I'm Back

I'm back. I needed a break from the blog, the internet, the computer. I needed to get out and enjoy my new energy. I needed to work. I needed to act like I had never heard my name and cancer in the same sentence.

I am really enjoying being off treatment.The spot that had increased on the CT in January was still there on my last scan but it was stable. Yay for stable!!! There used to be a time when this would upset me. No more. If it (whatever it is) plays nice, I'm cool.

A few pictures from the past few weeks in no particular order. Enjoy.

Enjoying my new apartment, especially this picture in the bathroom.

Fun weekend trip with friends to casino in Louisiana. Ally and I adore crab.

My new friend BETHANY! I new she was supercool as soon as I heard that name.

Hair. Curly, make me happy, hair. I still wear the wig most of the time, but as soon as it gets warm I think I'm going to toss it.

Feeling like myself again...

Is it just me, or is anyone else happy that the holidays are almost over. I am not a scrouge or a grinch but I just seem to get so much more enjoyment out of the more typical, mundane times of year. There just seems to be so much pressure for the perfect holiday. I guess I don't like having all of my time, money and energy sucked out of me for 2 or 3 days. I like to spread it out over the whole year.

I have been feeling well and continuing to get my eneregy back. I am happy to announce that I have secured a job and will hopefully be returning to work on January the 4th. It is a cancer treatment center. Gasp! The type of place I swore I would never work. Lesson learned, never say never. My heart was softened last month and I had a strong feeling that this was where I needed to be. I hope that I am able to be a light and a source of encouragement to my patients. Not by telling them what I went through or that I even had cancer. But just by being empathetic, sympathetic, and dropping some hints on how to get through the process a little easier if I can. I am a FIRM believer that when I am a nurse, I am a nurse and when I am a patient I am a patient. I try as hard as I can to not let the two mix. I wouldn't want my nurse breaking down when I get bad news. I can get the warm fuzzies from else where. I need my medical team to be strong, alert and focused. I feel that my patients deserve the same. Not to say I would never share my story but I think it would be far and few in between.

The best part about this new job is hopefully I will be able to move out of my parents house soon. I love them, but I'm almost 27, and it's time to go.

I am so happy Project 365 will be done is a few days. I'm thinking this year I will do a few pictures a month. It's not as hard to do as it was a few months ago but I definitely need a break from the daily pictures. I am however, so thankful that I discovered this. I have one of the hardest/best years of my life documented. This project forced me to think about the "everyday". I have memories and stories captured that I will be able to look back on for years to come.

Dec 26- My Christmas presents. I love them all but I am especially excited about my Best Buy giftcard (for a computer) and a new lomography camera (supersampler) from sister.

Dec 25- Ohhh Christmas Tree.

Dec 24- Allison had a New Year's Eve fish fry. Her guests had a great time and made the reindeer do bad things.

Dec 23- Will and I at Pappa's.

Dec 22- Santa Paws is ready for Christmas.

Dec 21- Kim gets the award for coming to visit me the most!

Dec 20- Dog sitting Darla. I had to get a picture of them being nice to each other, this was a rare occurence with the not niceness coming from my child.

Dec 19- I really enjoyed going to Kentucky to be Randi's maid of honor and finally getting to meet her wonderful family. We met almost 7 years ago through a program called chemo angels. We have come from pen pals to dear friends. I'm so fortunate to have her in my life.

Dec 18- Another pic from the tea. The food was amazing.

Dec 17- In Kentucky with Randi at my first high tea. The hats were provided by the tea place.

Dec 16- On the way to the airport. I'm not sure how this happened but this light was swinging from the post into the street. Had to take a pic.

Dec 15- Sister is home for the holidays.

Dec 14- I am a little preoccupied with my hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Can you blame me? I missed them.

Dec 13- Anything and everything chocolate. I am not a big chocolate fan but I do like small amounts every now and then.

Dec 12-House of Pies has a place in my heart forever.

Dec 11- Celebrating Laura's graduation from college.

Dec 10- Will took me to the Rothco (spelling?) chapel in Houston. It was very pretty and peaceful but the mesquitos joined us.

Dec 9- I made scallops, green beans and potatoes for dinner. The scallops are on top mixed greens with avocado.

Dec 8- My supplies for my CVC line (IV line used for chemo). I had the line removed a few months ago but I can't seem to be able to throw my supplies away. I guess I will tuck them away until I'm ready to part with them.

A miracle

Please check out this great article about my AMAZING friend Rachel.

I should be in bed

I conquered round 7 of chemo!!! No really, it actually kind of kicked my butt. But at least there were no emo meltdowns last week. It was just kind of a foggy haze that seemed to happen. Glad it's over.

I must be the luckiest girl in the world- I need a root canal. I've needed it for 2 weeks. Tried to get it and the dentist was not able to get me numb, and as you can imagine, I was not able to sit there and let him drill my tooth. Couldn't get it last week because chemo+someones hand in my mouth=i will probably throw up all over your nice white jacket. So, it is scheduled for next week on Wednesday with a special dentist called an endodontist. I will be given some happy gas to help sit still. If I had a choice between a root canal and an extra day of chemo, I would take the extra chemo. That should let you know how much I'm dreading next Wednesday. Think of me.

Other than that, I am locked in the house. I usually don't go out much the week after chemo because my counts are low, but this week I have to be extremely careful because of the swine flu. I think it's hyped up by the news but better safe than sorry.

4-30-09 My masks. Glad I got them before everyone lost their damn mind over the swine flu and went out and bought them all up. I actually need a mask, all you healthy people just wash your hands and cover your mouth when you cough, you'll be ok....

4-29-09 Right before I took Kim to the airport.

4-28-09 I obviously professed my love of SATC to everyone. Allison bought me the whole series.

4-27-09 I am years behind, but have recently fell in LOVE with Sex and the City. My cousin burned the series and sent it to me.

4-26-09 Sometimes being a patient and a nurse is not good because you know too much. I was supposed to stay attached to my pump until Monday(to get fluids), I disconnected myself on Sunday. Why? Because I felt like it.

4-25-09 I woke up and needed IHOP. Strange because I normally don't feel like going in public when I am still attached to the backpack, but the need for IHOP over rode any good judgement. I must have had a stamp on my head that said "Come talk to me" because that's what everyone did. Must have been the backpack.

4-24-09 I swore I would never get on the Twilight craze, then I saw the movie and my heart skipped a beat. I can not get enough.

4-23-09 This is what my house looks like at night. Battery lit candles everywhere. My mom says they look pretty, I think she wants to keep me safe when I get up and wander in the night. We can't use real candles because Keymo the cat will knock them over and we would like our house not to burn.

4-22-09 Something about the crunch in soybean nuts is so comforting. It's like I'm chewing the stress away.

4-21-09 Lime slushies from Sonic make my life good.

4-20-09 Ms. Allison came to visit with me on my first day back at chemo.

4-19-09 Classy Mr. 3 tv screens you can't see. I'm guessing by the 27" sticker plastered on his window he was riding on 27s

4-18-09 Thank you crazy Houston weather. This is what "a 60% chance of rain" looks like. I had to go into nasty flood water to save my car and pull it into the driveway.

4-17-09 This was the ceiling of one of the rooms at MD Anderson....so relaxing. This was the first time I've seen it, and I've been in A LOT of rooms there so I'm guessing it's just in a few.

4-16-09 Christmas in April...I love this movie

4-15-09 Tobias with his carrot. Each night he gets one if he does a "potty trick"

4-14-09 This yummy recipe can be found here. If you are a sauce person, double what the recipe calls for