Graduation Day!

I finally have enough energy to feel like updating my blog. Sorry to all of you who have been worried because I haven't updated in a while. The last 4 weeks have been difficult. I have felt like I had an ongoing bout with the flu- aches, chills, fevers, low blood counts, anemia, swollen tissues, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Last Monday, October 08 was my last day of radiation. The radiation therapists (who I had become quite close to after spending every day for 6 weeks with them) signed a graduation diploma and gave it to me. I will add it to my collection of memorabilia that I am saving from my " cancer days". I also had my last IV chemo treatment (#4) last week as well. I am starting to feel better and getting some energy back- enough to get out of bed finally. The doctors said that the radiation will continue to work in my body for 4-6 weeks after treatment ends. So, it will be a gradual process of regaining my energy. I have 8 more days of taking the oral chemo drug. Then I have to wait to see how things are healing. I am again so thankful to my sister Rebecca, my parents, Jared's parents, and Jared's sister Jackie for taking things over for me the last few weeks. Rebecca has been at my house every day since the beginning doing whatever needed to be done to keep things rolling.
Let me update you on a few other happenings at our home during these past few weeks. Jared got a bad case of viral tonsillitis and had to go to the Boerne Urgent care to get a steroid shot and some meds. Our computer hard drive crashed 2 weeks ago (another reason that I have not updated my blog)and I lost everything I had saved on there. Most sadly, all my pictures that I spent hours this summer organizing into folders were lost. Word of advise- please back up your pictures if you have not already done so. Don't wait for a better time. Because there might not ever be a better time. We bought an external hard drive to back ours up 2 days before the computer crashed, but we were both too sick to do it. Hence, we lost all our pictures from the last 2 years. All Kathryn's baby pictures. And no I did not have any hard copies printed ever. I was wanting to get them all organized into folders before I printed any of them. Then life came at us like a freight train and we are still in survival mode. Last week Kathryn (she will be 2 in November) fell and broke her collar bone. The 1st trip to the emergency clinic ( and copay)said there was not a brake, just a contusion. The next night after a long day of her crying, I could tell that her collar bone was swollen. So at 10:00 at night Jared and I took her to the ER in San Antonio (another copay) and sure enough her collar bone was broken. She is doing fine. I am just trying to keep her from falling again (which is difficult to do with a busy 2-year old who thinks she is as big as her siblings). She takes tylenol with codeine at night for the pain.
Overall, life is good for us. I continually feel the blessings of the Lord upon us. Thanks to all of you for your constant concern and prayers. So many of you have contributed meals and given thoughtful gifts and words of encouragement. I meet with my surgeon on November 2 to find out when surgery will be scheduled. I 'll keep everyone posted as soon as I know. Goodbye for now.