A Happy Holliday

   .A cheerful heart is good medicine.  Proverbs 17:22

Despite the craziness of the events in early December, the last two weeks have been great! I try to glean all the positives out of my current situation and having extra time to fellowship with friends and family is definitely a positive I am enjoying the most.  

Dustin and I got to spend time with my Dad and his wife in NY to kick off the multiple Christmas celebrations. Christmas Eve was spent with Dustin’s parents and siblings, and Christmas Day was spent with my Mom, my siblings and kids, and a variety of needy animals!

Then we were off to South Bend, Indiana to visit our friends who are having the same experience as Dustin and I right now. It was great to spend time with them and I got to meet a few people who I have only heard about via Dustin’s stories and of course being friends with them on Facebook. I also got to see my great friend Jeanna who recently asked me to be in her wedding party in May. I’m still recovering from trying on all the dresses!

Just for fun we spent a night in Chicago since it was only two hours from South Bend. The last time I was in Chicago was for a JIQ conference our friends put on. It was January and bitterly cold. Lake Michigan was crazy choppy and there were small icebergs being tossed around in the waves. But this time, we got a beautiful sunny day with barely a breeze. Our hotel was on the magnificent mile and we spent the day walking all around, chillin’ in Millennium Park, and eating amazing food. It was a great early birthday gift. The day we left it was cold, dreary, foggy, and rainy. Our timing was perfect!

I can’t forget all the time spent with friends in the NOVA area too - old and new! Lots of Starbucks, lunches, laughter, and even a murder mystery!

Once again, I am reminded of how richly blessed I am in the family and friends department. Life is notorious for making it difficult to regularly keep in touch with the ones we love but I have an opportunity to use all my spare time investing in these relationships before getting back into “regular life.”

So I am thankful that I had this time before starting my chemotherapy treatment. Today my super sister took me to my PET/CT scan in Washington DC to check for any chance that the cancer might have spread, which my doctor said is unlikely. Tomorrow I get my medi-port implanted at Reston Hospital. Here is a link if you’re not sure what it is (port). It got infected the last time I had one implanted and they had to tear it out, literally, without knocking me out because I had already eaten a meal. Not a fun experience so I’d love to avoid a replay of that if at all possible!

I start my first chemo treatment this Monday the 9th.

While I was trying to unclutter some areas in our home, I came across some photos of myself from my very first battle with cancer and thought I'd post a few.

In Poughkeepsie, NY

In Manorville, NY holding my Dad's childhood teddy bear.

Post chemo - love the orange couch!