New Pharmacist

Low energy day, but we (my sister and I) *DID* manage to find a new Pharmacist at the new Publix in Wake Forest.  Her name is Caroline Garvey.  She is awesome and I feel really good about her taking care of my Rx needs.  She actually talked to me about my history, etc. and wrote a bunch of notes.  That hasn't happened at a pharmacy EVER.  She was familiar with my antibiotics and spent time during her schooling at a bone marrow transplant facility and a cancer center...so she gets it.  She even thanked me for filling her in on my history because she said "Now I won't freak out if I get a bunch of whacky prescriptions for you.  I'll get it.".  Wow.  Love it!

I also introduced her to Big Bertha, to which she promptly introduced me to her belly, which is due in November!!  She was my kinda gal.  :)  And she is now one of the Warriors on a mission to ELIMINATE BIG BERTHA!

WIN!

P.S.  I see what the hype about Publix is all about now.  It was super fantastic.

Respect the Cancer

First real scare is over.  Whew.  The fever was a bit of a challenge to conquer.  It went down, then up, then down, then up.  Got up to 99.9 at one point - that's .6 from the cutoff for ER visit.  And while it was doing this yo yo imitation, I felt like I had the flu.  Yuck.  Tylenol and rest did do the job though so now it's back to normal.

What the hell happened?!?

I had *just* gone to the doctor and learned my counts were cool.  Grrrrrrr....  But now I realize that this is what my life is going to be for a while.  My immune system ain't what is used to be so when something tries to attack my body, I'm gonna feel it.  I need to respond to flu-like symptoms w/immediate Tylenol and start monitoring my temperature.  And then expect my energy level to hit rock bottom.

My new mantra:  Respect the Cancer.  

Definition of Respect:  Understanding something is important, serious, etc. and should be treated in an appropriate way.

Cancer will not beat me but it does need more respect than I've been giving it.  Ok, I get that now.  I must squish my inner energizer bunny for now and take it easy.  

The other thing I now realize more than ever is that the support I'm getting from everybody is WORKING!  This could have gone really bad but it didn't.  And I KNOW, deep down in my soul that it's because I have SOOOOO much support.  NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE!  I can feel it.  Thank you my Angels.  And please, please, PLEASE keep up the good work!

I got this at the exact right moment last night from one of my Angels:

(Perfect isn't it!!)

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

GRRRRRRRR!

Came home tonight not feeling well.  It came on all of a sudden.  I took my temperature and it was 99.7.  100.5 is my cutoff.  Grrrrrrr!  Took some Tylenol, dropped it to 99.1.  Whew.  Now to stay on top of it.  This is not what I was expecting tonight.  :(

The Posse is on standby should I need to go to the ER.

Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Review of Chemo #1: A+!

My counts are GOOD!  WOO HOO!  
We reviewed the results of my first chemo treatment today and all is A-OK!  
Dr. says I should continue to have good days until the next treatment - which is 14 days from now.  
I'll take it!  

Only 5 more to go.  

❤️,
Bubba

The Fog Has Lifted

I feel like myself again!  YAY!  Yesterday and today I feel like myself again!  

My 2 rookie dogs are now official athletes!  Keeper *AND* Phoebe managed to pull off their debut qualifying runs at the agility trial on Sunday.  I think that accomplishment plus being outside in the fresh air and surrounded by so much love helped a TON!

Tomorrow I will get the "official" update on how I'm doing.  Blood draw then appointment with my Oncologist in the morning.  I think that I'm going to ROCK it!  

The support I got at the agility trial confirmed how much strength I get just from people letting me know that I am in their thoughts and prayers.  It does unbelievable things to my heart, literally.  I can feel myself get stronger.  It's absolutely amazing.

So, fingers are crossed for tomorrow....and remember....

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Goal Achieved But It Wasn't All Good

Keeper did SUPER FANTASTIC at the Agility trial on Friday!  OMGosh, I could not have been more proud of my little rodent.  She was petrified during the first run but, because of the love she has for her mom, she pushed her way thru it.  By the next run, she was a ROCK STAR...but I had lost most of my energy by then so we only did a few obstacles then celebrated the victory!  Ginger also ran *MUCH* better than I thought she would, WOW! 

So, as far as my goal goes, ACHIEVED!  

But then when I got home....I couldn't sleep.  I was exhausted, but when I laid down I just could not sleep.  I was restless, my mind was racing and suddenly I heard one of my therapists in my head telling me, "It's ok to have really low moments.  Immerse yourself in them, completely.  Feel it.  Get mad.  Get REALLY mad if that's what you're feeling.  And then get over it.".  So that's exactly what I did.  I had myself a big ol' pity party....  

I finally cried my heart out over this horrific diagnosis.  
I cried about broken dreams from earlier this year....it was supposed to be the beginning of happily ever after!  
I cried because I wanted to do a lot more agility training this year.
I cried because life is just throwing me one curve ball after another and it's getting hard to stay in front of them.
I cried because I should have run 15+ courses on Friday vs. 4.
I cried because I should have been having fun at dinner with my favorite Judge EVER instead of this damn pity party...
Ok.


Enough sad.



Then I turned the tears into happy ones....
I cried because my sister went with me to an agility trial because she's totally got my back.
I cried because I had agility friends give me presents, kisses on the head, and looks in the eye that said "I'm glad you're here, I got your back".
I cried because my little dog, although she was scared to death and I should have trained her more before entering her into an agility trial, stood by me and got me back into the thing I love most....DOG AGILITY.
I cried because, really, when you get down to it, I LOVE THIS LIFE!

Pity party over. 

I feel much better.

Life, if you have more curve balls to throw at me, fine.  Bring it.  I've recharged my batteries and cleaned out my tear ducts.  I'm good to go for a while again!

  

Yes, this first low nadir period is kicking my butt...but I'm going to pull thru it just fine.

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Cancer WILL NOT Impact My Goals!

I set a goal back in the Spring, which was BC (Before Cancer).  It's tomorrow.  The goal is to get back into dog agility AND debut my little Chihuahua, Keeper.  I haven't done NEARLY the amount of training that I thought I would...nor have I practiced with my veteran dogs much at all, but I am going to do the Nike thang tomorrow and ...

YES!  

(Wow!  Who knew this was an image out there in the universe!  LOL!  PERFECT!)

This morning I woke up feeling super fantastic, and made it to work by 7AM...but then around 10A I started feeling yuk...and by noon I was on my way home for a 2-hr nap.  That's ok though.  I made it thru the day and now I'm going to give tomorrow my best shot!  My plan is to run in 4 classes.  I don't care how we do, just so long as we run together!  There is nothing in this world that makes me as happy as I am when I'm running on an agility field with my dogs.  We'll see how the little 4" monster does...

She may flip me the bird and go pee on the dog walk...little stinker!  But it's not like her sister hasn't delayed a trial for 2 hours before because of dueling spot bots cleaning up her spray of diarrhea!  LOL!  Oh the memories I have and I'm gonna make more tomorrow!  YEE HA!  

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba