Twisting...balloons !

Went to the Holiday Open House at Wright State University for A Special Wish Foundation, Dayton, Ohio. Vanngo went with me, her sister, Linda drove her there. Our clown alley, Giggles and Grins, provides clowns for the annual event. Alto did a Magic Show and I saw Mickey, Sparklelee, and Lullabelle doing face-painting. Zilcho was twisting balloons. Plucky, Tindy Ducks and a few more clowns were wandering about. It was an awesome time. A Special Wish is a great organization and does a lot of events and grants many special wishes through the year. You can learn more about it here:  A Special Wish .

Vanngo did a very good job of handing Yo-You balloons to the children and blowing a loud horn and announcing the arrival of a "Princess" whenever I made a Princess Wand balloon for one of the girls. I also made hats and alien swords and dogs.

                                                       Vanngo and Careful

                                                     Alvin and the Chipmunks

                                                                    3 Clowns

I have been doing pretty good, feeling more normal. I am still tired a lot and get fatigued, but I am learning to pace myself. One thing though, I have been practicing driving a car again--after a year of no driving, and have noticed that when I do a lot of physical activity (I have been attempting to exercise more), even though I pace myself so as not to be fatigued to the point of collapse, I end-up with sore muscles that take several days to go away. It used to be that I could chalk that up to the age process. It seems more likely to be a combo of aging and chemo.

I made myself some liver and onions yesterday. I prepared the meal the way my mother used to make it. Caramelize the onions with butter and sugar and then lightly flour the liver and fry it in some butter. It came out really tasty. I hope the iron and nutrients that the liver and onions provide will help repair my sore joints and muscles. Although, the mechanism of the Alimta is to starve the cells that ask for nutrients.

I have noticed that I have lost several inches from my waistline. I haven't weighed myself lately, but my last visit to the Oncologist showed that I weighed 161 which has held steady since February. I weighed 180+ going into this whole ordeal, had a robust belly which I could do without. So, getting down to 160 or so is not a bad thing. I graduated High School weighing 158 ! Of course, I fear I may be losing some muscle mass. I will have to ask the Doctor how my body is supposed to repair and replenish itself when the order of the Chemo is to deny it !

So, everything is going smoothly. My next event is in December. Our alley provides clowns for a Rotary Christmas Banquet for Special Needs children in Springfield. It is also a fine time and a lot of fun!

Life is good...Life is an Adventure !!!

Proud as a Peacock (and Just as Pretty)

      (credit: Sunflower Clowne)
I was able to participate in the Fairborn Parade for the 4th of July this past week! And, I walked nearly the whole thing !
In Klown Kollege we were taught to cover our arms and if our neck was bare, we should apply make-up to the front and sides and back of the neck. However, it being so very, very hot on the 4th, I chose to wear my Red Skelton T-shirt with a pair of formal shirt cuffs w/jeweled cuff-links. I took my new, formal jacket replete with medals and colorful epaulets and made good use of it when I passed the viewing stand.
The Giggles and Grins Clown Alley had a sparse attendance, possibly due to the heat. Mickey, Boof, Sunflower, Good Grief and Wally were there. The crowd was surprisingly large and, as always, very appreciative of the Spectacle. I passed a few stickers out to the audience as well as a very few, select clown noses.
I walked the first portion of the Parade and as we neared the viewing stand I climbed into the GnG truck and put on my Jacket. But, I was able to walk four-fifths of the Parade! I don't know how I did it. Possibly because I had a B-12 shot a few days prior and was starting on a regimen of Folic Acid, I don't know. Maybe it was because I was so excited to be able to attend my first parade for this year. I started the year taking fairly long walks, but back in April or so I found that I could only walk a hundred yards or so before my energy gave out.

So, I was very proud to be able to walk in the Parade! And, I fully expected to pay dearly for it the next day. However, I wasn't sore or overly-tired! The weather has remained hot and even though I had some more events to do, I decided that I had better not push my luck and so I have pretty much stayed home for the days since the Parade.
I really want to being doing more and hopefully I will get the chance. Right now, though, I need to re-build my strength in order to start my new Chemo treatment on the 21st of July. The previous 6 Chemos took a lot out of me and I have no idea what this new drug will be doing with me. As soon as I start the treatment and can see how well I am doing on it, I may be able to start volunteering again at the library and looking for some other opportunities. I certainly hope so.
With regards to Cancer, I have been thinking about how fortunate I am to be doing so well, It is a real shock to one's lifestyle to realize that every change in your body makes you immediately think of the Cancer. I used to think that my aches and pains were related to aging or my bad back. When I got some sniffles I figured that I was getting allergies or a cold. But, not anymore. Any little change in my health immediately raises red flags and I wonder if the cancer is coming back to attack me again. Of course, some things I wonder if the Chemo is responsible, but it is always at the forefront of my thoughts that Cancer is going to try to do me in. No matter how much I try to ignore it or put it out of my mind, it is just something that won't get out of my thoughts. I would imagine that anyone that has been diagnosed with cancer feels this way. Even if you find that the cancer has been defeated or pushed into remission, you are always on the alert for signs that it is back knocking on your door! Bummer...I should just roll with the punches and joke about it...maybe someday I will.

                                                 Sunflower, Boof and Careful the Clown (credit: M.Thompson)

                                                  Sunflower, Careful the Clown and Mickey(credit: M.Thompson)

I am so happy to have been in the Parade! And, happy to hang out with my Clown Buddies! And, Proud to have been able to walk so far with the Parade!
Life is Good...Life is an Adventure !!!