Surgery

January 6, 2022 was surgery day. The breast cancer turned out to be bigger then they thought but clean margins. I am two weeks out and still having a lot of discomfort and swelling. Living with ice on and taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen every 4 hours. 

Radiation will begin in a couple weeks. 

Meantime, looking to travel some with my son as he auditions for graduate school. The first audition is next Saturday then every Saturday through March. 

 

6 years NED and now breast

   September 24 was my 6 year anniversary of no evidence of my stage 4 colon cancer. Been becoming less anxious feeling as each scan returns. 

   I was over due for my mammogram thanks to covid. As with everything Gods timing is the perfect timing. In December they found breast cancer. January 6th it was removed with two lymph nodes. Waiting now for more pathology reports on the cancer it’s self. In a couple more weeks I will be starting radiation everyday for 4 weeks. 

  It was extremely hard and kicked me into major anxiety having the same exact words being said to me that I heard sept 2012. Matter of fact I am stage 1 T1 the exact same. I had to stop them and say stop saying how lucky. What I know is cancer never does what they think it will. So in 9 months when I am still clean then tell me I am lucky.

The doctor tells me not the same beast this time. Well may not be but it is cancer and science doesn’t fully understand it yet. (Then they wonder why I won’t trust the covid vaccine) tell me to trust science that is so funny after having them tell me no rhyme or reason I became stage 4 and science blah blah. 

   Enough of that because Lord is in charge and he took care of me once again. Cancer was 8mm, clean borders and no lymph nodes involved. 

   Please keep me in your prayers each day for the next couple months. I am very sore today 2 weeks after surgery see dr Friday to make sure all is good. Will update as I take this journey. 

 

Christmas Time

   Been super busy making Christmas gifts. I have made tumblers for some, embroidered dish towels for others and personalized trivets for others. Then started making  coffee cup carriers actually pretty cool item. Have a couple more tumblers to finish and couple decals. 

     I am finally working on a paper piecing pattern of a Christmas tree. Bought it 4-5 years ago. Been harder then I expected but easy at same time. Next is to start a string quilt been saving dryer sheets for a months. Going to also make some coasters. 

     Waiting to see what happens in this new year. Not getting as much done as I thought I would, these past months have been full. We moved into new house, then son, his wife and three kids moved in. Been lots of settling in many different ways. 

    The plan was to get back to blogging, sewing items to sell to help out here and there. Hasn’t been as we planned but that is ok because quality time with family is a blessing. 

   

   Life has other plans. I don’t fight it like I use to. Learned that fighting what is happening just causes more stress. As many know I am 6 years NED of stage 4 colon cancer. This month they found I have a secondary cancer, breast.  Due to be big watched closely and an oncologist that monitors me it has been found very early. I will be having surgery, just waiting to meet with radiologist to decide if IORP which is during surgery or traditional radiation after: 

  At first it was oh hell no. What w know very tiny spot, it is not genetic. Both my cancers are environmental caused. I knew there was a risk of secondary from chemos and all the ct scans. But this breast cancer I believe is from my cell phone. I had a bad habit and still do sometimes stick it in my bra. On the side the cancer is where the cancer is. With cancer on such a rise in this world we need to think what are we doing.

Not sure if I will be able to confirm but plan of talking to both drs about it. 

Well it is late, house is quiet a time when I can hear my own thoughts. Tonight I sit with the windows open feeling a nice very cool breeze while heating the rain. All day today it was cool and wintery looking. I wrapped the presents how is Christmas in 5 days well now 4? How did this year go by so fast? 2022 wow seemed so far away as a kid back in 1970’s and 1980’s. I thank Jesus everyday I am here to see it with my family. 

Family

   When I began this blog I was a mom of four young children, how the years have gone by! I am now a mom of adults, 3 grandkids and grand dog and grand guinea pig. 

    I am so very proud of all my children and the adults they are growing into and how they all find their way home when they need to and or want. 

   My oldest is a paramedic and a combat medic and a field trainer. Has a wife of 4 years and 3 wonderful children. Works hard and gets things done, he treasures his family and can see how proud of his children he is. 

   My second is a senior at Stetson University. He has done all this and been married since out of high school. Married his high school sweetheart. They have the dog and the piggy. At this moment besides it being his super busy season as a cello performer, he is applying to grad schools: little secret… really like him to stay close. I know the world is ahead of him and right now so many grad schools for him. I will be visiting and FaceTime. 

      On to the third my firecracker, my Pooh bear, he loves to be the funny one; the trickster. He wears his feelings alot like me. He is in his junior year at Embry Riddle, civil engineer. He wants to graduate and start working. He may still pursue grad schools while he works. He isn’t married but does have a sweet caring also Erau student by his side that plans to work at NASA.

      Baby girl, my Roo, how fast she grew up, miss independent out finding herself. She graduated high school early, while working, flew the coop to grow her wings and to be her person. Strong, independent, loving, kind, caring, thoughtful, living her life. Working hard to make it all happen. Knows what she doesn’t want, and makes sure. She has a good man in her life that accepts her for all she is.  I love her so much my girl.

I miss my kids but love when we talk as adults. Love that they still love the family and have that foundation of home. 

This week I celebrate with a huge grateful heart that I am able to have them all for a traditional thanksgiving.

We will be eating a day early our thanksgiving meal no matter because we all and their families and partners will be there. My crew what my husband and I made together. The extensions they have made. Celebrating this year because I am here also to see take part in all I was told I would never see. My heart is full!!! I thank Jesus daily 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and remember to love each other and forgive.

 

 

 

How life changes

If anyone had told me 9 years ago where I would be today, I would not have believed them. 

Well today I am NED (no evidence of disease). My   has worked hard through all of these. We now own our home once again. A better house then we ever have had, it is all here wrapped in one. I have a new vehicle, the Lord has blessed my husband with work even through this pandemic. My faith has grown so much in the last 10 years. Now I am human and I do get in the flesh but as I begin to complain I recall all he has done and how could I not trust him.

I can’t speak enough of his glory. I have been in the depths of despair, I have lost everything but my family. 

Sept 20th was my 53rd birthday. I am still here and thank the Lord everyday for everything 

Little bump in the road

Today I go have a early ct scan. Just a few months shy of my 5 yr anniversary of No Evidence of Disease they found a nodule. It is in my upper right lung lobe. This could be a previous spot that hasn’t been picked up, I have two of these that were no longer showing on scans thanks to chemo. OR, it could be from when I was so sick from December- March. 

I won’t have the answer today and I don’t like calling for results. I wait for my dr appt and we discuss. This time he will look also at the old scans that I have on dvd. 

Am I worried? I would be lying if I said no not at all. Truth is it is part of my life now. I always have the thought in the back of my head. I have faith in Jesus and he has guided me this whole time. I believe if this is cancer again it is early and will be removed.  

What I have learned is I can’t control the road ahead. I can only lean on Jesus and pray then forge ahead. How do I know if it is Gods will? Well on this journey I have had doors closed and doors open. I have had easy paths and hard paths. The easy is alway after I tried on my own power, then broke and cried out to Him. 

I pray this is not cancer again, I DO NOT want the pain that comes with it all. Seven surgeries have left there marks. Not just all the scars but inside also unseen effects that I feel physically, mentally and emotionally. 

I am on a road to healing not going to let this stop me.