Back to the Monthly Updates

...or at least I'm hoping that's the plan. It's been a crazy few months but let's hope we're back into normal mode soon.

• I am 2 years and 1 month past the partial resection of my grade three brain tumor. (I can't believe I missed writing a post on the 2 year surgi-versary!!!)
• It has been almost 22 months since I completed external beam radiation.
• I have been seizure free for 13.5 months.
• It has been 3 years since I was hit in the face with a baseball that led to the early discovery of my brain tumor approximately a month later.

Medically - My last MRI showed no change and this is the best thing that brain cancer patients can hear at each MRI. I will be seeing my Neurologist again in September and I'm guessing we'll schedule my MRI for shortly after. It will be a nice and comfortable four months between scans. Hopefully, we'll be able to stay at that for a good long time. I have not had issues with headaches for several months now and I am as healthy as any "normal" 31 year old. (Sorry, that's kind of an inside joke that I share with my Radiation Oncologist. Long story and I can't remember if I told it before or not. Maybe it will be an entry another time.)

I continue to work my way off of the Adderrall (med for my focus issues). We are looking to drop it one more level next time I am there for a med check. I'm thinking at the rate I've gone, there should be no issues being completely off of it by the end of the year. YAY!!! One less med to take every day. (Not that I take many that I HAVE to have each day but one less all the same. LOL)

Emotionally - The last few months have been stressful but nothing that is overbearing. May and June were very stressful with John's hernia surgery and now it's just very busy getting ready for our vacation. Why is vacation planning always such a headache? The most stressful part of it all is the anxiety that came along with John's surgery. Although it was a minor procedure, anxiety always follows for me. That's just the way I am. However, we have figured out some important things in the category of my anxiety so hopefully now that we know about it, I'll be able to handle it better.

Ok, not sure why that one sounds so off but...

Mentally - My focus and mental stamina has improved a lot just over the past few months. I'm not sure where the sudden change has come in but it's been noticeable to me. I'm a lot less "reluctant" to start a mental task now and can stay on it longer so it's not as much of a pain to work on now. I think I'm back to normal in that respect.

Physically - My physical strength and stamina also continue to improve. I haven't attempted to go back to my wii yet because I've been physically busy doing many other things to get ready for vacation and my father-n-law visiting when we return home. However, back in June at one of the Relay For Life that I attended, I walked what ended up being 8 miles from 6 AM - 3 PM. Now it wasn't all at one time but it was still done in a 9 hour time frame. It's not to say I couldn't have done it more at once, but I had no incentive to and had people to talk to all night anyway. :)

The hair on top is at an aggravating length right now. It's long enough it will no longer curl and it's too short to pull back into a pony tail (it falls right out the first time I turn my head). If I didn't need to pull my hair back in the summer, I could probably still cover it sufficiently with the side hair but that is all back in the tail when it is up. Therefore, if you see me in a hat or headband, it's not because of a problem, just because it covers. Besides, I don't want to get a sunburn on my head so a hat is good protection.

Work - Work has not been near as stressful of late as projects have slowed down quite a bit. There have been more and more tasks related to the site closure but they are not too hard other than the reminder that the company that many people have grown to love will be shutting down soon. It's weird looking into certain areas and seeing whole lines gone. I think that's when it really starts hitting that our good little company will be taken away soon. I'm guessing that I will be there until February or March as I will be one of the last ones to go. All the servers and computers will have to be taken down and "disposed of" before I'll be able to leave. Then I guess I will be looking a little harder at the next steps depending on what I choose to do with the unemployment assistance. I've tossed around several ideas of how I will handle the time between my job ending and the training for taxes starting. I think I will make the final decisions during that time.

Home/Family - Well, this morning we finished packing and are traveling down the road right now towards South Carolina... the first destination of our vacation. Here we will visit with some of John's family that I've talked to online but never have had the chance to meet. I'm pretty excited about it. Then we will be off to Disney for 6 days, Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter theme Park, Discovery Cove to swim with the dolphins, Aquatica/SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and finally to Panama City in Florida to visit with one of my cousins and her hubby. It will be a truly amazing trip and we are all looking forward to it!!!

John is doing much better since his hernia surgery. He is pretty much back to the way he was other than taking it a bit easier when lifting things because he doesn't want to find out he has one on the other side as well. Not something he hopes to repeat any time soon even if the procedure went VERY well for him. Besides, he's been having his back flare up again anyway so not lifting is a good thing for that too.

Relay For Life was a fairly good success for my team. We made a good amount for the American Cancer Society and therefore continue to help with the strive for a cure. The event was rained "in" after we had been there about 3 hours so we did lose out on some of the on-site fundraisers because they were things that could not be easily moved inside. As much fun as I have with Relay, I have decided that next year, I am just going to join a team instead of being a captain. It will take a lot of stress off of me and allow me to enjoy the event a little more instead of running my tail off the whole time! I do want to send a big THANK YOU to all of those that supported my team and I by making donations. We are nothing without your support!!!

My son will be starting school a week after we get back home. I can't believe he is going into the 8th grade. YIKES!!! Where has the time gone?!?!?! I think he is actually looking forward to it.

Other than having stayed busy with vacation planning, my grandma being in and out of the hospital/nursing home a few times, and just plain summer craziness, I don't think there's been a lot else going on.

Well, the laptop is getting hot on my lap and I'm not sure it's a wise idea to be doing this in the car anyway so I'm going to wrap this up. I'm not sure if I remember how to post pictures directly to this or not but I'll be posting pictures as often as I can. :)

Yippee for 17 days of vacation!!!!

John Is Back To Work

Sorry I'm so delayed in sending out this update. It has been a crazy several days so there has not been much time for updating.

John and I went to his hernia surgery follow-up appointment on Friday and the doctor was pleased with his progress if not quite a bit surprised. John was doing very well by this point and honestly you wouldn't know he had just had surgery a bit over a week prior. He said everything looks great and that he could return to work whenever he was ready. He told us the steri-strips should come off in the next week and that he should just not lift over 20 pounds for the next two weeks (three weeks post surgery).

On Sunday, two of the six steri-strips came loose and were removed. The incision looks great and is healed quite well.

He did return to work on Monday and felt good for most of the day. He said around 4:00 he started feeling minor discomfort so he sat down for a while to take it slow (this would have been a normal 8 hour day but they work 9 hour days so I think going 8 hours is pretty good). He had some heat rash around the incision when he came home and ended up removing the remaining four steri-strips. The incision was between 1 and 1.5 inches in length and the entire thing looks very good with minor scabbing at this point.

