It’s been just under 3 months since I’ve gone to work (with the exception of a couple visits). I miss my co-workers but I don’t really miss the job (anymore).  To occupy my time, I’ve been reading, I’ve gone back to Tae Kwon Do, and I’ve been making earrings (the proceeds of which, I donate to charity).  I’ve also joined the choir at church.  In the summer, I plan to start tap dancing again.

I’m still jogging when I can breathe and when my right hip isn’t causing me pain!! I try to get out twice a week.  I jogged (slowly) the Hot Chocolate 15K in Philly on April 1st with my son and his fiancé and friends, and my sister, Monica.  I didn’t even think I’d be able to participate as the week prior, I came down with laryngitis and bronchitis.  I finished my antibiotics the day of the race.   (I had also joined the Confirmation Choir at church & had gone to a couple practices but two days before Confirmation, the laryngitis started, so singing was out).    Monica and I jogged a 5K in Brooklyn a couple weeks later for children with disabilities and autism.  I am going to do the NYPD memorial 5K this weekend as well.  Hopefully it won’t be too hot.  My lungs don’t like it too hot or too cold.  I end up with an asthma attack when the weather is extreme in either direction.

Xavier came up for a visit.  He had just finished his first year of law school.  It was nice seeing him as it had been about a month since we had seen him last.  In mid-April, we took a trip down to Philly to surprise him on his birthday.  It was a three hour drive each way and we stayed for about an hour.  He was very happy & enjoyed the cake my daughter made for him.  While he was home, we went jogging one day.  I did OK but ended up coughing a lot when I was done.  I did two nebulizer treatments that afternoon and evening.  When I went to bed, I had a crazy cough attack.  I thought I’d have to go to the Emergency Room, but finally after about 20 minutes or so, many cough drops & laying in a slightly elevated position, the coughing subsided.

As I am retiring, I went for a nuclear cardiac stress test.  My blood pressure was good & I did well on the treadmill.  I hadn’t had any issues with my heart in the past.  However, when I saw the doctor afterward, he advised that he had seen a shadow on the pictures and the shadow got worse after I was on the treadmill.  A shadow could be indicative of a blockage.  He didn’t seem too worried, however, this worried me as some of the chemotherapy drugs I had been on can be toxic to your heart.  He recommended that I have a cardiac CT scan to rule out any blockage or other cardiac issues.  (He also asked if I ever had chest pain or shortness of breath.  I advised that I often have shortness of breath as I have asthma)!!!  I had to wait over a week for the CT Scan & while waiting for this test, I was too nervous to go out jogging.  I was afraid I’d have a heart attack! Well, I had the CT test on Monday.  I was told that the doctor reads the tests at the end of the day & that I should hear something Monday night or Tuesday.  I called the office Tuesday to find out the results.  I was transferred to someone who could “help me.”  He just made me nervous.  He wouldn’t give me any information, just told me that the doctor would call me with the results.  I told him that I had a class at 11 but the doctor could leave me a message.  The guy then asks when I would be available for the doctor to speak with me! OK! Great way to freak me out! Now I think there is something wrong.  I finally heard back from the doctor’s office (not the doctor)  a couple hours later, that the test was normal.  Thank God! If the guy could have told me that a couple hours earlier, it would have saved me some stress.  I try not to worry because life is too short.  But I’ve had too many occurrences where doctors had told me not to worry because most likely nothing was wrong and something was wrong!  CANCER! Three times.

I saw my oncologist today.  He previously told me that he wanted to make sure I had a clean PET Scan before I got my Medi-Port removed.  I showed him a copy of my PET Scan results & he gave me the Okay to have the port removed.  Hooray!  Now to make another appointment with my surgeon.   I’ve had the Port for over five years.  It would be nice not to have the Port flushed monthly.  It’s just a reminder of a couple crappy years that I’d like to put behind me.  When we previously discussed getting my port removed, the surgeon said it could be done under local anesthesia.  (I hate general)!!!  I can’t wait to have it removed.

All in all, I’ve been alright.  I’ve been getting sciatic pain (I think).  I can’t sit for too long or my left butt cheek hurts.  As a matter of fact, it’s hurting now.  I still get pain in my right hip and my surgical scars still itch incessantly.  The doctors aren’t sure what to do about the itch.  I still suffer from neuropathy but I can deal with all of this.  I’m still here.

Please say a prayer for and support all of our first responders.  Too many are being diagnosed with catastrophic illnesses, such as cancers.  9/11 continues to claim additional victims everyday.