Change is happening around here and I'm fortunate it's a good kind of change. I changed from one employer to another employer (this past week) due to the insurance issues we've had since Oct 1st. I did not necessarily want to leave where I was, but with the insurance changes and the horrible impact it had on David's and I ability to receive health care, there was no other choice but to leave for better health insurance. This is certainly not a reason I've ever left a job for, esp a job I liked. Yet, I could not find another option except to make a change. Another change in all this is that I did not end up going to McKinney Surgery Center as planned. I actually decided to go back to Stonebridge Surgery Center, of which I had been a PRN OR RN (that's code for: per diem, as needed, operating room registered nurse) there for a number of years, previously. The folks at Stonebridge are loyal friends who have traveled not only the cancer journey's with David and I, but also our life journey in general - and I, with theirs. They know me better than most people do and as Dr Waheed often says, they 'speak Cyndi'. And I speak Stonebridge. We get each other, and although I was considered a PRN RN there previously, I was always working full times hours. Now, I'm officially full time with benefits. And most thankful for that. I am grateful that they have chosen to have me back, and feel like I'm home. I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to work there again.
Did I know this would happen? Nope, no idea. Since leaving Stonebridge years ago (prior to working in the surgeon's office who operate there) I never thought I'd be blessed with being there once again. After all, at the time, I wanted to retire from the OR and move into a medical office setting. Yet, once David and I were each diagnosed with our cancers, our needs in life changed drastically, and I knew I'd need to get back into a OR position for stability and salary.
Now I find myself driving the oh-so familiar roads that take me to Stonebridge Surgery Center. The roads I have driven, biked and even ran to get to work. It just feels so good to be going there again. How we are "moved" in life without realizing we are being "moved" along in these kind of decisions is beyond me. Sometimes my life just happens. I'm where I'm supposed to be. And as Kate Bowler advocates that "everything happens" - always leaving off the "for a reason" - part. Kate is an advocate for dispelling this particular cliche (she goes so far to call it a lie) because her opinion is (as reflected in her book and podcast with this title) Everything Happens. Then there's a period behind that. Not for a reason. Instead, everything happens. Period. The. End. I'm experiencing this at this moment because there is no set reason that can be seen or given, only surmised. I can guess a reason, but that does not make it a real reason, and that's Kate's point. Why do we say everything happens for a reason when nobody can give us the reason. I think my summation of this phenomenon is that that things are happening. Boy howdy, things are happening.
Egg Bridge
There happens to be quite a few new things - and changes - in our life, and this egg bridge is certainly one of them.
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| Egg bridge freshly completed |
What exactly is an egg bridge? I never even knew such a thing existed. Well, to fill you in, it's a little bridge whereby my egg fridge now resides. Due to the lay of the land up front on our property, there's not a flat spot for which to put the egg fridge. Plus, it's an area for water runoff - hence the need for a bridge. I've never been able to place the egg fridge at the front of our main property due to this issue of not having a proper place for it there. I'd planned on moving the location of the egg fridge from our property (which is actually now Lauren and Ryan's property!) to the entrance of our own property (in front of the closed front gate). But a surface would need to be laid in order to do so. And now, it's complete. An egg bridge for the egg fridge.
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| Signs going up |
This was my birthday gift from David: Yep, an egg bridge. The intention is that the egg fridge will be moved from where we currently had it......
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| Old location.......Lauren and Ryan's place |
and placed on this egg bridge, providing more stability for the refrigerator and hopefully even more convenience for the customers. We are able to secure the fridge to the fence as well as place the money box right beside the fridge. I'm also seeing this as a long-term place from which to sell the eggs, esp as Lauren and Ryan begin their eventual move to Gunter and having the egg fridge in front of their property does not seem logical. Although I can see them having chickens in their future but not sure if they see that.
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| New location......work in progress |
On the evening that all the Eggs For Sale signs were moved, and the egg fridge was moved, and a sign telling customers that the egg fridge has moved (placed where the fridge used to be).......I arrive to this surprise:
David surprised me with a grand re-opening "air-dancer" to celebrate the egg business in its new location. Fancy, huh? I thought so! Because the egg fridge is sorta behind a tree, and it's black - it's kinda hard to see now. So I'll be getting a couple of new light-colored magnet signs (kind of like those on a car) to place on the fridge so it can be seen more readily. For now, I've got a handpainted sign drawing attention to it. That's temporary and contributes to the jankiness factor.
