90th…

Today would have been Auntie Ming’s 90th birthday.  I can’t help but feel a little sad that she’s not here; I still miss talking to her every afternoon, and I sometimes reach for the phone to ask her something.  I arranged for a memorial Mass to be celebrated for her this morning, and my siblings and I are lighting candles in her memory tonight.  I think she’d also like a cake and some ice cream, which are things that she enjoyed.  I didn’t update yesterday because it was an early start and I fell asleep around 3 — when I was scheduled to participate in a Zoom call — and didn’t wake up until after 6.  It also happened that I fell asleep this afternoon between the time my support worker texted that she was on her way over and her arrival 10 minutes later… Jerry was very excited to see her, and was wriggling from end to end while he got cuddled.  Don is settling in for the start of CFL season, as the Ottawa team starts playing tonight.  Hockey is getting closer to finally ending for the season but there are other sports to take over.

I’m happy to report that I’ve had meals for the last few days, all the size of toddler servings, but I was able to eat.  🎉 I treated myself to some pastries today, so I have a few for the weekend.  I had a couple small waves of nausea last night and this morning, but they remained nausea, nothing else.  My arm persists in spasming if I make a sudden move, and is more sore in the evening than the rest of the day — likely as a result of me using my muscles to do everyday activities.  At night, I use heat on it and a muscle rub, I sleep with my arm across my chest, all of which seem to provide some relief.  I may need to adjust my daytime routine to use the rub during the day.

Can anyone explain why it’s so hard to arrange meetings with friends as we get older?  As kids, our parents took care of the arrangements, then at school/university we’d make time for each other.  Now that we’re full adults, and ostensibly in charge of our time, it’s easier to schedule international meetings than lunch with friends!  Worse, for me anyway, is planning trips, especially since I can’t effectively do long term planning. (I’ve stopped reading the side effects for my chemo; I’m at the point where I start to imagine that I have everything.) My dream is to spend a large chunk of the summer enjoying life here, then making a couple of trips to visit family and friends in the fall and again in the winter.  Summer activities include plans for lunches with friends, a birthday party (planning to begin imminently, as we have a month to go) and some time at a pool, a backyard barbecue and a possible couple of road trips.  Which brings me back to my original point… I’m hoping to arrange time with people and fill my days with fun.  So, mes amies et amis, let’s begin planning a fun 55 summer, shall we?

I’ve got to eat so I have my 2 hours before I take my pills, so I’ll leave you now.  I’ll be cuddling a puppy as usual, because that’s my night job, and otherwise relaxing.  Good night!







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