It’s New Year’sl Eve, and I’m looking forward to another great year. How can I do anything but praise God for another year of life with my family and friends? It is such a blessing to celebrate a new year, and I’m also celebrating my 9th year since my cancer diagnosis. Tonight we’re going with my brother and his family to see the Fort Wayne Komets, so we’ll have a great time.
There haven’t been any real changes in my health since my last post. I am still taking Tykerb and Herceptin as treatments, and the side effects have been mostly bearable. I’ve had some trouble with nausea and diarrhea, but we’ve been able to reduce the dose of the narcotic patches for pain down to half of what it was at the beginning of the month. I’ve also had two blood transfusions to help raise my low counts. The doctor had a PET scan run in early December, and it showed mostly positive results, so she’s continuing with the current routine longer. Right now, I’m having some pain again in my lower abdomen and pelvis area, but Ibuprofen seems to take care of it. Last year I was hospitalized 4 or 5 times for cancer-related issues, so we are praying that this year will not be so traumatic.
I also had to quit working in July because I’m really not strong enough to keep going to work. God blessed us again by giving me an employer that provided long-term disability that includes health insurance for me and my family that is the same as I had while working. I only have to pay a small monthly rate for the same benefits. To my surprise, I was also approved for Social Security disability, and at some point I’ll qualify for Medicare benefits in about two years.
I’ve been helping him at the store 1-2 days a week when I’m feeling good, and that has been great! Mark and I don’t have any plans for travel in the near future, but we’re excited that our hardware store will be paid off by June of 2012. That will give us the opportunity to expand and continue improving our business to keep it growing. Most people also think we’re a little crazy about the day trips we’ve been taking this year to visit local hardware stores (and even on vacation), but Mark loves to see what other businesses like ours are doing, and I enjoy the company of traveling with him anywhere. Sometimes, the girls go along with us on these trips, and they’re not usually as positive about the idea! But, when you own your own business and work as much as Mark does, you take any chance you get to spend time together.
I wish you all a great New Year, and again sincerely thank you for your prayers and support in 2011. We love you all.
Sandy
