the end that hang about 3 inches from my right arm, and it's all taped down with tape that is driving me crazy. I have this top-of-a-tubesock looking thing to keep it from snagging on everything, but folks, basically this thing is a pain in the.......arm.


Since Todd and Zachary will be home next week, they get to be my angels. (Hmmm.....all you other angels out there might want to be on standby! hee hee) I'm really praying for a shorter and easier time this round.


Many of you have asked how I'm "really" doing - I haven't totally gotten over the cough although it's much better. My RBCs and iron are still right under the limit, but all other counts are fine. Appetite has been fine and I haven't gained any weight, for which I'm very thankful. I haven't lost any either though. My BP is fine, but one concern is my elevated heartrate.


The main lingering side effect is fatigue and I've heard it takes awhile to work through that even when the chemo is done. I can't multi-task like I used to because I forget what I'm doing.....some of the results have been quite comical!!


Regarding my hair, I've gotten so used to not having hair and not wearing a hat or hair at home that I forget when I am in Kojak mode. I still have some eyebrows and eyelashes, and I'm very happy about that! While "bald" is not something I wanted to ever be, there are several advantages to not having hair when you're going through chemo. I never thought I would feel this okay about being bald, but I've found that my perspectives on a lot of things have changed.


Since I will probably be ringing in 2009 with ginger ale and Zofran....here's my New Year's message:


A new year is about to begin and we tend to look at it as a time for a fresh start. Well, I don't know about you, but I tend to need more chances to start over than once every 365 days. My Bible says His mercies are new EVERY MORNING! So if you find your backside in the dust again....get up, brush yourself off, and start again. You are only a failure when you quit trying.


Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and the last few days of 2008 are great!

It is through the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22 & 23