I got a job. Josh graduated from high school. Zach went to a college in Sunnyvale. Scott got a new job. I broke my shoulder...yikes!
Ok, let me back up to April/May. After having good news at my last doctor's visit, I decided it might be time to look for a job. I wanted something close by, nothing too stressful or demanding, and someplace fun or enjoyable to work. In essence, going to work was a way of moving on to the next chapter in my life. My cancer phase is over! My life after cancer has begun! I felt good and wanted to validate that I could face the real world again. I am healthy, happy, and whole. I got a job at a small department store 5 minutes from home.
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| Josh's Graduation 2014 Whitney High, Rocklin |
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| Band Practice |
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| First day of college (Yes, I still take pictures!) Sierra College |
My baby boy graduated from Whitney High! Josh was a mere 4 years old when we moved to Rocklin. He has had the pleasure of living in the same house and having many of the same friends throughout his school years. Currently he is going to Sierra College, the local junior college, and wants to transfer to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with an engineering major. He played the drums in marching band all 4 years of high school and graduated with over a 4.0 grade point average. He ranked 18th in his class which is in the top 5% of his class. He loves science and math. I expect he will do well.
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| Zach and I before driving to Sunnyvale |
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| Zach at his new college |
After going to San Jose State University last fall, Zach had to reevaluate his college plans. SJSU was not a good fit for him.
Its so big, 30,000 students. He felt like he couldn't get good academic counseling and the college really didn't have the major he wanted. (He knew what he wants to do, just not how to get there.) It was while he was attending San Jose State that he heard of another college in that area that specializes in Video Game Design and Illustration/Animation. After taking the spring semester off this year, he started at Cogswell Polytechnical College in Sunnyvale in June. He is now taking his second semester there and has a plan to complete his degree.
Scott took a new job in July which puts him back on the road. As with many things in life, this job has its good and bad points. I pray the good outweighs the bad!
And finally, August 30th, I broke my shoulder! Can you believe it?
I hardly could! I'd never broken a bone in my body before. Remember that job I told you about? Well, I was working and we were removing shelving from the wall. Two very thin wire shelves were stacked on each other on the floor. I stepped on them and the top one slid out from the bottom one and I went down...hard!
I tried to catch myself with my hands/arms, but landed on my left side and rolled to my back. As my coworkers gathered round me comforting me and trying to figure out what to do, I lie on my back holding my left arm across my abdomen with my right hand. I knew I couldn't move it.
Zach had taken the train home the day before to spend the week at home between his summer and fall semesters. That very morning before my accident, he and I went out and got new phones. I even took a selfie at the store and one of Zach too!
I had my phone in my front left pocket. One of the first things I thought was, "Oh I hope I didn't break my phone." Well, I didn't and it came in handy to call Scott as I was lying there.
By the time Scott got to the store, the decision had been made to call the ambulance. I really didn't want an ambulance cause I knew the fire department would also come and it would be a big deal. I wasn't dying. But I wasn't sure how I was going to get up.
So I'm on my back holding my arm. Six or eight coworkers are standing around me. Scott is there, along with 2 firemen and 2 ambulance men. And then one of them cuts my shirt at the shoulder and asks me to lift my arm as high as I can. I tell him I can't move it. "Try" he says. Really??? I can't.
Suffice it to say, once I got to the ER, had ex-rays, and was told I actually had a broken shoulder, I didn't feel as bad to have the ambulance come get me.
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| On the way to the hospital for surgery Sept 10, 2014 |
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| One more pic of me on the way! Sept.10, 2014 |
So this won't be the never ending story, I'll fast forward to September 10th. My surgery is scheduled for 2 o'clock. We check in at noon. By 5, I'm in recovery. All goes well! Scott shows me the ex-rays that the doctor gives him. I must say I was very surprised by the amount of hardware placed inside my shoulder. I will definitely set off some airport alarms!
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| The doctor draws the incision on my arm |
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| The ex-rays the doc gives Scott after surgery |
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| Another view |
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| After surgery |
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| A few days later when I'm home |
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| Look at me! Happy as can be! |
Through it all, God is good! I am reminded of Habakkuk 3:17-19.
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
If I were to rewrite this scripture to apply to my life, I might say something like this:
Though I get a bad report on my mammogram and the biopsies confirm cancer in my breast, though I have a mastectomy and removal of 17 lymph nodes with one node testing positive for cancer, though I go through 4 rounds of chemo and lose all my hair, though my husband loses his job and we struggle with finances, though Scott has health issues, though I fall and break my shoulder and will have months of physical therapy, I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD!!! I will be joyful in God my Savior. The merciful, loving, all knowing Lord is my strength; he gives me peace, he carries me to the high ground.
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So glad you are getting better. You are an amazing woman. God is good to us. Love you.
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