Wonderful Wednesday

What a wonderful birthday I had yesterday.  I received several emails, birthday cards, text messages, phone calls, several Facebook posts and a special visit from a wonderful friend.  My friend, Kim, came by yesterday evening and brought me some beautiful flowers.  She had no idea it was my birthday, she was just stopping by to visit and catch up.  Her family recently moved from our street and I miss them terribly but I totally understand why they moved.  Actually they only moved about 3/4 of a mile from me and in the move, they got a bigger house with a pool for their two kiddos.  Here are the flowers she brought.  Thank you Kim not just for the flowers but the prayers and your beautiful friendship.  You and Jeff are the best.

Above:  The beautiful flowers that smell so pretty.  

I am experiencing another side effect of the chemo drugs.  I guess some of these things are happening because there is now a build up of the drugs in my system.  I am currently gaining a pound a day and it's all in my abdominal area and ankles.  My left ankle is swelling terribly, my right ankle not as much.  I got the chemo drug information out last night to see about side effects.  The Taxotere has ankle and abdominal swelling listed as side effects just  below the blood count issues so I'm thinking it must be a common side effect.  My ankle doesn't hurt but it is sure scarey to see the swelling.  Since I see Dr. Y on Friday, I will wait and ask her about the swelling then.  Below are some pictures that I took last night on my iPhone.  Warning:  I do not have pretty feet at all and am not painting my toe nails right now so I can keep a watch on the beds of my nails.  Taxotere can cause your nails to turn black and fall off.  So far so good.  While I am being administered the chemo drug, Taxotere, I hold my fingertips on an ice block to stop the blood flow to my finger nails to keep the drug from reaching them and causing the nail issue. 

Above:  There is no ankle, it goes from leg
to foot.  (Yes, I have bunions)

Above:  Inside of my ankle.

Above:  Outside of my ankle.  

My grand babies are both feeling much better and the bumps are drying up.  Praise the Lord!  Madelyn went back to daycare yesterday.  Braxton stayed with his other Gramma for the day.  Healthy babies are happy babies ... well most of the time.  I went to see Braxton last night and while there, Bonnie told him to 'wash his hair'.  He put his hands on his head and did the motion of washing his hair and then he went in the bathroom and got the baby lotion and brought to Bonnie.  She gave him some in his little hand and he 'washed his hair' again.  So cute.  He has also found that he can crawl up on the couch and is learning to back himself down and not bail off head first.  Madelyn has a fixation on Tootie's dog food.  Last night Alicia saw her wiggling something around in her mouth and ask her ... Madelyn, do you have dog food in your mouth?   Madelyn shook her head ... yes.  Alicia said ... spit it out.  Madelyn shook her head ... no.  Alicia said ... if you want a marshmallow, you better spit it out.  Madelyn went to spitting and sputtering so she could have a marshmallow.  Memory:  When Alicia was Madelyn's age, she was fixated on our dogs food also.  Like Mother Like Daughter.  <smile>

The wind was blowing so hard yesterday that I wet the soil down in my raised beds.  From what I hear on the weather, I think the wind is going to continue blowing today.  I could hear my house crackling yesterday as the wind was blowing so hard.  

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Blessed and praying blessings to all.

genam44@charter.net