Thanksgiving Eve

So, it's the night before Thanksgiving and all is quiet. Bennett is sleeping, Pat is poking around the kitchen and I am posting. Not much to report, except I have a new meditation recording that both times I listened to it, at the end I was hungry. I haven't been hungry in months. I have been eating what and when I need to, trying in many cases not to taste, but just to get it down. What is this hunger about? I don't know, but I ate and it was good. Don't get me wrong, I ate an Ensure shake that I make with peanut butter and ice cream - about 700 calories. I make one every day, and it is helping me maintain my weight. You'd think, what a treat, but after a few weeks, it's just another thing to get through - like all the pills.

I digress, the new mediation recording was sent home with Pat from our friend Bobbin, who scoured the library for healing books and CDs. I am going to have Pat listen to this one. It's intense because part of it is imagining one year from now, five years, ten years from now in a healthy body doing the things you love. It's the first time in a long time that I've thought even beyond the next year. Beyond chemo, surgery, pain, hospice, death. You all know, because you all are here with me.

I had a pretty good day. I walked the dog with Pat, came home and took a nap at 9am- I crashed for about an hour and half. That was a surprise. Then we picked up Bennett who had a half day at school, played with her, took another nap. This was not a sleeping nap, but listening to the above mentioned recordings. I am so grateful to have had enough energy to play blocks with B when I got up and then hang out with Aunt Ruth.

I am going to try to maintain an attitude of gratitude for the time being. Remind me if I slip back into gallows mode. Sometimes it's hard for me to get out of it without some pushing and pulling. I have it on good authority from my friend Kathy that gratitude can combat the chemical response of anxiety and fear. I will keep you posted.

What Happened Today

Isn't that what every blog post should be called? Really, because this is what happened today.

We all slept in until 7:30 and I had to be to church at 8. I washed what is left of my hair and prayed that my ears wouldn't blow (they did) and that I wouldn't be late. Deanna hooked me up with two long-time St Paul goers. Kathy and Tim were the perfect hosts and introduced me to Pastor Barbara who was super nice. The service was lovely and quiet. I will try the 10am service next week, which is supposed to be quite lively. I have an appointment with Pastor B on Wednesday to talk about what it means to be part of a church, etc. I'll keep you posted. I really liked my experience at St Paul's and can understand why a person would want to be a part of it.

I got home and we were all so tired that we went back to bed. There was no actual sleeping because Bennett wasn't quite as tired as we were, but it was nice to cuddle and chat. Pat took Bennett to a dress up birthday party - Bennett was Fairy Dora. She couldn't decide between being a princess and Dora, and why should she have to? So she looked wicked cute in her blue and purple tutu, Dora shirt and purple backpack. She wore that all day- until it was time to trick-or-treat - then is was about 45 degrees. It's hard to see a costume under a winter coat and hat. We had to tell B is was not polite to walk down the street yelling "it's time to get candy" at the top of her lungs. She quickly got the hang of "trick or treat" and "thank you." She got a ton of candy from just six or seven houses, plenty to last a good long while.

I got in a nice nap and did a few things around the house. Made sure the kitty is still on the mend, and that's about it. I have to say that I am not that too happy about tomorrow, Monday. Though I am feeling good, I am worried about having B all day by myself. I am going to keep it a nice quiet day, which she needs more than anything. That means I will have to figure out how to occupy my mind while B gets a quiet day. Any ideas? I am going to look into getting an oncology social worker instead of a therapist. I am going to call UMASS to find out if they offer anything like that. I bet they do. I bet I could see that person the day I have chemo. Wouldn't that be perfect?

My thought is an oncology social worker, or someone like that would be better for me than a nice lady in a home office in Northampton. I've done that, and I need something a little grittier. I do have an appointment with just such a Noho lady not this week, but next. The first therapist who had opening and time and takes my insurance. We shall see. I don't have much hope because I really want someone who is in the world of cancer treatment.  This is good to know and I will start my new quest tomorrow. I suppose one could say I didn't find a therapist for a reason...