Update...

So, I engaged in the American Commercialism Ritual of Black Friday at 4am. Yes. I did it. I really didn’t want to…but Peyton found this comforter on ad at Target that she wanted as the Numero Uno thing on her Christmas list. So, we were up at 4am, at Starbucks at 4:30am and at Target by 4:50am. The line, we thought, went down the side of the store. We waited until 5am, since I didn’t want to stand in the rain and figured we would just catch the crowd while everyone was going in...Unbeknownst to us, the line went all the way around the back of the store, so we it ended up taking us 20 minutes just to get in the store. Luckily, they had two comforters left, so the trip was successful! We hit a few other stores, and were home by 7:30am, exhausted and ready to go back to bed.

But my day wasn’t even stared yet. I spent the day with Jessie, my grandson, since his mama had to work and day care was closed. He was a very busy boy all day, but as always, a joy to be around. We played outside and put up some Christmas lights and Grandpa took him for a walk. Uncle Bill was a great source of entertainment in the afternoon as they ran around the house and scared each other, e-bonking down the stairs and jumping out of closets.

Its been so much fun having my brother and sister-in-law in town and we hit the hockey game last night, unfortunately, not one of the better games for tri-cities. They got their butts kicked by Spokane, but at least got one goal so it wasn’t a complete shut out. My sister-in-law Rhonda is quite the hockey fan and I had as much fun watching her as I did enjoying the game. After we hit Bone Fish Grill for cheap appetizers and post game commentary and conversation.

Needless to say I was exhausted when I got home last night.

Back and up at it after a 10 hour sleep and ready to conquer the day. We are just sort of hanging out today and then tonight the parentals are going to the hockey game (hopefully they play better!), while us “kids” go to Bookwalter for some wine and music. They fly out early early tomorrow morning. But its been a wonderful visit. It is always such a joy to have family around. It makes life more complete.

I haven’t really done an update on my treatment this week, so here is what is going on. I talked to Marlene, ARNP, on Monday about my back. Dr. Rado finally got the time to look at my scans and he consulted with the radiologist and a visiting oncologist from Seattle that happened to be in the office that day. Apparently, my scans are quite peculiar. They are all in agreement that the spot on the left and one of the spots on the right appear to be healing rib fractures. They are not sure what the other spot on the right is; it has characteristics of either a metastatic lesion, or it could be another broken rib. They do agree that it would be very unusual to have a metastatic lesion in such a pattern on my back with the broken ribs. It looks like I had some sort of trauma to my back and broke three ribs. However…they are not sure. There is still the question as to how I broke my ribs to begin with, since I have no memory of a trauma to my back. I did have a DEXA scan this week to check my bone density, and it came out completely normal. That would have made it a bit easier if it hadn’t come out normal. I mean if my density was poor, it would explain the broken ribs better. But the density is fine…so again…how did I break my ribs? Right now the doctors are suggesting that I wait and rescan in 5-6 weeks and see if the spots have changed. If the one is cancer, they would expect to see more, if they are not, they would be the same, still healing rib fractures. The only way to know for sure is to do an open rib biopsy, which is a surgical procedure that I don’t think I am ready to do just yet. It is pretty invasive given the lack of evidence of cancer at this point. I have a check up with Marlene this week, and I want to talk to her more about it, and will decide if I want to wait, or maybe go to Seattle for a second opinion. This is my life, and I am not ready to give it up yet and I want to do everything I can to survive. Do I want to take a chance that it is not cancer and wait another 5-6 weeks or do I go start talking to other doctors? Of course, by the time I get an appointment and all my records sent to Seattle, it would probable take a month anyway, especially with the holidays. So, it might just be time to sit back and wait. Its hard to wait when it is the uncertainty of your life.

I had my last chemo for awhile this week. I see Dr. Rado again on the 24th, Christmas Eve, to get ready to start it all up again. So I will end up off for the next five weeks. Sounds like heaven. I can’t wait to get through this last dose and start feeling like myself again. I have four months of abuse to heal up from, so I have a lot of resting to do in the month of December. I am contemplating taking a few weeks off work to just rest and spend time with my daughter, parents and friends and prepare for the next onslaught starting after Christmas. My body sure has a hard time rebounding from the chemo anymore; it has a lot of recuperating to do.

Blessings to you, my friends, as we enter this holiday season. Enjoy the sights and sounds and immerse yourself in the love and the joy that these days are meant to behold. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, the time of our Saviours birth.