As most of you know, I discovered this past Tuesday that I've developed a blood clot in my right calf.  Since then, I've been on daily, self-administered shots (last one today!) and added Coumadin to my lengthy list of daily medications.

Today was supposed to be a kick back day, consisting of three appointments and plenty of rest/office work time.  I had scheduled a blood draw.  A meeting with a nutritionist.  A visit with Dad and Sally.  However...since I noticed some muscle ache in my thigh yesterday and was a bit...shall we say paranoid...about the clot moving on from its little home in my calf to vulnerable places north, my day got a LOT busier than planned.

Could this be what my therapist was referring to yesterday when she said that illness, in particular cancer, creates chaos?

So my modified schedule became an 8:30 am blood draw where the doc decided to send me over for another STAT sonogram just to check out the clot and make sure things hadn't gotten more complicated. 

I managed, with the help of my friend Renee', to make the meeting with the nutritionist.  A great conversation there and it seems like if I add about 250 calories per day, I should be maintaining this weight.  She was quite knowledgeable about nutrition and specifically about nutrition for folks with cancer (she formerly worked with a cancer program at a major hospital.)  I continue to be impressed by the staff at Mission Hospital, the quality of care we've gotten...and to be grateful to God for putting the right folks directly in my path.

Then it was off for a scan.  No growth in the clot but no shrinkage yet.  No movement or clots up above the knee.  Good news in the sense that there wasn't any cause for concern.  I will continue on my medication and as the Coumadin level gets right, the doc expects my body to take over and get rid of the clot.

Since Renee's been my chauffer for the past few days, I thought a treat was in order...so we went to PF Changs for a yummy lunch.  I made it to our house about 5 minutes after Dad and Sally did...we had a nice visit.  Always so good to see them...and they braved the freeway in the rain just to visit and bring us some lasagne from Filippi's.  Dan's going to be in heaven in about 10 minutes as we consume it.

I did manage about a 45 minute power nap after Dan got home, so I'm at least somewhat energetic this evening.  Glad of many blessings of care: self-care, excellent medical care and the caring of parents who bring gifts along with the blessing of their presence.

We made it back home a few minutes ago from our journey to visit our friend in prison.  It's a gorgeous southern California evening.  We're exhausted.

I'm heading out to the fruits of the Great American Landscape project to enjoy the end of a novel (Fatal Revenant by Stephen R. Donaldson) and a nice crisp sauvignon blanc.

We had a lovely visit with the "grands" and two of our godchildren on our trip.  Revin and William are growing up quickly.  Walking.  Making talking noises.  Giving hugs, kisses, love and generally being babies on their way to full toddler-hood.  So refreshing to see life continuing to unfold during the days where we see life at a standstill for so many inside prison walls.

Ta everyone.

Sometimes the real is surreal. 

Ever since returning from the Baltic, I've been somewhat challenged in adjusting to the California time zone.  The prior two days, I was in bed before 10 and up at 6.  So last night's record of staying up until 11:00 p.m. boded well. 

Not so much.  I awoke at 5:00 a.m.  Completely.  Awake.

So I stumbled to the loft to read my book (the excellent Careless in Red by Elizabeth George).  After a few moments of literary distraction, I became aware of the growing heat.  I shuffled over to open the window to the fog-strewn morning and was greeted by...

Toilet Paper.

Now, I do remember a time when being on the receiving end of a few well-flung rolls of toilet paper was a badge of honor.  My 16th birthday was commemorated by friends with a particular sense of style--using rolls of the pink and green toilet paper that was available in the late 70's.  (Remember matching your toilet paper to your bathroom?)

However.  I am now, as we've established, a woman of a certain age.  And while Dan and I are entirely capable of childlike wonder (and even a childish moment or two), we are definitely past the age where our friends come over in the middle of the night to display their affection with tissue confections.

This had to be a case of mistaken identity.

But mistake or not, the toilet paper was in our trees, on our flowers, strewn about our driveway.  And so it was that I was out, cleaning up toilet paper, feminine hygeine products, and strawberry bath foam from my front yard at the crack of dawn.

