the bright side

2010-09-14T21:27:00.003-06:00

Hi friends :)

After much deliberation, I've decided to start a new blog. I have loved writing here, but I feel like with all my life changes, it's time to make a change here. I've been cancer free for five years, and will probably still write about my cancer experience, but for now I've chosen to focus more on food, wine, life, love, and all the things that make me happy.

I had a crazy time of it over the past year and a half. My beloved Cleo died, I lost a job, found a job, got separated, got divorced, found Olive, got to my five year cancer free anniversary, found Scott :), found Lenny, found a new lease on life, got my moxie back, and now I am where I am. I've never been one to shy away from tribulation, but now that I'm in a peaceful, wonderful spot, I'm gonna milk it for all it's worth.

Feel free to follow me on over to Amore E Cibo :)

2010-08-01T13:44:00.002-06:00

Croque Monsieur!! So rich, so good. I went to La Creperie yesterday and I've been craving french food, so decided to make some croque monsieur with my newly aquired asiago cheese bread.

2010-07-21T19:24:00.003-06:00

Lenny Lenny Lennypants :) He is the ornery-est, funniest boy. I just adore him.

2010-07-13T22:40:00.002-06:00

Scott is in Dallas on business, and all I have to say about that is... meh. Boo, business trips. I miss him something fierce.

My folks and I went out to dinner tonight and then they came back to my place to meet their new grandpuppy Lenny. He was funny and performed for company, as usual. :) They love my new house and are glad to see I have a nice roof over my little head. :))

Life has been so good lately. SO good. I'm the happiest I've ever been. Sometimes I catch myself in the middle of the day... daydreaming about the future that I know I'm going to have, and it's so much more than I ever imagined. I am so blessed. So lucky, and so thankful. I feel that I am exactly where I should be. I just couldn't ask for more.

So today I'm putting it out into the universe... all my gratitude, all my good thoughts, every ounce of thankfulness. Maybe someone else needs a little good vibe in their life right now. I've got plenty to share. :)

2010-01-29T17:46:00.002-07:00

Long time no post.

January twenty fifth came and went! I am FIVE YEARS cancer free! This, coupled with some other really incredible things that are happening in my life right now, make me feel like the luckiest girl on the planet.

Last year was hard, and suffice it to say January hasn't gone *exactly* as planned...but I see the big picture laying out before me.

I am So. Freakin. Excited. about what's unfolding. More to come- love you all and hope 2010 is off to a smashing start! :)

2009-10-10T18:07:00.003-06:00

October! Holy shamoly. I can't believe how fast fall came. It's freezing cold and snowy. Olive and Izzy are both snuggled up.

Things are calming down and looking up.

2009-08-30T09:44:00.002-06:00

Last night I had company and made red pepper risotto with sausage. It was soooo good. We tried a couple great wines and had a great evening.

Today it's grey and cool...very fall-like weather. This year has gone by quickly. I'm ready for fall. I'm ready for some changes. I'm certainly ready for this year to be over. Next year will be better. I turn 30 in six months. It will be good.

2009-08-16T21:41:00.003-06:00

Sunday night dinner: Risotto with Mozzarella, Peas, Parmesan, and Bacon.

2009-08-15T23:31:00.003-06:00

Ah, mojo, mojo. How I've missed you, my dear mojo.

I bought green chiles and asiago cheese bread at the farmers market today.

Saw Time Traveler's Wife and Julie& Julia, both of which I loved. I had a lovely weekend so far. Olive and I went to visit a friend this afternoon after Olive had a much needed bath, and we had a great day.

Things are good. I am healthy. I have good food in my kitchen, a clean puppy, a lovely home, and things are looking quite positive. I will survive this time in my life. And I will do it with gusto!

:)

2009-08-09T14:24:00.002-06:00

Finally. Back into the kitchen. There is something about the kitchen that helps me get my mojo back. White bean and chicken chili & cheddar scallion garlic bread.

It's good to be back. :)

2009-08-09T13:59:00.003-06:00

Well, I did it. I got a rescue doggie. She is just wonderful. I love her so, and she and Izzy love eachother. :)

Meet Olive.

2009-07-28T22:10:00.002-06:00

I had the worst day. The worst. I came home, slumped down at my kitchen sink onto the tile floor and just sobbed. Ever had a day like that? I felt like there weren't enough tears in my face to release what was going on in my head and heart.

I felt broken. Broken and broken hearted. But then... just when I needed it... a phone call from someone that loves me. And the advice I received was perfect.

I've for sure been going through a hard time lately. But it would be silly of me to forget how far I've come. I have changed undesireable situations, I have excelled in certain areas, and I have grown exceptionally strong. I thought cancer was the hardest thing I'd ever do.

I was wrong.

My prayer for these days is that I remain hopeful. That I keep my optimism. And that I never forget the people that love me. Thanks for the boost. You'll never know how you helped me today. :)

2009-06-27T15:36:00.002-06:00

Oh, tonsillitis. How I hate thee.

Looking forward to:
good dinner tonight
good wine
good conversation
my all girls camping trip next weekend

Would someone please talk me out of getting another dog? Please. It's not like I need one. But I am dreaming of a rescue dog from the shelter. Decisions, decisions. :)

2009-06-21T08:59:00.005-06:00

Life. She is one fickle beeotch.

I don't put everything that is going on in my life out there for everyone to read, but I will say that these past few months have been pretty ridiculous in terms of the garbage I have had to cope with.

I am starting to be happy again, however. I am feeling very together, and "dealing" fairly well. I have put myself back out into the world, made some new friends, and developed some new hobbies. I just got back from a business trip to Connecticut, where I learned so much new material that my brain hurt. :) It was good for me.

Today is father's day, and I'm full of appreciation for my awesome dad and all he has done for me. For all the hard work he did so that I never wanted for anything, for the miles he drove to rescue me from a bad breakup when I was in college, for the squeezy hugs he always has an abundance of, for the fishing trips he took me on, for the hero that he has been in my life...for all of that, I am eternally thankful. I love you, dad...and I am the LUCKIEST girl in the world.

2009-05-23T22:47:00.002-06:00

I haven't dropped of the face of the earth. :)

I'm just... decompressing. Simplifying. Learning how to be.

