New development: blood clots in right arm, probably from the port. Starts just below clavicle, extends into armpit and down inner arm to elbow. Arm and hand mostly purple. Limited use of hand, including typing! ARGH! So, now also taking a blood thinner called Lovenox, given by shot into the belly daily for next 6 months – you guessed it! – by me. Double ARGH! (Was a big baby about this when told. Two nurses assisted me the first time. When I said how I dread this, one nurse admitted she couldn’t give herself a shot either!)
Once-a-day, whether you want to or not
In other news: made it thru yesterday’s last chemo infusion with no incident. Well, except the port is no longer safe to use, so chemo injection was into left arm. Lots of neuropathy this morning (pins & needles numbness in fingers and along forearm) – so even my “good” hand not functioning optimally for this exercise of typing. Otherwise, all went well, with Shawn bringing an Indian grain dish called “Kitchari” for my picnic lunch, and homemade oatmeal cookies with pumpkin seeds from an Ayurvedic recipe. Very nourishing and stayed down!
And another lovely woman whom I’d not met before, Annette (went thru breast cancer treatment about six months ago) came to introduce herself and brought homemade foods she said “saved her” during treatment: broth made from beef bone and vegetables, tapioca pudding, dates, and electrolytes for drinking water. Was so moved by her generosity in preparing all this for me though she didn’t know me. We had a really nice visit, and I brought home lots of healthy food for next few days, thanks to both Annette and Shawn.
I want to celebrate this milestone of finishing the chemo infusions, but somehow seems hard to do while staring down the tunnel of another week of radiation and Xeloda (not to mention daily self-administered shots for six months). Still, I know getting past this particular hurdle is something to acknowledge and honor – so, yes, I GOT THRU IT!
Fingers too numb to type more. Love to all who are continuing to keep me in their thoughts. I’m very grateful.
A Different Wholeness 
Well, yuck. Major drag. Still, I have to confess that it evoked the memory of my ploy at a certain rainy, chilly concert. Lilith Fair. Yes. Wanted to go back to the car to get a blanket. Tried to convince the gate-keeper to allow me re-entry on the premise of having forgotten my Insulin (that was you with me, wasn’t it?). No dice. Jeez. Maybe I should have tried Lovenox?
Unpleasant as your daily poke seems, I’ll bet it will soon become routine–turn into a minor detail; especially after all the other unpleasantries you’ve endured and overcome (gracefully, I might add).
So I celebrate your tenacity, my colorful girl (I hear that purple is very “in” for Fall).
Love you bunches, baby. Holding you in the Light.
xok
I love your friend Shawn!! That is true love! Hang in there, Lovely Lady! You’re close to being finished with getting the bad stuff out of your system, and can start re-building soon. You’re always in my thoughts!
Kate is so right – you are going to become an old pro at this needle stuff before you know it and it will be one more of the countless reasons so many admire you!
Yipee that you made it through the last chemo infusion! Huge milestone. I have to believe the worst is over and you are going to start feeling a whole lot better over next few weeks.
Love and a huge hug, Ali
Hurrah for getting past the chemo! You ROCK! Bummer about the blood thinner. I am so impressed with your amazing friends. They are the kind of women we read about in books and see on Oprah that love each other in the most genuine way. Makes me think of that lovely book by Kris Radish, The Elegant Gathering of White Snows.
Every time you find a petite moment where you are pain free and not totally exhausted, remember you are surrounded by angels and ask them to fill you up with all that you need to get through this last week. After all of this, those daily needles won’t seem like anything.
Loving you so very much and very grateful that you share your journey with all of us.
loving you muchly,
Karenda
Sending thoughts of healing and love from the deep blue sea surrounding your former island of Key West. Bathing you in the warmth and soothing powers of the ocean and your old friends here on the rock. Gentle hugs from Simone.
My dear friend, I am cheering you on every step of the way, and am so proud of the way that you are dealing with each twist and turn on this labyrinthine (is that a word?) path. Goddess that you are, you show each of us what it means to be strong, courageous, and beautifully human. bless you! Love, Kelly
Well, I’m reading “Anam Cara” and the opening poem seems to speak so eloquently right now that I have to share it (or remind you of it):
Beannacht
(a blessing, by John O’Donohue)
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the gray window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colors,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the curach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.
‘Nuff said.
k
hello karen. i am in KW and thinking of you. missing you! hope you are feeling good today (and every day). i am sending much love to you and big hugs. i am here to photograph a wedding, which i did last night, and am doing each weekend this month in various locations. it’s been fun and i will have a website up soon. thinking of you every day, and hope to talk soon in person.
much love,
sharon
I wish i was closer so that i could come everyday and give you those pesky injections. We were in KW this past weekend and spoke of you while at the Turtle Kraals.
did the port have to come out?
you are truely amazing.
Prayers continuing from me.
Love,
Candy
Still thinking of you today and surrounding you in a bright golden light of perfect health. You will get some time to recover from your ‘treatments’ and rediscover yourself underneath all that you have been going through. Loving you soooo much.
K
hey karen
congrats on finishing up and still sounding so optimistic, calm, authentic and just down right sane! bravo my friend. i too would hate to give myself needles but it sounds like you have swallowed the latest news gracefully, as usual. i really am so amazed at how you are dealing with not just this latest turn in your life but the past few years…you are an inspiration to me for sure. whenever i feel a pity party coming on i just have to think of how gracefully you have dealt with the adversity in your life and it gives me a good kick in the pants to just shut up and put up…since my pity party is usually brought on by some random minuscule thing that’s not really worth getting upset about. cheers to you my friend. oh, and by the way, i love the socks you’re knitting!
love and hugs,
siobhan