Cathey's Birthday Party

I hosted Cathey's birthday celebration at the Herb Box in Scottsdale on Sunday for lunch.  It was a beautiful day and we chose to eat outdoors which was actually warmer than indoors.  The food was wonderful and the gifts were perfect.  We couldn't have asked for a better day.

A Change of Plan

Last Friday I had an appointment with Dr Smiley. He was concerned about my colds (two within two months) and has made an appointment for me for a CT Scan today to check for pneumonia or something worse. He talked to me about my immune system being compromised because of the Chemo and Radiation. I need to be vigilant about not straining it and my lungs more than necessary because they've been through so much. It's hard to tell but he was happy to hear that I had no adverse reactions to the radiation on my brain. The reaction would have been nausea and headaches. Brain swelling can happen within 18 months after the procedure so I have a way to go to be clear of that side effect.

Because of today's test I'll have to wait another 3 months for the MRI on my brain. Testing too often would certainly be a strain on my body and could cause more problems. I'm not surprised and am totally in favor of not testing too often.

The Chronic Disease Fund was funding my co-pay for the Chemo Pill I'm on and has not renewed any financial help this year because our income is above their limit. I want to thank them and let them know how grateful I am for the help they gave us last year.

Don and I are looking forward to visits from friends and family this winter. Since cancer patients are at risk to fly I haven't visited my mother or relations and friends during the last 2 years. I'm been planning a whopper of a "remission trip" as soon as I get the word.



This afternoon it's my favorite class, Buns & Abs, followed by Bunco! Coming soon is Fitness Buddy #5 Birthday Bash which I'm hosting at the Herb Box. It's going to be a fun time.

Photos of Charlie and Dennis having fun together and Quartanas, Winsteads with us after a great dinner and Mexican train.

I Forgot to be Prepared

Yesterday I saw the Oncologist for my regular 2 month visit. All the blood work is good and except for some tingling and pain in my right shower blade there aren't any changes.

I had rushed out of the house not properly prepared with 2 hours worth of reading or listen devices and of course this was the day that I waited for 2 1/4 hours to see the doctor. I finally started walking around the cubicle and doing some Yoga stretches while I checked my watch every 5 minutes. I started to worry that I would have to miss my Buns & Abs class at 4 p.m. Nothing or no one comes between me and my Buns & Abs class.

I just made it home, able to change clothes and got to class in time. Because my appointment was at 11:30 and I didn't leave his office till 2:45 I missed lunch and that's not a good thing. I need to eat my meals on time so I don't gorge myself from being I'm so hungry.

My reward came from a very challenging Buns & Abs class. We were all huffing and puffing and I knew it was all worth it. Our instructor is fantastic. She always comes with new and challenging routines that keep us in shape.

One of my classmates brought fresh lemons to give away and one of my Fitness Buddies had some stamps for stamping greeting cards she had purchased and wanted to get rid of. There's a lot going on in class that isn't about exercising. We also exchange tips on just about everything and pass along news items and recipes. Tonight it's Bunco!

Holiday Celebrations

These are the photos from Don's camera from Mariamas and Christmas Day. It's a good thing there are two of us taking photos because I'm usually in the kitchen and miss a lot of the good shots.

The photo of me is the day I turned 65. I'm sure I'll look back on this day and think I looked pretty good for a 65 year old who's dealing with cancer. When I remember back to the day of my diagnosis my prognosis without treatment was that I only had 6 months to live. Now I've received an entire extra year I enjoyed every single day.

The photo of Sophie and Ben was taken Christmas morning. Diane and Gary hosted a brunch and I brought my Waffle batter. Sophie and especially Ben love eating my Belgian Waffles. In fact Ben and his family came over for dinner one day and when Ben found out we weren't having Belgian Waffles, he said, "No Waffles?" and headed for their family car. It took a lot of persuasion to get him back to the table to try some new foods. But Belgian Waffles are still his favorites at Grandma's house.