Outside of John returning to work, we had a Relay For Life garage sale on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We had a great turnout and made over $450! Relay For Life is this Friday so we're all busy getting ready for that. There has also been an attack of ill animals over the past week (my mom and dad's new puppy had an infection, their cat had an allergic reaction to his distemper shot, and we had a momma cat try to drown her kittens in a rain storm) and my Grandma has been in the hospital with a broken pelvic bone and now MRSA. Needless, to say, it's been crazy of late.

I will try hard to update next week after Relay is all over.

Seizures Appeared One Year Ago

It was one year ago today that I had my first seizure. I remember things like it was yesterday. I didn't sleep well at all that night but rather I tossed and turned most of the night. My mind kept racing but nothing that I felt was all that abnormal. I got up as I normally did and got ready for work and hurried my son along since he was going to his great grandma's that day. I felt a little sick to my stomach and unexpectedly tired that morning but didn't think anything of it.

I noticed shortly after I reached my exit to the Interstate that I really did not feel right. I remember one instance where I felt like I blanked out for a second and I found myself in the third lane without remembering how I got there. No one was around and I assumed I was just tired and trailed off so I continued on, a bit more cautious.

It was several miles down the road, closer to Springfield than to home when I remember looking ahead and seeing a semi in front of me and making the conscious decision to get into the left lane to pass him. For some reason this was funny to me and I felt my mouth twitch into a smile. A second later I was staring at the roof of my car and I had no idea why. I could hear my son tapping me on the shoulder and calling "mom, mom" but I couldn't respond to him. I felt myself mentally fighting to get my head back facing the front when I heard the wheel hit something briefly. By the time I finally had both hand back on the wheel and my eyes looking ahead again, my son had us back on the road. I could tell he was scared and while I still wasn't 100% sure what had happened, I was pretty sure it was a seizure based on what I had heard about them.

Not daring to pull over on the interstate, I told my son to call his dad but to keep a close eye on me and grab the wheel if I started acting funny. He handed me the cell phone and I told John I was going to take the next exit but he better come get me. I actually missed that exit because it was one I was not familiar with and by the time I got close to it, it was by me. I was able to get us safely to the parking lot of a car dealer and parked. John was on his way and my son was with me.

I called grandma to tell her that he wouldn't be there and then called my mom because I knew she would probably call her to ask what was wrong with me. I remember telling her I think I had a seizure and I think I managed to tell her where I was before I again had the feeling something was funny and the smile came across me. I was standing outside the car and while I could feel my leg a bit unsteady and could hear her on the phone, I was unable to respond. Eventually my son got the phone and my seizure ended.

My mom and dad arrived and my mom called my doctor. While she was on the phone with the nurse, I had another seizure. I remember her making the comment to find something for me to bite on and I kept trying to shake my head no but couldn't. The nurse told her not to do that and to get me to the ER.

Shortly after this, John made it from work to me and he drove me to the hospital. I had another seizure in the car with him. I remember him gripping my hand when I had it. I was quickly admitted at the ER and they put an IV into me. John and I told what happened several times. While the doctor was in to check on me, I had what would be my last complex partial seizure. He had asked me a question and I went to answer him. I again got the feeling something was funny and the seizure began. I think this was one of the longest I had. He held my left hand and called my name several times. John held my right hand and talked to me. When it ended, they gave me a shot of Attivan, a fast acting medicine that will halt seizures.

I was extremely tired after getting this and curled up dozing while John sorted things out to get me dismissed. I would be starting on Keppra and the neurologist wanted me to have an EEG. John drove me to the office to get my EEG. Unlike the first EEG I had, I found it hard to stay awake for the test rather than finding it hard to sleep. After it was finished, we headed home.

Over the next two days, I would have several simple partial seizures that were simply a feeling of euphoria and twitching of my mouth. During these, I could communicate although not talk and could hear everything that went on. I never lost consciousness, my balance, or even my place in the conversation when it was over. Luckily, as quickly as they began they ended and I started my six months of not being allowed to drive.

I'm sure there are things that I have missed in my recount of what happened but I do know this... it is an experience I hope I never have to experience again. Seeing the one year mark come with no further seizures makes me very happy. :)

John Is Doing Very Well

John has been steadily feeling better and having less pain as each day goes past. The bruising has been surprisingly minimal thus far and we were able to remove the waterproof bandage yesterday. We can't see the incision because of the strips that cover it but it appears to be in good shape and comes in between 1 and 2 inches in length. These strips will likely fall off on their own in the next few days.

Today, he has not had to take any ibuprophen for pain and his major complaint is that it is itching. This, of course, is a very good sign. I am guessing that if he didn't do manual labor for a living, he would indeed have been able to return to work today. However, I'm not sure why anyone would want to return to work after surgery if they were still not allowed to drive. Anyway, he is well on the path to recovery and I expect him to be good as new and ready to get back to a regular routine by the time we go see the doctor on Friday. He's moving around very well including minimal pain when bending and if it weren't for lack of motivation I do believe he would have mowed the lawn like he said. (Don't worry it's a riding mower... LOL)

Anyway, thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I do believe the doctor will get a little bit of his credibility back in my eyes although I'm still mad about him not telling us about the driving thing and will likely ask him about it on Friday.

Please Support Relay For Life!!!

Let's face it, there are not many people that have not had cancer affect them in some way. Whether it is watching from the sidelines, caring for a friend or loved one, or fighting it ourselves we have all been touched by cancer in our lives.

Cancer doesn't care how old you are, the state of the economy, your race, religion, whether you have a job or not, have the money or insurance to pay for treatments, or the ability to take care of your family while you undergo treatment. It affects everyone equally and without prejudice. Isn't it time we start evening the odds a bit and put cancer in its place?

If you've followed my blog you'll have met a couple of the children whose lives were taken too soon by this demon. King Julian and Coleman have been an inspiration to me as I undertake my own journey. Should a 4 year old have to face this? The simple answer is no. However, there's so much yet to be done.

The American Cancer Society leads the battle against cancer at every level along the way. They tackle it at the root by investigating the causes of cancer and raising awareness on ways to prevent it. They give resources, information, and support to those that have been diagnosed with cancer. Furthermore, they grant research money to those that may be on the breakthrough of finally finding the cure for cancer. They can't do it alone. It takes the support from each and every one of us to help them reach these goals.