2009-04-18T13:58:00.003-06:00

Life sure does throw curveballs.

The death of Cleo left me terribly sad, and I've got some things going on in my life that have just been really craptastic lately. Nothing cancer related, just life.

This past week, to put a cherry on my craptastic sundae, I received a dog bite TO THE FACE (not my dog) and had to go to the ER. Good times. It's healing pretty quickly, and doesn't appear that it will scar at all, which is good news. I did have to get a tetanus and I'm still on antibiotics.

I have dealt with my fair share of hard times, and I know that this, too, shall pass. Onward and upward. :)

2009-03-31T22:25:00.004-06:00

The Passing of Dear Miss Cleo

To the most wonderful, funniest dog...

It was an honor, a blessing, to be able to be your "mommy" for a time. You brought me more happiness, more laughs, more comfort, and more snuggles than I knew what to do with. The void you have left can't ever be filled by any other dog. You were incredible. You were special. You were the bright spot on a rainy day, the snuggly-bug on a cold night.

We miss you terribly. It's too quiet and too still. I'll miss your frantic little bark telling me that Diesel was doing something naughty. :) I'll miss your growl of protection when something seemed not quite right. I'll miss the slurp across the cheek at just the right moment, because you knew I needed some slobber in my life just then. I'll miss your sweet little snore. I'll miss everything that made you, YOU. You will NEVER be forgotten, little miss lady.

I love you so.

2009-03-20T20:30:00.002-06:00

Things that made my day super-deluxe, in no particular order:

1. Day and lunch with my mom, who happens to be the coolest chick on the planet.
2. Call from potential employer to set up job interview.
3. Best possible turn out of experimental dinner, Zuppa Toscana, see below.
4. Bombay Sapphire and tonic with a squeeze of lime.
5. My newfound knowledge of how to cook the perfect over-medium egg.

2009-03-20T19:53:00.002-06:00

Zuppa Toscana

Onion, garlic, chicken stock, cream, potatoes, sausage, bacon, and kale. I couldn't find kale, so used chard.

And... Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with cheese

:) I love my kitchen.

2009-03-11T12:13:00.002-06:00

Mexican Chicken Soup-- From Ina Garten

This is basically a tortilla soup, but I didn't care for the consistency after the tortillas were added, so I pureed the base before adding the chicken. I also added cilantro and cheese. This is a perfect lunch.

2009-03-07T10:55:00.002-07:00

Not really a breakfast dish, but I made it for breakfast anyway. Apple, shallot and gorgonzola pizza. This is so good. This would pair perfectly with an arugula salad and balsamic vinaigrette.

2009-03-05T20:06:00.001-07:00

Dinner tonight: gorgonzola crusted filet mignon with red wine reduction, grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes with crispy shallots.

2009-03-01T22:49:00.003-07:00

I cleaned my house from top to bottom this weekend. Now I'm enjoying it and watching Brothers&Sisters. I'm sipping chardonnay. I'm loving this life that I've been blessed with. I'm loving my sweet animals. I'm loving my sweet husband that I've missed all weekend.

I'm feeling good.

2009-02-25T11:03:00.002-07:00

Oh Sushi Den, how do I love thee? My birthday was on Monday, and John took me for sushi, and now I have a new favorite restaurant. YUM. I am now in the LAST YEAR of my twenties.

2009-02-15T09:56:00.002-07:00

For the Coolest Mom in the World on her birthday :)

I am the luckiest daughter ever. You are sweeter, cuter, and more fun than all other mothers combined. I love you so much!

2009-02-13T11:19:00.002-07:00

I haven't been feeling great lately... my doctor is trying to get my thyroid dialed in, and I'm just amazed at how the thyroid takes over your entire body. I've just felt sort of weird and "off" lately. Please, lordy, let them get it dialed in.

You may have noticed that my little nike mini to the right has become fat and lazy.... lies, I tell you, LIES! :) My nike sensor in my shoe died, so I haven't been able to record my runs. Thankfully, my awesome husband bought me a new sensor and cool new running shoes for my birthday. Yay! Now, if we can just convince my thyroid that energy is good, I will be on the right track. :)

2009-01-24T11:33:00.002-07:00

My mom doesn't have the cancer! We had a celebratory piece of I Don't Have The Cancer Lemon Cream Cake yesterday.

What she does have is essential thrombocythemia which still has to be treated with chemo. But in our family, we kick ass. And she is kicking thrombocythemia's ass. Kickin' it hard, one over-zealous platelet at a time.

:) I love you, mom.

2009-01-24T11:21:00.005-07:00

Stephanie over at Live.Love.Eat has a new addition to her family... a sweet little white bulldog :) So I thought I'd post photos of my little white bulldog.

Well, okay, he's not so little anymore... but I remember when he was. Diesel, the puppy that ate an entire section of our sofa. Diesel, who chewed the corners off our coffee table. Diesel, the puppy that became so obsessed with getting the tops off of water bottles that he will now STEAL full bottles of water from unsuspecting guests.

2009-01-10T13:31:00.006-07:00

Things have been lazy LAZY around here lately. We bought a PS3 finally, so that's become our latest addiction. That and netflix. After seeing previews for the new season of LOST, which we never watched before, we decided to get caught up. So we've been having marathons of LOST. :)

Cleo has a tumor on her shoulder and her hips are getting worse-- I think it's time for a vet visit soon to see if we can make her more comfortable day to day. I love my Cleo.

2009-01-01T13:47:00.003-07:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wishing you health, happiness, and more love than you know what to with.

2008-12-23T10:28:00.002-07:00

My mom had an *attempted* bone marrow biopsy yesterday. I say attempted because the anesthetic didn't do the job and it was too painful to continue. Have you ever seen one of those needles?? *cringe*

She was super tough and I am SO SO proud of her. They're going to sedate her next time and do the biopsy that way.

All butt pain aside, we really made eachother laugh alot yesterday. I love me some mommy. I don't think I'll ever outgrow that feeling of just wanting to run up to my parents and throw my arms around their legs. :)

2008-12-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

Just finished reading: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

What a great read!

