Santa Cruz Blues

Wellll, I have the Santa Cruz blues! We couldn't wait for Sunday to come, like a couple of kids waiting for Christmas. Santa Cruz here we come! We arrived at the beach around 2:00 pm checking in at the Terrace Court Motel across from the boardwalk. Ohhh, the smell of the ocean air, the sound of the waves, the barking of the seals, the gentle screams of the children as they chase the waves - I just love the beach. The weather is perfect - 68 degrees. Fond memories of Santa Cruz as a child, as a mother and now as a breast cancer survivor. What better place to revisit the past, visit the present, and make plans for the future. Seven whole days - count them Sunday to Sunday, yipppeeee!

Tuesday afternoon after a relaxing walk on the beach, I experience the worst case of the dizzies. Equilibrium is so off! I am walking in a zizzag and my head is spinning. Thoughts run through my mind! Did I get too excited, too tired, too much walking - I just have such a hard time setting limits on myself! I am not used to this and I do not like it!

Poor Julian! He insists we must go home in the morning (Wed.). I agree, putting myself in his place. No Kaiser in Santa Cruz and 2.5 hours from home. Goodbye beach, goodbye sea lions, goodbye sea air, goodbye pelicans, goodbye Santa Cruz.

Just outside of Santa Cruz we receive a phone call from our son! He and his friend Ina are going to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for us! He is so sorry we had to come home! Wow, what a nice surprise. Thank you God for two wonderful days at the beach, thank you for my family and friends.

No more blogging tonight - I am feeling way to serious - not much humor in this old soul this evening.

"Caps for Sale"

One of my favorite books is "Caps for Sale"! If you haven't had a chance to share this book with your child - now is the time. Now that my son is 23 he not too keen on me reading to him anymore. He has better things to do - like shave his mom's head on a Saturday afternoon. Slowly, methodically he gently drags the razor across my scalp. Daisy and Tiny (dogs) watching with keen interest, as if to say "What the heck are you doing to mom?" "What a great head you have mom", comments Anthony, "you are so lucky - it is perfectly shaped." He is too kind that son of mine.

Friday morning after Mass I receive a wonderful surprise from my Kindergarten friends. A gift box wrapped so lovely, I hesitated to open it. Adorned with a big pink bow amid paper of brown and pink circles! Inside, hats, hats, scarves, scarves! I love hats! Now I have only of almost every imaginable color! A scarf for every hat. How toasty warm I will be in the am. The most stylish teacher on the blacktop! And people wonder how I stay so strong - or do they? These "Caps are Not For Sale"!

2A:00 am

Well, here I am in the wee hours of the morning drinking a cup of hot chocolate with soy milk. I understand soy milk is much better for you than cow's milk, especially for women who have breast cancer. Then, I read maybe not - because soy increases the production of estrogen. That is not good thing, since too much estrogen can increase the recurrence of the tumor. Wellll, too much information. Everything in moderation, isn't that the key.

One week ago today I had my second Chemo treatment. It actually went pretty well this time. I was better prepared. Messenger bag over my shoulder I walked in the infusion room with my walk man, (courtesy of teacher Linda) kindergarten paperwork, a very good book - "A Writing Program for Kindergarten", my camera and of course - good ole Julian III. Quite music, good book, IV in arm, what more could you want on a Thursday morning. Chemo coursing through the veins - creating a killing field, destroying old and new cells along the way! What a miracle drug! Just as long as it destroy the cancer cells!

The morning of my surgery I felt as though I was floating. You know, I was floating - floating on a sea of prayer! Even though my surgery was delayed four hours; I felt relaxed, confident and upbeat! Praise Be to the Lord. Thank you Sweet Jesus!
Thank you for the support of the St. Mary's community! Thank you for the support and kindness you have given my son. Thank you for the dinners, the hugs, the love, emails, cards, reading material, gifts, words of encouragement! My journey would be so difficult without all of you!

Sweet Jesus

Well, sweet Jesus did give me strength. I have survived the surgery, the first round of chemo and my butch haircut. I always wondered what it would feel like to have hair like my son did when he started baseball season. It actually feels pretty darn good. I am saving so much money on hair products, sleeping a little longer in the morning - no more hair dryer, no more hair dye, and soon no more hair. I been thinking I could let the kindergartners color on my on my bald head when the hair falls out - or would that be too weird?

I do not know what I would do without my St. Mary's family. The day of my surgery the staff and students continued to pray for me throughout the morning and afternoon. Second grade prayed every hour on the hour - shouting to the heavens - prayers for "Mrs.Elorduy"! The eighth grade students prayed quietly in the Chapel. My mailbox was overflowing with artwork and get well wishes written on neatly folded construction paper.