aLive @ Stage 4!

I went to BJ's this morning.  By myself.  Just like everybody else.  It's been almost a year since I've done any kind of shopping alone.  So, even though it's an everyday thing for most people, and used to be commonplace for me, it was unusual.  You may remember from my previous blog post that my best times are in the morning.  Since it's Spring Break and I work at a school, this Thursday morning did not have me expending all of my energy at work, as is usual for a weekday.  So, I decided that I wanted to surprise the boys by going and buying Easter dinner, and some things for Easter baskets.  I bought a small ham and some side dishes, along with some Easter candy.  They didn't have much in the way of chocolate bunnies, though.  I did buy a cute little flower filled basket to put on the kitchen table.  I also bought something for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow morning I just might go to CVS by myself to pick up my prescription ...

All of my treatments, tests, oncology, and cardiology appointments take place at Georgetown University Medical Center.  With no traffic, it usually takes about 40 minutes to get there from home.  In rush hour, it has taken up to two hours.  I try to consolidate my appointments in as few days as possible, because it can take so long to get there, and to minimize the number of days taken off from work.  I thought I'd share with you what a day looks like.  Actually, I'll illustrate "regular" days and "medical" days. A typical, "normal, every day" work day has me working at a high school as a teacher's aide.  I love it.  My co-workers, the students -- the day is never dull.  Most days are exhausting, sometimes quite entertaining; never dull.  :)   Before my treatments started a year ago, a normal day would consist of actually doing productive, "normal" things after work.  I would make dinner (most days), play with the d...

When I started seeing my cardiologist, she told me she wanted me to start walking.  Interval walking -- you know, walk for a time, walk faster for a few minutes, slow down, speed up, etc.  Either/or start walking up the stairs more.  Something to get my heart rate up.  So, I started walking up the stairs at home once or twice a day, in addition to walking down the stairs at work at least twice, and up them at least once, per day.  I'd have a good routine going, then I had surgery and stopped.  Started again, overdid it, stopped.  Started again, caught a cold, stopped.  Well, today I got on the treadmill.  Why the treadmill and not outside now that the weather has warmed up?  A few reasons:  It's raining, so that right there would do it.  The treadmill keeps me at a steady pace.  Also, I can track it, and hopefully see an improvement in time, distance, and speed as time goes on.  The treadmill has something I...

I've been looking forward to this day for a while now, just so I could write this "one year later" post.  I'm finding it, actually, difficult, but here goes. One year ago today, Jimmy and I sat in my surgeon's office and the world shifted.  I know that's an overused statement, but at that moment, I really felt something shift.  Emotionally, mentally, everything shifted.  At that time, we thought it was early Stage III.  We found out after the lung biopsy that it was, in fact, Stage IV.  I remember the day so clearly.  It was snowing, and everything was closed.  I was so glad that the doctor's office was open so we wouldn't have to wait any longer for the test results.  I remember pulling into the hospital parking lot and finding it mostly empty, except for a few cars and the plow.  The plow driver seemed none to happy to see another car in the lot, let me tell you.  ;) So, we got the news (I have a previous blog post talkin...

I've made a few posts on my facebook page with the tag #strongereveryday .  It's usually when I feel especially well, comparatively.  Sometimes it's when I walk up the stairs at work at least once, and/or down them at least three times.  I'm trying to build that up so I can go back to using the stairs all the time, as opposed to the elevator (to be honest with you, I'm more afraid of losing my balance on the way down than losing my breath on the way up).  Sometimes it's when I actually venture out of the house for something besides work or medical tests/treatments.  Those are the times I get to spend some fun times with my husband.  Sometimes its when I spend the time between work and dinner not napping .  Sometimes I'll spend that not napping window of time knitting, sometimes reading (when I'm too tired to knit, which is often), sometimes playing with the dog, and I'll confess, facebook games (Yahtzee and Inside Out are my go-tos these days, as we...