This Is Not A Food Blog?-8 Can Taco Soup!

This "8 Can (& 1 package) Taco Soup" recipe, had I known about it earlier, would have been perfect for 'chemo week' when that miserable fatigue/tiredness engulfed me for several days. Making dinner doesn't get any easier than this. Better yet -- it was delicious!

When I saw this recipe today it soon became a near obsession to give it a try. A little internet research found reviewers exclaiming how good it was. True? With everything from cans? After rummaging around in the basement grocery I was happy to discover all the "ingredients" needed were on hand. WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER!!  And yes, it was super easy to prepare; in fact it's probably fool proof. Most importantly, best of all, and like I said earlier--it was really good. This makes A LOT of soup and if you need to freeze some go ahead; thaw and reheat with no loss of quality. (That's the old Homec Teacher in me talking there!)

The cast of characters.

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans* or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (13 oz.) chicken chunks, drained
1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained (save liquid)
1 can (15 oz.) petite diced tomatoes**, drained (save liquid)
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (10 oz.) green enchilada sauce
1 packet taco seasoning

optional toppings:
sour cream
grated cheese
sliced olives

Combine all ingredients in 5-quart dutch oven.
Heat thoroughly.
If you prefer a thinner consistency, add the reserved liquid.
Serve. Add optional toppings if desired.
ENJOY!

* I've made this twice and the second time around didn't have a can of pinto beans so I used a can of dark red kidney beans instead. Guess what? I prefer it with the kidney beans as they were firmer than the pinto beans that I found too mushy.
** Okay, my can of tomatoes here included sweet onions, but that's what I like! They are a staple in my pantry. Regular, plain petite tomatoes would be just as good, and - if you like things spicier the tomatoes that include green chiles would also work just as well.

My mouth is watering with a deliciousness of yummyness all over again

 Good, right down to the last drop.

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Merry Christmas

"When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ Spirit. It will block out all the distracitons around us which can diminish Christmas and swallow up its true meaning.

"There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ.

"Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and peace each day of the year. It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.

"Because He came, there is meaning to our mortal existence.

"Because He came, we know how to reach out to those in trouble or distress, wherever they may be.

"Because He came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again because He came.

"Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life."

--President Thomas S. Monson, 2011 First Presidency Christmas Devotional

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Life Goes On - Ring & Run #12

Dec. 24

Wonderful gift tonight.
Wonderful experience these past 12 days.

This is absolutely beautiful (more so in person than my picture here).
I love the serenity in the faces of Mary & Joseph.
I love its simplicity.
I love what it represents.

Dec. 23

All set for 2014!

Dec. 22

Definitely "haloed" angels are coming by each night.

Dec. 21

Movie Night coming up!

Dec. 20

Even through the cellophane it smells wonderful.

Dec. 19

Perfect. My kitchen needs a holiday touch.

Dec. 18

Time to read.

Dec. 17

Seeing double today.
(see ChemoDay#2 - round#6 - CELEBRATION!!)
Too funny.

Dec. 16

My mother loves sparkly, shiny ornaments.

Dec. 15

'Ole Blue Eyes & Friends

Dec. 14

Yum!

Dec. 13

We've been targeted.
Answered the doorbell tonight to find this on the porch!

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Today

...whoever brought their snow blower over and cleared my driveway tonight after today's heavy, wet snowfall. 

It's chemo-week and my no-energy days have kicked into high gear.

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ChemoDay#2 - round#6 - CELEBRATION!!

Today is final chemotherapy infusion/treatment! Everyone is excited for me. After visit with Vitals Gal it's straight to the infusion room where I select my 'the chair' for the morning. Here's my view. Take note of the bell on the left side of the entrance.

Again, I won't bore you with routine infusion details of ChemoDay#2. The days routine-ness by now was like all the others. Believe me.

Well, almost like all the others. Just before my Bendamustine chemo bag ran out the infusion nurse came in and brought me a Celebration gift!

