I am amazed as I look at this blog and realize how much time has passed since I last posted. I think that means that I am really healed in so many ways. I know a few people continue to check here, so I should be better about posting.
I did visit the oncologist in April and once again was given a clean bill of health. I like him so much and it is nice to visit with him. Gary and I both enjoy our time with him. I think probably when he knows that I am healthy that we talk about things that he would never talk about if I were still having issues with cancer. The new Simmons Cancer Center is wonderful. What a nice building.
I still get the infusion of Zometa every six months to help prevent osteoporosis. I was a little disappointed that I had not grown any new bone in my last bone density test, but the oncologist said as long as I was on the 5 year drug, Femara, (less than 2 years to go) that I wouldn’t grow new bone. He was just pleased that I was maintaining. Femara has just gone to a generic, so I will be saving money on drugs. I am so fortunate that I haven’t had to have many that I can’t ever complain. Just glad that I am healthy and can do what I can do.
I am back running about 4 miles as often as the weather allows. When I last saw my GP, he informed me that my cholesterol was too high. He suggested medicine, but I said give me 6 months and let me see what I can do. I have tried to eat less red meat and meat overall, exercise more, increase fruits and vegetables as well as oatmeal and flaxseed meal. Nothing really crazy, just trying to watch things a little more carefully. The increasing cholesterol is a side effect of the Femara, but due to my mom’s high cholesterol and the fact she had open heart surgery, he watches me a little more closely. I go this week to have the cholesterol tested again, so I am anxious to see what it is now. Hopefully there will be some improvement.
Summer has been exceedingly busy. Spring started with a trip to Springfield for 2 nights with my college friends. What fun we had. We didn’t stop talking the whole time we were together. We visited the Lincoln Museum, but were too busy visiting to do much else. From there it was on to Decatur for two days (Gary went with me for that) to a nutrition conference. After a quick trip home, I went to St. Louis to meet my mom and sister to fly to Ft. Myers to drive to Sanibel Island for our annual Mother’s Day trip. My sister flew home after 5 days and my mom and I stayed for a total of 11. Gary decided he didn’t want to join us (I think he regretted that decision) and a friend that planned to fly in couldn’t due to the flooding in the area so Mom and I were there the last 6 days without anyone and just enjoyed each others company. The flooding didn’t reach my friend’s house, but was very stressful whenever she couldn’t leave her house except by boat. She is using her ticket in November and we are going to fly into Charleston, SC for a week.
After returning from Sanibel, a week later we flew to Disney with Greg and his family for a week. Friends from Tampa area joined us and we stayed in a 5 bedroom condo in Kissimmee. We had great fun and loved spending time with the grandchildren. This was their first trip to Disney and we got to all 4 of the Disney parks and had a good experience.
The rest of the summer has been spent on the run. We were gone every weekend until mid-July with weddings, reunions, and ball tournaments. Then there were the ball games during the week as each of the kids were on teams that were playing mid-week. Now it is time for Jr. High softball for Mackenzie. Since the season is so short, she plays 4 games most weeks. She is looking forward to it. Hope they have a good team this year. They placed 3rd at State last fall. Gabe won’t play fall ball this year. He’s just waiting for basketball, his favorite to start.
What can I say, but life is good!
Stacey, Gabe, Mackenzie and Greg in front of the castle
