Back to "normal"

Life after chemo - it is slowly getting back to normal for mom. Her hair hasn't been growing back as fast this time...but it is growing back. She still wears her hats and her wig... although now that it is warmer she is finding that t

Mom and sister Rosemary and sister Carol at
Peoria Race for the Cure.

he fleece hat is a little TOO warm (if there could be such a thing) so she is going to make herself some hats made out of knit material for the summer.

Mom has been feeling well enough and has the clear from Dr. Porubcin to look into having her other cataract taken care of. She went in last week to have it looked at and the surgeon decided that her eye was in "bad" enough condition to move forward. It has been a year since she had the cataract in her other eye done.

Another perk - she will finally be saying goodbye to Lovenox and the twice-a-day shot in the abdomen! Dr. Porubcin gave the OK to switch to a once-a-day pill Xarelto to manage her blood clotting issue. That may seem like a small thing, but it is a huge change in her daily routine and overall comfort. For the last seven years she has been giving herself a shot of Lovenox (anti-clot medication) in her abdomen. And the days when her belly was so sore and calloused, she gave herself a shot in the leg. Never mind she is a retired nurse, that is a lot of shots. I tried to give her the shot once, and about passed out, and I can't imagine having to give myself a shot twice a day. The one horrible side effect all of this chemo has had on mom is her continual development of blood clots. It has taken a lot to get them under control, and the Lovenox has kept that side effect under control. She has not had a problem with her blood clotting nor problem with clots in her lungs for quite a few years now and that is attributed to the regular Lovenox dosage. Now that she can just take a pill once a day, that is a huge step. That more than anything makes me happy that we can put some of the discomfort of chemo and side effects behind.

We will be taking some short road trips this spring - the McCann/Brewick reunion is coming up in June and then we need to get back to Peoria to see my dad's sister and some other family members. It's been too long. It's nice to be going on some happy trips instead of always traveling to chemo or the doctor!