Unexpected Absence … So Sorry!

Hello, dearest readers! The surgery I had on September 10th went smoothly, but everything after that went all kinds of wrong, including extra time in the hospital. Twice. I’ll be starting cancer treatment in about five weeks, and I’m doing some preparatory things for that, which will all be a bit torturous (doc is pushing me into hypothyroidism and is going to starve my body of iodine in preparation, and the side effects of those two things are NOT a party). In early November, any cancer that’s left will be hit with a radiation iodine pill, and I’ll be isolated for a few days (sounds like lots of reading time to me…hehe) because I’ll be glow-in-the-dark radioactive.

In the past, I’ve been known for my singing voice and my voice-acting and acting skills (not under the name Amelyn Randall, and no, you don’t know me unless, well, never mind. You probably don’t know me…LOL). The second surgery on my thyroid affected my voice, both in strength and control. The doctor is pretty sure I’ll be getting it all back. I’m promising this. If my powerhouse voice comes back, I’m going to get really brave and try out for America’s Got Talent. I was hoping to do that next year, but it seems the auditions for next year are already coming up THIS year, so I guess I’ll be there in 2017 if all goes well. I’ve also always had an interest in narrating books, since I read so much aloud to my family. We’ll see…

The worse thing of all in my cancer journey, is that my reading hunger has been a bit reduced. It’s slowly coming back, but at the same time making me sad, and I’m afraid it won’t come back full force. Fucking cancer, man. I would normally read upwards of 500 books a year. I’m struggling to read 300 this year, with four hospital stays and too many prescriptions making me dizzy, sick, shaky, and really stupid. I had to get one of those HUGE pill-sorter boxes with four boxes for each day of the week.

The best thing of all in my cancer journey and surgery fest celebrating the removal of numerous body parts, is that I’ve found I truly love the hospital staff. So many of them know me now, and I want to work there after my kids are grown and graduated from our homeschool (my “real job”). 🙂 Surprisingly (at least to me), the most attractive job is the Nurse’s Assistant AKA Patient Care Tech (PCT). Schooling for it is just two months at a community college. I think they could hold my attention for two months. 😉 Anyway, that smile in my picture on the About Me page is REAL and I use it a lot. It’d be nice to share it with people who really need that. It’s very nearly always returned. Um, not usually if one is at Pain Level 10, though. 🙁

Annnnnnd…if I don’t get my voice back, it sounds very airy and quiet for now. I could totally rock that as a stand-up comic on AGT.

5 thoughts on “Unexpected Absence … So Sorry!

  1. I’ve been following all your posts on facebook and have been praying for you. So has Jason (who happens to be in Thailand right now trying to get the papers in order to get his much needed STUDENT visa) . Complicated! But he’ll be back in Taiwan on Friday. He’s working on his Masters in International Business (go figure!! I never would have dreamed when you babysat him that he would end up doing THAT!!!! Neither did HE!!! And being 1/3 of the way around the world to do it).
    Anyway, I’ve never had cancer but I’ve had my share of surgeries (53 so far, 2 open heart). I never felt like reading either after surgeries…..too sleepy, had trouble concentrating….too much like work to do it. It not only zapped my energy but my money as well, so here I am at 67 y.o. and I’m still working….still doing music therapy. I’ve had people/residents telling me I should sing on TV but I told them if I did, I wouldn’t have time to come and sing for them in person.
    Keep plugging away, as one of my church friends who is 104 says, One day at a time. Barbara

    Who’s teaching your kids if you’re not able to home school them?

    1. Mom retired at 70, Barbara, so you’re in good company. 😉 I’m so impressed by what Jason is doing. You’re right. I never could have imagined this from the little boy who loved Inspector Gadget and the A-Team. LOL!

      Homeschooling is a lot easier through illness than getting kids to public school. Rob (my husband who works from home) makes up projects for them outside of our regular curriculum (sonlight.com) when I’m in the hospital, then I take a week or so (usually less) at home to recover and relax, and then we start back up again, playing catch-up a lot of the time. Plus, we always do “bed school” in the master bedroom, because it’s more comfortable, math is done independently on the computer, and piano is done at the piano. Heehee… They’re old enough now, they practically teach themselves. I’m pretty sure my 15-year-old son knows more than me about just about everything except life in general, already at his age. I think I’m (re)learning more than them. They seem to both already know everything I try to teach. For a while, our focus in general core studies is after the fall of Rome to almost the present, and I throw in current events related to other things we study. Today we did a bit on Islam and Mecca, so I told them about the terrible deaths that happened last month over in Saudi Arabia. Anyway, too much information? LOL! Just a peek inside the day of a homeschooling family! 🙂

    1. Hi Sheryl! Thanks so much for the lovely words. Words like that, love, and prayers are what’s getting me through. Finally I’m feeling like reading again, and am catching up my blog and Facebook today (maybe Twitter, too). I’m posting another Choc Lit review today, this time for Kathryn Freeman. 🙂

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