It's really about time for an update.
Because Time has been racing forward and things have been a-changing.
But I have been keeping pace with Time with the busy-ness that is Summer! Busy busy busy with swimming, hiking, walking-zee-dog, applying sunscreen to all my little people, cottaging, watching/ driving to/ coaching soccer, building castles in the sand, biking, reading, sleeping in. Ahh......summer!
Intermingled in all that nut-house summer activity, there have been doctor's appointments.
Because apparently the fun hasn't yet come to an end.
whoopee.
I have been wanting to update you all on the new normalcy that is anything BUT normal.
I have been wanting to update you all on the post-chemo curls that are ridiculously huge. On a hot, humid day I have a giant afro haloing my head so that I resemble some sort of Ronald McDonald / Kramer love child.
I have been wanting to update you on all things fun with prosthetics. Whee!
And we WILL get there.
When I stop running around like that proverbial chicken with her head cut off.
(On an interesting side-note, my grandfather used to do said chicken-head-cutting-off and it was my mom's job to race after the headless-clucker and bring her DOWN. Blood spurting forth like some sort of macabre fountain of devastation and ick!
So glad that my childhood chores more resembled vacuuming the stairs and less resembled wrestling decapitated creatures! Thanks, mom and dad!)
Back to the point at hand.
Doctor's appointments.
We had a doctor's appointment some time ago at the Juravinski Centre to address the issue of my raging hormones.
My Estrogen was up and running and working over time. I secretly think my Estrogen was trying to make up for some lost Estrogen time. She DID get shut down during chemo. She was most likely feeling a little sad about that lost time. She is part of a Type A personality, so most likely texted herself to arrange making up for the lost time already. Because apparently my Estrogen texts.
Anyhow, my cancer is Estrogen-fed so it is not a good thing that she is up and running and working overtime.
"We need to shut down your ovaries," my oncologist firmly informed me at the appointment some time ago, "sooner rather than later!"
We discussed what this would mean.
Drugs for immediate shut-down.
Surgery for permanent shut-down.
So, this is where today's update takes us. I just wanted you all to know. Some of you have known this already but there were a lot of unknowns up in the air. What? When? Where? Why? What would this mean?
What we do know right now is that Estrogen in my body will feed any rogue cancer cells lingering about. So, a laparoscopic hysterectomy surgery has been set for September 22.
You have carried Paul, me, Liam, Donovan, Gwen and Lochlan in your thoughts and prayers for so long.
We are so thankful.
On a good day, I crack jokes about feeling like a Human Pez-Dispenser spewing forth body parts: Adios Appendix! Bye-bye Boobie! Au Revoir Ovaries! Auf Wiedersehen Uterus!
On a sad day, I wonder when/ if it will all end. Isn't a Whole the Sum of it's Parts? What does that mean when so many parts are....gone....?
I'm thankful for that busy busy busy that is Summer.
Hike! Hike! Hike! Swim! Paddle! Cottage! Apply sunscreen! Play soccer! Hike!
The busy keeps me and Paul and the kids distracted.
And sometimes it is nice to be distracted from reality.
Know-what-I'm-saying?
Maybe you don't.
But if you do, YOU DO!
I'll say a prayer for you. Can you say one for me and my family?
Dear Lord, this life is busy and can be so crazy out-of-control. You see us rushing around so busy, trying to drown out our worries. Please help us TRUST that you are there, loving us and guiding us through this life. Please help us bring our giant pile of anxieties to the foot of Your cross....and LEAVE them there! In Your Name, Amen.
Enjoy your Summer.
Brigette VH
Amen. For different reasons as you know my life has been drastically changed and it is hard adjusting but more importantly trusting as we go through it all. I think and pray about you and yours often as I pray for trust. God has shown over and over in my life how he has me under his care and yet I can't help but worry about what is next. You know what's next? Me neither but God does and he always has.
ReplyDeleteI don't fully understand why i get to live with this pain every day or how I will continue to do so but I know it has strengthened my faith and that is okay.
It's not easy and some days I don't want to do it anymore but I wake up every day and God helps me get through it again.
Simple but so hard to let go of the worries.
God is showing us the path and walking us through it.
Glad you and the family could enjoy some time together this summer.
Us too. God gives us these happy things too!
Thanks for your message. (is this Kim?) I really love how you said "it is hard adjusting but more importantly trusting...." I think life will just continue to be about that adjusting/ trusting.
DeleteSome days, I include a little pity party in my prayers: "WHY?" I cry out....because I think God can handle those sort of questions and that sort of whining. It's wonderful to know that He hears us, He sees our pain and that He is directing our paths!
It's amazing how trials can wear us down so much that the only strength left is the strength of God. Obviously you feel that......and may you continue to be held in his strength. Thanks again for your message and God bless you!