Chemo, stress, and (dog) cookies

My name is Lindsey and I am stress eater. I have gained about five pounds in the almost two months since Brian was in the hospital. Its funny because my eating inversely correlates with my stress level. The more stressed I am, the less I eat. On my mild to moderate stress days, I eat my feelings. When I am extremely stressed, I lose my appetite.

All this had me thinking about my poor, sweet, neurotic Jack.  He is stressed too. I know he can sense the tension in the house from my nerves. I feel bad for him because he doesn't get to eat all the comfort food we do. So, to remedy that, I found a recipe for homemade dog cookies! I spent a couple hours today making yummy and cute cookies all for Jack, except for the ones he shared with his dog friends. The recipe was really easy, just a little all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, vegetable oil, water, and PEANUT BUTTER!!! which made them smell so good that I actually ate one. They basically turned out like you would imagine an eggless, butterless, sugarless peanut butter cookie, but they were fabulous and much appreciated by my faithful companion (the canine one).

As for my other one, Brian started chemo on Monday and is finishing up month one tonight. We are so grateful for the minimal side effects! He takes an anti-nausea medicine first and then the three chemo pills. Those smell and taste nasty. Then we go to bed so he really hasn't been sick to his stomach at all. He does have a headache from it, and he has had a KILLER back ache for two days straight. If it persists over the weekend I am calling the doctor Monday, but I haven't seen that symptom listed in the literature anywhere so hopefully its just a pulled muscle.

More to come tomorrow! We are heading up to Chicago to see the CSO. My family got us tickets for Christmas and I am glad we can still go!

Here are some pictures of Jack with his cookies.

I don't know if you can read the angst on this face.

A very patient boy. 

Love, Lindsey