The park is undergoing some reconstruction and had some fences up to keep us out of some areas, but of course, I didn't let that keep me from entering. We were there so early in the morning, that no workers were there, so we slid in around the fence and got some other views of the majestic beauty of the Grand Canyon, that others cannot see, so I was smiling.
I was with Jackie and Miranda, so I should have expected them to surprise me, but I wasn't ready for Jackie jumping over the fence that goes around the perimeter of the canyon. She and Miranda ventured out onto this boulder that appeared to me to drop straight off, and a fall from which would have killed them, but there was another level just below her that would have easily caught her had she fallen...before I knew, however, I was begging her to come back to the safety of the other side of the fence. Before I knew, she dangled her feet over the edge of this boulder and before I knew, she was dancing on the boulder...scaring me and being frightened, I was crying, begging her to return to where I was. I finally calmed down and took pictures of the girls and I will post those to this website, and replace the blood transfusion pictures!
So today I am back at Dr. Chawla's, reality takes it's place back in my life. The nurse is here to take my blood and I am forced to remember that I have cancer. While I was on my trip, I was in pain almost constantly, but it was okay because I was seeing America. We went through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and finally, Missouri. We saw the petrified forest and the Grand Canyon while on the trip, but while in Missouri, oh my goodness...Jackie made it her job to make sure I saw as much as Missouri as I could in the short time there. We went to the St. Louis Zoo...FREE! Free! It is free everyday! It is huge! I got a couple videos while there, including one of two endangered wild horses that decided to try to make some babies while I taped them....funny! She also took me to Sculpture Park, this amazing park with a trail to walk on and these beautiful sculptures that were apparently donated to the park by different artists. I got pictures of those too.
Jackie also took me to Viviano's. If you ever go to St. Louis, be sure to stop in at this little Italian diner. I got Jackie's favorite, Pasta con Broccoli. It was delicious! It is family owned and it isn't one of those places where you take a seat and then order. You order at the counter and then take a seat and they yell out your order number....I wasn't ready for the explosion of taste that made it's home on my palate. I think they used a vodka sauce, the pasta was small shells, with broccoli and mushrooms and then it was topped with a healthy sprinkling of romano and parmesan cheeses. I am going to try to re-create it at home this week.
Okay, so the nurse said my platelets were extremely low, which justifies all the bruises I have seen on my body as of late. I have to get a shot to increase my levels and return on Thursday to hopefully get better results and receive my monthly dose of chemo.
I also have some more homework to do. I don't want my life to be a life of chemo every 21 days, so I have been told to check into a gamma knife with a radiologist to explore the possibility of removing my tumors without cutting me! Imagine that! I don't know how it is done, but it sounds like a plan to me!
So, no chemo today. Waiting on the doctor to give me prescriptions for pain and sleep...and back home, to rest from my week of exploring the sites of America.
