My visit with Dr. Northfelt

I spent some time at the Mayo Clinic this week--just  routine check ups with Dr. Northfelt.  I had my port accessed by the sweet nurse who has helped me so many times before--she asked about Recker and I asked about her little guy who is now 3--wow how time fly's by.

I had to wait about an hour and half before my next appointment with Maryann, as I waited I could feel my ankle swelling up, the blood was rushing to my ankle making it difficult to sit, when they finally called my name I stood up and just about fainted--right there in the Mayo waiting area--in front of everyone,  I think I scared the nurse, I know it startled me, I heard someone gasp when I grabbed the wall to keep from falling. At that very moment I thought to myself, "are you kidding me Monya? pull it together, you survived cancer for heaven's sake"  a smile came on my face and I very slowly hobbled to the room where I waited for Maryann.  My blood work looks good, no elevations at all, her exact words were "Everything looks normal, you are normal"
So there you have it, I am normal, I love hearing those words.  She asked me about the lower back and hip pain, and I explained the physical therapy did not help, neither did the 2 shots of cortisone I've received since December, Dr. Freeman said it was a misdiagnosis of  bursitis.  Maryann didn't say much more about it, but she did say that Dr. Northfelt was going to come in and see me.  That was a huge surprise, I feel like I have this wonderful oncologist who I never get to see.  When he came in he hugged me and was wearing the tie I bought him for Christmas.  I was soon reminded of how much I love him, he is a good doctor.  For some reason just having those 15 minutes or so to talk to him made me so happy, he knows me and is aware of me.   We talked a little bit about the cancer symposium Mayo Clinic had in January, I told him how great it was and that I hope they will do more of those.  It's really good for women going through the long journey of breast cancer to have the opportunity to be in room filled with cancer survivors and care givers,  it's a time to feel the support and love from not only doctors but more importantly other women going through the same things.  Today, Dr. Northfelt reconfirmed to me that Mayo Clinic is where I need to be.  I called Eric on my way home, happy to report that I got to talk to my oncologist, I told him what a world of good it did for me to see him.

Brittle Bones

I find myself deep involved in wedding planning and have not been able to find time to blog like I usually do.  Blake will be married in 5 short weeks, the reception is taking place in our backyard, I decided this was a perfect time to start my wedding decorating business that I have been wanting to do for quite some time.  It has kept my mind off of my cancer and allowed me some joy.  Of course every mother and father want their children to have a beautiful reception, but I feel a little extra pressure as this will be our 1st reveal of some of the things we will be renting out to others and so we want it to be extra special.

I think most of the invitations are in the envelopes and should be mailed out tomorrow--there will be a few stragglers as we try to get addresses, but that is always expected.  In the midst of all this, I am struggling with the pain in my hip and lower back, I will be seeing Dr. Northfelt (my oncologist) on Monday at Mayo Clinic.  My mind keeps wondering to the worst, but I know the Lord is by my side and will guide me no matter what the prognosis is.  I'm sure more tests will have to be scheduled.

On Wednesday I was bouncing Recker on the trampoline with my shoes on (dumb idea) even with a simple bounce I heard my ankle crack and down I went immediately grabbing my foot and crying like a big baby from the pain--I was glad Kayla was there, Recker does not know how to respond to someone crying--another words he continued to run and play, just over and on top of bonbon, I think he thought I was playing a game. Eric was in the house being "TIM THE TOOL MAN" with the REAL tool man Howard Peterson, so I told Kayla not to bother them, but I truly cannot remember feeling that much pain.
Yesterday morning when I woke up my ankle was swollen up twice the size and hurt even more.  After Dr. appointments and X-Rays taken I was told the ankle was broken--so off to the orthopedic surgeon we went--however, he said it was difficult to see the exact seriousness of the fracture because it is too swollen, needless to say I get to wear that beautiful black boot for a couple of weeks until they can X-Ray or if needed MRI it again.  I am not one to sit around with my feet up eating bonbons and watching TV, so the next couple of days is going to hard--time to put on my big girl panties and buck it up.  Today I laid with my foot elevated most of the day, tonight I put on the boot and was able to put pressure on it enough to walk.

I just hope this is not the beginning of the broken bones that will come--after chemo I was diagnosed with osteoporosis caused from chemo I remember the dr. telling me no more running and hard impact sports and to be careful--I really need to start listening to the doctors advice, every time I think "I'm strong that won't happen to me"  guess what?  It DOES.  The truth is my bones are brittle enough to break even bouncing with my grandson on the trampoline. I'm 49 years old but today I feel 90.

Relay For Life 2012

Aunt Pam and Eric Survivor Dinner

Aunt Pam and Me Survivor Dinner

Speaking at the Survivor Dinner

Still talking to Survivors

Me and my survivor friend of 3 years

Me John Lewis and Eric

John Lewis speaking to the Crowd before the Survivor lap

my beautiful (almost daughter in law) Chloe

Me Sonya Aunt Pam

Taking the 1st lap with John Lewis

WE ARE SURVIVORS

Pretty sure John will use this shirt to do yard work in
SAVE THE HOOTERS TEAM MONYA

Darin and Me

lover boy and me

Millie and I

the beautiful friends of TEAM RPM love these girls

Blake and Chloe

I made the most money this year--yay with the RFL
coordinator Shelly

Josh Brimhall and Me

love the outfit--ha ha

always time for a little smooch
and right in front of the TREE OF HOPE

Eric and my beautiful youngest daughter Haleigh

Kaitlyn, me, Eric and Haleigh

Lins, Greg, me Kaitlyn and Brian

tree of hope

Amanda Murray

TEAM MONYA

Greg and Sonya dancing

This is our 3rd year for being involved with the RFL.  Year one I was bald as a door knob and could barely make it around the field for the Survivor lap--it was emotional and hard--year 2 I had a little more hair and was still emotional but happy to be alive--this year I have some hair--and believe it or not I can now even put it in a ponytail  yay for me--I also was involved this year by volunteering to be the chairman for Gilbert's Relay For Life Survivors--this year as I made the survivor lap I walked with our Mayor and friend John Lewis, he too is a cancer survivor and spoke to us just before we took that 1st lap, what an inspiration he is to us all, and such a kind man.  Emotionally I was in good condition this year as I took that lap--grateful, hopeful and enormously overwhelmed with what my Heavenly Father has blessed me with--LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
I told Eric the walk around that track was physically harder on me to do than the 1st year when I was still going through my treatments, my hip and now back are in much pain--I will see the oncologist on the 23rd, we know that the spot on my hip was a mis diagnosis but we need to explore a little more and find out what is happening, I have some other issues happening that I really don't want to blog about just yet, I pray that the Lord will again bless me with strength to do all that I still want to accomplish in this life--