Day 252 - The Day After

Well, I will definitely contest to the fatigue factor! I finally fell asleep around 0100. I set the alarm for 0400 to get up & take my anti-emetic. It would have helped if I had turned the alarm on after I set it! Thankfully my internal clock was paranoid & I woke up at 0420!

I set the alarm for 1000 & double checked that it was indeed turned on! I woke up 2 minutes before the alarm went off. I lazed around for an hour or so & then climbed in the shower. I was feeling a bit feverish, but according to the thermometer I was not – thank goodness.

When they shatter your immune system with chemo, your body doesn’t pick up germs & colds like the regular person. No sneezes, no sniffles, no aches, just a raging fever & when that hits, you’re in BIG trouble! The tell you to go straight to the nearest emergency room!

I took a Tylenol & it seemed to help. I had already drank 1L of water by noon. My cousin Joleen, her husband Doug & their three children, Addison, Rhett & Nate showed up for lunch & a quick visit. They are from Saskatchewan & had traveled to Fairmont for a holiday.

I absolutely love their kids. They are some of the sweetest, most polite & well behaved children I have ever met.  They are 5, 3 & 1. Nate, the youngest, was SO EXCITED to see the dogs. They were trying to feed Nate (Doug & Joleen, not the dogs) some yogurt, when Nate had to sneeze, mid-excitement & mid-bite. It was a Yoplait shower all around!

Mom had made a beautiful salad for lunch & garnished it with some edible flowers. Addison & Rhett thought that was pretty neat, although they were a little reluctant to eat them!

After lunch we all went for a walk in the woods. Addison stepped smack dab in the middle of a cowpie. It was crusty on the outside, fresh in the middle – how I like my cookies, come to think of it! She asked me what it was & when I told her, she quickly notified her Mom of the nice green stuff on her pretty pink shoes! The next drama came when we stopped to take a photo of our group & somebody bumped into an anthill. Poor Addison ended up with ants all over her feet! Luckily they weren’t the biting kind! Poor girl!

We finished the rest of the walk unscathed & they hit the highway for the city to visit some more friends & family. Mom & I came inside & we both laid down for a nap. I slept until 1900 when she woke me up to see if I wanted to go to prayers. Of course I said yes. At least my mind did. My body was a little hesitant. My limbs felt slightly detached & ‘floaty’ but away we went.

It was great to be back in the Prayer Group. I miss the ‘embraced’ feeling of being surrounded by so many wonderful prayers & the knowing that I’m asking for direct guidance or help for myself & others. We always have a few good laughs too… Kevin told me tonight that YouTube bought out Twitter & Facebook. It’s now going to be called YouTwitFace. Ha ha ha. I was howling on that one! :o)

Mom & I left around 10 & I was feeling kind of warm. We stopped at Shopper’s Drug Mart to buy a better thermometer & a large bottle of Tylenol. Sure enough, I took the measurement & it was 38.4 with a little red unhappy face. I was pretty worried, so I called the hospital straight away & Dr. Owen called me back promptly. She told me not to worry about it just yet, as my WBC wouldn’t be low enough to cause any alarm. She said it was probably something viral & to take some Tylenol for it. If it didn’t change in the next day or so, give a call again. Phew! No dramas please!

We motored the rest of the way home, spotted a dog running in the clouds & went straight to bed. When was the last time you found shapes in the clouds? It had been a long time for me, but that little doggie jumped right out at me! Ears back & tail straight out the back too! Nice way to end the night.

Tomorrow will be preparing for the par-tay. I’m excited to see everyone & looking forward to a fun evening of close friends! Lotsa love & hugs…

Maria & Valentina

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Chatting with Jaco while the pooches snooze.

Doug, Addison & Valentina read a book.

On a nature walk.

Checking out the ant hill.

Family Photo of the Steel's!

Day 232 - Supernanny Rides Again... & Then Sleeps!

Oh happy day! I slept in until 0745! I was loving every minute of my sweet, sweet slumber past 0630! Harrison was awake before Heidi, but not by much - Heidi woke up around 0800. 


We had a great morning together. Heidi had a bottle, diaper change & went to sleep around 1000. Harrison & I coloured, read books & I sang him a few songs. I don't think I could come up with anymore farm animal noises for Old McDonald's Farm if I had to! Harrison is by far, the first & only human being to enjoy my singing. I wonder if he's had his hearing checked... either before or after! I bought him a Toy Story book & we read it about 6 times. It was a one sentence per page kinda book, so I became quite adept at elaborating!


I filled his water table with warm water & he played with his cars & tractors for awhile, but he was quite concerned about 'Tina' & if she was going to come out & play with him. We had some snacks & Gold Star for Harrison - we made it to the potty every time! Yay! 


Pretty soon it was time for lunch & then a nap. I've never seen a toddler so well behaved. When I said it was time for a nap, he literally RAN downstairs & crawled into his bed (with my help, of course). He picked out 2 books, we read them both, he asked to go potty, we did & then he laid down, turned his head onto his pillow & said, 'Bye!'. Wow! I was impressed! No crying, no fuss, no muss! I knew that Jenn & Mike kept both the kids on a regular routine & it pays off! They are by far the most well behaved kids I've met! Harrison & Heidi are pretty good too! :oP Sorry, couldn't resist that one! I know where to go for parenting advice when the day comes!


Heidi had woken up about an hour before Harrison laid down for his nap. By 1245, she was getting antsy. I knew Jenn wanted to leave right after she was finished work, so I had packed up all of my things & cleaned up the toys & dishes. All I had left to do was my shot. Today was my first day of fertility injections & they had to be done at 1300. I didn't want to hold Jenn up, so here I was in the kitchen, pants around my ankles & a crying baby who wouldn't quit unless I held her. Like I need any more pressure when I'm about to stab myself in the leg! Bless Heidi's little heart - she hung in there while I did my thing. A few hot flashes later, I was cleaned up & keeping Mama's youngest happy & quiet! 


Mom came home shortly thereafter & we loaded everyone up in their respective vehicles & we were off! I survived my first 3 days, well, 2 days as Supernanny! Hooray! 


Okay, I'm exhausted. Can I go home now? Valentina & I made our way home & I unpacked & prepared my laundry. 7 loads! Yes, it had been awhile! I started washing & drying & folding & sorting & nope, it's not going to be finished tonight! I'm pooped! Again, how do these Mothers do it? I'm in awe...


Sweet dreams of sleeping babies & smiles & laughter...
Maria & Valentina
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Harrison played & played & played some more.

He was such a good little boy - at lunch time, I said, 'Okay, your lunch is ready. Can you sit at your table please?' He literally RAN to his table & sat down & waited patiently for me to give him his lunch! What a Superstar!!!

Their nifty little video monitor to tell what baby is doing. Note the clippers in the background. Harrison came upstairs with them & was putting them through his hair & my hair. I didn't think they worked, but Jenn later reassured me they did indeed! Thank goodness Harrison didn't find the right button - my head shaving party would have been much earlier!!! :o)