Tis the Season

Well it seems that everywhere we turn these days folks are coughing and sneezing and trying to get rid of that darn cold. Well Bonnie has also joined in with the coughing and stuffy nose and although she spent a couple of days resting on the couch as soon as she felt a smidge better she was up and running again. That was all fine and dandy except she woke up yesterday morning feeling worse than ever. The terrible cough, feeling achy all over and finally a temperature. After a few chats with the nurse at Mercy we were off for chest x-rays which showed that Bonnie has a touch of pneumonia. She started on antibiotics immediately and the doctor says she should be feeling better in a day or two. The good news is that she is sleeping well and this morning is beginning to feel a little better.
The good news in all of this is that Bonnie's white blood count is very high from an extra drug she takes. This has been her saving grace in this little cold because she has the cells that help her fight off the infection.
I will say Bonnie has the most devoted little dogs who spend all their time sleeping on her or next to her and only leave her when I pick them up to take them out and then Lily growls at me until I get her outside!
I will keep you posted on how she is doing. Thanks again for all your kind words, thoughts and prayers.

Helen

Chemo Treatment Number 5

Here we are at Mercy for treatment number 5. Bonnie has a wonderful seat with the sun streaming in and a beautiful view of the bay. The Benadryl has put her to sleep which helps to pass the time. Of course in Bonnie's head she is already finished with treatment number 5 and only has one more to go! It is quite an interesting journey with ups and downs along the way.

After her 4th treatment getting postponed because of her blood work she was given an additional medication that helps improve her blood count and as well helped her to feel better. Bonnie has been feeling pretty good for the last 2 weeks and has been quite active including a trip to upstate New York and Ohio to visit my daughters. Well she feels good but keeps doing nutty things like wearing her slippers all the way to Ohio (we drove) and insisting that the gray hairs growing in are blond!! We are all humoring her and having fun despite all the stuff she is going through.

The highlight of most of her days is going to the beach in the morning with the dogs. Not only does it get the dogs out but she loves walking on the beach and the sunrise is an added bonus too.

So the pattern after treatment is that on Wednesday she feels great (still on the steroid high) and from Thursday through the weekend she usually lays low. By Monday she will be ready to get on with things and will be busy with the approaching holiday so the timing is all good.

So while Bonnie is sleeping away the day here I am going to go for a walk.....

Helen