By the time you finish reading about the diversity of the past week you will wonder “which Ann” is the real one!

Monday was another fun mother-daughter day over lunch with the usual exchanges of food and miscellany. Tuesday morning I played pickle ball and then prepared for my late afternoon departure for the Washington National Cathedral where the Crossroads program is held the last Tuesday of each month. There are two very large labyrinths in the nave between 6 and 8:45 pm with a special one hour program between 7:30-8:30. My topic was “The Spirituality of Sound and Silence” …. and I had my Tibetan Singing Bowls, all nine of them…. plus the little meditation bowl that Karen had given me in the mid-eighties to get me started.  🙂   Here is the setting in Bethlehem Chapel …  and yours truly ….
                   

At the end I invited those who wished to, to come forward to try sounding the bowls and the response was literally thunderous! At the same time Shalem wanted a group photo … so here are the bowls (minus the experimenters)   and my Shalem groupies!
It was an exhilarating experience for me, not just my usual delight in sharing the vibrations. It was feeling supported by so many friends – from the Cathedral, from Shalem, from various spiritual journeys – plus my family members and dear Jane from Danforth Graduate days who flew in from Chicago and met me there! Many others also joined us after walking the labyrinth. The memories will forever resound in the recesses of my mind. A bonus was being totally pain-free and feeling the ‘normal’ Me.

Wednesday Jane and I had breakfast here in the Cafe; naturally the plumbing crew at Greenspring had chosen that day to turn off water in two residence buildings for pressure repair! We had a great visit … a real lift to see and visit with her. And then to National Airport.
Here are the pics we took of each other before heading out…
  
Napped some in the afternoon and reflected on the day to come.

Thursday was the annual Village Fair here at Greenspring and I had volunteered to sit at the Pickleball table for one of the three hours.  🙂 Of course! For those of you who have inquired about this mysterious sport, recently highlighted on CBS as taking over the country, here are several videos to explore!

After lunch I met Karen at the oncologist’s office for instruction in chemo procedures. I got a Vitamin B12 shot (one every 9 weeks) and six prescriptions: “hi-test” folic acid, a drug for possible rash, an if-needed nausea drug, a drug for day-before, day-of, and day-after chemo (sounds like something else besides nausea pill, doesn’t it?!), a cream to put on the port an hour in advance, and a pain patch for leg (may or may not work).  Of course I signed my life away just like when entering surgery – which seemed rather humorous!  After much angst over the issue of one drug (Alimta) vs. two (combined with Carboplatin) I decided to take the doctor’s recommendation and do both.  The results have proven that for women 79+ (just got under the fence) they yield a 10% better result together and – who knows? – in my situation maybe 10% will prove advantageous. Note: the first oncologist had recommended the same. I was assured that the combo can be discontinued at any time and that there are ways to manage side effects to minimize problems, and that the phone will be answered at any time I have a concern or question.

Friday: ah, the mediport.  One of my church friends took me to the hospital and Karen was there to bring me home.  I had been shown all of the paraphernalia the day before as well as at the hospital.  I have the smallest port they could find implanted under the skin on my right side between 2nd and 3rd ribs.  I also have a very small incision on my lower neck where the tube from the port is connected to a vein.  I was very woozy after the surgery, unlike previous biopsies with the same two substances (versed and fetanyl) and was wobbly for a few hours.  No pain until I awoke during the night from finding myself sleeping on that side and spot!  I am plastered with steri-strips on top of glue and self-dissolving stitches.

Saturday:  No pickleball for me for a week.  🙁    Not that I was up to it this morning, of course!  Slept off and on till about nine and then ‘prepared’ for the cleaning woman.  No comments, men!  In the afternoon I went for a hair appointment, returning to have dinner with a friend from my days as educator in the UCC. A good thirty years ago. I have also spent the day going crazy from itching or from soreness! Keeps one focused!  Diverts my attention from hip/leg pain!  All should be healed in a week.

Now that my “commitments” are history, I am in for the long haul. Karen has taken a leave of absence to be my helper and support, as needed. It grieves me because she so loves her work at House of Steep, a tea and foot sanctuary in Arlington where she has been a manager and is learning reflexology…. yet I understand her finding it difficult to focus under these unwelcome circumstances. Meanwhile David offers his support (and Tamara’s) via e-mail and phone. My four cousins have stayed connected and caring as well; one (with his wife) surprised me at the cathedral Tuesday; he claimed it was the only way to track me down!  Another has been looking after the house at Blue Ridge Summit, PA for me, even getting it cleaned in my absence! I’m sure I’ve forgot to name someone…. please forgive.

Next on the docket:  First chemo. Tuesday, May 7 at 1:00 pm. “God-willin’ and the crick don’t rise!” About 2-3 hours….private room, lazyboy type chair, TV, …. all the comforts of home! Karen will accompany me for the first session in order to see how I react when leaving. These will be every 3 weeks for about 4-6 treatments, with evaluation after 2 or 3. I will also get my second monthly injection of Xgeva for bone protection. The following Tuesday, May 14, I have an appointment with the oncologist, Dr. David Heyer.

In the meantime I have an appointment with my pulmonologist on Monday morning.  It’s a  follow-up to see if any of my meds need adjusting.  In the afternoon I have my Peer Group meeting (spiritual directors gather for purposes of remaining accountable). I’m convener this month, meaning I will choose something in the way of a centering prayer or poem or reading or scripture for us to use as an opening.  Good friends too.

It seems that I’ve written a book. As the title says, it’s been a full week! My hip pain seems to come and go, calling my attention to it periodically. But I am ever so grateful that it can be managed so far with minimal pain meds. Monday I’ll learn how my lung function/breathing is doing.

For those of you who are ready to tell me to slow down  🙂  I have next to nothing other than what you see above on my calendar! This is charting a new path. I’ve yielded to the obvious and surrendered to the whatever. And I am surrounded by a multitude of family and friends along with their good wishes, prayers and untold support. I feel it and give thanks.