TAKE TWO - 20 December 2025




Week Summary - The "highlight" - using that term facetiously - of the week of December 7 - 13 was Gloria's trip to the emergency room. Hopefully that was the nadir as things have largely rebounded since then.

I think it would be fair to say that the various cancer-fighting drugs attack the body on a broad front and how that plays out with each person is a matter of his or her individual strengths and weaknesses, both physically and emotionally. Gloria has never been a person very afflicted with nausea and to date, that has held. On the flip side, her lower GI tract is a bit of a problem, but over the period I have known her, this appears to be something she came by naturally as her mother and mother's father had problems.

When I recently reread the journal of Gloria's 1997 "adventure," I was struck by how often Gloria pressed on with a new therapy when it was introduced, going past what the clinicians were suggesting. At first, it seemed like what might be called "making a good effort" or "not just doing the minimum." But after reading the logs of those days compressed into the space of an hour or so, it felt more like impatience on her part. On any number of occasions, she would work on things not yet proposed so when they were later introduced, she completed them with ease.

While I think she rather enjoyed seeing the surprise in her therapists and doctors, I have a hunch part of that was the product of wanting to get on with it - a phrase that I have used here in regard to her before.

But that same impatience which drove her onward and worked so well for her in a situation where progress was facilitated by effort invested, may be a liability in a setting such as what she is currently dealing with. This is one where there is a timetable and the patient's role is to go along for the ride. In some ways, this should be an ideal situation for her as she always has more projects going than time to complete, but a companion of the treatments is fatigue, limiting what she can accomplish.

However, she did mention yesterday that she felt she was making peace with the fact that for the next few months, this is how it will be.

Cantata at Keats Church

On the medical front, on Sunday, December 14, she asked if I had noticed red blotches on her cheek. The next day, they were much more intense, but still less than those from a sunburn. Medical advice in this regard is conflicting, with some sources saying this is to be expected, while our doctor's materials said to call if this took place. When Gloria did call, the response was to use a moisturizing lotion - something she had already tried and which materially helped.

Near the end of the week, there was a Homer Simpson "D'oh" moment. The week before, Gloria experienced a bloody nose, which by itself was not that unusual for her. However, this one was particularly annoying as it returned several times and the blood was not clotting as it had in the past. I dismissed this as just a "we really don't need this now" event as none of her treatments have this as a side effect.

WRONG ... but it is a side side-effect! Carboplatin materially lowers the blood platelet count. But the first step in blood clotting is the sticking together of platelets at the site of a bleed. A lowered count inhibits clotting. D'oh!

Mondays-with-Mandy gals at Linda's home

From a non-medical perspective, the week was better as there was a greater number of diversions that weren't too taxing, yet required her focus. She wanted to write an article on the Keats Sunday cantata and so attended a portion of it as well as the dinner event before. Getting together with her gal-pals on Monday was next. Tuesday was labs, getting some items she had ordered at a print shop, and hanging out while I upgraded her computer at my work. Wednesday involved a visit with former colleague and friend Wanda. Later in the day, she met Dawn, a wonderful seamstress and fun person who had completed some work for Gloria. Thursday involved a trip to pick up lab results that included a surprise encounter with granddaughter DQ, who happened to be at the doctor's office having her head checked as many of us should. Her situation is a bit different than ours, though. She's in the run-don't-walk stage that has its own side effects, such as bruising interactions with obstructions. And as with all first-time parents, there is a certain abundance of concern involved. Thursday evening involved getting the lights on the Christmas tree. Friday was a day of little energy, yet Gloria decorated the entire tree as that activity fits well with a liberal number of pauses.

Details

Sunday
-arose mid-morning
-worked on columns
-I made mom's casserole dish
-went to community meal
-cantata

Monday
- arose around 9:30 a.m.
-tag-teamed taking in van for heater core replacement
-Monday with Mandy at 11:30 at Linda's
-picked Gloria up 13:00
-face more blotchy, call Cancer Center (CC) in p.m.

Tuesday
-arose 9:30 a.m.
-Stone Creek to do labs at 11:30 a.m.
-Abel Printing after
-lunch at Culvers - mashed potatoes, broccoli, bread
-put in SSD in her computer -call from CC - not concerned about face
-home at 5 p.m.
-good day -no hydrocodone
-set up computer at home
-set up tree

Wednesday
-arose about 9:15 a.m.
-Wanda arrived at at 10:15 a.m.
-I left 10:30 a.m. for work and shopping
-Dawn arrived with blanket 5:40 p.m.
-I returned with groceries at 6 p.m.
-Blowouts near supper
-face blotchiness receding
-cantata column to Countian

Thursday
-half hyrocodone before sleep -arose 9 a.m.
-pick up lab results Stone Creek at 10:15, met 3 gals, DQ hitting head
-pick up labs at CC
-swap van and Cruze
-home at noon
-did Snapshots Claudia final pix and column edit
-lights on the tree

Saturday
-arose about 9:45 a.m.
-good sleep
-worked on cantata column
-salmon, cooked carrots for supper
-most things too sweet
-MnM and DQ to Wichita to see mother
-finished Christmas tree
-some small hair loss
-Paul's and Deb’s dove arrived


Paul's and Deb's dove

Friday
-arose 8:15 a.m.
-decorated tree
-low on energy
-Snapshots cantata column
-losing a few strands of hair
-singing Santas are up





Gloria and Wanda