Life Goes On:-)

Hello everyone!  I have many things to catch you up on since my last post.  My daughter Landri graduated from high school and will be playing basketball for a private college in Arkansas.  I am very happy for her as she did receive about $25000 a year in scholarships. She graduated with highest honors.  She has been working 40+ hours a week as a lifeguard this summer.  Presley attended her first SMU cheerleading camp, something I did for five years straight myself.  We have been having a good time being off and just hanging out together. Kevin has been fishing a lot and taking us with him whenever possible. My great nephew, Jesse came to stay with us for a week.  He is 3 and full of energy, but not as much as my two teenagers.  I think we wore him out.  Kevin's brother and his wife had a baby girl named Willow.  She is beautiful and she looks just like Kevin.  


 I have been recovering from surgery quite well and I am preparing for my next which will be August 9th, 2011.  Dr. Michel St. Cyr from UT Southwestern Medical performed the first phase of the DIEP FLAP reconstruction.  He will next create symmetry, remove extra skin on my sides, and lipo the upper part of my stomach.  He will use this fat and inject it into my newly formed breasts to fill in the upper portion of my right side.  The recessed area is caused by my rib cage on my right side being slightly concave.  Also the right side was NOT radiated so it has more "give" than the left.....but who cares at this point right?  If they will lipo my stomach anywhere, I don't care where they put it!!!  The first surgery on the 18th was 11 hours long.  They did not remove my port because they just ran out of time.  He will do that this next surgery which will only be about 2 hours long and is an outpatient surgery.  He said we will do nipple reconstruction next surgery (third surgery for reconstruction).  I am overdue for blood work but have decided to switch all my oncology to Simmons Cancer Center in Dallas.  So I am getting records together and such.  


I have gone back to work (again) on Fridays and Saturdays.  I soon will be leaving The Yellow Brick Salon to start a new chapter in my life.  I will be working at THE SALONS OF VOLTERRA in Keller, TX.  I will add Monday to my schedule.  My friends Vicky and Joyce will be sharing a suite with me.  We three have worked together for a total of about 17 years now.  We are part of about large group of salon professionals that will be leasing suites at this new and upcoming salon.  It is very beautiful, two stories, complimentary valet parking with an inner courtyard.  Our room is one of two suites that actually enters off the courtyard.  The outside window faces a pond and we have 22 ft vaulted ceilings with beautiful Tuscan-styled exposed beams.  The builders have customized some things in our room for us and it will be first class all the way.  I will miss my friends at The Yellow Brick Salon, but I will be somewhat starting over building up my clientele again so this is a good move for me.  It is closer to my home and I am ready to turn over a new leaf. God continues to bless my family and take care of us in all our needs. 


 I am feeling more and more energetic everyday.  I have started walking 4 days a week with Hayley, one of Landri's friends.  She is my motivator...and is also one of my angels.  She pushes me harder than I would myself and takes me through all kinds of wooded trails.  Last night we came close to stepping on a copperhead.  He slithered out of the way really fast and all of a sudden I was able to pick up the pace quite a bit....LOL!  We have long talks about everything in our day.  Hayley has received a scholarship for college and will be playing soccer.  My "workouts" are nothing compared to what she does everyday, but they are very challenging for me.  I am very thankful to have her as my trainer....she keeps me going and is someone I can be accountable to four days a week.  


My friend and client of 11 years, Ferda will be getting a biopsy this next week.  I will see her Saturday morning for a hair appointment.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer about six months before me. Last month the skin along the incision line broke out into a rash and has not gone away.  Sometimes this can be a sign of cancer metastasizing to the skin.  Please pray that this is nothing but an irritation and has nothing to do with her previous cancer diagnosis.  Ferda was a big help to me during my treatments.  She was able to give me advice and answer questions when I needed it.  She also made an appointment with Dr St. Cyr for possible reconstruction.  She seemed to really like him.  Because of repetitive infection and a compromised immune system, her expanders had to be removed by her previous plastic surgeon and reconstruction was put on hold. This makes her a perfect candidate for the DIEP FLAP reconstruction. Right now we just need to pray that all is well and this biopsy will prove to be nothing.  Ferda has always been a good friend to me....please pray for her.  That is all for now.  Until next time my friends...