Can I just say holiday shopping over the internet is the coolest thing EVER?! With all the chaos in our life the past couple of months, Christmas shopping really wasn’t high on my list of Things to Do. In fact, my To Do List has looked more like this of late:

1. Accept Cancer diagnosis
2. Miss mom
3. Get second opinion
4. Get third opinion
5. Miss mom
6. Make a decision
7. Start CAKE
8. Miss mom
9. Struggle with CAKE symptoms
10. Miss mom
….
5564. Do Christmas shopping

Somehow, I got it together enough early last week to spend the better part of two days shopping, buying, gift wrapping and sending gifts via the internet. Besides trying to get multiple purchases from one site sent to three different recipients across the country, the hardest part is finding companies that will gift wrap for you. During the “normal” holiday seasons of my past, I’ve always dreaded buying gifts, wrapping them, finding the right size box to ship them in, getting my lazy butt to the post office, stand in line for hours on end…blah blah blah. Oh the horror. I sure as hell wasn’t going to take on such a daunting task THIS year! So I collected catalogs for the past three months and circled things I thought people would like. This made the actual shopping and buying a lot easier because all I had to do was sit down, follow their web site and click click click! DONE! Naturally, I have since forgotten what all I’ve ordered for everyone so I hope I got all the right gifts sent to the right people and I hope they like them!

We scaled way back on our price tags this year. As the medical bills have already started streaming in and taking their numbers in my Bills To Pay line, I have come to the quick realization that we have to give up part of our old Impulse Buying Lifestyle while we plow through this illness. I only got gifts this year for people in our immediate family and a couple of closest friends, and usually only one or two small things each. I didn’t send out Christmas cards (check back here tomorrow for your substitute!).

Honey’s birthday is Sunday so we’re having our annual Pete’s Birthday Party at The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant! About 20 people should be there and I’m sure it will be a great time! I’m feeling about 10% better today than I did yesterday so I expect to feel even 40% more better by party time Sunday night! The Rio is known for its FABULOUS and POTENT margaritas (Grandmother, you had a couple of these in August, remember!?). They are so good and so strong that there is a 3 margarita limit! *grumble* I don’t get one but maybe I can wrangle a virgin rita outa the bartender.

Yesterday’s freaky symptoms have subsided quite a bit. No more hallucinations. I slept like shit last night. I have confirmed that what all the cancer books have said is true: Nausea is more prominent on an empty stomach. DUHH! I experienced that during my two weeks of pregnancy - I still have the saltine crackers at my bedside to prove it! Anyway, I got up in the middle of the night for a small snack and to take more meds. Ugh. The meds. SO MANY PILL BOTTLES! Really, there are only four but so many to be taken at various different times…it’s mind-boggling. I had a low grade fever off and on for the past two days but that has seemed to run its course.

Basically, if you were to ask me, “What does CAKE feel like?” I would answer, “Aside from the freaky deaky side effects (hallucinations, tingly fingers, twitchy muscles and cramping), it feels like a serious cold or flu but without the congestion and coughing and sneezing.” It makes sense right? I mean, in a nutshell, the whole purpose of the CAKE is to go into my body, wake and rally up the immunity troops, and direct them all to the tumor to do what they do best: knock it out with a one-two-punch. At least, that’s how I understand it. That’s certainly how it feels!

Well, as my mama used to say, “I’m plumb wore out” now, so I’ll end this post now. Check back tomorrow for a fun surprise!