Update 12/14/09

Here it is, December already. Christmas is on its way and 2009 is coming to a close--wow, where did the time go? I hope you are all doing well and your holiday preparations are going smoothly. Things here are plugging along. We are busy as usual.

Thanksgiving was very nice here. We had 31 family members for dinner plus another 7 for dessert. I had such a good time seeing everyone and catching up. It was a very, very busy day. It took me about 2 days to recover...but it was well worth it. I seriously stayed in bed for the 2 days after Thanksgiving due to fatigue and joint stiffness. That was frustrating. I still don't quite understand how I can feel so good one day, and completely wiped out the next. Still having trouble with that "pacing" concept. Hopefully I'll figure it out one of these days.

Aaron was home for 5 days at Thanksgiving and that was nice. He's working on his last week of school for the semester now--finals start tomorrow for him. He'll be home for Christmas later on this week. It'll be good to have him home for a few weeks--I have lots of things for him to do!

Will also has finals this week. He will be done Friday, and will have 3 weeks for vacation this year, instead of 2. My school is also going on vacation for 3 weeks this year for the first time--I'm REALLY looking forward to a little time off. Christmas week will be busy, of course, but after Christmas I plan on doing a lot of resting.

Will's knee is healing as expected. He has had some pain and popping in it. His PT thinks it's nothing to worry about, but he definitely wants Will to mention this to his Dr. at his next appt., which, by the way, is later this week. Will is, of course, still wanting to progress to more activity than he is released to do, but he is hanging in there. He has had lots of other things to keep him busy lately, with finals, college visits and applications, and soccer season starting. He is going to practice every day and standing on the sidelines at each game, just as he did with football. He spends time in the school's training room after school each day, working with the trainer on his exercises the PT gave him.

My health is about the same. At my last 3 month check up, my CA 125 blood test(ovarian cancer marker) came back good, so I am good for another 3 months. Thank you, Lord, for your continued grace.

I have to go in for a colonoscopy next week (what a lovely start to my Christmas vacation!). But these procedures are just a part of my life now, and, knowing first hand just how crucial these tests are, I will NEVER complain about having to get them. I can't say enough about how grateful I am for life-saving screenings and my drs. who make sure I'm getting them on time. Every time I go to an appt., I get a computer printout letting me know what I'm due for next and when.

I'm still not kicking the fatigue or the joint stiffness. In fact, the joint pain seems to be getting worse, not better. Perhaps the cold weather has something to do with it, but I don't really know. I saw Dr. Box a couple of weeks ago, and she did some extra blood tests to check on some things, and, thankfully, nothing new was wrong. She reminded me, once again, that it takes a long time to recover from chemo, and that, unfortunately, the side effects are probably going to linger for quite a while longer.

The next 2 weeks are busy for us, as I know they are for all of you. I have a very busy week at work, with a field trip and Christmas party and all the little details of the last week of school before winter break. I also have a couple of Dr. appts. for me, and Will has a follow up with his surgeon, and my Mom has a Dr. appt. as well. And of course, there's Christmas shopping and preparations to get done. So my prayer for all of us, my friends, is that we take the time to really enjoy the season and reflect on what it's really all about.

Have a wonderful week, friends. I'll check in again before Christmas.

Love, Stacey