Chemo treatment #5

So I did chemo treatment #5 on Monday, December 5 - and wore the pump through Wednesday.  It was a cold week - so the sensitivity to cold was especially bad that week and lasted a lot longer this time than it had in the past.  Then I got another side effect too - my throat felt like I had swollen tonsils - but I haven't had any tonsils since the 7th grade.  I did not have a sore throat, but different things I ate I would have a hard time swallowing.  So I talked to Kim at Dr. H's and they suggested gargling with salt water - that seemed to take care of it.  If it hadn't, then they would have put me on an antibiotic.
We got a new pastor (Pastor Jon) in September and his family stayed in Arizona until their house sold.  So his installation worship service was on Sunday, December 4 in the afternoon.  I decided to make that my maiden voyage to see if I could sit through church - of course I also sat way to the back just in case I needed to rush to the bathroom.  It went pretty well, but by the time it was over I was pretty tired of sitting (some chairs are worse than others I have found) and maybe I'll have to carry a pillow with me!  I didn't gain my strength back at the end of the first week or the beginning of the second week like I had in the past.  The GOTRA Fall Meeting was held on Sunday, December 11 - and I probably overdid that afternoon!  Thanks to my friend Nancy for helping me keep track of paperwork etc.  Luckily I did feel real good on Friday, December 16 because we had planned to go to Brody's preschool Christmas program - which was GREAT by the way.  Of course he was the cutest kid there and he really got into the singing and the actions to go with all the songs.  He was in the middle in the front row, so we could get a pretty good angle for some pics.  Unfortunately I forgot to take the video camera.  After the program they had tables set up to make gingerbread houses - graham crackers put onto a small milk carton, along with frosting and things to "decorate" with, like m&m's, licorice, mint pillows, gumdrops, etc.  So Brody, Jill and I decorated the gingerbread house and then he got to take it home with him.  From there, we went to the Westroads to pick up a Christmas present.  And also since we were that close, I delivered an angel ornament to my "angel" Nickole, Dr. B's medical assistant.  From there we went to visit my uncle & aunt who we don't get down to see as often as we should.  Had a great visit!  My uncle has also had some health problems this year - had a defibulator put in, and also bladder cancer - so he has been in and out of Methodist Hospital this year too and also Dr's offices.  We have tried to be a support group for each other.  We picked supper up on the way home as I was pretty tired by that time.  On Saturday morning I went and picked up our SHARE box (this is a great program - ask me about it if you have any questions).  Then that evening we had our Staff Christmas Party.  I had taken my relish tray to church on Friday so that Pastor Jon could take it home with him, so they could put it out before we got there.  John had to work that day, so he was going to come home, change clothes and then we would head out.  Well that plan got changed when he went to go into town for lunch and the pickup wouldn't start - so I ended up going to Valmont to pick him up - had taken clothes for him to change into and then we went directly out to the party.  It was a lot of fun!  Great food (everybody brings something), some carol singing, and then white elephant gifts.  On Sunday Jeff & Jill brought sandwiches and soup for supper and then we all went out to look at Christmas lights.  Brant lasted probably an hour, and it wasn't long after that Brody was getting tired too!  It was a GREAT weekend and I'm so thankful that I felt up to participating in everything that went on.