Unfortunately, it was later in the evening (when all this move was made) and dusk turned into dark, and the dancer was turned off. But it'll be on again! And I was able to gather more eggs to place in the egg fridge. What's a grand re-opening without any eggs?! I mean, someone actually had the gaul to buy all the eggs from me in the middle of this move, that evening.
Oh wait, but it gets better!
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| New item for sale 👍 |
I've got a ways to go to get the egg fridge and the signs a little less janky. With time though. For now, we are growing our road-side stand with the following new items introduced : Homemade buttermilk biscuits (in the freezer) and homemade canned BBQ sauce (in fridge for safe-keeping) are all now available, along with the fresh eggs. Don't worry Maggie, there's no bacon involved.
My next (longer-term) goal will be buying and placing a Share Box down by the Egg Fridge. I'd love for neighbors to be able to contribute and share what they make, or have extra of, or grow in their gardens. There's many people out here that could use what others don't have the need for.
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| My example for which to try and emulate |
About damn time
Yeppers, we've re-done most all the house over the last 6 years with the exception of the laundry room. I've mentioned that David was working on it, and he did finish it some time ago, but it still feels new to me and I love it. I love the new tile, the moulding around the room now, fresh paint and the new cabinets and counter top.
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| I love my new laundry room 💙 |
Another favorite thing about the laundry room re-do was that we moved all cat-things to the closet in the laundry room. Now, the closet does not have a door (intentional) and that kind of makes this closet a side-room, if you will. This is now the official Cat Room. I moved all their food, bedding and sleeping quarters there.
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| Three of the cats here, Smokey, top left, Kitty, top right, and Junie B, bottom |
I don't mind the cats being in the laundry room, I really don't. But now, they are more condensed to a particular area in there, and it works for them - and me.
Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference in the life. It was a lot for David to do all this himself, so technically it's not a little thing. But having a re-fresh in the laundry room is like a breath of fresh air. I absolutely love it. It finally feels like a laundry room.
I Am Sophie
I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to keep doing this. But here I am again. Doing things like I'm going to live forever when I know I'm not. This time, it's a treat for Buddy.
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| Buddy Boy |
Buddy is about to turn 1 year old and he's a guy who loves to play. He loves chasing the ball, playing with any animal who'll play with him, going on runs and walks (mostly enjoys the walks) but loves loves the cart rides. Since he does not have a true playmate, we decided to get him one.
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| Sophie, who now steals all bones from Buddy |
This girl. She's the cutest, but don't let that girl-vibe fool you. She's feisty, she's zesty, and she's full of life. This girl is on fire.
I was afraid of getting Buddy a girl friend because I thought he might play too rough. Turns out, it's the other way around. Sophie is a fire ball and wants what she wants. She also makes sure that she gets what she wants. She's the little sister who beats up on her big brother. Sometimes, Buddy looks up at me as if to say, How can Sophie do that - and get away with it?
You can never know how these things will go.....but I can tell you that her and Buddy bonded instantly. I mean, they became best fur friends forever within minutes. They both seem to know that they are now each other's - forever. ** Side Note: Due to the archaic nature of this blog platform, I currently have to video a video to get it to post. In both the above videos, you can hear Buddy snoring while I'm recording them for the blog. Yes, he snores LOUD.
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| Sharing bones in the warm sunshine |
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| Someone please tell us what is going on |
Sugar and Maybe just watch the Buddy and Sophie Show. They are not sure what to make of it, but instead, they use them as entertainment and are trying hard to go with this flow.
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| Instant bond. I had no idea this could happen so quickly. |
I've never had 4 indoor dogs. 4! Turns out, it's the best thing ever. Or at least I think so.
Chicks, Man
Wow, do we ever have some chicks around here.
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| The chicks are living in the Little Girl Area until they get bigger. |
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| I love how they all mingle around together. The silkies share their area with the chicks very well. |
Let's see, we have some silkie and frizzle chicks from our own flock. Then we bought a bunch of (pullets/girls) chicks at a local feed store awhile back, and they are mostly feathered now. Which means they are growing up and able to keep themselves warm. So all the heat lamps are off, for now. (Except for Blackie's, the hospice kitty in the tack room). The weather has been milder anyway. But overall, the chicks are growing up and getting bigger day by day.
