Back home to leave

Just home from a whirlwind gig in France. It was gorgeous. I am exhausted. The gig itself felt like it was about 3 days straight - we had fun, but I'm not used to a show that freaking long! Anyway, I love the South of France... we had a tiny bit of time to explore, which was a luxury. But when I got to my room after the gig I had 2 hours before lobby call for my 10+ hour trek home. Yeah. Not a lot of sleep.

Got home in time to unpack and repack for this week. I'll be teaching at Bemidji MusiCamp, and that is always a bit of a stretch for me. Let's hope I can get some sleep tonight so my tolerance for the little angels will be rocking. I know. I'm a mother. But I'm spoiled, my daughter is so mindful and well behaved. We have our moments, but I'd say it's rare for her to get on my last nerve. And she'll be 13 in a week and a half. Yup, I get home right before her birthday. And, what does she want for her birthday??? The big 13???

Onigiri.

Yes.

My daughter, about to turn 13, wants rice.

Man, I love my family. I got her some really cool stuff, but she requested no party. I'm great with that! We are going to a friends house to hang the next day, they have a swimming pool and always an overage of snacks.

My daughter is so like me. I love being alone. I love being within myself.

Sometimes it's hard. I have an outward appearance of being a social butterfly, one who likes to be in crowds. I like crowds, in the audience when I'm on stage. Otherwise, I love solitude.

My husband is a good person to be alone with me within myself. He's not a party guy, and yes, he also has a little reputation as a fellow musician. Folks think we're super social. Because our jobs are. If you walk into our home, you'll find a waterfall at the entrance. We try to keep it neat and sometimes succeed, other times we are still ok. We like minimalism (except in my closet, I admit it!)  We like calm. Our lives are so hectic that quiet is welcome.  We cook and eat at home mostly. Even my girl now prefers to eat at home. Why? Because "You have no idea what's in restaurant food. It's full of GMO's and other garbage that is bad for us. Plus, I like our cooking better."

Our, meaning all of us. She is becoming quite the little chef. I see so many reflections of myself in her.

And I see reflections of my mom in me.

Recently, it's been the negative stuff associated with cancer. I find I am withdrawing more and more from my man. Last week it hit me - my mom did the same to us. It wasn't conscious, and it wasn't meant to be cruel. She was dying. And now I feel like she must have - I don't want anyone to be too sad when I croak.

I remember her telling me no matter what, I needed to fly to a gig that I was super excited about - playing with the Interlochen Alumni Jazz Ensemble. I was 18, which is too young to get such a cool gig. She died a few days later. Nobody told me and I was going to visit her before my trip. I got to the hospital way the heck out in NJ like I always did, and the looks on the nurses faces - GEEZ. When I die, I do NOT want any nurses giving my daughter that look. Poor thing. Blahblahblah. I wish I had the nerve to slap them all. But, that's the past. I don't want my daughter and husband watch me die, but I also don't want to disconnect emotionally, to prepare them. To soften the blow.

So I have to work on staying present and happy. It isn't easy when you're petrified of what your body might be growing. But, my girl. Almost 13. My husband, the most amazing man I've ever known.

I'm here now. I need to remember that important fact.

Some days you win, and some days the disease wins.

A lot is in our minds. I know this.

Some days I get so nauseous and even sick, or pass out, or just feel freaking crazy, and not for any reason that I know of. Is it the cancer? Is it PTSD? Is it fear of dying or living?

My parents pretty much hated each other, but what could my mom do? She was dying, with 2 young kids, in a different country from where she lived for 30 years. She was a wonderful, brilliant, beautiful woman. And then she got cancer at 40.

Her baby sister died from cancer soon after my mother's diagnosis, in her mid-late 20s. Her brother passed after that, also from cancer. My cousin got it but lived, as far as I know... we're not in touch.

Cancer, and other diseases that basically haunt you forever, are quite the mind game. I can be a real jerk now, without being able to stop. Sometimes I wonder if it's the meds which basically made me bi-polar. Are they still in my system? Is that why I'm passing out and throwing up? I know I'm not pregnant. I checked.

Something that dawned on me today after a knock down fight (minus anything physical) with hubby, is that I could be protecting him from missing me when I die. Perhaps our minds are set up to basically sabotage our happiness so that when we croak from [insert horrible disease of your choice or applicable affliction here], our partners are relieved, even if just silently, that we are gone. My mother had some doozy moments. I can see myself in my memories of her. And I feel now that she too could not control her insanity.

