Mama's making a comeback!

So today, for the 1st time in probably 3.5 weeks, I did 2 loads of laundry.  From beginning to end.  Yippeee you might be thinking, but to me, this means getting closer to normal again, and normal never felt so good.  It feels good to be contributing to my family again.  Someone had to carry it upstairs for me, but I have almost another month of that, so I'll take the victory where I can. 

I'm healing up pretty well from surgery and the drain wound.  Physical therapy has improved my range of motion and soreness nearly daily, it's so gratifying to see such constant progress forward. 

The other day a complete stranger asked me about my hair-do (I call it my hair-don't, at least for now, hee hee).  They asked what kind of cancer I had.  I began to share, then realized, I DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE!!!! So I changed my reply to say, "I had breast cancer, but it's no longer in my body."  What a fun moment that was!  Thankful to God for these victories,

James 1:17-21 English Standard Version (ESV)¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

 
Tonight I'm working on a college course to get my teaching license renewed.  It feels so good to be doing normal life activities.  I love the required reading, thoroughly enjoying it, would probably read it on my own even if it weren't required.  Tis good to be working again on things that are everyday living. 

Today I met with the Radiation Oncologist again, she scanned and marked me so she can study how she exactly plans to radiate very targeted parts of my body, so as to avoid other parts.  Next week, after she's put together her plan, they'll have me come in for my first ever tattoos and a "dry-run".  Feels a little mechanical to me, but I trust them, these providers are kind and caring as really all have been throughout.  It's just weird.  The tattoos provide 2 purposes, to exactly be certain they radiate only the specific places each time and to mark the radiation for the future so that if I should experience a cancer recurrence, they would know where they had already radiated so as to not repeat in those areas.  Another reminder this is not a cut and dried cure.  And another opportunity for me to give it to God, leave it with Him, He can handle the unknown, I can not.  Of course He knows what is unknown to me, another great reason to give it to Him.  I trust Him. 

The day after the "dry-run",  the 6.5 week marathon begins.  It felt a little close in time to hear about today.  It's all been "later" until now, at this time it's next week.  You'd think a girl might be used to all this by now, but my tummy being a little unsettled on my walk out the door today reminded me that none of this is welcome or familiar.  Although these side effects aren't nearly as awful as chemo was, it's still something I'd rather skip.  And yet the surgeon told me that if I didn't agree to radiation, she wouldn't do the surgery, she felt that strongly about it's necessity.  So, since she's been doing this some 30 years, we defer to her expertise.  We are grateful.  Grateful for these technologies and great minds that can eradicate and seek to prevent recurrence.  Bittersweet is what this is I suppose.  

So, that's the latest update.  Thank you again for caring, reading, praying, loving and plodding along with us.  We love and appreciate each of you oh so very much.  💗