Holidays 2013

Another Christmas has come and gone.  I still had something to celebrate, because I'm still cancer-free.  I got to see my little nephews and nieces Natalia, Adrian, Isabel, Sebastian, and of of course baby Sophia.  I love seeing them. My heart swells with lots of pride when I feel a pair of arms wrapping around my waist and hearing "I love you".  See...cancer took away my health as I knew it, but it did not take away my spirit and it did not take away my love for my family.

*kathy*

Dental Work

Last Tuesday I had to go to the dental surgeon to see about my two troublesome teeth.  These two teeth had been giving me problems for a couple of years now (even before my cancer), but I never really did anything about it.  The pain would come and go every once in a while, but I always ignored it because I was just too busy living life, and then of course, I had cancer to beat.  Finally, a few weeks ago, I couldn't stand the pain anymore, so I went to the dentist.  The dentist said my problem was a bit extensive and he ended up sending me to the dental surgeon.  The dental surgeon said that the two teeth definitely had to come out.  The wisdom tooth on the bottom (on the same side as the two difficult teeth), he said, was also gonna have to come out eventually, but that would be at another point in time.  The wisdom tooth, he said, was growing in, but was growing in on its side.  Go figure.  Anyway, I was absolutely dead set against the use of needles, so laughing gas was used.  (Hah, some gas!  All it did was make me cold and cranky, like it usually does.)  The procedure took a little longer than I would have liked, but the surgeon was gentle and had a good bedside manner, I guess you could say.  All throughout the procedure he talked about what he was going to do right before he did it.  That made feel good, let me tell you.  After the procedure was over, the dental hygienist remarked about how calm I was throughout everything.  But of course, I tell her.  I was a cancer survivor, knocking cancer on its ass.  After that, everything else is relatively minor.

*kathy*

Rewards

I had two teeth pulled earlier this week...believe me, it hurt like hell!  Grr.  I've been eating plenty of soft foods, and it's already driving me nuts.  But hey, I gotta get better and take care of myself, right? After all, I didn't beat cancer just to let my body break down.  :-)  so today, I decided to treat myself to some delicious Blue Bell ice cream.  Yummy!  I was tempted to eat the whole pint, but I didn't want to risk making my sugar go up in the morning.  So I guess I'll save the rest for tomorrow.  ;-)

*kathy*

Year-Round Hope and Magic

Something to hope for all year long, not just the holiday season.  :-)

*kathy*

Babies

Cancer has completely robbed me of the chance to ever give birth to my own children.  This used to be so horrible for me to deal with, but I think I'm starting to make peace with that fact.  I have so many precious baby nieces and nephews I can spoil...so I am most definitely feeling the love of a child.  Always!

*kathy*

(p.s.:  here are some pics of some of aunt Kathy's babies!)

Holidays

Sometimes after a cancer diagnosis, the holidays can be a bit overwhelming.  We occasionally struggle with getting into the holiday spirit.  After dealing with all the physical and emotional trauma of cancer and what it's taken from us, it's hard to be cheerful, it's hard to be caring.  But we have to remember that this is the perfect time to be thankful, to be cheerful.  We have to remember that we are blessed because we are now healthy, and that cancer did not win.  What bigger reason to celebrate the season than that?

*kathy*

One Year Ago...

August 24, 2012 is a day that is forever ingrained into my brain, and will forever change my life.  I had received a call from my gynecologist, who told me three little words no one wants to hear:  "you have cancer".  Words cannot explain how many emotions I went through after hearing those words.  No matter what, I was never going to be the same.  Was I scared?  Damn straight I was!  Absolutely petrified.

But you know what?  I think I've become a stronger person because of this.  I used to think of all that I lost.  Now I think of all that I have gained because of that 6 1/2 minute phone call.  I would not change anything.  At all.  :-)

*kathy*