The Relay For Life is a magical event especially for those that have had to face cancer head on. Relay is a time to come together to remember those we have lost, celebrate the victories we have made, and pledge to fight back against the beast that has taken so much from us. Most importantly, it gives HOPE to all of those in attendance that there will be a cure found so that more generations do not have to face this dastardly disease.

As a Survivor, I really find it hard to put into words what it means to me. The very thought that all of the people on the track are there to support the cause that is very important to me is touching beyond words. Being on the track with others that have fought cancer is an inspiration and keeps hope in my heart that I can also fight and beat this thing. It helps me remember that I am not alone. Not only do I have the support of friends and family, I have the support of complete strangers who I may or may not ever really know. It doesn't matter because we are all connected and it's instant friendship.

Some have asked me in the past why I support the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life when there are many organizations out there that are specifically geared towards brain cancer. Really the answer is quite simple... if all of the friends and family that have/had cancer had brain cancer then I might consider putting all of my efforts into the ABTA (American Brain Tumor Association). However, I've lost family to breast, lung, brain, blood, throat, and various other types of cancer. I have friends and family fighting breast, brain, joint, and blood cancer. I do support the ABTA by participating in some of their fundraisers. I just hold the Relay For Life close to my heart and I can see the impact that it has on others. I support their mission and I am honored to be a supporter of the ACS and I know that the ACS has had a hand in many of the treatments friends and family have used to extend their lives or beat cancer.

So tell me, can you afford to donate to Relay For Life and support my team so that others traveling this path can be given HOPE? Can you donate in remembrance of someone you loved that was taken away too soon from this beast? What about in celebration of someone you love that has fought cancer and is here to show all that it can be done? Perhaps you just wish to donate to help FIGHT BACK against cancer so that future generations can say "When I was a little one, cancer took the lives of many good people but that doesn't happen anymore." Wouldn't that be great?

How about it, can you donate $5, $10, $20 dollars to help put an end to cancer and support those that do have it? http://main.acsevents.org/goto/Amy_Relay

Thank you for your support!

A Quick Update On John

I realized after I sent the last post that I didn't give an update on John.

He slept fairly well last night considering the night after having surgery is normally very uncomfortable. He has found he is most comfortable sleeping on either side as long as if he is on his left side he has a pillow for his right leg to rest on so it doesn't lay down on the incision/sore area.

He has a waterproof bandage at the incision site so I can't really say what that looks like. He'll be able to have that removed on Sunday. I'm kind of interested to see how it looks.

He says his stomach muscles hurt the worst and in the area where the swelling was prior to surgery. However, he says most of the pain is muscular rather than from the incision. He has described it as the day after doing a ton of sit-ups when you are not used to them. We are guessing this is from them manipulating the muscles to bring them closer so the mesh could be sutured in. He has been moving around fairly well and walks almost normal so I see that as a good sign. He doesn't stay walking long, which is a good thing because he needs to let the area heal, but he is able to do so with more comfort than I think he originally expected.

He's been doing pretty good pain-wise. He decided not to fill the prescription for the pain med the doctor prescribed and has been doing very well with ibuprophen every six hours or so. Even then I think it's mostly to make sure the pain doesn't set in rather than really needing it. Hopefully, by Sunday he will be able to wean down to just a couple a day for managing. That would be ideal but we'll see. (It would renew my faith in the doctor a little if he is in that state by Sunday)

Overall, all is going well as long as he doesn't laugh or cough. That seems to be what gives him the most pain. His follow-up will be Friday and he's looking to start working again the following Monday.

I'll keep you posted as there are things to report.

The Never-Ending Frustration of Doctors

Well, I didn't get into this part of the story last night because I was tired but I figure I'll talk a bit about it today. Now this is not the first time that we've been led astray by a doctor. We seem to attract them. However, one of the things that struck us square on the day before John's surgery was that this was NOT the procedure we initially wanted. There were some well placed words that made us believe it was but in hindsight it should have dawned on us.

We should have questioned him more when he said John shouldn't return to work for a week. However, I didn't because at first explanation he said that he could return to work in 2-3 days. It was only after John said what he does for a living and asked about climbing ladders that he said a week. This cleverly disguised the fact this was not the procedure we originally went searching for.

The second clue should have been when he described the particular mesh plug that he was going to use. In nothing did I read about the "shuttle cock" description it was always a spool type mesh. The difference being the "shuttle cock" gets sutured to the muscle, the spool has no sutures. Why this didn't pop up as a striking red flag at the time, I may never know.

Anyway, I guess you can't change what is done but the final blow that indeed we did not have the right procedure was when the doctor told him he was not to drive until after he came in for his follow-up in a week. Now this raises a curious question... why would he be able to return to work in 2-3 days if he can't drive for a week. I'd love to give the doctor the benefit of the doubt that because they found out when they got in there that it was larger than they originally believed and had been there longer than was believed that he was erring on the side of extra caution in telling us he can't drive for a week. However, I think we have been misled by enough doctors over the past few years that I don't know that I can believe that in any way, shape, or form. He'd have to do some darn good explanations to convince me this is what happened.

Anyway, even though it ended up not being what we originally intended, the recovery time is acceptable and the recurrence rate is in an acceptable range. While it's going to be a few days longer than we wanted and he's going to have a few more rough days than we wished, it will be a success in the end and a lot better than what the doctor locally had told us about the laproscopy procedure he does. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised considering he didn't pick up on the fact that it was indeed the hernia causing the swelling not swollen glands.

That, folks, is a rant for another day! Oh how I love doctors!!! *cough*

Hernia Fixed and Back Home

Well, I think everything went pretty good for the hernia surgery and the drive home. John is laid back in his recliner with an ice bag and is watching TV. :) That's about like a male.

Anyway, we got there at 8:15 as we were supposed to and got all the paperwork done. Around 8:25 or so they took him back to get him changed into gown and robe and take his vitals. At first I was irritated because they didn't let me back with him but they assured me they'd get me before he went to surgery. About 20 minutes after they took him back they let me back into a little waiting area. This is where he told me there's no way I could have gone into the other area because it was so small each patient had an area the size of a closet to change and have their vitals done in. We sat there for 15 or 20 minutes and then they led us to the pre-op area. I was able to stay with him during the entire time he was in pre-op. This helped my anxiety A LOT. We talked with all the doctors involved with anesthesia and surgery and I actually ended up helping put the IV in when John decided to be a bleeder and the poor resident couldn't keep the bleeding at bay at the same time as he put all the IV lines in the correct places. He actually agreed to let me glove up and help. I thought that was fun and it again helped my anxiety big time.

