I have been blogging a little on a new website:  new blog .  I’m sporadic but I’m all about no rules these days.   In other words, I am kinder to myself.  I’m all about exploring life from a new perspective.  The new blog is more about life and less about knitting since I haven’t been able to do that much even yet.

Life is good.

I had 27 weeks of chemo, surgery and have just completed 28 days of radiation. Everything has gone well, I had a complete response and will be having reconstruction perhaps in January. I am scheduled for that but there is a question whether I will be ready for it so it may be as late as next July.

Life is good, I am so grateful for all the love and support I have received. My faith in God kept me strong and at peace and I have learned so much and have a new perspective on life.

I am not sure when I will be back here because now I have to adjust to life without doctors and appointments everywhere. I am still not knitting because this all really affected my fingernails. They are back and look fairly normal but they still don’t feel completely normal.

I just thought I’d better pop in and say hi and let you know all is well.

I finally had my surgery on March 3. It was successful and uneventful. At my post-op appointment with the surgeon I got the best news possible. They found no trace of anything left. He said reports don’t get any better than that! We had lots of tears in our house!!!

Even though the news was great, I will still go through radiation. I won’t be able to start that for a few weeks. It will be daily for 6-7 weeks. This is just precautionary and really, I don’t care to look back and wish later that I had done it.

It’s been almost a year since I started fighting this battle and it’s been long and hard, but I am a new and better person because of it.

Don’t forget your mammogram!

Now I am entering a new phase.  I’m set up for an MRI but have to get rid of my cough from this cold going around.  Hopefully the meds will kick in before Monday.  I also have a consult with the surgeon, follow-up blood work and then an appointment with my oncologist.  Squeeze in there a follow-up for my cough, this all happens next week.

The last MRI my tumor was next to nothing.  The doctor has been like a kid, so excited that it has gone down so quickly and that I made it through the chemo so well.  I have been extremely tired and it has taken quite a toll on my body, but it will get better now.  I will likely have surgery right after the holidays.

Hope all is well with you all.  Take time to love those around you and to be grateful for the small things in your life!

ps:  It’s been so long since I’ve been here and I’ve been dealing with “chemo brain” ~~~ I couldn’t figure out how to even do a post!

In early May, I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer. I spent the month of May going through very intense testing. Two weeks ago I started chemo, both daily oral and weekly iv. So far, I have been doing very well tolerating the treatments but the effect is cumulative and they say I will grow more fatigued as time goes on.

I do appreciate hearing from my old friends I’ve made on here and if you are interested in knowing more, send me a note through the comments and I will get back to you. I don’t want to turn this blog that has brought me so much fun into being all about this. I plan to be back some time in the future. I really am doing well emotionally at this point, my faith in God has really held me day-by-day and I am actually finding blessing every day. It’s a miracle.

Thanks for your friendship over time and I will try to get back now and then.

These are so fast and way, way fun. The pattern is called Bunny Nuggets and you have to try one!

Last Friday was our usual date night. When I left work, the sun was shining and there was rain going sideways! You could see where the rain was and where it wasn’t….it was really weird. When we were headed out of town, it looked so eery I didn’t even know if I wanted to drive into the weather.

See the blue sky in the distance?

Looking west, it was mostly clear and sunny. Sorry for the blurry.

We drove through about 10 miles of crazy rain and then it was partly cloudy the rest of the trip. Weird.

I saved the best for last. Little Missy Mayah and I went for a very quick walk today while Rhianna went to get our lunch. We came back with a little present for Mayah.

What is in the bag?

Well, I have another little bunny!

I think she might have fun with this for a few years. (she loved the bunny I knit, too.)

Well, what have I been up to?

let’s turn him around….

I put a picture on facebook and within minutes I had a whole string of comments and hints. I don’t have any more angora. I might have enough to make one for both of my little grandbabies, though. Mayah liked it a lot but it’s still in my possession.

Sunday afternoon, I got a text message from Rhianna. She wondered what I was doing. I said nothing much, she told me she had 2 crying children and Kyle was at a meeting. I was up off the couch and on my way out the door. Kenny laughed at how fast that move me. I was thrilled that she needed help and asked me. I love spending time with my kids and was more than happy to play with crying children. Funny how that doesn’t stress me. Kenny was going to load Tyler up and come a little later but they ended up deciding to stay home. I had a most enjoyable time.

This is what I saw when I ran out the door.

I know I’ve shown the same view many times but I never get sick of it. My camera died right after I snapped the picture.

I did happen to have a little picture of my new little sweet pea, though. He’s such a doll.

Life is good, I do know it is. I am sure things will fall into place. I’m grateful for such a great family and understanding from them while I try to get a grip on myself. I am going to investigate getting some little times away from the rat race. I’m not too worried about it, just feel like I’m having a wake-up call.

The bruising is gone.

Samuel responded well to treatment and really, the only reason they were there was so he could get his 10 days of antibiotics. There was a problem along the way with getting the iv in and they almost got transferred to Tacoma, but there was a nurse and an iv specialist who prayed over the needles and his iv went in first try….after numerous attempts by other shifts.

Uncle Tyler is thinking this guy is pretty cool.

I am so proud of my kids. Rhianna did so well in the hospital made friends with the nurses and just did a great job.

