hipgrandma's Cancer Blog
November 26, 2006
| the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly | Views: 116 |
In the spirit of the season, let’s start with the good. Thanksgiving was wonderful! The food was all great, but the people were even better. Everyone was in a really good mood, and our love for each other was the essence of the celebration. Ariella and Jeff made their home look beautiful—every detail of the day and the meal was everything a person could hope for.
Furthermore on the theme of wonderful, yesterday my two nephews, Shaun and Jesse, came to visit me. Shaun is a driver so the two of them came together sans parents. It strikes me as amazing that two teenage boys would give up a Saturday to drive down and visit their ailing aunt. I sure am lucky! And they brought a “goody bag,” as their mom (and my ex-sister-in-law)Dana put it in the long and thoughtful handwritten letter that she sent me. You can’t believe the number of incredibly considerate gifts that were in that bag of fun, including (but not limited to!) three handcarved gemstone goddesses. Now that is really something.
The bad—Thanksgiving night I woke up at 3am screaming. When Dan turned on the light he discovered that I was covered head-to-toe with hives. At 330 he drove to the office to get the herbs that were needed and sadly missing from home. Unbelievably, the 24 hour Walgreen’s was closed due to having closed for Thanksgiving, so I didn’t get antihistamines till he went out again at 6. I slept all day Friday due to no sleep during the night and a healthy dose of Benadryl. By evening the hives were pretty much gone, except that I was left with red (painful) swollen hands.
The ugly—this morning I had an emotional meltdown. This cancer shit can be very stressful and sometimes I just snap. Not too often, really, but sometimes it’s all too much. Poor Dan. By afternoon, though, he had cheered me up and tonight we went out to dinner with the whole family.
Even in the hardest times there are exquisitely beautiful moments.
Chemo #3 is on Tuesday.
the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly, 
3 comments)
01.09.07 - 
Thanks for your support -
Hang in there Jane. Stupid hives!
One day at a time, after Tuesday you will be half way done. I know you can get through this!
janey, shaun and i were so happy to see you and we’d love to visit you again soon. i was also REALLY happy to see you were feeling good yesterday.
and speaking of exquisite beauty.. i couldn’t figure out how to tell you this when i was with you—in addition to admiring your wonderfully positive presence, i thought you looked quite beautiful.. majestic, even. :| i said this to shaun after and he agreed with me.
thank you for updating this informative and well-written blog of yours.. you are amazing, and i hope to see you again soon. i love you and i think about you all the time.
—Jesse.
hi mom,
jesse is right..you really are beautful….somehow lately (believe it or not!)you have been looking even more beautiful. not everyone makes cancer look so stunning….
love, ariella