A light at the end of the tunnel

Finally! There's a light at the end of the tunnel! There are only a few more boxes that need to be unpacked and we'll have managed to completely get settled into our new home. I'm so glad. Moving sucks. And it has felt like the boxes were having babies behind my back.

There are so many details to moving. Yesterday, we made a visit to the post office to cancel our post office box and turn in the keys. We won't need it any longer now that we have an actual mail box in front of the house.

Next, we went by the county's driver's license bureau to update our mailing addresses on our licenses, but they were closed so we swung by the tag office and secured my handicapped plate. Thankfully my doctor agreed I needed one. This knee is still giving me fits and it looks like knee replacement is inevitable.

The day started out with jury duty. I hate being called for service and prayed I wouldn't have to be there all day. Thankfully, we were dismissed at noon. The judge said they'd managed to get 97% of the cases either negotiated with plea deals or dismissed. He thanked us for our service, we were given a $50 debit card and that was that.

While at the tag office, we noticed some early voting signs and orange cones set up to guide voters into the facility. We figured why not kill two birds with one stone and managed to be in and out of the voting booths in under 10 minutes. It felt good to get our presidential vote cast. And I thought it funny, when we marked our party choice, there was only one candidate on the ballot. You know who that was and yes, we did vote for him!

After those errands, we swung by the hardware store to pick up some picture hangers for my art. The walls are so white here and in definite need of color. I can't wait to get everything in place, especially since we'll soon have some out-of-town visitors.

One home, we puttered around the house doing all the little things we needed to do. We met a few more neighbors and it seems this neighborhood is not only quiet but folks here are very friendly.

It's hard to believe March is just around the corner. My visit to the City of Hope will be mid-month and I'm both excited and nervous for this one. It will be my 10th cancerversary soon. It's so hard to believe I've survived breast cancer that long. Every time I go for my annual scans, I can't help but wonder if something is going to appear on the PET scan causing me concern or worry. I try my best not to think that way, but it's part of the PTSD that comes along with cancer. Survivors live in fear of recurrence, even if they don't like to admit it.

We're planning to attend the big St. Paddy's Day parade in Dublin this year. I can't wait for that! It should be a lot of fun.

As the year continues to move forward, I hope you have things to look forward to. It's always nice to have little things that bring joy.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hopefully my posting will be more regular now that we have the computer out and set up, internet active, and I have more time to actually write. I appreciate your loyalty! Have a lovely day.

Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out

Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out, especially when I read a friend's blog post and I just can't wrap my head around it. This morning, I was reading a post from a fellow breast cancer survivor. She said her cancer has returned and is growing in her spine. As soon as I read the words, I burst into tears. I just didn't understand! We'd been diagnosed with the same type of cancer in the same year. How could it be that her cancer had returned and mine had not? And what made it even more difficult to understand and accept was the fact that she'd chosen to go the traditional treatment route. I'd opted not to do that. She'd endured chemotherapy, radiation, and the anti-hormone therapy afterward. I'd refused chemo, had done 28 rounds of radiation, and had only taken the anti-hormone drugs for a couple of months. It just didn't compute and it certainly didn't seem fair. But that's what sucks about cancer. It doesn't follow the rules.

Cancer the gift that keeps on giving - the high cost of cancer

There's a basket of bills sitting in the corner of my bedroom. I try not to look at it as I enter the room but I know it's there. Its contents spill out onto the floor whenever my husband stuffs another bill into the basket. Usually, when the mail comes, he gets it first so he can filter what I see and what I don't see. Since he's the only one working, he takes care of our financial responsibilities and while I'm thankful for that, I'm not ignorant about our mounting bills. Cancer is expensive. Even if you've reached maintenance phase, it's costly. There are always tests to be run, blood to be taken, doctors to see. It never ends. Just knowing this will be a continual process for the rest of my life frustrates me and the alternative, death, will be my only way out. It would be nice to know that cancer could be a once and done kind of thing but that's only wishful thinking. Everyone knows cancer is a long and very involved illness. I had no id

Annual checkup yields good news!

Yesterday I went to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America for my annual check up. For those unfamiliar with the cancer treatment center, it's an integrative facility that provides services for the body, mind, and spirit. My day began in the survivorship department. While there, I met with the doctor and was asked about how I'd been feeling both physically and emotionally. We talked for about half an hour. The doctor and I had a few laughs and it was probably the most pleasant visit I've ever had. Instead of making me feel that she was the doctor and I was the patient, I felt like we were old friends just having a good chat. It was refreshing and I left her office feeling very optimistic. Next was the port lab where I have my blood drawn. It's always a challenge there because I always have to explain about my lymphedema and why it's necessary to have blood drawn from my hand instead of my arm. You'd think, after 4 years of being a patient there, they'

Journey Out of Pink

Search This Blog