Austin and I spent the weekend together playing with friends and soaking up the sun in the amazing city of Austin. We had a Valentine's Day dinner with Aunt Maaya because Dad was busy continuing to make his mark in the handicapping world. Yes! We already have a trip booked to Vegas next year! And yes, you read it right, he already won 2 seats to play again. Unbelievable. Want to see something else that's kind of cute (Jonathon will die reading that I think it's cute. haha)? He was asked to write his own little handicapping blog :)
The guy's also been pretty darn busy (don't worry, handicapping tournaments are not my husband's full-time job) growing 2 businesses. We are so proud of Uncle Robert and Jonathon (and our newest family addition Uncle James) for all of their hard work in getting their new real estate and property management company up and running! Check out our new site for The Property Co. I find it pretty entertaining to click on the live chat button...guess which famous handicapper you get to talk with?? hahaha. I guess maybe I need to find a hobby too! Do you think there's any fame or money in the world of loud obnoxious craps table playing??
So...regarding my health, I am feeling well. More energy every day. My anxiety had almost disappeared, but then I started feeling a bit stressed about my decision to get a third opinion regarding my breast cancer maintenance program last week and had to tell you a story about just how amazing God can be at times when we really need a reminder. Austin was in school and I was running errands around town. For whatever reason, with only an hour left before pick up time, I drove all the way to the other side of town to get a few groceries (yes, I was actually IN a grocery store at another point that morning AND I drove by 4 grocery stores on the way to the one I ended up at). I quickly walked around the store, went to the checkout lane (walked past 3 open lanes and went to one with a girl finishing up checking out). I recognized her from a Breast Cancer Resource Center get together a few months ago. We chatted and she reminded me that there was a BCRC support luncheon for the Pink Ribbon Cowgirls (how amazing, and frustrating at the same time, that there is an entire group of hundreds of women in the very city I live in who are under 45 and are breast cancer survivors?!) happening right then and there in the store. Amazing. I seriously can't tell you how many hoops I jumped through and twists and turns I made around the city and ended up right exactly where I needed to be right then and there.
One of the parts of these luncheons is sharing your story. I am not joking when I tell you that I rehearse my diagnosis and treatment several times a day in my head. It's sad, but true. I want to be able to get through it without crying and without making it sound awful! I try new twists each time, but I still think it sounds like a nightmare. I'm working on doctoring it up to distract from some of the ick. I know that there are sunny sides in there somewhere! I actually practice telling Austin about it when he asks questions because I've always had a knack for talking about tough things with kids and not getting emotional about it. I find their honesty and understanding of things refreshing. I love the questions I get. Austin asks all the time what happened to my other booby. haha. And yesterday at the mall, we walked into a store and he said, mom, I wonder if there are going to be girls with 2 boobies here. hahaha. I hope so dude.
There was a new Cowgirl at the meeting who had just had her first round of chemo and the last thing I wanted her to hear was that it's possible that the chemo might not work and the cancer might grow. You might actually have to take even more chemo and your plans to have reconstruction after your treatment, might not pan out the way you think they will. So my version was...I had chemo (then I deflected to the group coordinator who knows my story well) and she interjected, then surgery, then radiation, oh wait, no, more chemo, then radiation. Now Tamoxifen. That's it. Then I switched to talking about being a stay at home mom. And that's about all I could get out without tearing up. And let me tell you, that is some major progress. And I needed prompting all the way through that very short and edited version! haha.
Next month, I am going to post some fundraising info for the BCRC and I hope that each of you can give a few dollars to the amazing cause. The money goes directly for services to women and men who need it right then and there right here in town. I can't tell you how many times I have emailed the group coordinator and she met me, emailed right back, called to check in...will be getting back to you on the Amplify Austin fundraiser soon.
WIN THE DAY!
Love
Jenn
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