Around10 AM they gave him a little sedative in his IV and he got a bit on the dazed and loopy side. The took him to the surgery theatre at around 10:20. Luckily, the doctor had told me that he'll send a message when the are done with the prep and then to expect 45-60 minutes from there. I received the message at 10:40 that they were starting. I held up really well until 11:40 and more came along and then I started to get very anxious and freak out a little. There was no sitting still and I think the people at the reception desk in the waiting room were beginning to worry if I was going to have a heart attack or something. Luckily, at 11:55 the doctor called and assured me that everything went well and he was being moved to recovery. I thought I was finally about to see him and the anxiety instantly left my body... at least until 20 minutes had passed and I still hadn't been called to see him. I think the time waiting to see him was the worst time I had. I couldn't sit still for anything, my hands were shaking, and I know I was on the verge of tears. I had no clue it would take almost 40 minutes to get him settled in recovery!!!

It was great to finally get to see him. The anxiety eased and I could finally breathe again. He wasn't having any side-effects of the sedation and was sitting in a chair happily eating graham crackers and sipping on a soda. He told me he had been asking for me ever since he got back there and they were taking their sweet time getting me. I gotta love him. He was thinking about me and knew I was probably freaking out. :D

Anyway, about an hour later he was discharged and we started the trek home. Driving in Chicago wasn't as bad as I thought it would be other than the 15 minute stretch that took an hour. I know why I don't like the city!!! However, we made it and have finally put a close to a long day.

As it turns out, they think he had the hernia a lot longer than it had been bothering him. It was on the large side and had some scar tissue but it went well and he shouldn't have any problems in the future. Interestingly enough, even though he looked to be in a happy zone when he left pre-op, the sedation didn't do a whole lot for him and he was awake and remembers just about everything that went on. Of course, he couldn't see what was going on and it wasn't a big deal what he remembers but he said he did have a few times where he had to tell them to up the local. This is what caused the extra long surgery. He has always required more local than the average person. Even when he had his vasectomy he had to have them use local two or three times extra. He just has a high tolerance to it or something. Therefore, every time he asked them to use more local it added five or so minutes to the procedure. I guess if the addition to my anxiety was to make him more comfortable, it was worth it. :P

I think I do need to make a bit of a mention here about my anxiety. While, I did have to times where I was about to lose my mind, I held up really well compared to my ability in the past. At one time I would not have made it for the first five minutes without needing sedation myself. I honestly have a bit of a theory myself. Given the location of my brain tumor, I think that it is part of the cause for my "unfounded" anxiety. Since the tumor is no longer there, I'm able to handle it all better and more like a normal caregiver since I think most people get a little worried when their loved one isn't done when they had expected them to be. Yes, the waiting to see him was quite unfounded but I think that had more to do with how much I love him and wanted to be with him than it did anxiety. I just had to see him for myself.

He is doing fairly well at the present and should be in pretty good shape in a few days. I also don't think he will have any lasting mental scars caused from the sedation not working. ;)

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. *huggles*

Correction To the Previous Post

His surgery is tomorrow June 3, 2010 not June 2

John Scheduled For Hernia Surgery

John is scheduled to have hernia surgery tomorrow Thursday, June 2, 2010 at 10:15 in Chicago. It should be a rather straightforward procedure and he should be in recovery by 11 AM or around there. We will be home sometime tomorrow night depending on when I get the nerve to attempt to drive home. Potentially, he would be allowed to go home at around noon but there is no way I am going to drive in Chicago over noon rush. Therefore, I hope the surgical center has a cafeteria nearby so he will get to have something to eat sooner than having to wait for me to get him somewhere we can stop for something.

Please keep John in your prayers for an uneventful surgery and a fast recovery and me in your prayers for the strength to keep my anxiety at bay both during his surgery and driving in Chicago.

Love ya all.

We All Have Our Weaknesses

No human is exempt from some weakness. Some of these are physical, some are trivial, some are serious, and still others are almost stupid to those who look in from the outside. My biggest weakness falls into the final category. A completely uncalled for anxiety that directly involves my hubby. The fastest way to send me into a complete panic attack is to tell me something is wrong with John or that I will be separated from him for some reason.

I've had people hear my story or read my blog and comment about how strong I am. Yet I don't consider myself strong at all. I know that it just takes one minor change in things to set me into a pathetic maniac. John has had to deal with a lot from me because of this. Honestly, there is no reason for me to have the reactions I do most of the time but the worst anxieties I have ever felt has all been centered around him.

Brain surgery didn't bother me at all. Yes, I was a little nervous from another uncalled for anxiety of IVs (which I am proud to say I have successfully overcome and it is now just an extreme dislike) but other than that, I was pretty calm considering the magnitude of what was going on. Also, I was able to deal with things my way and didn't have to worry about how others would react to how I felt. I could research all I wanted, take my treatment into my own hands, and not have to worry about stepping on others' toes.

I believe the above gives a good clue to why I have such severe anxiety about things surrounding my husband. While I can still research and learn everything I can about something... ultimately it isn't my decision about what is done. This causes me to panic about things that should be relatively minor... such as a hernia repair or seeing an urologist for male infertility. I know that sometimes I don't give John enough credit for what he does know but sometimes the side of me that says, "I've been there, he hasn't" takes over. He doesn't feel the need to go out of the way to find a minimally invasive and as painless as possible way of taking care of medical issues. He's never had to experience any of it so he just doesn't realize. A prime example of this is the IV he was given in the ER. He often gave me a hard time about being more nervous about the IV than anything. After he got his first IV, he realized what I hated so much about it.

Anyway, I guess I just needed to get some things off my chest so I could move on with some things and hopefully not drive John crazy until he gets his hernia taken care of. I want to believe that it all just stems from me loving him so much, I don't wish for him to have to experience some of these things if it is in any way avoidable. I also believe it is so much worse with him because I know that regardless of what happens, it is ultimately his decision and I have no say in the end.

ER, Swollen Glands, and Hernias

I've been very bad about updating over the last week. My blog has been completely left in the dark about issues that have happened. I will do my best to give a good summary.

Last Wednesday, my hubby came home saying he was having some sharp pains in the lower groin area. That in itself didn't worry us too much but upon further examination we noticed there was also a lot of swelling in the same area. We called into the tele-nurse and she directed us to the ER to make sure it wasn't something serious.

Little background... my hubby has never been severely sick in his life. This was the first time he had been to a hospital, had an IV, or any number of things that occur in the ER. Not sure why that matters just felt like I should put that in there.

