What do you want?

What a question right? I was driving along heading home from a small shopping trip and lunch with the girls on New Years eve when from the back of the car Madison asks, ” Hey Mom, what is your New Years revolution?” I laughed both at the use of revolution and at the out of the blue question from my 6-year-old. I thought about it for a second but had no answer. I have not made a resolution in years. I punted the question back to her and was faced with an immediate answer of “my revolution is to get a pony”. Now, I did attempt to correct her wording to no avail. I also told her the thoughts of a pony would stay just that, thoughts. 🙂

It made me think though, it would not be a bad thing to set some goals, maybe identify what I want to achieve in the next year. She is a persistent child also and would not let me get out of the car without something. So here it is, my cliché new years resolution, I would like to be more fit and drop another 10-20 pounds. As I have discussed before I had been working on my weight for a year prior to the mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction. In total I have lost about 40 pounds since my peak “high”. I really do feel so much better and would like to continue.

Since the last surgery was the week of Thanksgiving, it really threw me off of my game. I had to limit activities for a week or so and then right into the holidays. The hustle and bustle of getting everything ready for the holidays and of course the elliptical, walking and any other type of exercise related activity fell by the way side. Having the kids home and sick for the last week has not helped either! Very happy to be getting back to routine tomorrow!

SO sometimes it takes a six-year-old to help put things back into focus. It has also made me think about the broader question of what it is that I want. There is of course the obvious, happy children and husband. Good health, financial security but I am not sure that they answer the question of what do I want nor do I think it is an answer that I will come to sitting here typing tonight. It is a question that I will spend some time thinking about so stay tuned, who knows there may be an epiphany.

So long 2012

With the end of the year approaching, everywhere you turn you see recaps. I did a medical recap not too long ago and quit honestly am not too interested in reliving this year. Instead I am looking fully forward to what I hope will be a better year.

Making a statement like that always makes me pause for a second because of how close I was to cancer (according to the pathology reports). I had the bilateral prophylactic mastectomy to prevent cancer since I was high risk but until we received those results showing cancer markers, well we had no clue just how close I was. So, with that said the end results made 2012 a good year I suppose and I guess I should recognize that good.

The hope for 2013, well they are filled with no surgery, no medical scares and good times with my family. I do need to get through the follow-up Ultrasound next week to check on the complex cyst. Hopefully that shows that it took care of itself and onward we will move.

One super bright spot that we have all been looking forward to for some time is our trip to Disney World! We are in the home stretch and can begin an official countdown in the next week or so. My girls do love official countdowns :-). We are all really looking forward to this trip! We are staying at The Animal Kingdom Villas-Kidani, right over the Savannah. How thrilled with the girls be seeing the animals come close to the balcony.

Since we are staying in Disney we also did the meal package. It is nice going and knowing that almost everything is prepaid. We will be dinning with the Princesses, Mickey and crew, Chip and Dale and at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant. Planning this trip, making the dinning reservations were a nice distraction while I was recovering from surgery. Finally coming close to the actual experience knowing how much we are all looking forward to it, well what can I say that Disney does not? It is the happiest place on earth!

A down right epidemic

Ahh the holidays, the smell of cookies baking, the sounds of carols playing, and of course the ever-present sick family member. This year it is members and it started with the youngest. We have all been battling colds for weeks. Very normal this time of year in my part of the world. By Christmas eve, Madi was complaining of ear pain so off to the doctor we went. Hoping that this was the worst of it, back to normal preparations we returned after our medical detour.

Next was my husband. Late Christmas Eve he said he did not feel well but with everything going on I did not think too much of it. Also, his decision to wash the car in the driveway in 40 degree, cloudy weather helped develop my belief that he got a bit of what he deserved. I told him to go to bed early but think he was a little afraid, (we watch It’s a wonderful life every year and then put the presents under the tree).

Christmas was a nice day. Frank did the cooking and most of the dishes but was struggling. At dinner he was sweating. By dessert he was shivering. By bed time he was in the fetal position with a fever of about 102.5 and a layer of blankets. His fever lingers but he is starting to feel better.

Megan must have felt left out because as I put her to bed on Christmas night I felt her little burning head. She had such a good time during the day she never complained but her fever was also about 102. To the doctors yesterday and a long wait. They pediatrician’s office was short-handed because they had to send a doctor home sick! By the way, when I woke up I had no voice, to the joy of the entire family. No fever so I am a step ahead of the rest! I dropped Meg home then went to the CVS to pick up her prescription.

Although plenty of time should have passed, I was told there would be a wait. As I looked around I realized the place was packed. In the back of the store is a Minute Clinic. There were people siting up and down the back 2 aisles of the store. They had to be waiting hours. The pharmacy had bins stacked. The sounds of coughing and sneezing filled the air and in my head all I heard was my own voice screaming to get the hell out of there, but I waited. I slid down an empty aisle and stood until I heard my name.

I am seeing posts on FB of people saying the same things, flu, viruses and sinus infections. It seems like an epidemic. Funny, they have been pushing flu shots. Everyone has told me that I needed to get one this year. I was going to the other day but with holiday chaos I never got there. The rest of the family did as did almost everyone else I know who are currently flat on there backs sick. Not too sure what to make of that.

I still have little voice and today a lovely cough has joined the party. Still no fever so I am the rock holding my achy fever ridden family together. Tomorrow and Saturday are both days to lay low. Sunday we are supposed to have Franks sisters for dinner so hopefully things are looking up by then. I am glad that the girls are off from school this week but also feel bad that their break is consumed with not feeling well.

It could always be worse.