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Hey there!  It’s ALMOST me again.  Geez, I read through that last post just now.  I wasn’t out of it yet when I wrote that.  That was a downer!   But I was out of it!

I just want to say again, however, that this is only my case.  My cancer is ugly.  Sarcoma is rare and the treatment is harsh.  The dosage of the drugs they gave me probably would not be close to what they would give you should you need it.  BUT-  never, ever lie to the doctors about what is happening to you.

That being said, I feel better.

Dan and I are in Tampa staying overnight in the Motorhome.  (It’s not Clyde!  Don’t feel sorry for us, really!)   This morning I came up to Moffett for two shots.  Neulasta -used to restart the infection-stopping white blood cells pumping, and Aranesp -used in the same manner to rebuild the energy building red blood cells.  Both red and white blood cells are depleted after chemo.   These shots are given 24 hours after chemo.  They are expensive.  $3,400 each, I am told.  Pheww.

There was only one shot waiting for me; I received the Neulasta.  Evidently, to qualify for Aranesp, your hemoglobin count must be below 11.  (I know I should look this up and give you all the science behind the counts, but . . . it’s a story not a lesson.  Google it.  Hahah   Yah, I’m back.)  In order for the shot to be paid by the government, and therefore by the insurance industry who follow the governments lead, your count must be below 11.  Mine was 11.  I didn’t get that shot.   But looking at it another way, my counts weren’t low enough to warrant it.  How’bout’dat?

This was accomplished by 9:30a.  Our next appointment is tomorrow at 11:00a.  We were headed to the motorhome when we got a call from Anita. My sister was playing Awesome Aunty today and was charged with finally getting the kids registered in school.

YES, I know you have been waiting for that story, Pheww.

Back in the late ‘90’s, Lee County Florida had the idea to let parents choose which school they sent their children.  It sounded like a good idea.  Public schools would have to shape up and get competitive with the neighboring schools in more than just sports.  YAH!  Give the parents the right to say NO! My kid is not going to that crappy school.

Now, I come home to Florida with these three little kids who need to get in school, and it is harder to do this than I would have ever thought.  In Oregon, we lived in the neighborhood, the kids went to the neighborhood school. In Lincoln City, Or, we showed up at the neighborhood school and said, “Here they are!” And there they were.

There is a school across the street and around the corner.  We assumed . . . We may not get to go to that school because we are having a hard time getting the proper paperwork in order.   We really thought we had it this morning.  Aunt Nita even spent the night with us last night so that she could be with the kids this morning to get them and their paperwork off the school choice office and on to the school of their dreams. IF we get the paperwork in to the office today by 4:00p, there might be spots in the school across the street for each of the kids to have one.  In the same school.  That would be good.

Lo and behold, some of the paper was made from the wrong stock and, long story short, Auntie Neetie was stuck with three little hooligans for the day.  Now they will have to wait until we get home on Wednesday to see if they get to go across the street.

To console them, Aunt Anita took them all for shoes.  Maybe I will wait and let her tell you that story.  “How long has it been since. . . “ My wonderful sisters have been spoiling these kids rotten.  I tell you the truth.  They never come home with just what they set out with.  But you know, these kids have been set on the back burner since the beginning of the summer.  Every extra went to me.  They didn’t even get new school clothes at the beginning of the year.

They didn’t complain.

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This morning at 10:45a, Dan bought me a foot long Club from Subway.  Over the course of the day, I ate the whole thing! I finished it at dinner.  It was the most substantial amount of food I have had in one day in a week.  Actually, it might be more than I ate all week.  I was a very good girl.

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Hey, it was Kelli’s birthday this past weekend.  I am the proud mother of a bouncing baby nineteen year old girl!  My Love.

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Getting late and I’m winding down.  Tomorrow I get the port in my chest.  Think of it like a spigot to my heart.  A (removable) permanent IV line.  It’s considered a surgical procedure.  Then we see Dr. W.

And get a new plan, Stan.

Until then I am going off to watch TV in bed here in this coach.  We have finally pushed every button we could find.  (HAHAHA  just kidding there, Dick.) It is a bit more complicated in this motor coach than in old Clyde.  Spent most of the afternoon on the phone with my brother-in-law . . . “The hot water button is . . .” And with Anita, “Make sure you unbutton the curtain’s tie-backs before you hit the button to close them . . .”

And I won’t even go into the Satellite problem that wasn’t. Had to get a tech to let us know it was us.

Tomorrow’s another day.  Full of power.  You’ll see.  An new plan.