I appear to be fine

All test results are in. No cancer. No active histoplasmosis or other fungal lung infection. (The doctor says he can't totally rule it out, the fungus may just be inactive right now). Also negative for sarcoidosis.
So I got a haircut. I was putting it off in case I needed chemo again. Why spend all of that money on a haircut if I'm going to lose my hair again. The curls are still there!!! :)
I am finally beginning to get into the holiday spirit. Better late than never. Baking and decorating and wrapping, oh my!

NO LUNG CANCER

Good news. Still waiting on cultures for definitive diagnosis. No steroid injection permitted for the shoulder if it's a fungal infection. Trade-offs.
One final doctor next week - gyno-oncologist. Hopefully she'll have a simple explanation for the intermittent pelvic pain.
It's always something.

results and more

Scan results: abdomen is clear (yay)
Lungs have more nodules than last year. Some are a bit large.
I saw a pulmonologist today and have a bronchoscopy with lung biopsy scheduled for tomorrow. More waiting. More anxiety.

well, well, well

3 month check up last Tuesday. I had some complaint of bloating and my ca125 was up from 16 to 38. Lots of tears, lots of worry. I had a scan on Saturday morning. Lots more tears, lots more worry. Saw an oncologist today (mine is on maternity leave). He says the abdominal cavity is clear, the one spot on the liver is unchanged, there are many more nodules in the lungs and they have changed somewhat. It would be unusual for it to be ovarian cancel - but not impossible. It would be unusual to have a new primary cancer - but not impossible. The oncologist is going to confer with a pulmonologist to determine the proper biopsy technique and then subsequent treatment for whatever is the diagnosis.
Lots of fear!! Hate this!!
But life goes on...

i have returned...

I have returned to the point where I have quite a bit of weight to lose. Food tastes pretty good and I'm kind of lazy so the weight went on easily.

I have returned to my former job at Cincinnati Job Corps. I missed it - crazy stress and all. I'm happy to be back and expect to have everything caught up in...well, some things my never get caught up.

I have returned to bad habits of too much TV and too little exercise. OK, I didn't actually return to these, I never really left.

I have returned to indecision about whether to let my hair grow or keep it short. I still have some curl and I'm kind of afraid I'll lose it if I get a haircut.

That's about it for my return. Nothing spectacular. Not even anything very interesting.

Power of Teal

Today was the Power of Teal walk for ovarian cancer. When I first saw the information on line, I emailed it to my kids and told them that I wanted a team for my birthday. They ran with it. Elizabeth designed a team Tshirt. We kicked around all sorts of potential team names (we didn't think the organization would appreciate "fuck cancer") We settled on "unlikely heroes". I didn't realize until one of the girls told me that it is exactly one year today that we got the word from the oncologist that I was officially cancer free. As I looked around at some of the other teams, I got teary when I saw a team shirt that said "walking in memory of..."  I am so grateful that I was walking with my team.
Today was just perfect!

Friends

I envy people who have a bunch of different friends/groups of friends to hang out and have fun with.

Curls?

My hair is getting longer. And it has some curl! My hair has always been  poker straight. It's sort of fun.
Last time I wrote I was heading to my colonoscopy. Results? Not normal. I need to repeat in in 6-9 months. Don't worry, it's not cancer. The abnormal results may well be due to the virus I had a few days prior to the scan.
I have not met my weight goal. Instead of losing a few more pounds (my goal was 8 pounds), I have gained 10 pounds.
I joined a gym - mostly for the zumba classes. I don't go. The class time isn't convenient and the class itself isn't quite as fun as I'd hoped.
My 40th high school reunion is coming up at the end of this month.
Oh...we took our family vacation over Memorial Day weekend. It was fantastic. The kids rented a beautiful, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom air conditioned cabin at Red River Gorge. We hiked, ate, played a game, talked, laughed and basically had a wonderful time. The kids we very patient with me as we hiked. My daughter-in-law introduced me to the home remodeling shows. Now I see all of the wonderful things that can be done to improve my home - most of which I can not afford.
I think you're up to date. My life is not very exciting.

life goes on

My life is not at all exciting. I work.  I occasionally go dancing.
However, I have decided that I should get all of those screenings that the doctors recommend.
Mammogram - everything was fine
Colonoscopy is today. Last hurdle?

