What A Year!

I have been reflecting a lot lately on this past year. It has been exactly one year ago today when I had my second surgery to remove my tumor in my spinal cord. WOW! One year ago. It's hard to believe it. How promising that surgery seemed once I came out of it. Yet how quickly that changed when test results revealed more tumors, just a few months after that surgery. A what a year it has been. A complete roller coaster of a ride. (And I don't like roller coasters! They make me sick to my stomach due to my vertigo. Another fabulous ailment I suffer from.)

My life has become a 180 from where I was a year ago. I have gone through many changes physically, mentally, emotionally. Of course many of those changes were not by choice, rather forced on me by my new life. Something I had to get used to, and eventually just deal with. But hey...I have survived all of that. I wouldn't say I am more stable, but I'm working my way back to that. And I'm sure I'll reach that point again someday. In the meantime, I guess I just take everything one day at a time.

I have been having more good days than bad recently, so that is definitely promising. The sun has been shining a lot brighter in my life lately. I suppose I have just embraced what has been put in front of me. Most people who know me know that whatever challenge I have to face, I do it with enormous determination. And I will succeed. There is no failing for me. It's a word I don't associate with. So, this past year I have had determination to not let this disease beat me. So far, so good.

I have also been thinking a lot about what this summer will bring for me. The kids have exactly one month left of school. One month! Unbelievable! Last summer I had a lot of help from my parents and in-laws to help me with the kids while they were out of school. This summer? I'm on my own for most of it. I mean, of course Jason is here, but he works during the day. He is very helpful at night when he gets home, but summertime switches so most of kids' activities are during the day. In other words, I will become the perma-taxi driver...ALL DAY LONG! I am hopeful that I will have enough energy to get me through those three months. What am I saying!? I'm actually praying that I have enough energy to survive those three long months!

On the other hand, I am excited about summertime with my kids. I am looking into more activities we can do together. We really didn't get to do too much last year, as I spent most of it recovering from my surgery and then radiation treatments. This summer I am free from all that! So I have vowed to make the best of it.