At LONG last...

I am still here!  After much guilt (and prodding...) from so many loyal prayer partners, family members, friends and interested passersby (not really, how would I know if they cared or checked or even knew of my existence??)... I have pulled myself together enough to return to this fabulous outlet for all the things that clutter my mind.  Truth be told... it really is for me and just happens to inform all of you at the same time.  Bonus! I do feel as though God has been gently (because that really is the way that He runs His business... gently...) prodding me as well to get back to this thing that He created for me in the vacuum of all other paying work. ha!  :) Or, dare I say as a means of doing His work...  Not that I really need something else to do... or is it that I just find other ways to make myself busy??  Don't get me wrong, I'm still seeing doctors, receiving injections, taking medications that make me sweat and wearing that compressive arm sleeve that wears on my very last nerve.  However... what makes me sooooo much busier now that I can never seem to find the time to write?  Not sure exactly, but bound and determined to make this happen on a regular basis! 

Cancer news first... after many months of dragging my feet I finally made an appointment with my plastic surgeon.  I saw him last Thursday (and built in a MASSIVE trip to Whole Foods thanks to Shawna keeping Neely and meeting Parker at his noontime bus. Darin couldn't help out because he had to put in extra worktime to pay for the organic soy sauce, cage-free, hormone-free, organic cilantro chicken sausage and rGBH-free mozz cheese... UGH!!) to do a follow-up and pre-surgical eval.  That's right... MORE surgery.  I knew that this was coming and I do want to complete this reconstruction, I am just weary with the thought of more I.V.s, drugs, stitches and I.V.s.  Have I ever mentioned how much I hate I.V.s??  Just checking... So, that is all scheduled up for Friday, May 6.  Yours prayers are much appreciated!  It will only be day surgery and shouldn't involve too much of a recovery (taking it a bit easy and laying off of hot yoga - my latest obsession - for a few weeks).  I should be ready to go (finally...) for a summer in the pool (bathing suits, yay!!  hopefully you can read that sarcasm right between the lines...).

I am still participating in the Zometa drug trial every 3 months (and that is the only thing that keeps me clinging to a port that is really starting to bug me) and have been getting injected (in my stomach with that massive, hollow needle...) with Zolodex to suppress my ovaries every month.  Starting with my Zometa treatment this Tuesday, I will be attempting the every 3 month Zolodex.  Apparently it doesn't work for everyone (read: those too young to be ready for menopause on their own) so we'll have to see if it will continue to prevent periods or if I will need to return to the monthly injections (the only upside of which is a trip to Whole Foods on a monthly basis until they finally finish the one in Wexford, NEXT April... so much for my plan to put Neely at Eden in order to go there every Tuesday.  Foiled again... I should see if Darin is somehow behind that...).  They are incredibly painful so let's all be praying that the every 3 month one will work! (Darin and his wallet will also thank you)

Otherwise, with the aid of hot yoga (it is like doing yoga in an oven... a very crowded oven), I have been feeling really well physically.  Truthfully, the yoga has vastly increased the flexibility in my butchered left leg and it has encouraged me to finally lose those last 15 pounds that Neely left behind (that's right, THREE years ago!).  I have started jogging a little bit as well and continue on with my early morning walking group in the neighborhood.  I think that metastasis is never really far from our minds although we rarely, if ever, talk about it.  Unfortunately there are too many reminders - the sleeve, the scars - which are many, the breast, the hair, the doctors... for it to really be forgotten but it does not dominate our conversation (at least out loud...). 

Angela tells me that this was the way that she kept up with our kiddos and I'm assuming that she is not the only one, so let me catch you up on the crazy Hawn brood...  a few weekends back Dryden & Parker wrapped up a very successful first house league hockey season at RMU.  They came in second in the closing round robin tournament (they would've won but one of their best players - big D - didn't really rise to the occasion!  Although, in all fairness, he was fighting a bad cough & cold... ha ha  I'm not a sports mum at all!  Audrey will be all over my case about this when she gets back... where o where art thou Audrey?!??!!)  They both loved it and did great.  They will be back for a second house league season with Dryden doing a summer 3v3 league as well.  Dryden has also been guest starring as a goalie for his best friend Ellie's all-girl indoor soccer team (in a co-ed league but it just so happens that he is the only boy on his team... which, suits him just fine!  uh-oh!!).  Now we are headed into outdoor soccer season (if it could just stop raining... and snowing... hmm...) and a new one - lacrosse!  Both boys are participating in both and Darin is helping to coach the lax.  Stay tuned for pictures of this because is it adorable!  Neely is begging to do everything that the boys do and at some point we're just going to have to let her.  Darin is already thinking that he will sign her up for Little Pens next year... oh my...  Speaking of everyone taking part in sports... Grant has finally talked Darin into getting off the couch to play with him. This time they are tackling hockey.  Easy for Darin... not so much for Grant who makes up for whatever he may lack in hockey skill with zeal and every available piece of equipment (and then some... sliding pants anyone??) on the market.  Unfortunately it is played in the middle of the night on Tuesdays but believe it or not they have already talked several other hapless souls into joining them.  I have to believe that Grant's ulterior motive is to start Darin on something he is this good at and then talk him into some other things that he hasn't done in quite a while... (think he'll be working the century by next MS 150??). 

Ok... so that is probably more information than anyone should be expected to absorb  in one posting but hopefully it is the jumping off point that I needed to get back - and stay - in the saddle!  Stay tuned faithful friends and prayer warriors!  

BTW... this is a pic of Dryden at the Elementary School Science Fair with his best buddy (and partner in bread mold), Ellie.  They did a great job and it was so fun to see them get into Science!