3-month check-ups

I saw both doctors this week. All is well. My hemoglobin is normal for the first time since chemo started. 9 months post chemo and getting better every day.

TealWalk

This year I'm participating in the TealWalk for ovarian cancer. Our team is "unlikely heroes".

http://cincyteal.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=1107920&lis=1&kntae1107920=1B0BA388204F456DA248F1E7BE60B156&team=5959894

A little pampering.

One year ago today, I went to the ER with lower abdominal pain and climbed aboard the SS Ovarian Cancer.
Today I got a haircut, manicure and pedicure. A little pampering to celebrate.

check up time

In the past two weeks, I had appointments with both the surgeon and the oncologist. Good checkups with both. My hemoglobin is almost back to normal and, as the surgeon said, "no lumps or bumps".
I can hardly believe that it's been six months since my last chemo.
As for 2014, it still sucks. My brother is back in the hospital. I am exhausted form stress on top of stress. (not that I'm making his illness about me)
That's all for now. My life is not very interesting these days.

pixie

I had my first haircut a few days ago. It's a very short, pixie cut. I don't hate it. I colored my hair because it came in all gray and I have never wanted to be gray. There was some discussion with my sister and my daughter who think I should leave it gray. In the end, it's my hair. To me, the haircut and leaving the house without my wig complete my return to normalcy. It's all very exciting!!

In the mean time, 2014 was supposed to be a much better year for me but it isn't starting out that great. On Jan. 2nd, I had a little fender bender. I changed lanes and a car had moved into my blind spot. There was damage to the other car which really needs repair and my car just had a little dent and a broken signal light cover. I wasn't planning to fix my car. Then, just 15 days later, while driving to work, a woman missed the bend in the road, crossed the yellow line and slammed into me. My car was totaled. I'm ok. I have a new (to me) car which I like pretty much. I miss the Subaru but I'm adjusting pretty well. I now drive a Kia Soul. At least it's black.

Now it's February. Hopefully the rest of the year will be better!!!!

Not loving 2014 so far

Why don't I like 2014 so far? Several reasons.
First: Jan. 2nd I had a small accident on the way to work. It was my fault. Although I checked the lane next to me - more than once - a car was there when I started to change lanes. I'm still not sure where he came from. My car had a small dent and a broken cover to the turn signal on the driver's side. I was not planning on  having it repaired The other car was dented and scraped down the passenger side, including both doors. No citation was given (phew) but it bothered me.
Second: my brother was in the hospital over the new year holiday and is still recovering.
Third: Jan 17th (fifteen days after my fender bender) I was driving to work when someone crossed the yellow line, slammed into my car, totaling it. I have found a car and pick it up in a couple of days. I will miss my Subaru.
I hope I just got all of the bad shit out of the way in January and the rest of 2014 will be smooth sailing.
"Oh, woe is me"

Happy New Year

How did you celebrate the new year?
I worked and then visited my brother in the hospital New Year's Eve. I went to bed about 10pm. New Year's Day, I got up early and went to the hospital so I could be there when the doctor(s) came in. Then my wonderful sister-in-law, Michelle and I went to see "Saving Mr. Banks". What a wonderful movie!
My shoulder is much better. I had a cortisone/lidocaine injection. Good stuff.
I think I'm going to make a haircut appointment for mid-January. I'm not sure if my hair will actually be long enough to take my wig off, but it'll need a little evening out. It's growing back rather quickly but it isn't even.
I'm thinking cancer may be a deal breaker when it comes to dating. I was "talking" to a man online and another that I knew already and when they heard that I had cancer, they both pretty much disappeared. Stupid men! But not all men are stupid. I know some wonderful ones. They just aren't available.
Ah well...
I do have some of the greatest kids in the history of the universe! And they decided to give their mom a family vacation for Christmas. How did I get so lucky?