Stef Smith

 

I can't believe a month has passed since my sugery.  Officially the masses my surgeon took out came back as non-cancerous.  Whew.  I am still a little sore, but it's not too bad.  Actually my soreness is coming from Penelope climbing all over my chest while I watch TV and when I wake up in the morning.  Of course she gets just the right spot when I am still half-asleep and wakes me right up.

 

I am registering for my remedial math classes tomorrow at Northern Virginia Community College for the Summer session.  I will be taking a 12 week Algebra I class concurently with a 6 week Geometry class.  Depending on how the Geometry class goes, I may sign up for a 6 week Trig class following the Geomery class.  I hope I am not overwelming myself.  I really think that it is better for me to jump in with the math classes.  I know I can do them, I just need to refresh my mind.  It's been 20 years since I took either one of those classes.  Agghh!  Can you believe it...20 years.  I am feeling a little old at the moment.

 

Speaking of old...how old are the rest of you feeling???  I'll be 35 in 3 weeks.

 

Oh I have more good news.  I will be moving back in with Mark.  We are both really looking forward to it.  At this point I'll be turning over my apartment to Anna June1.  We might make that May 1 depending on how Anna feels at her apartment.  It's been a little dicey over in her neighborhood lately. 

My surgery went well Friday.  The surgeon told Mark that the masses she took out were consistant with what she recognizes as being scar tissue.  Yes that was masses.  She also told him that she saw some more masses that probably ought to be removed once she opened me up.  Not a problem with me at all.  I'd much rather have them out than be knocking on her door again in 6 months because I found something else I was having anxiety over.  I'm pretty sore, but other than that, I'm doing well. 

 

My doctor was so sweet.  During my surgery consultation, she was worried about where the scar was going to be and was talking to me about how she was going to make the cut and where she was going to place it.  I finally told her that I was not worried about another scar on my boobs.  Seriously, I have quite a bit of scaring from the reduction.  The reduction was 7 years ago now and the scars have completely faded.  As I know this one will as well.  I am quite lucky when it comes to scars actually.  I know where he scars are on my body, but I would actually have to point them out for anyone else to see them.

 

I was shopping in Target the othe day for the normal necessities; advil, shampoo, razor blades.  For as long as I could remember there were double bladed razors then along came triple blades.  Now that I've found a very good triple blade razor, venus brand, there are quint blades.  Yes a 5 bladed razor.  Why?  I wish I knew what the difference was between a triple blade, quad blade (which I seemed to have missed) and a quint blade.  I just can't bring myelf to spend $20 for 4 quint blades.  I'm barely ok with with $15 for 4 triple blades.  Is there a difference?  How much closer of a shave can you get anyway?

Finally some good news.  The lump is most probably benign.  It is however going to be removed in the next couple of weeks.  I have to wait for this cold I came down with yesterday to go away. 

 

I really want to give myself a whole lot of cold medincine and sleep all day.  It was such a lovely day on the couch yesterday.  There was no coughing, no runny nose, no headache....just sleep.  Oh and a cat attached to my shoulder.

I just have a few random comments I need to make...

 

I'll work on getting the picture for you this weekend mom.  I have to find the picture card things, but I think I know where they are.

 

The first of my friend's kids turn 16 this weekend.  There are 3 of them all born within a month of each other.  Amazing!!!  I saw each of these three guys in the hospital at hours old and now they will be driving.  Ok, technically one is only 4, he was born on Feb 29.

 

I still don't know how the hell I am going to finagle going back to school full time.  I'm still in seach of scholarships so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

 

My sister had knee surgery last week, surprise.  I sure was when she called me the next morning.  She's pretty miserable but I think the outcome will be worth it for her.

 

I'm in the middle of trying to get a diagnosis on a breast lump.  I had an MRI this morning.  Apparently an MRI can decipher scar tissue where an ultra sound and mammogram can't.  The surgeon I am seeing doesn't think it's anything to worry about, but she couldn't see a thing on the ultra sound my gyn sent me to get.  I don't think I've ever had this many people touch my boobs in 3 weeks.  The MRI nurse bruised the back of my hand pretty good when she put the contrast stuff in my vein.  Oh and I learned today that women who get breast reductions have less of a chance of developing breast cancer.  Less mass I guess, not sure how that works really.  Anyway, this lump will be getting removed soon.  I don't care what the diagnosis is.  I will feel better if it is nothing, but I will be even better once the lump is gone.  I don't need any more stress than I already have. 

 

Mark and I are actually going out for dinner tomorrow night.  We usually spend Valentine's day at home so this will be a nice change.

 

Oh and I have another death.  My dear friend Carol, lost her husband Wayne to a heart attack last week.  He had a quad bypass about a week and a half ago now.  It was looking like he would be ok, maybe not back to work full time, but still at home.  Mark and I will be attending his services in Baltimore this weekend.

 

Mark has a quick weekend trip coming up to West Virginia.  WooHoo West Virginia.  One of the Marines that he went to Iraq with has moved back home and it's only about 4 hours away.  He is going through some of the same things Mark is so it will be a good weekend for both of them.  Hopefully they won't spend it drinking non-stop at the bar our friend's apartment sits on top of.