Catch Up Summary-Cadcyla #5

 I had the best of intentions for writing and catching up after my last infusion appointment. However, negative emotions, catastrophic constipation, the Texas Snow-vid situation, and prepping for vacation, all made it difficult. 

Let me explain.  No, there is too much.  Let me sum up.  

First, I felt horrible the week after my infusion.  After all those previous thoughts on strength and positivity I shared, I felt like a big hypocrite.   I was sick and had many of the same symptoms listed in a certain pink medicine's commercials.  After finally getting those tummy troubles under control, I was so exhausted from the inside and outside pain, that I just wanted to stay in bed for days.  Plus, the guilt from not living up to my own standards of positive thoughts and grit during difficult days heightened the problems.  I put almost everything off.  

Then, the weather betrayed us with snowmageddon.  It doesn't seem like much snow, but that was not the only hardship.  

Snow and ice, cold weather, + Covid issues canceled schools and work, handed much of our state unpredictable power and freeze situations. A freeze in our washing machine's drainage pipe meant no laundry, and no sports practices or time to charge devices or go anywhere was a major change for my whole family.  My week consisted of staying in bed, catching up on recorded shows, or soaking in warm tub when the power was on.  When the power was off, we all gathered in front of the fire to play family games and plan out how to make the next meal in our all electric kitchen in unpredictable and possibly short amounts of time.  

As much as I know that this week actually was a HUGE downer for many, I think this put me back on track.  It was a reset for us all.  We had emergency supplies, ready to go.  My younger boys loved playing with neighborhood kids, some good friends/some unknown, for hours in the snow, coming up with creative games and solutions to our lack of sleds to soar down the hills of the golf course or to build igloos over sand traps.  They only returned to change out socks and pants with those that had been drying by the fireplace.  It was a simpler time, and we had plenty of food and all we needed to survive it.  I was strengthened and shown that we were fine and I needed to straighten up and boost my bad attitude about the fight.  

My next infusion was after Snow-vid,  February 23, 2021.  Temperatures were up.  Snow and ice melted.  The washing machine was able to run again.  My smile was back, and everything went smoothly with my appointment with Dr. Cole.  (My lab numbers were even up!) It was a quick and great infusion day.  After all the weather, and other, unpredictabilities  the previous week, things were looking up.  

I experienced something harsh and completely out of character for our normal weather patterns, that could've been MUCH worse.  Instead of worry and fear, we had faith and fun.  All this reminded me that my life is full of things for which I should be extremely grateful, even though I have to deal with a broken body.  Plus, after this appointment, I could really get excited for the only days-away, un-canceled, beach front, out-of-country, much-needed family spring break trip!