Birthday….New Year, New Life

Pool is Open!

Sixty-seven.  Calli and Declan keep getting mixed up.  They’re  not sure if I’m 67 or 76.  It’s one of those.  Nice birthday.  Pancakes for breakfast, ice cream cones in the middle of the afternoon, Panera’s mac and cheese for lunch, puzzles, coloring and hide and seek with Declan and Calli (Lana had CCD), nap and watching crazy people in the pool.  Calli does somersaults into the pool from the hot tub, Lana’s a gorgeous diver and Declan has mastered the cannonball.  Erin and Jerry are making chicken alfredo for supper…yum.  Life is good.

We’re in Flower Mound until Monday, May 5.  We’ll spend Tuesday, May 6,  packing . It’s ridiculous how much we’ve accumulated in a couple months.  This time we were there for about seven weeks.  Last time it was about three months.  I imagine Anne and Clark will be cheering on Thursday, May 8.  One of the POC has been spending time with them, really getting to know them all over again.  And I know Anne feels the same but at the same time, it is so nice to get your home and privacy back again.

I have a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, May 7….My one month after surgery appointment.  If all goes well, I’ll be getting rid of the feeding tube.  If not, I imagine we’ll be heading to Florida with a feeding tube.  I started out with 5 1/2 cans of “formula”.  Once I could start eating, I was down to 4 cans of formula (pump just runs at night).  Then a week later, I was down to 3 cans.  Each week, I’m down a can of formula.  The goal is to maintain or gain weight by eating more and getting weaned off the formula.  So far, so good…haven’t gained but haven’t lost any weight either.  I’m obsessed…breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack, dinner.  I can try anything but I’m finding out there are some things I am just not ready for  (pizza)   and some things I can’t do (like go to bed to read right after supper …need to sit up straight…better if I take a walk)

My back is fine.  My cough is annoying and wears me out.  I have some minor aches and pains, mostly at incision sites and where the feeding tube is inserted.  Small price to pay to be cancer free, huh?

Declan and Pop working on a Lego boat

A few more pictures…I need to get more of Lana.  I should have gotten some when we were up in the playroom working on her Lego cruise ship…Yes, I did get it and she got a very early birthday present.  She really doesn’t need help.  I sat there and handed her pieces but she really had the whole thing under control and is far better at Legos than I ever was or will be.

Declan cuddled up with his blanket

Calli with a new dress