I couldn't make this s*** up if I tried!

Yep. Total drama.  All the time around here anymore.
Remember my knee injury/pain from last year?  Well, after about 2 weeks back at work, the pain was back with a vengeance.  It's not too terribly bad just walking on it, but going up or down stairs was not happening.  Since I've done anti-inflammatories, ice, icy hot like burning smelly stuff you rub on those aching body parts, rest (well, at least while I was on chemo anyway) my doctor decided it was time for an MRI.  I apparently have a torn medial meniscus, joint effusion, bony edema and osteoarthritis.

In non-medical speak: crappy knee.
I am, however, hearing that having the tear in the cartilage cleaned up is a miraculous fix, and recovery is pretty quick. Since I just managed to get my PTO hours back in the double digits, it will be nice to not have to use it all with another surgery.   I'm seeing an orthopedic surgeon on Monday the 10th, and hoping I leave there with a surgery date.

I had my "end of treatment" appointment with my fab NP Jennifer and got lots of information. My CA27-29, which is the tumor marker we will check every three months for the first two years was 40. 0-38 is normal with 0 not being any better than 38. My 40 was not surprising to them since it was drawn 4 weeks post chemo. It needs to stay in that general area, and no further testing will be done. Should it jump to say 60 they would probably order a CT or PET Scan or Bone Scan. Until then, and hopefully never, no unnecessary radiation.
 The CA27-29 is not known for being 100% accurate, as no tumor marker really is. However, since my cancer was so highly estrogen receptive, this test is very sensitive to changes in the body.  So in my case if that number does go crazy high, it's more than likely I have a recurrence.
Again-not gonna happen.  Just sharing all my new education.

My vitamin D was back within normal limits, so I just have to take a small daily dose instead of a weekly dose of a bajillion units.

My echo (ultrasound of my heart) showed my ejection fraction is now 55, whereas prior to chemo it was 60.   Again, not surprising, as the Adriamycin is known for its cardiotoxicity.  Not terrible, still within normal limits. Just have to take some Fish Oil Omega-3 and be "heart healthy" and it could improve. Not being able to walk, or do a lunge, or squat, or a push up because of my knee pain is crimping my heart healthy goals.

Also interestingly enough, all the latest trend with eating healthy by way of soy milk and products is not good for me. Since my cancer was highly estrogen receptive, I am actually supposed to avoid soy. 
Drats. And I was craving me a soy burger and soy milkshake. Never. 


Did I mention I almost ripped my pinky toe off byway of the bathroom door?  Lovely, huh?  This is the morning after I did it, two days later the bruise spread all across the base of my piggies and up my mid foot. At least I had just had a pedi. 

Oh, and my hair is growing like crazy.  My eyebrows were non existent, and then BAM one day I have a patchy unibrow. They are hard to pluck because they are baby fine. 

VvMy eyelashes kinda did the same thing. But I must say they seem to be growing back nice and thick, which I'm more than happy with 

And this was just about 3 weeks ago. 

I also walked the Race for the Cure on August 12th with lots of wonderful friends and co-workers! 
 I didn't break any records, but I did walk the whole 5K. 





Everyone else is doing ok around here.  Back in school, arguing about homework and that 20 minutes of reading is actually 20 full minutes.  Not 5 minutes. 

Parker will be playing in the pre-game band performance before Staley's home game next Friday the 14th.  He is playing the saxophone again this year, and he is excited learning the national anthem and the Staley fight song! 

Hailey is playing on a semi-competitive fall volleyball team, and her games start that night too.  She has also already signed for a competitive club team for 2013 because the coach saw her at one of her practices and liked her style.  She is also getting some private lessons to improve on some of her skills and hitting.  In just two hour-long sessions she has learned more about technique and body placement and serving than she did in the previous 3 years of club ball.  She is hitting the ball hard now, and knows how to place it.  Her hitting approach has always been a challenge, and she's doing awesome with that!  She also learned two new serves, and is consistently putting up placed serves!  We are excited for club season this year! 

Oh, and she turns *egads* 16 in 10 days...where did the time go???  And is loving learning to drive.  Let's just say Brian is much better taking her out to practice than I am, I'm kind of a nervous wreck.  But she does really well in her cute little car.  I'm going to be sad when she gets her license and I have to give it back to her.....

Ethan is back in school and doing well so far.  A few crummy days.  His allergies and asthma are really acting up with this weather.  He's had a couple days of fevers, difficulty breathing and purplish black feet.  But we saw Pulmonology a week ago and she didn't seem concerned, so we just keep plugging away.  This is a pic from Ethan's summer school teacher Ms Kristi.  He holds the American flag every morning for the pledge of allegience!  We are so proud of our little guy!!  And I love seeing these pics, because he doesn't do this stuff at home with us, so I was beginning to wonder if they were just making it up at school?!?!?

And this is him sitting unassisted for 4 whole minutes! Go Ethan!!

Please include the Robert Barenklau family in your prayers.  His family was the other recipient of the Guns-N-Hoses bike ride.  He recently learned his cancer has returned and his in his lungs. They are a very nice family, and this just sucks-cause there is no other way to say it.  Keep your chin up Robert-you can fight this and have lots of people supporting you!!