It's been almost 6 weeks since I finished my chemo, and we are finally getting back to normal around our house! And by normal-I mean as normal as possible for us, and definitely not the same as anyone else's normal. I'm ok with that most days, I'm used to the craziness by now.
I'm starting my fourth week back to work full time, and I'm loving it. My right knee is acting up again, and being back on it 40 hrs. a week isn't helping. I have an MRI scheduled next week to see what is going on, and if it needs more intervention than the ice, brace and drugs I'm currently using.
I swear I broke my toe at home yesterday banging my pinky toe on the bathroom door, and after I was complaining about that and my knee, I was unplugging a patient bed and smacked my thumb on the counter cutting it. Just as I said to my co-workers that I didn't think I could possibly cause any more injury to myself tonight, I went to sit down in the chair and it rolled away from me and I landed on my behind on the floor. Seriously-normal.
I got my port out and it is healing nicely. I got my tumor marker blood work done- the CA 27.29 and it was within normal limits, we will repeat every three months for the first year. I have an echo of my heart this week to make sure the chemo didn't damage it. And I started on my Tamoxifen a couple of weeks ago. The hot flashes are getting better, but sleeping not so much. My hair is growing in even more, and it makes my head itch. Had to shave my legs for the first time this week in 5 months. I'm trying to take off the 20 lbs I gained from all the steroids I was on with the Taxol, my face is still so moon shaped round, and it really took a toll on my skin. The spot on my left cheek where the shingles were is still there, and they don't think it will go away-kind of like a reddish scar, and ugly. But hey, I'm alive and blessed to be! Enough about me.
Kids are all back at school. Hailey a sophomore, Parker in 8th grade, and Ethan-well, whatever grade you want to call it, I'm not even sure. Ethan is particularly happy to be back in a routine, and when he's happy, we all are! Hailey will be 16 in a few weeks, oh my geez. We have had to break Parker's summer addiction to the playstation, so he will be moody for a few weeks I'm sure. Brian is working as usual, and getting some golf games in. Our schedules seem to be working pretty well so far.
Hailey didn't make the JV Volleyball team, and that brought about a whole lot of tears and teenage girl drama, but we are all good now. Brian and I are firm believers that the world went to shit the minute they stopped keeping score at little league games and everyone was a winner, but man it's hard when you have to break that reality to your kid. Someone was better than you, it sucks, but it's life. Get used to it now and it won't be so hard to accept when you are 25 and have to live in the real world. Lesson we gave her: work hard, stay determined and focused, try out again next year. She picked herself up pretty quick. It may have even been harder for me, because I was in a funk with the "what crap can happen next to us?" mode. Hailey is such a good kid who is far more mature than most other kids her age just because of what our lives have been like for so long, she just deserved it. Or so this Mom thinks!
Some co-workers and friends and I walked the Race for the Cure 5K on the 12th, and I did pretty good. As we walked past the start Carissa dragged me over to the announcer yelling out survivor's years, and when she heard I was a 1 month survivor she made me get up on stage. Not sure I made any sense with the crying I was doing. But man, what a great end to my battle-the walk one month to the day I finished my chemo. Now, I know my battle is not over completely, but as far as I'm concerned I beat this and life only goes forward from here.
That's about all I know for now. We went to Colorado in late July and never wanted to come home, but that's normal when we go out there! Brian and I are planning for our Irish Fest weekend in October with good friends, good food, and great shopping. In the meantime, I'm going to try not to injure myself any more, and enjoy getting a paycheck!
Love and hugs.
Ps-does anyone know how to download pics from my iPad to my blog? I can't figure it out!!
