Feeling better

Things are looking up. I don't have a constant upset stomach, I can eat tasty food again, and I'm generally feeling more upbeat. It's amazing how cancer drugs can affect every facet of your life.

Still not loving my job, but some days can make up for the bad ones. My co-page designer was gone today (daycare problems, it seems) so I did page one, and on a day when we had a big story. Wednesday afternoon, there was a chase on the interstate that ended in a shootout. The two people in the car were killed, and it turns out they are suspects in a Utah murder. Add to that the student teacher who was arrested after almost 40 pounds of pot was found in his car on school grounds, and it's been an interesting week around here. That doesn't happen often. When it does, though, there's kind of an electricity in the newsroom, and that reminds me of one of the reasons I got into this business in the first place. Tomorrow, back the to drudgery, though: it's wedding page day.

I think I might still look into finishing my degree (that would be my bachelor's, by the way). I was looking at the local university's online course catalog the other day, and it wouldn't take too much, I don't think, but if I took just one course a semester, it might take a year or so. If I went for my journalism degree, I figure it'd be around 11 hours. There's another required course for the journalism degree they added (on electronic media), and I'd have to finish the Spanish III course. I might be able to do those online. There's also a couple of lab classes I'm not sure I ever took. On the other hand, I might be able to get a bachelor of general studies with even less work. I think there, I might have a course in the sciences to meet the requirements. I've probably got enough hours in communication to meet the area of concentration requirement, but I'm not sure about the electives requirement. I'm having lunch next week with a prof from my college days, so I'll probably ask her what she thinks.

I finally got around to finishing cleaning my room. Now I just have some filing and organizing to do. Got my taxes started and that refund is looking good! I should use it to pay bills, but I might splurge and get me a nice new chair for the living room or my bedroom, or use it to paint the rest of the rooms in the house and do some decorating and landscaping.

Next week, I have three days in a row of medical appointments: Monday is a MUGA scan to make sure the Herceptin isn't damaging my heart; Tuesday is my appointment to set up for radiation and also Herceptin day; and Wednesday is my checkup with the urologist on my kidney stone. I guess at least I'll have some time away from work. That's always one way to look at it.