There has not been too much to update lately. I've been immersed in all the non cancerous aspects of life which take up the most time. Kris has been emphatic about the driving lessons. Every day, he asks if he can drive me somewhere and if he hears me grab my purse, he'll call out "CAN I DRIVE?" Ugh! THere are just sometimes, I want to drive, get to where I want to go, do what I need to do and leave but I understand the need for him to get road time so I hand him the keys, hang on to the "OH CRAP!" bar and pray silently for a safe deliverance. As my son seems to think he's Mario Andretti and not a student driver, I'll catch him trying to drive with his pinkies on the wheel and not his hands, scope girls, and delve into the space zone. I still do not feel at ease. I'm not sure I ever will. The other day, I silently snuck out of the house. HEE HEE!
A few weeks ago, I took Emily and Kris to get their eyes checked. Kris has Astigmatism and needed a new prescription. Emily needed an exam because our schools no longer do any screenings. I had thought it was a tad too soon for a 5 year old but I was sick of all the "We're going to kick your kid out of school" letters. So, under protest I took her and........she needed glasses. BAH! A little egg on the face, I guess. She has Astigmatisn AND a lazy eye which requires her to wear an eye patch for 2 hours every morning. She absolutely HATES it. It's going to be a fun two months until her re-evaluation.
Cassie, well, she's her hormonal self but is doing well in school and is having fun.
Confirmation classes are going well. For all the protesting my son did about this whole adventure, he volunteered to help set up the teen mass. Both kids will be participating in a retreat in early November and are griping that it will take all day. I'm taking bets they will have fun.
As for me, I'm busy advocating for Sarcoma where I can, supporting patients and families where I can, and am taking a Math test next week that will determine if I need to take Algebra before applying for Nursing school. My CNA class was bumped to start in November which did not make me happy. Instead of starting MOnday and ending Mid December, we'll be starting Nov 9 and ending Jan 11. If all goes well, I'll be signed up for Anatomy class which will start Jan 18 and will have no time to regroup before the next classes.
Next weekend is Halloween and as is tradition, I make a big pot of Chilli, invite the neighbors and we toss back a beer or two while I wait for the kids to bring me back some candy. Last year, I was re-diagnosed on Halloween and didn't feel like having any sort of party. This year, what the hey? PARTY ON! Of course, I'll be making a vegetarian version for me but I can vicariously enjoy the other and will need to taste it to make sure it's good enough to serve. All who happen to be in town can stop by. If not, we always have a good New Years get together. NYE has never been my favorite holiday.
1) I married my ex husband on NYE, 1993.
2) After I divorced, I was stood up 3 years in a row on NYE and spent it by myself and two sleeping kids.
So, I make my own party now. Our annual party is on year 5 and going strong. I encourage people to bring their sleeping bags. My brother and I supply Continental breakfast and a few movies on New Years Day and later on, we order pizza. It's always been fun. As Emily is going with her dad this year, we're thinking a nice dinner out before champagne and chips at my house in order.
Every year, The Schaumburg High School Saxons Band does a concert to benefit a charity. Kris and Cassie would like to put the cause of Sarcoma up for consideration but we need some presentation ideas. We'd like to make the donation to either the Sarcoma Foundation of America, Nick and Friends Sarcoma Foundation, the MD ANderson Hope Fund or split it among all three as each charity benefits patients in a different way. If any creative people out there have ideas for this presentation, email me. The concerts have traditionally brought in 1K to 2K. This would be such a great donation for such a great cause.
We need a cure..
About Me
- Kathy
- Most of the time, I'm sitting here raising 2 sassy teens who know everything and a bossy toddler who has the attention span of a gnat. I'm picking out the gray hairs daily. Please send hair dye. In 2006, my already complicated life became more complicated when a large tumor was removed from my upper thigh. The tumor was a Sarcoma, a rare cancer for which mainstream treatment options are limited and few and I was propelled into a world of experimental therapies. I blog here about the mundane intermixed with the unthinkable and continue to work for remission while raising children as a single parent.
1 comment:
First, how great that most of your time has been consumed with non-cancer stuff! That's a good thing! Second, ohmygosh, I have never gotten used to being in the passenger seat with one of my daughters (and she knows who she is) in the driver's seat. Third, I think the band would derive more satisfaction from donating more money to just one group. Pick one. You ended your blog entry with a sentence about the need to find a cure--pick that charity since that is where your heart is. The Hope Fund is particularly MPNST sarcoma, isn't it? Is that what you have? If so, go for it! The band kids also might respond to seeing videos of young people like Maura (a former band kid, before she defected to choir)or other young people like them, whose lives have been cut short. If you like, you have permission to use any of the videos of Maura. And, I have more.
Post a Comment