2008-12-06T15:58:00.002-07:00

Good day out on the trail today. I've been working on some high intensity interval training. It was so nice out today, sunny, blue skies, and about 45 degrees. All the ice had melted-- perfect day to hit the trail.

Purchased this week: A new camelbak for running-- AWESOME... a few new books and our G5 grill- we've already used it for calzones and hot dogs. Yum:)

Hope everyone had a great week!

2008-11-24T23:54:00.000-07:00

So much to be thankful for. I can't begin to express how lucky I am. The best husband a girl could ask for. A family that I can't wait to spend time with. My sweet, furry dogs and cats. Excitement for my future. Another year of being cancer-free.

I was just thinking back to those days when I was so very sick, so very very sick that all I could do was lay in bed. Those days I would DREAM of being able to tie on my running shoes and get outside. Those days I would dream of puttering around the kitchen all day. Those days I would dream of feeling good again. Those days I was hopeful, knowing that SOMEDAY I would be healthy. That day is today. That day is every day from here on out.

Trust me when I say that if you can wake up, get out of bed, breathe in and out, and DO ANYTHING... it is a good day. Give thanks. Give thanks for all you have and all you can be, and do, and experience. Life is so good, so sweet, and so very short.

2008-11-24T23:42:00.003-07:00

I just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young, and Marley and Me by John Grogan.

I liked The Shack alot, it is one of those books that I'll probably have to re-read in the near future, along with The Time Traveler's Wife. So many details.

Marley and Me gave me the biggest cry I've had in a long time. I knew how it ended before I read it, but every excerpt reminded me so much of my sweet Winston. Ah, dogs. :) There's nothing like a good, sweet, goofy dog at your feet.

2008-11-23T14:01:00.002-07:00

Back to running. Ah, nike plus, how I've missed you. :)

2008-11-18T10:52:00.002-07:00

I should have snapped a photo of my dinner last night. I was sitting around all afternoon, thinking about what to make for dinner... I knew John was going to be out, watching the football game...

and suddenly, I was CRAVING a shrimp and crab boil. Now, shrimp and crab boil is generally something you feed a crowd with, but I WANTED IT. And I thought "there's no reason I can't make shrimp and crab boil for just ME."

Holy grub, it was delicious. So simple and good. I had some good shrimp from the farmer's market, and I picked up some smoked sausage, red potatoes, corn on the cob, and shrimp boil seasoning... YUM. Yum yum yum. Next time I think I'll get some snow crab clusters and throw those in too.

There's something to be said for cooking an amazing meal JUST FOR YOURSELF. Do it!

2008-11-06T11:18:00.003-07:00

So glad the election is over.

This week I'm shopping for health insurance, which has proven to be a horrendous task. Also, applying for my student loan, trying to get some unemployment, and doing all the other yucky things I've been putting off.

Procrastination is the devil.

2008-11-02T11:09:00.002-07:00

The funniest Halloween ever! John was McCain, I was Palin, Jeff was Obama, and Karen was Joe the Plumber. SO hilarious. I'll try to post photos soon.

2008-10-31T12:26:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween! We're going to the Rio for a costume party tonight, always proves to be a good time.

2008-10-25T11:03:00.002-06:00

Finally feeling good again after the bronchitis. I hate being sick.

We saw Jimmy Fallon at Comedy Works on Thursday, that was super fun.

Today: need to clean my kitchen and maybe get a Halloween costume. I'm such a procrastinator.

2008-10-19T00:54:00.002-06:00

To hades with the bronchitis, I say!! To hades!!

I am feeling much better and actually got out of the house tonight for a few hours. Just took some cough medicine and waiting for it to kick in before I hit the hay.

I played Wii bowling tonight, and I am a supreme champion. :) During my Wii breaks, I sipped wine and Fat Kid (Chris & Katy's kitty) lounged on my lap. Nothing better than that, I say.

Good times.

2008-10-14T08:32:00.002-06:00

i am sick sick sick. yesterday i don't think i moved from the same spot on the sofa for at least eight hours.

bleh.

2008-10-12T22:14:00.002-06:00

my throat hurts. i hope i'm not getting sick. why, oh why was i blessed with the world's worst tonsils?

on a high note, my house is spotless, i have a new loaf of cheese bread, (thanks mom!) and i'm lounging with larry on my lap. :) life is good, even when feeling sicky.

2008-10-07T11:17:00.000-06:00

A. attached or single? Attached.

B. best friend? My husband.

C. cake or pie? Pie.

D. day of choice? Saturday.

E. essential item? Hmmm. My ipod?

F. favorite color? Green.

G. gummy bears or worms? Worms.

H. hometown? Aurora, Colorado.

I. favorite indulgence? Mashed Potatoes.

J. January or July? July.

K. kids? Nope. Unless you count the fur-kids.

L. life isn't complete without? Good friends and yummy food.

M. marriage date? July 15.

N. number of brothers & sisters? One half sister, one step brother.

O. oranges or apples? Oranges.

P. phobias? Big creepy bugs.

Q. quotes? All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without the benefit of experience. ~Henry Miller

R. reasons to smile? My husband, funny pets, cute babies, the smell of autumn.

S. season of choice? Spring, that new fresh smell after the loooong winter.

T. toast or cereal? Toast.

U. unknown fact about me? I have more "guilty pleasure" tv shows than one person should. :)

V. vegetable? Tomato and onion.

W. worst habits? being judge-y.

X. x-ray or ultrasound? X-rays. Or CAT scans. Or PET scans. Take yer pick.

Y. your favorite food? The potato. Any way it can be cooked, I love it.

Z. zodiac sign? Pisces.

2008-10-06T18:34:00.002-06:00

Dinner tonight:

Creamy Fettuccine with Olives, Broccoli, and Sausage

Homemade Garlic Bread

2008-10-06T14:49:00.005-06:00

Lazy Larry

Diesel & Cleo watching tv

Izzy in her favorite napping spot

Today we've been lazy around here. Watched food tv, made some flatbread, lounged. I must clean my house. Lounging can only get a girl so far. :)

2008-10-06T14:44:00.003-06:00

Today: Rosemary Flatbread. Yum.

