LONG TIME NO SEE...4/24/13

LET ME CATCH YOU UP AND GIVE YOU THE GOOD NEWS!

Looks like Friday was the last time I posted anything. Well I have to say, the weekend was pretty uneventful. I didn't leave the house at all. Saturday I wasn't feeling too hot and had a throwing up incident, so I spend  most of the day laying around watching TV.  I didn't even leave my bed for the living room. So my Mom sat a chair in the room with me and kept me company while we watched TV-- a marathon of Love it or List it on HGTV.

Sunday came and I was anticipating a more active day, but still one that I spent in the house. I was thinking about taking a shower, when my cousin Neisa knocked at the door with her little baby. She had come to visit because she is moving to Louisiana with her boyfriend this coming weekend. Her mother moved down there earlier this year, so she's going to have a new start and better job opportunities for her boyfriend. It was good to see her and her son, Nikor? I'm pretty sure that I spelled his name incorrectly--so if anyone knows the correct spelling forgive me and correct me! She spent the day with us and he was so cute. We were trying to get him to walk. He's so strong and boy is he a little squealer. If he doesn't get his way, then he sure does go to squealing. Babies are too cute.Best of luck to Neisa and her new little family as they embark on their journe I had hoped to see my other cousin, her brother this past weekend too, but he wasn't able to make it out to the house before he had to head back to college.

So Monday rolls around and it's the day before my Grandma's birthday. We needed to get the present shopping done and pick up groceries for the cookout. Me and Mom made our list and called Aunt Donna to check on what time to pick her up on Tuesday. Gran got home from her church event and we headed out to shop.We accomplished everything with 3 stores. Jcpenney's for Gran's favorite sneakers--white Reebok classic Princess sneakers. I had found them online first, so I knew they had them. Easy breezy and I even resisted the $2 clearance rack right by the checkout. Then we headed to the Dollar tree for inexpensive decorations and plates. Lots of balloons, streamers, two signs and these fun seat covers for Uncle Jeff and Gran since we were technically celebrating both b-days. The seat covers didn't fit! Boo hoo! Then onto Walmart for the groceries.

Not only was Monday our shopping day, but it was the day the Dog went back Home! Uncle Jeff had received a dog from one of his buddies after celebrating his bday with them this weekend. I hadn't left the house so I didn't see it until Monday, but he called Gran about it and for some reason she thought it was a poodle. It was apparently small and kept yapping. Well he was barricaded on the porch, but on Monday he found a way to break free and decided he was going after my Mom. She discovered that he was no poodle, but was in fact an obnoxious chihuaha who decided that he was going to eat my Mom for breakfast. He wouldn't let her out the yard with his snarling and trying to nip at her feet. She had to hop in her truck and drive down to avoid further contact. When she went back home, he tried for her again and attempted a sneak attack from behind. She had to kick him away from her.I'm having a good time laughing at her when she tells me all this because I figure she's scared and this little dog is just picking up on it and they're already aggressive. Wrong!!! When we left to go shopping, that crazy little dog was outside with my Uncle as he was mowing the lawn on his riding mower. As soon as he saw me come out the door he looked our way and started barking and immediately charged across the road. My uncle's screaming at him to come back and my Mom's yelling and I'm just trying to get up the pathway to the car. My Mom shakes the shovel out at him as he's about to pass the porch and scares the crap out of him. So he retreats, but keeps barking the whole time. Uncle Jeff declares that he's taking the dog home as soon as he finishes with the yard. Crazy little dog. One of those stupid chihuaha's bit me on the butt when I was a little kid, so I've never really been a fan ever since. I think they have the short man complex.

So Tuesday came and it was party time. Gran went to do her usual volunteer day at Christian Help which gave us just enough time to go pick up Donna decorate and cook everything but the meats, which Mom would throw on the grill once Gran got home. She was surprised at the decorations and she enjoyed her gifts. She received at least 10 cards in the mail. She had gotten gifts from people she rides the bus with and her friends at Christian Help. Then Linda came by and ate and celebrated with us too. Uncle Jeff came down and ate a plate as well. Then we took Aunt Donna home and ran into some old neighbors. But last night we had to get to bed early because today started early!

As soon as you walk in the decorations hit you!

More festive decorations!

The chair covers that didn't fit any of the chairs! Lol!

Gran's Birthday cards on display!

So today was my PET scan so that we could determine the progress of my chemo treatments! We arrived a half hour before the appointment like we were asked to.7:00 am! So I had to get up at 6:00. Plus, I couldn't eat or drink anything for at least 4 hours before hand.First they checked my blood sugar level and then she put in an IV instead of using my port. I was injected with the radioactive materials and left in the room to rest for 30 minutes while it worked through my system. Then I had to drink 3 jello drinks over the next 30 minutes. Then they send you to the bathroom and then scan you. Nothing too major for me and then we had an hour to kill before my lab work and my meeting with Dr. Monga to get the results of the scan. So we went to the McDonald's around the corner and I ate breakfast--food and drink! Yay!!!! The cancer center is crazy crowded when we get back and it takes for ever to get my blood drawn, but they don't really have any problems getting it today. She used the IV they had put in from the scan instead of accessing my port. I had to wait on a room to see Dr. Monga, but they came by pretty quick after we got back there. And they came with great news!

The chemo has been working and they think I only need 2 more sessions!!!!!
Every area has improved--aside from my bones going to see about doing that other treatment for this issue.
Some areas are not even active, but the lung area warrants the need for a little more treatment.
They had originally thought I was going to need 4 more, so this is awesome! I can get back to normal sooner!

I had to grab some milk after we left and Mom decided to snap a photo! Happy!

HOW I'M FEELING!

So I am very, very thankful! Jesus is a healer and a miracle worker! I'm thankful to everyone who has prayed for me and sent kind thoughts or words my way! I'm thankful for every doctor and nurse I've encountered over there! I'm so happy! See maybe that positive thinking stuff really works, huh? I know it does and if you didn't-- believe it now!

Sorry we didn't take more pictures and I haven't really been keeping things as up to date as I would like, but hopefully that will be changing soon.

PSALM 85:2

You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah...

CANCER CUTIE

Tina Bina