Georgia

Pictures from my trip down South

My first homemade cake!

Fresh boiled peanuts, I wish I could get these in Texas

Ole Times Country Restraunt with Grandma


I went to Georgia 2 weeks ago and received some much needed relaxation. I enjoyed spending time with my Grandma, she is 90 and full of so much wisdom. She is still in good health and very feisty so she can be quite entertaining. I love it when she tells me stories about my mom. It amazes me that my mom doesn't want me to do certain things, for example, moving out of the house a few months ago, but not only did she do the same thing at a younger age, she left her home state! I have had my Grandma's recipe for pound cake for a while but never built up the courage to try it myself. See, I've never made a cake from scratch. Well we had some free time and I was with the cake master so I gave it a shot with her watching me and giving me directions. Glad she was there because even with instructions I would have messed it up. It turned out to be a delicious cake, she said the best she had ever tasted ; ) I felt so domestic, can't wait to try other cake recipes.

Last week was really hard. Mel was offered a promotion in Rhode Island and he took it. I'm very proud of him for getting a promotion and a better job offer but of course I'm upset about us having to be apart. We have figured out a plan, hopefully seeing each other 1-2 a month. He doesn't have to be up there until September so I am going to fully enjoy our last few weeks together in the same city for a while.

July 4th

I had a great July 4th weekend. Even though my job didn't recognize Monday as a holiday and I really did only get a two day weekend, it was still great. Last year I was getting chemo on the 4th so really it didn't take a lot to impress me this year. Mel and I went to Dallas and I met his dad, step mom, big brother, big brother's girlfriend, little brother, and little sister for the first time. I really enjoyed it. We relaxed, watched movies and ate yummy food all weekend, driving back home from Dallas Sunday night we even got to see several fireworks shows along the way. It was really a great weekend.

Our family photo after church.

Don't stop 'til you get enough

Random thoughts on my happy friday:

-It doesn't take much for me to have a good day like today...drink all my water, eat healthy foods and get a good workout in, I'm happy

-Very happy my CT scan was stable, with one nodule even shrinking. So happy I didn't have to get a needle stuck in my side this week and even more happy I can use my PTO hours for vacay.

-Wondering when postings on FB of friends having babies will not make me cry and feel sorry for myself. It only lasts for a few minutes but it's still no good.

-What made the nodule shrink? Possibly my addition of dandelion leaves to my diet, or my little obsession with Bikram.....Maybe I should stop wondering why and just say thank you.

-Hummus, I love you, why did it take 27 years for us to meet.

-Is the sun making the scar on my chest darker because EVERYONE noticed and decided to loudly ask about it this week at work.

-I feel like I have a new dog because I shaved him. Once a long hair chi, now a short hair chi.

Getting ready to go to a birthday party. I hope they have a lot of Michael playing tonight since it's the 1 year anniversary. Love Love Love you MJ!!!!

Galveston

I had a great weekend in Galveston with Mel. Not the most beautiful beach I have ever seen, but I always have a great time when I go. Especially this time. I didn't think that at 27 I would have so much fun playing in brown Gulf water, but I found myself not wanting to get out of the ocean. I let Mel talk me into going way to deep (right below chest level is a little much for me) but I really had fun with all the big waves that day and letting him "save" me when they were huge and went over my head. We enjoyed yummy seafood at Benno's, twice it was so good, and enjoyed a delicious brunch at the Galvez. It was a great weekend that I will always remember. I also wore a swimsuit!! First time in 7 years wearing one in public. I chose a skirted piece so that my bottom-where the tumor was removed-wouldn't be so noticeable. It felt great. I decided a few weeks ago that after all I've been through I'm done being scared of 2 things....swimsuits and horses (random I know but they are like huge dogs). I've been through a lot scarier and I'm not letting my own thoughts stop me from doing things anymore. I learned 2 very important things while people watching in Galveston....

1. NOBODY has a perfect body.

2. No one is looking at me.

I'm not sure where I got this perfect body image from. Every time I thought of wearing a swimsuit all of the amazing bodies were walking around in my head. So. Not. Reality. And no one cares or is looking at me. My scars and deformity are noticeable yes, but only if you are really looking, and no one was. They were doing what I was doing, enjoying the great company they were with.

