Around Here | 1.2014

AROUND HERE ...


FIRST OF ALL | Yes, I know, it has been real quiet around here ever since Christmas. But as you know, I had good reasons. So even if it's already the end of January: Happy New Year to all of you! May 2014 be filled with lots of laughter, joy, good health and dreams come true for all of you. Also, thank you so much for all you comments. I am sorry to not have answered to any of them as of Christmas, but the chemo took its toll.


ON LEUKEMIA | Yeah. Another high-dose-chemo (no. 4 within a year) done and over with. It could have been better. It could have been way worse. I took it real easy this time. No 2-miles-walks as I used to take them during my last chemos. Stayed in bed, relaxed, dozed-off numerous times during the day and recovered real fast. As a matter of fact: new personal record! I was dismissed from the clinic on day 23 of the chemo-cycle. Fastest dismissal ever. On January 10, the worlds-best-husband picked me up and brought me home. Last Friday, I received the first dose of DLI (Donor Lymphocyte Infusion). Next one will follow this coming Tuesday. Please, oh please, keep on praying, that this will finally cure me.


THE EVERY DAY | After being home for almost 3 weeks now, I can feel strength coming back. Still taking it real easy though. Having my alarm-clock set for regular naps and rests during the day helps me alot. I know myself. If I'm not forced to rest, I won't necessarily do it unless I collapse. I know from experience. Also, I acutally sat down and wrote myself a schedule with tasks I want to accomplish every day. Tasks concerning household activities, taking a walk (oh how I love my dog), running errands (to get at least some distraction and out of the house), and fun-breaks. Lots of fun-breaks! That's just what the doctor and Almara (I SEE YOU!) ordered. To make a long story short: I found that this was the easiest way for me to re-establish a daily routine. So important. DAILY. ROUTINE. Being in-and-out of the clinic over the past year really messed up my everyday routine. Not to speak of way too much screen time. On the computer that is. Not on TV, that I can do without (for months as I proved last year during clinic stays). But hey. Having only 2400 leucocytes is not really calling for attending a party or throwing myself into stores with tons of people having a cold or gastric flu, right? So, I am really working on a new daily routine, am improving and truely loving my schedule!


FAMILY LIFE | Enjoying it so much. Not having my kids, husband and dog around is the hardest part of clinic stays. You cannot simply reach out to them whenever you want or need to. On the phone, via Facebook, via DropBox isn't really the same as cuddling on the couch. So now, I am truely enjoying quality time with all of them. Here also, establishing new routines and traditions. Our weekly TEAPARTY on Saturday afternoons is one of them. Initiated by our beloved 6-year-old daughter who invited me into her room the day after I came home three weeks ago. She had the table set and everything. Oh so lovely. Full story also: yet to come :-)


PROJECTS | Man, I still love scrapbooking so much albeit it really fell short over the last couple of months. Again, for good reasons. But I got plans. Lots of plans and ideas on how to takle all these Pictures that have accumulated over the past 8 and a half years and, until now, slept on my hard drive. All layed out already. But I will take it slow (see above, right?!). Project Life. I still love that project. And *hooray* I am actually up-to-date (for 2014 that is!). A post on this yet to come. (Also working on a blog routine/schedule). As I did in 2013, I again embarked on the One Little Word workshop with Ali Edwards. I worked and lived with LIGHT last year. It helped me through the darkest moments during my leukemia treatment. I didn't have the power to do all the monthly prompts, only a collection of losely collected paper scratches and notes. But it worked for me and my OLW LIGHT has still a tremendous impact on my life.  My One Little Word for 2014 is OPEN. Let's see where it will take me.


LAST BUT NOT LEAST | No, this blog has not gained international fame over night. LOL. Reason for me to write certain blog posts in English is to make it easier for my family, friends, and former neighbors in the US to follow up with our life. We all know that Google Translator is really, well, you know, right?! Apart from that I thought it might be really nice of me to give you the opportunity to practice your English skills on a regular basis (note: laugh here!).


FAMOUS LAST WORDS | Did you notice? I still HAVE MY HAIR! Well, not all of it, but around 95%. Thanks to Meike, a friend of ours from the kid's kindergarten days, who happens to be a dermatologist. She prescribed me a cortison foam which I applied rigorously on my skull during chemo. "Chestnut big amount" it said on the how-to-use-instructions. Well, let me tell you. Those were the BIGGEST chestnuts I have EVER seen! LOL.


LIVE ♥ LAUGH ♥ LOVE | every single day in your life!

XOX,

Simoné