Thriving Off Of Life's Many Distractions

I thought after the day I had today that I would be fast asleep, but once again I find myself wide awake, unable to shut down and close my eyes.  So I thought I would blog a little bit and fill you in on the recent events in my world.  Last week, was winter break from school for my kids.  But it was definitely not vacation in the Dreyer house.  We spent the entire week housebound.    It started with Sarah with a high fever that lasted a few days and then ended up as chest cold.  And then one by one, like clock work the other three kids got it.  During all this fun, Mike had to fly out on business.  So it was Nurse Jeanie on duty full time!  For once I wasn't the patient.  Fortunately this also coincided with my week off of treatment.  And someone was definitely looking out for me! I didn't get sick and I had incredible energy to keep up with all the runny noses, the nebulizer treatments, and my sick kids in bed with me.

The girls got better by the weekend and fortunately were invited to a couple of birthday parties.  So they got to escape from the house a bit.  The boys were feeling awful and couch bound.  So strange to see my usually very energetic boys be couch potatoes.  We watched hours of movies and my fair share of Nickelodian TV.  During all this, the dogs also kept me quite busy.  Chance is loving his new home and has made himself very comfortable on the leather sofa along with Flower.  Our family of eight is getting too big for our large sectional in the living room!  Flower and Chance have become BFFs and enjoy energetic dog play outside and hours of laying around the house together.  Feeding time is a few seconds of pure chaos.  As Chance devours his bowl and fights Flower's for hers.  Flower no longer has the luxury to snack on her food, she must inhale it as quickly as Chance.  Two dogs is definitely double the fun, licks and cuddly time!  Which makes up for the all the extra dog hair and occasional barking contest!

This morning was my first day of chemo for  my sixth cycle.  Cam and Mitch still were not feeling well so they were not going to school.  So they were my dates at the chemo spa albeit with masks on so that they would infect anyone at the hospital.  We had to leave by 7:45 this morning which meant the girls had to make the bus by 7:35.  Of course the first day back to school never is easy.  Especially when the girls found out that the boys were staying home.  The girls finally got out of bed by 7.  At about 7:20 while they were eating breakfast I realized I was not dressed.  At the same time I heard Chance chewing something in the front hallway and it didn't sound like one of his chew toys. Nope,  he got a hold of a lose thread in my new area rug.  And like a ball of yarn, it all unraveled.  Oh crap!  Trying to remind myself of how adorable he is I remained "somewhat calm"  and quickly put him in his crate.  I had 15 minutes to get the everyone out of the house.  The boys and I  were still not dressed and the kitchen looked like a bomb hit it.  Anyone who knows me, knows I can't leave the house like that.  You would think having cancer, 4 kids and 2 dogs, that I would my OCD would calm down a bit. No, somethings will never change!  All beds were made, kitchen cleaned and out the door we flew and made the bus!
  
First stop was to the lab for blood work.  It was unusually crowded and we had a 45 minute wait.  Every 5 minutes Cam would ask me "Are you sure you signed in mom?"  Gotta love him!  Once I had my blood drawn it was upstairs to see my doctor.  The boys enjoyed meeting Dr. Hakemian.  Once I got the thumbs up, it was to the chemo chair.  I was so worried that the boys would be freaked out by seeing so many people hooked up to IVs.  But they walked right in like they were frequent visitors.  The nurses set us up in back corner to give us more room.  But I told the nurses, funny, restaurants do the same thing to us when we go with the kids!

The boys loved all the free drinks and snacks and the comfy chairs and tvs.  We were there until after 1:00.  During the time we watched 2 episodes of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?  Sorry dad and mom to inform you that even after the wonderful college education you gave me, I am sad to say I am not!  The boys whipped my butt!!  We also watched The Price is Right, America's Funniest Home Videos and Do You Know The Lyrics!!  I'm all set with daytime television for a while! 

After treatment during our drive home I was so worried what I was going to come home to.  This was the first time I've left Chance in the crate during the day and for 5 hours!  But fortunately he held like a champ until I got home to let him out!  Makes up for the rug I'm going to need to put in the dump this weekend!

Once I finally got the kids settled tonight, I enjoyed some much needed time on the sofa with my puppies.  I thought I would catch up on some of my shows, since all I've watched in the past week is kids shows.  So while enjoying  Brother's and Sister's would you know Kitty on the show is having issues from her bone marrow from her transplant she received during her cancer treatment.  I know, it is just a show but seriously?   I was doing so well.  Between the sick kids and the dogs and Mike gone I hadn't thought about much.  Distractions are great that way.  I think that is why I prefer to be constantly on the go and have taken on some recent new challenges.  But damn here we go again.  And there I found myself completely breaking down once again. Sad I won't be around for my kids to see them graduate or get married.  Sad I won't be there to spend the golden years with Mike.   This time I was consoled by Flower and my new baby Chance.  I told Chance not to be scared that he would most likely see him mom cry quite often.  

The silence at night time is when life slows down and sometimes reality sneaks on you.  I tell you if I could stay busy 24 hours a day and never lay down to go to sleep, I think I would do it.  I love all the distractions and a part of me did feel like I was supermom this week.  Only a little over 100 days from transplant and I'm managing my house, my 4 sick kids, 2 dogs! This cancer doesn't have anything over me .  It can try but it is not going to bring me down!  And then it hits!  Crap I still have to deal with this!  Ugh!  Cancer does suck!  Especially when it doesn't have a cure, yet! 

Today they drew blood that will test my m-spike and I am hoping for positive news on Thursday.  My progress will then be confirmed with a bone marrow biopsy at the end of the month.  Until then, I  have about 4 weeks left of this cycle.  I am hoping that this time around I will have more energy and be able keep up with my running and sessions with my trainer and continue living life and having cancer treatments just fit into my  busy life as a mom.   

I am still so touched by all the love and support we receive by so many of you in person and all our supporters on my blog.  Please add my new cyber friends, Mike, Walter, Jill, Kris and Phil to your prayers.  They are all fighting the MM Fight!  And they are all dominating it!

Well, I am going to try to shut down for the night and catch some much needed sleep!

Wishing you all a peaceful sleep-
Love,
Jeanie