So, I have a LOT to say now that it's been almost a week since I've last written, please do, it's been a mixture of joy and pain this week:
On Friday, I went to a "prom"!!!!! It was for graduate students, and it was on a boat. We cruised down the hudson river, had a good dinner, dessert, dancing, and I DRESSED UP! It's the first time I wore mascara since my surgery, which is a huge deal to me because I used to be a person who couldn't go a day without it. Ever since I popped that cherry I can't stop. It's like riding a bicycle, easy-peesy. The prom was with Jason's coworkers, whom I adore. It was fun to tell embarrassing stories about Jason and to share in the jokes he reports from work.
This weekend was BUSY. I accompanied Jason to work and then did uber grocery shopping on saturday. On sunday, I went to brunch with my friends here in Albany. 8 of us gathered at Cafe Madison, which we call "Madisons" and we had our favorite breakfast food that prints a new menu every weekend because they use seasonal items on top of the old favorites. We took a little side trip to look at houses because a friend of mine is searching. Then, it was the suicide prevention walk. It was so moving. Someone I worked with spoke about their experiences with losing people close to them by suicide, they cried on stage in front of 200 people, and I was proud of them. So vulnerable and strong at the same time. Sunday was our last "allstaff" of the semester (the big monthly meeting with all the staff on my Indian Quad." It is so nice to see them all together, and to see the late afternoon sun hitting their faces. It was the beginning of seeing the weight being lifted while they're still halfway in the semester mindset because finals are upon us!
As for today, today was another really busy day. I had my post-treatment MRI this morning. I will meet with my doctors on Thursday and Friday to interpret those results and work out the next step in my treatment plan. The fact that I had a seizure on Weds, Thurs, and Friday makes me nervous about what this will show, but there are always other things to attribute the seizures to. A full work week, weather changes, diet changes, cheating on my sodium protest, etc. Crossin my fingers!
Then, Jason was very cranky with me because I have a lot of errands I need to run PLUS tumor group tonight in addition to missing the morning of work because of my appointment. So, I got the grocery items I needed, but I will go to the bank another time, and I caught a ride to tumor group with another girl, who is SO SWEET, love her. BTW, I need to go to the bank because I had to cancel my card because I'm getting fraudulent charges on my bank statement from STARBUCKS!!! This is such a low blow because I love them, whoever is doing this will not turn me away from Starbucks, I'm still faithful despite $130 of charges that I WILL be reimbursed for. Good thing I recently got paid, I'd hate overdraft fees!
Tumor group was good to go to, Jason met me there. May is brain tumor awareness month!! If you'd like to donate towards my tumor group's team, go here:
http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR?px=2922708&pg=personal&fr_id=1720&et=rWs4e0epSxn-knKj5q6XCA..&s_tafId=48023
My team is "Weaver's Wheelers"
In honor of those lost and those fighting, we do a little "service" we speak about those we know who have lost, we talk about ourselves and others who are fighting our cancer and other types, we do some prayers, etc. What was toughest about today, despite a cranky Jason, and the touchy subject of talking about those who have lost to the disease I'm fighting, is that a guy from my group died three days ago. He was so sweet to me the first time I went, he made sure I had the "caretaker bible" that would help my family be there for me. Last month he was discouraged because he was in a lot of pain. He was in the hospital and took his last breaths literally as his prized granddaughter went in and told him he could go, that she loved him, so he went. He had the same grade and type of tumor as mine. An anaplastic astrocytoma that he'd been fighting for just over a year. His wife and daughter came to tumor group just as they normally would, because they felt they needed it, and I'm so glad they came. They are so brave! His wife made sure to hug me before she left, she is such a nurturing soul! I remember last month, when he tried to talk about how great she is in supporting him, she made him stop, because it was making her tear up, and because she said that "this is what you do!"
Another group member was engaged and had his fiance leave him soon after the diagnosis. My friend who died three days ago had his wife by him every day. Despite Jason being occasionally cranky, he's with me every day too. Plus him, I've got all of you, one less thing to worry about.