Anyway, right from the start they discover a left inguinal hernia. We believed that this was the cause of the problems. The ER doc wanted to make sure that was all it was and there was no strangulation or anything. Therefore, IV, bloodwork, and CT scan later we have the official diagnosis that the cause of his pain wasn't the hernia but swollen glands in his groin from some type of viral infection. Was a fairly short trip for the ER at only around 4 hours and he was released with the instructions to follow-up with his doctor.

We did follow-up the next day and it was confirmed that it was a small hernia not really causing any problems but that we should follow-up with a general surgeon to look into our options. That is where we sit now. We have talked with one general surgeon and wasn't real pleased with either the options available to us or the attitude of certain people so we are going to seek a second opinion on June 4. Regardless of what we find out on the 4th, chances are he will not be doing anything until later in the year since the swollen glands/infection has to clear up first and we will be on vacation during this time. After that is his busy season so it's probably quite likely it won't be taken care of until end of year if we decide to do it then. (There's several things in the air presently but I'm not going to get into that right now.)

Anyway, that's been the last week in our family. I would love just one year that no one in my family ends up in the hospital/ER. We're on three years in a row now. *sigh* I guess this is life in the fast lane. (I would say as you get older but we're not old enough to be having these problems yet. LOL)

The Results are Officially In

The results of my last MRI are in and there is no change between it and the previous. I'm waiting for the nurse to talk with my doctor to find out when the next MRI will be but I'm guessing I'm good for another 4 months minimum.

I'm so glad I've learned to compare MRIs. It becomes a much more at ease week when you have a good idea of what to expect when you get the call.

Love ya all!

MRIs: We Hold Our Breaths

I have a bit of time so I'm going to write this one up. I started the year with a few entries about the things that I had not revealed that we as brain tumor/cancer patients go through that others don't really understand. With my next MRI looming on the horizon on Monday, I thought this was a good opportunity to reveal the uncertainty we go through when the MRI is within sight.

Even when we are almost certain that everything is fine and nothing has changed and we'll get a good report, there is always that lingering feeling in our minds that things are going too well. That this MRI is going to slap us across the face and throw our worlds back into turmoil. A lot of us have fought the cycle for 5, 10, 15 years and each time we tell ourselves we have nothing to worry about but that thought still works its way in to our subconscious..."what if it's not fine"? While some of us never fully get used to our new normal and the limitations we now have, some of us have accepted and learned to thrive with that new normal. However, that one MRI that shows something wrong again can throw us back into a place we are not ready to be back in.

I'll be the first to admit that, while the time it starts varies, I hit that period of time where just about the only thing on my mind that I can focus on is the results of my MRI. The days leading up to it is full of uncertainty thinking about all the little things that occurred since your last MRI and whether they could be indications of regrowth. Often we feel like we have to put life on hold for days, weeks, or even longer prior to the MRI. This particular MRI has done just that to me. We have put off putting the final arrangements on our trip until the results from the MRI are in. All just in case something isn't right and we have to move the trip around to accommodate treatments or specialist visits.

While those around us can move on with their lives once the surgeries and treatments are "done", we always have that lingering in our mind that it can all change with just one MRI. It just takes one cell to make the mutation and cause us to enter the world of uncertainty again.

I think one of the most torturous things doctors do is to wait weeks to give the results of tests such as these. While they might not be concerned, it's the patients that sit around wondering, "Is there something wrong", "am I worrying over nothing", "why aren't they calling". It's the very reason I've gone out of my way to ask a lot of questions of the NeuroSurgeons and Neurologists and to very carefully compare the written report to my MRI so that I can get a good understanding of what to look for when comparing my MRIs and thus, be able to at least partially calm these feelings before I get that call. I never fully ease until I get the official results but at least I'm prepared to the best of my abilities for what might be said when I do.

Whether it is a kicking in of our "Fight or Flight" response, a coping mechanism in case the worst is determined, or an unnatural feeling that things just aren't going our way but it's something we go through and often silently fight so we don't concern those around us. While we all cope with these feelings in our own ways, keep this in the back of your mind when you know that an MRI is coming up for someone fighting a brain tumor/cancer. Follow their lead. Making light of the situation when the person is genuinely concerned about it, can cause them to feel like no one cares. On the other hand, being overly concerned about it when the person is not outwardly showing any concern, can cause them to have panics about it they shouldn't. No two MRIs are handled the same way just as no two people are alike. :)

For those of you that know me, you can guess which method I take. Let me do the worrying about it and don't get overly concerned about it. It's my natural tendency to worry more about others than myself so let me worry over the MRI in my own way. Remember that the smile on my face is sometimes just a facade that is hiding my true feelings but if you reveal that, it could break.

Huggles all and shall Monday hurry up and get here!!

It's Not March so... Update...

About to get busy again so updates may be even more scattered than normal...

• I am exactly 22 months past the partial resection of my grade three brain tumor. (I believe I was on the phone talking to my boss about this time 22 months ago. LOL)
  
• It has been 18 months since I completed external beam radiation.
• It has been 10 months since my complex partial seizure and have been seizure free since.
  
• It has been 2 years and 8 months since my brain tumor was discovered accidentally.
  

Medically - There's been no major changes on the medical front which is a welcome change of pace from the last 3 years. My next MRI will be in May and when it comes back stable, I'm guessing we'll do another 4 month or possibly even 6. We'll just have to wait and see.

There is actually one thing going on and that is that I'm trying to work my way off of the Adderrall that I've been on for the past year and a half for my focus issues. I think I finally have them under control and I'm hoping to be completely off of it before the end of the year. *crosses fingers*

Emotionally - Stress and trouble sleeping caused me some issues a couple of weeks ago but things seem to have leveled off again and I'm back on the level. Work has been stressful but I'm hoping some events that occurred over the past week will help that situation a lot. I'm thinking that will help my stress issues out and keep me in a good spot emotionally.

I've got to work on my short fuse. I'm not one that typically gets ticked off very easily but it has been one of the changes I've noticed the most since I had surgery/radiation. It doesn't matter who or where it is, I really have to fight myself to keep from losing my cool and this is very unlike me. I'm hoping that as the stress levels go down and I'm able to focus more on my well-being and less on the medical side of things, I'll be able to concentrate and focus on this change in my personality. It's probably one of the more frustrating changes I have noticed, even more so than the focus issues I've had and hopefully have overcome.

