Disappointed but not Down

Today is 11/11/11.  Sorry, it's been so long since I've posted.  It's been an up and down 11 days around here. 
First, today being Veteran's Day, I want to say how thankful I am for all the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, and to all those who are presently serving.  Without their service, we would not have the freedoms we have. 

Treatment #5 is behind me.  As I feared, my blood counts seem to have a mind of their own and, despite Dr. Bondly's optimism about their not plummeting, I'm pretty sure they did.  I started running a fever last Thursday night and ran a fever throughout the weekend.  Talk about being bummed out.  I was not expecting that.  My plans had been to go to the Bama/LSU game and then suffer whatever ill effects later. 

Jenn came home from Auburn on Friday and, much to my surprise, wanted to go to T-town for the game since I "obviously didn't need to be going."   LOL.   Knowing how much Erin and Travis wanted to go to the game, and now Jenn also wanting to go to the game, I was in a quandry.  Which child do I disappoint?  I had assumed that Erin and Travis would go, never expecting Jenn to want to go to a Bama game (other than the Iron Bowl, of course).  I needed the wisdom of Solomon.  I thought of the story in the Bible of the two women who had given birth to a baby but after one of the babies died, both woman claimed to be the mother of the remaining baby and wanted Solomon to give the baby to her.  Solomon obviously had the wisdom and discernment to know what to do.  I, on the other hand, obsessed all night Friday about what to do.  Who do I disappoint?  Should I just suck it up and Ken and I go to the game ourselves?  Ken was okay either way.  He knew how much I wanted to go, but he was perfectly fine letting the kids take the tickets. 

As is usually the case, things have a way of working themselves out.  Erin and Travis decided (probably in the interest of family peace) not to go to the game.  They had already invited several of their friends over to watch the game and eat gumbo.  Erin had to teach the K5-1st grade Bible class on Sunday morning too, which would have meant very little sleep by the time they would have gotten back to Huntsville after the game.  I could tell how disappointed Erin was Saturday morning when I talked to her.  But in the end, she and Travis both were glad, I think, that they had stayed in Huntsville. 

Jenn went to Tuscaloosa, spent some time with her Trussville friends, and took one of her Auburn "guy friends" who was already in T-town to the game.  She made her mom happy by wearing some red and white and taking my Bama shakers.  She tried to be a good Bama fan, albeit not a rabid one, I'm sure.  She and Alex had a great time at the game.  The LSU student section was right across the aisle from our seats.  She did say it was really strange to be so close to the other team's student section.  I think they even stayed around after the game was over to see if those Bengal Tigers would play the "Reverse Rammer Jammer" (like the Auburn band does after they win the Iron Bowl).  But much to her chagrin, I'm sure, they didn't.  I laughed and told Jenn that I thought that was a misguided tradition only celebrated by the Aubies!!!!  Jenn did say that she had NEVER heard a stadium so loud as it was on Saturday night.  I thought Bryant-Denny was loud at last year's Iron Bowl, but she thought this year's Bama/LSU game was even louder!!

Ken and I ordered pizza Saturday night and watched the big game by ourselves.  Before the game started, I had a pit in my stomach and, for some reason, didn't have a good feeling about the game.  It was a great game and, in my opinion, lived up to its pregame hype.  I never expected it to be such a low-scoring game.  Bama had its chances, and we probably should have won.  But LSU played a great game, and I take my hat/head coverings/wigs off to them!!!  I personally do not want a rematch with them.  We're still in the hunt for the national championship game, thanks to our No. 3 ranking in the BCS poll.  We just need LSU, Stanford and/or Oklahoma State to lose.  I feel confident that at least one of those teams will lose.  The next two or three weeks will be interesting. 

Ken and I are going to the lake this afternoon for the weekend.  I have not been to the lake since the middle of August -- before I started chemo.  Looking forward to seeing the beauty of nature in our little part of the backwoods of Winston County, Alabama.

Take care.  And don't forget to thank a Veteran today!!

Rachel