Day November 14, 2016 My Upcoming Week Is Packed With Goodness...and NO Chemo!

It's Monday. I'm NOT packing a lunch for my chemo salon appointment. Happy Dance!

Instead I am planning a week full of productive, fun, and industrious tasks.

The first item up... wrapping the venison John and I processed yesterday. Finally, we have tenderloin steaks again after 2 years! These coveted, tender, and delicious steaks are saved for special occasions as we have no promise of the next successful hunt.  As you can see, my husband is a happy hunter and a thankful one as he always pauses to thank God for the gift of His provision.

Also, I will hit the pavement again for my friend Doni Owen, who lost her beautiful daughter, Erika, in March 2015 to at tragic drowning accident. The family has started a foundation on her behalf   Infinite-e Foundation and are raising funds for things near and dear to Erika's heart. This December 10th they will have a Walk A Mile For Her Smile fund-raising walk at North Park in Springboro, OH. Since I probably won't be able to walk it physically due to my upcoming surgery, I can hit the pavement now. So last week and this week I will request local Springboro businesses to donate items for their silent auction. So far, it's been hugely successful!

On Thursday we will attend Red Door's annual Feast where the place is transformed into another world and a Thanksgiving dinner will be served as my church family gathers to get Thanksgiving boxes prepared for the Fairfield and Greedhills community. It's always magical! Here is Kim Martin as the Queen from Alice in Wonderland last year as she honored Sarah and me for a photo! If you are interested in attending THIS Thursday or Friday evening, check out Red Door's Feast info.

And in preparation for an upcoming chilly camping weekend at Red River Gorge, I will be getting our winter gear out and ready, along with shopping for and packing food for the 6 of us who will be enjoying the beauty of God's creation. Here are a couple snapshots of the First Annual Wonderly/Binder camping trip from 2015! This year it will include even more Binders!!

While I'm not blogging about much cancer-related information in this post, I am grateful to be living and feeling well enough to do these things this week. In fact, the only things I notice related to my chemo fall out is that my hair is slowly starting to grow back in...albeit, more gray than before! This is one month's growth! Only 3 more years to get it back to my preferred length!

Also, my vision is definitely affected. The nurses told me to expect a change in my quality of vision and that once all is said and done, I will likely need a new prescription in my glasses. And muscle fatigue is palpable when doing much physical exertion. I notice it when walking, hiking, and even running up the stairs. I'm not sure if it's because I have been so sedentary over the past 5 months or if it's truly a side effect, but it won't stop me; it will just slow me down.  And last is my weight. I MUST be more disciplined! I realize I love my desserts too much. It's gotta stop. Porky here is going to be more disciplined. Yesterday I shared with my step daughter, Kasey, Pies and Pints Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Terrine which has alternating layers of brownie & peanut butter, covered with chocolate ganache. While it was her 25th birthday cake, I think I ate at least 15 years worth of it! 

Thankfully, my chemo brain is getting better too. I have even read a book this past week! I know that may not be remarkable to most, but I literally couldn't look at the pages of a book before with the steroids and chemo in me.

Off to my Wilderness Room to sip  tea, eat a 'healthy' breakfast, and read. I think today I'll focus on Psalms.