Good For Another 3 Months

I had my 3-month check up three days ago and everything is clear. What a relief! I'm good to go until March, when I have another mammo and check-up. The problems I'm having with the Tamoxifen is a known factor, but I can't change medications in the near future. So for now I will try to alleviate them holistically (sp?).

Today we get our Christmas tree. I need to try to get into the Christmas spirit. Remembering where I was a year ago should make me very thankful, but somehow the joy isn't there. It will come in time, I think.

One year and counting

I passed the one year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis a couple of days ago. It's really good to have that behind me. On Thursday I have a 3-month check up with the oncologist, and hope that goes well. I'm looking forward to the holidays, knowing there won't be a black cloud over my head like last year. It will also be more relaxing not to be traveling. Christmas can be a very stressful time in and of itself without adding the stress of either flying or driving on bad roads. Our Thanksgiving trip was enough!

Go Bobcats!

GO CATS!

Snowpalooza!

There seems to be a snow theme running through the blog these past few weeks. We returned from a two week visit to Seattle to find my car almost buried in snow! Close to two feet, I'd say. Not that piddling little 2-3 inches that Seattle got so excited about just before Thanksgiving. Buffalo, NY has nothing on Bozeman.

Seattle Snow

Feeling lucky to get out of Montana before this current blast of arctic weather hit, it seems that some of it followed us to Seattle. Yesterday, one of those rare snowstorms hit Puget Sound, and as usual, life as they know it around here came to a standstill. Traffic gridlock and TV news coverage non-stop. Today, the sun is shining and the snow is a refreshing change from the usual rain and gloom you get in November. I like it!

Ups and Downs

The past month or so has been a real rollercoaster for me emotionally. I have been feeling very depressed, with low energy levels and lots of tears. I was beginning to think I was losing it mentally. To help myself snap out of this, I went for acupuncture last week. After talking to my acupuncturist, she told me it was probably a side-effect of the Tamoxifen that I take. If you remember from earlier posts, Tamoxifen is an estrogen inhibitor which pushes your body into menopause (for those of us who haven't gotten there yet). Well, just knowing that made me feel better. I also started taking Vitamin D, which is known to help with depression. I have felt so much better over the past week. My energy is back. There's been a lot less crying, and I feel much more hope for the future.

The Project

Home improvement has been part of our lives since we bought our first home. I have at times been less than enthusiastic about some of the projects John wanted to tackle, but in the end, we have been very pleased with the results. The most recent project is no exception. It is an extension to our patio plus a fence to give us more privacy. One of the neatest parts of this project was that John was able to recycle the old redwood benches that were there and use the 2x4s as joists for the decking, as well as framing for the fencing. Phase 1 is now complete on the east side. Phase 2 will commence next spring when the snow melts. So far, it's looking great!