Merry Christmas Everyone!

The big day arrived and left just as quickly. I hope it was a joyous day for everyone.

After opening gifts that Santa brought to our house, we were off to Racine to spend the day with my Mom, sister and her son from Nashville, and my brother and his kids and their families. Lunch was wonderful and I did a really good job at cleaning up the kitchen! Thanks for helping me Linda! It was a fun day and we all enjoyed catching up with each other's lives.

The weather cooperated - until the drive home. When we left Racine, it was just drizzling. By the time we got closer to Madison, the snow was really coming down and the drop in temperature made the highways icy. Not fun. But we made it home safely.

As I stated earlier, I had my first follow-up mammogram in a year on the 18th. The results are guarded. They found two new spots under my incision that warrant another follow-up mammogram in 6 months. Though the doctors say there is nothing to worry about and it is just calcification, that is what they said the first time. I'm not going crazy with concern, but the thought of "round 2" is in the back of my head. Until then, we just continue living.

My next treatment is January 8th. Santa brought new movies so I am excited to watch them on my phone. I saw Dr. Mark on my last treatment day and I can honestly say I am anxious for Dr. Kari to return from maternity leave. He thinks I am nuts with my side effects/concerns but it is obvious he hasn't read my medical file to know that I have complained about the same conditions for some time. I have always been in left field when it came to weird side effects. Just because no one else complains about them, doesn't make them non-existent. It just makes me in a category all by myself. I have been going weekly to Physical Therapy and have been learning new ways to 'find my center of balance'. Sounds kind of hokey. I'll let you know if any of this works.

With Christmas over and all of us 'on vacation' until after the first of January, I am hoping we can take some time to go to our lake home. We haven't been there since early October. It is so peaceful there in the Winter and we have great hills for sledding. We love to walk across the lake and investigate the other side. We keep the place heated and our driveway gets plowed for us. This year I know I won't get a phone call on January 2nd to tell me I have cancer like I got last year.

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

The holiday season is here!

The holiday season is finally upon us. Are you ready? I hope everyone enjoyed a 'thankful' Thanksgiving. We did. I drove into Racine to pick up my mom and bring her out for a few days. Aruna and I drove her home on that Friday and spent the night. Both of us worked on our "to-do" lists. It's hard to believe I was mulching roses two weeks ago!

The Monday after Thanksgiving I had another treatment. I was really sick suffering from a bad cough but I managed to hide my illness so I wouldn't get bumped from treatment. Once again I sort of broke the rules :) I have been sick for about 3 weeks now. I have been really, really tired and of course not feeling very good. My nose looks like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!

We survived the first big blizzard of the season with around 17 or so inches of snow. Our landscape was transformed overnight to a Winter Wonderland! The snow was very heavy and packy. The kids had a snow day from school and Aruna played outside most of the day. Almost all of Sun Prairie and Madison were closed for the day. It was the first time in 19 years that the UW-Madison was closed. Scott was unable to get to his office as our street didn't get plowed out until early the next morning. Scott was a little more than livid with the city. In fact, the next day, school's were delayed 2 hours because it was so cold and the side streets weren't plowed yet! Gotta love it.

I am trying to get stuff done for the holidays. The tree is up and the house is decorated. I still have to write our family Christmas letter and send out the cards. Scott is using up all his vacation time - almost 2 weeks worth. He was saving them in case he had to take care of his sick wife - fortunately, I was never bad enough where I needed him to stay home. I must admit it is wierd having him home. I am use to being by myself all day.

This Friday, the 18th, I have another treatment and my first mammogram in a year. I'm sure everything is great. I've put new movies on my iphone to keep myself entertained for the day. Have I told you that you really should get an iphone? They're the coolest!!!!

The kids are fine. Aruna started grumbling about my having cancer and how she didn't like it. Specifically because I had to miss her graduation from 5th grade/Elementary School because I had chemo that day. Of course I am saddened by this, but I reminded her that I am alive and plan on making the next graduation ceremony.

My hair is back and it's curly. I love it! It is a lot of fun. The color is different too - more brown now. Maybe I all ready blogged about this. I don't remember and I'm too lazy to go back and read :) Either way, I am once again having to wash my hair, use product in it AND....get it cut! I had my first hair cut in about a year on December 4th. Per Aruna's instructions, I saved my hair.

I hope all is well with you. I continue to ask you to remember my friend Susan (Cancer Fight) in your prayers and my friend Joan from the UW Cancer clinic. Both are battling their cancers with all their strength.