November 22nd, 2011

I often go through a blog write-up in my mind, a few times a week actually. So, I am always surprised when I look at my blog and realize it has been a few months since my last post. I have lots of thoughts to share but actually writing it down seems to be at the bottom of my priority list.

Today is my birthday. That means I have been one year free of cancer. It isn't great that my birthday week is also the same anniversary of my cancer diagnosis (2 years ago) and my first cancer free scan (one year ago) but it is what it is. I am so thankful to have another year with my family. My family is everything to me and getting to watch my children grow another year is the best of the best. Birthdays are a good thing indeed.

In my last blog I wrote about my finger lesions and worrying about the lasting effects of the Rituxan on my body. In October I got another bout of finger lesions and finally went to see a general M.D. here at our local clinic. He (the doctor) took one look at my fingers and said that the outbreak looked exactly like a stress/anxiety skin condition. As soon as he said that I could feel the cogs in my brain turning. Maybe he was right. My first outbreak was around the time my Dad took a turn for the worse with his cancer fight, around May. I then broke out again in August when I was getting ready for the triathlon. My third breakout was in early October. A few weeks before a fundraising dinner/auction for 150 people that I was in charge of organizing. I had small outbreaks in between those big outbreaks but those events were around major breakouts. I didn't feel more stressed than usual but I do have a bad habit of internalizing everything. So, the doctor gave me a couple of prescriptions to treat the lesions and those prescriptions seem to be working. I am hoping that means my outbreaks were due to stress and not a direct effect of the Rituxan. If that is the case I can hopefully use Rituxan again when needed in the future.

Back to healthy things, I am still swimming and walking. I asked Kevin to get my bike off the garage loft so I can set it up in the work out room. I have a bike stand so I can bike all winter. I have taken a few months off from biking and I need to get back into the routine of riding. I really loved training and participating in the triathlon this past summer and I would like to do one sprint triathlon a year. If you would like to join me in a triathlon let me know, the more the merrier.

I head south again in February for my 6 month check-up. I am thinking of combining that trip with Parents Weekend at Dylan's college. It would be something not so fun with something enjoyable. I like hanging out with my kids.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. There is much in our lives to be thankful.