hello 2019!

2018 is over!!!!!!! the year from hell [for my family & i] has finally ended. i can’t say that i’m sorry to see it go! it was a year full of challenges, sadness, frustration, growth and change… for all of us.

my husband and i decided that we needed to do something special for new years eve to bid adieu to 2018 and welcome 2019. we booked an air bnb in the poconos for a few days and it was really, really nice. on new years eve we all drafted a list of the things we wanted to ‘leave’ in 2018. the top of my list was obviously cancer… followed by a couple people who will remain nameless and other stressful life things. we brought our lists outside and burned them! of course it’s impossible to totally forget certain things, but it felt good to write it all down and watch it go up in flames!! the kids enjoyed it as well. the trip was all about relaxing… which isn’t always easy to do with 3 kids! trying to star off the new year simple and easy… and that is exactly what we did, for the most part. we had a little glow stick dance party on NYE followed by some intense games of yahtzee. new years day we snow tubed and then went back to the house and just lounged… something we rarely get to do at home because there’s always something that needs to be done! it was nice spending the quality time with the kids - they are growing up so fast, it’s crazy.

so how am i feeling post treatments? well, december was touch and go. i definitely had the post radiation cough thing going for a while. just a dry cough that did not want to quit… shortness of breath would lead to coughing fits that sometimes lasted 10 straight minutes… it was not pleasant. i had some redness in my chest, but that didn’t bother me too much. overall i would say the side effects weren’t bad. of course a couple days after our mini vaca i got the flu. a really bad version of it that had me stuck in bed for days. my fever was around 103.7 daily and it was very scary and stressful. luckily i am feeling better now… just a leftover cold, but for a little while there i thought i was a goner!

so what’s next for me? i am waiting for my scan in february… fingers crossed as tightly as possible for the all clear!! also, once dan & i both kick these lingering cold’s that we have, we are going to start a daily workout routine! my radiologist stressed the importance of this to me during our visits so i really am going to take it seriously. i am all about keeping my heart healthy. plus it’s the beginning of a new year which is the perfect time for the “new year, new me” hype… right?

life is short. my goal for 2019 is to spend it happy. to surround myself with people i love, i am going to stop wasting time on petty people and their BS. to focus on my health and keep cancer in my rear view for as long as i possibly can. hopefully forever!

happy new year, everyone! xo