A Visit To Oncology

It is October and I'm sure you have noticed pink showing up everywhere. It is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the perfect time for me to have my four year anniversary check-up for breast cancer. After having my blood work done locally, Jeff and I headed back to Iowa for my appointment with Dr. Otteman. We love my doctor, clinic, and hospital in Ames and have decided that as long as I remain healthy and we have family living in Iowa, we will continue to make the trip for check-ups periodically.

Any how, my appointment went well and the doctor saw nothing to be concerned about with the mammogram results, lab work or my exam. We were pleased to find that my ferritin levels (this is stored iron in the body) are continuing to rise. After 3 1/2 years of taking iron pills, my level is about half way to where the doctor would like to see it (he thought it would take 6 months to a year). I also got a flu shot while there. Not the most exciting thing, but since I work with 20 nose-picking, cough-without-covering, sneeze-in-my-face, oops-I-forgot-to-wash-my-hands-after-using-the-toilet preschool kids... (Well, you get the idea.)

I will go back for another appointment in April and then again next October. The really exciting news for me is that once I reach 5 years after my particular diagnoses, my chances of recurrence will be the same as any other woman. God has been so good to me. Not only did I have great medical care, but a wonderful and patient husband who cared for me through my treatments and years of re-adjusting to a new normal. My boys have been supportive and I have my own personal prayer team in my family and friends. God has truly blessed me!

Como Park Zoo

About an hour after we got Josh home from the hospital, Zach's family arrived for a weekend visit. I'm very thankful that they were willing to put up with all the boxes piled around the house and that we weren't in the apartment anymore. We had great weather and a great visit. On Saturday, we decided to go into St. Paul to the Como Park Zoo. This isn't a big zoo, but there are lots of animals and they are easy to see through the glass windows. Even Josh was feeling well enough to join us. The best part of the zoo was when we were standing at the window looking at the orangutans. We had pushed Khloe's stroller right up to the window so she could see. Then one of the orangutans came right to the other side of the window looking at Khloe. They were probably only 18 inches apart with just the glass in between. It was so cute!

Sunday we just took it easy. We had BBQ ribs on the grill and football on T.V. followed by a nap for everyone. Once we were all awake, we took a walk to the park to play on the playground. Monday morning I headed off to work and Jeff said goodbye to the kids. I am so thankful for such great husband, kids and grand kids. God is good!

Our Busy Week

Well, we survived a very busy week. We closed on our house one week ago and moved the same day. We were thankful to have many of our church family help us with different aspects of the move. Also, our youngest son, Josh, used his day off to help us get moved. Unfortunately, he ended up at the doctor less than 12 hours later with a hernia. It seems that he has been having problems with pain after lifting for the last year or so and just never made a connection until Wednesday morning when it got bad enough.

Friday, he had surgery to fix the hernia. Jeff was with him before hand and I was able to get off of work after lunch so that I could be with him afterward. He came back to our house for a couple of days to recover. He is back at his own house now and is doing well. He has vacation this week so he will be able to rest up. It is going to drive him nuts not being able to lift more than 10 pounds for the next month. I'm betting that he won't follow those instructions!