Today started off fine, but then I realized that my hands were somewhat numb. The lack of the sense of touch has spread from my fingertips down my fingers to my palms. If I can't feel with my fingertips and palms, then why do my fingernails hurt so much? Also today the sheath or glove I feel on my tongue seems to have grown. Somewhat like my fingertips, I can't feel with the tip of my tongue.

Despite these discoveries today, I went to work and lasted four hours - from 10:00am to 2:00pm. I then went over to the Central DuPage Hospital Urgent Care Center for my bi-weekly blood draw. Almost no waiting today! Last Monday there was quite a rush for urgent care and I waited about an hour for my blood test. Then it was home for a bowl of Lee's minestrone soup and a nap. I was wiped.

I napped for about 45 minutes and then decided I needed to get myself out of the house. Because our Arboretum membership expires on the 30th I decided to head for the Arboretum to renew and check out the Steelroots sculpture exhibition. I've included a photo of one of the sculptures here. For more visit my Picasa page.

The scuptures were lovely and I wish I could have spent more time amongst them. In them I can see people moving about, dancing, walking, standing. They will be on exhibit through the end of January which gives me time to go back and see them under different circumstances. Covered with snow would be interesting!

Baldy Colby in a self portrait. Today I have been working on learning to use the new camera. I'm quite pleased with its capabilities, but there is a big learning curve with this one as there are more than enough options to keep me occupied for a while. I'll post photos on Picasa as I go so any of you reading this can see how I am doing.

Katie spent the weekend with us and we enjoyed her visit. Sharon and Katie had fun shopping while I worked at Binny's. The two of them came to the store, purchased some wine and then took me to lunch at Chicks & Salsa.

Last night Sharon made a wonderful dinner of bone in chicken breasts and butternut squash out of our garden. I took before and after shots. This is the before, visit Picasa for the after shots.

Today has been a good day in the chemo cycle, I am feeling good. I told Sharon that this week I pondered the fact that on bad days I want them to end so that I could sleep and not think about how I was feeling. On good days, I don't want the day to end. This is one of the good days that I do not want to end. Lee and Peg are coming over for dinner and I am looking forward to seeing them and spending a plesant evening with them.

Shelby snoozes on my lap. I had a long day at work and collaped into the recliner to rest. Shelby saw this as an opportunity to relax after his long day at home, protecting us from stray mice. I took this photo with my new toy, an Olympus EP-2. It did a pretty good job in low light.

I was really tired after work and the recliner felt REALLY good. Once I was in it and relaxed I did not want to move - but then Shelby didn't want me to move either. I finally got up and poured wine for Katie and for me and then was back in the recliner until Sharon came home from the Bistro.

Dinner last night was a success except for the white asparagus. I was thankful I was thankful that I was inspired to cook and that I enjoyed the results. When you are wearing a glove on your tongue it can be difficult to enjoy food.

Let me elaborate on that. I say that I have a glove on my tongue because not only am I unable to taste as I could before chemo, I feel that my tongue is somewhat numb, much like my finger tips. The feeling is similar to touching objects while wearing thin gloves.

Back to dinner, because this chemo round has been difficult because of my being more tired, feeling generally "yucky" and nauseous it was a relief to feel hunger and to feel the urge to shop and cook. I wonder if chemo has been particularly difficult for me because I enjoy the tastes and aromas of food, wine, and spirits and have been unable to enjoy them during chemo? On a positive note, in two and a half months I should be regrowing taste buds and my nerve endings should be regrowing!

A neighborhood cat visited our yard last night and got Shelby and L.C. quite upset resulting in lots of howling and hissing, and fighting. Why is it when a strange cat is outside that our cats attack each other? They should put up a joint front for the interloper!

Today I had a visit with Dr. Kozuh who declares I am on track. This afternoon I will have a PET-CT scan to determine the progress of my chemo.

If you want to learn more about Hodgkin's and chemo follow this link and check out this blog.

The scan is done and I can expect to hear the results next week.

Today seems as it has been a long day, but mostly all I have done is drive to appointments and either sat around, or in the case of the scan, laid on my back. Well, I did get a new battery for the Miata and shopped at Whole Foods. We are having Italian tonight - tagliatelle with veal, wine, and cream. For a side. white asparagus.

Today I am feeling better and am working on editing photos I should have worked on as much as two years ago. This one has been posted before and I had a print made a couple of weeks ago. It will become an addition to our kitchen food art when it is matted and framed. This was taken in Collioure, France last spring. Cafe for moi and hot chocolate for Sharon. We had a nice visit in this little fishing town.

I've been putting photos on Picasa so that I can easily share with friends. This is a better venue for photos than Facebook - and more accessible. Let me know if this works for you.

I was hungry for stuffed celery and radishes today. Odd. I've not been eating much the last few days and here I want celery and radishes - and not just plain, I made a stuffing with fresh chives, some cream cheese, mayo, a little salt, pepper, and hot sauce. It is working for me. Aromas have set off bouts of nausea for the past few days. Even today, while feeling much better, the smell of cooking chicken was too much for me. Sharon is making chicken noodle soup for me at my request, I hope I can handle it!

Sharon's chicken noodle soup was outstanding - as was her whole grain bread. I ate more than I have been able to get down since last Wednesday.

This has not been a good round of chemo. I was able to work part of the day on Thursday but then the tide turned. General yucky feeling with nausea, issue with smells, unable to eat, sore and tender fingernail and toenails, lethargy..... Just all round "I hate chemo and what it does to me."

On Friday I was unable to accomplish much other than laying around. Saturday was a bit better, made some CDs of wedding pictures and washed some dishes. Minor accomplishments I know but better than doing nothing. I don't really want to see or talk to anyone. I do want to get out of the house, but don't want to go anywhere.

I am feeling well enough tonight to be writing and that is a step in the right direction.

Sharon is going to make soup and bread for me tomorrow! She is doing her best to get me through this.