Getting Back into Living with Gusto!
Hello all and Merry Christmas (yes, only 9 more days of shopping left!).
I have been pretty busy for someone who just had major surgery. Thursday I got dressed and went out in public with my boss. Having a supportive boss who not only cares what you can to do make him/her look good or bring to the company, but cares about you as a person and how you are doing cannot be overstated. I am proud to call her a friend. She came and picked me up and we went out to eat and she helped me run a few errands including picking up a check from AFLAC. For all you people who are sick of the duck and all, I will jump to their defense and tell you how helpful they have been and how easy submitting my documentation and getting paid within a week was. They have helped take any financial worries connected with my illness off the table so far.
And yesterday I was gone pretty much gone all day as my beautiful, smart and vivacious daughter attended TSU commencement ceremonies and received a BBA Magna Cum Laude. My son and his wife as well as myself were in the audience and I couldn't be any prouder as a Mom. Congratulations, Ayla! She will be entering a special certification program to give her a designation in her financial field that will take a year and is considering getting a Master's.
Part of TSU graduation rituals include graduates (in their caps and gowns still) jumping into the San Marcos river that flows through campus. After swearing she wasn't gonna participate in this, she and two other friends jumped in together. She was pretty cold after that but having so much fun I don't think she noticed. We all went to a pub and had food and a few rounds of beer (I had some hard cider and broke my no drinking rule but this is an exception!) It was a fun and exciting day for all of us. I got home about 9 p.m. thoroughly exhausted but feeling good otherwise.
I did drive yesterday; not sure I was supposed to but it was necessary as my son's car broke down the day before and my brother got the dates for the graduation mixed up and was at work when he realized it was Friday, not Saturday. This is not really that hard as I have a automatic. I mostly used just my left arm. The main thing about driving was I could not take any pain meds the whole day.
This morning the pain seems to have lessened and my exercises are going well. I have more reach and stretch than I thought I would have at this point. The swelling and bruising has gone down significantly and taking a shower was MUCH easier today than it was the first time after the surgery. I am feeling much more normal and like my old self again.
The fear of the unknown is always looming over you when you face illnesses such as this and knowing they removed the entire tumor and at least that mass cannot continue to grow and take over my body is such a relief. Although I am not done yet and still face pathology reports, a meeting with an oncologist to discuss other treatment options, six weeks of radiation therapy and who knows what else; I am feeling peaceful and in control of my life and my future.
Oh, and I had to switch insurance companies. Seems I don't have THAT MUCH control. Lol. The problem with continuing with my present one is my out-of-pocket premiums in 2018 were gonna be 4 to 5 times what I had been paying. I found another plan where it's only about double and I can still afford it. This may mean a change of doctors and such but I will cross that bridge when I get there and the changes don't take affect until January 1st. I only hope the new one will be as good as the one I have had all this year. I don't know how those without insurance who have a illness or an ongoing medical problem deal with it. My Christmas wish today is that every human being on this planet is able to have access to and afford any medical care they might need.
I have been pretty busy for someone who just had major surgery. Thursday I got dressed and went out in public with my boss. Having a supportive boss who not only cares what you can to do make him/her look good or bring to the company, but cares about you as a person and how you are doing cannot be overstated. I am proud to call her a friend. She came and picked me up and we went out to eat and she helped me run a few errands including picking up a check from AFLAC. For all you people who are sick of the duck and all, I will jump to their defense and tell you how helpful they have been and how easy submitting my documentation and getting paid within a week was. They have helped take any financial worries connected with my illness off the table so far.
And yesterday I was gone pretty much gone all day as my beautiful, smart and vivacious daughter attended TSU commencement ceremonies and received a BBA Magna Cum Laude. My son and his wife as well as myself were in the audience and I couldn't be any prouder as a Mom. Congratulations, Ayla! She will be entering a special certification program to give her a designation in her financial field that will take a year and is considering getting a Master's.
Part of TSU graduation rituals include graduates (in their caps and gowns still) jumping into the San Marcos river that flows through campus. After swearing she wasn't gonna participate in this, she and two other friends jumped in together. She was pretty cold after that but having so much fun I don't think she noticed. We all went to a pub and had food and a few rounds of beer (I had some hard cider and broke my no drinking rule but this is an exception!) It was a fun and exciting day for all of us. I got home about 9 p.m. thoroughly exhausted but feeling good otherwise.
I did drive yesterday; not sure I was supposed to but it was necessary as my son's car broke down the day before and my brother got the dates for the graduation mixed up and was at work when he realized it was Friday, not Saturday. This is not really that hard as I have a automatic. I mostly used just my left arm. The main thing about driving was I could not take any pain meds the whole day.
This morning the pain seems to have lessened and my exercises are going well. I have more reach and stretch than I thought I would have at this point. The swelling and bruising has gone down significantly and taking a shower was MUCH easier today than it was the first time after the surgery. I am feeling much more normal and like my old self again.
The fear of the unknown is always looming over you when you face illnesses such as this and knowing they removed the entire tumor and at least that mass cannot continue to grow and take over my body is such a relief. Although I am not done yet and still face pathology reports, a meeting with an oncologist to discuss other treatment options, six weeks of radiation therapy and who knows what else; I am feeling peaceful and in control of my life and my future.
Oh, and I had to switch insurance companies. Seems I don't have THAT MUCH control. Lol. The problem with continuing with my present one is my out-of-pocket premiums in 2018 were gonna be 4 to 5 times what I had been paying. I found another plan where it's only about double and I can still afford it. This may mean a change of doctors and such but I will cross that bridge when I get there and the changes don't take affect until January 1st. I only hope the new one will be as good as the one I have had all this year. I don't know how those without insurance who have a illness or an ongoing medical problem deal with it. My Christmas wish today is that every human being on this planet is able to have access to and afford any medical care they might need.
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