It's bigger in Texas

Shane and I arrived at the mega Houston medical complex. It’s as overwhelming as I expected.  I literally saw an “Entrance 35”.  Are you kidding me???  Our appointment is at 9:30 tomorrow morning and I’m so anxious I might have to sample a few of those medicine bottles tonight.

Leaving the house today was way more emotional than I thought it would be.  It’s hard to believe I had time to shed a tear with the 14,000 notes I left for the girls and my mom.  Avery texted me when she got home “you labeled everything in the fridge??”  Well, yeah....

During the teary eyed packing (where I did stop to dust the interior of my car), my mom snuck in a care package complete with LWDs (that’s little white donuts for those of you that didn’t grow up in the Hirschfeld house).  So far I have resisted but the night is young.

According to Shane (and apparently most men in the South) my life was not complete without a visit to Buc-ee’s.  Well call my life complete because I have experienced the mega “gas station” Buc-ee’s along with the Beaver mascot.  From the meat counter, the jerky counter, the shelves of pickled EVERYTHING, the home decor area which included a COW section, the blinged out belts in the apparel section, the boudin kolache in the bakery section to the ONE healthy item - the vegetable cup (no one was buying those).... I have seen it all!

My mom has everything under control at the house so far.  She has 14,000 notes... what could possibly go wrong?  I’ll update again as soon as possible.  We expect the next few days to be a blur,  but we’ll find some reasons to laugh!

Halloween isn't just for candy

It's also for visits to MD Anderson.  After a few hiccups I am set up to see Dr. Yasuhiro Oki at MDA on October 31.  Can you believe my care manager said his first name is spelled exactly like it sounds?  Wait, what?? 

I'm actually relieved that we have a little time because I have a list a mile long to get done before this circus starts.  Like filing for our Homestead Exemption - that sounds like a blast.  I'm sure my car needed an oil change and tire rotation 5,000 miles ago.  And without a doubt someone is overdue for the dentist or the eye doctor.

I've shared the news with my RPCC students, my clients and the Facebook world and the support has been heartwarming.  So many people offering to do "anything".  Really??  Because no one has offered to the clean toilets yet, so answer with caution if I call.  I did have an offer to clean out the fridge and I'm seriously considering that one.

On another note, my mom has been "researching" medical marijuana.  I'm not sure if this is for my benefit or hers... but I'm pretty sure someone ends up laughing.

And as much as I'd like to get to MDA I was so happy to be able to see Avery and the Dutchtown Middle Volleyball team finish the season today as Co-Parish Champs.  Congrats to the team and a very pregnant coach!

The Resurrection

Yes, I went to Catholic school for 12 years, but not THAT Resurrection...

It seems like time to resurrect the blog.  And not because you like to read the about the mundane drivel that is my life, but because the cancer is back.  I always knew it would come back, but I thought I would be elderly and I'd just let Shane give me the same pink juice you give to dogs and I'd drift off the sleep.

At 42 I guess I can't opt for the pink juice yet, so I'm gearing up for the fight.  We have told the girls.  I think they've seen me sick so many times they are a little immune.  The word cancer doesn't even scare them anymore  - at least it appears this way, but as the mom I constantly worry that they ARE more affected than they appear and that's the part that makes me cry a little.  I only allow myself to break down for a few minutes every 5 hours or so, but I've got to get a handle on that because I'm getting pretty dehydrated and the concealer stopped working today.

So in 2011 the lymphoma was in my liver, spleen and lymph nodes. This time it's definitely in my lymph nodes, my spleen looks horrendous and here's the bonus - my bone marrow is lit up like a Christmas tree.  A visual is always super fun so here goes.  Note, the top pics are from 2013.  Those dark parts are my brain, heart, kidneys and bladder.  Those are supposed to be dark.  Did you notice how much darker the bottom pics are?  That's not good (as explained by an accountant).  I really thought I was going to get the call that this was all a mistake, but I can't deny those pictures, dammit.

I had the PET scan on Wednesday at 7 am and here's a PSA - it's NEVER good when your Oncologist calls your cell from his cell at 2pm in the afternoon.  It just isn't - you can trust me.  

The good news is that Dr. Spell says it's treatable.  The less good news is that it's treatable in Houston at MD Anderson.  Baton Rouge doesn't have the capability to do a bone marrow transplant and that's on the horizon.  MDA got my records on Thursday, so we are just waiting on a call to see when we head over.  MDA is the wild card for me.  It seems so big and overwhelming.... and far...

For now we just do normal life - 2 soccer games for Morgan, LSU volleyball and a volleyball clinic for Avery, get Morgan and friends to the movies and get Avery to a birthday party - sprinkled with a trip to Costco, 4 loads of laundry and I'm really hoping the Magnolia collection is out at Target.  So if you are wondering what we might need in the next few months it will definitely be an Uber!!

We are still laughing though.  I laughed at myself in Jazzercise this morning when I made up my own routine - I call it a solo.  We laughed a ton at lunch, but since both of my daughters can read and find my blog this time I can't recount those details.  We aren't going to stop laughing and that's all I know for sure.

Heather