On Friday, I went to a "prom"!!!!! It was for graduate students, and it was on a boat. We cruised down the hudson river, had a good dinner, dessert, dancing, and I DRESSED UP! It's the first time I wore mascara since my surgery, which is a huge deal to me because I used to be a person who couldn't go a day without it. Ever since I popped that cherry I can't stop. It's like riding a bicycle, easy-peesy. The prom was with Jason's coworkers, whom I adore. It was fun to tell embarrassing stories about Jason and to share in the jokes he reports from work.
This weekend was BUSY. I accompanied Jason to work and then did uber grocery shopping on saturday. On sunday, I went to brunch with my friends here in Albany. 8 of us gathered at Cafe Madison, which we call "Madisons" and we had our favorite breakfast food that prints a new menu every weekend because they use seasonal items on top of the old favorites. We took a little side trip to look at houses because a friend of mine is searching. Then, it was the suicide prevention walk. It was so moving. Someone I worked with spoke about their experiences with losing people close to them by suicide, they cried on stage in front of 200 people, and I was proud of them. So vulnerable and strong at the same time. Sunday was our last "allstaff" of the semester (the big monthly meeting with all the staff on my Indian Quad." It is so nice to see them all together, and to see the late afternoon sun hitting their faces. It was the beginning of seeing the weight being lifted while they're still halfway in the semester mindset because finals are upon us!
As for today, today was another really busy day. I had my post-treatment MRI this morning. I will meet with my doctors on Thursday and Friday to interpret those results and work out the next step in my treatment plan. The fact that I had a seizure on Weds, Thurs, and Friday makes me nervous about what this will show, but there are always other things to attribute the seizures to. A full work week, weather changes, diet changes, cheating on my sodium protest, etc. Crossin my fingers!
Then, Jason was very cranky with me because I have a lot of errands I need to run PLUS tumor group tonight in addition to missing the morning of work because of my appointment. So, I got the grocery items I needed, but I will go to the bank another time, and I caught a ride to tumor group with another girl, who is SO SWEET, love her. BTW, I need to go to the bank because I had to cancel my card because I'm getting fraudulent charges on my bank statement from STARBUCKS!!! This is such a low blow because I love them, whoever is doing this will not turn me away from Starbucks, I'm still faithful despite $130 of charges that I WILL be reimbursed for. Good thing I recently got paid, I'd hate overdraft fees!
Tumor group was good to go to, Jason met me there. May is brain tumor awareness month!! If you'd like to donate towards my tumor group's team, go here:
http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR?px=2922708&pg=personal&fr_id=1720&et=rWs4e0epSxn-knKj5q6XCA..&s_tafId=48023
My team is "Weaver's Wheelers"
In honor of those lost and those fighting, we do a little "service" we speak about those we know who have lost, we talk about ourselves and others who are fighting our cancer and other types, we do some prayers, etc. What was toughest about today, despite a cranky Jason, and the touchy subject of talking about those who have lost to the disease I'm fighting, is that a guy from my group died three days ago. He was so sweet to me the first time I went, he made sure I had the "caretaker bible" that would help my family be there for me. Last month he was discouraged because he was in a lot of pain. He was in the hospital and took his last breaths literally as his prized granddaughter went in and told him he could go, that she loved him, so he went. He had the same grade and type of tumor as mine. An anaplastic astrocytoma that he'd been fighting for just over a year. His wife and daughter came to tumor group just as they normally would, because they felt they needed it, and I'm so glad they came. They are so brave! His wife made sure to hug me before she left, she is such a nurturing soul! I remember last month, when he tried to talk about how great she is in supporting him, she made him stop, because it was making her tear up, and because she said that "this is what you do!"
Another group member was engaged and had his fiance leave him soon after the diagnosis. My friend who died three days ago had his wife by him every day. Despite Jason being occasionally cranky, he's with me every day too. Plus him, I've got all of you, one less thing to worry about.
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