So much has happened!

#1 I am happy to report that I am dying no faster than any of the rest of you. A friend told me I should have about 40 more years left or so. I'll take it! 

Turns out biopsy was negative!

 *happy dance , happy dance, happy dance!* 

 Precancerous cysts and fibroids are something I can deal with. I am having surgery to remove pretty much everything  reproductive wise at the beginning of June. Since I already have a passel of amazing kiddos,  I'm TOTALLY OK with that. No more PMS,  no more sending hubby out to buy feminine products (and yes, yes he does love me - that proves it!), no more Midol and no more crazy mood swings!!! We are going to shoot for keeping one of the ovaries, so hopefully I won't have all the hormonal issues that could accompany this procedure.

(happy little sigh)...

#2 My oncologist wants to keep a closer eye on me (picturing the All Seeing Eye and it's starting to creep me out...), SO what that means is I have a bunch of pokes and prods coming up. Since it is almost June (the anniversary of my surgery) he thought we could get an early start...

So to recap, I have upcoming: PET scan, mammogram, endoscopy, colonoscopy, and of course the hysterectomy and all accompanying tests, blood work  and check ups. (big sigh)  But its all good, I'm here to watch my kids wrestle each other, dress the dog up as the Hulk  (pretty funny BTW... Good thing we have an UBER patient dog...), and take my oldest to his orchestra rehearsals ( he plays the viola). I get to giggle as I listen to my younger one went retreating into my closet to sing sad and rambling made up songs about how mom doesn't listen to him and he is SO a big kid and SHOULD be able to play with the older kids, and he IS a big boy, but no one understands, and  - ooo hey look a nickel! ...  I get too smile and play the tooth fairy, kiss  my babies in their sleep, revel in the visits from my bonus kids, take pride in their accomplishments, and sit on my hubby's lap. I'm really OK with that.

#3 I have been doing much better blood pressure wise, but it is still a bit too low.  I try my best to keep it in the 90/60s range and am ecstatic when I can break 100/70. That doesn't happen too often though.  My weight has been giving me fits and starts. I was surprisingly not a happy camper when I bought my first size 3 jeans. (WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM???!!) I range from 109 to 115 but I am trying my darnest to get to a good healthy 125. I would prefer 130, as I would prefer LOTSA room between me and Dolores,  but beggars can't be choosers as they say.

#4 I'm having issues with gas of all things! It makes my tummy distend to look like I am about four months preggers and only a few well timed bits of ... a-hem... flatulence usually handles it. Well, you SAID you wanted to know how I was! (revisiting the cartoon previously posted... ). But that's about it, I don't have issues with dumping and that in and of itself is phenomenal, so I can't complain. Still have trouble with fats and sugars, and make sure my diet steers clear of those, but that is a healthier way to live anyway.

I think that's it for now, I'll keep you updated as testing comes in and as plans progress for surgery and such.  Until then, wish me happy farting...um I mean, good luck... (*sheepish  grin)

Ok then, well my day sucked. How was yours?

I better back up a little. First, the good news. We finally figured out what was causing me to fall flat so often that my driving privileges were suspended! Low blood pressure due mostly to dehydration of all the silly things! I have myself on a schedule of drinking at least 4 oz every 30 minutes. Then I still have room to squeeze in snacks and food every 2 hours. It is much more difficult than it sounds, but it seems to be working... Also we figured out most of the reasons I was having so much severe pain! Too much tummy acid and no nerves to tell me I had heartburn. I am on a mega dose of  Prilosec now, and with the added routine of food and water intervals, I got my driving privileges back, I no longer hurt to the point of really big swear word type owies and I no longer am having an affair with various floor coverings. Quite frankly I have no desire to visit that particular mistress again any time within this, or the next lifetime.

Now the suck-y part. After a weekend in the 80 degree range, and swimming with my boys this Saturday until we all resembled prune-y old people, New Mexico HAD to work it up to it snowing! Snowing here, people! It hasn't stopped yet. I still had to get to the doctor to follow up on a small amount of pain I was having, nowhere NEAR where I was feeling mind you, but still there none the less. Well, I just finished a battery of tests and I was SO not expecting a biopsy today.  I am now in that horrid and terrible waiting game NO one should ever have to experience.(wondering to self if the Jeopardy theme could be played in a very ominous, discordant key, perhaps in the "A minor" range......)

  
I will be finding out soon if I have uterine (endometrine) cancer, ovarian cancer or both.

 Well, you know me, the first thing I did was deny it could be cancer, then I cried, then I felt extremely discouraged because there was no way I could keep beating the odds - and then Cary was there, telling me in no uncertain terms that I WOULD beat this AND the odds. He never wavered. Then we sat down together and did a slew of research. I feel much better now.

See, those steps everyone goes on about are very real. I am also very thankful for my hubby. He pulled be up yet again while I was kicking and belly aching. I really do feel much better. TONS more optimistic and hopeful.
 
Even if it is the worst case scenario, and the tests come back positive, I could not have had it for more that a year and a half (too many complete  MRI and CT scans, remember?) and the 5 year survival rate is right around 95% for both stage 1 and 2. Much better than the 1 year, 15% chance I had last time! ...

Finally! A new post! Not that any of my posts are all that gripping. I just haven't called my "far away family" in a dogs age and am feeling pretty darn guilty. I assuage that guilt by writing this. See what I did there? Guilt done away with AND caught everyone up to date. I would pat myself on the back but it is still too prickly from the post-guilt-recovery thing I got goin' on...

OK so a quick run down. My tummy hurts for about 2 hours after I eat, no matter WHAT I eat, - oh and have I mentioned I need to eat every two hours in the Valient yet vain effort to maintain my weight.  Yeeaaahh... not so successful on that.  Still Twilight Zoning here people...

*looking back, reminiscing on the post baby trying-my-darnest-to-get-the-ol'-hips-back-into-a-decent-pair-o'-jeans... deep nostalgic sigh*

All my favorite clothes have once again met with the Good-will pile, leaving me to ponder yet again the very real  possibility getting all sorts of wild wide eyed looks as I meander into the next parent teacher conference in my skivvies.

OK I was gonna go with my Big Girl Panties, but as the author of Wild Wacky Wonderful Woman said, "I am wearing 'em but they are starting to bunch, OK!".

I am going through a battery of tests to ferret out the cause of all this mayhem, and quite frankly no matter what it is , I can tackle it. ( FAST! SOMEBODY KNOCK ON WOOD! THROW SALT OVER YOUR SHOULDER, GET A BLACK CAT TO WALK IN REVERSE ! ANNNYYYTHING!!!)

I should rephrase that before the Universe decided to whack me a good one - yet again. I can tackle it ~ if it is the ulcers or speed of digestion thing the doctor suspects.  Just because of who I am and my history, cancerous re-occurrence is always a slight chance.

For now I am doing my best to eat and not fall flat, AND I have been banned from driving all by my lonesome until we can figure this out. Which is the biggest "suck-age" factor in all this. Not too bad considering what the original, back in January of 2010, suck-age was!