Category: My Life

Saturday was wonderful! I did just what I had hoped to do today. I relaxed! I made Hubby and I a nice breakfast, finally got that Chinese food lunch, and discovered how to use my “Smart TV” to tune in You Tube.

I baked potatoes, steamed asparagus and baked scallops for our dinner. An incredibly easy meal to prepare, and enjoy!

Our weather was so pretty today and I really loved seeing the sunshine! We didn’t get the snow this time, luckily!

I took the dackels on walks, and have decided to get Arnie’s harness back out. Perhaps the girl’s harnesses too. Arnie pulls on the lead so much that he chokes himself. The girls don’t do this, but I am thinking they would be easier to handle in a group if I had their harnesses on.

I cannot begin to tell you how many people have written me about having undergone the Mohs Surgery for skin cancer. The bright spot is that these people have done wonderfully well, and the surgery is becoming more and more common.

I received the pathology report from my biopsies, and I sent them to my daughter, who previously worked in oncology research. She was able to ascertain that this is a pre-cancer type of carcinoma and that the Mohs Surgery is extremely good at eradicating it, along with the chemo cream!

So I am feeling like I have a whole new lease on life!

Have you ever found that good news tends to take some time getting through, but bad news travels fast?

I sort of feel like I have been traveling in the fast lane over the past week. I went into see my own doctor on Monday February 4th. He also felt I should see a good Dermatologist. I’d found Dr. A. and I wanted to be sent to her.

When my doctor’s secretary called for an appointment, she was told, June or July would be the first available appointment. In the meantime, they asked my doctor for his notes.

By the time I got home I was telling myself to not be picky and go to the first available Dermatologist. Then on Wednesday February 6th I got a phone call from Dr. A.’s office asking for my surgical records.

That afternoon Hubby drove me to the local hospital and I signed the privacy form so that my records could be sent to Dr. A.

By Friday, I had an appointment for the following Monday. On Monday, I had two biopsies taken.

On Wednesday, February 13th, in the early afternoon they called to tell me that it is a return of the cancer. I now must go to a special surgeon for a Mohs Operation. The good news is, that this procedure gives you a 98-99% chance of a full recovery with no relapse at that sight.

Then, as I sat thinking about the road ahead, I was reminded about my favorite movies. And this segment!

Who knows? Maybe they’ll find my twin!

Back in July of 2008, I was diagnosed with, and operated on for Skin Cancer on my nose. You can go back HERE and read all about that time in my life.

Recently, I noticed that the scar on my nose was reacting badly. By this I mean, it was once again getting red, the skin was scaly and the scar looked like it was growing.

So last week I went in on Tuesday and saw my doctor, who referred me to Dr. A. at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital. That day we were told that the soonest I could get in was JULY!

Then I heard that Dr. A.’s office wanted all my surgical records. So we drove down to get them the next day to have them faxed over to Dr. A.’s office.

She looked them over on Friday morning and her nurse called me with an appointment for Monday morning at 10 AM.

I tried not to worry or freak out, but frankly, it concerned me that they’d found an appointment space so quickly after getting my records.

In fact I told my cousin there were no worries, and she wrote me back asking “Who are you? And what have you done with my cousin?”

Have I mentioned that in fact I am a BIG little bit of a worrier?

Monday came and Hubby offered to drive me. Our roads are still not the best here in New Hampshire, after the big storm on Friday/Saturday, and today’s surprise storm!

Going over wasn’t so bad, but the return trip was scary as all get out!

But, I digress.

When I got to Dr. A.’s Office I was escorted into her examination room. After examining my nose, she was not happy. It seems my original surgery was not done correctly and that was why she wanted to see me so quickly.

She believes the cancer has come back and she would like an extensive surgery done to further remove the cancer and then do plastic surgery on my nose.

Meanwhile, today, Dr. A. took two biopsies on my nose and then she put in stitches. I must leave them for a week before they are removed.

I do not know when my next procedure will be. I guess as soon as they can arrange it. After the skin heals, I will need to use a chemotherapy cream until they are sure the cancer is completely gone.