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| A couple of the silkies from our own flock. So dang cute and fluffy. |
We have all the chicks living outside in the Little Girl Area right now, as it keeps them safe while they are small and unsure what to do in life. When they get to be teenagers, we will likely move them to the barn, yet will keep the silkie and frizzles chicks in the Little Girl Area, as that's where they will stay and live.
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| They are getting old enough to roost now |
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| Yet sometimes they choose to have a chick-pile instead |
I love how the chicks begin to roost and act like real chickens. It's fun to watch them grow and see the instinctual chicken traits begin to show up. The scratching with their feet, roosting, and the best part, is watching them bond with one another. Chickens are a lot like teenagers. They create clicks and become friends with those most like them. They each have their own personality. Many are so beautifully feathered, and they have no idea just have gorgeous they are no matter how many times I tell them.
Speaking of chicks, you know my sweet little niece, Savannah, right? The birthday girl who we gifted silkies to and has the most bougie chicken coop setup (which I love!). She's the newest chicken lady in our family and rocking it (along with Kristin and Sheryl, of course)…….well, she decorated her gingerbread house for the holidays. Or should I say, gingerbread coop house 🤗
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| Is this not the cutest thing ever |
Santa Baby
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| Look who I found in the parking lot |
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| Santa visiting Cook Children's |
On the last day of my prior job, Santa showed up to say Hello. He also lives with me.
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| Santa meets reindeer (Dr Ogg) |
David recently took his Santa costume out, dusted it off, and came up to say hello to the staff and kiddos at my work. It was so much fun, esp considering it was my last day there (before my new job).
What happened next was surprising and new, which seems to be a theme in this blogpost. There was a co-worker whose HOA needed a Santa to attend their event and give out 100 presents to the kids in the neighborhood at their annual neighborhood holiday event. This means David/Santa will be in a big red chair, giving 100 children presents (that their parents have picked out and wrapped for them) and also taking photos with them. This will all happen in a supposed 4 hour period.
So now, somehow, David has his first real Santa gig. It's this coming Sunday from 1-4 in Aubrey.
He immediately starts researching how to be a Santa, as there are Santa expectations. You can't just be a willy-nilly Santa because it doesn't work like that. Kids have expectations for what Santa says and how Santa does things. Kids also have lots of questions and David will need to know how to answer those and be ready for anything that comes his way. Turns out, it's a lot of responsibility. But David is up for it, has done his research now, and is as ready as he can be. We've completed dry runs of kid-question and answer sessions, we've reviewed that all photos taken have to show BOTH of Santa's hands in the photo, and all other kid-appropriate things that parents and society expect. You don't just show up as Santa. You are Santa.
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| What's cuter than Santa with a puppy? |
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| Buddy wasn't having it |
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| When 2 holidays collide |
Stitch Me Up
I had another wonderful experience with my skin cancer lately, as I had the Mohs procedure/surgery completed on a new skin cancer on my face. Yes, it seems like I've had this Mohs thing more times than my fair-share allows. But apparently, my body loves to make skin cancers, so this procedure is a main-stay in my life. Let's go through it together, shall we?
First, I'll back up and say it all starts with going to your regular dermatologist and having a full body skin cancer check (every 6 months for me). Then, that usually means biopsies of suspicious places, usually on my face, nose or ears. I've had skin cancer other places too, like on my feet, abdomen and back, but my face seems to be the go-to place for me. Side Note** When I was young, our sun-block was a short sleeved t-shirt after we were already sunburned. Granted, sunscreen was not a big thing back in those days - and add to that - skin cancer runs in my family (red-haired light-skinned folk).
Okay, then the dermatologist office calls me with my biopsy results which tends to be bad news. Then, I'm scheduled with the surgeons for removal of the skin cancer lesion via a common method called Mohs. This is a surgery/procedure whereby the skin cancer is removed, then taken (at that same time) to be inspected under the microscope and determined if all the margins of the lesion are clear or cancerous. If they are clear, your wound will be sewn up. If the margins are not clear, more tissue will be removed. Then, this process is repeated until all margins are clear and it's time to have the area sewn up and a pressure-dressing/bandage placed.
