UPDATE: The winner is…Carol!
*~*~*

Sorry, I’m so late posting! My website was down this morning, and I had to wait for the hosting site to do whatever they did to fix it. It’s all good now. ~DD

Yesterday, I underwent a PET scan to see how all those rounds of chemo did. I read the radiologist’s report and instantly went into “Google-MD” mode with my daughter, but I’ll wait to see whether my pieced-together diagnosis matches my oncologist’s on Monday. Damn, I hate waiting! I’ll share whatever he tells us. You’ve followed me, supported me, and encouraged me all along the way; you deserve to know the good or bad that comes of all this.

So, onto today’s puzzle!

Maybe you don’t know it, but I love food. I’m a huge foodie. I’ll try anything. Traveling to so many different countries in my younger days, I was game for anything. I remember eating a shared sheep’s head sitting in the middle of a bed of couscous on a huge tray with half a dozen Saudis around me—so delicious. A Greek woman, who I visited in her home, made a lovely Greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives—and octopus. I tried it, and guess what? I loved it! I have so many fond memories of food adventures.

These days, I’m a bit homebound, but my daughter has my foodie gene and finds exotic things to cook. The kids aren’t always so eager to experiment, but they probably have a more diverse palette than their peers at school.

I am a huge lover of pasta. The photo above? I make ravioletti with sundried tomatoes, onions, spinach, pine nuts, basil, oregano, olive oil, tons of garlic, and it’s so good. It’s one of my dd’s favorite things to eat. I like it with chopped up artichokes, too, but she doesn’t like them. *sigh* In that picture, she made the homemade focaccia bread. So yummy.

Of course, I make a very tasty spaghetti with meatballs. The 11-year-old recently went to the local Italian restaurant and ordered theirs and couldn’t finish it. She said mine was much better. Proud grandma moment there.

I’m always perusing pasta recipes on Pinterest. This looks so incredibly easy. Pasta with spinach, and it looks like bits of walnuts? I’d be all over that.

I digress because I’m hungry, and you’re here for a puzzle and contest…

Today’s puzzle features an aspirational (for me) dinner party. Pasta, seafood, all kinds of sides… For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me your favorite pasta dish that you think belongs on this table. If you have a link to the recipe, it would be much appreciated, but if it sounds good, I’ll Google the heck out it! Have fun!

UPDATE: The winner is…Nicola Sullivan!
*~*~*

I’m off to the city today for a PET Scan. I’m hungry and grumpy. I could only eat protein—no carbs or sugar for the last 24 hours. That sounds easy enough, but dang, I’m craving a burger with a bun with French fries and a soda! In fact, the minute I’m out of the clinic after the scan, that’s where I’m going to insist my daughter take me!

Last night, I attended my local art guild’s meeting. We voted on a new board. I’m VP of programs! My dd and I went in with a long agenda that we whipped through quickly, including ideas for future programs. It’s something to keep me looking forward, so many things to do. I love being part of that community. My mother was one of the founding members of that group and a true artist. I think she’d be pleased.

Anyway, today, I have lots on my mind—the scan, writing projects I need to begin, fun things to do with the art guild. Too many hopeful future-looking things for me to accept any news from my scan that isn’t also hopeful and future-looking.

I made a quick list of 5 Things I’m Thankful For…

👨‍👩‍👧 — My family, who love and take care of me

🏡 — A comfortable home

🗺️ — The many wonderful memories of the adventures I enjoyed while traveling abroad

🥘 — Good food!

⌛ — The time to enjoy all of the above—even if it’s only one year, although I’m hoping for more!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me the five things you’re thankful for!

