Challenges for Challenging Times!

What a week! That might be my new catch phrase.  But really more like, what a month.  The Hamel house has been in the throes of medical stuff all month long! Just as I am recovering from surgery and returned to work yesterday, Patrick came down with some sort of cold virus and The Man had to take him to the urgent care last night! Good news, young P doesn't have the flu. Bad news he is on steroids to curtail his uncontrolled coughing.

 Side note: if you have any surgery that is done through your belly button, I do not recommend wearing pants with a button and a zipper on your first day back to work. Learn from my lesson. If possible wear a flowy dress- no belts!

If the current weather forecast holds, in a few days I can crack a window opened during the day and try and get some of the sickness out of our house. I don't know about you, but I am really looking forward to March!

As you all know, I love to read and I also like challenges.  Lucky for me, my public library is doing a 20 in 20 book challenge! I just found out about it and so I am quite behind.  I need to read from the categories listed above  by the third week of March. Eek!  Anyone have any good suggestions for a Classic Children's Book or the Classic book by a Female Author?

I spend time during my surgery recuperation reading Moving Forward and it's a great memoir. Karine Jean-Pierre has that can-do spirit I love to see in people. Spoiler alert- Karine is also a runner!

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and while I don't go to church; I do still enjoy a good Lent. This year I am giving up nothing! Nothing I tell you!  I've given up enough over the past year. Instead, I'm going to use Lent as a reason to focus on cleaning out all the drawers, bins and closets in my home. Spring Cleaning in increments of 15 minutes per day, join me!

Best Day Ever!

This past week was quite long for me.  Tuesday I got to experience a colonoscopy prep. Not because I was having a colonoscopy but because Wednesday I was scheduled for a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. (BSO)

I have to tell you that colonoscopy prep, which you will all be lucky enough to have one day, was in my opinion worse than a day spent having a Taxol chemo treatment. Yes, you read that right. Worse than a day of chemo!

Wednesday I had my surgery. Talk about a long day.  I almost died of starvation prior to the surgery and then after surgery when I finally had sustenance - Belvita crackers- I was immediately nauseous.  How rude!

On the plus side being very hangry prior to the surgery and pukey after the surgery did help keep my mind off the pathology report.  You see because I have the BRCA 2 gene I'm high risk for some cancers - namely breast and ovarian.  Well, we know how the risk of breast cancer turned out. 

The point of the BSO was to remove my tubes and ovaries tout suite to reduce my risk of ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cancer is sneaky, while you can have tests like a CT scan, an MRI, or an ultrasound- all of which I had in July and August- even when they come back all clear- that does not mean that you don't actually have cancer.  The only way to be sure is to have your fallopian tubes and ovaries taken out and viewed under a microscope. 

I did as much research as a non-scientist could do to try and reassure myself that I was not likely to have ovarian cancer. I even tried to get my Medical Oncologist to tell me it was not likely I'd find out I had another cancer.  However, she wouldn't tell me what I wanted to hear. Booo. She did tell me that if they found cancer I'd have to have more chemo. Good times!  I was like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, not that!!!!!

As you can imagine, I spend a good deal of my mental energy on keeping my spirits up.  The thought of another cancer and more chemo was very, very stressful.  I couldn't wait to get the surgery over and I hope that maybe my GYN could give Tom some reassurance that everything looked good.

However, all I got was that one ovary looked fabulous and the other looked a little funky and that pathology results would be back by Monday. Ugh ugh ugh.

Thursday was spent by me sleeping and stressing. I have an app on my phone for my medical stuff and I kid you not, every 15 minutes I was on there looking to see if new test results were up.  I did this even though I know they don't automatically post pathology reports.  Those results were only coming to me from a phone call. 

I'm stressing out just writing about my waiting game. On Friday morning my phone rang and it was the hospital, I jumped on that call with high hopes, and it was just nurse follow up. Which is great, don't get me wrong, I appreciate that they were checking in on me. I hung up that call and tried to bury myself in something good on Netflix, but I could not concentrate and kept checking my phone and trying to figure out if I could find anything from Dr. Google.