Mentally - My focus issues have reached a point where I can pretty well control them as long as I am well rested. My focus level is pretty par with what they were prior to surgery/radiation so I feel that is a good sign and thus why we've begun coming off the Adderrall. I know my focus issues may go backwards for a short time after I completely come off of it but I think I'm now up to the challenge and it's not going to be as dramatic of a changes as it was originally.

For the most part, I'm back to a satisfactory mental level again. I feel I am capable of most of the mental tasks I could once do, even if I do take a bit longer to line them up now. The sequencing being one of the things I still struggle with a bit. However, even that is beginning to improve without much physical work on my behalf so it's just a matter of time for it to get back.

I guess what I'm saying is while I still have minor issues, I've reached a point that I am satisfied where I am and I feel it is safe to say I'm as sharp as I ever was.

Physically - I did get back to working out on the Wii but it was with EA Sports Active with the occasional Wiifit. I was through day 12 of the 30 day workout when I began having knee problems and what I think was a mild UTI. Both are now gone but with spring here, I'm needing my workout time to be outside doing yard stuff. So it's still exercise just in a different form.

For those of you wondering, the shorter hair is growing on me and as long as I keep it long enough to put it in a pony, I will probably keep it until the hair on top catches up with it.

Work - While I have vowed to not let things stress me out, I can't deny that things unrelated to my two projects has managed to do it. However, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders this past week so I'm hoping that will help matters a lot.

Home/Family - Spring is here and that means John is working the longer hours and Saturdays again. Spring is always a bit hectic because there's so much that needs to be done around the house but he has very little time to help. Our son is old enough now to help out a lot but there are some things the two of us just can't do (like getting the lawn mower ready so we can cut the grass that is almost knee high now). We always manage to get it all done even if it's not in the timeframe we hope.

We are also working on our plans for our summer/fall vacation. We will be driving down to Florida the later part of July/Early August. It will be a great trip and we will get to visit with family, go to Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens as well. We are still in the planning stages and will be waiting for the final timeline until after my May MRI but we do know what we want to do and the when is the only TBD.

Perhaps the parts I look forward to the most is meeting some of John's family for the first time, visiting my cousin Polly at their home, and swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove. The swimming with dolphins will be awesome and it's one of those things I've always wanted to do. I think the only bad part about it will be holding the fish if I have to feed them one. Yuck! For those that don't know about my crazy dislike of fish, I will have to reach as far into my determination as possible to touch any fish they ask me to feed the dolphins. I won't even swim in the ocean because there are fish in there... I have often been heard saying I don't eat it, touch it, or cook it. Although I have started eating some of the less fishy tasting fish. (I have goosebumps just talking about fish. UGH)

I look forward to the adventures that we will be taking on over the next several months. Some big dates will be coming along as well. June 10 will be the two year anniversary of my surgery and cancer diagnosis and the three year mark of my brain tumor diagnosis will be in August. For the first time in almost three years I can honestly say that I'm happy with the direction things are going and I look forward to the next year. Lots of fun things and big landmarks are on the horizon.

Huggles!

Today I'm Celebrating Another Year

Well, 30 was a tough year but I survived it and I'm geared up ready to go for 31.

I had a nice birthday weekend. My hubby made me Belgium Waffles Saturday morning and we went out for our traditional birthday dinner that night. Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet some relatives that I've never had the pleasure of meeting. I hope we are able to get together more in the future even if they do live in California. :)

Anyway, while my relatives were here, we started talking about one of my favorite subjects and that is my family history. I love genealogy even though I don't do much research at the present. I love hearing stories about my ancestors that obtained a lot of land by selling mules to the union army in the Civil War and the impact that they had on the history of Illinois. My family on both sides has so many fun and interesting stories that really it's a great time when we are all together.

I will say that I can not get over how much my "first cousin once removed" looks like my great uncle. (Not his father but his uncle) Not only does he look like him but he acts and talks like him as well. I felt like I was talking to my great uncle on several different occasions. It was really just uncanny. However, he's a wonderful guy just like my great uncle and his wife is great as well. Of course, it was always good to see his sister and her husband as well. It was a very nice time and I can't wait to do it again with my great aunt and their other sister later this month. (and again when we go to Florida later this year)

Anyway, today is my actual birthday but there was little celebrating today. Meetings all morning, doctor's appointment in the afternoon, and as Relay meeting in the evening. It's cool, it's a nice, busy day just as I hope I have for many years to come.

The Month in Review... February

I am so far behind on updates it is pathetic. Being busy has its disadvantages but it was quite a month!

• I am almost 21 months past the partial resection of my grade three brain tumor.
• It has been 17 months since I completed external beam radiation.
• It has been 9 months since my complex partial seizure and have been seizure free since.
  
• It has been 2 years and 7 months since my brain tumor was discovered accidentally.

Medically - I did hear from Mayo on the MRI front. They agreed with what the local radiologist said that everything is stable and looks good. The areas of enhancement that they were previously concerned with are still there and stable meaning that chances are good it is radiation necrosis rather than regrowth. Their recommendation is to have a repeat MRI at 4 months which will put us in May. I will be seeing my local neurologist on the 8th so we'll be able to start arrangements for the May MRI at that time.

I have finally gotten over my respiratory infection and I'm feeling relatively good in that respect. Good enough I hope to start up my WiiFit again this week. We'll see how it goes. LOL

There isn't anything else going on medically at the moment so I guess that's a good thing. :)

Emotionally - The past month has been pretty good in the emotional front. Pretty normal actually when you look at it. Most of the emotional issues this month stemmed from school grades, getting stuff ready for a birthday party, work, and just plain being very busy.

Mentally - Things have improved some in the mental category. I seem to be sharper and my endurance is improving even if only a little. I'm successfully managing to keep projects in order thanks to Microsoft Outlook's task manager and my iPhone. I'm really not sure what I'd do without those two tools. Outlook keeps me organized at work and my iPhone keeps my life in general on track.

Otherwise, I'm actually getting things sorted out in the paperwork category again which is a good sign. I have dreaded touching paperwork since I had surgery and it's starting to get the better of me. At least now I am keeping up with the current stuff and will slowly make a dent in the year of overflow that I didn't take care of. *sigh*

Physically - My physical strength has returned quite nicely and I'm very thankful for that. I seem to actually be able to get some things accomplished now beyond just the "must-dos". I may actually get things caught up around here before we go on vacation in August yet. LOL

As I mentioned earlier, I'm hoping to get back into my WiiFit this week. It's not to continue losing weight, I am quite happy with the 72 pounds lost that I am at right now, but I do need to start developing my muscle back and I wouldn't mind toning the areas that have seen the weight loss. If I lose more in the process, it will be an added bonus but this time the exercise is for my health not my weight.

