Don't die of shock!! :)

It's here folks, it's here! A new post!
Yes, I'm feeling quite smitten because I have had a great number of you send me emails saying, in short, "UPDATE YOUR BLOG!" It certainly is high time. And to answer all of you, yes my lack of updates is due to the fact that I feel really, really good. I've been working, both inside and out, ... riding horses so much that the original soreness has worn off and now it feels perfectly comfortable... been having company and potlucks... enjoying Dean and Dustin's company... and just generally living a grand old normal life. Those of you who feel you have this normal, "boring" life all the time, don't take it for granted. It's pretty cool. Remember my last post?? We were all wanting less drama. This month I've gotten that wish.

Chemo's next week, so [*huge sigh*] this spiffiness is relatively short-lived. BUT... The after-chemo puniness (Andy would probably call it "after-chemo whinyness" if I'd let him) is usually short-lived too, so that's the best part.


My CA-125 was down to 110 at the last check. That is an incredible drop from the last one which was well over a thousand. So chemo's doing its thing again, which is incredibly reassuring.


Here we are, grilling our first steaks of the season, and a good shot of Andy trying to stab me with a fork.... or so it appears. I don't think Ty looks like he'd defend me, do you? He has more of a "well-this-could-be-messy-but-interesting" look to him.

Here's Popsicle and I... and a good shot of my short blonde "California" wig, as Andy calls it:

And here's the barn - still coming along slowly, but good changes being made nonetheless. Brent's coming to help frame in the cabin sometime in the next week, so I'll post more photos after that. Here viewed from the north side... Stalls are located inside under the right-hand wing, the open-front shed is under the wing you see on the left.

Inside facing north. The stalls, there are 6 of them in all:

This next one is facing toward where the cabin is going to be. You can see the platform for its floor and the doors and windows. To the left, outside the indoor barn area, under the east wing, is the open-front shed. Our cows and calves have made good use of that area the last few months. It's been a wonderful spot and glad we planned it that way.

For Tiff's birthday we created a potting shed for her out of this old shed Andy built years ago. Here it's getting relocated to a more useful spot:

And I can't resist adding Popsicle and her latest video. She keeps us smiling. I swear, no matter what kind of a mood you're in, when you see this little thing running at you or bumping you from behind when she's hungry, you just can't help but giggle. She's been a joy. If you don't laugh out loud at this video, it's proof you are having a bad day. :)

The Daze of our Lives

(Is any other blogger having trouble uploading photos and videos? I'm going crazy. I think I'll just post the text for now - other stuff later, I'm tired of fighting with my computer.)

Once again, we've proven it's impossible to have dull moments around here. I get chemo... I laze and sleep and moan around because I'm puny and useless. Then I catch a cold and it gets worse and worse so I continue my moping around. Then I start coughing and stop breathing. Almost. I'm home alone, sitting on my bed, pulling in air through what feels like a pinprick hole in my throat, determined not to panic - someone will come, someone will come, someone will come... After 15 minutes or so, Andy's shadow darkens the doorway, I burst into tears, whisper, "take me to the ER".

Of course the poor man nearly falls apart, his knees literally buckle as he hears his nurse-wife actually asking to go to the ER when I have not once before let him take me. (Those places are for sick folks, y'know. Stay away at all costs.) But because he's made up of the same stuff as Superman, he calls outside to have Tiffany bring the truck around, picks me up and starts running. He somehow grabs the right insurance information, opens doors, gets me in the truck and down the highway, speeding past drivers who have less purpose, and lands us safely at our little hometown emergency room where thankfully they know how to open up airways.

(***everyone take a deep breath here. Think about how awesome it is. It's priceless - don't try to tell me it isn't***)

After a series of treatments (for some reason my throat did not want to stay well-and-truly open until about 18 hours later) I'm shaky and miserable from all the adrenaline they give, but I'm breathing. And proud of it. So that was Saturday, this is Tuesday and after 3 days in the ICU I am home!!! No one is really sure what happened, although 2 of the doctors think I had a severe reaction to some rubitussin I took Saturday morning. Others feel I had a "viral" reaction which affected the tissues in my throat. Personally, I agree with the viral reaction scenario because I had a temp of 104.5 when I arrived at the ER and allergic reactions don't do that. But all I really know is that I reacted to something and I'd prefer not to do it again.

I'm writing too much. I must wind this down or I shall lose my captive audience. So I'm sleep-deprived, still coughing and congested, and suffering from ICU psychosis, but all's well that ends well, as they say. Unfortunately my cancer probably survived the episode too, but if it didn't I'll be sure to let you know. :)