2008-10-04T11:48:00.006-06:00

A Snapshot in Time (borrowed from another blog I read)

I am wearing grey lounge pants and a grey and yellow football jersey.
I am reading Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks.
I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
I am hearing Cleo and Diesel snoring in unison.
I am learning how to make perfect pizza dough.
I am thankful for my family.
I am eating biscuits and gravy. Saturday morning classic.
I am bringing beauty to my home by trying to be a better wife every day.
I've never been a fan of watching sports.
Around my house it's pretty quiet today, animals all being lazy. A few dirty dishes strewn about.
Outside my window is a cooler, windy day. I love October.
I am thinking about how I desperately need to find a new gym now that ours closed down.
One of my favorite things is my new bed. I'll say it again. Sweet Bliss.
A few plans for the rest of the week... today, picking the folks and gram up from the airport. Cleaning the house, trying some new recipes... Great American Beer Fest on Thursday.

2008-10-02T11:35:00.002-06:00

Tonight: wedding in Palmer Lake. Should be a great time.

2008-09-22T14:57:00.004-06:00

I'm unable to participate in Light the Night this year, so I thought I'd just encourage everyone to visit the website. Ah, the days of having this hair-do. Sure made getting ready in the morning fast. :)

2008-09-20T14:27:00.000-06:00

More farmers market finds:

today I got roasted green chiles, (hooooly cow they smell good) more tomatoes, and another loaf of asiago cheese bread.

good, fresh, unprocessed food= happy girl.

I did my mom's highlights, ate some good cheese bread and the rest of my shrimp from last night's dinner and had a lovely, lovely morning.

OH. Also, we got a new pillow top mattress delivered this week, and I have been counting down the minutes to my next nap. So wonderful food + comfy nap with kitties + sweet husband= happy girl.

:)

2008-09-13T19:45:00.001-06:00

This morning I went to the Southlands Farmer's Market with my parents. I bought big beautiful tomatoes, tomatillos, tons of basil, some sauce mix, and a loaf of asiago cheese bread.

We went vintage shopping and I found two jackets and a pencil skirt. Cute.

Tonight, since John's not here... vegetarian dinner, and it is sooooo good. I used 3/4 of the basil to make fresh pesto on whole wheat pasta, and made asiago cheese toast with olive oil. I popped open some of our Colorado wine from the road trip, and life is beautiful. I'm going to eat, watch a cute movie, and relax.

g'nite!

2008-09-11T13:48:00.000-06:00

Recipe of the day: Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

holy yum.

2008-09-11T13:46:00.000-06:00

Read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

:)

2008-09-11T13:37:00.000-06:00

Recently posted by
oakland heidi and I find it appropriate today-

ny times article

The last paragraph of this article is touching.

"What can one do? Go home, love your children, try not to bicker, eat well, walk in the rain, feel the sun on your face and laugh loud and often, as much as possible, and especially at yourself. Because the only antidote to death is not poetry, or drama, or miracle drugs, or a roomful of technical expertise and good intentions. The antidote to death is life."

2008-09-08T15:16:00.000-06:00

Today is chilly and overcast, and it feels very autumn-like. I love when the seasons change. So I set about making some creamy tomato soup. Yum. It turned out really really well. Roasted vine tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and cream. Double yum. I'll try to recreate the recipe when I have good basil. And maybe some parmesan croutons.

Last night I went over to my parents house. It was my grandpa's birthday and my great aunt and uncle were in town to visit. It was nice. Good food, and when the old folks left I stayed and chatted with my mom and dad. I am the luckiest girl to have parents like that. I love them so. Being at their house makes me feel warm, happy, and well loved.

Right now: Cleo and Diesel loving on eachother. Larry on my lap. Izzy asleep on the DVR. John upstairs working. And I'm watching Barefoot Contessa.

:)

2008-09-04T09:07:00.000-06:00

I broke my wee little toe on the wheel of my unpacked suitcase. Ugh.

We just returned from whirlwinds of vacations... A Colorado roadtrip, Mexico and Vegas. And we had a tornado last week! How excitin'. :)

As I type I am dreaming of hot coffee and Larry is in the window chirp-chirping at the birds outside. Everyone else is still asleep. I love quiet mornings.

2008-08-05T01:01:00.000-06:00

we got a new cat named larry... he is naughty. he is the most heinous kitty i have ever had. he attacks rolls of toilet paper like they are steak. he is horrid. and i love him because he makes me laugh every single day. i don't know that i've ever laughed so much. :) he makes every day funny. :))

2008-06-30T08:14:00.000-06:00

Unemployment. Day One.

Ah, freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom. :)

I am working out, drinking smoothies and baking. It is good indeed.

I went to see Sex and the City yesterday, bought a new comforter set at Linens & Things and almost completed cleaning out my closet. Today I think I'll finish that and then make some soap. No, that is not a typo, I am going to make some soap.

2008-04-10T16:50:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago my dad's (crazy...seriously crazy) brother was found dead in his home in California. My sister and my parents went out to see what they could salvage from the home as my uncle was what I would refer to as a hoarder. You should see the pictures! They say the smell was horrible. EW. No one was close to him, but it is still sad.

On the job front, only two and a half more months! WOOOOOO!! Then I am free! FREE! FREE, I say. Free from the toils of insurance adjusting :) I'm so excited.

I'm going to spend the summer at home, gardening and rebuilding the pond, and then hope to be in culinary school by October. Yay!

I'm going out for sushi tonight, and that has made my day. I'll post soon.

2008-03-09T12:11:00.000-06:00

UPDATE

These past couple of months have just been so strange. Some bad, some good, all mixed in together. As I posted earlier, we had to put old Winston to sleep. I got his ashes back earlier in the week. I miss him :( He was such a good dog.

I also found out a couple of weeks ago that my office is closing. That means 100+ people all losing our jobs. Which is actually okay with me. John and I have decided that I'll stay through June for the severance and then I'm going to attend culinary school. For real. I've been thinking about it for some time, and now things have fallen into place in such a perfect way that allows me to actually pursue that dream. John was able to get health insurance through one of his clients, and that takes a huge weight off of my shoulders...which means I can not worry so much about getting a job and just concentrate on school. I can't tell you how excited I am. I'm going to try to enroll for the October session, which includes food and wine training and schooling in Europe.

