12 more days of school left!

So I'm counting down the days until the end of school, and gearing up for our big trip this summer. As soon as school is out, we are throwing our girls into the van and driving across the country. We have ideas in mind of where we would like to go, but we aren't strapped to any major schedule. At first we thought about getting a pop up camper, but the cost of buying a bigger vehicle to pull the pop up, and then buying the pop up would be rather expensive. So then we decided to stay in hotels part-time and to tent camp part-time, storing our camping stuff in the hard-shell turtle on top of the van. We did that for two weeks last summer and it worked out nicely. But after much thought and deliberation, we decided to skip the camping stuff and just stay in hotels. We decided that since we are constantly going to be on the move, not thinking about tent camping would just simplify things. Also thinking that the only thing that might separate us from bears at night would be a thin sheet of nylon was also a factor! So I don't have to get out the camping supplies, see what needs to be replaced, or plan what food supplies to take. No packing towels, blankets, or sheets. I like this idea already!

Pangea

Today we went to Pangea in Frederick, in front of the Giant on 40. It was really nice. There was music, food and lot of vendors. The girls and I got henna on our hands. Jerry wasn't too surprised! Frederick seems to always have fun things to do on the weekends. 

Spring Break

It's Spring break and I think that all of my family needs the break. We are just staying home and relaxing. Although today, I organized my walk-in closet. Doesn't it look wonderful? It's funny how such little things, as organizing a closet, can make life so happy! Also this break, I am planning on learning how to add pictures to my blog. So far I've only added pictures from photo booth.  I think it's pretty easy, but I haven't done it yet, so that will be a big step for me. Tomorrow we are going to the Newseum in D.C. I hope that some of the cherry blossoms will still be blooming.

Living with the news

So it's been a week since I've been told that I will live my life having cancer. It's been a weird week, and quite an adjustment. I've had a hard time thinking that I wouldn't ever be considered healthy again. But then I thought about it, and decided it would be the same as with any other chronic illness. Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other chronic illness, it is usually for the rest of your life. So mine just happens to be cancer. But I have no symptoms, and it doesn't stop me from doing anything, so I guess it really isn't such a big deal. And I will be monitored every three months, so that will ensure that I continue to be healthy. If any changes occur, they will be found early and treatments will be offered. So enough about the cancer. From now on, my posts will be more about fun things in life, and with three girls and a dog, there is always plenty of fun to write about.

Cancer update

How weird it that title? I didn't update last night because I was just too exhausted. The news from Georgetown is this: no chemo or radiation needed. I am actually is stage 3 with my follicular lymphoma, and since this is such a slow growing cancer, studies show that it is better to just watch it and wait. My doctor, who happens to be the "lymphoma guy" said that he has one patient who has had a swollen lymph node with follicular lymphoma in her stomach area for 6 years and they haven't had to do anything but watch to be sure that it doesn't grow. So that's what we'll do for me. I'll get CT scans every 3 months and measure the active lymph nodes to be sure that they aren't growing. If they do start to show more activity, then we will proceed with treatment. But treatment will probably not be chemo or radiation. They have newer types of treatment for lymphoma which, I believe he said, one is antibiotics. Isn't this all strange?

Before I have always thought that if you have cancer that you have to get rid of it.  And if the doctor says that nothing should be done, than that would mean that you don't have a chance. Well, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. 

I asked my doctor after he told me all of this, "You mean that I can have stage 3 cancer and walk around and...," and he continued, "and live a normal life." I asked if I should change my diet any, and confessed that I drink two diet cokes a day. He said no and that I just need to live a normal life. What a lot to process! 

So, I will live my life with cancer. I have no symptoms, and it doesn't have to slow me down any. Isn't that weird? So instead of thinking about cancer as we always have, I guess now we can think about cancer differently. Any every year that I don't need treatment, more advances will be made in treatment options. How lucky I am to live one hour away from the "lymphoma guy!" I gave him a hug when I left, I was so relieved that for now don't need treatment. I guess that my students at school will have to put up with me as their teacher for the rest of the year! And our trip out west this summer is back on. Good news.

Anticipation

Tomorrow is my big appointment in Georgetown. I just read over the papers that I was sent weeks ago. My procrastination with papers continues! Reading all of the information with the word cancer all over and knowing that it was for me, made me really sad. It's still really hard to comprehend that I have this stuff in my body. It's weird and scary, and I wish it weren't so. But I'm thankful that I live close to great doctors who have wonderful technology. Jerry and I are planning on going early and having a lunch somewhere. No brown bag lunch for me tomorrow! Something to look forward to.

Our dog, Duncan, has a temper tantrum

While we were gone skiing, we couldn't take our dog with us since we were spending the night at my in-laws house and they prefer that we don't let the dog stay inside.  In the summer, we can let the dog stay on the screened porch, but  in the winter it's too cold. 

So we left Duncan at a neighbor's house, where he always stays when we can't take him with us. Anyway, when we were getting ready to leave our house, Duncan was all excited. He thought that he was going for a big ride. We loaded the van, and drove the 3 miles to our neighbor's house with Duncan sticking his head out of the window most of the way. We unpacked Duncan, and he seemed just fine playing with our neighbor's dogs, so we left.

When I called later, my neighbor said that after we left, Duncan went to his crate and indicated that he wanted inside (which is somewhere he never goes at  home.) She opened the door and Duncan stayed inside his crate where he stayed for most of the day. At one point when she tried to coax Duncan out of his crate, he even growled. After about five hours, (maybe when he finally had to pee) Duncan decided to get out of his crate, and go outside with and play with the other dogs. And then he was fine for the rest of the time we were gone. All I can figure is that Duncan had a temper tantrum! He must have wanted a longer ride! At least he didn't punish us with any messes on the carpet when we got home!