Up, Down, Up, Down...I love you gals!

First, I really do love all of you! You make me get my head on straight, you make me see things the way they are, you make me laugh...

I called a campground in the area and asked about renting a cabin. I called my brothers and told them. My older brother offered me his RV (told me he's trying to keep my a** from getting too chewed up). Love my bro'. He told me camping was more "acceptable" than staying in a cabin, since my father knows that I love to camp (though I don't consider RVing it exactly camping). My brother lives about 3 hours from TN and will set up the RV for me the week-end before he comes down to visit with all of us and he will take the RV back home with him the following Sunday. A bonus: it's half the price of a cabin rental!

Anyway, the campground is about 20 min from my folks' home. I will bring Emmy and my hubby and we will have our first vacation together in 3 years! My husband will stay at the campground, during the day and care for Emmy (my father doesn't like him either). He's excited about going away for awhile. The dr suggested that a car trip, if I stop every couple of hours, was better than a plane trip-so this camping idea is really a excellent plan.

It's a win, win, win, win situation: my mom and I get to see each other, I get to spend time with my brothers, I can bring my dog, and can I bring my hubby. I almost forgot: and I can avoid my father as needed. If he becomes too challenging-which he will-I will return "home" to the campground with my mom in tow. My daughter, bless her heart, will stay home to care for the other animals and go to work.

Now, my first dr appt this week: More good news (well, mostly). The masses in my breast are inflamation of fibergrandular tissue and the mam picked it up. They were visible last year, too, but they were not painful. They are stable, I was told that the pain is normal, and that they are being watched closely (whew!). The lymphodema has worsened and traveled down to my rib-cage (quite unsightly) so I will need to wear an upper-body compression garment to reduce the swelling which will also reduce the pain. I will be scheduled for therapy as soon as a spot opens and after I return from TN. The nodes that I feel (especially by the auxillary scars) are normal, too. I thought so, but the pain was really becoming unbareable. The pain, was due to the increased swelling from the lymphodema. My onc visit is this Thursday when we will have a heart-to-heart discussion about medication.

A CLEAN MAM!!! Hmm, I wonder how much it would cost to rent a billboard on I-69?!

I doubt if I will have internet access at the campground, so if you don't hear from me for between July 22 and Aug 5th, you'll know why-I'm on the "peaceful side of the mountains," (minus my father, or course!).

Thank you, thank you, thank you my friends!