Another thing not shown before is when the Huber needle and IV access stuff is removed and a small dressing placed over the Port. The dressing can be removed about an hour later and there is little or no blood on it. Believe me.




With the dressing in place I'm free to leave...
But...FIRST...see the sign below?

"Celebrate"

"final treatment"

"RING"

"the bell"

And ring it I did. With claps and cheers from other patients and staff!

WooHoo!!

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ChemoDay#1 - round#6

First routine stop is making the co-pay and then in to Vitals Gal for all that stuff she does. C-Dr was in the office today (he was sporting a goatee at my last visit and still had it today, unlike the vacation beard in July that lasted less than 2 weeks) but apparently my scheduled visit today was with the PA (who now wears a shorter hairstyle). While we see each other occasionally in the infusion room as she comes through sometimes, I haven't met with her formally since my last Nadir visit in September.


Our visit followed format similar to those I have with C-Dr: reviewing my experiences since the last chemotherapy treatment, both good and bad. Fortunately there was mostly good, the only bad I had to report is the increased tiredness I've felt the past 3 weeks BUT it's another "Is It, or Isn't It?" type of thing. Is that tiredness due to my extreme dislike for winter and my mind is affected, or is it the winter weather playing havoc with my arthritis laced feet and knees, or have the steadily decreasing blood count numbers (but none in critical areas up to now) taken a dive and this is their toll? I'm curious to see today numbers from the blood work but expect they're not going to be the reason. In looking over my previous blood work the PA seemed to agree with me. Also a discussion, or reminder perhaps, from her that NHL has no cure and will never go away and due to that we'll be forever monitoring it through blood work and other tests to determine its status for the rest of my life. Ya, I knew all that; part of the down-side of the disease of NHL cancer. Then it was a quick once over with checking lymph node areas in neck, arms, abdomen. All okay.

Discussion then turned to the timing for my next PET scan and after checking with C-Dr he decided it would be best to do it in February, the week before my next treatment. It was also my preference to wait as I wanted to have some distance of time between the November CT scan and the two chemo treatment rounds since then (up to now) and the next PET scan to allow the chemo benefits (hopefully) of the last two treatments to work their magic.

Ended our visit on a more personal note as our mother's are the same age and she knows my mom lives with me. Brief discussion there and then she said her mother had turned in her car keys after a small fender-bender. "Voluntarily?" I asked, and she answered in the affirmative. Wow.

Then in to the infusion room. Picked my "the chair" for the day. The chair across from me was occupied and 5 to 7 other patients were in other chairs in there on and off during the day. When the guy across from me left I got out my camera to snap pic but that chair was occupied again before I could blink. Actually he picked a good chair because you have a view of the hallway and back office file room so there's a lot to watch while you're stuck in it. Today my preference was a view to the outside and since they only had blinds open on one window...anyway, here's my view today; or at least the left side of my view.

Infusion steps were exactly the same as previous 5 rounds so I won't bore you with those details again!

However, something I've not shown before is my sleeping companion for the night of ChemoDay#1. By keeping the Huber needle and IV access line in place it makes it so they don't have to access the port a second time and also saves money for supplies not used! You've seen the port and IV line in use here during my first treatment (shown under the "me, my port and IV" comment) but once I leave for the day this comes home with me. The port was implanted 3 days before my 1st treatment and was still too tender to try and deal with this sleeping arrangement at that time. I've been doing this since chemo round#2. Because I move around a lot in bed during the night a [TMI warning] leisure/sleep bra helps to contain this take-home equipment in 'the vault' and the only remaining thing left is arranging pillows until I get in a comfortable position. I've always worried about the Huber needle coming out of the port, but after doing this 5 times now I believe them when they say it won't happen (or is exceedingly rare). 

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In 5...4...3...

3 days until my final chemotherapy treatments for this year!

It was a Monday, July 22nd of this very bad year, when I finally was given the recommended plan (thought the day would never come) for my stage II Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL) in order to treat the mass surrounding my esophagus: 6 months of chemotherapy beginning July 29th (2 days of treatment every 28 days) followed up with 'maintenance' chemotherapy of Rituxan every other month for 2 years.

