Note From the Hospital

Merry Christmas Naquillists. Hope everyone is enjoying their family and friends today. I popped in to say my surgery went well Thursday. They removed 15" of my right colon and said the cancer was the size of a quarter. I slept most of the day Thursday and had a tumultuous night with all the gas pain. Otherwise I've had a smooth recovery.

Friday I was able to start on a liquid diet, take out my catheter and take off the oxygen too. I walked around the fifth floor 10 times and sat in a chair for a bit. I even got to shower. That was very relaxing. I slept much better last night, than the first, too.  I still miss my home bed though.

Today I've been upgraded to some solid foods like oatmeal, toast and yogurt. A few of my favorites but, I haven't been able to eat them as well as I'd like because of all the medicine I've been taking. It makes me really sleepy too.

If I continue doing well I may get to come back home tomorrow. I would love that so everyone keep your fingers crossed. Thanks again for all your kind words, prayers and support through this difficult time. It means so much to me. xoxoxo

Merry Christmas

I took pictures of these Christmas decorations on our way back from shopping two weekends ago and thought they'd be nice to share with everyone.  May you and your families wake to the merriest of Christmas Mornings.  I'm sharing my wishes early this year as I'll be in surgery this morning and don't know when I'll be in front of a computer again. Please take care of each other in my absence. Happy Holidays~

Mourning Dove

A mourning dove visiting my bird feeder. I wonder if she liked those berries I shared?

A Quick Note

Just a quick note to let everyone know I will be preparing tomorrow for my operation Thursday.  I don't know how long it will be before I can get back to regular commenting but know each one of you will be in my heart. I have a few posts already prepared so you'll be able to read something in my absence. I will stop by and see everyone as soon as possible. When I'm out of surgery and clear headed I will let you know how everything went. Until then... Happy Blogging~ 

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Yesterday I heard this red bellied woodpecker sounding in the distance while watching two squirrels squirrelin' around. I didn't know I had captured him/ her until I came back inside. You'll have to click on the photograph to enlarge. It's perched on the long, bare tree to the left. Isn't it adorable?

Squirrelin' Around

Earlier this morning I looked out my kitchen window and saw two squirrels squirrelin' around. They were climbing in and out of the nest pictured above and chasing each other along the slender tree branches. I stood quietly in snow drifts, halfway up my calf, watching them romp in their playground while listening to a red bellied woodpecker sounding in the distance.

I've reached a milestone today with my 100th post at Naquillity. Thank you to all my readers for making my blog one of your regular stops. Sending BIG hugs your way.
 

Nature's Windchimes

Winter Garden

She sits above her winter garden
On nature's tightrope, lingering
Among bare trees and pines.
She's balancing her plumpness
Against winter's cold hand
As she turns her face right, then left.
Below her lies a slushy footpath
Outlined with old and new berries.
Somewhere between gray skies
And evening's close I watch
Her careering flight back home.

white capped sparrow

hide and seek
inside pine tree branches
white capped sparrow

Yesterday while bundled up in layers of warm clothes I took my camera outside in the snow. This white capped sparrow was hiding inside the pine tree branches. Luckily he posed for me long enough.

I want to say thank you to Kat and Lisa for their sharp eyes as they helped me identify the bird as a white capped sparrow not a downy woodpecker.

Happy Holidays~

Last night I returned home from my last advanced photography class to find my husband and daughter had a surprise waiting for me. They had taken the Christmas tree down from the attic and put it up so we could decorate it tonight, together. I can't wait to see our stuffed snowman and the golden angel (fragile after many years of use) placed in its rightful spot.

Christmas cheer doesn't stop with the Christmas tree either as I'll be cooking a turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and rolls for dinner tonight. I may even add some corn, stuffing and deviled eggs, we'll see. Outside we have a winter wonderland for building some snow people.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Happy Holidays~

Gingerbread House

My daughter decorated this gingerbread house yesterday. Isn't it sweet? Happy Holidays~

Sunrise

I wake to a beautiful sunrise this morning with yesterday's snow clinging to earth sharing its sparkling diamonds. The air is crisp and clean as it enters my lungs. I'm breaking snow as I walk across my yard towards the bird feeder. I want to treat the birds to a berry medley I bought last night at the grocery store.

What treats do you share with your birds at their bird feeders?

City Geese

Yesterday we went Christmas shopping and managed to get almost everyone on our list a gift. That's a feat in and of itself as my husband hates shopping. When we came off the exit into the city the first thing I spied were these geese.  They were flying over the shopping centers. First, one way and then the next. After I snapped a few shots of these beautiful geese. I was fortunate enough to see what I think was a blue heron flying towards the town's pond.

Colon Cancer- update

Four thirty this morning it was still raining outside and by eight: snowing. What a beautiful sight to my tired, Christmas shopping body. We received about an inch and are expected to get more tonight. I'm afraid we won't get the 'BIG' snow I so long for but at any rate I still love what we have.

Thank you to those who've stopped by and left your support, kind words & prayers for me. It's greatly appreciated. Monday of this week I went to see the colon/ rectal specialist about my colon cancer. He said I definitely have cancer and surgery (through a small incision) will be needed to remove the right side of my colon as well as the lymph nodes surrounding the area. If there's no complications (1 in 100) from surgery I will not have a colostemy bag. My blood work came back really good and the CT scans show no spreading. As for chemo... to early to tell. We need to learn what stage my cancer is first.

It's strange for me to say I have cancer when I don't feel sick or feel any initial pain. The only thing I can say is I'm tired A LOT. Still I fight through this so as to enjoy my last few days before surgery. For those who'd like to know when & where my surgery will take place please email me at naquillity at hotmail dot com. Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday~

pondering

sitting quietly
amid bare trees,
pondering
early morning
fast food

winter white

winter white washes
across ample acres,
lightly lacing lawns.
kempt kernels cling
idly, inching imperceptibly-
green grass... gone.

nascow

mooovin'
across finish line
nascow

when i took this picture earlier in the year i hadn't noticed the numbers branded on their sides. if you look closely you can see them on two of the black cows above. yesterday my husband said i should post this with the title nascow so i wrote a haiku in response.

Colon Cancer

Yesterday came with a bit of a surprise. When my egd (scope down throat) & colonoscopy was finished the doctor came in and told us that I had colon cancer. He sent off a biopsy but was sure it was cancer. I went today for more blood work: CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) & hepatic functions. I'll be having a chest CT tomorrow and next week I'll be meeting with a specialist in colon/ rectal surgeries.

Today I went to speak with my regular doctor and was told I'll have a small portion to half a section of my bowel removed... no colostomy bag. I'll be in the hospital for at least five days. I don't know if I can sit still that long. At least I have a $100 pillow I can take with me that's really comfortable, :)

I'm pleased we're moving so fast on this because it doesn't leave much room for me to think about what could happen. Thanks to everyone who's already sent their well wishes/ prayers up. It's greatly appreciated. I'm hoping I'll still be able to stop in and visit everyone's blog during this time but if not please know I'm thinking of you all. You've each touched my life in a way I can never forget. Thanks to you all.