GETTING BACK TO NORMAL?????

This has been a GREAT WEEK! I am so THANKFUL for returning energy and feeling A LOT like MY OLD SELF once again! I was THANKFUL to get out and mow the lawns and while doing so Bubba decided he would get a “BUTT “ shot! Doing yard work is EXTREMELY therapeutic for me and I am THANKFUL to be able to get out and WORK again! With the rain this week everything is getting so GREEN! The peach, plum and cherry trees are ALL in bloom. The apple trees are getting their leaves and I see HUNDREDS of blossoms. Between now and May 15th we keep our fingers crossed for warm nights with hopefully NO freezing! This is such a BEAUTIFUL time of year! I am so THANKFUL for SMALL things!

We had Simone, Lukas and Stella here a couple of times this last week and one night it was warm enough to do an outdoor dinner roasting hot dogs, etc. We love to play soccer, baseball and TAG on the trampoline. The tag game we play is with one person "IT". The two who are NOT "IT" hang on my shirt tails as I run around and around and around. They are basically flying around the outside circumference of the trampoline. The "IT" person CANNOT cut through the middle. They have to run to catch up with me. I am like a WORK HORSE - I run and run and run as fast as I can! Ha Ha - they have a hard time catching up with me but honestly - by the end I drop completely exhausted! I felt the pain in my calves the next day and not only that - it took a FEW days to recuperate!

I am feeling more energetic as each day comes a long. I am quite frankly surprised that it has taken my body four weeks to feel a little better. With surgery scheduled now in four weeks I am hoping to get stronger and stronger so I am at the TOP OF MY GAME by May 11th!! I still have a little burning pain so I called to the oncologist’s office Friday and was ONCE AGAIN reminded it can take up to two months to go away. This is the FIRST time in my life that I do not feel I have control over my body. We are taking bike rides every day and I am staying active and busy. I am getting to know my body ALL OVER AGAIN which is a really hard concept for me. I used to know what to and what not to eat, drink, etc. and felt very confident that I knew how my body would react. NOT SO any more. I think this is my biggest FRUSTRATION. With that being said however, I am THANKFUL to be ALIVE!

We are looking forward to heading to Las Vegas this weekend for a little rest and relaxation! I cannot wait to sit by the pool and bask in the warm sunshine. Saturday evening we will see Garth Brooks at the Wynn. I am excited to get away and feel kinda NORMAL again! I am truly looking forward to a little change of scenery!

I am THANKFUL for so many things – for so many people and for my return to a pretty good state of health. I am NOT looking forward to my surgery but I want to get it all taken care of so I can be cancer-free and back to doing what I do best! Taking care of OTHER people! Please continue to pray for me and my family. I feel the prayers and I need the prayers. As we get closer to the surgery date I will ask you to also pray for my surgeon – so that he will be able to take care of me and make the best decisions in my behalf.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Amazing isn’t it how some people see the basket half empty and others see it half full. Some see life hopeless; others HOPEFUL! Even when things are less than perfect, if you can think of the GOOD, the BEAUTIFUL, the HOPEFUL, you’ll be more than sustained! You will CONQUER!”.

I know I will CONQUER the things I have to conquer! I am HOPEFUL! I am THANKFUL.

LOVE and HUGS to ALL!!