Banquet

Went to the awards banquet last night with some of my friends. We really had a very nice time.
Dinner was a deluctable salad, chicken marsala with portabella mushrooms, crabmeat stuffed jumbo shrimp, risotto, and broccollini and carrotts. Dessert was vanilla cheesecake with dark chocolate drizzle and shaved chocolate, really yummy.
The entertainment was an Elvis impersonator who was very good except for the movements but none the less enjoyable. Got home around 10:45 p.m. Fine time was had by all in my group.

Having a small side effect from chemo this morning, nothing serious just very jittery, shaking all over and inside but I will get along ok. Thinking about taking med they gave me for this but want to see how long and how bad it could be so will decide later what to do.

Might go and look at cars today. Need to decide very soon. Wish me luck on the search.

If you are reading this let me know so I will know if I should continue to blog.

Bye for now!

Chemo #1

Well it is over. I had my first chemo and so far everything is fine. I sailed through the session with no problems. My good friend Betty stayed with me and we talked the whole time and took a walk and just enjoyed being together. We have to bring cards next time.

Going to my awards banquet tonight with some of my friends. Hope some of my evening clothes will still fit. Oh well I guess I could go in my scrubs (haha).

Keep praying for a smooth trip with the chemo, so many of my prayers have been answered so keep them coming.

Love to all !!

I Am An Orphan

Well the fight is over. Mom died yesterday, she fought a long battle with cancer but it is over. She has gone to a better place and no longer has to struggle to swallow and now the pain has stopped. We will all miss her but she will remain in our hearts.

Today is the first day of my life as an orphan. I have no Father or Mother. How can that be? How do you live without parents? I know you can but why? So many questions but no answers.
Maybe Mom was waiting for me to turn 59 to leave, who knows? Maybe she did not want to see me go through chemo.

My Mother was a (is) a shining star. She loved life and she loved her family. Fly with the doves, tell all the family hello and give some of them hell for what they did, (you know who I mean).
Especially give my love to Daddy and tell him how much I still miss him.

SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE BE FREE LAUGH AGAIN

All my love Mom
Annette

Chemo

Well next week I start chemo. I will be having 4 treatments. I decided not to do the clinical trial. There is just not enough known about the outcome and I decided to do what they do know about. I am anxious to start and I am also afraid to start. Will I get sick, will I soon be bald? The hair will grow back but I am concerned about my eye lashes and eyebrows, but whatever happens I will deal with it and go forward with my life. I just thank God that I have a future.
Everyone keep praying for recovery and all the people who still have need for prayers.
I will not be able to eat any raw vegetables or fruits for a period during my chemo and I sure will miss salads, tomatoes, grapes, cucumbers, etc. I will also miss my medium rare steak but that will only last until the middle of April and I can manage for that long.

My Mother is still going down hill, they are going to have to give her liquid meds or maybe crush her meds and put in applesauce. The cancer is growing and she is having trouble swallowing.
She is still mad at me for putting her in a nursing home but I know deep down she understands.
There seems to be more confusion and then she is perfectly clear. Life is strange but I have always heard that God works in mysterious ways.

Keep praying that I will get through chemo and make the right decisions for family and myself.

Have a great weekend. Love to all.

Welcome 2007

Hope you guys have missed me. Well as you know by now I had to have more surgery on Dec. 15th, the good news was that none of the nodes taken out had cancer but this surgery was more painful than the mastectomy. I am doing fine and I returned to work Jan. 8th. The week was tiring but I survived.

My (2) sons and grandson were very helpful with Granny over the holidays. I just want you to know how much I appreciated all the help. We had to put her in a nursing home on Jan. 8th and she is still mad at me. She does not understand why she cannot be at home but we just could not take care of her and meet all her needs. When she got to the point where she could not get up and walk we had no choice, she was just too weak to do anything but smoke.

I see my doctors today to get my schedule for chemo (Dr. Shah) and post-op (Dr. Arnold). Maybe by this summer all my treatments will be over and life can get back to normal for the McDougall family.

Thanks for all my wonderful gifts at Christmas but the best gift was having all my family with me.

Today is my birthday and I am 59 years young and I am looking forward to a great day and many more to come. Love to all my fans (haha).