December, and 6th round of treatment, seemed like it was forever away. 

And here it is!

Almost.

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Storms

Some storms are Cancer.

Some storms are from Mother Nature.

This advice works for both.

After taking a few lazy days (well, Monday & Tuesday were waaay too cold to be outside) this morning I finished clearing the snow off the driveway that had been left from the Saturday/Sunday snowfall. It felt good to see the cement and it felt good to feel good enough to do it. I'm done with winter but I'll predict winter isn't done with me.

Life Goes On - Crown Me

Done!

Finally.

This afternoon was the easiest and quickest (15 minutes) time in dental chair during the entire saga of this long and drawn out process.

Hallelujah! (in keeping with the season)

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Life Goes On - Ugh

Beginning yesterday afternoon and continuing through the night and morning, the dreaded snows of winter finally came in storm strength and a depth deep enough requiring removal. It didn't help that temperatures have been below 30 degrees F the past week so the concrete was cold and welcomed the flakes and let them pile up without melting.

Decided last night that clearing the driveway would just waste snow blower gas/oil, and whatever additional snow got dumped overnight wouldn't be so much the blower couldn't handle it. At least I hoped so. Mostly it was just too dang cold! So bright and early drug myself out of a warm bed and bundled up to face the elements of winter.

Very glad I have this:

So I don't have to do this:

Because at 7:00 in the morning the job looked like this:

And might have required this:

No 'before' or 'after' pictures because I forgot to use this:

However, did get just enough of the driveway cleared and 'road snow' at the bottom removed to get the car out, before time ran out, in order to shower and dress and otherwise get ready for church. 

The remainder of driveway will need to be done later, and sadly, since it's so cold that dang snow will still be there!

Life Goes On.

However...

Even though Winter technically isn't even here yet.

I'm very much looking forward to Spring.

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Yes

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THANKSgiving

A friend shared this short video which I'd like to share with all of you.

Enjoy the video, and its end message.

and...Thanksgiving by my favorite illustrator/artist: Norman Rockwell.

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Life Goes On - 11/26 - Got Gas?

While I was at the dentist (yes, again) this morning getting the prep for a crown done I left a note of to-do's for my mother so we could go shopping and run errands after I got back. She got them done.

A little more than an hour after they started the dentist and his assistant were done with me (whew) and a temporary crown was put in place. Since I was in the vicinity made my weekly stop at the post office to pick up my mail and then across the street for a quick stop at the grocery store for sale items on my list. Then, back home and unload the car. With that done there was still some 'prep' Mom & I needed to do before those errands. So, bills were paid (an interesting process steering my mother through hers) and envelopes stamped, then other paperwork filled out and finally we're off.

