Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I survived

See this is a use of the word survive. Survive is not related to cancer. Cancer survivor is a label. I survived a bunch of doctor appointments and now I survived a rafting trip. But this was more fun.

The only injury sustained by me is a blister from my flip flops. On the other hand, my friends who went through the big rapids had a fair number of bumps and bruises. I was wrong about a few things.

- There is traffic for a NASCAR race more than six hours before the race starts so it is possible to get lost and drive around the back roads of New Hampshire and still mysteriously end up where you wanted to be.

- It wasn't a 3 1/2 hour drive, it was a five hour drive from my friends house.

- We did not float down the lower part of the river on tubes, we got on the raft after the worst of the rapids and it did make my back hurt. Actually I told the guide about my back and my lymphedema arm and he said I could sit in the back and not even paddle - which is what I did. But my back still hurt.

- It only took us 4 hours to drive back to my friends house and then I drove home.

- I wish I understood why it is possible to drive when one is exhausted and trying to stay awake and then instantly be wide awake when one arrives at home at 1015pm and can't sleep. I stayed up to late. I did not sleep well. I will be VERY tired today but will go to bed early so I will be perky for my doctor appointment tomorrow.

One note was that my friend who was the planner and birthday girl - currently officially 49 5/12 - knows my medical history. To everyone else, I just said I have lots of medical issues and didn't mention cancer at any time. A friend from college who I haven't seen in years talked about friends of hers with cancer. I could easily have brought it up but I wanted a cancer free zone and blamed all my issues on my back.

But overall it was a fun weekend. It included eating yummy fattening food without any regard for the fat content, sitting around the camp fire listening to the river (and the logging trucks screaming by), swatting a few million mosquitoes, deer flies, and other insects while they chomped on us, and no access to technology. Yes I was off line for 36 hours and survived that as well (see another use of the word not related to cancer).

Now it is back to reality, work, doctor appointments, and life in general. But I think my husband and the cat missed me.

2 comments:

ButDoctorIHatePink said...

Sorry about the traffic and back pain and bugs. It should have been more fun. Maybe next time.

Anonymous said...

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Hi my names Tayler. I'm fourteen and live with my mom and step dad in small town fonda, Iowa. I've lost family members to breast cancer. I don't mean to dissrupt you'r personal blog...but i was curious maybe if i could get someones opinion.

Tonight before i went to bed i noticed a bump..that had a somehwat bloody clear discharge coming out of it. I'm scared to tell my parents and not sure what to do.. i have an appointment for my physical this week, thursday.

And yesterday my boyfriend, for 2 months told me that his mom has breast cancer. I guess what I'm hopeing for is to keep me in you'r prayers. I'm only 14 so im scared..and don't wana scare my parents.

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