Normal

Last week my dad took me to Hopkins to get my injection and see my doctor. We were a week behind because of a snow storm the prior week. Sometime between my scans (a CT and Bone scan) and seeing my doctor I caught a cold and was having pain in my chest especially when I coughed or sneezed. So, while discussing my scans, I also mentioned the issue I was having. As far as the scans go, most of my spots are the same or just slightly worse. My organs are still free and clear of any signs of cancer! We will use the scans as a baseline and rescan in a few months to see how this new drug is doing. I will get a MRI of my head in March to see how things are going up there, but I haven’t had any seizures, headaches or blurred vision so I take it that is a good sign! I found out the chest pain was due to a new fracture in my sternum. It won’t change my course of treatment, but it sure smarts when I cough or sneeze. I have had to take some pain medication so I’m not a total grump, but I haven’t missed any work and can still keep up with the boys so it isn’t too bad.

This week has been like a dream. Not a single doctor’s appointment. One blood draw to make sure that the Coumadin dose is OK. Dad watched Ian for a few hours on Monday morning so I could volunteer in Trent’s class. I have really missed being at the school and seeing the kids! I worked all day Tuesday and Thursday. I worked until noon on Wednesday when, during lunch, Trent’s teacher called and said he had gotten sick on the playground. I have driven the kids to school, made dinner, done laundry, and managed the bedtime routine. For the first time since Halloween I took Ian to Preschool, walked him to his classroom, and helped him with his opening craft! I am even feeling caught up at work! I still get frustrated at the things I can’t do, but then I try to concentrate on all the things I can do now that I couldn’t imagine doing just six weeks ago!

When I went to bed last night I said my prayers and was thankful for a normal week. That may sound silly, but it really feels good to be somewhat back to the normal routine! I also remembered those that I know who are trying to find peace and a new normal. Like my two friends who recently suffered the loss of their young children, my friend who had surgery to remove cancerous tumors from his chest last week, my friend who is getting ready for a mastectomy, and my friend who is watching her grandmother slowly fade away. I pray that God helps give them what they need right now and that they are able to return to a new ‘normal’ soon.

Snow Day!!

As a kid I loved snow. I’m sure back then my love of snow had something to do with the prospect of the closing of school. I have fond memories of playing out in the snow with my brothers sledding and building snowmen, shoveling the driveway with my mom, and playing board games inside while the snow came down. When I was in high school we had a big snow and my brothers and I built an igloo big enough for all three of us to get inside. Snow gave us a chance to take a day off from our busy schedules and just enjoy each other.

As an adult I still think there is something magical about the snow and I get excited when the weathermen start talking about it. I love to stand outside as the snow is falling and listen to the silence. It makes me feel like the world is standing still. I also love waking up in the morning to look at the mountain that is covered in a soft white blanket of snow.

Last week we got what I consider our first ‘good’ snow. The storm started on Wednesday afternoon and when it was finished, 10 inches of heavy wet snow covered everything. My boys, who love to be outside, had a great time! There seems to be no end to their creativity in the snow and I really have to watch the amount of time they spend in the cold. One minute they are digging holes with their snow shovels, then they have their beach shovels and buckets out, next they are hauling snow with their dump trucks and loaders. The grand finale is usually Brad dragging the sleds behind the 4-wheeler.

Inside we kicked back and relaxed. We had hot chocolate and cookies, watched movies and played board games together. The boys played with their toys and played video games. It was such a nice break from the routine. Trent was rather disappointed that Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring. For now, though, we can still hope for another snow day soon!