Bing-bing-bing-bing. Yup, car has been reminding me the last 50 miles it needs gas. Fortunately it starts about 100 miles before it's empty and while a tank fill up was on my errand agenda it was to be our last stop at Sam's Club. That ol' bing-bing-bing-bing thing doesn't bother me but the first 5 or 6 times it went off Mom would ask "what's that?" until I guess the answer finally sunk in. Today's errands?
1) drop off the state form for annual medical renewal of Mom's driver license at her Dr office for him to fill out and fax.
bing-bing-bing-bing
2) mom says she's hungry so drive-thru nearby Sonic for burger and drink. Bonus! Their cheeseburgers are on sale today, and it's also Happy Hour for half-price drinks.
bing-bing-bing-bing
3) mail bills and letters at nearby post office.
bing-bing-bing-bing
4) back track and drop off payment for fall aerate at company that does my lawn fertilization & aeration. Owner is there and chat for a few moments, but mom is in the car...
bing-bing-bing-bing
5) stop at insurance company office and make payment for mom's car. Pick up 2014 calendar and that keeps her happy looking through it as we continue.
bing-bing-bing-bing
6) to credit union and ATM to get cash supply for mom. Oh, and there's $20 (twenty, two-zero) dividend check she wants cashed too, so...
bing-bing-bing-bing
7) circle around for drive-thru to cash check. Uh, no. Apparently this type of check cannot be cashed in drive-thru and must be done in person inside. Drive around again and park then go inside and WE wait, and wait. Pick up another 2014 calendar for Mom and she looks through it as we wait. Finally we get called up to teller window--it's a trainee. Yada, yada, yada. Here's the weird part: I've never had a problem with these checks before...and then I realize every other time I've just deposited them into mom's account at the drive thru. Note to self: always deposit, don't cash these things.
bing-bing-bing-bing
8) logical next stop is Sam's Club for items mom needs--and gas for car, BUT...it's getting late and we need to get to country treasurer office, before it closes, to pay property taxes on land Mom owns. It's about 15 miles round trip out of the way. Fortunately Mom is enjoying looking through the calendars and since there is no waiting I get in and out of there quickly.
bing-bing-bing-bing
9) heading toward freeway to get back to Sam's and as I make the left turn at the light...there is little or no input from gas pedal to engine! Oops, I've pushed my luck too far. Today my guardian angel is
on duty because the road I've turned on is downhill for about a block and one more block away is a gas station. That road slope is enough to put a bit more gas into engine and I do make it to a pump. Price is more than Sam's gas but lucky for the car since it will get some Techron instead of the cheap stuff! How out of gas was I? Put 17.805 gallons in my 17 gallon tank.
Okay, crisis averted and back to the errands.
10) head back to Sam's but it's rush hour and the freeway I was going to get on is notorious for being jammed up so it's a leisurely tour of the back roads to Sam's. At least no more bing-bing-bing-bing. The main reason for coming here? Mom is out of Diet Coke. Guess what? So is Sam's Club! Oh well, other items are purchased and just before dark we get home and unload the car.

Life Goes On.
And the gas tank is full.



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Wake Me Up & Turn Me Over

My C-Dr told me early on the biggest side effect I'd feel from the chemo is "tiredness." Of course he was correct although I was hoping he'd be wrong but there's a reason he earns the big bucks; I'm glad he does. Once again the good news is I was able to avoid the Senna-S tablets and with them the crappy, icky, gunky, funky, blah feeling that accompanied them; a definite case of the cure being worse than the side effect. The bad news is my lack of energy. Monday & Tuesday are okay, but by Wednesday I can feel the body winding down. At least I'm not down flat in bed all day; it's more like rest, take a shower, rest, get dressed, rest, make lunch, rest, check emails, rest, make dinner, rest, eat dinner, rest, load dishwasher, rest, fall into bed.

This is what Thursday, Friday & Saturday of Chemo Week is like for me:

Sometimes the most uncomfortable looking spot -- isn't.

Yup, not building any houses this week.

 But tell myself it's worth it as my cancer cells get 'beat' by the chemo.

Gotta love Snoopy.

You've seen this one before. It's still true.

So I do -- and find myself more horizontal than vertical.

This too shall pass.

Life Goes On.

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50 Years Ago Today

I was cancer free.

I was also a junior high student eating lunch with my friends when the loudspeaker in the cafeteria
crackled to life. Any midday announcement by the principal was extremely rare so once we realized it wasn't the principal speaking but instead a news announcer on a radio station we listened more carefully and eventually heard those stunning words that President Kennedy had been shot. Shortly after that was the news confirming that he was dead. It was a Friday and school remained in session the rest of the afternoon but each teacher could choose whether to listen to the news reports or do regular class. My PhysEd class was immediately after lunch and our teacher continued as if nothing was different, or she didn't care. We weren't sure, but the rest of classes were very quiet and somber as we either listened to the news or had discussion of the tragedy. It was definitely one of those rare events (like Sept 11, 2001) where you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing.

No school on Monday as that was the day of JFK's funeral and I do remember watching it on TV (back in the old B&W days). A very long day and a very somber day.

Life was much simpler back then, especially to a 14 year old.


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