9 Months NED and Life Brings Us Change

So Very Happy to be Healthy :-)!

May 1st mark my 2 year Cancerversary of my diagnosis. It has been a remarkable two year journey, and I am proud to continue to call myself a survivor.  Last week I had another 3 month interval scan of chest, abdomen & pelvis.  I am thrilled to report that all remains clear! I am officially 9 months No Evidence of Disease!!!

Last week was National Cancer Survivors Day. I am proud to be a healthy member of this group, and hope to keep it that way. 

My oncologist has now changed my visits from monthly to every other month. I will continue to have a blood draw to check my CEA (cancer embryonic antigen) monthly, but I welcome the less frequent office visits!  Scans will continue to be every 3 months until I hit the 2 years NED mark. Otherwise, my health & energy is good. My hips no longer hurt and my back is much better after regular acupuncture twice a month. I continue to take Celebrex for my joint pain & for its anti-cancer properties.

Change Is In The Air

Goodbye Horseshoe Drive, Hello Greenwood Lane!

With two girls away at college, one in private school, and an intensive drought in progress Craig & I made the tough decision to sell our now too big home on a large lot with a, once again, leaking pool. We have bought a smaller home on a smaller lot without a pool ;-) just 3 miles away in the Monte Sereno foothills.  On June 20th we will go from a 6BR 4bath 3365 sq. ft. home with a 5 car garage to a 3BR, 2bath 2,400 square foot home plus a 1BR 1bath guest quarters and a carport. So, we have done (& are still doing) some significant sorting, throwing away, selling, and donating. It is hard work, but very liberating! We are excited for the change, but a bit sentimental to leave the beautiful house that our 3 girls grew up in and call home. We have lived in this home for 20 years; Elyse was just 9 months old, and Kayla and Jenna were just a thought. But, life changes and we are embracing it.  We look forward to making our new house our own & creating new memories!

Summer

Craig has been super busy adjusting to his split time in the operating room and traveling with the business development position. He seems to like it, but it has come with a significant learning curve.  In time, I believe it will be a good position for him and help to keep things interesting on the work front.  Elyse is home for a few days and then headed to Ireland to study physics at University College Dublin for 8 weeks.  So, glad she has this opportunity to slip in a study abroad in her busy college schedule.  Kayla is spending the summer in Seattle working, exploring her new city, and hoping to get a summer internship.  We are looking forward to having her home later this week for 10 days.  Jenna doing well and in a summer program away also. Craig and I are empty nesters for a while.  This is strange, but it gives us time to work on our new home. Life has been insanely busy, so I hope to find some relax time, play some tennis, and sit by a pool that we no longer have to maintain ;-).

Wishing all of you a fabulous summer!

Jacki