Emerging

The coughing is still there, but less. The snot, well, at least it is clear most of the time. And I have been able to eat small amounts. The weird thing is the vomiting, it comes out of nowhere, often first thing in the AM, as if my body is trying to cleanse itself from toxins that accumulated in the night. I have to say, I am almost used to it now, puking early in the AM (6:10 today) and then just going about my business.

I have gotten lots of sweet emails and a few cards this past week, all of which contributed to my feeling better. And were encouraging, vis a vis the previous post. Today is the last day of my radiation treatments, and Dr. Jones, the radiation oncologist, tells me that the fatigue from this will likely last a month, possibly more. The treatments were only three weeks, so that seems extreme,but it is what it is. Hopefully the cold is on the way out of my body, having lived here about two weeks it seems. So I can begin to sort things out and figure out what "normal" feels like again!

Sofie had a great weekend with Jamie which was terrific. All I did was sleep. I made up the packing list for the Chicago trip, but didn't actually put things into suitcases until yesterday, when I started with the non clothing items I am lugging there. Trains, toys. Things for the nephew that Sofie has outgrown. Usually I send large boxes and I am sure I will again, but this seems like a good way to get a bunch of stuff there in a large suitcase, since we get to have two checked bags each. And we won't be needing that much.

The weather is warming up a bit here, in fact, yesterday, Sofie and I had a good fifteen minute argument about wearing shorts to school. I finally gave up and told her she could wear them but could not utter the words "I am cold" no matter what. So off to school in shorts she went. Her class had a "fall tasting" yesterday, sort of a little buffet Thanksgiving feast, the room parents like me helped to organize and serve the kids (which about wiped me out for the day) and it was great fun. Sofie, ever the little helper girl, stayed after while her classmates were at recess, to help me wash off tables. Gotta love my girl.

So today, I will move slowly but hopefully efficiently into packing mode. After I take her to school, I will get out the list, wash the clothes that need washing and get the packing done. I have to be especially careful to pack all my meds, in their original bottles. And that is a lot of stuff! I should have room for a book too, hopefully. But I have to make sure I have all the meds, including the shots, packed with the prescriptions lest anyone think I plan to do something evil on the plane. As if. I am glad this is a pretty quick flight, one plane only. I cannot imagine the hell it would be to fly across the country on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving. So think positive thoughts for us, that I can get out the door before 6 AM tomorrow, get on the plane and get there more or less on time. After that, it should be five days of fun with the cousins, the family and the cold Chicago weather.

Happy Holidays to all. Not sure when I will write again, hopefully while I am in Chicago, but enjoy the holidays, however you are spending them.