Elizabeth & Brendan

Okay I realize that nurses/assistants may not know why I am at the doctor but really do I need to have my vitals taken everytime.  Before getting the test results I was weighed, had my temperature taken, pulse and blood pressure.  Today before the meeting with the surgeon they go to take my vitals and I freaked out.  I thought “oh no do not weigh me I am an emotional eater!!!”  Luckily they didn’t weigh me but I did have my oxygen saturation tested.

I just wanted to point out a very astute and insightful comment made by Dr. Sarah from the UK:

“Any surgeon who does stitching in the OR all day and still has sewing and quilting listed as hobbies, is the perfect surgeon!”

I hadn’t thought of that.  Well done Sarah!

I stalk everyone on the Internet: friends, clients, and doctors.

Meet my team so far:

Dr. Bita Tabesh, oncologist: We really, really, really like her. I feel like she gets us.

Dr. Katharine Carter, surgeon: I will meet her tomorrow and while I like her schooling, I don’t like that she spells her name “KathArine” instead of “Katherine” but that is me.

With all that has been going on, Brendan and I have had some slips in mental capacity. With the several screening appointments we have had we have been eating easy to make dinners.

One night, Brendan had hot dogs. The next night I wanted hot dogs. Now I had just bought two packages of Nathan’s because they were buy one, get one free (I only buy Nathan’s or Hebrew National) and there was one package of Nathan’s in the freezer but none in the fridge. I searched high and low but couldn’t find the hot dogs. Brendan came into the kitchen and searched the garbage. We were getting concerned that they were somewhere in the kitchen and we would find them months later. Brendan remembered he put them in a ziploc bag. So he opened the drawer and found the hot dogs.

The next day, I arrived at work with the home phone in my purse.   I wanted to walk around the office like it was an early 90s cell phone.

So as most of you know – I had a positive result for breast cancer on Friday.  Since it was the preliminary results we do not know much more than that.  What we do know:

• It is very small – about 8 millimeters.
• It didn’t show up on the ultrasound and most likely wouldn’t have shown up on the mammogram.
• The lymph nodes did not look affected in the MRI.
• I will have surgery in the next 4 – 6 weeks.
• I am opting for a double masectomy because I don’t want to have worry.  When the doctor was talking about surgery options I cut her short and said “No – they are both coming off.”  Not eloquent but it is not a time mince words.  My doctor seemed relieved to hear that I wanted that.

We appreciate all the calls and emails, you have no idea how they help.  We plan on keeping everyone updated on this topic as well as the other, happier things going on in our lives.

I wholeheartedly believe that this is a blip in our very long and happy life.

I used to watch this show but since it became one big product placement I stopped.  Plus I always thought Kate was mean to Jon and she was/is. 

We did watch the season premiere to see how John and Kate interacted since all the alleged affairs.  Now there will be a big announcement on Monday’s show.  Everyone is saying divorce but it could be that they are adopting a baby for all we know.   Brendan will probably want to watch. 

But the kids are very cute and make me want half-Asian children (which is impossible due to Brendan not being Asian – one of his flaws) because of how cute they are.  Anyway, if I had to steal two of the kids I would take Alexis and Collin.  They are my favorite – and yes I have favorites.

In order to hide from the real world I have become obsessed with the following television shows:

• Real Housewives of New Jersey – “We’re as thick as thieves.”  I love that crap.  B likes the Real Housewives of New York better. 
• Tori and Dean - Crazy but they remind us of me and B
• I’m a Celebrity Get Me Outta Here – Now that Heidi and Spencer are gone.  This show is crazy.  I need to start voting
• Charm School 3 – The only annoying part is Brendan saying “Bay Bay Bay” repeatedly while I watch the show.  I love you but stop.
• Daisy of Love – But I only like to watch the eliminations.  I think 12 pack is going all the way!  Double entendre not intended but I like it.

So that has been my life recently and I am not ashamed to admit it.

Cue Gloria Estefan…

So I have been hibernating for awhile given the health issues I have been dealing with and waiting on results for (still waiting at the time of posting). But fear not faithful readers, I will begin to post again with delightful tales of farm fresh veggies, my tomato plants, how the stress of everything affected Brendan’s ability to put away hot dogs, Kristin’s visit up north and whatever else has happened.

Please know I appreaciate everyone’s kind words and positive thoughts these last couple of weeks. Fingers crossed the good news continues!

It is free doughnut day at Dunkin’ Donuts. Just purchase a coffee and you get it, free. But if you are buying 2 coffees you do not get 2 free doughnuts. I tried that and was told, “one per customer.” So I was rung up twice.

A cool article was just written in the Boston Herald about my boss.  You can read it here: ABS article