Something else occurred physically this last week and I really apologize for not posting pictures sooner. For the first time since before I was in kindergarten, I cut my hair to just above my shoulders. It is so hard getting used to short hair but it is growing on me. It was a long overdue transition. The hair I had lost with radiation was getting long and it was all coming in curly. The hair I didn't lose was straight and not very appealing. Therefore, when the curly hair finally got to a length I could handle... well you see the result. It really looks much better and I'm glad I did it. :)
For the frequently asked questions... Yes it is natural curl and it has always been that way it was just too long to stand out. My hubby says it looks flirty and/or that I look like Shirley Temple (which I think he means as a compliment). LOL My son didn't even notice it until my husband pointed it out.

Work - I'm still very busy at work with the two projects I'm leading and the plant closure. I've vowed not to let it stress me out any further. I'll work on it when I mentally can and I'm not going to stress over what doesn't get done when I want it done. It will get done, that's what's important. I've also come to accept with my projects that if the others don't want to do the testing required to make sure they are ready for the upgrade, it will be their issue to deal with when the time comes. It's no skin off my back. I'm doing my best to convince them of the importance of the project and if they don't want to work on it... I can't force them.

However, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders a few weeks ago. I finally told my boss that I would not be staying at my company when the plant shuts down. I was offered a position and had it been 3 years ago, I would have taken it in a heartbeat but alas, life has changed and I'm looking forward to the opportunities that will be available to me after the plant does close down. What is my plan? I'm going to take training to learn to do taxes. Work four months of the year to make what I need to in order to cover medical expenses. I will also do freelance computer work and motivational speaking. Most importantly, I'll have time to spend with my son during the summer and be able to enjoy the things I currently can't because of working full-time. I really look forward to it and while it will be a struggle losing my steady paycheck, it will be worth it in the end.

I'd like to publicly thank my boss for understanding my position in making the decision not to stay. I really appreciate him going to bat for me and ensuring I had a position to choose if I wanted it. He was more than understanding of my reasons and I really appreciate that. Thanks, Jim!

Home/Family - Well, my son had a nice 13th birthday and last weekend we had a birthday bash for him. I had 9 teenagers in my house for a party and then 6 teenage boys all night. Needless to say, it was quite the weekend. Overall they were all pretty good even if we all were exhausted come Sunday afternoon. There were only a few minor casualties but nothing that can't be fixed for under $10. The cake was awesome and I thank Ashley for the awesome Wii cake. I'll post some pictures of that a bit later.

We continue to work on some of the house rescue that we began at Christmas. You wouldn't believe how much of a toll two years of "coasting" on things can take on your house. We're making progress, slow and sure.

I feel like there's so much more that needs to be put here but for the life of me I can't think of it right now. *sigh* Darn memory anyway.

Well, that's my update for now. Maybe now that the crazy month of February is over, I'll be able to post more often. (yeah right)

My Baby is Thirteen Today

My baby boy was born 13 years ago today. I can't believe that little bundle of joy that I carried in my tummy and eventually in my arms... is now a teenager! Yikes! Doesn't seem possible. The years just zoomed by and those years living in a small apartment with the little baby learning to crawl and walk seems like just yesterday. Now he's a teenager, complete with being mouthy and 3.5 inches taller than me.

While his birthday is today, we are not really having a party for him or anything this weekend. We never do because of Valentine's Day. However, he is going to be having a party later in the month with his friends from school. (Well, if he gets his history fair project done this weekend)

It's amazing the journey he's taken from being this 7 lb, 21 1/2 inches long bundle to being


this 140 lb, 5' 31/2" teen

The Month In Review... January

Ok, so I'm five days behind...

• I am 19 months past the partial resection of my grade three brain tumor.
• It has been 15 months since I completed external beam radiation.
• It has been 7 months since my complex partial seizure and I am happily behind the wheel again!
• It has been 2 years and 5 months since my brain tumor was discovered accidentally.

Medically - My last MRI showed no change so we are in good position there. I am waiting to hear back from Mayo still on when we should schedule my next MRI. I will probably give them a call in the next day or so to make sure they did receive my scans and if they have had the opportunity to review them. I'm not exactly sure how all this is going to work right now but I do know that I get copies of whatever they send to my doctor and I have not received anything so I'm guessing nothing has gone out yet. I see my Neurologist again the first part of March so I should at least be able to get the copy of my MRI report from him that day.

I've also been fighting a respiratory infection. It started as sinus and borderline bronchitis back before Christmas and has steadily gotten better, then worse, then better, then worse... I did go to the doctor and I'm on an antibiotic so that at least it's loosened up again and not just the hacking cough it was. However, it runs out on Sunday and I'm still getting episodes where I am struggling to breathe because of the coughing. Might have to end up going back for round two.

At this point, I think that's all to report on the medical front.

Emotionally - Other than just extremely stressed, I haven't been doing too bad. I've had a few instances where I just blow up at everyone but it's usually after I've had one of those days where you just can't see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. It seems like my good days are pretty normal but I am getting more and more bad days because of being "snowed under". However, it's mainly just life and a combination of many things coming to a head at once. Work is nuts, things at home is nuts, and basically just everything is nuts. LOL

Unfortunately, the respiratory issues has prevented me from getting into my workout routine again so I'm not getting my typical outlet either. I'm sure when I get over this and get back into it, the emotions will simmer down again and the stress will raise my blood pressure 20-30 points less.

Mentally - Yes, I'm mental... LOL Actually, it's really hard to gauge how I'm doing mentally. I've been pushing myself hard in the mental category at work so by the time I get home, I'm basically a mental lump. Thus why you haven't seen many updates. It seems like my ability to put two or three words into a single sentence disappears around noon each day. Thus why I'm scheduling all of the meetings that I have to be alert in, before noon and I schedule mundane tasks in the afternoon. You know, even the tasks the the twit down the hall from you can do. :)

This mental exhaustion is also the cause of a lot of my emotional anger. I need that down time and I don't usually get it, especially right now since there are a lot of tasks going on all day at work related to our products being moved. (I could go into details but I'd just bore you all) Anyway, I'm to the point that it's almost necessary for me to spend two days of the week at home working so that I can get that down time. Unfortunately, I'm not always able to schedule them on the Tuesday and Thursday that would make the most sense. I can get through a whole week or even four days but it's a huge struggle to do so and most of the time that last day is lost to me because I remember very little of what I did in my zombie-like state. (Therefore, to those that I work with, if you need me to do something challenging, either catch me at the beginning of the week or make sure it's after I spent a day working from home!)

