Cycle 2 Week 3 Transfusion 1

Today was the third and last week of chemo for Cycle 2, officially putting me one third of the way through completion of chemo. Today was also the first transfusion of this chemo regimen, resulting in a long day in Gainesville GA that did not see me back to Atlanta until nearly 10 pm. But I am much refreshed now that my hemoglobin is no longer hovering around 7. All went well and I look forward to moving on through cycle 3 over the holiday season. Balsam and I are looking forward to having the rest of the month off from work. Plans include minimal Christmas decorating this year, depending mostly on sweet smelling miniature rosemary trees and a few Santa hats on various statues around the house. I decided I deserved one Christmas service and yesterday morning at 8:45 seemed the best bet for a service not packed with people who staggered in despite coughing and sneezing. It went well and I got to take in the live manger, complete with a miniature Highlands Cow that reminded me of Scotland, adopted home of my nephew Judson and Blair Cowan. Christmas day will be split between visits with Aunt Marian Sprinkle Graves at her skilled nursing facility where Balsam loves to go for generous loving. Demented elderly people who loved dogs in their right minds continue to love them now, and generously share lots of things they held back on earlier in life (including partially chewed meat from their own mouths if we arrive at the right moment relative to meals), and time at home writing thank you notes, mailing Christmas letters and putting together the jig saw puzzel we recieved for Christmas from the Nebraska Thomas - Hutchison family last year. I look forward to a visit from my Arkansas cousins Ruth and Charles Thomas on Dec 26, and to bringing in the New Year with my local Gang of Girls who have rallied to provide incredible support through my surgery and chemo to date. I hope the holiday season and new year bring moments marked by the warmth of family and friends, the assurance of faith which ever faith you hold sacred, and renewed hopes for peace in this world for all of you.