Finally and also earlier than Monday I got the call. 12:23pm on 2/21.  The doctor herself called. She had THE BEST news for me!  The pathology was all clear.  I was so happy, she was so happy.

Best Day Ever!

Got a Minute?

I need opinions! Last year shortly after the one year anniversary of buying our house, right when I was ready for a year of home improvements, I found out I had breast cancer and all my fun plans were put on hold for an exciting year of really getting to know our medical system inside and out. It was a real nose-to-the-grindstone just get through each day time for me. 

Fortunately, I am here now, 'new year, new me' and I"m ready to live my best Pinterest life. Too bad I don't have buckets of cash to fund that life. My Pinterest life is going to need to be done on the cheap. We are talking DIY and clearance endcaps. 

This is what I need opinions on, I'd like to put a big plant here in the corner of our master bedroom.  Anyone know what sort of big plant would thrive in a second-floor bedroom with three big southern-exposure windows? The plant needs to be inexpensive to purchase and easy to maintain. Our bedroom furniture is a weathered wood beachy style and I'd like the plant to fit in with that style. 

So what do you think?  It's a great spot for a big plant, right?  Once I've found the perfect plant, it will be time to crowdsource a name for my new pal!

Happy Sunday! 

xoxo

Hey There, Whatcha Reading?

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I suddenly realized the month of February is just about half over and I still needed to listen to one more audiobook in order to complete the audible challenge and earn a $20 gift card from Amazon. What to do? I previewed a few books and one caught my ear. Our Little Lies is read by a British reader with the most delightful accent--so I downloaded it. Audible.com has icons you earn for various feats and this book earned me the marathon badge because I could not stop listening.  I had to know how this book ended!

If you choose to read it, make sure you block off quality time.  Don't start reading at 8pm on Sunday when you have to work the next day! You have been warned!

Our Little Lies by Sue Watson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first third of the book is such a slow-building rise of tension that it is almost maddening. You think you can rely on the narrator, but she doesn't even know herself. Layer upon layer you wonder, will she wise up? Will she believe herself? As the roller coaster starts down its steep incline, you can't stop reading this book. You really need to have time to stop everything else in your life and finish it.

Is there a twist? More than one--and then one big one. I'll be surprised if you figure it out before it happens.

The only issue I had with this book is I thought the villain got some undeserved redemption at the end.

If you are looking for a thriller you can't put down, get this book ASAP.


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You Know What is Super Annoying?

Not being able to talk! That's the new phase of my almost-over cold. I have laryngitis.  If I speak, I sound terrible. I don't feel terrible, but obviously my vocal cords disagree!


I sound more like Bowie when I attempt to speak. It's been rough answering the phone at work, but I'm healthy and I can do all the other aspects of my job so there is no reason to take off work, especially since I have to take off for surgery next week.

Do you realize how difficult it is for me not to be able to yell at The Man?  He can't hear me talking half the time when I am able to speak! How is he to know when we need to leave for work if I am not yelling, "five minutes! we have to leave in five minutes to catch the train!"

And the kids, I can't do my usual questioning of how school is going and make my jokes. Parenting teenagers means bugging them and making them laugh. I can't do either right now.

Poor P keeps asking me if I am ok.  What a good kid. Then I have to croak out, "I'm fine, I just can't talk." Then he says, "What?" as he takes out an earbud. Then I give him a look and shake my head. Then he says "Are you OK? You look upset?"  Then I have to re-croak, "I'm fine. I just can't talk."

I can't even communicate properly with the dog.  Over the last year, I have mastered a special no that I use to get Bowie off the bed when he jumps on it. My no has been very effective up until now.  However, the last few days my no sounds like a Peter Brady voice-changing impersonation, and Bowie isn't falling for it.

