9 Moons Ago

It’s been a while! Thought I’d let everyone know that things are going well, as far as my health. The recovery process is slow, but steady. Chemo is the next item on the agenda, but that will be after the holidays. Right now everything is still healing up, and some muscles are still tight and there is some numbness, so I’m just doing my best to be patient and do the gentle stretches, massage, and warm compresses, etc. on a daily basis. Not feeling sick at all, but being careful with lifting and such…

Thanksgiving was nice. It was just going to be Mom, Dad and I for dinner, and then Dan and Allie stopping in for dessert, but Kathy and Zach surprised us and came right before we sat down to eat! They brought a lovely bouquet of fall flowers for Mumsy and a good time was had by all! The kids were up at Zach’s parents, and had a grand time. Black Friday shopping was done by several family members, but I didn’t miss it one bit!

There is still no tree up here, no candles in the window and no lights on the house, but it’s been a crazy year, so we’re all moving a little more slowly right now. The hutch is decorated though, and gifts have been bought and wrapped. The sewing machine and painting supplies are out… I’ve started playing piano again and the Christmas CDs are in rotation, though not constantly. So we’re easing into the spirit gently..

One thing that kicked us into the mood was the annual Sheerer open house last Saturday! Such a pretty home, and filled with loved ones. It was so good to see everyone and catch up again! Great food and fun company.

There are more pictures of everything on my flickr photostream:
amy’s flickr stream

Tomorrow morning, Dad goes in for surgery. He’s having a stent put in his leg, in preparation for future knee surgery, which he’s needed for a long while now. Mom will be home tomorrow to help with that, and tomorrow evening, she and I are going to see Isaac in a school performance.

Working on cards, letters and gifts and it’s been fun. If you want a card, and you don’t think I’ve got your address, just email me!
Hope everyone is enjoying safe and fun holidays!

Just a brief entry to express my enormous gratitude to my family and friends who have helped make this whole week, before my surgery tomorrow morning, less stressful and so much fun! Thanks for the overwhelming support I’ve gotten from everyone, since my diagnosis of breast cancer in early June, while we are at it!

I’ve been getting emails, letters, flowers, cards and phone calls from all over. To those of you who’ve written or tried to contact me in the past months, I have been sketchy with staying in touch, but I am thinking of you for sure, and glad for your continued thoughts and prayers. There will be plenty of time for me to use my new stationery in November! He he.

This past Sunday, I thought my Mother and Dad & I were going out to eat with my Sister and her boys at a favorite restaurant. When we got there, I saw Kathy inside right away, standing up and holding Blaine, and then I noticed EVERYONE. They shouted “Surprise!” and I definitely was surprised! Two tables full of family and friends, almost 30 people all wearing pink in some way or another, with candy, balloons, gifts and a cake!
Thought it was great when my Uncle Barry came over and said, “Well, I’m wearing red, which is related to pink” and he pointed out the “Oklahoma” logo across the front, saying “I also wore Oklahoma, because you’re going to be O.K.!”
I received cards, some lovely journals, a beautiful drawing from my cousin’s daughters, Lexie and Abby, the softest cozy pink socks and a box of gummy bears, which I shared with the kids till their food was ready. Other friends who couldn’t be there helped in planning it, and because it was short notice and a small place, not everyone was invited, but we’ll have to have another party, down the line!

I was not expecting this in the least! You got me good, guys! Such a big thanks to my Sister, who thought of it and organized everything, as a spur of the moment thought just a week beforehand! Our crew took up two thirds of the small dining room!

As for the surgery, I’ve only been anxious in the last couple of day, but mostly have been distracted with all the emails, letters, cards and visits from the people who make my life wonderful! Thank you ALL, near and far, for such incredible fun, joy and love!

So, yep, tomorrow at 6am I’ll be in the hospital, but knowing just how many people are supporting me (multiply the number from my party, oh, about ten thousand or so! :-D) will make things that much easier! And, as I told my Mother, couldn’t have planned a better month for this, October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Some pictures from the party, taken by family and friends:

Thanks everybody! Lots and lots of love, 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

Hello all. Relay for Life was a blast on the weekend! Pictures and videos can be found here: Relay for Life 2010

I’ve had lab tests, bloodwork, an mri and a bunch of other stuff that all points to my being ready for surgery (a partial mastectomy/lumpectomy) on July the 15th. People have asked me if I’m nervous, but the truth is, not really. I feel positive, hopeful and just take each day as it comes. This is all possible because I have health care and the most overwhelming support from family, friends and the medical professionals that I’ve seen. This will be an outpatient procedure. I will be going home the same day. Incredible what advances in medicine there have been in just five years, let alone since my Grandmother was diagnosed in the late 1950s. She left this world too soon, but her daughter, my Aunt Mary, is a survivor as well, and there are so many others I know who have fought back and won their battles with cancer.

They tell me I’ll have chemo once I’ve recovered from the surgery, and after that, radiation. There is more to talk about concerning those subjects, but I won’t get ahead of myself. Just going to focus on the next step. I will update you when I come to those bridges.

Speaking of Bridges, I watched an old episode of The Closer with Mom tonight, and I think Beau Bridges is stunning in a frock!

I am very much loving the sound of steady rain for a greater part of today. It’s been so dry outside, and so long without it, that I am not listening to music for a change. The rain is a pleasant song tonight.

And I’m still being a goofball, no need to fear any change from that!:

Double Vision.

Fun With Broken Sunglasses.

Self Portrait With Olympus