Kyle spent as much time as he could with her, but he also went home and spent quality time with Mayah. I really feel for him because he had a big job being with his family here and there. His devotion is evident and I am proud to call him a son. It’s wonderful to see your daughter well taken care of.

One night Rebecca and Chase were there the same night we were. In the Special Care Nursery only 3 adults are allowed in the room at a time, including the parents. Once in awhile one of the nurses let us cross over.

Rebecca is such a great auntie!

Another night, Kyle and Mayah were there so we played with her in the waiting room.

Every one of my pictures of her was a blur because she does not stay still. Here she is headed toward that door that leads to mama and daddy, but she came back to play.

\

It was days and days before I finally got to see his eyes!

I spent two different days with Mayah. Whew, that girl can keep you on your toes!!! We had a good time together. I had her on Tuesday this week while Kyle was with Rhianna. Rhianna slept much of the day and Kyle spent time with his new son. Mayah did well with me, but it broke my heart at bedtime when she kept talking about Mama and Dada….she did not understand they were coming home in the morning. I kept trying to reassure her and she just sadly laid down and I never heard a peep out of her.

It’s fun, they have a video monitor now and that little stinker never did take a nap although she was stumbling tired in the afternoon. I watched her play for hours in her crib. I guess it was a blessing in disguise because while she was sad about her mommy and daddy, she was too tired to protest much.

Kyle came home that night and they headed up the next morning to bring home the boy.

Yesterday it seemed that the whole 10 days hit me hard. I was dangerously tired. Work was hard and long and I was thankful a friend came in to visit at the end. I couldn’t believe it last night but I watched American Idol and went to bed and slept like a baby all night.

Life is so good, I just love having these little babies, I love my kids, I just can barely contain the joy each one of them brings me. Kenny and I are so blessed with all of our kiddos.

And, since I haven’t been a faithful blogger, I hadn’t had a chance to share my good fortune! I won a blogiversary drawing! It happens to be one of my favorite blogs and Mary has become a friend. She lives in New York and I love following her through her days and through the city she loves! Hop on over and visit her!

Look what I got!!!!

This bag is so beautiful! It is made by Maruca and I loved the little tag inside….It’s the Hannah bag…”Meet Hannh..Hannah hannah bo-bannah…Bountiful Hannah! Love it!!

But that wasn’t all!

I can’t figure out where I put the label to this beautiful angora. She thought it might become a pair of booties for little man. I started them but my brain has been mush all week so I will have to get moving on them soon. Love this yarn!!!!

And last but not least, oh my, how I love this!!!!

I love this so much and it’s been going back and forth to work with me. This is Mary’s lys and I think I may have to visit it some day, although the store she showed us today on her blog might be a must-see, too!

Thanks, Mary!!!

Today I took my mom to visit and see her great-grandchild for the first time.

Mayah was eating lunch and Uncle Tyler had to come visit. I will have to get some video of him talking to her, it is so sweet.

But then, so is she!

Samuel Elias!

Don’t be alarmed at his color, he was bruised during birth.

It hasn’t been an easy road for him though. He contracted a blood infection during the birth process and will be in the hospital untial at least next Wednesday. He is improving in spite of the ordeal of a spinal tap today.

He was 8 lbs. and 21 in. long. I have yet to see that sweetie with his eyes open. He’s been in the special care nursery since he was a few hours old and I have only been able to go in and see him twice now.

I don’t know if you can even see this, but the sign says “my face is bruised” so the nurses coming on duty don’t get scared when they see him.

The lights were off in the room and I couldn’t flash but here is a closer picture that I lightened, really bad quality.

(maybe when I’m not so tired)

how cute is this?

It’s kind of hard. Tyler was not allowed in the special care area so he is waiting for dad to come out. He was a real trooper.

He sees dad ocming and Kyle had taught him to wave his hand in front of the automatic door opener so here’s his chance!

and he gets to see the new mommy.

Today, the got special permission to let him in. I thought I had a picture but maybe I didn’t upload it yet, will show later if I did. The nurses there have been wonderful to Tyler. He has spent 2 long days sitting in the hospital and I love the respect they have shown him.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad.

Here he picked up Mayah’s doll on his own and is enticing her to come play.

It was so much fun to watch.

She says her baby is in her tummy.

They just have a special bond that brings tears to my eyes.

And was the little miss happy to see her mama? You tell me…

I don’t know why I don’t seem to have pictures of Kyle, too. I am so proud of my kids! They have been dealing with it all so well. I am so blessed by them as I am sure many others are.

We’re taking turns with the other grandma watching Mayah. Her whole world has been turned upside down. They moved part of their stuff, we went to Oregon for a long weekend, then finished moving. The house is full of boxes because the last of the move happened Saturday and Mr. Sammy made his appearance early the next morning! We’ll do what we can to bring a little order to it all, Rhianna had planned to have everything in place before baby but he didn’t want to wait!

I loved when we got to the hospital today. Kyle had taken his girl off for some lunch together, just the two of them. She loves her daddy, too, and it was so sweet to see them come back after their date together.

Stay tuned.

I couldn’t pass up this little coat for Mayah.

Girls are way too much fun!

The kids are in the process of moving to a bigger house. She’s doing pretty well with the move but doesn’t get far from mom.

And now for the laugh of the day. On Facebook it seems everyone was posting pictures of themselves with their loves. I thought I’d share a blast from the past.

I actually snapped a shot of a 1×1.5 in picture we have. 35 years ago!