UPDATE: The winner is…Rachel Blackburn!
*~*~*

I’m finally exiting Chemo Week Hell. I had seven hours of sleep last night and woke feeling weak but not uncomfortable or hurting. Yay. Today, I’ll use every excuse to get up and move around to get my legs feeling stronger. Gosh, I’ll even shower. Just kidding. I do shower. 🙂

Today’s Puzzle Day! And what’s on my mind? Well, the weather. Here we are at the beginning of Fall, and yesterday, the temperature here in Arkansas was 95 degrees. Today, it’s supposed to get to 96.

I’m sorry. Pool season is over. It’s time for sweaters and hot chocolate. In fact, I’m making a grocery list and adding hot cocoa to it because it’s one of those things I love having during cooler weather.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift certificate, tell me what you enjoy eating or imbibing when Fall weather truly arrives!

UPDATE: The winner is…Anna Marie Flamini!
*~*~*

Just a reminder before I blast you with Sunday’s post! I have a novella arriving early Tuesday morning! Have you pre-ordered your copy?

Once Upon a Legend is sexy fun set in the Wild, Wild West with a lawman who doesn’t know quite what to think about the woman who falls into his arms from the stagecoach and starts telling him of the danger coming his way… Enjoy!

Report Card

Last week…

1. I guess it’s supposed to be traumatic, but on Monday morning, I showered and, as I was washing my hair, my fingers dragged away clumps of hair. It was time. My dd and the 20-year-old shaved me bald.
2. Last week was ridiculously busy with appointments. On Monday, I saw my oncologist. He didn’t like my white cell blood count, so he gave me another WBC booster shot. On Tuesday, it was another trip to the city to have tests run at the hospital where the port installation surgery would take place. Then, I had the surgery on Thursday. I now have my “borg” port.
3. On Wednesday, my SIL drove me to the nearest military installation an hour and a half away to get me a new ID card. I was a little bummed that my hair didn’t last long enough for the photo. LOL
4. I worked on edits for one author. I also took care of a lot of administrivia—you know, stuff that has to be done but doesn’t move the goalposts or pay the bills.
5. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be amazing. All four girls in the house were there for me on surgery day even though we had to begin the drive at 4 AM. I really am the luckiest Nina in the world.

This next week…

1. This week is “Hell Week.” Um, by that I mean I have another chemo treatment on Monday. What follows for the rest of the week will not be pleasant.
2. Once Upon a Legend releases on September 17th! I hope you get your copy!
3. I want to wrap up Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st. I’m not sure I’ll have the energy to create, so I might have to push off finishing until the week after.
4. I’m working on editing projects for two authors this week. Two that I have to finish. So, I’ll be hoping for an hour or two of lucidity every morning to putter away.

Open Contests

Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs!

1. Word Search: Signs Fall is coming… (Contest) — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Movie Night! — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Tell me a story: Sweet dreams are made of these… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Katherine Eddinger Smits: Cassadaga, Florida: Spirits, Ghosts, and Mediums (Contest + FREE Read) — Win an Amazon gift card. Plus, pick up a FREE Read!

Puzzle-Contest!

Because I had a guest yesterday, I didn’t run my Saturday Puzzle-Contest! So, let’s do it today!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle… It’s a photo of a ridiculously, aesthetically pleasing woman hanging laundry. I can’t seem to resist these “cottagecore” photos. Anyway, solve the puzzle then tell me whether you still hang laundry to dry outside. 

Well, the day I had dreaded came yesterday. I woke up, showered, and as I was rubbing my hands through my hair to swipe away the suds, my fingers pulled away clumps of hair. It was worse when I stepped out of the shower and attempted to blow-dry my hair. My brush couldn’t get through the knots of hair and pulled our more clumps.

I gave up and called out to my girls. My dd and the 20-year-old went to work, first completing the blow-dry without bothering to brush my hair, then using my SIL’s hair clippers to shave my head. We’d been preparing for this day. I’d made tons of jokes about what my head would look like. I’d imagined a bowling-ball-round kopf. Or worse, the bald woman in Total Recall.

Or perhaps Uncle Fester.

