HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL!!!!

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity.  The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.  – Winston Churchill

GOODBYE 2011!  HELLO 2012!!  I was so happy to kiss 2011 goodbye.  It was a very tough year, as you all know, and I’m really looking forward to 2012 being a great year with all kinds of things to look forward to – heading to Maine next week where I’ll get to spend precious quality time with at least 15 family members (can’t wait!), Mom and Freeland will be coming to Cocoa Beach for the whole month of March (sister Nancy will be here for a big chunk of that, too!), we have a Workamper position lined up at one of our favorite parks – Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine – for May, June, and July…..and who knows what else the year has in store.  Road trip out west in the summer/fall??  Suffice it to say I am very excited about this year.  It’s time to put the “cancer stuff” behind me and forge on, move forward, LIVE LIFE AGAIN! 

I’m feeling GREAT, and it’s so wonderful to be able to say that.  I’m still dealing with the radiation burns, but they’re healing.  I got permission via phone on Monday to stop soaking the chest area and just continue with the under-arm burns.  I’ll see the radiation oncologist on Friday for a followup visit, and hopefully I’ll get permission to stop the soaking altogether.  I really don’t want to have to deal with that on my “vacation” in Maine (not a “true” vacation” because I still have to work, although “my girls” are going to jump in and cover some of it for me so I can enjoy the quality family time).  If I DO have to continue with burn treatment, my wonderful sister, Nancy, has already stepped up to the plate and offered to take over for Kenny and do all the soaking and bandaging (love you, Nance!), but I truly hope all the burns will be healed by then.

Unfortunately, I’m still having problems with my INR.  The dang numbers just won’t cooperate.  Last Wednesday it was 3.5!  Geez!  So they lowered my warfarin dose….again…..and I have to have it checked again on Friday.  I guess I’ll be having that checked in Maine since we can’t seem to get it stabilized – 3 months now since I developed the DVT; in fact, it was 3 months ago today. 

I did get my Femara (aromatase inhibitor) prescription filled and will start that after I get back from Maine.  I’m truly hoping there will be NO side effects from it.  I’ve read some horror stories online.  I should STOP reading that stuff because maybe I won’t experience ANY of the side effects.  One side effect I DID experience was SHOCK at the cost of the freakin’ drug.  I lucked out and found a pharmacy where I can get it for $40/month – such a deal!  Walmart wanted $1288/month and Hobbs Pharmacy wanted $1516/month!  Yes, you read it right – per month!!  Can you believe it?!  I’m not sure how the other pharmacy (located in Cocoa Beach) can sell it for $40/month, but they will obviously be getting my business.

Please pray/cross your fingers/think positive thoughts/whatever…..for no blizzards/snowstorms on the east coast January 11-16^th (when my sister and I and lots of family members will be traveling to/from Maine) and January 22^nd (when I’ll be flying out of Maine back to Florida).

It seems to me I had all kinds of things to write about, but I just can’t remember what they were!  If I think of them, I’ll be back.

Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR, everybody!  I hope it’s a wonderful year for everybody.  Wishing you all good things – HEALTH, happiness, prosperity, peace, joy, love….. 

You know you’re a cancer patient when you can't remember the last time you bought razors!

New Year's Day at Cocoa Beach (New Year's resolution -- lose weight, grow hair!)