Houston...we have a problem

Two weeks ago on Wed , I went for a physical. I do this every year because I am on Lexapro and I have to get it reviewed and refilled annually.It was all very routine including a blood draw. The next day, my AMAZING physician,Holly Lee (Maplewood Family Practice) called me to say my kidney/liver numbers were elevated. Althought that could be attributed to the migraine meds that I take, she decided to further investigate and "fell down the rabbit hole". Seems in 2011, during an emergency appendectomy, there was a note about a spot on my right kidney which indicated a growth.No follow up was done...I was unaware of this but luckily Holly caught it.

It was her recommendation based on a conversation with a radiologist that we start with an ultrasound the next day. Base on this reading, I was referred to an urologist who saw the ultrasound and gently informed me it was a tumor which needed further investigation. So, last Monday, I was present for an MRI which indicated that the tumor (hereafter referred to as Charley) was six inches long and need to be separated from me sooner rather than later.

Therefore, I will be operated on this Wed,.Aug 1 at Forsyth Hospital. The plan is to remove the kidney and the hope is that all cancer present will be located in it. If this is so, I am considered "cured" and will require scans intermittently for the rest of my life. If it has metastisized to any other body part, I will require further treatment. Cross your fingers that Charley is like many an old boyfriend --cleanly cut out of my life!

There you have it. A summary of what is going on. I was in shock at first. I had not been familiar with renal (kidney) cancer but have learned A LOT about it in the last 10 days or so. It is a "silent" cancer because unless you are showing symptoms, it is usually only found when you are actually being scanned for something else!

Please keep my family in your prayers. Stop putting off your physical.

May all your thoughts today be peaceful!
D

Week 6 of 52 --rewind

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)
    I am not doing well at this.Last week I bought tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. Aaaargh (and YAYYYYY!)

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)
Walking inside is boring.

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)
    Been to four classes @ Lincoln, started my book on bridge.

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.
Valentines, birthday cards

5. Deep clean one area per month. 
     Done with essentials and working on the garage.

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 
     It is really hard to believe how much money I wasted! In my decluttering I am having waves of guilt! I am trying to look at it like I am giving things to people who need them but aaaargh!!

Appt with Replacements to  bring dishes...

7. Get rid of 1000 things.
     Clothes,bags, food, I am on a roll!

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)
     Have read 11 books so far this year!!!

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

     Working on bathroom remodel...researching and pinteresting...

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month. 
     MLK speech for this month.

Week 6 of 52

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)
    I am not doing well at this. At all. I find myself looking at sites and putting things in my cart. Then,mysteriously, it is purchased. 

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)
Walking inside is boring.

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)
    Been to two classes @ Lincoln and slavery prior to the Civil War. FASCINATING!

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.
     Skipped last week.

5. Deep clean one area per month. 
     Organizing and clearing out essentials

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 
     It is really hard to believe how much money I wasted! In my decluttering I am having waves of guilt! I am trying to look at it like I am giving things to people who need them but aaaargh!!

    Setting up  appt with Replacements to  bring dishes...

7. Get rid of 1000 things.
     2 boxes of storage room things,a box of magazines and catalogs

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)
     Finished: Stars on Fire,The Perfect Girl (Gilly McMillan)-- now reading, "See what I have done" (Lizzie Borden)

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

     Working on bathroom remodel...researching and pinteresting...

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month. 
     MLK speech for this month.

Intentions 2018: Week 4 of 52

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)
    This is hard.    

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)
    Snow days....

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)
    Signed up for bridge lessons, enquired about golf lessons. Start WFU Lifelong learning class on Wed.

   

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.
     Blog done and birthday cards ready for February

5. Deep clean one area per month. 
     Organizing and clearing out essentials

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 
     It is really hard to believe how much money I wasted! In my decluttering I am having waves of guilt! I am trying to look at it like I am giving things to people who need them but aaaargh!!

    Contacted Replacements about selling extra sets of dishes...

7. Get rid of 1000 things.
     2 boxes of storage room things,a box of magazines and catalogs

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)
     Working on Paris in the Present Tense,The Stars are Fire

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

     Working on bathroom remodel...researching and pinteresting...

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month. 
     Memorizing a Psalm for this month

2018 Intentions: Week 3 of 52

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)
     I feel pretty good about this. I did buy tickets for 2 concert to attend with my DH --Rod Stewart/Cyndi Lauper and Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds. Also bought a side table for the great room. In following through on learning new skills, bought book for bridge lessons..

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)
    Joined Healthways and worked out W/TH. Tried a new class @ fitness4women.com called Stixx. Looking for people who want to walk,work out. 

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)
    Signed up for bridge lessons, enquired about golf lessons.

   

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.
     Wrote the last of the NY's cards.

5. Deep clean one area per month. 
     Gathered and streamlined Christmas decorations so I can continue work on storage room.

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 
     Got rid of several things to the tune of $30

7. Get rid of 1000 things.
     Streamlined Christmas -- 2 bags

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)
     Working on Paris in the Present Tense....

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

     List started...more later

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month. 
     Memorizing a Psalm for this month

2018 Intentions: Week 2 of 52

Intentions for 2018:

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)
      This week I bought a new Bible, tabs and timeline to help with my ongoing Bible study. 

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)
     I wish! I am wearing an Apple Watch and trying to utilize the Shapa program (got it for Christmas). 

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)
     Got together the stuff for my ukelele lessons to start.

   

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.
     Done

5. Deep clean one area per month. 
     Working on the storage area/laundry room.

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 
     Got rid of several things to the tune of $30

7. Get rid of 1000 things.
     Took a bag of board books and cleaned out the pantry this week for the food pantry.

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)
     Finished Little Fires and am almost done with 2 others. Making sure to update Goodreads when I do it...

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

     List started...more later

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month.

Second verse,same as the first.

Week 1 of 52:
Second verse,same as the first.

Intentions for 2018:

1. Buy only essentials in 2017. (And for the record, I consider travel and "experiences" essential)

2. Exercise a total of 3 hours a week. ( I would love an exercise buddy or two if you are interested)

    

3. Practice a new skill 1 hour a week. (There are several things I have been meaning to learn to do and this is my chance!)

   

4. Write a letter and blog once a week.

5. Deep clean one area per month. 

6.Turn downsizing into $5000. 

7. Get rid of 1000 things.

   

8 Read 45 Books in 52 weeks (you can follow that on my goodreads feed)

   

9. Twelve house projects in twelve months.

Been out of town so this starts this week ~

10. Credit card debt free by the end of the year.(this is YUGE!)

11. Memorize one poem a month.

     Bought a used copy of :Committed to Memory, Edited by poet John Hollander this group of classic, celebrated poems serve to emphasize the pleasure of memorization and recitation. Used Amazon points so no cost.