I’m feeling a little headache-y now and my nose also hurts. But I think it is to be expected.

Hubby drove me over and back, as I said. The ride over was not so bad until we reached Lebanon, NH. Then the snow was falling pretty heavily. Then I was in for my appointment and when I got out, the snow was already 3 inches deep! And very slippery!

Mountain roads are not the easiest, and I swear I couldn’t breathe the entire time we were in the car. Now we’re home, I am feeling a little better, just cold. At one point a large propane truck was coming our way, and he was sliding! Talk about scared!

So thank you all for listening to me today. Yes, I am a little freaked now, and I will keep trying to chill out.

Keep your fingers crossed that all will turn out okay!

Thanks!

I’m off to the Dermatologist’s Office to see what she has to say about my spots. She will also strip me naked, as the day I was born, and go over me for any other abnormalities.

Isn’t that a great way to start the day? Stripping down naked, in front of a total stranger? I’m as nervous as a new bride!

My pocketbook is packed with my Kindle and some breath mints and off I’ll go. I hope it won’t take long, although I am sure she will be thorough.

Wish me luck!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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As it was Super Bowl Weekend, I did a fair amount of appetizer preparations. Even when it is just Hubby and me, I still try to make things festive. I prepared a 7 Layer Mexican Dip, and then I also prepared Steak Fajitas. We hadn’t had them in a long time, and so I thought it might be nice. And it was!

On Friday we drove down to Concord as I had a problem with my winter coat. I had washed it and it shrunk! Well, LL Bean Guarantees their clothing and boots, no matter how long you have had them. So I brought the coat back.

You might recall last January 22, 2012 I had brought in my much loved blue jacket (see me in Germany in the sidebar) for a new zipper and was talked into getting a new coat. You can read about it here, but that coat never really thrilled me, and then when it shrunk, well, back to the store it went.

I really love LL Bean. They checked the old coat out, gave me a gift card for the full value, and then I was able to take my time looking for a new coat.

At first I saw nothing and then there was a rack with winter parkas marked down and then another 30% taken off. So I started looking, and there it was!

So between my gift card, and a few coupons I had, Hubby got 2 pairs of pants and I got this coat for $6.95!

Interestingly, this parka is a sister parka to the one I loved so much and had for 6 years before the zipper broke. (see sidebar)

Greta and I went visiting on Sunday. She just loves our neighbor and our neighbor loves her too. I used to bring Shubi up, but now Greta is the favored one. It was a good time.

Well that wraps it all up. Have a great Monday everyone!

(PS: Today would have been my Grandma Honey’s birthday. I still miss her and send my love to her in Heaven)

I found this cool meme at Betty’s blog A Glimpse Into Midlife. And since I love doing these kind of meme´s I decided to join her. Most of the answers will be familiar to my regular readers, but maybe you´ll learn something new about me.

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Age   54
Bed Size   King
Chore You Hate   Doing dishes
Dogs    4. Fritz, Greta, Arnie, & Anneliese

Essential Start To My Day    Turn on coffee and walk the dogs
Favorite Color    It used to be blue, but it is now creamy brown
Gold or Silver    Gold
House or Apartment    House. We’ve been here since April of 1998
Instruments Played    Sort of the flute
Job Title    Domestic Goddess

Kids    Amanda & Katie

Live    in New Hampshire
Married    Almost 25 years to Hubby

Never Again    Will I go on a roller coaster
Other Fun Fact    I love to swim, but only in the ocean. I love the smell and taste of the sea!
Pet Peeve     People who steal my parking spot. I patiently wait for my spot (with my blinker on!) and they swoop in and steal my spot!
Quote    “Dear George, Remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love, Clarence.”  From “It’s A Wonderful Life”
Righty or Lefty    Righty
Siblings    Brother Richard older by 7 years, but passed at age 26. Sister Melodie older by 5 and a half years, then me!