Keeping my fingers crossed. :)

2008-02-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

John and I finally made the decision to put Winston to sleep today. He slept with us all night last night and I made chicken (mmm, his favorite) for breakfast. I stayed with him until the end. He was so good, and it was very peaceful.

Now old Winston can go to the big kitty chasing playground in the sky. :)

2008-01-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

Our dear sweet friend Sarah passed away yesterday. I can't even believe it. I don't know what to say. I just miss her so much already and it makes me terribly sad.

We have a tribute to Sarah on the Hodgkin's board. http://forums.webmagic.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=649160&an=0&page=0#Post649160

I love you, Sarah. You will be missed.

2008-01-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

EVERYONE,

Please pray, send good karma, warm thoughts, or whatever you do to our friend Sarah. She is on life support in the hospital currently, and her doctors are trying everything they can to keep her here. I am praying and hoping upon hope that she will be with us still.

I hate this disease. She doesn't deserve this.

http://forums.webmagic.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=645564&an=0&page=0#Post645564

2007-12-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

I should mention that my much anticipated vacation did NOT NOT NOT turn out the way I wanted. I ended up with the WORST case of strep throat I have ever had in my life. I'm talking "sweet Jesus take me now" strep throat. It was like a combination of flu, with the body aches and horrid pain, and strep with the devil beating a little drum on the back of your tonsils kind of bad.

At any rate, I made my way to the doctor and got some antibiotics and slowly started to get better. BUT not before enduring two weeks of chest pains and heart palpitations which I have since discovered are the result of a thyroid medication overdose. Yes. Good times.

I'm telling you, I don't think I've ever been so nervous in my life. Not even when I had cancer. There is something about your heart doing oddball things that will make even the most calm person want to crawl out of their skin. AYE.

Anyway, it was scary and awful, but I'm okay now. I stopped taking all drugs completely for a few weeks and am slowly re-introducing them into my system and I am okay. I just had these visions of never being able to run again, which quite honestly was devastating for me. I really truly love being able to run and work out and the thought of not being able to do that because I felt like my heart was coming out of my chest was really sad.

Indicentally, when you are having chest pains and the like, it is quite easy to begin having panic attacks, which I have dealt with for almost all of my life. Knowing that I'm having a panic attack is half the battle. I just concentrate on getting through it and knowing I'm NOT going to fall over dead. But it is frightening, nonetheless.

anyway.

And now I have two more days off before I have to go back to work. John & I got impatient and opened presents yesterday :) It's good to be a grown up. I got cooking school (yay) and I'm going to take the Indian cooking class, snowboard bindings, a cute apron, and some kitchen stuff.

My uncle is in town from Texas, and his birthday was yesterday. After dinner we all went back to my parents house and spent a couple hours just laughing our faces off and chatting. And I have to say, it's really nice to sit at the grown-up table. :) I am surrounded by a family of funny, charming, amazing people. And a few that are crazy, but we love them anyway. :)

Merry Christmas everyone. :)

XOXO Ally

2007-11-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

I had my 6 month visit with my oncologist on Wednesday. My PET scan was clean AGAIN, everybody dance!

I asked about my neck pain and it is most likely from the scar tissue that has formed post-surgery, post-chemo, and post-radiation. Radiation probably has the most to do with it. I can feel the scar tissue just getting tighter and my neck hurts alot. I may try to see a PT if it stays this way and see if there's anything I can do about it.

My job is keeping me busy, and I'm taking next week off work. I am planning on having the MOST relaxing vacation ever. I shall eat, drink, be merry, work out, sleep LOTS, go see movies, hang out with my folks and come back to work refreshed and rejuvenated.

OH, AND... a bit of wonderful news... I get new health insurance starting in January.... SO happy about that. It will save me alot of money.

I worked out today and I think I'm going to have a lovely glass of wine now. Why? Because I'm on vacation. :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving as I did.

XOXO Ally

2007-10-28T16:52:00.001-06:00

Long time no post.

I've just been working, contemplating the meaning of life, & learning how to take care of myself better. It's an arduous process :)

Cool website that you should visit if you like tea: www.adagio.com

2007-08-24T21:17:00.000-06:00

My Favorite Cancer Survivor Tee Shirts:

:)

If I'd known how much work it would be, I never would've gotten cancer.

This is what a cancer survivor looks like

I'm making cancer my bitch!

New and Improved! Now Cancer Free!!

I survived cancer and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.

CCKMA (cancer can kiss my ass)

You don't scare me...I'm a cancer survivor!

I kicked cancer in the nuts.

I kill cancer.

Cancer bites and I'm biting back.

Hey Cancer, You picked the wrong bitch!!

Certified Lymphoma Ass Kicker

Professional Pin Cushion

My To Do List: 1. Beat Cancer, 2. Take Over World

I'm on chemo. My husband's just bald.

I make bald look good.

K_CK_NG C_NC_R'S _SS! Would you like to buy a vowel?

2007-08-05T13:31:00.000-06:00

Goo Goo Dolls & Lifehouse at Red Rocks.

This was an awesome concert, Goo Goo Dolls were fantastic as usual. Also we saw Colbie Caillat, she was awesome. Really pretty voice and a great style of music.

2007-08-05T13:28:00.000-06:00

Garden photos: my poppies and asiatic lilies. :)

2007-08-05T13:25:00.000-06:00

We went to Colorado Springs for the 4th of July and had an amazing view of the entire city. The fireworks were awesome :)

2007-08-05T13:17:00.000-06:00

We went to Taos for our anniversary. Close enough to drive, and far enough that it is a vacation. We had a blast! John bought me a cool navajo bracelet and I ate more green chilis that weekend than in my entire life. Yum. :) It was really nice to get away. We drank green chili beer and had dinner at Joseph's Table. My sweet husband had a bouquet delivered to our dinner table. :)

I'm so lucky.

2007-07-21T12:01:00.001-06:00

ER. I had an entire post with photos of what we've been up to the past two months. and it just deleted itself. And now I'm too annoyed to redo. So it will have to be another day. Patience, my dears.

