Home Again

Hi All!

We're back from vacation, and as I type this, some 275 pictures from our trip are slowly being uploaded to Flickr. We had a wonderful vacation with the exception of the heat and rain. I'll never book another trip there in the middle of the summer. It wasn't just that the temp was in the 90's, it's that with the heat index the temperature was well over 110! Heat like that just really zaps the energy right out of ya! We got back Tuesday evening, and we're still trying to settle in. Ruben of course unpacked as soon as we got home - my suitcase is still sitting on the floor. Luckily, the house we rented was equipped with a washer and dryer, so we brought back very little dirty laundry.

Now that we're back, we're hitting the diet hard! I was fortunate enough not to gain anything while we were gone - but I didn't lose any either. Of course there is no such thing as dieting while on vacation, so I ate like a mad woman. I only broke even due to the many miles we walked daily.

Yesterday I finally got my car back from the Dodge dealership after two full months! Once I got in my car I discover that my stereo and XM reciever were not working - and since it's aftermarket equipment they are not responsible for it. I was completely livid, cause the service manager was a complete jerk about it. He tried to make like since he gave me a oil change on the house, that we were even. Ha! A $30 oil change does not make up for possibly frying more than $1000 worth of stereo equipment. Ruben took it to the place that installed it, Car Audio Connection over in Harahan and the guys there fixed it for free. I'm just so relieved that I didn't need a new unit. When they pulled out the deck they found that the dealership hadn't even re-connected the wires. So now I wonder what else they may have done half ass.

Also, yesterday I had a follow up appointment with my plastic surgeon. Sometime in the near future I will be going back into surgery to correct my left breast. I don't really know when yet, cause first we have to get approval from the insurance company. But I will keep you posted.

The Pictures Are Up

I posted nearly all the pix from Christmas on Flickr for all to see.....160+ pix. I planned on writing a post about all the gifts to go along with them, but the jacuzzi tub is calling my name right now, and my back hurts a bit - so needless to say the post will have to wait one more day!

I'm tired of waiting to see doctors and get results!

It's been weeks since my plastic surgeon broke the news to me about the re-occurrence of breast cancer. Since then I have been stuck with dozens of needles, injected numerous times with nuclear medicine, spent hours waiting and fasting, had several tests and scans done, and practically jumped through hoops just to get my tests results. None of it's been easy - it's caused many headaches and lots of stress! Many of the oncologists I've contacted won't agree to schedule an appointment till they review all of my medical records. As if I have all the time in the world!?! Doctors can be so insensitive some times. Does it ever cross their minds that maybe, just maybe, the patient is so worried and stressed that they need to get in with a doctor ASAP for their own peace of mind? I'm tired of waiting and want to start chemo NOW! But before I can even do that I will need to get another Port-a-Cath put in my chest. So it looks like I'll be doing even more waiting before treatment can begin! As it is, it could be anywhere from the 31st of this month till the end of next month before I even get in to see an oncologist. Then there will be more tests to do (Abdominal CT, MRI, Muga Scan and Dexa Scan just to name a few) - and I will have to find a general surgeon to place the Port, so I doubt seriously if I will be able to start chemo before May. So even MORE waiting!! Argggh!! I'm so stressed and I feel so sorry for my family for having to put up with me. Lately I have been drinking some Margarita Daiquiri's from Fat Tuesday. I figure a (mildly) mixed drink a couple times a week won't hurt me - besides it helps to relax me a bit, but still I am so stressed - and not just about this, it's everything - bills, money, family, cleaning, school - all this little stuff is getting on my nerves and I can't hardly relax. But the good news is that Ruben has to go to Lake Charles for business - about 3 hours away, so the rest of the family is going to tag along since Natalie is out on Spring Break. It will be a nice little "mini vacation" to get away from home, forget about my problems, do a little shopping (I found a scrapbook store there - YAY!!!!), and when he's not busy with his business meetings we plan on driving over the border to Texas in hopes of finding some really good tacos and carne asada like we had in Ensenada. Maybe if we have time we might drive the 3 hours from Lake Charles to Galveston. I remember going to Galveston as a child and feeding the seagulls. I don't recall what else was around there, I just remember it was beautiful there and I hope that it still is since we will be driving another 3 hours the opposite way from home. I look forward to exploring new places, taking lots of pictures, and hitting up some of my favorite stores to pamper myself - oh and let's not forget some (hopefully) awesome Tex-Mex food! I crave some homemade fresh guacamole like the kind found at Pink Taco. Mmm, I can't wait! I think this would be just what a doctor would order! A few days to get away, relax, eat good, and shop! Hopefully when I return I will be feeling better and not so worried about all this medical stuff. Despite all the stress and stuff, I am still quite hopeful - hopeful that everything will work out for the best, and things will get straightened out soon!

Oh, almost forgot. I took a load of pictures this weekend and they're all on Flickr....enjoy!