more steroids

I had an appointment with the lung doctor today. I had hoped to go up, get checked, and be removed from the steroids for good. On the other hand I had a poor breathing test, he hears more crackles in my lungs, and he increased the amount of steroids. He also ordered a scan for the next day or so to check things out. So I am going backwards and not forwards with these lung issues - drats! I am breathing easy and don't need the O2 support so that is good news. However he says I need to be on the steroids for another month. In another month I will seriously have 3 chins, chipmunk cheeks and pack on another 10 lbs.

So hopefully the additional month of steroids will get rid of the inflammation in my lungs for good. I will post if anything comes up on the scan.

Holidays

We had a great holiday with the family. We spent Christmas locally with my mom and Dave's parents. Then we went to AZ to visit my dad and family for the New Year, Lee's birthday, and the WVU game. The weather was awesome in AZ and the kids didn't want to come home.

Physically I am doing well. I am still on my steroids and have a chipmunk face to prove it. I have some doctor appointments this week to get rid of the tubes in my ears and follow up on my lung situation. I need to get off of these steroids and reclaim my face and body!

All in all I guess these are good things to be worried about and nothing compared to the big C.

I am posting some pictures of the little z's. Lee is getting so tall and skinny. Charlotte got taller but doesn't seem to put on any weight. We actually weigh her all the time because she wants desperately to move into a booster seat in the car. Her doc says not until she is 40lbs.....she only weighs 35. Poor girl. Alex is getting bigger and will probably catch up to Charlotte soon. He is getting more vocal but barely saying words. I think I heard him say more today.

Christmas lights

I have been meaning to post pictures of our tacky Christmas lights. I took them last night in the rain....real quick....since I realized I had to take everything down today. Pictures don't do them justice since you need to drive by to see the true tackiness of everything; the light fence Dave built, our many plastic reindeer, Santa, and snowman, the inflatables, lights, twinkling stars, rope lights, and lets not forget the candy canes. I want to hit the sales to acquire more stuff for next year but Dave is complaining about the electricity bill. I am trying to talk him into LED lights to be more environmentally correct but he isn't buying it.

Enjoy

off again on again

So my steroids ended last week........and the coughing began. Not that much of a surprise to me since it takes me FOREVER to get rid of anything. A nice little factoid I learned about myself while battling cancer. Anyway I literally slept 12 hours Sunday night and 12 hours Monday night with doing nothing in between. That much laziness and serious pressure from Dave was enough to make me call the lung doctor. Happily I am back on my steroids and feeling more energetic and coughing less. My lung doctor is out of the country (yes even doctors have a life) and his stand in made the call. I will have to see my dude when he gets back to the states and do more breathing tests. He did however warn me last visit that my BOOP might come back after I stop the steroids so this isn't out of left field. He also said it takes some people longer to recover - again that would be me given my track record.

I feel safe on my steroids and daily antibiotic. I know I can't be on them forever but I also have some gut thing saying it's not the time to stop.

Dave is actually home and was a huge help while I was laid up for 2 days. He is also getting me used to his help around the house, with the kids, the dog, and yard. I told him he needs to stop because I am going to be cursing him when he leaves again for essentially 2 straight weeks of travel in Jan. It's just easier to stay into my routine of doing the house/kid drill solo - that way I don't ever think I am missing something. Yep it's Heather crazy logic.

Some sad news - my mom lost a dear friend, my aunt lost her dad, and an old coworker of mine lost her husband all in the beginning of this month. Just another reminder that life is precious. I am eternally grateful to god for what he has given me. I hope the kids and I can enter into this holy season with that in the forefront of our minds. I don't want to forget what I learned while staring at death's door. I pray that I have the strength to continue living in the moment and not take the lessons I learned for granted.

So the good news is we will celebrate Christmas (the kids are counting down the days) and fly to AZ to visit my dad. Yep life is good.

another year older

Yes I celebrated a birthday last week - exciting 33 years old. Since 33 really isn't anything monumentus I wasn't all to jazzed. My mother on the other hand keeps reminding me that I should be excited about any birthday since I wasn't assured of them this time last year. Point well taken.

Unfortunately I am getting a bit of my cough back since I am just about done with the steroids. Hopefully this is all normal and nothing to worry about. I go see the lung doc on Wednesday and get a chance to vent my concerns. I just don't want this BOOP to return so if that means another couple months on steroids (and another 5lbs) so be it!

The holidays are in high gear with us. Since Dave celebrates Hanukkah we have been lighting the lights each night. My mom's 60th birthday is this Saturday with Christmas soon after.

We also are planning a trip to AZ to see WVU in the Fiesta Bowl, visit my dad, and celebrate Lee's birthday with the Smith clan. I dread the flight but will LOVE the nice weather. It is rainy and cold in MD. We already had our first snowfall last week - yuck. I don't like the winter.

club Remission

Yep another clean PET scan. Pretty much my birthday and Christmas wish rolled all up into a 2 page print out from Hopkins. I couldn't have asked for anything more. So back again in three months. The next test will be after my transplant 1 year anniversary. I guess if I am likely to relapse he said statistically it happens within the first 2 years. So I am almost to that milestone as well. He also confirmed that indeed I am technically in remission but not cured. They don't declare you cured until 5 years of good scans. Alex will be in school by then. Okay I am getting ahead of myself....I guess good news does that to me.

Today's trip to Hopkins reminded me of way too much. The smells, chemo, bad food, no hair, feeling shitty. I am so thankful not to be in that place anymore. I thank god for giving me a new lease on life - life is good.

Test this week

Just wanted to post that the PET is this Thursday and the results are Friday. Dave is thankfully back in town for my doctor appointment to go over the results. I do not recommend going to these appointments alone in case there is bad news. But mine should be a breeze - in and out with good news!

I will post Friday afternoon with the clean scan results!