Keeping Calm....

I don't feel the greatest today so am taking Tylenol as frequently as possible and working from home.  I *WILL* get better!  Grrrrrr!  Thanksgiving was fabulous and I've been feeling really good lately so I think this is just a little bump in the road....

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Ok, this was *DEFINITELY* motivating!

I'm feeling decent for little bursts of time today so decided to make a new model of Bertha. 
Just wanted to see where we are.

Definitely glad I did it! 

WOW!

I no longer consider her "big"!

I can hold her in one hand now.

She's about the size of a mouse.  A hockey puck. Not as big as a can of sardines!

HOLY SHRINKING TUMOR!  THIS ROCKS!!!  

Ok.  I openly admit my overreaction to "partial response".  ;)  I'll take "partial response" ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!!!

Look for yourself....pink is "before".  Beige is "now".  I'll paint "now" once it's dry.

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Chemo #4 DONE!

Woo hoo!  Chemo #4 is DONE!  BOOM!  It went smooth as silk today, so I can now say I'm 67% done!  Whew!

One of my Warriors (and agility friend) brought me today - Diane.  The nurses LOVED her!  I think we convinced my nurse, Denise, to come watch an AKC trial in December with her daughter.  YAY!

I had a new nurse today, Denise.  I've seen her every visit but she's never been my nurse.  SHE ROCKED IT!  She knew my routine and was super professional.  It could not have gone any smoother.  I am wholeheartedly convinced that these drugs work so well because they are so professionally handled by my Cancer Center.  THEY ARE AWESOME!

Things I've learned since starting this journey:

1.  50 minutes before chemo is the perfect time to apply the lidocaine creme on my port.  I feel, literally, NOTHING when they stick me.  YES!
2.  A combo of Senecot-S and MiraLAX keep my plumbing going after the steroids.  YAY!
3. Chewable Gas-X is better than the tablets and is really helping to calm my active guts.  WHEW!
4.  I'm just going to gain weight with every chemo.  Nothing I can do about it.  At least today it was 3 pounds vs. the usual 4, but more will probably appear tomorrow.  I'll just go with the flow and wear those stairs at work OUT once I'm done with treatments!
5.  Laughing is the absolute BEST medicine in the world.  No doubt about it.  My Chemo College nurse, Kelly, stopped by today and the 3 of us were in hysterics!  It felt SUPER FANTASTIC!  And I know that chemo is better able to do it's job because it arrived in a happy home!  :)

Here's a couple pictures:

Diane looks SO SERIOUS!  

She's showing Denise an agility video of Chase (who was in the van outside).

 Buh Bye Bertha!

 I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Food for thought...given by Jessica

So Jessica swung by today to tell me Dr. Kritz is *NOT* my Dumbledore.  She thought about it last night and decided he's my Professor Snape.  Hmmmmm.....

Her argument...

Kritz mixes my chemo, aka: potions.  
Snape primarily taught Potions.  

Kritz took care of my Mom.  
Snape was in love with Harry's mom.  

I trust Kritz wholeheartedly.  
Snape's true loyalty was to Harry.  

My addition...

The actor who played Snape was ALAN Rickman...Kritz is ALAN Kritz! 

Ok....I might need to change my mind about Kritz. :)  

I love my team at the Cancer Center!

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

After Chemo Party - TROLLS!

Sissy, Monster and I went to see Trolls tonight.  Second time for me, first time for them.  FUN WAS HAD BY ALL! 

I've got this feeling, inside my bones
It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on..

I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet!

Thank you Poppy, Branch, and all the other Trolls!  We found our Happy Place!

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

Day #1 of 2 for Chemo #4 is DONE!

Survived day 1 of Chemo #4.  It was a little harder, but doable.

Nancy was my nurse.  She was a nurse at the Cancer Center when my Mom had NHL and she remembers us well.  VERY thorough in her evaluation of me...got a few tips to help the next few days go smoother.  Also stopped at Publix to pick up Rx's and saw my favorite Pharmacist, Caroline.  She gave me some tips too...so hopefully side effects will be more manageable this time around.  (She's also due in 10 days!  GOOD LUCK CAROLINE!)

Here's some pictures...

New super-fantastic-mo-jo socks from a special Warrior:

 New Peace Sign earrings from my Steady-As-A-Rock-Always-There Warriors, Kileen and Dee:

 Nancy crankin' up the Rituxan!

 This is the drug Big Bertha HATES the most! Rituxan!  BUH BYE BERTHA!

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba 

My Professor McGonagall - Jessica

I haven't posted a picture of Jessica yet.  She's Dr. Kritz's assistant.  SHE ROCKS!  She's very down to earth and always has some sort of super fantastic story to tell every time I see her.  Today she had spilled coffee ALL over herself.  Not just on her boots.  Or just her skirt.  No.  It was everywhere.  GO BIG OR GO HOME!

I told her that I thought of her as my Hagrid (from Harry Potter).  She was TOTALLY offended..even though I meant it as a compliment.  Hagrid is the one Harry/Hermoine/Ron go to for comfort.  They totally trust him and he always has super fantastic animals.  To me, he's the warm fuzzy security blanket.  Well, come to find out, Jessica is a cat person.  A CRAZY cat person.  And she wants to be my Professor McGonagall.  OK!  FINE CAT LADY!  McGonagall you are.  And she is cool now that I think about it!  She always listens, watches out for the students and she ROCKS a Witch hat!  Ok, I can see it now.

Here she is...

 

She asked me "Well, who's Kritz?"  

"Dumbledore, of course."

She responds "ACK!  NOT FAIR!"  

LOL!

I've totally got this...

❤️,
Bubba