Well, turns out I was the party pooper on Mothers day. My kids were absolute angels. I got a wonderful card from Daniel that told all the things he liked about me being his mom (made me bawl) , Nathan made me a beautiful painted fingerprint pic of a sunflower, framed with popsicle sticks, Jonah made me an adorable recipe holder with a pic of him dressed up as a chef and a sweet card,  Ben colored me a card and grew 4 marigolds (from seeds!) for me, and Cary (besides the dinner thing) is having me pick out plants for the front yard and porch.

Today I am much better though. I am up and going strong. I am walking (slow as a a snail) every day now - I want to be in as good of shape as I can before I go under the knife. I have along way to go before I can join my friend BJ on any of his Marathons mind you, but I think it gives me much more energy just to get out in the open air and get off my butt.

So, because Cary has to work on Mothers day, and we have yet to see one when:

A. a child did not throw up violently
B. a child did not throw a hissy fit
C.A child did not throw up violently in church
D. a child did not throw a hissy fit in church
or
E. All of the above,

my hubby has decreed that mothers day at our house last all weekend. Not a bad idea. Cary and I started out the weekend by going out to dinner sans throwing up or hissy fit throwing kids. It was really nice to spend time with him, and I actually ate normal food!

My boys each gave me their mothers day presents they made in school (except Nathan, He said I had to wait until Sunday...)  They were all so sweet and tender. Moms get such an unnatural kick out of spray painted juice bottles and egg carton flowers. We wouldn't trade them for all the lalique or lladro' in the world.

No more pokes, prods or needles until the 20th of May when I have to have another PET scan! Yesterdays doctor appointment yesterday went very well. Aaron, Cary's son came down to watch the kids while we went up to LA. He is such an amazing person. All Cary's kids are! I just adore all of them.


I am bit worn out but OK I guess. I am able to eat almost anything except meats and breads if there is an abundance of non tomato based sauces or gravies. Chips are still a no no as well, but I really don't need them anyway. Gotta get in shape for that strip dancing class I wanna take next time I head to Vegas...

Well, DARN it! I won't be able to practice on the subway like I had planned...

I am feeling better and better! I was able to get the boys off to school, unpack the boys bathroom and part of the boys books, and get the boys home from school. Then on top of that, I even made dinner! First time I cooked since January! Hey I gotta protect that mothers day present SOMEhow! I am pretty wiped out now, but I am so very happy I really don't care. Tomorrow might be a different story, but hey, I'll take the good days as I can get them. If anyone would have told me a year ago I would be so proud of myself for accomplishing this much in a whole day, I would have laughed out loud. Funny how perceptions change.

On a bit of a heavier note my friend from the kids school who fought off breast cancer has had a reoccurance. Bless her heart, the insurance would not approve a more aggressive initial treatment because it was not "medically necessary". I wonder if she was told the same thing I was when I was doing my arguing with the insurance company.

An HMO allows for "adequate" care not "the best" care. The fun part is how they said they determine "adequate" care. There is a possibility you have not received "adequate" care if you die, and your heirs can prove you did not die of the cancer. Isn't that so nice?!

Gotta love customer service!

I ate corn chowder last night for dinner ~ and it wasn't even pureed!!!! ( hallelujah chorus playing there in case you were wondering)... I still am a slow poke in most everything and still get pooped really easy, but I am getting better. Pretty soon I will actually be able to help my poor hubby with the boys. ~ and then I will have my surgery and he can  go back to the "single dad" thing. I think he aught to get a present for Mothers day this year, since I haven't cooked a single meal since January... sigh...

Jasper our dog, is now bald. Nothing to do with cancer, just wanted to let you know ~ oh and that I AM THE ONE who gave him his haircut ! WOOT, WOOT! It pretty much did me in for the rest of the day, but hey, I was pretty impressed with myself! OK he looks a bit strange without his hair, but he gets matted and yucky really easy, so we gotta get it off at lease once in awhile!

BEFORE and AFTER

very good day today. I had a small amount of energy and planned to unpack the boys bathroom, organize the kitchen and then take a nap. Well, I took a nap...

Actually I also went to the store with the hubby so that pretty much wiped me out. But hey, the hurties were a lot less so I will take what I can get.

DANG IT! I forgot to bring a parasol! I just love getting in peoples way.

I need to say something I have been avoiding.

Handle bar mustache guy passed away.

May you sing many more songs and make much more gumbo for those who have gone before.
xxxx and much love,
Stacey

I haven't blogged in a couple days - OK a bit longer than that- but who's counting. I started having trouble breathing and even going up the stairs made it feel like I had run a marathon in an hour. I stated having dizzy spells and that is when hubby said enough is enough. I TOLD him I was just being a boob, but he had me call the doctor anyway. Well, long story short they though I might have pneumonia,but all the tests and x-rays came back good. Apparently radiation can  cause lungs to get all puffy, but no pneumonia. SOOOO it really was that I was just being a big boob.

(this is where I would normally put perhaps an inappropriate pic of a "big boob" but since this IS a family site, I figure I best refrain...even though it IS my site and dang it I have already done the potty mouth thing...you missed it~ it was way back at the beginning or something)

yesterday was a really good day. I got a lot accomplished, and didn't feel wiped out until way after 6:00 pm! today...~ ... well, here is what I wrote on my facebook page :

"yesterday was a good day. Today, I am still working on getting my butt in the shower and it is dinner time...and its a stinky butt too....."

I guess I am still struggling to understand why I can be so full of beans and vigor one day and feel so wiped the next. I mean its not like the cancer is growing anymore, its dead. SO why is my body not bouncing back? My head knows it has only been a week since I stopped treatment, but dang it my spirit want to get out there and enjoy these next few weeks before I go under the knife! I guess I will just take the good days as I can get them, but it still sucks when there are bad ones.

I found this on the web and laughed out loud. 

Death AND a fine... hmmmm.... I must remember not to touch those wires...