day dreaming...

I love Austin. I love Texas. I don't really see myself living anywhere else. BUT, and I know I probably sound like a broken record, I am sooooo unbelievably tired of this heat. We have now had more than 60 days of over 100 degree heat and barely a drop of rain. My yard is crispy and my electric bill is insane. I spend a fair amount of each day thinking about where I would rather be. New York City is pretty high on my list. Not necessarily in the ABC stairwell as pictured above, but just somewhere in NYC. From what I gather they are having a very, very mild summer. hmmmm, how quickly can I get a flight?

Build a bangle necklace

I love this necklace. I know I made it and maybe I should be a bit more humble. But it's versatile, you can wear it with one charm, just the hoop, both charms and the hoop, etc. And it is a perfect gift. It's personal. As Martha would say, it's a good thing.

round 8

Today was Preachers eighth round of chemo. We have officially been through all of the different chemo meds. Now he'll just cycle back through them over the next four months. I am hoping that now we will kind of have a grasp on how he reacts to each one and will be prepared. However, today proved that theory wrong. Today's drug was vincristine. It's one he's had several times before and has handled better than any others. So I guess I had a false sense of security this go around. When I brought him home he promptly had diarrhea all over the living room floor. Thank God for tile. Poor guy. I can tell he feels a little poopy (pun unintended). But he ate dinner very well so that's good. He had put on another three pounds over the last week which is great. The oncologist tech said "everything looks great. He's doing great." So, that's our update.

Chemo day is always a little blah, but the six days in between are usually just fantastic! In fact, the other morning Preacher was playing with The Business Man! If I could just get a photo of them in their play standoff - both in the downward dog position - it's just that one is 120 pounds and the other is 5 pounds. It's like they see who will break the pose first and then it's bounce, bounce, chase, chase. But the minute the camera comes out it's "who me?"

Thanks again for all of your comments, well wishes, and happy thoughts. I know it is helping. Going into this we were terrified. But like anything, you adjust to the changes and make the best of things. And honestly, things are pretty wonderful.

Is this gonna last forever?

I don't know how many of you have seen the you tube video of the kid in the car after the dentist appointment...I thought it was pretty funny, but I guess some people thought it was not so funny...anyway, I keep reciting his line, in the same pitiful voice "Is this gonna last forever?" in reference to our record breaking heat. It's ridiculous is all I'm sayin'. More than 50 days of over 100 degrees with virtually no rain. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE cold weather! LOVE IT! The colder and more severe the better - ice stores - love 'em! Any excuse to make a pot of soup, curl up in front of a fire, and cuddle with my honey and the pups - ah, heaven! But I am beginning to think I will never see cold again. Will I ever get to wear this cute hat again? Or snuggle with my husband? Is this gonna last forever?

Oh, but this photo, me and him - that IS gonna last forever!

padding the chemo budget

When we considered dog insurance years ago we dismissed it fairly quickly. Why was that again? And I am wondering now if we ever thought "hmm, we could just get it for the dog that weighs 130 pounds" since veterinary medicine is priced by weight. But no, we didn't. That seems downright silly now. But hindsight is indeed 20/20. Luckily the Preachers treatments are paid for at each visit vs. one lump sum. The one lump sum would scare the bajeezus out of me. But the weekly visits seem more do-able. But they also mean that each week I am frantically thinking of ways to work harder, make more jewelry, and stick to my spend strike. Hello Closeout page! Right now the metalsgirl closeout page is pretty chalk full of jewels at great prices. I have big time incentive to mark 'em down and get 'em out! So if you need some gift, wanna do some early holiday shopping, or just need a little recession priced gift for yourself or your sweetie - there are goodies galore!

round 7

Today was round seven. Tom was taking him in on his way to work and then the plan was that I would pick him up when they called to day "all done". But Tom called shortly after leaving to say that he was getting oral chemo meds at home this time 'round. huh? Every other time it's been an injection or iv administered chemo. ** a bunch of mumbo jumbo to follow so if you don't want all that skip to the next paragraph ** So, long story short, this was to be the last time we would have to go through a "new med". Because he had such a bad reaction to the cytoxan in round three he would get a new, similar drug next time he was due for cytoxan. So, here we are. Apparently this drug, leukeran, is in pill form.

Sooooo, Tom says "they are gonna give you some pills and some gloves." Okee-do-kee. And sure enough, I go pick him up (he came prancing out like a big fat cutie-pie!) and the tech gives me a baggie with a pill bottle and a pair of gloves. So here's the deal - he has to take 25, yes - twenty five, of these little orange pills all at once that I cannot touch with my bare hands. But they are okay for him to SWALLOW?!?!? Man, cancer sucks. Oh and by the way, "if he pees or poops in the house in the next three days use the gloves to clean it up." What?

So, I thought it was going to be painful. My other-mother suggested a peanut butter and pill sandwich. But I just dumped the whole bottle of 25 in with his grain-free food and freshly grilled (we all know how he feels about that!) hamburger meat and he gobbled it right up. Pretty darn painless considering how intimidated I was when I stuck the baggie of pills and gloves in my purse at 9am.

And as the day progressed he has been happy and hungry. Everything we want in a Big Man!

Crave!

