JAMs Jams. Pure. Real. Fresh.

I'm not one normally to stay up to ring in the new year. But I think tonight I may stay up. Not to ring in 2013 necessarily but I feel like I need to be absolutely certain that 2012 really does end. I spent the morning in the ER today. Figured I needed one more visit to end the year & I missed being a patient. Not really. I was at the ER though. Jessie, our sweet dog, did a fancy maneuver to try to get in between Kendall & i on the bed this morning. And in the process put her toenail right in my eye! Ouch! It even bled! I had no idea the eye could bleed. It freaked us out a little & Kendall said I needed to go to the ER. Rare for him to show alarm so off I went. I love Vanderbilt! They know how to run an ER. Anyway long story short its fine. I've added some knowledge of the eyeball to my medical database too. I have to put antibiotic ointment in it for a few days & it should be fine. And I can cross visiting the eye doctor off my list because I got a co...

As I lay here tonight contemplating sleep, I am acutely aware that a year ago tomorrow I had my biopsy done. A lot can happen in a year, eh? A year ago I was pretty much on top of the world. I had lost a lot of weight, physically I felt fantastic. I was wearing a size 12 for the first time in probably 15 years. I was working out a lot lifting weights & doing intense cardio. I had a silly little lump in my groin that we thought we were being ridiculously over cautious having biopsied. I remember going to the diabetes clinic for the fine needle aspiration in the morning on Dec 28, 2011. Strange place to do it I thought. They had a little closet in the back with a sweet young pathologist & her assistant. I recall being annoyed because she told me not to work out the day of the procedure. Funny I didn't give it another thought when I left there last December 28th. Figured that was the end of it. We all know what happened next. Physically I've been pretty much a train w...

Here is the link to our scrapbook from Curacao.  Enjoy. http://www.adoramapix.com/app/showbook/PureRealFreshMarch2012/book/curacao/

Before I forget, here is a link to some of our pictures from Curacao.  We took over 800 so this isn't nearly all of them - but we hope you enjoy!! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200137128737141.2196342.1418481843&type=1&l=f6925b31a1 Now, Merry christmas! I hope today finds everybody happy, safe & warm with their families.  We have had a fun day - the kids woke up early of course.  We opened our stockings, then had breakfast.  Then we got dressed & opened our gifts under the tree.  Its a ritual - this is how we do Christmas here every year.  Doesn't change.  There's a lot of comfort in that. After we opened all the present here we took a little trip down to my office where EB's present from Mimi & Papa was waiting - she got a razor pocket mod scooter.  She's pretty psyched about that.  Eri got a battery operated 4-wheeler for her birthday yesterday so they are both motorized now!  Woohoo.  Maybe...

It's pouring rain here today. Kind of ironic since its our last real day here. We were going to ride ATVs today but decided against it in the nasty weather. So we did some shopping, went to the Hato Caves & learned about the geology of Curaçao & now we are home getting ready to pack. Why is packing to come home so much harder???? All our clothes are dirty so it should be easy. We had a spectacular day yesterday visiting Klein Curaçao which is a small uninhabited island about a 90 minute boat ride away. EB & I did 2 dives, Kendall & Eri saw 7 sea turtles snorkeling. We rode the banana boat & played on the beach. Fantastic!!! We will be home very late tomorrow just in time for Eri's birthday Monday!!!

Wow we are having an amazing time here in Curaçao. Emilia has completed her SCUBA certification. Eri has learned how to a snorkel (in 40' of water no less!). We have seen 2 hawks bill turtles in the wild. We have spent a half day in Willemstad, the capital. We have been off roading in our "it's a rental don't be gentle"! We took 40 pictures of awful cruise ship tourists which we code named "papayas". We've been shopping at the floating market, seen the worlds oldest floating bridge move. We have fished the Caribbean & caught a couple tuna, a barracuda & a jack. Whew. And we still have 3 1/2 more days to enjoy. We are driving to the far western side of the island tomorrow. Friday we are taking an All day boat trip to Klein Curaçao where EB & I will do 2 more dives & Eri & Kendall will snorkel. Saturday we are taking them ATV riding. Not sure what we are up to Sunday before we go to the airport. Guess what - nobody has asked me ...

 Wow, we leave on vacation Saturday.  The past couple weeks have literally gone by in a flash.  I spent the weekend in Walla Walla, Washington tasting all sorts of wonderful wine with Lorraine.  It was cold & rainy but a lot of fun.  Monday was in Seattle meeting with some folks & all day Tuesday flying home.   Lorraine & I with the Chihuly display at Longshadows  Me at the Spanish winery with their puppy Nestle.  Didn't bring him home but boy did I want to! This week we went to see Santa.  This picture of Eri & Matt just cracks me up.  What a great Santa - he even made a funny face! EB is too big for Santa really but it makes me smile that she still goes thru the motions. The pool at our house in Curacao The suitcases are packed, wrapping things up at the office so that we can take off early Saturday morning.  We will be in...

Yep my scans were totally clear! Dr Keedy is referring me to the Survivorship Clinic. Apparently my lack of motivation and continued fatigue are - you guessed it - totally normal! Have to give myself 9 more months to feel like myself again. Anybody have any patience I can borrow????

Its been a tough few days at work.  Wish I didn't have to go there this morning.  You know, I would've thought after all I've been thru this year that I just wouldn't care as much about bullshit at the office.  But its interesting, I find I do still care.  I'm not sure if thats good or bad.  It just is. I'm looking forward to seeing Dr Keedy and Dr Holt this afternoon.  I'm not looking forward to being back in the Vanderbilt Cancer Center.  I wonder if it will feel good to be back there as a survivor or if it will feel as claustrophobic and terrifying as it has ever other time?  Lets just hope the news is good.  I have an echocardiogram before I see the docs to check if the adriamycin has had any lasting negative effects on my heart.  I don't notice any but the ecg will tell us for certain. I'll post the news when I have it - hope everybody has a great day. For photo therapy, remember this?  Shaving my head back in March. ...