A Clean Bill of Health!

Happiness is a clean bill of health from your Oncologist!

I went back to my Oncologist yesterday  for the first time since the end of my chemotherapy treatment. It really wasn't any big deal for me......until I drove the familiar route to the hospital and surrounding medical buildings.  As soon as I entered the parking area by Medical Building 2, my mind filled with memories of last summer when I was going through chemo. An uneasiness seized me for a moment.  The feelings I felt back then came flooding over me - the anxiety, the fear, the uncertainty, the heat! (Last summer in Rocklin, we had many days over 100*.)  As I parked and walked up to the building, I saw people who I thought were cancer patients and those who were there to support them. I thought of what they were currently going through. Then I thought of myself, a recovering cancer patient with the only physical sign of cancer to a casual observer, short hair that is in process of growing out.  And I was thankful I was through chemo! I was thankful for my doctors and nurses. I was thankful for treatment for cancer. . . . And then I was even thankful for chemo! God was good to me.  God was IS my strength!

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise him.

Psalms 28:7

Health Update

At my appointment, the doctor went over the results of some blood work I had done last Thursday.  And yes, thank the Lord, everything looked good!  (Sigh of relief!)  Yes, thank you Lord!

Day of Infamy

Aagh!!!  It's the last day of January already!  Can you believe it? One month down in the year 2014!  How are your New Year's resolutions coming along? OR have you long since abandoned those weeks ago?  I suppose if I did MAKE resolutions they would be the same every year. Eat better. Lose weight. Exercise. Those sound like good resolutions to me!

For the last 21 days I've been participating in a fast that our church does at the beginning of the year, so I think I'm off to a good start when it comes to eating better and losing weight.  As far as the exercise goes, I try to walk daily.  That's not super rigorous exercise, but I like to do it.  I actually look forward to my walks. I take a path through our neighborhood along a designated wetland area. I often see people walking or jogging with earbuds listening to some sort of device, but I don't listen to music when I walk. That's a time I usually talk to God and I don't want to be distracted with music just in case He wants to say something back to me. I told my husband that God must be a man because He usually doesn't say a whole lot. . . But I know He's there and He's a good listener.  As a matter of fact if you ever feel like no one wants to listen to you, go for a walk and ask God to go with you.  He'll always go and He'll always listen.  It's perfect!  And sometimes I do get a word or two, but usually its a calm and a peacefulness.

. . . Anyway, it has been a little over a year that I received my cancer diagnosis. Last January, my sister, Jan came all the way from Ecuador (where she lives with her husband serving as missionaries) to spend several days with me when I had my surgical biopsy.  We had fun that week.  We laughed.  We played Scrabble.  She bought me a Scrabble dictionary.  (I didn't know there was such a thing.) She cleaned out my pantry.  Ok, I will be the first to admit, I don't like to clean.  I know, it seems like there are so many A-types out there, but that's not me. . . ( I digress). . . So Jan was pulling things out of my pantry with dates from 2 or 3 years ago.  Instead of being embarrassed about it, I just laughed!  And then we tried to see what was the oldest can or box of something that was in there.  I think 2006 was the oldest. Remember, last year was 2013!  You gotta laugh, right?  Thank God for sisters!

My biopsy was on a Monday, January 15.  Jan flew out on the following Monday, January 22, the same day as my follow-up doctor's appointment.  Scott was working in Philadelphia then, so he flew out that morning also. My doctor's appointment was at 10 am. My two other sisters from Santa Cruz said they wanted to come up and go to the doctor with me when he told me the "good news." (The good news being a clean bill of health. My sister Anita optimistically spoke those words, but I knew it could go either way.)  So I met my sisters, Anita and Bev at my doctor's office that morning.  Oh, am I so glad they were there!  Once again, thank God for sisters! When I heard those words, "You have cancer," I went into shock.  I didn't cry.  If anything, I laughed or smiled or smirked or something. (Why do we do those sorts of things at inappropriate times?)

Yep, January 22, 2013. That's my day that will go down in infamy!

Just about a year ago (2013).  Before "My Day of Infamy!"

Me, currantly, 01/31/14.
Selfie!

01/24/14
I've got curl!

01/24/14

01/19/14

01/12/14

Hair Update
Yes, I have unveiled my hair!  I decided it was time to take off the hat and scarf and let my hair blow in the wind! Early in January, I even had a little cut off the back of my neck and had to get a little color to cover up the grey. And it is growing in curly!  I have never had curly hair.  I have never had short hair.  But I've got em both now!

Before my haircut and color on Jan 8, 2014.

After my haircut and color, Jan 11, 2014.

(No, these are not mug shots!)

Pam

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas One and All!

Yes, its nearly over.  I truly hope you all had a really good day.  Our Christmas was  really low key, just the 5 of us.  You know your kids are getting older when they get up after you on Christmas morning!

Yes, it was nice and calm.  This year, I wasn't thinking about upcoming doctor's visits or bad health reports. Low key was just the way I wanted it!

Earlier this year, a few days before my surgery in March, my family so willingly, um, agreed to have pictures taken.  So in place of Christmasy shots, here are Hutton Family Photos 2013.