JAMs Jams. Pure. Real. Fresh.

I've got a few friends in my heart this week.  And I've been reminded of some of the lessons I've learned this year that I'm already forgetting.  Been a reflective, interesting time for me. Last night we were lucky to have a last minute visit from one of my oldest friends.  I feel so ancient when I write this, but Kirsten & I have known each other for 24 1/2 years.  It doesn't seem possible that we met that long ago, when we were roommates with another crazy person during our first semester at West Point.  Some things change with time and some don't, though.  And even though we only see each other every 8 or 9 years (the last time was at her wedding in 2004), friendships and those bonds from shared hardships (& fun) last forever.  We enjoyed having her for dinner & catching up on the last decade or so.  I just burst with pride when I think about Kirsten - she's a super successful Army psychiatrist - she's one of those people who s...

Probably not but sure felt like it.  Yesterday I wanted to crawl into a hole & never emerge.  Today's better.  Colonoscopy was uneventful.  Dr Lindsey found no polyps, no nothing really - yee haw.  The best part of that means no repeat test until 2017!!!  Thank heavens for that.  The test is nothing but the day prior is hell. The PET scan was pretty uneventful.  I woke up yesterday very nauseous (nerves?) & nearly threw up in the machine.  Somehow I exerted willpower & kept from actually vomiting until later.  Won't know any results until I see Dr keedy next week i don't think. Here's a photo for the day - me & my baby brother last week.  Well, just discovered my picasa is full so I can't add anymore pics.  Instead, here is a link to my Facebook album of pics from last week.  You don't have to be on FB to view them.  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4878500926555.2193365.1418481843&...

It's hard to believe 3 months have passed since I finished chemo. That means the first of my quarterly scans & oncology visits are here. In the morning I will slide back into the PET scanner as step one of my new medical life. I'm trying to work out how I feel about it & I'm not quite sure. I'm definitely not afraid. I don't fear cancer returning. Perhaps I should but I don't. I'm not terrified of the nuclear radioactive injection like I was in January. And I got over being afraid of IVs and needles very early in this process. I'm not afraid I will be late or get lost in the maze that is Vanderbilt. So, fear is not in the equation. I think probably the most accurate description is curiosity. I don't believe there is any cancer to find so I'm curious what the results will be, what it will be like to be back in the hospital, back in the doctors office, etc. I also have my annual colonoscopy this week - lots of colon cancer at young age...

Sitting in sunny Jupiter at my brothers beautiful home, surrounded by an incredible family with a big ass turkey roasting away in the oven. I want to wish each of you a very happy and grateful day. Here is my list of things top of mind for me today. -I'm thankful I had cancer -I'm thankful I no longer have cancer -I'm thankful for modern medicine -I'm thankful for my adoring & supportive family -I'm thankful for technology -I'm thankful for my wonderful friends -I'm thankful to be alive, with my whole life ahead of me Happy Thanksgiving.

Trust a five year old to make you think deep thoughts. One of the real positives from my cancer experience is that I've reconnected with and been visited by several very dear friends. I don't recall my mom having friends like this visit her when I was growing up (probably because many of her dearest friends were overseas) so I hadn't really given much thought to what, if any, impact these visits might have on my girls. Interestingly Eriana seems to have an instant connection with my friends. Fascinating to watch, she has decided that my dear friends are in fact my soul sisters. She asks me when they arrive if we are soul sisters and of course I say yes. I've come to appreciate our sisterhood in the last year. Once she knows we are sisters she immediately takes to them like best buddies. She likes to snuggle up in the guest bed with them, sit by them at meals, regale them with tales of her friends and antics, and she (like me) feels genuinely sad when they return to the...

Holy moly its been a long time since I've posted anything.  I guess thats a good sign - that things are returning to normal & I don't have much to report.  Seems like just yesterday it was Halloween & now its nearly Thanksgiving.  Time is flying by. Last week we took a huge group of customers fishing in the Keys.  I was so proud of how our little group put on such a fantastic event.  And it felt great to be back in the real swing of things, doing a job I love with people I adore.  I missed Kendall & the girls terribly though.  It was COLD for the the Keys & the water was super rough so the fishing sucked.  But there's never a bad day on a boat.  Here are a couple pics from that trip. I never ever tire of this view!! Sunrise from the boat as we headed out Sunset over the Atlantic So I got home Friday evening & Saturday morning Kendall ran a half marathon in Nashville.  The girls & I went ...