Report Card

Last week…

1. I got my white blood cell count booster shot! Woo-hoo. The rest of the week was a bit of blur since I spent most of it resting or outright sleeping. I’m so glad chemo is over so I can try to get back my strength!
2. I started work on one author’s edits! Yay, back in the saddle!
3. I decided on the theme, with readers’ help, for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology! It’ll be Burn!
4.  The family and I watched Carry-On on Netflix. If you love Die Hard like I do, you’ll love this little movie, too!
5. When I was up and about, I began slowly putting away things in my art studio. Doesn’t that sound pretentious? It’s just the place all my hoarded art supplies live. With Christmas gifts and all the sales, I have tons of supplies to find homes for. 🙂
6. Oh, one last thing! KDP (Amazon) kindly returned my ability to post pre-orders. They took pity on my excuse for canceling previous pre-orders—cancer! Now, I have to work up the nerve to begin listing a few!

This next week…

1. I have my PET scan scheduled for Friday. All fingers and toes are crossed that the images bear out what the blood work has been hinting at. If the tumors are small enough now, I hope I’m a candidate for some debulking surgeries.
2. I have two authors’ edits to work on this week. One to hopefully complete (depends on whether the author gets me the rest of her book!).
3. I still need to upload Once Upon a Legend to sites other than Amazon since it’s no longer exclusive there. I’m not sure why I’ve been dragging my feet. Oh yeah, fatigue.
4. This week, I’ll be diving back into finishing up Ignition!

Open Contests

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

1. Story Cubes — Tell me a story (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Hunkering down in the cold… — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: Why Representation Matters (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Word Puzzle — Ideas for Next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Karenna Colcroft: Back to Boston (F*R*E*E Read!) — Everyone, get your FREE read!
6. Memory Game: The OG — Montana Bounty Hunters (Contest) — Get an Amazon gift card!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Movie Night! — Get an Amazon gift card!

Catching up here…

• I’m feeling a little better. Got some rest. I had a white cell count booster shot yesterday. Next, I have an appointment at the end of next week for a PET scan to see how much my cancer has reduced (crossing my fingers it’s a lot!). Then, I have a follow-on appointment the Monday after to get the results and begin my first immunotherapy infusion. Whew! Hopefully, there will be another appointment added to see a surgeon to get my girlie parts removed!
• Amazon very kindly reinstated my pre-order ability, but now I’m afraid to use it in case I don’t finish the next book in time. LOL. I have no confidence, but I guess I’ll go ahead and set one up for a far-away date to give myself some leeway, then change it to a sooner date when the book is done. I’m talking about Ignition, the last of the Delta Heat stories, which is almost all written at this point! Just a chapter or two to go, and I’m done. I’ll attack it next week and see how it goes. I’ll announce here when I set up the pre-order—after I regain my nerve.
• The kids start back to school today, although the severe cold is here, and we might get SNOW on Thursday. This means the kids may get a long weekend out of it! Yay! Although, BOO, we already had a pipe freeze in the pasture. Won’t be able to fix it until it thaws sometime next week.
• We did our grocery shopping after I had my shot yesterday. I was sooooo tired after traipsing around the grocery store. My dd would’ve dropped me at home if I’d asked, but I wanted to do something normal I haven’t done in months. I loved seeing all the FOOD. I know I added a bunch she wouldn’t have bought because…pretty. Who can resist prosciutto and cheese? Or asparagus. (I’m the only person in the house who eats it.)

And that’s all that’s happening here. I’ve set myself some small goals for today and hope I can get that bare minimum done. My desk is buried in stuff! Be sure to check out the list of contests that are still open below! I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Is anyone else getting this freezing weather?

Open Contests

1. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Susan Smith McKinney Steward – From A Family of Firsts (Contest) — This ends tomorrow! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Looking Back: 2024 Releases (Contest–2 Winners!) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: The Date I Had to Hit (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE ebook or audiobook!
4. December Into January (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Themes for the Next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology (A Poll & a Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Story Cubes — Tell me a story (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Hunkering down in the cold… — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Gabbi Grey: Why Representation Matters (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*

I’m pretty miserable right now, but it’s all part of the process and very predictable at this point. I just have to weather another week of aches and pains (like intense charley horses). Thank goodness for hydrocodone! Oh, and Benadryl. The latter helps knock me into sleep better than anything. Right now, it’s aches in my legs and feet. I like being clear-eyed for at least the first part of the day so I can get some work done and update my budget sheet/pay some bills. So, no pain relief just yet. This afternoon, I’ll take a hydro, then join the family to watch Wicked! I can’t wait!