2007-06-26T20:59:00.000-06:00

Three great blogs that you should read:

1. Sarah. She is without a doubt the coolest chick and most inspirational chick. She is battling this crappy disease all over again, and I love her to pieces.

http://journeytobabeland.blogspot.com

2. Duane. He is super smart, world traveler, and battling this crappy disease over again.

http://journalofaprizefighter.blogspot.com

3. Heidi. Not a cancer related blog, but Heidi is one of those people that I wish I could be friends with in real life. She's totally smart and cool and I like the way her thoughts spill out in her blog. Plus she's from California :)

http://oaklandgirl.blogspot.com

More to come.

2007-06-22T19:58:00.001-06:00

I really did get to go to Mexico :) Good times were had by all.

Now it's back to work, only to dream of my next vacation :) John and I are going to Taos for our anniversary, and then to Vegas for his birthday. Wooo!

2007-05-29T14:11:00.000-06:00

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH.

After what I would refer to as the most infuriating weekend ever, John and I got up at the crack of dawn this morning to go wait in line at the regional passport office. The stories we heard there were echos of the same insanity we'd been feeling for the past week. "oh, yeah, they have my birth certificate, and I'm supposed to leave for equador in an hour!" or "have you TRIED calling that national passport line? what a joke!! everytime i get through to a human, they tell me something different!" "what? you actually got through to a HUMAN BEING??" :)

Everyone was very good natured and amazingly calm, considering we were all in travel crisis meltdown. The staff there was polite and that office was very well run.

At 11 am we walked out, passport in hand. Flight rebooked, and we are Mexico bound. The passport gods have smiled upon us. Today is a good day :) We'll only miss a few hours of vacation, really.

Now I'm going to pack, clean the kitchen and begin my vacation with a mojito. :) See you in a week.

2007-05-27T08:52:00.000-06:00

THE MOST FRUSTRATED I HAVE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE.

John applied for his passport FOURTEEN weeks ago. Post office guaranteed it would be here by May 10. It is now two days before we are supposed to leave on vacation and said passport is not here. We are obviously not leaving on Tuesday.

When you check status of said passport online, you are advised that if you are traveling in the next 7 days, you may contact the National Passport Information Center for emergency assistance. But when you call the NPIC, do you know what happens? "We're sorry, due to extreme call volume, your call cannot be taken at this time. Goodbye." And this is AFTER you've listened to their stupid blather for 30 minutes about how they cannot assist you unless you have a travel emergency. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH.

Lemme say it again. *&%^%$%$#!!!

And do a Google search for "passport hasn't arrived", "missing passport", "ridiculous-ness of the NPIC" and you get inundated with comments from people in the same situation.
Case in point: http://whirledview.typepad.com/whirledview/2007/05/the_erratic_sta.html#more

And when you MIRACULOUSLY are able to get through to a live human on the NPIC line, (after holding for an average of 40 minutes) you are told only that's it's being processed. No other helpful information. Actually, one lady did tell us that she showed it had been issued and that Express Mail would deliver on Sunday, but when we called back two hours later we were told, nope, still being processed and that NPIC doesn't use Express Mail.

Jerks.

It is the most infuriating experience I've ever had. Our trip is non refundable. Which basically means if this passport doesn't come in, John has lost thousands of dollars. It is so maddening, I just sit here and laugh. Pure insanity.

Obviously I could go without him, since I have a passport, but the reason I'm going on vacation is to spend time with my husband. Honestly, I'd be miserable without him. Even if I was laying on the beach with a pina colada in hand. :)

So. Where does that leave us? John is going to go to the regional passport office on Tuesday and wait in line for an estimated five hours to see if there is ANYTHING they can do for him. At this point anything is worth a shot. We don't know if they'll be able to help since his birth certificate is with the passport app in who-knows-where, USA. Even more frustrating is that you only need a passport for air travel, but without that birth certificate, you still can't go by sea, land or rail. It's like they're holding his birth certificate hostage.

And you know what we're told online? If it's a dire emergency, take a DUPLICATE ORIGINAL copy of your birth certificate (yeah, because everyone keeps multiple copies of their birth certificate lying around) to the regional passport office. Ugh. Or you may go to your county of birth to obtain said duplicate original. Which means John would be needing to go to Michigan. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Ha. Ha. Ha.

For a while I wanted to cry, then I got hopeful, then I wanted to cry again and now I just want to hold somebody under water. Volunteers please contact me immediately. :)

2007-04-18T20:18:00.000-06:00

My mom reminded me that not only was April 8th the two year anniversary of my remission from THE HODGE, but that it was the 27 year anniversary of the day I was dedicated at church as a wee little baby :) (For those of you non-protestant, dedication is like being christened.)

isn't that strangely ironic?

2007-04-01T22:16:00.000-06:00

Helllllooooo.

Read this, it's GREAT :)

http://forums.webmagic.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=392200

One week from today, April 8th, I will be TWO YEARS in remission. This date coming up makes me want to break down and cry, because I remember thinking "If I can get to that TWO YEAR remission date....what a sweet day that will be... " :) And I am here. I am here! I cannot tell you how thankful I am. How blessed I feel. I feel like a blubbering dork, sitting here and crying on my keyboard. Pretty fitting too that Sunday is Easter. Easter Sunday and I will be CANCER FREE for two whole years.

If only I wouldn't get funny looks by wearing a CANCER IS MY BEEOTCH t-shirt to sunday church. HA HA HA HA :)

2007-02-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the post I wrote on February 15, 2005:

Isn't it crazy how time flies? :)

reasons why cancer sucks.chemo makes you feel like crap. brushing your teeth makes you tired. watching tv makes you tired. eating makes you tired. and forget walking from the parking lot to your office. you will feel as if you just ran the boston marathon. you think i'm kidding. nothing tastes the same anymore.my mouth hurts like a mother. i'm talking my gums, my tongue, everything. all of it. i've lost five pounds and my pants are starting to get that saggy ass look to them. this is not okay with me. i'm grouchy. this bugs me most of all. because i don't want to be a whiner. nothing worse than a whiner. so i will only whine to you, dear diary. that way, no one else will know what a whiner i am. have i mentioned that i'm going to lose my hair?