Actually, with a little well applied smoky-eye makeup, I could be a sexier “Aunt Festrine.” Hmmm…

When the 15-year-old got home from school, she said, “You know, you look like The Ancient One in Dr. Strange.”

And I’m okay with that.

Hair is only hair. I met with the oncologist today, wearing one of my chemo hats to protect my head from the sun and spare people’s eyes. We went through where we were going with treatments. I had another white blood cell booster shot. I’m set for port surgery on Thursday and another round of chemo next Monday. I’m marching on.

And just to keep it real, here’s me after the girls shaved me bald. There will be no tears. It’s just hair…

I’m updating plans for the week. I have to cram as much as I can into this week because next week is chemo on Monday, and based on the last round, I know I’ll be toast for the rest of the week. I’m trying to get a little ahead of myself and pre-post some things, so I don’t have to even think about work next week. We’ll see. I’m still not functioning at my pre-chemo level—and I do know how ridiculous that sounds, but I have to have goals!!!

Report Card

Last week…

1. Recovery from chemo continued. Insomnia, lack of stamina are lingering issues. I had a blood draw on Thursday and had to rush to Hot Springs to the main clinic for a white blood cell booster shot. My WBC count was in the toilet.
2. Workwise? Progress was uneven. On good days, I powered through edits for myself and one author.
3. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be awesome. They get me to my appointments, see that I’m fed, and make sure I’m included in some family activities so that I feel “connected.” They keep me grounded and happy.

This next week…

1. This week will be ungodly busy. I have an appointment with my oncologist, an appointment with the surgeon who will install my chemo port, and the port surgery at O-dark-thirty on Thursday.
2. I will complete revising and upload Once Upon a Legend, which releases on September 17th!
3. I want to wrap up, Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st.
4. I’m working on editing projects for three authors this week and am determined to complete two.
5. Hopefully, I’ll get out of the house this week for something fun. I want to stretch my legs at the flea market. I have to start walking since I can’t swim—and it has to be this week because next week is chemo week.

Open Contests

1. Gabbi Grey: A Little Risqué (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE eBook or audio book!
2. Krysten Lindsay Hager: Top 10 Favorite TV Shows to Escape With (Series FREE in KU!) — Be sure to pick up the series for FREE in KU!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Signs of Fall…? — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Happy Labor Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Word Search: Signs Fall is coming… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Movie Night! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Steph!
*~*~*

Did you notice I didn’t post yesterday? Sorry about that. I posted daily without fail for over five years. Now, if I’m tired and I don’t have a guest’s post, I just won’t. Rest has been my priority. Insomnia has been a thing for the past few weeks. I can be plenty tired when I lay down, but the moment my head hits the pillow… Well, at first, it was due to painful muscles and joints. I got into the habit of sucking down a hydro at night, but it doesn’t really help with sleep. Last night, my dd gave me a melatonin gummy, and I slept for 7.5 hours!!!!!  I feel sooooo good. The only other thing that happened this week was I had a blood draw, and the clinic called me a couple of hours later and told me to get to Hot Springs ASAP because my white blood count had dropped into the dumpster, and they needed me to come in for an injection to help with that. So, my poor dd had yet another appointment to take me to. Next week’s calendar is pretty full, too. Multiple appointments, my port surgery, finally. Then, the following week, I’ll be sitting in the chemo chair again. Ugh. I’m still trying to figure out the rhythm of the appointments and how they affect my body so I can try to get to a new normal.

But enough of that!

All the girls are home today, so we plan on having a lazy movie day later this afternoon. Pizza and The Proposal, I think. The 11-year-old’s first celebrity crush is Ryan Reynolds, so we thought that would be fun for her. In the meantime, I have some work I need to get out of the way. The weather has taken a sudden turn. The air is a little nippy outside. It’s almost sweater weather. That’s not nearly as good as swim weather, but we have to enjoy the change of seasons. It’s that or be grumpy throughout the Fall, and that’s not permitted!

