So far in 2023…..

 It’s been a while since I updated so I figured I better do it before summer is here!  In January I had my right shoulder replaced-surgery was successful and I’m almost done with my physical therapy. My surgeon (in STL) was able to just replace the part of my humerus that was dead, and leave the fossa it sits in. I’ve gotten a lot of my range of motion back-I can eat with my right hand, and reach up and take my sunglasses off my head, as well as wash my hair with both hands!  I’ll never get full capabilities back that I had before all this debacle started and I’m ok with that. What I have is so much better than what I had this time last year, and I don’t have the pain anymore. Win-win!

My bionic shoulder

Brian and the boys and I moved back to KC in March-yay!  In the words of Dorothy; “There’s no place like home.”  It’s been nice being back. We haven’t had a chance to spend time with all our friends, but summer is just around the corner….

Ethan turned 19 the end of March and it’s back at his old school Maple Valley. He loves it other than getting on the bus at 7:15am. Sometimes he’s a little crabby in the morning-he’s not exactly a morning person…..

Hailey graduated from Physical Therapy school in April and was awarded “Outstanding PT Student” out of her whole class. She was also the commencement speaker for all the graduates in the PT, OT and SLP programs. We are so proud of her and can’t wait to for her to begin her career. She is staying in Dallas and hoping to get a job working with Pediatrics. So many people from her ‘Village’ made the journey to Dallas to celebrate her and we are grateful for the support and everyone who made the trip. She graduated on my Birthday -29th Birthday of course-so I received the best gift ever!  

I met my new oncologist at KU and I love her! She spent an hour with Brian and I at my first appointment. We discussed potential meds I may need down the road and treatments available. She actually stopped one of my drugs, to give me a little break from it. She also decreased the dosage of my oral medication to help with side effects I was having. She made a statement that echoes how I feel about my cancer ;

“We shouldn’t be living to treat our cancer, we should be treating our cancer to live.” 

 

She also intended to push my CT scans out to every four months instead of the three month mark I was getting them. But never a dull moment with us, and the very next week, my tumor marker labs came back, significantly increased. I had my CT a week ago, and it shows potential progression of my bone mets in my thoracic spine, and in my pelvis.  Unfortunately, I have also been having pain in those areas. The next step is a PET Scan to be done this Wednesday. So, if you’ve got some prayers or good juju to send my way it would be greatly appreciated that these areas are not progression. I will keep everyone updated when I know the results. 

Also, please keep my uncle Ron and his family in your prayers as he was recently moved home from the hospital on hospice to be with his loved ones. He has always been a huge supporter of mine and the bald kid over the years. Always had an encouraging word and prayer for all of us.  And he’s one heck of a singer and guitar player. Please say a prayer of peace and comfort for all of them in the days to come. 

Love, hugs and prayers,

K

Love and hugs,

K