Sigh.  The only silver lining I can find is that the laryngitis is great distraction keeping me from getting worried about surgery next week. It's always nice to have a more mundane temporary annoyance to focus one's energy upon.

Yesterday Nothing Bundt Cakes was in our lobby peddling their delicious bundt cakes.  I purchased a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake. I ate the whole thing and it was scrumptious.  I regret nothing!  

Then for dinner, I made steak which is a real rarity in our house; we have red meat about once a quarter. Since I couldn't have a conversation with anyone while cooking, I tried my hand at plating food instead. 

You can't see it here, but that steak has a nice crust and is deliciously rare inside. 

Happy Valentine's Day !!💕💕

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Colds and Flu Woe Woe Woe

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OMG I'm so tired of having a cold.  I suppose I should be grateful I have not gotten whatever Dear Daughter and Oldest Child had since they spent a fun 24 hours vomiting. I hate puking. Hate it!

For the record, guess how many times I threw up during chemo? Zero. Anti-nausea drugs are amazing.  This morning Middle Son texted me from upstairs to let me know his stomach hurt and he thought he was going to throw up. I googled symptoms of appendicitis and I think he is in clear. Which is great, last place he or I want to be on a Sunday afternoon is an ER. Ugh.

Blech, cold medicine. These look innocent but they are hard to swallow. The package said they are smaller than they used to be and I shudder to think how bad they were before.

 Also, my cold laughed at these pills. 

Valentine's Day is coming up on Friday and I set a little goal for myself. This week I'm going to make sure to wear something shades of red every day of the week. Friday I think I might get a dozen Krispy Kremes for the kids or maybe I'll go to Nothing Bundt Cake for me! 

Keep your fingers crossed that this cold decides to leave me ASAP and I'll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't head over to your house!

Xoxo -Victoria

Guess Who's Done With Radiation?

Yes, you are correct! Today was my last radiation treatment. I hope to not ever need to repeat the experience. If you were to see me, you might be disappointed that I don't seem thrilled.  I am, it's just that I am still dealing with a stupid cough from a dumb cold.

Rest assured, should you or a loved one ever need radiation, the most trying part of the experience will likely be just the day in day out drag of it all. Fun radiation fact, nurse Hope told me today that radiation continues to work in your body for two weeks after you finish treatment.

I would like to take a moment to brag. Today, the technicians told me- and it was not for the first time, that I have amazing skin and in fact,  technician Theresa said my skin hand held up wonderfully and she has only seen a handful of patients that looked as good as me by the end of the treatment.

I said to The Man: "Apparently my body is made to really ace cancer treatments." He looked at me like I'm a few cards short of a deck.

Would be very nice if my body could also like not allow cancer cells to hang out and build themselves into a mass again. I've already committed to doing my part through eating healthy, regular exercise, and not taking up vaping; I just need my biology to also commit to staying cancer free!

Treated myself to a celebratory Mug Cake courtesy of  Becky McNeill in one of my Snoopy mugs. 

Now 12 days and I'm back at the hospital for a preventative Bilateral Salpingectomy  What a February, eh?

Happy First Friday of February 2020!

When NyQuil Doesn't Work.

Much to my dismay, February has begun with me having a cold. I blame The Man, he had it first. Then again, his illness started off with a fever and body aches. I have the traditional runny nose, scratchy throat, and coughing. BMO was sick last week and was better quickly so I should stop blaming The Man and put the blame squarely on the kids.  Dear daughter is also home sick today, yes it is definitely the kids' fault!  

Typically when I have a cold I take NyQuil and enjoy a decent night's sleep. This time around NyQuil is not working and neither is DayQuil. It's just coughing, coughing, coughing. Can't work when all I do is cough and sound like death warmed over.  Not what you want to hear when calling a professional office!  

Radiation Fact of the Day: If you should happen to have a cold during radiation treatment, your treatment carries on. Which is my preference anyway. This is my last week of treatment, you bet I'm going to drag my hiney there! 