In the meantime, let’s play! We haven’t played this game since last summer!

I bought this little brainstorming tool years ago at some writers’ conference. “Story Cubes” is a brainstorming game. You roll the dice, and whatever pictures appear face-up are the ones you use to riff off a story. You can try to include all the cubes in your “story” or choose a few. The story you tell doesn’t have to be long or even any good. They all count!

To make this fun, I’ll offer a prize—a $5 Amazon gift card—good for purchasing one or two stories…
Have fun with this! Don’t overthink! Here’s the roll…

UPDATE: The winner is…Michelle Willms!
*~*~*

December

Work-related:

1. I didn’t write in December, but that was the plan until after my chemotherapy sessions ended.
2. I completed 2 editing projects for other authors in December.
3. I did post daily Advent Calendar giveaways for readers from the 1st to the 24th of December. And all the gifts have been mailed! Hope you enjoyed the posts!
4. After getting that hopeful news on Monday, I redid my work plan for the New Year. There will be books!

Health-related:

1. I underwent two rounds of chemo, the last being on the 30th of December where I got some hopeful news from my oncologist about my progress, which I already posted about here, yesterday! It gave me a huge, happy boost, which I so needed. What a way to begin the New Year.
2. Last night, I restarted my Weight Watcher’s subscription and downloaded a chair yoga regimen I’ll begin in January to further improve my health in the new year. Once I’m past the nausea, muscle and joint aches, and fatigue from my latest treatment, I’ll begin working out to lose some more weight and regain some muscle tone.

Happiness-related: 

1. My family has been astonishingly good to me over the months of my treatment, cleaning up after me, fetching things when I was too tired to fetch them for myself, etc., and they made the holiday so joyful. I’m lucky to have them. We watched Christmas movies, played games, and ate some wonderful food.
2. I painted only once this month. Here are the two small things I managed to paint:

January

 

For work-related, I plan:

1. To complete Ignition before the end of the month and publish it. I haven’t been able to persuade Amazon to give me back my pre-order ability, despite the fact I sent them proof I had good reasons for cancelling Ignition in the first place last year. I’m not giving up on that, but when I’m done writing the book, I’ll let you know when it’s ready for purchase.
2. To conduct a poll to see what themes might interest readers for a new Boys Behaving Badly Anthology this year! I’ll post the poll tomorrow to get your votes! After that, I’ll make my decision about the theme and post a Call for Submissions for authors. I can’t wait to get started!
3. To plot stories for the new year for my current series, Montana Bounty Hunters: Yellowstone, MT and We are Dead Horse.
4. To complete 2, maybe 3 editing projects in January. I have them on the books but haven’t received them from the authors yet, so we’ll see. But I’m ready to start!
5. To look at books I already have out that I might bundle together or publish in print.
6. To begin work on the next We Are Dead Horse book, Built Like Mack. The plan is to release it in March.

For health-related, I plan:

1. To undergo more scans to ascertain how far the cancer has been beat back, and to see a cancer surgeon in Little Rock to see if I am a candidate for removal of my girlie parts. Crossing fingers here!
2. To begin again watching what I eat to drop a few more pounds. I’ve rejoined WW.
3. To add physical activities to my daily routine so that I can regain some muscle tone. It may take until the middle of the month after I’ve recovered from this last chemo treatment, but I intend to take the stairs as often as I can manage and begin some daily chair yoga exercises.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To better organize my office so I can start off with a clean slate for the new year!
2. To clean up my art room, which has become a disaster! I’ve been tossing supplies on table tops and need to actually store them properly, so I have more workspace. I have plans to do an online oil pastels class and perhaps make some more collage fodder. I think the #100daychallenge starts toward the end of the month, and I will be there, painting every day when it begins!
3. To spend time with the family—more movies, meals, and flea market adventures!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in January…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Sorry this is long, but I have so much to share.

