Bye Bye 2014

2014.12.31

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

 

February

• 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

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

Chemo #1

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

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

July 8 (our 19th wedding anniversary) Key West

August

• My hair is growing back
• Kevin turns 17
• Filmaking camp for Kevin
• Drama camp for Marcus
• Boys start new school 

Hair on August 1st

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

November

• Girls Weekend in Lisbon
• 14 workouts in Gym with cardio and strength training

Blood Red Seas- November 11th

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

Art of the Brick

Globe Theatre

The majority of these points above are positive, wouldn't you agree? 

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.

DLBCL

2014.03.07

Slept really poorly last night. It was the combination of the bandage on my neck making it a little tight as the incision healed and the mental tiredness which left me wide awake during most of the night.

Finally at 6 am I could have my morning chat on FB as I got ready to shower the whole body at once in preparation for removing the bandage. It has been on for a week and it was time to see what it looked like underneath. The shower was the quickest ever because it was easy to wash the new hair doo.

Now that the bandage was good and wet it was time for removal. Mostly painless removal. It looks pretty good even though the surgeon said he was only 2nd best at sewing stitches. I am happy with his handiwork.

Drive Eric to school and time for a breakfast of toast and juice before the fresh air is calling my name. Sophie and I joined Caroline och Monica for a dog walk with their dogs. Fresh air and great conversation while the dogs got a good workout. THANKS GIRLS for today.

Home again it was time to figure out to get the flu shots. Last nights adventure to Lowenströmska City Akuten resulted in nothing. They said they didn't have any flu shots left. So instead it was a stop for the boys at McDonalds for some ice cream as promised. I was really upset that we wasted all our time. I also realized that my level of tolerance for things to go wrong is very low. That was part of the reason I couldn't sleep last night. Many things are outside of my control but it is still frustrating.

I called the Hematology doctors office to see what time he would call today to give me more information regarding the test results. Now it was time for Plan B with the flu shots. Peter and I to SveaVaccin near Täby Centrum. I explain the situation and they don't have any either. BRICK WALL

FRUSTRATION sets in because now we are forced to go with PLAN C up check with Täby Centrum Doctors again. Waited in line to see the nurse to discuss the issue but I am pleasantly surprised when I tell them why I need it (and she sees my frustration) and she says OK,  Wait right outside here and someone will be with you shortly. DISBELIEF. Within 3 minutes a male nurse comes and we go into the room to get the shots.

Of course I go first because Peter is such a gentleman. Just as the nurse gets ready to jab me in the arm my phone rings. NO CALLER ID and I know I need to answer it because it is the Hematology doctor. I ask him a few questions and get more information - most certainly not optimal time or place but par for the course. The current diagnosis subtype of Lymphoma which I have so far is DLBCL which stands for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. OK. The results from the breast examinations were negative. GOOD. Do the kids really need to take the flu shot? NO. RELIEF.  I will get more information next week. CHEMO is a go for MONDAY. YIPPIEE>>>>>>>>>>

All this happens in this nurse's office as Peter gets his flu shot. Hang up the phone and it is my turn to get a jab. Not a problem.

Relief that Peter and I have gotten our flu shots. Relief that the boys don't have to. One more thing to check off the list. Next on the list was the rabies shot for Sophie at the Vets so she could move with us to London this summer. But, it is a 6 month wait after the shot and I have waited longer than I wanted. So we move in August and Sophie will have to come in September. Bummer.

After the vet visit, I had just enough time for a nap. FELT GREAT. Awoken by a knock on the door by the florist. It was a most beautiful bouquet of tulips from the 2nd grade class where I teach LEGO Education. Fantastic teacher, Ulrica and the amazing kids in this class have made my day and weekend. TEARS of JOY.

We round out the days with a spontaneous visit to my favorite Indian Restaurant called GURU on Odengatan. I was greeted warmly by the owner with a great big hug. This has been our night out in town for the past 4 years and it never disappoints. Peter and I were joined by Annica and Mia in this food extravaganza. Many laughs, many laughs and stories of all the good times made it all that more enjoyable. GRATEFUL.

A day spent enjoying life through all its small hassles but still able to appreciate the good weather, good friends and family and good food that make this life what it is. TRULY GRATEFUL.

I am so ready for chemo on MONDAY. I am so ready for chemo on MONDAY. I am so ready for chemo on MONDAY.

Thank you all who keep my spirits up by texting, calling or leaving a comment here. It is the energy for my fight to kick cancer's ass.