Who Needs Normal?!

Hello, friends :-)

Hope ya'll are having a wonderful Tuesday! I am back home now after a busy morning taking Tiffany to radiation. I am taking her today and tomorrow, she's not going as far as STL but still a couple of hours away. I'm telling you, we don't live close to ANYTHING! But when she called me on Sunday evening, there was no way I was going to tell her no, even if this was going to be my first normal week in about 2 months! I figure, why start being normal now?? LOL So our journey together continues...she only has 16 treatments left, not far behind me! Yay! I can't wait until this is over for the both of us.

My weekend was both eventful, and not. On Saturday we had a baby shower for my little brother and his girlfriend, who are expecting little Mason next month. They got a lot of great things, he won't have to wear the same outfit twice, which is usually how it goes! Sunday we went to church then came home and did...nothing. We had hopes of watching the Cardinals game, but it was rained out. So we just laid around and watched tv all afternoon. It was a good day for it...it rained here for like 5 days straight. Ick.

My sister, Layne, and Ethan were here for the baby shower and to visit for a few days so we spent yesterday getting in all the Ethan-cuddles we could to last us until next month when they come back. I love it when Layne and Jess and I are together...we always have so much fun just being together. Layne and Brett are expecting another bundle of joy in November, so that gave us extra cause to celebrate! I'm hoping that someday soon, Jess and Jason will have exciting news of their own! There's just babies all over the place! What wonderful happiness to have after coming out of a long, long winter! Thank you, Jesus!

So now we are back to today... still no running :-( Feel like I've gained 5 lbs in the last week. I hate feeling like such a slug. But as Jack keeps reminding me, I've got to give my body time to heal and rebuild. I never stopped running during chemo and radiation, now is not a bad time to rest. I guess the rest is working because my radiation burns are virtually gone, just brown now. I look very tan, in certain areas...lol. But now I'm watching my arm and what looks like possibly the beginning of lymphedema (swelling because of the lack of lymph nodes) and now I'm afraid to get out there and run for fear that I will make it worse! I have an appointment with the physical therapist on the 18th, so until then I'm trying to lay low on the exercise front. With lymphedema you are supposed to avoid anything repetitive like vacuuming, mopping...running. Gah! So hopefully the therapist will fit me for a compression sleeve to wear while I am working out so I can get back to it. Until then I am sitting around with my arm up (as much as I can) to help the fluid drain and hating every minute of it! There is a chance that it is just some post-radiation swelling that I am experiencing...I pray so. But if not, we will deal. God is still in control! Just give me a sleeve and let me take off! 39 days til race day! ~Here's to reconnecting with good friends!~

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24