I'm still here!

I think I just took the longest break from blogging ever since I started this thing! I do have good reason. We've been experiencing a different season and a different kind of busy in our lives for the last two months.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer just over the Christmas holiday, and it has been a whirlwind of emotions and travel, as you can imagine. It became official after her surgery in early January: Stage 2 ovarian cancer. I set up a Caring Bridge blog for friends and family to be able to recieve updates in their e-mail boxes, and I spent 12 days with Mom and Dad, during the blizzrds of winter 2011 in Oklahoma (more specifically the Tulsa area). I must say it was rather FUN, but also just a blessing to get to spend so much time with my folks.

My Mom, only sister, and I got to go wig shopping together, and would you believe we really enjoyed our time together. We may not like Mom's diagnosis, but we can enjoy our relationship and time together. THAT we certainly did.

I just received two new cookbooks (Mom ordered one for herself, but I wanted one or two to access here at the cottage) that were written just for people in cancer treatment and their caregivers. I am finding them to be amazingly helpful. I must thank my friend, Queen Shenaynay for texting me while I was in Tulsa with these recommendations. They have some terrific nutritional advice with wonderfully tasteful recipes, but also comforting ideas about sharing the joy of food and things tasting good with loved ones who may be lacking appetite.

The names of the cookbooks are:

One Bite at a Time and The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, both by Rebecca Katz, and What To Eat During Cancer Treatment: 100 Great-Tasting, Family-Friendly​ Recipes to Help You Cope by Jeanne Besser.

The last one is grouped by treatment side-effect and the recipe(s) that help alleviate or that are edible during said side-effect(s).

I'll keep you all posted on our thoughts and experiences as we go along with Mom's progress, treatments, and such.

She is scheduled to have her second chemo in the morning, but that all depends on her platelet count. It was too low last week for treatment, so we are praying that this extra week has allowed her time for those counts to come back up after her first chemo last month.


Javamom

A Post-surgical Pirate :-)

The Dread-Pirate Sparsebeard slept (under anesthesia :-) through our big morning storms today. We lost some tree branches and almost lost the trash cans, but our 14 yo son found them down the street. If that's the worst of it, then we can live with that!

DP's knee surgery took about three hours. The doctor found one large tear of the meniscus (cartilage) and also was concerned about a cyst on the side of the knee. He said these cysts generally resolve themselves after surgical repairs are made to the knee, so he'll talk to us more about it at the post-op appointment on Friday.

Sparsebeard really wanted to eat some pizza as we were leaving the medical clinic, but I reminded him that the nurse said he could have small, plain meals today, then fun foods tomorrow. But I ask, do pirates eat pizza??

Physical Therapy begins tomorrow, but the doctor said it wouldn't last long. They sent him home with a cooler full of ice attached to a knee wrap that continually circulates ice water all over the knee area, front, sides and back. It's pretty cool! It's even better that insurance pays for 80% of it, and he'll only need this for about three days. He is able to put pressure on his knee, and won't need to use crutches! He can drive in 24 hours.

That's a good thing, because we both will be teaching summer school, starting on Monday! (DP Sparsebeard: English; me: Spanish).

Just wanted to give you all the news from the surgery. Sparsebeard is sleeping quietly and probably won't remember much of a thing from this morning, thanks to the dose of meds he was given after his surgery. LOL.

I'll update if anything changes. Thanks, all, for your thoughts and kind wishes!!

Javamom

Hubby having knee surgery

The Dread Pirate Sparsebeard has to have a four-hour knee surgery tomorrow, so say a prayer for him and us, when you have a chance. He has several tears in the meniscus, bruised femur, and strained something else.

Recovery is supposed to be pretty quick, actually. For this, we are thankful.

I'll update tomorrow...

Javamom