My surgery date is October 21st. They said I should be in hospital just overnight, but I have a feeling it may be at least a day longer. The last one was supposed to be no overnight, but the anesthesia knocked my for a loop because I am sensitive to a lot of meds, so I could hardly wake up till that night, and I also had to be on oxygen.
Not nervous at this point. Might be a little the day before or something, but I’ll just be glad for the anticipation of it all to be finished. So, yeah, while surgery might not be what I’d call “excellent”, it is something will help to prolong my life and eventually give me a clean bill of health and it is excellent that I have a date and can start getting prepared for it!

With the surgery set, this means that I will be able to attend the gallery show in Philadelphia, “The Art of Giving” on November 6. Excellent! I have a piece in it and it is a benefit for Philabundance, an organization that combats hunger and malnutrition. There will be various wines for sale, which have been donated by several vineyards, and their labels on the back, with your choice of art from close to 40 different artists on the front of the bottle labels. If you want to come but need details.. let me know! Mom, Kathy and I are going, and if any of my friends want to go out to dinner at a restaurant (to be determined) with us afterwards, you are welcome! We’re also going to stay overnight at a hotel before driving back in the morning. Good fun!

I think this might just be my favorite excellent thing: My 2 year old nephew, Blaine, can’t really say my name and for a while he would also call me “Nana”. Now it is down to “Ana” which I love very much.
When my Sister was 3, she stuck an “M” on the front and called me “Mamy” and her eldest, Isaac, naturally did the same thing for a long time.
But I love that Blaine calls me “Ana” and I’m never going to correct him for it. Hope he continues to for at least a little while, if not longer. :-D

Now, I’m off to make some rye bread and herb dip… mmm mmm mmm!
(That makes it four excellent things, I suppose…) Catcha laters, alligators!
xoxoxo Amy

Well, Saturday night was a good time. Went to Knickers Pub with Kathy and met up with a bunch of friends to celebrate Tim E’s birthday. Had a nice chat with Jake, who shouted me a drink (Thanks, mate!) and partied with Amy, Bonny, Colin, Jen, Brian, Felicia, and Tim’s various cousins. Had some hard cider and stopped myself at three because I’m not used to drinking like I used to.. fun night!

Progress on the painting for the wine label is going well. I’ll be mailing everything off to Philly tomorrow.

And the news on the health front is good. The genetic test result came back negative, so I do not carry the gene mutation that signals an increased chance of any more cancer returning. So now I can set a date for the left breast mastectomy when I go in for my next appointment in early September. One step at a time, but after I recover there will be treatments at the oncologist in Hanover. I am feeling fit, both physically and emotionally. Taking walks every day, cutting out soda, drinking more water and eating lots of fruits and veggies from the local fruit farm. Thanks to all who have written/called and want to visit sometime. I’ll be sure to be in touch! And I’m looking forward to a dinner out with my Mother and a good neighborhood friend, who we haven’t talked to in forever, sometime soon!

Then there was the sad news of my Uncle Donny, who had been in the hospital after several strokes, unexpectedly passing away. The family is getting together for a service this Saturday. I wrote a bit about him on my flickr stream. The pictures can be viewed once you click on the link I posted below, and scroll through a little while, till you see black and white pictures from the 50s of three little guys in bow ties. He was such a funny person, and will be missed greatly, especially by his brothers who were always pretty close.

There was a scare Wednesday, too, when my dad was admitted to the hospital after he became clammy and unresponsive at work. They did an ekg and heart catheterization, but found nothing wrong. Stress could have been a part of it, and possibly some unhealthy eating the night before. But they gave him some different meds and he took a couple days off work. He was doing really well today, getting around fine, and he took me out to lunch.

So, there were ups and downs this week, but I’ve been having fun planning what kind of hairstyle I want and playing vinyl records of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, especially one of my favorites, Oklaholma. Been scanning old family photos and taking pictures for flickr, writing once more in my paper journal and planning ideas for the near and distant future that will not be told until I have a grasp on them myself. But it’s all looking rosy right now. I’ll write something more interesting or fun next time. Tonight it was the general “Catch-up” to keep everyone informed and up-to-date. To view any of those recent flickr photos, just click on the right hand flickr icon with multiple pictures, or go here:

amy’s flickr photostream

Tomorrow (Friday August 27) is Blaine’s second Birthday! Cannot believe how he has grown. We’ll party next week. He’s my special buddy. Of course, I love Isaac to pieces, and all the cute and wonderful things he does (big first grader! yay!) but Blaine and I just always had a special bond. I miss him and I just saw him a few days ago! Pretty soon I’ll post some pictures of the boys on flickr, too, from the other night. Bathtime fun! Wheee!

Speaking of which, I’m off to relax in the bath.. couldn’t tell you the last time I did that. I miss that big old tub from Wonga Park, and how I’d have a whole set up with the window looking into the garden, and a cool drink, maybe a book that never got read and Norah Jones crooning away…

But that was a lifetime ago… and there is plenty here to make it a different retreat, just as relaxing!
And I’m quite ready for it!

Till next time,
Much love, Amy

Back to work!
Finishing the piece for the (no name) Art Group which is supporting Philabundance this year. I have never felt as fulfilled doing my artwork as when I worked with this group in 2007, painting a memory portrait for a lovely girl named Tabitha at the El Shedai foster home in Uganda. Thanks to Sherry for all the work she’s done and continues to do, organizing it all, drumming up support, and also contributing her own work. I love being part of this team and helping others through my art. I think it’s important to think about the bigger picture, especially at times when I feel too self-absorbed. I know my cancer diagnosis is a legitimate reason to focus on myself right now, but if I am feeling well enough, physically and mentally to do artwork anyway, then I’m so happy to be able to do it for this kind of cause. It really is something I want to continue throughout my life!

Please go here for more information: (no name) Art Group

I will post some snaps of the process once everything is completed.

Have just scanned 2 new portraits, drawn from old family photos:

To see the rest of the photostream, just click here:

Buttons McTavish’s aka Amy Lehr’s Flickr