2007-01-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

We went up to Breckenridge for New Year's Eve, and got massive amounts of snow up there too... I'm beginning to wonder if El Nino is EVER going to leave us alone. We had a bunch of people up to the house for a shindig, and had a tapas party. Good times were had by all. :)

2006-12-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

drumroll, ladies and gentlemen...

my PET scan of 12/14 was CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!

Currently I am waging war against a nasty case of bronchitis, which I hope to have kicked by this week. It is hanging on and pissing me off. Yes, I said piss.

I love cough medicine so. My onc gave me this stuff that makes me so happy. SO HAPPY, because it knocks me out. Love it. :)

That's all. Merry Christmas. Happy Holy Day. Feliz Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate.

:)

2006-12-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it only took me four hours, but I was able to dig myself out. Hopefully my jeep will cooperate tomorrow and I'll be able to leave the house. I'm feeling a little cabin fe-vah.

2006-12-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

Ah, living in Colorado. I am snowed in with two feet of snow everywhere. My satellite went out last night and I am sure I will start to go stir crazy some time this afternoon. As soon as it's light out I will try to take some photos so you can be vicariously snowed in with me.

2006-12-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

You, too, can waste your morning creating a virtual model of yourself :)

2006-12-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

Stolen from oakland heidi

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Ew, I need to wash my face.
2. How much cash do you have on you? 18 dollars and some odd cents
3. What's a word that rhymes with "DOOR?" floor
4. Favorite planet? Earth
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Probably my friend Molly.
6. What is your favorite ring tone? I usually keep my phone on vibrate, I don't want to be rude.
7. What shirt are you wearing? My old college sweatshirt from UNC.
8. Do you "label" yourself? Only with positive things. For example, today I am "Ass Kicking Super Runner."
9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing? I never wear shoes around the house.
10. Bright or dark room? Depends on my mood, I do like a good bright room.
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? So smart and interesting! I only wish we could be friends in real life.
12. What does your watch look like? Oh, geez, I haven't worn a watch since swatch in the third grade.
13. What were you doing at midnight last night? Watching the Eukanuba dog show to see the bulldog. :)
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say? I had checked up on my mom's friend who was at the hospital and it was a note saying "angioplasty and doing fine now!"
15. Where is your nearest 7-11? Not really sure. I don't think we have one around here, though we do have plenty of convenience stores.
16. What's a word that you say a lot? Probably crap.
17. Who told you he/she loved you last? my sweet husband.
18. Last furry thing you touched? Winston and his cute little ears.
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Only prescription, so...two.
20. How many rolls of film do you need developed? None, we use digital.
21. Favorite age you have been so far? Right now is the best time of my life.
22. Your worst enemy? Myself.
23. What is your current desktop picture? The Viansa winery outside of San Francisco.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone? "Hey, do you want me to toast you a bagel?"
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be? The million bucks.
26. Do you like someone? Of course! I have the biggest crush on John :)
27. The last song you listened to? "Breathe Me" from the Six Feet Under soundtrack.
28. What time of day were you born? 5:07 pm
29. What's your favorite number? 3
30. Where did you live in 1987? Aurora, CO
31. Are you jealous of anyone? Not really. Jealousy is a wasted emotion.
32. Is anyone jealous of you? Who knows. Probably, since I have the greatest husband on the planet. :)
33. Where were you when 9/11 happened? In bed at my parent's house in aurora, just waking up to go to class.
34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Rifle through my purse for some more change.
35. Do you consider yourself kind? Yes
36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? I already have a huge butterfly on the small of my back.
37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? Spanish or Italian
38. Would you move for the person you loved? Absolutely.
39. Are you touchy feely? Not really.
40. What's your life motto? I'm here to hand out lollipops and kick ass, and the lollipops just ran out. ;)
41. Name three things that you have on you at all times? My driver's license, cell phone and lip gloss.
42. What's your favorite town/city? New York City, hands down.
43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? Paninis and soup for lunch at Panera yesterday.
44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? A couple of weeks ago to a fellow cancer survivor.
45. Can you change the oil on a car? Isn't that what husbands are for? ;)
46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her? That he was married with a bazillion kids, which didn't surprise me in the least.
47. How far back do you know about your ancestry? Not much, I know we are dutch.
48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? I wore a sparkly lace halter dress to a wedding at the beginning of the summer.
49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? Nope.
50. Have you been burned by love? Of course. Burned and burned again. :) Isn't life grand?

2006-11-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but I dyed my hair a reddish color. I hated it at first, but now I'm quite used to it. :)

2006-11-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

So. I don't know what inspired me, but I've started a new running program. I think what has made me quit running in the past (cancer treatment aside) is that I start out too hard, too fast and I either burn out or get frustrated with lack of progress. Running is an activity of patience, I've discovered. So I'm starting out very slow and easy this time, and I am really loving it. May be time soon for some new running shoes... my "I kicked cancer's ass" shoes aren't feeling as bouncy as they once did.

Anyway, it's very very exciting for me to have something to latch onto like this. I love it. I've been in the gym four times a week for the past month and I feel awesome. Better than I EVER did pre-cancer.

Thanksgiving was fun, my uncle was in town from Texas, it is always good to see him. I didn't get to see my sister, but maybe at Christmas.

Life is good. :)

2006-10-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

New York City was AMAZING. The weather was perfect, we had a blast and are planning on going back in June. Loved it!

2006-10-06T19:43:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday we went to the Fray concert at Red Rocks, and it was AWESOME. So good to see a Denver band make it big. They sounded great, and it was a perfect night.

In other news, I am sick sick sick as a dog. My tonsils are the size of Texas, I feel like my throat is on fire and Satan himself is doing a little dance on the back of my tongue. Bleh.

I'm supposed to do Race For The Cure on Sunday with my mom... if I'm not nearly dead I'm going to try to drag myself out of bed to do it. If I AM nearly dead, though I will have to stay in bed.

Two weeks from today John and I will be in New York City! YAY! I will DEFINITELY take many photos.

2006-09-10T12:09:00.000-06:00

the greatest, sleepiest, most comfy weekend ever. :)

Last weekend John and I painted until our arms fell off, in an effort to get our master bed and bath looking normal again. And let me just say, we are awesome. It looks so good I can't even believe we did it ourselves. We painted the walls a dark tan and the bathroom a copper/burnt orange. Way cool. We've been so enthralled with our new creation that we find ourselves spending 90% of our free time upstairs.

