Happy Friday!

TGIF! I'm so glad it's Friday, this week has dragged on! I blame the weather! I'm so glad it's back to summer today instead of January-type weather.

I've realized that all the leg pain I've been having is from exercising. I used to run on our treadmill before all of this cancer stuff, but since my leg still isn't strong enough to run again, I've been walking as fast as I can at about an 8-10% incline. I think it's just too much impact. SO, if anyone wants a practically brand-new treadmill, I have ours for sale! We want to buy an elliptical instead. The doctor said I need to be doing no-impact exercises, so I think that would be the best thing to get. Call me if you're interested!!

Joe's going to Edgewood for the weekend. YAY! Hahahaha, just kidding. I'm just looking forward to having a girls day with my sister and mom tomorrow. Not that I couldn't do that if he wasn't going, I just don't have to feel guilty for being gone all day now! It's funny how I feel bad leaving him, but he doesn't even think twice about going mountain biking or skiing all day. Or weekend. :) So tomorrow is going to be filled with shopping, baby shower planning and other really important mother-daughter stuff. Should be fun!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Zach & Libby

On the morning of August 9, Zach Waddle and his girlfriend Libby were hit by a drunk driver while walking. I went to school with Zach and Joe worked with Libby's sister, Emily at CAS. We found out about the horrible news on Sunday morning. Ever since, I've just felt totally heartsick. I really feel like my heart is hurting. That probably sounds weird, but it's so true. That's the best way to describe how I feel. Everytime I think about them, it's all I can do to stay composed. Zach and Libby had a little baby boy, Mason, who turns 1 next week. I can't even imagine what Zach and Libby's families are going through and what life will be like for Mason without his mom and dad. No one should have to experience anything like this. And to think it all happened because of a stupid drunk driver makes me SO mad. It's so stupid! My heart is aching for their families......how do people find the strength to overcome such a horrible tragedy?

http://masonsfuture.org/

It's a....

GIRL! I'm going to have a niece in just a few more months! Kim and George surprised us last Thursday with the news. We are all so excited! It definitely seems more real know that we know it's a "her" instead of just an "it." Let the shopping begin! :)

I had a doctors appointment with Dr. Kim on Friday. He said my leg is swollen, but he seems to think it's radiation related. Hopefully that's all it is! I've been having some pain, so it freaks me out that it's also swollen. I tell myself it's the bone trying to heal, but as the pain gets worse, I get more worried. I've also been extremely fatigued lately. More so than I ever was going through chemo/radiation. I hate it! Being tired all of the time is miserable! Especially when nothing I do helps. Usually exercising will give me energy but lately it just knocks me out even more. My last blood test showed I was slightly anemic, so maybe that's what it is? We'll see what my next blood test says. My next appointment is the big one. My first PET/CT scan. I'm dreading that more than anything right now. Not only is it extremely nerve wracking waiting for the results, having to have an IV and lay in the tube for hours isn't exactly fun. I guess I just have to face the fact that tests like this will be a part of my life from here on out!

It's been another busy weekend. Joe and I went to Portland yesterday and had dinner at The Melting Pot. It was so much fun! We got home around 10:30 and then we walked for Relay for Life from 1-3 AM this morning. It was a lot of fun! We were exhausted before we went, but when we got home we were wide awake so we were up until around 4. We walked with Jenny on Cowlitz Title's team. It's definitely something I'll do again next year! And next year I'll have hair. Yay! Speaking of hair, it's coming back fast and furious. It's super dark, super thick...I even have to use a towel to dry it off after the shower. I'm making progress!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Dinner at The Melting Pot!

Relay for Life! At 2:00 AM...

Last night we went for dinner with my dads brothers granddaughter, Emily. She is in Longview visiting her grandma and come to find out, she was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She's only 19! We had no idea this was going on with her because my dad's brother died a long time ago and we don't really keep in touch with them. Anyway, it was so interesting to talk to her and here her story. She had just started her freshman year of college when she was diagnosed so she had to quit. Now that treatments over, she's staring again this fall.

