Jelly Brain

I was going to title this post “Anti-Nausea Suppositories Are A Girl’s Best Friend” but was advised that no one really wants to hear about that. But I feel it’s an important public service message — I know the whole thing sounds gross, but not as gross as actually throwing up. Which is really no fun at all. So if you are in bad shape stomach-wise and your doctor recommends anti-nausea suppositories, I have to tell you, the things work. Like little miracles in a convenient pinky sized blob. I’m planning to go back to upping my ginger to try and curb the nausea ahead of time, but when you are in a situation of sheer desperados, you do what you must.

Of course, I probably shouldn’t be blogging at all as I’m just starting to recover from a worse-than-usual bout of Jelly Brain from the last round of chemo and am probably making very little sense. While the extra weekend of chemo-less-ness over the 4th was awesome and got me out of town it offset my whole schedule so that the last two chemos were closer together than usual. The Jelly Brain has been extreme. Like not remembering conversations from years ago or from ten minutes ago. Poor Barrett. It’s very Flowers for Algernon around here except cyclical so I always get back to normal which is way better than the permanent decline that poor sop Charlie had to deal with so I can hardly complain.

On an important note, I did manage to get my toenails done before this chemo which is my contribution to the massage therapist’s day. The first time I got a massage from her, I’d tried clipping my toenails right after surgery when it was still difficult to bend over and they were a horrid, jagged mess. I discovered this when holes started getting ripped into my socks. So the next time, I took another go at it AND got rid of some old red nail polish. Only later, I took a closer look and realized that my nails were a bit shorter, but still jagged and I hadn’t gotten all of the red nail polish off so they looked all bloody and sharp like cave man nails. I can’t imagine that is much fun for the massage therapist at chemo — I know I would be freaked out by Cave Man Toenail Girl. So I did my duty this time (in better lit conditions), clipped and re-painted and there was no running and screaming from the room. I take that as a good sign.

Okay, totally rambling from the Jelly Brain, but I have more presents to tell you about. You have no idea how lovely it is to get presents and cards in the mail when you are sitting around jelling. So, so fun. Last week, I received a package of clothes from my bra-supplying aunt (pics of bras are here)  as I’ve been trying to break into wearing “Semi-real clothes” as opposed to just sweat pants. They still have to be comfortable, but I want to look a bit more like a normal healthy person when I go out into the world. Huzzah for awesome aunts! Another aunt sent me a check to go on another driving trip (complete with a little drawing of a car on the check) after hearing about my successful adventure up to Port Townsend. Double huzzah for aunts!

Today I got a package where I exclaimed so loud that Barrett thought someone had sent me the crown jewels or some such, but it was even more exciting — four of the cutest little homegrown garlic bulbs you have ever seen and TWO jars of raspberry jelly from my wonderful childhood neighbors. I’m positive that homemade raspberry jelly is the cure for Jelly Brain.

I’ll keep you posted.

I hope everyone is having a lovely summer!

Love to you all~

Bridget