Physically - Exhausted, frustrated at not being able to get back into a workout routine, exhausted, still losing weight for no reason, exhausted, ready to quit coughing up a lung for several hours each day, did I mention exhausted?

Seriously though, I have had decent energy despite the respiratory issues. It just hasn't been energy to do anything outside of the things that MUST be done. Not only that but I've had both my knee and ankle act up over the past couple of weeks and that slows me down (prevents me from working out) as well. Gotta love what being a catcher does to you!!! However, if I can get 10-12 hours of sleep the night before and take breaks every 30 minutes or so, I can push myself and get things done that need to be. However, if I go over that 30 minute mark, the coughing starts and I'm zapped. I have the little routine going. Drink water, do inhaler, work for 15, drink water, work for 15, drink water in room with humidifier, do nothing strenuous for an hour, repeat. :)

Work - The chaos continues! Just as I feared when I took on the two projects at work, the plant closure project is taking up a good portion of my time. Again I won't bore you with the details but it involves a lot of modifications to rights, installations, and various other tasks as they run into issues. Yes, some of you that work in computers are probably saying, "so what, that's not a big issue" but when you don't have control over your own domain it becomes quite the headache. I choose not to say anymore at this point but just suffice to say that probably 40% of my time right now is handling these types of things. Really, right now, it's a lot like working about three full-time jobs. (No wonder I'm mentally exhausted, eh?) I'm a Tech over the site I'm at, handling Project Lead duties, and then being a "Consultant" for other areas. I'm learning a lot right now, some of which I could do without learning, but it's quite interesting to say the least.

Home/Family - Let's see... John did get my bathroom floor finished before Christmas so that was a really good thing. We need to go through and make some minor adjustments to it but nothing serious. We have also begun the tackling of "the room" since Christmas.

What is "the room"? It is the room that was going to become the baby's room and was temporary storage for all the baby stuff I had kept from my son and other things that we weren't ready to find a home for yet. Some would call it my "dungeon". Basically it was floor to ceiling with stuff that needed to be sorted through and most of it given away. Yes, it should have probably been tackled in 2007 after we stopped our journey to conceive but 2007 also began the journey of brain tumor, surgery, radiation so it just never got moving. Last year, I tried several times to start working in it but it would never fail that after 20 minutes or so I'd run into something that would set me off and I'd have to walk away from it.

For those that do not know the story of the journey to conceive, John and I tried for almost two years to have another child. We had declared that in December 2007, we would stop trying whether we succeeded or not. I was ready for that and mentally prepared to walk away from it. However, it was August of 2007 that I was diagnosed with the brain tumor. Not knowing what we were dealing with or what the future held, we agreed that our journey was over. Instead of trying to conceive, we found ourselves trying not to. The struggle I have is "what if I didn't find out about the tumor until 2008? Would we have conceived during those last few months?" These are the questions that arise every time I tried to close the final chapter of our conception journey. While I was ready to accept it was not meant to be if it didn't happen at the end of 2007, I wasn't ready to accept it in August.

However, the room is nearly complete, most of the items have been given away, and the room is slowly taking shape as our game room. When it is done, I think I can finally close the book on the baby we never had. :)

Speaking of babies, my baby boy is going to be a teenager next week. YIKES!!! I'm feeling a bit old. LOL Actually, this is one of the reasons I had to get over the baby issue and get that room cleaned up. He wants to have a wii party with his classmates from school and then have the boys spend the night. Needless to say, I want that room to a point that they can spend most of their time in there. Luckily, we have a few more weeks because his party won't be until near the end of the month due to Valentine's Day and a 4H conference he is going to. 13!!!!

In other family news, I am happy to say that I'm learning what my husband looks like again. :) He has been home on time (mostly) since returning after the holiday. YAY!

I will choose not to get into the trouble that has been brewing with my husband's family. He hasn't confronted them yet, so I'm not going to say anything here. Let's just say that two of his family members are on very thin ice with he and I right now. (It's no one that would be reading this so don't worry.)

Play - What's that? Ok, seriously, we haven't really done a whole lot in the arena of "play" lately. I've been too sick to dance and we've been busy on the house so really the closest thing we get to play recently is Facebook, the computer, and with me Plano Hogwarts. I have been spending quite a bit of time on Facebook and Plano Hogwarts. Plano Hogwarts is like a second family to me and I love being there. Besides, I'm the Head of Hufflepuff so I have to be around and help out the newer members. Really I love it there. Facebook has been a very fitting place for me to relieve frustrations and stress over the last several weeks. I have a few games I play that don't really require a lot of brain power and they are just relaxing in several ways. I guess you can give Facebook credit for keeping me relatively calm and with as few anger spells as I've had. An evening messing around on it, puts my blood pressure back where it should be. :P

Relay - Well, I've had two wonderful speaking opportunities over the past month at Relay Kick-offs in our area. I spoke at the PrairieLand Youth Relay and my own Logan County Relay about being a survivor and what Relay means to me. I hope I did a good job and I am looking forward to a time when I can do more of these speaking engagements. I love doing motivational speaking and talking about what it takes to be a survivor. I really think it's my purpose in life... to share my journey and give others hope. Opportunities through the end of this year will be limited based on work and other activities but soon things will be more flexible. If you want a speaker matching my description, it can't hurt to let me know and I'll see if I can work you in.

I really need to get working on Relay stuff for this year. I have to send out team letters, send out personal letters for donations, have a team meeting to decide on name, theme, and activities, etc. There just never seems to be enough brain power in the day to do it all. Notice, I no longer say time, it's brain power. I waste a lot of time trying to get my brain power back in line so it's not time that is my issue. :)

Ok, I think I've rambled enough for one day. Huggles.

Should I Think Career Change?

Ok, so the title has very little to do with what this says but I'm in a good mood and wanted to have a little fun with it.

I just heard back from the Neurologist's office and, just as I predicted, there is no change in my scans this time! So it's pretty much the best news we could hear right now! Our prayers have been answered and I'm clear for another _ months. I will know more about what the next step will be when I hear from Mayo but I'm guessing it will be 3-4 months before the next scan, possibly more depending on what they are thinking.

Just wanted to share the good news as I promised!!!

So what do you think... Should I start reading MRIs for a living? LOL

Huggles