Interlude

Anyone else a New York Times Spelling Bee enthusiast? The amazing Jenn E (who survived typhus! this year), pointed out that today's date is a palingram , tres cool, and my bout with insomnia last night already has me with a perfect connections score, a solved wordle, and a 🐝 genius by 5:00 am. I do hit 👸🏼 🐝 more often than not these days, with heavy reliance on hinters Steve G & Jenn E, but at a whopping 73 words today, genius may be good enough to cap off this bizarre year.  Indeed, what a year it has been. From New  Year's Day bringing on the tragic death of Jennifer, to New Year's Eve leaving me in the depths of chemotherapy, it's been a chaotic and unpredictable spin around the sun. We faced such stress following Jennifer’s death, endured that brutal winter, I've undergone countless medical interventions, and we had three family members make major moves, with Bev & Tony leaving Minnesota and Danny leaving California ~ all with ripple effects. Danny

  Well, it's gone....thank God above for Julie, who went with me to get my head shaved on very short notice yesterday. I felt her power radiating through me the whole time, and even though I was a cry baby about it, she got me through doing what had to be done. In a way I'm glad that step is behind me. I am definitely learning again and again that dreading something is worse than just doing it. Thank you, Jules, for sticking with me through thick, thin, and even bald!! Couldn't do these hard things without you by my side!!  Snapped this pic during my fourth round of chemo today....when I looked at it, I was surprised to see perhaps hope, maybe even acceptance, in my mien. I'm trying hard, I'm trying to live in acceptance, mindful that I'm just another living being making my way in this world, come what may. I'll leave it to Robert Frost to capture my  struggles, and my hopes, today. In Interlude, Julie

I've been through 3 rounds of chemo now, and side effects have started to kick in. My oncologist had me go into the hospital for extra IV fluids yesterday morning to help combat dehydration, and then I tried acupuncture for the first time yesterday afternoon. I had the best night sleep last night that I've had in months. I was shocked that it was actually morning when I looked at the clock! I had no idea what to expect with acupuncture, but it was actually a pretty cool experience. I definitely felt some kind of energy channeling through my body during it, and then felt very calm and relaxed after. This morning I felt groggy and decided I better not go swimming as planned, but overall I feel pretty good. I'm grateful that Dr. Moore seems to always have a ready response for issues that are popping up, nothing fazes her at all, and will definitely keep up with acupuncture as I'm going through chemo. My acupuncturist tells me I'm now tapped into cosmic energy.... I say

Feeling good this morning, after my 2nd round of chemo yesterday. Just minor symptoms so far, thank God above 🙏, and my hair is still firmly attached to my head. Speaking of hair, I need to shout out Mindy's sacrifice this past weekend, and celebrate six decades of hair alongside this gorgeous redhead!! Just look at her beauty! No matter how many locks, or not, she has framing those amazing cheekbones of hers, she shines!! ☀️                                                                                                                   Before & after on Saturday!!  In Sisterhood & In Interlude, Julie