Well, all is good in the Irwin Household. Hope the same for you. The biggest news is that I am CANCER FREE according to the CT scan results taken Wednesday. I still have to take meds for a while and be "closely monitored" for the next year or so, but somehow the chemotherapy did the job. Thanks so much to Mayo and the team there as well as YOU for lifting my spirits with your comments and just knowing you are there!
This year of "reflection" has taught me so many valuable lessons. Here they are. . like the David Letterman's 10 Reasons to Live
10. To continue to enjoy Krispy Kreme donuts and Crystal Light Iced Tea (decaffeinated)
9. To continue to relish reading everything (including ketchup bottles- and mainly nonfiction)
8. To watch Law and Order re-runs with Jerry Orbach (wasn't he great?)
7. To travel. . anywhere and anytime (esp. with Patrick and the Palmers - such fun!)
6. To know that I am safe and liked by some people (maybe you?)
5. To meet new people with different takes on life (after all this is America)
4. To continue the work we have done helping chained dogs (my passion)
3. To reconsider and adopt some of the teachings of my earlier years (a la Catholic)
2. To love my husband with my entire being (my world)
1. To understand that life is fleeting and precious and not appreciated by those in good health. (you?)
A diagnosis of cancer, esp. cancer in Stage IV is the scariest thing that has happened to me, but I think one of the best things too. People say that all the time and I think they are just justifying or searching for the silver lining, but I am truly appreciative of the last year which helped me get my priorities straight. I am serious.
Thanks so much to all of you who lifted me up with gifts, books, flowers, cards, notes, emails, phone calls and all that you did to tell me that you cared (see #6). It really mattered. Mind over matter and all that. I especially want to call out Michelle Wolf for her friendship this past year and her comments on the blog. I depended upon them as much as my next drug dose. She was/is a drug dose of happiness and caring. Thanks so much, Michelle.
I'll keep doing the blog. . of course, I love writing it and knowing that some folks are actually reading it from time to time.
Today while Patrick was building a fence, I took the dogs to WalMart meadows and they loved it. I cannot let them off lease tho. Wish we had a dog park.
Went to Well-Bread Bakery to get the NY Times and got a cookie for b-fast along with my standard iced coffee. Those people there know how to bake, that is for sure. The shortbread cookie took about 1 minute to eat in the car. . Yummy.
As we approach 9-11, the Times had an article about Canter-Fitzgerald's CEO who was taking his daughter to her first day of kindergarten on September 11, 2001 and was not there at the World Trade Center. Blind Luck they said in the article. How many times have we been blessed (and cursed?) with Blind Luck. I think that would be an interesting book.
Well, time to go. . . . see you soon!
Love,
Peggy
Hi Peggy, Again (and again and again) I’m just SO thrilled about your ultrasound results . . . hope you have been celebrating!! I know the chemo and meds helped but your positive attitude was a huge benefit, too! (I think that's the most important part!) I love your top ten list and thanks so much for your kind words, too . . . glad to have helped a little :) YUM! Well-Bread is a fun place to go; I bet you are glad it’s so close. Do you ever go in the library? I haven’t been to that one in the longest time and I miss everyone. I had not heard about your booksfree program so I’ll have to read about it. We don’t have a good bakery/coffee shop over here—we used to go to Filo all the time near our old house—but Green Sage is about to open a new location right down the street. I’m very excited! Hope you are having a good week and hey to Patrick and the pups! : ) Michelle P.S. I know you’ve been in a reflective mood . . . think about how far you’ve come since last year at this time—it’s phenomenal!! We were so worried when you were in the hospital. And I’ll never forget sneaking the doggies in to see you.
ReplyDelete