I have a CT scan tomorrow. Hopefully everything is stable and I will not need the RFA procedure but if not the procedure is scheduled for Wednesday and I will stay in the hospital for one night then be released.

Off to enjoy my yummy veggie dinner of kale, peas, okra and brown rice.

Blessings.

Always making faces in my pictures....

I forgot my lomos at home : ( I used the lomo effect on picnik.com

I want my weekend back!

I had a great Memorial weekend. The 3 days off were much needed. My days were filled with cooking, resting and movie watching. Mel and I attempted to go to Keyma on Saturday but he was on called and got paged so we only had enough time to quickly pick the chihuahua up and head back to the city.

Right after brunch at Baba Yega

And the weekend also included "someone" getting a hair cut. Needless to say he wasn't happy about the trip to Petco, but at least this time I wasn't called in early to pick him up for aggressive behavior towards the clippers and staff.

My doctor has decided to take a more aggressive approach against those spots in my lungs. He wants me to go for an assessment for RFA-radiofrequency ablation. Basically a needle like probe is put into the lung and the spot is burned. It doesn't sound fun and I think I'm officially stalling now in getting it done. Maybe in a few weeks. Maybe.

Is everyone pregnant? I think so. My friends cat even just had kittens. It's not that I want a baby right now, it's the thought of possibly never being able to have one that gets to me. Facebook is hard to look at these days. every time I get on someone is pregnant, someone is in labor, someone just had a baby.... It's not that I'm jealous or want to take this joy away from anyone, it's not even close to that. I just hope to have that same happiness too one day.

This time last year I felt like everyone was getting married, and now a year later I'm happy and dating a great guy. No wedding bells anytime soon, but I get the lesson.... things will, if they are supposed to, work themselves out.

Be still my heart....

It was flutters when I think of this pizza. Soooo good. I credit it for getting me through last week. It is what my soul needed (and hugs and kisses which I got plenty of too). If you are in Houston please go here and prepare to have your life changed. I recommend the deliciousness below...prosciutto e rucola-add mushrooms. Your welcome.



I'm glad last week is over. It's definitely not the worst week I've ever had but it was a little tough. 1 spot is now 2. I read my records-I can do that, it's ok, but probably not recommended- and the final radiologist report stated that there were 2 spots not one. My oncologist confirmed with me through email. So now I wait. My doctor presented me at a conference today so hopefully he will email me tomorrow and let me know if the plan is the same, wait 6 six then re scan.

My dad is doing well. For those of you who don't know he fell a few weeks ago while sitting on a stool, putting on his shoe. Yes, he just fell off the stool. We spent a few hours in the ER, after much convincing to even go there, and then he had surgery the next week. 7 screws, 1 plate and 2 casts later he is healing well. Stubborn, not wearing his cast all the time and DRIVING, but doing well. I'm sad he hurt himself, but it was nice to not be the one being cut on this time.

Going to bed early tonight. I'm going to see Drake in concert tomorrow!

One of those days....

Ugh.


I really need to blog more. No blogging and very little scrapbooking is making me have to remember to much. Will do better.



Busy day at work added on to not so much happy new from my oncoligist makes for a cranky girl.



The spot we were watching before is still there and hasn't grown-yay BUT there is a new thing that popped up. A new spot. It's very small so we will just wait six weeks for a rescan and then see what it does. Hopefully it will just sit there, but if it doesn't chemo/surgery/radiation are all options. I just hope I can still work, I really do enjoy my job.



It's crazy working and being treated at the same facility. Fellows (new doctors training in a certain specialty) train in several centers at Anderson. I have worked with a few. One that I have worked with before just happed to be in MY treatment center following MY doctor today. Nice. I don't want what I'm going through to be a secret but I'm not sure I want someone I might work with to know every juicy detail. It's cool though, no biggie. I hope he learned something from my case and can use it to benefit others he will help.



I have had a really great past few months. I'm so happy and physically I feel great. I know it's not the best I've ever felt but it sure does feel like. Maybe because I appreciate it now. I know what it's like to really feel like crap.



Sleep is the onl thing that can cure what I'm feeling now.... a mix of shock/anger/sadness/disgust. Oh and I'm sure this little guy could cure it. I need to get custody back from my parents.