Day 72 A Day Away is a Really Good Thing

I met my friend Darlene yesterday at Pappasito's for an early lunch.  I had the soup with an incredible broth, filled with rice, celery, onions and carrots, chicken and lots of fresh avocado chopped on top.  Mostly antiangiogenesis.  The Modelo Especial on draft probably not so much but once in a while a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. 

After a long lunch we drove over to Memorial City Mall where neither of us had visited in years.  We probably spent the better part of two hours just walking, talking, looking, and each of us ended up buying nothing but a tee.  But so much fun and a great getaway from home, leaving everything behind.  Darlene and I have been best friends for over 40 years and even though we know everything about each other, we never run out of things to talk about. 

Back home for a really long healing nap.  Not sure what I'll call those wonderful naps once cancer is out of the picture.  I'll have to think up another excuse.  Well, maybe I won't need them.  Yay!  Looking forward to that day.  Also looking forward to when this port comes O-U-T.  I know it's there for a reason but what an annoyance.  Aside from looking like it was installed with a can opener, it itches, it pulls, and just downright hurts when I do much of anything with my right hand.   I'm sure once it's healed up a little better I'll forget it's even there but for now I'm not very happy with it.

I only got in one day of painting last week before the port.  Now, I'm wondering about painting with my right hand.  If you know my art, you know I paint big strokes with big brushes.  That is not gonna work right now.  So, I was thinking about my friend, Jack White.  Jack and his wife, Mikki Senkarik, are both amazing artists and have helped me many times along the way in my career.  Years ago Jack's right shoulder was injured in an auto accident and really limited what he could do with his right hand.  Jack simply began to paint in a different style with his left hand and signed the paintings Gaucher which, I think, more or less means "lefty".   Hmmmm, wonder what I can do with my left hand?  I have some smaller canvases to practice on.   So, for the next week, inbetween dr visits, I think I'll work on that.  How fun.  Now I'm getting excited about it. 

Today, back to Dr. Mahmood for a followup on the big surgery.  Tomorrow Dr. Q to let him check the port for chemo and set a time to get started on that.   Then Tuesday to Dr. Oppermann, who installed the port, to let him take a look at his handiwork and probably have my first chemo treatment.  So, things are moving right along.  I feel good.  God is good and He is in control.  It's going to be a great and glorious day and I'm grateful.

Precious Lord,
Thank You for this beautiful day.  Thank You for the many many healing prayers being lifted up for me.  I send those same prayers up for others fighting this enemy.
Guide each of us, Father, in doing what we can to give our bodies the best chance for a complete healing.  Help us to help our doctors and caregivers by staying as healthy as possible through this process. 
Lord, I love You so much and I am so grateful for everything You do for me every minute of every day.  It is all You, Lord.  All You.  You are more than enough. 
Thank You.  Thank You.  Thank You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen