Thanks and more thanks!

I promised Dr. Dan that I would get a therapist on my cancer care team (so I don't throw myself under a bus when the interferon makes me more depressed then usual). My Therapist (Dr. Art) is really funny. He'd have to be to deal with me. After I asked him if he'd be part of my cancer care team, he asked some really great questions.

"What has surprised you the most in dealing with this?"

Hmmmmmmm. I'd have to say (as I told him) how AWESOME people have been. Not that people wouldn't have been awesome, but specifically, how much it touched me, that so many people cared about me and my health.

"well why wouldn't they care?"

GEEZ. I don't know, I say, awkwardly screwing the toe of my shoe into the health partners standard carpet, I am just surprised that people like me. That I have touched so many people, and they in turn respond with caring, and positive energy. I am a pretty private person, generally, but I try to be a good one. I just didn't really think about how fortunate I was in my friends and family until the chips were down.

Wow, when you get cancer you find out who your real friends are. EVERYONE. What a village!

I really need to send a shout out to my friends who are survivors, Peggy, Todd, Tracy, Marti, and others of you who have taken the time to relate a story or tip that they or their Family or friends went through. I have a GREAT list of things to ask for, look for, find, buy, read, and eat. Ute sent me a whole list of very well researched diet tips, friends are making food, and yes, there was another CAKE brought to the office (CAKE!!!!).

I didn't think how lucky I was to have such a great group of people. Your messages, positive energy, and humor have been fantastic. I know Eryc appreciates it too. I think it's worse for him in some ways, because he is dealing with his own stress, but also has to support me.

We really are doing OK right now. I know that things are going to get ICKY, as the MTB start progressing, and the interferon accumulates, but right now, I feel great, and have been getting ready to nest for the winter. I expect to come out of hybernation this spring like a butterfly straining to the sun! OK Barf, no, but I will be starting to feel better as the weather starts getting warmer, so it's not a bad thing to spend MN winter cooped up. Wouldn't YOU like to sleep through January?

I am having surgery on Wednesday to remove the rest of the lymph nodes from my right thigh. Hopefully Dr. Awesome Surgeon will also address the attractive golf ball sized blob of fluid left from the LAST lymph node removal. I am not sure where that is all supposed to go, but I know it AIN'T staying on my leg. sheesh.

I expect to be back at work on Monday (not very mobile), because I heal fast, and I get bored easily. Netflix for streaming sucks, and even all the episodes of Star Trek- Next generation can't keep me occupied forever.

Dr. Dan SAID I could start the interferon 3-4 weeks after surgery as long as I am healed so I don't get an infection. OK then. bring it.

One of you peeps mentioned that cancer is kind of depressing, and I should talk about something more uplifting. This is totally true. What else do I talk about? CATS!!!

This year at the Feline Rescue Speghetti Dinner Fundraiser (4/18/2015 put it on your calendars NOW). Boris the Incorrigible will be taking the paw of Triss the Dauntless Kitten in holy Catrimony! OMG what could be better then a Cat wedding! For those of you who are out of the loop, Triss was our foster kitten. We were planning to have her adopted (by other people, ideally) but she fell in love with Boris. Boris is a Feline Rescue Spokeskitty, and Therapy cat in training. He is very handsome, and a good influence. Anyway, at Feline Rescue we do not separate bonded pairs of cats. We ended up adopting Triss because she is my Cat's Girlfriend, and we felt horrible separating them. So here is their engagement pic:

How's THAT for uplifting? I hope I lose enough weight so I can find a really hot "mother of the bride" dress...