Recovering from High Beam Radiation and Experiencing Memory Issues

February 25th, 2022 – Post #34

We had a much better night. Thank you for your prayers.

I wish I could respond to comments individually, but will just say, Jen V. – I was just thinking of you and thought I ought to update you on her latest nickname “Biohazard Bethie” because of the incident that happened inside the hospital Starbucks immediately following her treatment. She was so excited to eat a Rice Krispy treat there, but before she could even get it out of the bag, got sick into the paper sack, which immediately disintegrated in her hands. Starbucks really should consider switching from paper to plastic. I’m sure some of the customers got about as green as the logo.

I know from personal experience that the inside of her coat sleeve makes an ideal barf bag, but I guess that didn’t cross her mind. She’s still mourning the loss of her Rice Krispy treat, which she’s reminded us more than once, “was still wrapped”. Nevertheless – it was not retrieved.

To those of you who have alluded to her sense of humor, you ought to see her with a little morphine in her system. 🙂

I was teasing her yesterday about her pants being on backwards, and didn’t realize until this morning that my underwear had been on inside out all day – I think that’s about the best representation of how topsy-turvy the day was – trying to take care of her and get the icy driveway and full-of-furniture house ready for medical equipment.

She’s still pretty weak today. As my dad and I sandwiched her in a slow motion and totally uncoordinated Congo line into the very narrow bathroom (built in the 1940’s – need I say more?), my mom nodded towards their fairly new oversized vanity and said, “I bet Jody’s wanting to take a chain saw to the edge of this thing to make more room in here.”

What I was actually thinking was, “This must be what clowns go through when they all pile out of their tiny car into a tiny bathroom to get the grandma clown to the toilet on time.”

I’ve turned her ringer off for a while, so she can catch up on some sleep. Besides that, I’ve felt a little like a parent letting their kid use the phone for the first time – under the influence of chemo brain and morphine her facts might not all be quite correct, though they might be a little more comical…

For those of you who’ve contacted her (even in the last year or so) and haven’t heard back, I’ve wanted to say, please don’t feel ignored. She has had some memory issues, and I’ve realized especially lately that she has many unread messages, or has wanted to respond to someone and hasn’t had the energy. I know there is a stack of cards she’s been wanting to write, but hasn’t gotten around to. So, please know, she’s thought of you.

For now, she’s napping by a view of snowflakes floating down on the Cardinals at their feeder.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Love, Jody

Click here to read about some of the funny moments that have come with my mom’s memory loss.

*To read more on my mom’s cancer journey from the beginning, or share it, please click below:

Jody

I'm not sure what to say here: I once got second place in a dog-look-alike-contest? I know how to fold a fitted sheet? I'm pretty much a poster child for social backwardness - at least as far as social media is concerned; but I have some stories I think I'm supposed to share and am attempting to do that here, in this space.

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