Trying to catch up.

So, obviously I've been really bad about keeping the blog updated.  Summer was a whirlwind.  I can't believe it's over.  Well, the weather isn't.  The summer weather is just getting started here in Portland...so, we should have at least three more "hot" days before going back to our typical mild and rainy weather.

Medically things are more or less the same.  Still missing a couple feet of small and large intestine, a gallbladder, uterus, ovaries, cervix etc...still finished with chemo (hooray).  I've been working on getting my annual colonoscopy done since may...(don't EVEN get me started) and it's FINALLY happening on the 20th.  *eye roll*  Colonoscopy, endoscopy and capsule swallow study.  The authorization process was finally "expedited" by an incisional hernia that needs repair, but my surgeon doesn't want to do that until we know I don't have anything growing in my colon again...yet.  So, we're doing testing, then hernia repair.  While I wait for testing and another (this is number three for the past year) abdominal surgery, I have my very first case of shingles.  I have heard stories over the years about how miserable they are, and yep they're all true.  Nerve pain is not my friend.  If I've learned anything over the past year, that's it.  Nerve pain ROTS.  Thank God for decent pain meds.

So, if you caught the abdominal surgery reference, in the last paragraph, and you're wondering why on earth a hernia repair wouldn't just be laparascopic...well, it's because I'm a freak of nature.  Basically, it's a huge hernia (apparently they really meant that I should follow all those post op rules about lifting stuff etc) and as long as y surgeon has a arson to go in there and take a peek, he's going to take it.  The small intestine is like a huge blind spot in the human anatomy.  There really aren't any great ways to see inside it, and despite it's name it is quite big.  The fact that I've had advanced cancer there is going to make any doctor uneasy, because there's not a great standard of care when it comes to surveillance, and small intestine cancer is quite deadly.  So, we're taking the hands on approach and cutting my guts open any time we have a reason to.  Yay me.  Abdominal surgery is super painless and really easy to heal from, and also makes for a great set of abs...NOT.  Yeah, I'd like to think that would have sounded funnier out loud, but let's face it.  It totally would have flopped with that delivery as well.  Oh well.

So...other than the misery of shingles and a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and another surgery on the horizon things have been pretty quiet.  *snort*  Port flushes every month and so on.  Pretty boring stuff.

The mister just had his one year spinal surgery follow up.  His films looked great and he's been cleared for full activity.  YAY!  While his back will never be the same, it's about as good as it's gonna get.  So, there's that.

The boys just started the new school year.  I'll try and get that post and pics up on the family blog soon...ish.