I have been such a slacker at updating this blog. I guess things get moving in various directions and you try to forget for a moment what you have been through. It’s never quite that easy, though.
November 6, 2010 was one year from the biopsy that charted my course. November 10, 2010 was one year from the news that changed my life. It has all flown by so quickly. It is hard to believe that as we celebrated Thanksgiving this past week, it was one year ago that same week that I started chemotherapy. What a journey I have been on.
It seems never-ending. I got the results from a PET scan on Friday. The place I was concerned about – the same place that led me to the doctor over a year ago – is still “nothing”. However, I am showing activity in a lymph node under my other arm. The doctor is pretty sure it is inflammation. In the back of everyone’s mind is the chance that it could be cancer. I am going to have the original place biopsied because I just want to be sure it is “nothing”. I have learned over the past year that it is better to be safe than sorry and that I am the one who is in charge of my own health care.
Amidst all of this, I have been having some real issues with shortness of breath (attributed to stress, but going to see the lung doctor again that I saw initially when the very first CT came back) and back pain.
I do have a history of scoliosis- I even got to wear a fancy back brace in my younger years. I had to wear it to middle school, and I will never forget when a kid tapped me on the back for something and then asked me if I had a book under my shirt. Ummm, sure. At least I didn’t have to wear my headgear to school. 
I was so cool.
On the bright side, I have met deductible and want to get as much of this done as possible before the end of the year! Matt’s work was bought out and the new company isn’t so employee friendly. They changed life insurance companies and the policy from before isn’t portable – which means none for me with cancer diagnosis this year (thankfully, I have a little with my work as well). And they are now going to charge an extra $100/month to carry your spouse on your health insurance. Way to motivate your employees!
What else is going on in our lives? We have a new dog! We adopted Maggie in July. She is 6 months old now and 40 pounds – bigger than her brother. She is officially 1/4 dalmatian, 1/4 lab, 1/4 retriever and 1/4 German shepherd. She is a handful! We thought Ellwood would enjoy a playmate and he certainly does. However, I think Maggie loves her brother much more. She follows him around and always wants to be near him.
My side business, Key Fobs For A Cure is going really good! I can’t believe how well it has taken off. I have the key fobs in three stores right now and can barely keep up with the demand that gives me. If you are interested, check out the pictures at www.facebook.com/keyfobsforacure .
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is doing well. Please stay safe over the holidays and spend time with your loved ones!
Melissa
So good of you to put all this on your blog — I know you have been through a lot and you have had to mature a lot in the last year. I am sure everything is going to check out alright, but you are wise to get it all checked out. Your dad’s long illness has added to your stress — you were so good to him during that time, and still are — and it was appreciated by all of us. Many thanks to your mom for helping out also. He seemed to really enjoy being with you and Matt at church on Sunday — hope he will go again.
Thanksgiving was great and I enjoyed being with everyone — sorry Steve was not there, I know he wanted to be.
Love you, take care of yourself.
Gramma
By: Ginny Musser on November 29, 2010
at 8:11 pm
Thank you so much for updating your blog. I think and pray for you often. It’s cool you got a new dog – we love ours, and they do so much for healing in a special way that only they can do. We can learn much from them!
Blessings, Gerald
By: Gerald Jarrett on November 30, 2010
at 8:58 am