Hi Ho, Hi Ho

So today was my first day back at work, and it was sure great to feel fairly normal again! I did get to "flip my wig" (show off my bald head) at a couple people, so that was fun, too. It was great to see everyone and catch up, get caught up on e-mails and phone messages there (mostly defunct by this point, so pretty easy to work through). By the end of the day I was getting pretty tired, but working 6 hours a daylooks like it is going to be fine, as long as I remember to get to bed on time and take good care of myself. That is one of the hardest things for me, taking the time to do everything right for me.

I guess I was a pretty "easy keeper" when I was younger. Thats a term for a horse that doesn't require much food or extra attention, and it applied to me. I could get away with little sleep and still perform well at work, I could stay out way too late and drink way too much and pull it off the next day, and I've always been bad about taking off my make-up and brushing my teeth at night, but I have decent skin and good teeth still. Well, things have changed! Between general aging and the chemo treatments (not to mention the effects of the disease itself) things are catching up with me. Unfortunately bad habits are hard to break, and I am having to concentrate just to get my face washed at night!

There is some sad news, and that is that we have decided to surrender our most recently acquired dog, Neutron, back to the no-kill shelter where we got him in late 2007. It's not something we had ever planned on doing, but he is a very high-energy dog who requires far more attention and exercise than we can give him, particularly now that I am sick. He is intelligent and very hyper and has been making even napping a challenge. We feel horrible about it, but in the best interest of my health it was a decision that had to be made. He will go back Thursday morning and I am defintely stressed about it, but it has been a long time coming. He escaped one day and I chased him through several yards before catching him down the road. he thought it was a game and it's the happiest I've ever seen him. He needs a long-distance jogger or bicyclist, or someone who lives in the country who can really run him. The walks he gets do not wear him out, and he is bored with the same old backyard, but still its going to be a sad day, as we do love him very much. Hopefully he will find the perfect home and have a great, active life.