Now I Know.

The five days following Chemo left me feeling like I'd been hit by a train.  Emotionally, and physically.

But it life been significantly better since those days.

 

On Thursday, Nick's Mom and sister came up.  We took the kids to the local splash pad.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have done that.  Way too much heat, and activity.

 

Friday, Nick had inventory at the pharmacy.  So, he left the house around 6:30AM.

I was able to get the crew, myself included, dressed and ready for the day.

I dropped the kids off at play dates, and I did my Visiting Teaching.

Then, Kristie and I went to lunch.

It felt SO good to get out of the house!

 

And for those of you wondering?  My kids are doing remarkably well!

Reagan has been handling things, the best of the three.  Surprise, surprise!

I think it is because I am sending her to play "solo".  Cohen and Elsa head to neighbors' houses together, and Reagan goes by herself.

Maybe it is the result of the new medication she is on?

But I like to think that it is due to a priesthood blessing our (so amazing, there is no vocabulary word good enough to describe him) Bishop/Religious clergyperson pronounced on Nick.  Our bishop said that, "our children would feel peace".  And they do.

Reagan, on two occasions, has gone to neighbor-Lori's house.  And both Reagan, and I have fallen in love!

Lori has been so good to Reagan!

Really, I don't want to discount the service that anyone has given me.  I feel a bit badly about singling one person out.  But I was so pleasantly surprised by Reagan's reaction to Lori, that I wanted to note it.

Lori doesn't have any young children left at home.  And Reagan has just bonded to Lori.  Lori says it is because she lets Reagan hold her son's pet python, and Reagan plays with Lori's cat.  But I think there is more to it than that?

 

So, Saturday.

Nick had to work.

My kids went to play.  And I called my parents.  My Dad chauffeured me around on errands.  We went grocery shopping.

I now know where to go if I'm feeling lonely on a Saturday...

Apparently, half of my neighborhood is always doing their grocery shopping at the local Smith's, on Saturday's.  It was pretty funny, how many people I saw there during my shopping trip.

 

Sunday was Father's Day.

Nick is my "dream guy".  And I was feeling pretty badly that I wasn't going to be able to give him the perfect day.

I did manage to wake up early, and I made him breakfast.

I tried to take care of everything else around the house that day.  By 6PM I had run out of gas.  Nick put the kids in their PJ's, and got the kids in bed.  But he told me that it was a good day for him.

 

Monday was a miracle day.

I woke up feeling great!

I went on a run.

I ran my first mile in 9:20.  Which is self-respecting.

My muscles still know what to do.  But in to mile 2 my throat was on fire.  My mouth was so dry, and all I could think about what quenching the burning sensation in my throat.  I've never had to run with water before, on short runs.  But it looks like I am going to have to start.

My second most favorite moment of the day came at the beginning of my run.  As I headed up through the church parking lot I noticed a bunch of cars.  This is not unusual, because there's an aerobics class that meets in the mornings, in the gym of the church.

As I got closer, I realized that on this particular morning, the cars were there to be loaded with camping gear and teenage girls, because the girls from my neighborhood were heading out on their annual girls camp, camping trip.

The girls, and their leaders were all busy packing.  And as I ran past, one of my neighbor's, Joy, looked at me.

She had to do a double-take.

This has been a very common occurrence lately.  So many people don't recognize me with the short hair.  And I am sure it will get worse, once I'm bald.

Anyway, after she realized that it was me... Joy started cheering, and so did several other girls.

It was so fun!  It left a huge grin on my face!

 

My first-favorite moment of the day was after I got home from my run, and had showered.  I was doing Reagan's hair, and she turned on some music.  Her choice?  Taylor Swift's Shake it Off.   All of the kids came in the bathroom and we were all dancing.  Then, we moved to the dining room, and Reagan turned on Eye of the Tiger. and the "Dance Party" continued.

 

Elsa took a picture of us to commemorate the occasion:



I was so ecstatic to have that "normal" moment.
The kids did go on a play date again, this morning.  The few hours that they were gone gave me time to focus on a couple of the (many) tasks that were backlogged on my "to-do" list; from being out of the game last week.  I was able to balance the checkbook, do the budget, and pay bills.
It felt like a normal day.
That being said, I'm not 100%.  Even still, I have to take a 20 minute break, after I do something that used to seem like a trivial activity, like vacuuming the floor.

I picked up my kids from the neighbors house, and Jill came over, with her kids; to visit.  It was a great way to spend the afternoon.  And I have to say, that I think I have hugged Jill more, in the last two weeks, than I have our entire life prior (we've known each other since we were 4 years old!)!

For dinner, Nick's parents, and Brian; came up and brought the meal.
Afterward, everyone moved outside.  The kids took scooter rides.  I watered my flowers.  And Kay commented along the lines of: the fact that it was so surprising to her that I was functioning this well, and that I am having chemo, and you'd think I should be spending all of my time in bed!
I've had several people make comments similar.  ie- that they are so shocked to see me "in the land of the living".
I have been giddy about it, myself.
I told my neighbor, Lisa, that I could easily take 5 bad days, if it meant that I'd have a week+ of good days.  Lisa's seen, firsthand, a friend that went through cancer/chemo treatments; and she told me that each chemo treatment does "hit a little harder" each time.
It makes sense. 
I went in to my first treatment feeling 100%.
Friday, I will be a little more worse for wear, than I was the first time around.
I know Lisa wasn't trying to rain on my parade.  She was being pragmatic, and I appreciate her for it.
I need to have realistic expectations.
Because, if I go in to the next round with the mentality that I will be fully functional, by day 5; and then it doesn't happen?  I will be devastated!

So.  For today, I am grateful.  What an amazingly wonderful day it was.
I am hopeful, that I will be able to be on full-time Mom duty for the rest of the week!
And next week, I already know.  No exercise.  And maybe more days of "bad". 
But there will be good days on the horizon.  And that's an exciting prospect!