6 month check-up Sept 20, 2016

Here we go again!

My Mom and I drove down the night before to my brothers apartment in Appleton. We went to our favorite restaurant, Carmella's. It's an amazing italian place. Go there if you haven't been!

After dinner we did a little shopping, and then went back to Kent's. He did some of my yoga poses with me, and I did some of his workouts with him! Felt good after being in the car for four hours and stuffing our self with food!

The next morning we headed to Milwaukee. We went straight to the hospital, found a parking spot near the top of the ramp and I got checked in for the MRI.

Back in the gown!

These pants crack me up!!
One size fits all!

I got brought back pretty fast, changed into my gown, waited only a few minutes and the guy I've had multiple times came to get me. We joked about all we have been through together. He then put a small IV in, took some blood to make sure everything was good for the MRI.

Then, into the machine I went.

It was a new machine with a little different set up, but overall was very similar. My MRI's are on a specific machine that takes very thin, detailed slices. I was tired going in, I think I napped but it is so loud in there it's hard to tell! I do have earplugs in, and padding pushed against my ears so it helps to muffle the sound.

The MRI was an hour and fifteen minutes. With about 20 minutes left he comes in and puts a dye in the IV, then we finish it up!

Once finished, I change back into my clothes and go find my mom. She usually goes out for a walk, and also gets some shopping in! We met my Aunt Liza for lunch. It was so hot that day so we went to an outdoor place to eat. It was probably the warmest weather I will feel for a long time!

Walking the skywalk

After that it was time to get back to the hospital for the results. This is when it all starts to hit me!

Will life go on the way it is or is everything going to get turned upside down again.

We walked the skywalk one more time. Up to the 6 floor we went.

Answers! We want answers!

When we got called back to the room, we waited about ten minutes...it felt like an hour!

My mom and I are both doing her breathing thing.

We are staring at the computer.

I'm getting antsy.

I wanted to get up and dance or something! Ahhhhh!!!

This is the worst moment of the trip always.

We hear the door opening up...in walks Dr. Kassam! He had a big smile on his face and gave my mom and I a hug. He introduced us to a new NP that was starting there. He had previously lived somewhere else and worked in the neuro-unit.  Two nurses that I've had before were also in the room with us.

First, Dr Kassam opens up my file on the computer, and starts explaining to the new NP our history together. He shows him a picture of the beginning, and is pulling up a picture from now.

(My mom and I are both thinking, "Whats the news!! How does the MRI look???" but we don't want to interrupt him either.)

He tells the NP how he was supposed to be going to Vienna to give a speech to 600 people, but cancelled it at the last minute to stay back with me during my infection time. Then he says, "By the way, your scan looks AWESOME!"

My mom and I have a huge sigh of relief!! Praise the Lord!!

We look at the scans, they look great. I ask him about the area we are watching and he said there is no change it all. And that they aren't sure if its cancer, or just muscle used to fill in that area. It could also be scar tissue from radiation.

On the left you see the white beast,
on the right, you don't!

He said, "I'm sorry, but I do want you back in 6 months".

I said that is perfect.

I just finished telling my MRI tech that I like the six months. A year is too long to go without one. I need the peace of mind and reassurance that everything is looking good still. And, if something ever did start to grow, I want to catch it sooner rather than later.

Then, Dr. Kassam is out the door. He had to get to his next patient. I was so happy we were able to see him, though, because at the last six month appointment he was in a meeting and couldn't see me.

We are then ready to go! The lady checking us out said I looked great and that she has been there since the beginning and saw me through every stage.

Then the appt is made! March 17, 2017.

Seems so far away, but before we know it, it'll be here!

Once we find the car - had to walk a bit and take the elevator a few different times, we got lost -  we realize we did not ask about my sinus issue or the corner of the plate sticking out! We were too happy about the news and had a one track mind. Haha!

I can see my ENT here at home though for my sinus problems, and I will wait until my next appt to talk about the plate unless it bothers me too much in the mean time.

Our schedule for these appointments are great, this time of year right now is beautiful and in March the weather is usually decent. At least the farther we get from home it is! With all the trips we have taken, there has never been a storm that we had to get though. Lots of heavy winds, a few hard down pours and fog, but we can handle that.

One time, my Mom and I had gotten great news, hopped in the car to head home and we were so excited that we were literally pulling out of town and the low gas light came on. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. We had forgotten to get gas!! Luckily there was a gas station not too far down the road!

Another time, when I had just finished a round of chemo, we got a flat tire on the FREEWAY! Thankfully, nothing crazy happened and we only had to drive a little distance and found a gas station with an oil lube and they took care of it for us.

And another time, I was driving late one night after the foundation dinner with Dr. Kassam, it was dark, the road was full of construction and all of a sudden right in front of me was a hard, plastic cylinder. I tried to swerve and miss it, but it was too late. It made a huge loud noise, I was all worked up about it, but everything seemed fine on the car - no lights turned on and it felt fine- so I kept driving. Half an hour down the road I could hear a weird noise. We turned the radio off and I asked my mom if she saw anything out the side mirror.

Bes' house is straight out of a magazine 

She did.

Something was flapping in the wind. OMG! So I pull off onto the first exit I see. Pull over to the side of the road and jump out to take a look.  Sure enough, the plastic trim that goes along the inside of the wheel well, is dangling! So here we are, in dresses, in the middle of nowhere, using our phone flashlight and trying to push that piece back into place! It's funny to think about now, but that night, it was not funny at all!! We were just driving back to Kent's and in the morning he got it pushed back into place for us.  A piece is still missing from then, but you can't tell at all unless you know what you're looking for.

Georgous!

The night after the test, we stayed at Bes' house again. As I have said before, its gorgeous, inside and outside. And it's on a lake. We went to dinner with my two Aunts and Bes. Of course we did some more shopping too! Bes made us an amazing breakfast the next morning, and then we hit the road!

This doesn't do the outside justice

My mom and I don't realize it at the time, but the week or two before my MRI, we are very stressed. My body wants to get all anxious, but I keep pushing it to the side and telling myself all is going to be okay.

I ignore that I want to freak out.

I pretend that I'm cool and not worried about it.

That night after the results, I slept the best I have in weeks! Eight hours with only waking one time!

I can breath easier. I am in a happier mood and I feel like the fog has lifted!

There is nothing to complain about in life.

The little things that I let myself get down about, don't bother me anymore.

Life is good.

Well rested after a good nights sleep!