Countdown & Chemo

Just four more days til I get to see my soldier girl!!! I still have a ton of things to do before we hit the road on Monday, but figured I should post an update here before time gets away from me any further.

On Tuesday this week, I received a very tearful phone call from my daughter. It was only a seven minute call but it seemed like it lasted an eternity. She called to tell me that she had failed her makeup PT test. :( She was calling from a payphone and the connection was terrible, but I think what she said was that the first time she had problems with her pushups, and on the makeup she was over her run time by 30 seconds. She didn't know if she was going to have another opportunity to re-test or if she would just be moved to FTU. I'm praying that she gets another chance (or has already had another chance and just hasn't had an opportunity to call) and putting positive mom vibes out for her, even having conversations with her in my head, telling her to get her mind right and get this done.

I would love it if you would help me put those positive vibes out there for her too!


Chemo is done for this round, and though hubs still feels like utter crap, we have good news to report! Also on Tuesday this week (Tuesday was quite a rollercoaster!), hubs went in for an MRI to see if the chemo was doing what it was intended to do. I hate MRI days. Yes, the hubby hates them too, what with the needles and whirring-clicking-banging-humming of the MRI machine, and then the wait to see his neuro-oncologist, they turn into all day affairs every time. I don't usually go with him, since I would do the same thing there as I do at home - worry and pace, worry and pace.  And that's what I did all day Tuesday. I tried to stay busy, but my mind kept wandering back to the worry.

When he finally got home, he said that his doc was running more than three hours behind schedule* and he didn't wait to see her. Chemo not only makes him tired and seriously nauseous, but cranky and impatient too. So he left a message with the receptionist to have the doc call him with results.

*Neuro-oncologists aren't a dime a dozen, and choices are limited. We love this doctor, and she will give us as much time as we need or want during a scheduled appointment. Which is also why she runs so far behind schedule - she offers the same to all of her patients.

Luckily, she called just an hour or so after hubs got home, with results from his MRI. The tumor has "shrunk significantly"!!! Remember, it was only 3mm when they caught it in early August. But the chemo is doing it's job!! This probably means a few more rounds of chemo, but it's better than having another surgery! Woot!!!

I know I haven't done much talking about shooting lately, but that's because we haven't been shooting lately. I miss it. :'( I need to go shoot! 

I start the new job at the range the week after we return, so maybe I'll have opportunities to throw some lead downrange after work once or twice a week.

I also need to fill you all in on my self defense class! That will be a long post, so it will have to wait til I have some time to sit and write some more, but so far I'm loving it! I'm covered in bruises, and I hurt from strained this and pulled that - but I have already learned things I could put into practice right now if I had to. Hopefully I'll have a chance to write that post during our 17 hour trip to see my soldier girl. :)

Until then, take care of yourselves and shoot straight!