Winter weather

Yesterday, Alexis was with me all day. School was called off because of weather. There wasn't much snow, but our roads are narrow, and nothing is done to clear them. Alexis made a snow head - the container is from a package of Camembert cheese, which gives you an idea of how small this thing is. I guess school was off today, as well. Lexi wasn't here, so it didn't really affect me. Last I heard this morning, Carlisle County was starting two hours late, but I didn't see or hear the bus at that time, nor did I see or hear it this afternoon. Therefore, I assume they changed their minds and gave the kids a four-day weekend.

When Lexi came in from playing yesterday, she wanted some hot chocolate. The picture is a bit blurry, but you can see that she got sort of carried away with the mini-marshmallows. I think she said that was one handful, but her hands are getting pretty big.

This is her weekend with her dad, so I won't see her until Sunday night. I've had to set aside the cape I'm knitting for her until I can ask her a couple of questions. I was working on the border on the bottom, which is worked sideways, and ran out of the variegated yarn about halfway across. I assume she will want me to rip back and make the border all the same. Now the question is, does she want it pale pink or a brighter pink. I've worked a couple inches of the border is each color, so she can see how it looks both ways and make an informed decision. In the meantime, I'm working on fashion doll clothes from left-over sock yarn. I think I'll take them to the Mayfield Art Guild gift shop to sell. I'll have to visit the toy department at WalMart to figure out how much to charge. I never go into the toy department; I've always thought books are much better gifts for children.

I got a bunch of books last Saturday. The Paducah library had their annual book sale on Friday and Saturday. The advertised prices were $.50 for paperbacks and $1 for hard backs. However, they had so many books left on Saturday that went I walked in, they gave me a large grocery bag with handles and told me that I could fill it and would only be charged $2. I got six children's books and sixteen adult books. That should keep me in reading material for a while. I could have gotten a few more books in the bag, but I got tired of looking.

Medical

Wednesday was my oncologist visit. The first thing Dr Balbastro said when she walked into the examining room was that new studies show that half the Dexamethasone (steroid) that I have been taking is actually more effective than the larger dose. So I only took five little blue pills yesterday and today instead of ten. No difference in side effects this month, but maybe there will be next month. The ratio of Kappa and Lambda light chains is stable, so no other change in treatment plan.

When I got to the drug store, a problem arose. The insurance company balked at paying for the Thalidomide. We think it is because this is the first time this year. The drug store said they would call the doctor's office and that office would have to deal with the insurance company to get the required 'prior authorization.' I haven't heard from either the doctor's office or the drug store yet, but since I have several day's worth of the medicine on hand, I'm not concerned about it yet. Since that is the expensive medicine (over $5,000 per month), I sure can't pay for it myself. Everything else I take is cheap.