Yesterday was my last scheduled day for chemotherapy—and it almost didn’t happen. When I arrived, I met briefly with a nurse who told me that my last bloodwork indicated my platelet count was critically low (70, when normal range is 150 to 400), so they wanted me to head straight to the nearby hospital for another blood draw to see whether the number had moved enough for it to be safe for me to undergo treatment. I had been dropped off for my appointment, so I called home, and the 20-year-old hurried back to town to ferry me to the hospital and back to the clinic. Thankfully, the hospital quickly took the blood and ran it. I was sitting at 117, so still sweating whether they would allow me to go through with it. When I returned, my oncologist said it was high enough for us to proceed.

Now, it’s not like I ever look forward to a day spent with medicines rushing through my body, all with side effects, some unpleasant, but I am still hopeful the treatments will give me what I need—more time. So, I blew out a breath and smiled back at him and said, “Let’s do this.” He also mentioned as I headed out the treatment room door, “Did you see your latest antigen test?” That same set of stats that said my platelets had tanked had shown that my Cancer Antigen Test number was 23—down from 1100—and well within normal range. I told him I had and moved down the corridor to the infusion treatment room.

It was packed. I didn’t get my favorite chair. I know that sounds silly, but I like the one next to the door so I’m not sitting sandwiched between two people and because the chair is easiest to maneuver it to lie back so I can rest. I don’t like asking for help to adjust my chair. But I sighed and moved to the only empty chair. Jimmy the tech, who always takes care of me, inserted my IV (remember, my port was removed last month). Then the infusions began. Hours later, after I had napped and listened to The Beatles, The Stones, and CCR through my headphones, I was done.

Jimmy removed my IV. As he was leaving, he gave me a smile. “It’s going to be easy from here on out. Just an hour in the chair, and you won’t even feel it afterward.”

The doctor had hung around to make sure there were no issues. I rarely see him a second time in the day, but he entered, smiling widely.

“You know you’ve made amazing progress,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes to tease him and said, “Amazing compared to what?” Was this a line he gave all his patients?

He shook his head. “No, your number dropped so fast, and the fact we could already see a 50% reduction in the size of your cancer after the third treatment gives me real hope for remission.”

My heart thudded in my chest, but I kept quiet. Remission does not mean a cure. Remission does not mean a cure, I reminded myself.

“We’re going to set up a PET scan before we begin immunotherapy, but after that, I’m going to refer you to some terrific surgeons at UAMS who specialize in your kind of cancer.”

That stunned me because he has repeated to me three times over the months since this all began, that he didn’t believe I’d be a good candidate for surgery to remove my cancer because it was too…big. That I’d be looking strictly at maintenance infusions for the rest of my life to keep the cancer contained, if possible. The fact he thought I would be a candidate for surgery to remove the source of my cancer had me blinking and then giving him a huge smile.

He did give me a caveat. “I think they can remove your ovaries and uterus, but I’m not sure about the omentum. That’s more complicated, but they’re the surgeons. That’s not what I do.” He also said, “Once you begin immunotherapy every six weeks, you can take a vacation, live your life, get back to normal. You can grow back your hair!”

So, friends, things are looking up. I might be able to add more years to that original prognosis of one to three years. I’m sure he wouldn’t like to hazard a guess until his colleagues agree to do surgery and I make it safely to the other side, but I’m feeling pretty damn good—even though I’m facing a miserable two weeks of recovery now.

I have hope for more time to spend with my family. More time to write books. Time to put together another anthology. Dang, I need to redo my 2025 plans!