New Year's Eve
365 days ago, we lived in Sweden and celebrated with dear friends, watched the fireworks in our neighborhood and face timed with my parents at midnight. It was to be a year of many exciting things to come - 2014.
January 2014
- Taught Lego classes and held Lego Birthday Parties,
- Cleaned out house to style it and put it on the market,
- 31st - Peter and I to London so he could start new job
- 15th - discovered large mass on my neck
- 15th -House offer accepted and contracts signed
- 15th - spent 8 hours in the ER with no results
- 17th - headed to a private doctor and got the ball rolling with tests to get an answer
- 20th - Mia went with me to demand the results - IN SHOCK as it is non-hodgkins lymphoma DLCBL.
- Life is forever changed
- 21st - trip to Gran Canaries cancelled
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| Smiling with cancer bulging from my neck. |
March
- 10th -CHEMO R-CHOP #1
- 17th -Parents arrive to help out
- Haircuts (heads shaved - all of us)
- 25th -CHEMO #2
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| Chemo #1 |
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| Chemo #2 |
April
- 1st- Mom and Dad back to NY
- 9th - CHEMO #3
- 10th - Marcus turns 14.
- Quick trip to London to check out houses.
- 23rd - CHEMO #4
- 29th - I turn 49. Yippie! (bald and 49 what more can someone ask for?)
May
- 3rd- my sister Kris arrives for one week visit
- 5th - toenail removed due to infection, chemo delayed a week
- 5th - afternoon trip to ER with Eric - admitted to intensive care unit for DIABETES.
- 14th - CHEMO #5
- 16th - Nicole and Jackson arrive for one week visit
- 28th - CHEMO #6
- 29th - MOVERS PACK UP THE HOUSE
- 30th - MOVERS PACK UP THE HOUSE
June
- 2nd - House contracts exchanged.
- 13th - last days of school for the boys
- 16th- CAT and PET scan for me
- 19th - doctor visit to hear the results: REMISSION
- 21st - Celebrate Midsommar in Sweden
- 22nd - Trip to America to celebrate my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary
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| Kevin's last American Fottball Game |
July
- 1st- Eric turned 11
- Visited Charlotte-Bluffton-St. Augustine-Ft. Lauderdale-Key West-Charlotte
- 14th - Back to Sweden
- 25th - London Exploration
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| July 8 (our 19th wedding anniversary) Key West |
- My hair is growing back
- Kevin turns 17
- Filmaking camp for Kevin
- Drama camp for Marcus
- Boys start new school
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| Hair on August 1st |
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| Sending Sophie to London |
September
- Visit Nikki in Malta
- Doctor visit in Sweden - 3 MONTHS ALL CLEAR
- 25th - Personal shopping day. A great day!
- Met and made many new friends here in London
- Eric starts karate, Marcus starts drama classes, Kevin starts Parkour
October
- 3rd - Start at G14 with my personal trainer, Ben
- Saw Canterbury Cathedral and Whitsable Beach
- Mia and her family visit us
- NFL games in London. FUN FUN FUN
- Girls Weekend in Lisbon
- 14 workouts in Gym with cardio and strength training
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| Blood Red Seas- November 11th |
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| Lisbon - Torre de Belem |
December
- Christmas Fayre in Burnham-on-Crouch
- 16th - Mom and Dad arrive for a 3 week visit
- Art of the Brick Exhibit
- Christmas and New Year in London
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| Art of the Brick |
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| Globe Theatre |
It has been a long year and I feel like I lived every second of it in slow motion. Luckily my chemo brain forgets that fact sometimes and I can reflect on how blessed I am to have so many dear family members, great friends (new and old). I got to see so many things this year even though I was totally exhausted after chemo. I did most of these things at a much lower activity level and that is the new me.
My children have matured and tried many new things. My husband is happy with his Christmas presents.......as I am too. Just happy to be alive. YES, ALIVE.
So happy to say goodbye to 2014. It was a bumpy ride but I came through on the other side and I have now taken control over my eating, exercising and I focus on living here and now.
Battling cancer has changed me and I am focused on embracing that change. The cancer will not define who I am, I am more than just a survivor of cancer. I will live my life to the fullest and I am grateful that I can do that.
Tonight will be celebrated by eating well, enjoying dessert, watching the fireworks on TV and hugging the nearest and dearest that are gathered here. Sending big hugs to all the rest of you that have been a part of my life in 2014.
Please feel free to comment below in the comment section.
I look forward to new adventures in 2015 with all of you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
LOVED. GRATEFUL.
KICKED CANCER'S ASS. LIVING LIFE.
BE BRAVE. LOVE LIFE.
Here's to your new year & new life! Jim & Joni
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful Face Timing with you. Hope 2015brings only good things to you, Peter and the boys. You deserve only the best. Love you!! Terry and Charlie
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing a little piece of your 2014 with us, grace in the midst of turmoil. Love, carey
ReplyDelete