Somewhere in our town today, there's group of giggly girls who are going to be disappointed and confused when the young man (or so I assume) who was the target of their mischief seems more obtuse than usual.  I can see them slowly figuring out that maybe, just maybe, they hit the wrong house.

Will they wander by to see whom their real victims were?  If so, should I be ready with a super-soaker or let bygones be bygones?

After all, the strawberry bath foam gave me an excuse to hose down my driveway (something verboten in drought-prone California).  And although I spent the early morning in a state of amused annoyance, it wasn't entirely real since I wasn't entirely awake.  Who can begrudge whimsy when it whisks one back to youth, to a time when what was important was that one's house was festooned with pink and green streamers and, because of that toilet paper, all was right with the world?

California voters got it right yesterday and voted down Prop 98 while approving Prop 99--thus restricting eminent domain without also eliminating rent control.  Woo-hoo!

It just goes to show that deceptive advertising does NOT always win.  I think the AARP ads helped but so did all of you, getting out the word.

Now if we can just have more of the same with the odious initiative for the constitutional amendment on marriage--1298. 

Maybe the catch phrase can be "Against Hate?  Against 1298!"

More on November propositions to follow after I return from my trip to the Baltic.  I leave today and return on the 18th.  Look for sporadic updates from the computer room of the Crystal Symphony as Mom #1 and I make our way around the northern European ports.  Click here for itinerary.

Ciao!

There's good news!  The Zpac worked well enough for me to keep Dan's and my commitment to play a round of golf with Tom and Renee' today.  Okay, it was the Zpac plus Dan's decongestant (Phenavent) that got me through the 18 holes.  I was pretty loopy (and hungry) by the end but managed to finish.

After lunch I had enough energy to accompany Dan on some errands but at this point?  I'm about to go put my head down on the couch and watch some movies.

So, I'd say I'm about 70%--which is a much faster recovery than the last go round with this.  Nice since Mom and I depart in 6 days for the Baltic Cruise!

Thanks for all the good wishes.  More serious blogging to follow in the coming days.  For now, it's Sleuth and Pride and Prejudice.

It's not a good thing when a doctor sticks a scope in your ear and says, "Hello!"  Yup.  I'm sick (again)...and on antibiotics and rest.

So...at least a day off from blogging folks.

Gotta get better for the Baltic!

We picked up Dan's brother, Steve, and Steve's husband, Kevin, from LAX last night.  We are enjoying various low key activities today.  Farmer's market this morning.  Shopping for dinner and lunch food.  Watching a movie (the excellent film, Bobby).  Eating tamales and beans for lunch along with chips, guacamole and salsa.

Most folks are napping right now but after I finish up this blog-let, I'll be heading off to the gym to work of some of the tamale.

I'd hoped to be taking my Ipod with me, to watch the latest Meet The Press and This Week with George Stephanopolous.  But my two year old Ipod seems to be on its last legs.  It won't turn off and stay off.  The battery doesn't seem to be holding much of a charge either.  So my Ipod gets to stay home and nap with the rest of the clan.

Maybe a new Ipod in my future, before the cruise?

Just taking a quick trip up to Santa Clarita.  Will try to blog later today but who knows.  I'll be hanging out with Lynne and so it may be quiet for a day or two since we haven't seen each other in months!

In the meantime, I've posted a new poem (hot off the presses!) over in Poetry.  Hope you like it.  I'm not sure about the latin...may be too on the nose.  Or too snooty.

Have a grand Tuesday!

I just got caught up, by the way, on my responses to blog comments.  Thanks for your patience!

Also, I was surprised by the deafening silence on the California Supreme Court's decision.  Apparently everyone agrees with me that it's about time?

We're home from our most recent prison visit and are exhausted as usual.  It was a good visit...hot, as everywhere in California has been the past few days.

No deep insights or tales to tell.  Just how nice it is to sit together, laugh, tell a few tall tales, ask probing questions, nosh on nibbles and generally make believe there are no walls.  Sometimes, it's even true.

Thanks again to all the friends and family who keep our friend, and us, in prayers and thoughts.  It really helps.