Today and tonight I'm switching from my old tried and true NyQuil to Tylenol Sinus Severe. Let's hope it works, if not tomorrow I'm going to try a shot of whiskey and a tablespoon of honey. 

At least my abs are getting a nice workout from all this coughing! And the weather isn't great, I suppose if I am to have a cold in 2020 might as well get it over with in February. Summer colds are the worst!  

Did He See His Shadow Or What?

According to my Aunt who resides in the keystone state AKA Pennsylvania, Punxasutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow.  Early Spring!  Or maybe not, here in Chicagoland the sun is shining for the first time in 183 days and so any local groundhogs definitely saw their shadows.

Oh well, at least January has finally ended. Don't get me wrong it wasn't terrible.  It wasn't great either. Do you have monthly goals? Did you make New Year's Resolutions?  How are you hanging in there?

Here is how my January went:

1. First and foremost, 80% done with radiation!  Wahoo! My skin looks red like a sunburn but it isn't peeling so great news.
2. I ran every day of January.  I hit my goal of running a long run of 6.5.  I raised money toward my goal for Imerman's Angels! 
3. My goal to blog 2-5 times per week was achieved.
4. I listened to 2 audiobooks and read 3 books so that meets my goal of 5 books for the month.
5. I tried two new things! 1. I attended a phone bank and made calls for Abdelnasser Rashid for Cook County Board of Review and 2. The Man and I went to CONEX the Conservation Expo.

Here is where I fell short: I wasn't able to make it to three events I really wanted to go. For one, I was too tired, two, The Man was sick as a dog with a nasty cold and three I didn't get the book of the month from the library until the date of the monthly library book club (#3 was poor planning on my part!).

Overall I give myself an A- for achieving my January Goals.

Another meal from the workshop,  two thumbs up from The Man! Chicken Enchiladas

Here is what I'll be up to in February -- reminder all -- we have an extra Saturday in February. Plan something fun for that day!

February Goals:
A long run of 7.5 miles
Dinner with Friends x 2
Blog 2-5 times per week
Create my first DIY Pinterest Project: A coffee bar!
Try 2 new things (still working on what that will be)
Lastly, have a very uneventful laparoscopic preventative surgery and celebrate being done with medical interventions for hopefully ever. (not including routine tests)

Welcome to February 2020!  Today is the same forward and backward 02022020!!

The End Is Near!

I enjoy that the phrase 'the end is near' can be positive or negative. For the purposes of today,
 it's a good thing.

The end of me driving through the gauntlet to go to radiation will be over a week from tomorrow. What is the gauntlet?  Its afternoon traffic on 95th Street where people don't use turn signals, think switching lanes in the middle of an intersection is cool, and too many people aren't paying attention when the light has changed and I am behind them.

Every day I see a few almost-accidents.  I thought I was done with my mini-rant, but before I leave the subject. Every single trip I have to stop for emergency vehicles, this isn't the rant yet, every day there are emergency vehicles going up and down 95th street--because there are two hospitals in a 2-mile stretch. And every day there are foolish drivers that turn in front of ambulances/police or fire trucks. I mean come on people! 

Okay, I'm done now, back to the good stuff. The end is near for January! It's been a long, long month. Yesterday I got my Valentine's Day leggings from Aldi and as you can see, I'm ready for February! Personally, I'm not a fan of February either, but I'm making an effort this year to appreciate the shortest month of the year. If you love February, please let me know your secret. Maybe it is copious amounts of chocolate?  I could give that a try... 

A couple of things about this picture. 1. #nofilter 2. #nomakeup and 3. my hair was still wet from a shower so you can't see the wavy curl of it. I supposed I could take another picture but #idontfeellikeit.

The end of our streak of cloudy days is near, hopefully, Sunday will be as advertised on my app: Sunny and 51 degrees. That is a Super Sunday! If it is that nice, I'm visualizing myself going on a nice long 7-mile run. #Goals!