No place like home...

Happy New Year! I wrote this on Facebook the other day, thought repeating it here would be good:

New Year Words: This past year has been packed with many words. Above all? Gratitude. I'm so grateful for family support, for friendships I'm lucky enough to have around the world, and ever so thankful and grateful for all who have been doing their generous part in lifting me and my family up over the past six months from play dates to running a fundraiser to sending me positive messages to visiting us all the way over here in Hong Kong to hanging out during treatments to visits on my low days to Skypes that lift me and so many more supportive actions. I know and feel the love and support. Gratitude. Sure there are other wonderful words I could touch on but that one encapsulates my feelings. Looking ahead to a new year full of treatments and healing and changes for me... So much to appreciate and enjoy every day. Here's to a Happy New Year to all my friends and family, much health and peace and fun your way- and many wonderful book experiences as well!

Very happy to discover a new series through Pemberly Digital called The March Letters. I loved reading Little Women multiple times as a child and appreciate a modern day interpretation of them on The March Family Letters:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_ePOdU-b3xf69PZcEbgxlviLrBhJ_cpp

I had my appointment this morning (hard since with flight delays we didn't get home til midnight- YAWN) and got two doses. One more next week and done with chemo drugs for a little while... then two more doses at higher amounts with three weeks in between...

I have an appointment scheduled to see my radiologist this week. My oncologist surprised me (he never ceases to do this) by saying that I do not need a break at all for recovery that I should go right into radiation treatment right after next week's dose. Sigh but accepting. I'm not fond at all of this radiologist. Voiced my concerns with my oncologist about having radiation so close to the past treatment site and he said that this round is different as the radiation is going to a specific targeted area internally and they will focus on the tumor and also sparing the skin. That's a first. Shall see what the radiologist actually says. He's blunt but not quite in a kind way that I appreciate but at least I'll certainly learn everything he's thinking at once.

My face had a major high school looking breakout while I was in the Philippines, got topical ointment from doctor for it, hope it works!

Enjoyed the trip and break from chemo. Happy and grateful I was allowed to go. Had fun with family and friends. I'll blog about the trip every Sunday for a little while over at The Styling Librarian.

Thanks for journeying with me, looking forward to work and routines... Shall see about sleep and health and being careful as well.

Holiday. More than just cancer

Appreciating this holiday. I can look away from the disease and have a little forgetting about cancer at times which is beautiful. Vacationing with friends is such a wonderful experience since we can have wonderful conversations, great peaceful experiences, and our boys have fun entertaining one another instead of needing parent entertainment. (Single child in household sometimes means parents are the entertainment.)

We are at our switch now. Been horrible Internet so far, we don't think the next place we are flying to even provides Internet (this resort had meh connection that completely died a few days ago.) sneaking in this quick post enjoying the fact that for the first time in 14 weeks I don't have to be poked with a needle. Two more right after returning but that is ok. 

I painted my fingernails. Was getting more upset and honestly obsessed by how more and more of my nail beds were  infected/weak underneath. Not that painting nails makes everything right but instead it calms me a tremendous amount to look at something that pains me (yes, started feeling sharp pains on and off in fingertips and toes) and see something somewhat pretty. 

Only had to talk about cancer with a few of the locals who were kind and worried. English speaking is good here, especially in comparison to Hong Kong. One woman bought me some local super fruit and made me a smoothie with it. Shall be investigating it further even though it didn't taste terrific. 

Thanks for journeying with me. We will miss our friends who head back tomorrow, we are off on another adventure tomorrow in another area of the Philippines. I've had a week of ups and downs with energy so hoping will just continue ups and not push myself too much. 

The fruit is at the top and one snapshot of me at resort restaurant. Hooray for hats, hair still growing out but I'm not ready to share yet. Figure when I can look in mirror and feel confident then I'll be free outside with head coverage. I see a tiny bit of my hair curling though a little just more grey than brown so far. 

Happy holidays and New Year to all.