Day 88

We've hit the half way mark and then some!

Greetings!! SO much has happened since we last talked!  

First, I hope you all had an amazing holiday!  I wasn't really feeling the holiday vibe this year, but we made it through with some semblance of normal, although sans tree because new puppy + tree does not equal a good time for me.  I even got some xmas selfies with the kids!!!  Yay!!  Took the kids to PIR to see the lights a la peppermint hot chocolates, which is corny but at this point it's a tradition. We had two so very delicious holiday dinners and I ate WAY too much thanks to the steroids I have to take.  

Our family was adopted for Christmas by a Michelle's love family and we got some really great gifts and we are so thankful for their generosity (check the link in the "My Links" section on the right to see what this amazing charity does). 

And I even stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve to see the ball drop, kissed my daughter, and then went to bed.  

I reached the halfway mark (YAY!!!!) of my chemo on 12/21 when I had my last round of the "Red Devil" and Cyclophosphamide.   I can attest that I was feeling the full cumulative effect that week of that particular drug cocktail.  I won't belabor you with details but I just felt really bad.  Highlights of that last week are I almost passed out twice in one day (I think from dehydration), and my blood pressure dropped to 93/58 which is not a great thing for me.  Thank goodness I am done with that and I started my Taxol regime yesterday.  I'll have three more of those and then I will be done with chemo, hopefully forever, on 2/14.  Besides breaking my left pinkie toe the morning of chemo yesterday, (seriously - you know how graceful I am) I am feeling much better after this last round of chemo and my blood pressure has returned to it's normal 120/72.  I am hoping the worst is behind me (I mean with a nick name of "Red Devil" it almost has to be!).  Next really important appointment is the end of this month.  I have a mammogram, so I will find out how the chemo has affected my tumor.  I am nervous about the appointment and trying to stay positive.    

In other news, lots of stuff!!  Michael got into a little $4200 fender bender in my car.  You know, the Camaro that I call my second husband.  Yeah, that one.  Most importantly, everyone is A-OK.  It's all fixed now and Michael is having a life lesson on car insurance deductibles.  While I am speaking of husbands and cars, my ex husband bought the kiddos a car and drove it up the week of Christmas, so I am super grateful and all kinds of emo over him doing that.  It just makes life so much easier.

Also took the kiddos to the King Tut exhibit at OMSI which was so great!!  I think it's here until the end of the month and if you have a chance and you are a history geek like me, you should def go.

Then I had to go to Seattle to work last week, so made a little adventure out of it and took David and Jess with me (Michael had to work so couldn't come) and we went to the Space Needle.  I am not sure if you've been since they put in the Plexiglas floor and walls but oh my gosh it is scary, but really cool!  So we did that and then went back to the room and settled in for some Grub Hub and mediocre hotel cable. Was a really great way to end 2018, chillin' with the brats =)

I have to say I am really excited about what 2019 is going to bring me and the journey of healing and recovery.  There is some cool shit that's going to happen this year, and I hope your new year brings lots of cool shit too!

Leaning up on the glass wall, I was so scared!

I have to say that I am so grateful to my family, my friends, and my work family for all that you have done to keep me focused and motivated and feeling cared about.  I love you all and am so blessed to have you in my life.  There are definitely times when I feel like I can't do this on my own anymore and I am so thankful for you all for not letting me forget that I am not alone.

Love to you all, and from Finn too!

XOXO