Several months ago I was contacted by someone putting together a book about Austin women business owners. The idea is part shopping guide /part women's empowerment hoo la la. I love the idea on several levels. Most important is the message - shop from the little guy not the big box store. Whether it's a man or a woman that owns the business I think we should all try to shop from the small business owners first. I for one am pretty anti Wal Mart. I simply will not go into a Wal Mart. The fact that Sam Walton's goal was to put all small, local business owners out of business is just disturbing. But I digress.

So, I am lucky enough to be one of the women featured in the Austin edition of Crave! It's pretty cool - each woman was photographed by local, female photographers (mine was the FABULOUS Casey Woods Maddeaux), we each answered questions about inspirations, favorite local hang outs, that kind of stuff. I for one am super excited to check out every one's thoughts and photos. I know I will be drawn to these crazy cool and local businesses.

If you aren't local I still think it would be a cool, inspiring book to have - and a great buy before a trip to Austin!! And there are other cities with Crave books - Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver are both out now...and one the way: San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, and AUSTIN! Look to buy the Austin version at http://www.metalsgirl.com/ very soon!

Boys Schmoys!

My imaginary friend Taylor has been harping on me for years to have make "boy stuff". But most of the boys I know don't wear jewelry so it has been hard for me to know what to do. But then I thought "tie tacks, some boys were tie tacks"..."cuff links, boys were cuff links to weddings". And chains with cool pendants, I like those on boys. So, I finally have a Men's line! Yay!

Six down.

Round six of chemo is under our belt. He went in yesterday and it seems to have gone off without a hitch. He is eating great, has some spunk, and is our normal Preacher Man. yay!!

I was telling a friend of mine the other day, a friend whose dog was just given a cancer diagnosis, that you find a new kind of normal when you have to deal with things like this. It's an odd thing, I think it's some version of self preservation or our bodies unknown defense mechanism kicking in. What I mean is that I have found that when you deal with any kind tragedy or intense difficulty in life, especially an illness, you are initially in shock, in a panic, freaking out, all of the above. But then once you come to terms with it, make a plan, I think you find a new normal. A few months ago, before our cancer diagnosis, life was good. We were cruising along with out thinking about things too much. But now I feel like I am enjoying my life even more, and as odd as it sounds, I am even happier than I was before. Weird? Maybe. But I appreciate everything more now. It's an odd thing - life and all that.

a beachy breather

I took a much needed breather and headed down to the Texas beach. A lot of people aren't big fans of the beaches we have here and honestly, if you said I could go to the Oregon coast or Maine, I would abandon the Texas beaches in a heart beat. But since this little beach is just a few hours away it's the go to beach for us. And Port Aransas is a great, crusty little town. It's basically still a little fishing village. Maybe the term "village" is a stretch. Village sounds like some quaint little town in Vermont. This is, well, like I said, crusty. But it's not all built up and full of bars and party-ing kids. God I sound old. Anyway, it was great. It was just my mom, my cousin-but-more-like-an-aunt Jan, and my friend Casey...oh, and The Business Man.

Working on some promo stuff...

The Wednesday blahs.

Or the mean reds as Holly Golightly called them. I don't know why, but I've got them. No particular reason. Hopefully they will be gone tomorrow.

Five down.

Round five of chemo is out of the way! We've been nervous about this particular drug (doxorubicin) because apparently its the most likely of the chemo drugs to have side effects. It can cause damage to the heart over time, nausea, bone marrow suppression, etc. Lovely, huh? But the oncologist assures us over and over that the benefits far out weigh the risks. We decided to get an EKG to make sure his heart is in good shape to begin with. So we saw a cardiologist today before chemo and his heart looks great. Good news. He received the chemo this afternoon and now we wait. 10 days with no major reactions and we are out of the woods on this drug. Then we get a week off. Yay!

Round five tomorrow

This is a verrrrry old picture, but I was realizing that I don't have many body shots of Preacher. I was trying to take some this weekend and he just wants to head for the camera - hence so many close ups. Anyway, this was taken several years ago after the Might Texas Dog Walk. We took Preacher and Pasqual. Pasqual decided to run the walk so Tom took off with him and we didn't see them again until the end. But Preacher and I had a lovely walk, well, once he got rid his nerves and diarrhea on the start line. Lovely.

So, tomorrow is round five of chemo. I'm a little nervous because it's a new drug. He will see a cardiologist in the morning because this drug can cause issues with his heart. Makes me anxious but I am trying to trust his oncologist and know that we are taking every precaution by meeting with the cardiologist first. So, more well wishes, prayers, good thoughts, etc. please. And I will keep you posted.

Are grab bags out?

When I was a kid I was a sucker for a grab bag. Probably a good sign to stay out of the casinos, huh? I loved them though. And I don't recall ever being disappointed with the contents. Colorful pencils, odd shaped and scented erasers, stickers, gum and candy - kid stuff.

So I have been brain-storming how to drum up business and the old school grab bag came to mind. I thought maybe that would be something fun to do in my etsy shop to give business a bump and help out with the vet bills. I was thinking a necklace and earrings, a bracelet and earrings plus some bottlecaps, something like that...well over the $25 price tag.

I posted a little something about it in the etsy forums and got mixed reviews. A couple seemed to think it would be fun and others were down right touchy about the subject. Like they have been personally wronged by the grab bag! I had no idea grab bags were such a sensitive subject. Now don't get me wrong, I did ask for opinions, so I have to be willing to take what I get...but damn, my grab bags don't bite!

So who knows. It might be a total dud. But I am giving it a whirl. We'll see...