The Icy Queen Bee

 When I do the Taxotere treatments, all along I have been using ice to try and keep the neuropathy to a minimum in my hands and feet. I feel it nonetheless when we are done, but it doesn't last so that has been good.

The way it works is we take a bucket and fill it with a bag of ice, put my feet or hands on top and place another bag of ice over the top. It isn't comfy, it isn't fun, but it works and I would rather do that for an hour than not be able to feel anything for days. 

About ten minutes in I really start to hurt in my joints from the cold, by 15 minutes I am starting to go numb and can't really worry too much most of the time. And by the end of the hour I am watching the timer and waiting impatiently like a kid on Christmas for the go signal to rip open the wrapping on my presents. When my hands and feet come out like frozen blocks of ice, I remind myself that it's summer here so they will defrost soon enough. 

Summer has been hot and dry here, and that has done a number on Husband trying to keep my many plants alive in and out of the house. Add in that we have a huge influx of bunnies and we have been unable to keep some of my plants alive without miracles. Neighbors are seeing dead grass in their yards, plants disappear over night because the bunnies have so few things left that are lush enough to really eat, so they're coming right up to the front door. They have eaten avocado trees, vegetable plants, and just about every flower my neighbor or I have put in the yard. Some of mine they have stayed away from so I'm hopeful that something will survive the bunnies.

As the reigning Queen Bee here in our home, I have tried to keep things going and Husband has tried to help make things as normal for the Kids as we can this summer. We canned strawberry and blackberry jam. Husband took the kids swimming every day. We dried tomatoes because I still have plenty of canned variety from last year. We stayed up late, woke up early, played games, they went to parties and watched pets for friends. Doctors appointments for me, doctors, dentists and orthodontists for the Kids - it felt like they just kept coming even after we rescheduled several things. Coordinating all of that has been a herculean effort on the part of many. I couldn't do it without my amazing supports. 

Friends, neighbors, Husband, Kids, Church family - they have all played a part in making our hive thrive. Soon we will start school and Kids will be gone for hours at a time all at once, part of me looks forward to it. Part of me wonders if the quiet will prove too much after the first two days - the other part of me looks forward to uninterrupted guilt free
napping.