Anyway, we never really thought cancer ran in our family, but I'm beginning to think it does! My dads mom died of leukemia, my dads sisters grandson died of leukemia and I have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma....all blood cancers. I wonder if this all comes from my Grandma Vincent?

Graffiti

We woke up on Friday morning to this on Joe's truck:

Our entire neighborhood got spray painted. There were swastikas all over, a few other trucks spray painted....it was pretty bad. We called the sheriff and he came out, but they didn't have any idea who was doing it. Luckily the idiot decided to try to paint again last night and someone saw him and reported that he had a mohawk. Having a mohawk makes you pretty easy to spot...especially if you're the only kid in the neighborhood who has one, so the sheriff went and questioned him and he admitted to doing all of it. Thank goodness he's been caught! Hopefully he's locked up in juvi right now!

Joe got a new job!

After two years of working at CAS, Joe got a new job working in the lab at Kemira. He gave his two-week notice today and his first day at Kemira will be August 4th. We're both so excited! And that includes my parents. People have been asking if they're upset, but the answer is no. Not at all! This is a big stepping stone and will give him the experience he needs to take over as CEO for my dad in a few years. :) Just kidding....

I'm just thankful everyone is happy for him and he doesn't have to experience what I went through. But then again, my dad would never be upset about any of his employees advancing in their career even if that meant leaving the company. Anyway, YAY for JOE!

We went camping last weekend at Lake Merwin with Kim and George. It was so much fun! I love that place. It's paradise....and so close to home! Here's a picture from our campsite:
It was a nice little getaway! And tomorrow Joe and I are going camping again. This time we're going up to Alder Lake with Jenny, Casey, Aaron and Kendra. Oh, and the baby. :) I'm so excited! Yet another busy weekend. We've been busy and/or out of town every weekend this summer. Kind of ironic considering my health. Pretty good sign that I'm back to good health though!

My hair is starting to grow back like crazy! And it's coming in thicker than ever. NOT what I wanted! I was hoping it would be a little thinner this time around. I'll probably end up with it being twice as thick and even curlier. Just a few more weeks and I think I'm going to ditch the wig. Now that the hair is coming back, it's super hot. And itchy. Not fun at all!

Alright, time for bed. I'm up late tonight...I've been going to bed at 8:15-8:30ish nightly. I get mad at myself for being lazy, but then I remember all the crap I've gone through the last few months and just hit snooze and enjoy my 12 hours of nightly sleep. :)

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July! It feels weird saying that...how can it possibly be the 4th already!? Summer is flying by!

I had my 20th (and LAST!) radiation last Friday. It feels weird to be done. I am happy to be done, but at the same time it's really scary. I think being done has been harder on me emotionally than going through everything. When I was having treatment, I was constantly "killing" the cancer. Now it's like they've done everything they can for me and now we just have to wait for the smoke to clear and hope that there's nothing left. I had my first big check-up with Dr. Nichols on Wednesday. He seems to think everything is good, but we'll have to wait until my PET/CT scan on September 8th. It's too soon to have scans since I just finished radiation, that's why we have to wait until September.

I've been totally exhausted the past week. Dr. Nichols said that can happen after radiation....it's taken a toll on my body....but it's so frustrating! Not having energy is the worst!

Last Sunday we got up at 4:00 AM, braved the scorching heat and did the LIVESTRONG 5K at NIKE Headquarters in Beaverton. It was so much fun! I was surprised at how much fun it was actually! There were 13 people on my team. It was a pretty good feeling....especially when I walked with all of the survivors at the very end. I'm a survivor!

Hope everyone has a good 4th! We're going to the Staple's at around 1, then to Jenny and Casey's and then we're driving up to Edgewood later this evening and we'll be up there until Sunday. It's going to be another busy weekend!