Medically induced insanity to save our loved ones from being too sad because we're dying.

Huh.

I'm sure no traditional Western Docs would agree. They'd prescribe some BS to turn us into zombies and tell us that we're just crazy too, on top of our cancer, or whatever.

This is real.

I'm not going to take some crazy pills, but learn to self medicate/meditate.

Also, I got my period today. It's been coming back fairly regularly and always heinously.

That could be part of the insanity, but I can't say that I was always this horrible.

I also didn't sleep. Well, perhaps 3 hours. Yeah, not enough. Though I did manage to hit the gym ok.

Just had some homemade hummus and lettuce/cabbage salad. I think I should pour myself something and relax. So much to do, but my head won't stop taunting me. I'm dying. We all are. But I have a bit more concrete evidence that I may go like my mom, her sister, her brother, and squillions of other cancer victims.

No wonder my head is so messed up. Yeah. I do need a generous pour about now.  Perhaps a funny movie. I've been reading cancer books too much. Even my bookshelf has cancer!!!

For all of my fellow warriors out there, I know I'm not alone in this, because I saw my mom go through it. If anyone has a better cure than crazy pills or a sip, please let a sister know. xo

Happy Fourth! Soup was a success! Travels ahead...

Well, I managed to drop a few lbs. with that magic soup I typed about last time. Today, being the fourth of July, my daughter and I went out for sushi. Most folks think that is a low calorie treat, but rice turns to sugar. I always gain a bit, so that was my only meal today unless I polish off that cabbage soup tonight (which is likely).

I woke up 2 pounds to my goal weight, but a pound lighter than my pre-cancer-diagnosis weight. So, I'm not complaining!  Hopefully I'll be lingering at a positive weight when I wake up - at 3 or 4 am for my flight to Quebec tomorrow.

Yup, gigging in quaint Quebec tomorrow night. Happy for the work. NEED the work. Would like to chill at home, I'm SO tired. But, I can't complain. This summer is booked to the gills. I need to pack - I love overnight trips, so easy. Equipment, costume, and some essentials. Not sure we'll have workout time, so I'm just going to roll up some leggings and hope for the best. I usually bring an onslaught of gym attire, but not for this one. Wear sneaks, will pump iron.

My daughter has been remarkable. Teaching herself piano. She's interesting. My studio has a window that faces the piano. We'll both be practicing, and she'll knock. Ask questions. Really listen. Magic. This is why we don't force children into activities like that. She rejected piano years ago. I let her. Now, she's here on her own. Really working.

She is also the best cat insulin injector. So, as hubs and I are away on gigs, she is responsible for 2 injections. On her own. I have faith. If something happens, it's ok, but we talked about that. He won't die. But he'll feel like crap. She gets it. No reason to panic, but do your best. I let her dad know the schedule too, so he can make sure to remind her and let her have that time. I also told her she could hang and practice piano if she wants. The kitties would love it.

I'm starting to wrap my OCD brain around the September kitchen issue. It gives us time to purge and clean. Well, we're working a lot, but still. We can take advantage of that time. Right? RIGHT?

Sigh.

I want my walls chopped up now.

But the contractor said it's not really livable so we'd be tortured longer.

Agh.

Anyhoo, off to pack.

Sigh

Well. That whole kitchen thing. Turns out the carpenters can't build in time to do our remodel now. Crap. If only we were willing to settle for ikea cabinetry. I'm sure it's ok, but this guy works with our buildings. He makes real cabinets from scratch. He knocks down walls. He knows exactly how to handle the co-op people so we don't get into any trouble.

And I picked out all of the appliances on sale. Hopefully they'll be back on sale in September. Likely, with Labor Day. Still. I'm type A. I need this done tomorrow morning. I could die tomorrow afternoon. 

Deep breath. 

Anyway. The weight battle continues. Yesterday and today I made a fantastic soup of cabbage, tomato, onion, garlic, celery, green pepper and chicken broth. And a jalapeno. We had that with salad. I dropped a hairball of weight. This hormone medication thing sucks. And I've been off for 5 months. Do I have 6 more months before it's gone? Do I really have to wait as long as I was on it for it to be gone? 

The good news is that I'm saving on groceries by starving. Actually, I'm getting used to hunger.  I make a big veggie juice for lunch and let it linger. Today I tried not to, but I had a protein bar too. I still think I'm on track. 

Lots of travel coming up. Hoping to maintain a low for me weight so I have space to work. 

I'm looking forward to the day when my system works again.