Mums and Me

I will start this blog post off with Me.  I had a chemo treatment last Wednesday and it was a little rougher than the last one.  I felt pretty bad Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  The chemo causes me to have a headache and acid reflux and the "day-after-chemo" shot (that helps build up my white blood count) causes me to have flu-like symptoms. 

The next treatment I plan to simply sleep for 3 days.   Just stay in bed, watch some good movies and sleep.  Sounds like a good plan to me!!   (oh, I still have all my hair)

My husband always gives me roses after a chemo treatment.  He is so sweet to me. 

Now to talk about my mums.  The mums are in full bloom at the Empty Nest Gardens.



The pictures above and below are the same mum, the photos were taken at different times during the day.  This is my favorite of all my mums.

These are also a favorite.  Spoon Mums.

Thanks for visiting.

Until next time,

Greenhouse Remodel

Last year my greenhouse was absolutely full of plants that I was over-wintering.  It was so full that I could barely squeeze inside to water and there definitely was no room for starting seeds.

This fall my wonderful husband doubled the size of the greenhouse.  He had built the original lean-to type greenhouse on the south side of our house so he was familiar with how it was constructed.

The foundation is built from cinder blocks.  I have no knowledge of construction so I will not attempt to describe the building process.  

Here you can see the original greenhouse.  In the summer it serves as our pool house, holding all the floaties, etc for the swimming pool.

Here is the "almost" finished addition.  He will lay the concrete pavers along the foundation to help with soil erosion during rain storms. It also needs to be painted but for now it is sealed and the plants are happy campers inside.  It is heated with a natural gas furnace.

This is a view inside the original half.  There is plenty of space for my plants and me!!

The view from inside the original greenhouse into the new.  The water spicket is in the center.  He took out the original windows and moved them to the outer wall.  He left the original outer walls to support what is now the center of the greenhouse.  So I simply step through the opening to get to the other side.

The floor is gravel with black weed barrier underneath.  This is my potting bench.

Opposite the potting bench are my cactus and succulents and the shelving with the yellow water can is for growing flats of seedlings.

A view back into the original half.  In the corner I have lighted shelves where I start my seedlings from seed.

Thank you for taking a tour of my greenhouse.

Tomorrow I have another chemotherapy treatment.  I still have all of my hair but I may lose it during this treatment....although I have been saying that....so maybe I will be lucky and never lose it.

Just in case, I got another wig from the American Cancer Society yesterday.  Now I have 2 wigs, 3 ball caps, 1 straw hat and 7 chemo hats.  I'm ready to be bald if it happens.  When the time comes I will model a few of them for you.

Until next time,

Komen Race for the Cure

Saturday I walked in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in downtown Oklahoma City.  This 1 mile walk/5K walk/run raises money to find a cure for breast cancer. 

The race started and ended at the Bricktown Ballpark.  Opening and closing ceremonys were held inside the park.

My friend walked with me.  I was having back spasms during the week so we walked the 1 mile fun walk.  We walked it in 18 minutes.  Not too bad for a girl taking chemo. Next year I hope to walk/jog the 5K.

Crossing the finish line before the thousands behind us.  My Mom and oldest daughter were there to cheer for us and my daughter was doing the photography. 

Survivors were given roses at the finish line.

We finished about 5 minutes before the mass of 5K walker/runners finished.  There were over 18,000 participants.

After the race they had participants that were breast cancer survivors come onto the ball field.  Here I am receiving my 2011 medal.  I will hang it on my christmas tree this year.

I was so excited to be on the ball field.  I had to step on every base.  I love baseball.  Oh, and did you hear that MY Texas Rangers are in the World Series AGAIN this year?  Ok, Ok,  I digress

The race raised over $1 million and most of that money will stay right here in Oklahoma.   

As you can tell I am feeling pretty good right now and I still have all my hair!!  My next chemo treatment is next week, October 26. 

Until next time,   

 

Blogger's Block of the Month #1

Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works has recruited several talented bloggers to design blocks and tutorials for a free Bloggers block of the month quilt.  You do not have to have a blog to join in on the fun.

Today I finished my quilt block for the first month. 

I am using Kaffe Fassett and Phillip Jacobs fabrics from my stash.  Finally my Kaffe stash is being put to use. 

If you are interested in joining the group click here to get started. 

Until next time,

Hair Cut and Blooms

Yesterday I got my hair cut and my wig styled.  I will show the wig later when I need to wear it but for now this is my new do.

Self portrait of the front.  I will have to use the flat iron on my bangs.

My husband took this picture.  My hair is very curly so I will let the back do it's own thing.  This hair do will be fine for the next 3 weeks.

First day after chemo was a little rough.  Woke up at 4am with a headache and nauseated.  But I took my meds and felt good by 10am.  I had to go back to the hospital for a shot that would help build up my blood count.  They said it might cause flu like symptoms and told me to take Benedryl.  I did and so far so good, no symptoms.

Day 2 after chemo has been great.  I have felt fine today.

I have felt good enough to trim shrubs and snap a few pictures of the blooms in my yard.

I love this color combination of the yellow melampodium and purple gomphrena.

Black and Blue Salvia

Petunias peaking through the gate.

Periwinkles draping over the side of a container

That's all for now.  I hope you have a wonderful blessed weekend.

Until next time,





Chemo went great and Pleasant Home

Today I had chemotherapy and it went great this time.  No problems at all.  For anyone that may be reading this and are taking chemo this is my chemo cocktail:  Methotrexate, 5-FU, Cytoxan.  I am feeling fine right now.

Tomorrow I have a hair appointment to get my hair cut short.  It will fall out in 14-21 days.  The stylist is going to style my wig also.  I will post pictures of the transition.

Now for the exciting news.  I follow a blog called Pleasant Home  Jodi was having a giveaway and I won!! 

She was giving away scrap fabric that she had collected.  When I got home from chemo I had a big package in the mail box.  How fun is that! There was a lot of fabric in this package as you can see.  I am working on a cathedral window quilt and I will use some of it for that project.  I also want to make a hexagon quilt...but that is a project that is on my bucket list for now.

Thank you Jodi for the fabric.  And if you are interested in reading a fabulous blog click here and check out Pleasant Home.

Until next time,

POPS and More Chemo

Last week my husband was out of town on business so my friend, who lives in Indiana, came to stay with me.  We thought I might be sick from the last chemo treatment and she would take care of me while he was gone.  But since the chemo didn't work out I was feeling great so her and I had a wonderful week together.

The first day my Mother came to the house and we all drove to Tulsa and met my sister at the Tulsa Zoo.

My sister, my best friend and me

Oklahoma City has a new outlet mall and of course we had to do some shopping.  I will be spending a lot of time at that mall in the future.  I loved it!!

We visited a resturant called POPS in Arcadia, Oklahoma.  They have over 500 different soda pops available.  My Mom and her friend Chuck met us there.  Chuck, Thanks for buying us dinner.

Me standing by POP's bottle

Here is my friend drinking a soda I picked for her called Bug Barf...hahaha.  It think it was a Kiwi and Pineapple mix.  She liked it.

We got to spend some relaxing time outside.  The temperature was in the 90's but the mornings and evenings were perfect for sitting outside for a little girl talk.

Now I am preparing to try another round of chemotherapy.  It is scheduled for 10am on Wednesday, Oct 5.  I will be given 3 different chemo drugs this time.  If all goes well I will be cutting my hair short on Thursday or Friday....that is if I feel well enough.

Here I am contemplating what the future holds.  I am ready to get chemo started and over with.  I am so tired of thinking about it and wondering how bad it will be. 

Check back when I hope to talk about post chemo. 

Until next time,