Sunday, October 5, 2014

Weekend entertainment

I spent this weekend with my father.  He started chemotherapy on October 1st.  He is being given 4 kinds of chemo and one of them has the side effect of sensitivity to cold.  So for several days after the treatment he can't be out in the cold without a scarf over his mouth (even in this warmer fall air). He can't eat or drink anything cold because the cold will make the are that it comes in contact with numb.


His wife had longstanding plans for the weekend.  When I found out about it, I told her not to cancel her plans.  I would go up to Dad's and stay with him for the weekend.  So I packed up my bags (several bags) and drove up to his place. 


Dad was fine all weekend long.  Nauseated enough to take the anti-nausea medication but he didn't have any problems with the cold side effect.  I made sure that Dad got some food.  I worked hard to prepare food that would not upset his stomach. The chemo treatments left him more tired than normal so as he took his short naps I worked on one of the things that I brought with for entertainment.

Cell photo by Trisha
Side view of Sonjia
One of he things that I brought with for entertainment was my sketch pad and charcoal pencils.  Practice makes perfect.  Since I have always had difficulty with animals, I purchased this small sketchpad to pack in my bags as I travel.  It is small enough to carry on the plane with me.  I have done that before.
Cell photo by Trisha
Sonjia's Face
I also brought my camera and computer with me.  Dad and I have talked about writing his story at some point in time.  Hugs, Hands and Heaven Help Him the story about a man who has lost three wives to cancer and is later diagnosed with cancer himself.  What do you say to someone that has had so much loss in their life?  I am going to write it as a fiction novel but with a touch of Dad's personal life and with his point of view regarding how people reached out to him.  In twenty minute segments, we did about three hours of interviews over the weekend.


Another thing that I brought with me was my cotton spinning.  I am in the process of taking the first spinning and making it a two-ply thread along with a store purchased blue thread.  ....practice makes perfect.  :^)

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