hot water buddy

This year, on our 51st anniversary, Bill ended up taking me to a most expensive venue: Baylor, Scott, and White emergency room. Chemo, etc. has lead to severe dehydration and a serious drop in blood pressure. I was eventually moved to ICU for several days to receive an IV drug that has to be very closely monitored.

I have very difficult veins — as of today, I have blown 5 of them. When the lady came by for a daily blood test, she had lots of trouble finding a usable vein. She came up with this ingenious method of a hot water filled glove placed over my hand to help raise the vein she was after. Then I kept it to sketch — and then put on a sore tummy!

Blood pressure is good now; I am now in a regular room as they continue to fight the loss of liquids. I will probably go home in a day or two but this postponed Wednesday’s chemo infusion.

favorite drawing tools

At least, these are the ones I grab currently.

I don’t always use a pencil but when I do, I love Blackwing pencils. I have 6 or 7 Lamy Safari fountain pens — each with ink to match the barrel. This one contains black ink. The Duke 209, with Lexington gray ink, is the most reliable fude pen I’ve found, very lightweight. The Kaweco Liliput’s nib gets more and more flex in it the longer I use it. This copper one holds brown ink.

Jeremiah, journaling

I seem to be sketching more this week — making up for not being able to last week due to shaking hands, I suppose. This time I was joined by my wee teddy bear, Jeremiah, who has a book of his own.

a looney tunes day

For those with an overactive sense of curiosity: this is a sketch of how my chemo infusion is delivered. I have a port-a-cath placed just beneath my skin, which sort of grossed me out at first. But now, having now had two infusions through it to date, I am so grateful for it!

I have difficult veins and I think using a regular I.V. is not possible with this drug anyway. Using the port has actually been completely painless! One hour before the procedure, I apply Lidocaine cream and cover it with a bit of cling wrap to hold the cream in place. By the time the nurse is ready to establish a line, it is totally numb.

After removing the needle, the nurse covers the injection site with a Looney Tunes bandaid — which just makes me laugh! So I saved one in my journal.

cactus bloom!

Last year we planted prickly pear cactus in front of our barn-house and the plants have thrived through the cool winter and wetter-than-average spring. Sometimes a pad would break off — Bill just popped it into the soil somewhere else and it took off growing as well!

Bill took a photo of this, our very first bloom, a couple of weeks ago just before it fully opened. Last Wednesday I drew it from the photo while I was waiting for my chemo infusion — the last straight lines I was able to draw for a while as the chemo causes my hands to shake for about a week!

more waiting

Just a couple more waiting room doodles in my 2” ZigZag sketchbook — these are from last Wednesday but I didn’t get around to adding a bit of color until today.

dresser take-over

The top of my old bedroom dresser used to hold a beautiful wooden bowl our son Matt turned on a lathe, an antique oil lamp, a wooden jewelry box, a fun red tea tin used as a coin bank, and a small double frame holding separate photos of Bill and me as 2-year olds.

Since early March, it has become my colostomy care center. Supplies sent by different companies through home healthcare piled up and Bill needed to spread it all out to learn what is needed for weekly care. He’s actually an excellent nurse!

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post this; having an ostomy bag feels embarrassing. But it actually saved my life so why not? The tumor caused a blockage with perforation spreading infection into my abdominal cavity. The ostomy allowed that to be cleared up, paving the way to healing.

And the good news is the surgeon, after examining me this past month, says he will be able to reattach everything back together when he removes whatever is left of the tumor after chemo and radiology. This is only temporary! I once knew a lady in Kansas who was stuck with living with an ostomy bag the rest of her life and I sure didn’t want to go through that!

I have so many things to be thankful for.

drawing what’s on hand

Sometimes I want to draw something but have zero inspiration — so I draw whatever is close by. Yesterday it happened to be my yogurt and water glass.

My taste is regularly changing as I journey through this cancer battle. I used to not like bananas much; now I eat one every day because it just tastes good. Other foods that I’ve always loved are repulsive to me now. One food I love currently is a mix of plain Greek yogurt, fruit, and a bit of stevia. No matter how lacking I am in appetite, I can always eat this.

happy birthday, Dave!

Tomorrow is my big brother’s birthday (I really can’t wrap my head around the fact that he will be 70!). Since 2010 I have sent him cards I specially sketched for him, but this year I wasn’t sure I’d get one done because I have zero energy and zero inspiration. This was taken from an image I saw in a Google search so I take no credit for it. But I’m sure Dave won’t mind.

In my mind, Dave is a saint. Early in 2014 Bill and I retired to Texas where our kids and grandkids lived, but both of my parents still live in Kansas so it falls on my brother to see to their needs: dealing with our dad’s nursing home and financial matters, and providing transportation for Mom as she no longer drives. All of this while Dave has health challenges of his own. I owe him a lot.

parting gifts

When I was released from the hospital in early March, I was set up with a lovely home healthcare nurse, Shelli, to monitor my “vitals” at home as well as checking on how we are dealing with the cancer diagnosis. This week, during her final visit, she gave me an unexpected parting gift: a lined journal to write in, a blank sketchbook, and a set of drawing pencils. I guess she got to know me pretty well!

another view

I’ve often sketched our living room while sitting in the antique red upholstered chair. This time, I decided to draw what I see from the reclining loveseat where I spend a lot of time lately. Minus some large windows on the far left.