Time You Wake Up    About 8 AM.
University Attended    The University of Life
Veggies You Dislike    I love almost all of them, so it’s hard to say
What Makes You Run Late    Hubby. I swear for being an airline pilot who was always on time, since retirement he is almost always late
X-Rays    So many I glow in the dark
Yum Food Cherry Garcia ice cream, anything dark chocolate and flan
Zoo Animal Favorite    Elephants. I just love elephants, especially babies

Laundry. Oh how I just hate to do it. I tend to let it accumulate until you can barely walk across the laundry room floor, and then I grouse, and spend a day or two ‘doing it’. Tuesday was that day for me. I had so much laundry in the mix, that it will take me three days of washing, folding and putting away.

Now this will tell you that either we have a multitude of underwear, or we enjoy going commando, (sans underwear) which I can assure you, is not the case!

Day two will find me washing up the last of the towels and household rags. (Those are old underwear that have become dust clothes and window cleaners.)

Day three will be slip covers and the last of the sheets! And if I am not laundered out, I would love to wash the curtains in the bathrooms.

What brought up all this energy to do so much cleaning and washing? It’s hard to explain, but here goes.

I was rereading the blog from back in 2005. I realized that back in the days of dial-up, I was actually getting far more done. Here I am in 2013 and I have become a computer junkie! Yup, hardcore, computer, got to have it, junkie!

So my goal for a bit is to get more house work done, and for every two hours of work, reward myself with 15 minutes on the computer.

Of course, evenings are my own, at least after I do the dinner dishes and walk the dogs.

How have your lives changed in the last 8 years? Are you on your computer more or less? Do you use your cell phone more like a computer?

And here are the answers to yesterday’s questions.

Title:
How Well Do You Know Me?

Question 1:
Where was I born?

Answer A) Wareham, Massachusetts. Although I grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts, the hospital there had not been built. All maternity patients went to Toby Hospital in Wareham, Massachusetts.

B) Boston, Massachusetts
C) Falmouth, Massachusetts
D) Nashua, New Hampshire

Question 2:

How much did I weigh at birth?

A) 10 pounds
Answer B) 9 pounds 1 ounce. Yes, my poor 5 foot tall mother says I nearly killed her. I was a big one for sure!

C) 7 pounds 12 ounces
D) 6 pounds 2 ounces

Question 3:

What was the Character I played in The Sound of Music?

A) Maria
B) Louisa
Answer C) Gretel. Yes, I was Gretel, and I even had a few solos at the tender age of 8!
D) Marta

Question 4:

How old was I when I got married to Hubby #2.

Answer A) 29. Yup Hubby was a cradle robber! I wasn’t even 30!
B) 26
C) 30
D) 35

Question 5:

How long have we been married?
A) Almost 30 years.
B) Almost 20 years.
Answer C) Almost 25 years. We wrere married April 9, 1988. It has gone by so very fast. Amazing, how we have gotten through the tough times and really enjoyed the good times.

D) Almost 40 years.

Question 6:

Favorite vacation?
Answer A) Cruise. Oh I do love to cruise! I’ve been dropping hints to Hubby how I would really love to go on a cruise for our anniversary!
B) Camping
C) Swimming
D) Hiking

Question 7:

Favorite meal?
A) Ribs
B) Lamb
C) Ham
Answer D) Thanksgiving. Oh how I love all the things that are served at Thanksgiving. It’s totally my favorite meal!

Question 8:

Favorite TV Show
A) Love it or List It
B) NCIS
Answer C) Big Bang Theory. This was sort of a trick question. It used to be NCIS, but now I love, love, The Big Bang Theory. It makes me laugh so hard!
D) Two Broke Girls

Question 9:

First Dackel’s name?
A) Heidi
B) Schazti
Answer C) Shubi. Yes, Shubi. My dear, darling, Shubi girl. I only hard her for 10 years, but she spoiled me for any other breed of dog! She has been gone nearly sever years. Oh, how I miss her!
D) Boris

Question 10:

What makes me smile?
A) Cinnamon toast
Answer B) Savannah Rose. The best thing in life after your own children, are your grandchildren!
C) Flowers in spring
D) Fresh jam

Don’t worry if your missed a few. So did Hubby, who lives with me and has been with me all these years! It was fun to see what you all said!