Happy Thanksgiving!

With bright sunshine and cool temperatures, the Arizona desert gives me much for which to be thankful:  Fresh citrus fruits, fragrant verbena, cactus wrens, ravens, great horned owls, bougainvillea and hibiscus, and occasionally, clean air!

I am especially thankful to have a wonderful, supportive and loving family.  I could not do this cancer without you all.  When I have no appetite you tempt me with morsels no sane person could resist.  When I'm cold, you make me warm, knitted goodies to cover my mangy-looking head. :D

I have eight more radiations to go, for this round.  I think I have four more chemos, also.. for this round.  I don't kid myself that once this batch is done, I'll be good and not need any more.  Still, you know this is a small price to pay if I get another year or maybe more.  I am still hoping to return to work.  Perhaps once we're down to just a weekly Herceptin infusion, I can do it.  But, that's up to my wonderful oncology doctors, and yes, I am VERY thankful for both Dr. Fastenberg and Dr. Tsai.  How lucky I am that I once had a blood clot and Dr. Fastenbuerg was called in to consult.  I don't think I could go through this without such an amazing oncologist.

And the entire staff at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center; how you all do this every day, with smiles and great care  and kindness... simply awesome.  I might be wheeling myself down a hall towards radiation, when no matter who I pass, eye-contact is made and a smile is given.  It might be a small thing, but you can't know how much that smile means to all of us patients.  It means we matter, that despite our illness, someone cares and understands we are HUMANS.

The veggies have been roasted for the salad; butternut squash, parsnips, Anaheim chilies (wasn't in the recipe, but .. hehe, you know... gotta be true to the heritage), garlic, red onions, spritzed with olive oil.  Later, I'll wilt some spinach, toss with the roasted veggies, dress with sun dried tomato vinaigrette, and then top with pine nuts.  Yum.

Also just popped the jalapeno corn bread in the oven.  Cathy and Jane are out working on the bird, which has to be in the oven by 11AM.  We'll have a relatively early dinner just in case anyone needs to go elsewhere for another get-together. 

And now, time to go check that cornbread, and get something else to drink besides coffee.  I'm HORRIBLE at keeping myself hydrated.  I have bad (coffee) hydration habits.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, be safe, be happy and enjoy life!