So this weekend all we've done is watch tv, eat good food and lounge around. I love it. Yesterday I made cheddar corn chowder for lunch and it was yummy. John is fighting off a cold and I *may* be trying to catch it, but I am willing it off.

Right now John is surfing the internet and watching football in bed, and I am surfing the internet in the office trying to find a sharpening steel for my new knives. Simultaneously looking at cute clothes and yummy recipes. Dang, I love lazy weekends. :)

2006-08-31T17:12:00.000-06:00

My appointment went well. My PET scan was clean, everybody dance!

They've doubled my thyroid medication... I guess it's not *quite* doing the trick yet. It can take a while to get the dose dialed in.

OH! San Francisco! It was freezing cold the entire time we were there, and when we would drive out of downtown it was warm and balmy. I wish I could have spent a few extra days there exploring the city. I did get to ride the cable car all the way down to Fisherman's Wharf, it was way cool. We forgot the camera, so we'll have to get photos from Chris and Katy.

Let's see... what else... nothing. Work is crazy, we're going through a system conversion to a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad, archaic system. It's ridiculous. I start reporting to my new boss tomorrow, and I already know it's going to be a good thing. He's way cool.

That's it for today. You are up to date on the LOA.

:)

2006-08-28T20:47:00.000-06:00

A post to all the old people who watched me grow up:

When you see me now, and you ask me if I am home visiting my parents for the summer, and ask me how school is going, etc, here is my reply:

I am nearly 27 years old. I am a grown up. I am a woman. I am married. I have a career and sometimes I drink beer and give the finger to bad drivers on the freeway. Stop acting like I am 18. I am not 18. I have worked very hard to be NOT EIGHTEEN ANYMORE. :)

Okay. Enough of that.

Thursday was my PET scan and tomorrow I will get the results when I see my onc for a follow up. I will also discuss with him what I should do about the wonkiness that is going on inside my head. Since starting the thyroid medication, my headaches are nearly non-existant, but the blurry vision and halos continue. Normally it's not something that bothers me, but it's happened at work, and that's a pain in the arse. Also when I'm driving down the road and suddenly can't see out of my right eye it tends to bug me. Go figure. So most likely I'll go visit an opthamologist. And if that doesn't work I'll get referred to a neurologist. Yay! More doctors! A girl can never have too many doctors.

2006-08-08T20:27:00.000-06:00

Ha ha ha HA! :)

The following are the best cancer tee shirts I can find on the internet:

1. Cancer patients get all the good drugs
2. I beat cancer, and all I got was this lousy tee shirt
3. No Hair Day ( my favorite)
4. I Kill Cancer
5. Chemoman Triathalon: Push, Drip, Yack.

If anyone would like to buy me presents, I suggest one of those shirts. :)

2006-08-08T20:11:00.000-06:00

I haven't been the best at updating and keeping everyone posted, so here goes:

I have another PET scan at the end of August, which I trust and pray will be cancer free yet again. I've been feeling good. I do still have my moments of freaking out when I worry about relapse, but I try really hard to remember that I can beat it if it comes back.

I'm meeting John in San Fran in two weeks- he'll be out there for business, and it will be his birthday, and San Fran is one of the most fun cities. I'm excited.

Our dog is the devil. Winston is now living in the basement and we divide our time among all three dogs, all the while trying to keep him from making eye contact with Cleo so they don't fight. It's pretty ridiculous. But we agreed to take him on, and by golly we will love on him until he bites the big one. :)

That's really about it. Nothing too dramatic to report. Still working at being healthier and healthier every day. My hair is growing so much. (yay!) I'll post pictures from San Fran when I get back.

2006-07-08T00:45:00.000-06:00

AND ALSO!

I got to see Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows and they were awesome.

so there.

And I got a way cool t-shirt.

Yeh.

:)

2006-07-08T00:34:00.000-06:00

Y'all!

:)

An update! I started having the most terrible, horrible, awful, crawl on the floor and die headaches. My vision would go away, I wouldn't be able to focus on ANYTHING, I couldn't work or concentrate or do ANYTHING productive. And my onc thought it might be my thyroid... my thyroid has decided to get a little wonky from the radiation. So, they've got me on some fun thyroid medication, and I feel AWESOME. I not only don't have headaches anymore, but I feel like I have so much more energy... It's lovely. :)

My friend Sarah relapsed. :( I friggin' hate cancer. Please, would someone say some cuss words toward cancer right now? And then send Sarah some good juju and some prayers. She would love it.

SCREW CANCER. that's not the first time I've said that, and it won't be the last.

2006-05-23T21:08:00.000-06:00

~update~

My fifth PET was clean, as I mentioned in my previous post! I couldn't be happier about that. Life is sweet. I feel like I am at 90% post treatment. I think if I push my workouts a little more I can get back to that 100%. I see both of my oncologists every 4-6 months, after I have blood tests and scans. My lung problems are almost completely gone. They'll continue to monitor to make sure my thyroid is functioning properly for the next five years-- due to the radiation to that area of my body, I'm likely to have thyroid issues, but those can be easily medicated if needed.

I'm starting to look forward, past the immediate side effects that happen during and after chemo and radiation. I'm starting to work harder to make myself healthier and I do find myself concerned sometimes with the long term effects of my cancer treatment. I am now, and will be at an increased risk for secondary cancers, namely breast cancer, leukemia, and cancers of the throat. Also they monitor for heart issues due to the adriamycin.

My l'hermitte's has improved considerably, I really only notice it now after a long run or workout, and it doesn't bother me at all.

Even with post treatment concerns, life is good. John and I are remodeling our house... we've raised the floor in the front room to make one giant room which will become our new billards/cigar room. It will be way cool. This weekend we're painting and after the paint, we'll be getting new carpet. I'll post photos when it's done.

2006-05-23T21:06:00.000-06:00

If you pray, please say a prayer for my friend Mary. She has just relapsed and I hate that she has to go down this road again. She is one of the most encouraging web-friends that I have made on the forum, and she is an amazing and beautiful woman. And so help her God, she will kick cancer's ass for a second time!