Dear Friends,
Catherine here. We are home from a long day at chemo daycare. First day of Taxol. On the face of it, all good, no allergic reaction, which is something they worry about and give pre-meds to avert. Kip is very very tired, feeling toxic and fragile. Nausea is up, but this may be some trauma from the day. She is dozy in bed now, and I hope tomorrow will be feeling better. What to look for with taxol: some peripheral neuropathy (tingling and or numbness in fingers and toes, in extremities), joint pain (to join the bone pain from tomorrows shot), more fatigue. So we will see how this next cycle comes, one breath, one hour, one day at a time.
Thanks for all of your love, emails, mail, calls, blog-reading and sharing. There was no Harry Potter today, Kip felt too crappy. But there are weeks to come.
Love to all,
Catherine
Addendum: Kip is feeling a little better: when I went to see if she could eat anything, she quipped oh, it must be the second seating on the nausea cruise.
A good sign.
xx
Thank you, Catherine. One breath at a time. That is it, isn't it? Always one breath at a time. That's the way living beings are. Dear Kip, Om Mani Paeme Hum, may all your pains leave you. And the toxins, too.
ReplyDeleteToday walking across campus, the Virginia creeper bright crimson against the limestone, the golden leaves, and I imagined that your tough character in shades, black toque, leather jacket was enjoying the autumn day-- and no one noticed the hospital gown.
May seem odd, but it evoked a smile and a " you better get going, Tito & Co., you don't know what you're up against with our Kip."
This toxic fragility will pass. Wishing you good sleeps for tonight.
Love you,
R
Paul, Ian and I shared drinks in my Toronto house, thinking of Kip and Catherine. Adam, our lovely bike courier son who lives near by, came over for chicken - an unusual moment of spontaneous family neighbour gathering for a meal. All the while thinking of Kip and Catherine.
ReplyDeleteLove you guys.
Big hugs, Abbie
A song for you Kip
ReplyDeleteAutumn Leaves, Eva Cassidy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSXYu-3r1S8
Abbie and I will be driving to Philly with two lovely young men -- son Adam and nephew Angus -- for Abbie's Aunt Cynthia's 80th birthday. An Autum drive, an autumn song.
Enjoy
To you both:
ReplyDeleteHang in there, moment to moment, and know how many of us are with you in spirit and wishing it could be otherwise...waiting for the day when it is...
Love and big hugs, Carol-Lynn
hi there,
ReplyDeletei hope today was better, and that the days to come are calm, and on safe shores away from the "nausea cruise."
today lily tried to tell her teacher wendy about kip's illness, only she called it crab (in Hebrew, just like in the Zodiac, cancer and crab are the same thing. . .) so her teacher did not understand a thing. all of this to say, kip, you are in our thoughts a lot. and two days ago she explained to dana that kip is in toronto, but its ok, because catehrine and julie are taking care of you. and then, added "they had to cut her hair off, but now kip is getting better!"
how's that saying going -- from the mouth of babes?
so, to all of you - love and hugs from lily and dorit.
Dear Kip and Cath,
ReplyDeleteI hope today is a better day for you today Kip. You are so often in my thoughts and I am always beaming good thoughts your way. Here is a cyber hug for you - can you feel it? :)
By the way Sean is enjoying Harry Potter #3 now so you can borrow that soon too!
For Halloween Sam is going to be 1/2 a zombie and 1/2 Sam. It has presented a bit of a challenge to me but I managed to sew him a costume that seems to work!! And next week we'll do the make-up. He is excited to see the whole effect. He's been practicing the 1/2 zombie walk - very cute!
I just got a new book yesterday recommended to me by Lois Wilson, my inspiration, it's called "Love Poems from God". Thought I'd share a couple with you:
When Someone I Love is Near
I know the vows the sun and moon took:
they are in love but they don't
touch
But why should I not let my face become
lit before this
earth
when somone I cherish
is near?
and
A Great Pilgrimage
I felt in need of a great pilgrimage
so I sat still for three
days
and God came
to me.
Or in your case this week delicious soup came to you!
Love, Ruth
Here's a little something for when chemo pms kicks in and you're enjoying your next Haagen-Dazs moment.
ReplyDeleteBleezer's Ice Cream
by Jack Prelutsky
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:
COCOA MOCHA MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
taste a flavor from my freezer,
you will surely ask for more.