I hope you all have a lazy, pleasant day. Solve the puzzle then tell me what you’re planning to do for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

I skipped my usual end-of-month summation/plan yesterday. Who wants to recap the month from hell, right? Short-term goals are what I’m working on now, so I’ll just give you my weekly recap/plan to help me keep on track and let you know what’s up. Today, I feel focused/unfuzzy. That’s good. I even made a list of things I want to accomplish today. Lists are comforting to this former project manager. 🙂

Report Card

Last week…

1. I began chemo. It completely obliterated me for over five days. I know now that I can’t plan to accomplish a damn thing during my “chemo week.” Monday and Tuesday, not so bad. Wednesday and Thursday—gutting and exhausting. Friday, baby steps back. Saturday, take it easy, but get back to work slowly. I only have to do this every three weeks. Gah!
2. I accomplished nothing, workwise.
3. Other than on Monday, after chemo when I was still feeling a little bit of energy, there was no swimming. Pool season is now officially over for me. The water is too cool, and the weather has dumped a bunch of rain and leaves.
4. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL have been awesome. They did everything for me, keeping me fed, watered, and keeping me company when I wanted it. I’m very, very lucky.

This next week…

1. This week I’ll finally get the chemo port installed in my chest. I also have a blood draw so the doctor can monitor my progress.
2. I have a new story I want to wrap up, Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st.
3. I’m working on editing for another author this week. I plan to finish by next weekend.
4. I’ll be editing a story I’m republishing that no one has likely read. Hope you like Westerns with quirky humor, plenty of kink, and a hint of paranormal. Once Upon a Legend is up for pre-order now!
5. Hopefully, I’ll get out of the house this week. I want to stretch my legs at the flea market. Start walking since I can’t swim.

Open Contests

On the Delilah’s Collections website!

1. In One Picture: Elle James’s “Sex, Spies, and Subterfuge” (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. In One Picture: A.J. Harris’s “Secret Garden” (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. In One Picture: Darah Lace’s “Most Wanted” (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
4. In One Picture: Cindy Tanner’s “Mayday” (Contest–2 Winners!) — Win a FREE anthology—2 winners!

Here, on this site!

1. 10 Things to Bring to Chemo (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Summertime Fun! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Hannah Bond – The First African American Female Novelist (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey: A Little Risqué (Contest) — Win a FREE eBook or audio book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Signs of Fall…? — Win an Amazon gift card!

Thank goodness I had guests lined up this week to post; otherwise, there would not have been any content posted. Today’s the first day I actually feel like placing my fingers on the keyboard.

Monday and Tuesday, I already talked about. That was the honeymoon period. Sure, I didn’t feel great with everything zinging through my veins, but I could handle it. Then…

Tuesday. That afternoon, my cheeks and neck got fiery hot. I talked to the nurse, and she said it could be an allergic reaction, so take some Benadryl. Which was lovely. I took it and took a long, long nap. Just after midnight, early Wednesday morning, was when the real shit hit me.

Every muscle and joint, from my pelvic floor to the tips of my toes, hurt. I couldn’t sit still. I had to constantly rock or shake my feet. For the first 24 hours of that, I didn’t get even so much as a catnap. I relented and took some Hydro and got four hours of sleep, which was helpful, but I remained pretty dazed and uncomfortable throughout Thursday.

It’s Friday now, and it’s better, but all I want to do is steal naps all day long. I get up and shuffle around, then head back to bed. I’m trying to stay away from the Hydro and only use it at night so I can get back to a regular sleep routine. There’s only been light nausea, so that’s good, I guess.

It would be hilarious if I weren’t so miserable how I thought I could plan out my chemo and recovery days. I thought I was giving myself a very generous five days to get back to work. It’s actually blocked out on my calendar like that.

The family has been amazing. They check on me and bring me meals and drinks. It’s up to me to fight this thing, so now that I know, I have to “woman up.” I can do this. I’ll figure out the rhythm and how my body reacts. I’ll figure out what works when I’m tired and cranky because I can’t accept any pity parties from me. What purpose do they serve?

Hope this all makes sense. I’m just journaling at this point, getting it down so I’ll be able to compare it to what comes next. I watched Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Season 1. I didn’t like it, but that could be grumpy me.

I wish everyone health and happiness—and much, much love.