birthdays, weddings, new stashes oh my!

Well, hello friends.  oh gosh.  I can't even get through the first sentence without an entirely irrelevant thought running through my head.  Since I mentioned it, I'll share.  Even though it's not how he used to introduce his show, I immediately had a vision of Mr. Rogers when I started writing tonight, welcoming y'all to the latest edition of Sweet Ninnymuggins.  Maybe that means I should start wearing a sweater when I write, and changing to my "indoor" shoes.

Well this is definitely the longest hiatus I've taken in ninny's short life.  I do apologize, it was not intended!  We've just been having such fun the past few weeks, and something gets lost at the end of the day.  Part of that is absolutely chemo brain, part of it is poor planning, and part of it is pure laziness.  Shambles.  I'm a work in progress :)

Well, latest cancer update is that I have another WEEK until my next treatment!! Wee!  Usually I have treatment on Thursdays, but we're switching to Tuesdays per my dr.'s request...I think it's easier on his schedule or something.  You'll have to ask Chad, I'm not entirely sure. But we do have to go up to UVA this Thursday for my 25% Completed Chemo Pet Scan!  I don't think the staff calls it that, but it's what it is!  I'm 1/4 done with chemo, y'all.  And it's crazy.  Life flies by, whether you're having fun or not ;)  Naw, I'm having fun but I wouldn't count chemo among my "besties" if you know what I mean. 

So I get a PET Scan on Thursday-a full body scan.  They're looking for progress in the shrinkage of my mass (I think.) (again, I defer questions to Chad, he's a much better remember-er than I)  I also have an appointment with a pulmonologist on Thursday.  I keep failing the darn lung function tests, and that's no bueno with my treatment, as it could be because of one of the drugs, oooor (as I suspect) because I haven't worked out since 2009 and I believe the human body likes a good sweat and elevated heart rate more than twice a decade.



But a plus of having to go to UVA twice in the span of a week: we get to have some vittles with T$ and Steve Rawls, who will also be in the C-ville area on Thursday.  Yay!  T and I have been trying to have a date since, well, since I moved here.  And it's finally coming true!  Big things are happening, y'all!  This must mean I'll have good results from the PET.  PET Scan sounds so cuddly, doesn't it?  It's not my favorite thing to get but they make it worth it.  The test takes about 2 hours total.  First they hook you up to an IV that has a tracer thing running through it, and this "tracer" runs throughout your body, clinging to cancer cells and then when I get loaded up into the MRI machine, it'll light up the affected areas, which will tell the docs where and how big my mass is.  [again, that's the best as I understand the process-they're nice and use small words and big hand gestures when they describe procedures to me]  Oh, and you have to drink this stuff that tastes like chalk...or what I think chalk tastes like.  Something I never tried in my childhood.  Now, gluing my hands together with Elmers?  On a weekly basis.  Deeply inhaling the big fat Sharpie my mom only used for writing on packages at Christmas time?  Check.  But taking a nibble of chalk?  Never tried it.  Anyone have personal experience here?  Sooo, once I get IV-ed up and drink my chalk smoothie, I have to wait for it to run through my body for like and hour and a half.  But I'm in my own room, and last time my nurse Jose dimmed the lights for me (he thought I looked like I wanted to nap-how did he know?!) And I'll have a TV and a nice leather chair that reclines and a red "COME NOW" button that will send nurse Jose or whomever is closest to my bedside immediately.  It took all my strength not to push that button every time he left the room last time...I'll have to hide it again this time...deep in my chair, out of sight, out of mind, ya know?


Anyway, I have an extra 5 days of a "good week" this time because of the switch from Thursdays to Tuesdays, and this is probably going to be my favorite stretch of treatment throughout this whole treatment.  I feel like my birthday came early.  


Oh hey great segue!  So speaking of, there have been birthdays galore recently!  One of the celebrations was for my bf CParrie.  I also unveiled one of my new wigs (thanks to my mother-in-law!) for the occasion!  Enjoy with some pics

I felt like Katy Perry #missionaccomplished

Family Photo

And at the end of the weekend, we continued the celebration and invited CP and Mike to one of our favorite places ever.  It's called the Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, VA.  (think Bed and Breakfast but upgraded) It's right outside of Charlottesville so within reasonable driving distance for anyone in VA.  It's also the nicest place I've stayed, and quite possibly has the nicest people working there as well.  To kick off our honeymoon we stayed there the night after we got married, and fell in love with it.

CP and I before gorging ourselves at dinner.

Dinner at Willow Grove-couples shot! :)

 Whew!  I feel like I've word vomited so many things already, but I have oh so much to share!  I'll keep the rest short.

2012 is the year of the wedding.  Congrats to just the weddings that we've had the pleasure of attending this year! Ash & BMo, Kaitlyn & Travis, Derek & Kelsey, Kara & Will, and soon-Drew & Kelsey and Michelle and Joey!!!  My cousin Melis also got married two weekends ago, but unfortunately it was the day after chemo and I just couldn't swing the 10 hour trip.  So many many congrats to Melis & Derek, we wish we could have been there.

But the latest wedding festivities happened just this past weekend, and I'm happy to announce Mr. & Mrs. Will Siewers on Sweet Ninnymuggins!

The wedding was beautiful, with lots of laughter and only happy tears.  This couple-for anyone who knows them-exemplifies what it means to walk with Christ everyday and love others as He loves us.  If you're looking for fabulous new friends-try and holler at these two ;)

Well, since I put it in the title, I'll include this last thought for today.  I'm always looking for new and innovative things to do with mustaches.  So Shannon shared a very motivational photo on my facebook wall the other day...
 

He even looks like my charlie!  So, Shan shared this and I was STOKED!  I was like, "yes, let's do this, Charlie!  We got this!"  Well, enjoy the results:

Poor ninny.  Couldn't keep it frontside.  All he cared about was when my hand was going to pet his head.  Oh well, I enjoy a good "top stash" with the best of 'em!   

Well thanks for reading and make good choices!

p.s. Have you come up with your Halloween costumes yet?