The News 2-8-16

It was a long weekend.  On Monday I started to change my kitchen.  I had bought a new cupboard for my birthday (a little early).  It had turquoise in it and I didn't have anything Turquoise.  So that day I made new drapes, and purchased a few things that made it look new and exciting and made it blend.  I have been spending large amounts of time in the kitchen cooking lately.  I had cooked amazing organic food and had lost 35 pounds from diet and exercise, so I needed a new kitchen do.

Monday night I was getting ready to make dinner.  We were going to have a squash soup.  Mr. P was being naughty so I called my husband home to help me deal with him (I hardly ever do this).  Tender Mercy Rob was with me when the phone rang and it was my personal doctor.  He said he had news and that he wanted to be the first one to tell me.  He was missing his daughters birthday party to stay late and tell me that I did indeed have cancer.  He told me we needed to be aggressive because of my age.  He said this will be the whole 9 yards:  Chemo, Surgery, Radiation.  He said that he was sorry, that his wife had also had breast cancer and that he was so sorry I had to do this.  He knew how hard I had been trying to lose weight and how healthy I am (over the years I gave up Soda, Salt, Sugar (for the most part), was on a celiac diet, didn't do fast food, and ate organic.  I was also walking 5 miles a day in one hour or biking 12 miles in one hour) and knew that I didn't deserve this setback. 

He made me decide right then who my doctor would be for surgery.  I held it together for most of that phone call.  But towards the end, tears started rolling down.  I picked my surgeon and my oncologist. I don't know if he knew I was crying or not.  I was trying really hard to hold it together.  When the phone clicked... I cried.  Rob held me as I cried and cried.  Miss S knew something was up.  The door was locked to our room, but she knew and had heard me crying.  We didn't open the door.  He just held me while I cried.  Soon I asked him to call Miss A home so we could tell them the news.  She didn't want to come home.  We told her we had the results and that she needed to come home and that it wasn't good.

Within 15 minutes of the doctor's phone call he texted me and let me know that the surgeon would see me at 4 the next day.  He had also put out a call for the oncologist that I had selected (my parent's oncologist). 

10 Minutes later we were telling the kids.  I of course was still crying.  I kept crying because I felt so bad that I was turning their life upside down.  I felt like I was letting everyone down.  We told them and they were all sad and didn't seem to really get it, except the 18 year old.  We did talk about losing hair and they were all cute and said they would shave their hair for me.  My 18 year old daughter down to my 6 year old all wanted to show they loved me and shave their head.  They also volunteered to shave the dog.  I of course laughed and told them no.  I would be the only one with a bald head in the family.  We left them after awhile.  I knew I needed to tell someone else... my mom.

As Rob and I drove to my mom's house, I knew she needed more support than I could give her.  I also knew that Rob, my Mom, and myself needed blessings.  So I called two sisters and told them what had happened and asked them to come quickly to moms with their husbands.  Then I told my mom.  I knew she would be devastated.  Her nightmare had moved to one of her children.  I told her and she

was strong.  I know she felt horrible, but she took it like a champ.  I then called my other two sisters and asked them to come as well.  We are lucky we all live about 5 minutes away from my mom's house in all directions.  Everyone came at different times into the house.  Every time someone came in, we were laughing about something.  That is how we deal with things.  We laugh.  My sister said that we were the only family that would come into a room because your sister has cancer and hear laughter.  We talked and we had some blessings and I knew with my family, my mom, and sister's help we could do it!  I went home and let my brother and Rob's family know as well what had happened. 

 This picture was taken in November 2015!

We knew this was the start of a very long road.  Rob wanted us to start the journey right.  So after all the crying.... we went to Tepanyaki's and had dinner!

When I look at these pictures, I can't believe that this person has cancer.  Other than poofy eyes.. I think I look pretty good.  My fortune cookie was about sliding down a banister and being careful not to get slivers sliding down.  I laughed at the irony!  I now had a bottom full of slivers!