Time Flies

I finished radiation the day before Thanksgiving and got a nasty coughing mess that week.  I am finally feeling pretty good this week. Four weeks of coughing most of the day and night.  That is a long cold. I was even tested for pertussis.  I was negative; that was great.  Just in time for Christmas, I am SOO thankful!

I saw my plastic surgeon two weeks ago and scheduled my next surgery for March 26.  I am ready for this whole ordeal to be done.  My original diagnosis was March 29, 2012 so it will be almost one year to the day this whole nightmare started.  He was happy with my skin after radiation.  I did do pretty well.  I just hope that the long term effects won't outweigh the benefits of radiation.  I started taking Tamoxifen. It is a hormone therapy.  It blocks the actions of estrogen.  It changes it so that it doesn't connect with cancer cells and multiply.  So far I haven't noticed any big effects. I will take it for 5 years. 

I now have to say how thankful I am for my life.  This whole hellish situation with the school shooting has straightened up my pitty party.  I was feeling like I was picked on for getting cancer.  I would choose this every time over what those people are dealing with in Conn.  All I can say is that this world sometimes doesn't make sense.  What I have to hope with is that God is good and he will take those little ones and protect them.  It is those of us left behind that have to suffer.  My prayers and tears go out to those parents.  No one should ever have to lose their child.  I am sorry.

I am grateful for my best friend and my soul mate, Todd.  Thank you for protecting me, loving me and being my other half.  You make this fight a little brighter.  I will forever be grateful for you!  My little kids are also a sweet reminder of what is good in this world.  They make me remember why I went to hell and back this year.  I want to be their mom.  

 My little Jordan.

 Family photo for our Christmas card.

I want to tell those of you around me the reason I dance.  I dance because I am happy.  I am happy that I lived!  I am so excited to experience another day.  I get to be a wife, mother, sister, daughter, teacher and friend.  It all goes back to the basics.  Life is good, even when it is stressful and crazy.  It is a blessing to just get to be around another day.  So when you see me dance it is simply because I am happy.  You should try it sometime, it is amazing.