Okay, where was I? Yes, I was past the point where I was scheduled for Mohs for a skin cancer lesion on my face and arrived for this procedure that I've had way too many times for my liking.
Next up, I'm taken back to a room and the doctor marks the area.
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| X marks the spot. First marking before any cutting begins |
Then, I'm "numbed-up" with local (lidocaine, usually) in the area in preparation for the removal of the lesion. After the numbing medication has become effective enough for the removal, the doctor then removes the skin cancer lesion to be taken to the pathology area of the office for review of the margins.
So the excision is made, and now I have a little hole in my face cheek.
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| And the first pass is made to take out the cancerous lesion. This does leave a little crater. |
It's at this time that patient's are usually given a temp bandage placed over their affected area and sent back out to the waiting room while the pathologist determines if all the cancer was taken out. This is where it gets tricky. Sometimes, you have to go back again and again to have more and more tissue removed and given to the pathologist again to check for clear margins. This can happen several times and is never fun. Lucky for me, today the doctor took the whole skin cancer on his first try. Which means it's time they can sew the area back up.
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| Second marking to determine the closing and incision line. |
So again, you are laid down, and the numbing medication is then given again - and more of it - because the area they will sew up is larger than the area of just the lesion. This is because the shape and structure of the face does not allow otherwise. There are standards of care of how to stitch up areas around the nose. It requires a larger incision so that the skin can be pulled together for a clear incision line. They typically try to place this incision line where your nature folds and lines are in your face. This time, it was close to my mouth - but that's they way it goes.
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| Taaa Daaaa all closed up! Side Note: This looks like it's on the opposite cheek because the prior photos were selfies, and this photo was taken by the doctor. Funny how photos can reverse things, huh. (The lesion is on my right side) |
So now, it's sewn up and a pressure dressing is placed over it so that it helps hold it together and keeps pressure on it. This is a tough place to heal because you're constantly moving that part of your face with your mouth by talking, chewing, drinking, eating and smiling.
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| I am now free to roam once again |
Questions?
Does it hurt? No, not with the numbing medication on board. Later on, yes. Plenty of tylenol and ibuprofen is a good idea. (I am also given a pain killer Rx, but never take it)
When do the stitches come out?
5-7 days, whereby usually one of the doctors/co-workers at my work will remove them for me, so I don't have to go back to have them removed. It's very convenient that way, and plus I don't have to miss work again and drive to Plano 😉.
How long do I have to keep it dry?
48 hours and then the dressing can come off. After that, it's just rinsed with soap and water, with antibiotic ointment applied after that. Easy peasy.
Should you be alarmed if you need Mohs?
Nah. I always consider myself fortunate that someone is finding my skin cancers and removing them. That's what it's all about. This is fairly common, unlike my blood cancer, polycythemia vera. Which, by the way, I'll be finding out in the next upcoming months whether I'll be still receiving my treatments in-office, or will be able to administer the injection at home. For now, I'm still having labs drawn - and treatment (injection of BESREMi) every 2 weeks at Texas Oncology in McKinney. Everyone, myself included, is very used to what is happening nowadays. After all, this was a new cancer treatment for that oncology center, and we are all on the same page now. I love going there every 2 weeks, as it's like seeing my extended family and catching up. Funny how that happens.
Back to the skin cancer though. I'm a big advocate for having your skin checked, esp if you are in a high risk category (skin type, family history). Skin cancer can kill. It starts on your skin and can move inside of you if left alone. No bueno. If you have something funny-looking on you, consider having it looked at. Preventive care is self care. Sunscreen is a plus, and I've learned this all-to-well in life. Never enough sunscreen.
Cancer is an interesting thing to have. It binds you to constant appointments (dr visits, lab, infusion room, etc) and I often find myself saying how inconvenient it all is. I mean, it is an inconvenience in my life if I'm frank about it. An inconvenience that is life-saving for me. I'm still able to live a wonderful life, and grateful for that - more than any words could ever express. I'm also constantly amazed at how the good Lord allows me to still do the things I love to do. I'm well aware there will be a day that it will be otherwise. I'll go down trying, that's for sure.
To end this cancer talk for today (I love how easy it feels to talk about it) that I'd like to note that this is all a gift. A gift of hope, joy, understanding, adaptation, and empathy-envoking. A gift to understand that each day is exactly what I make it. And to have been given the understanding that I'm here for only awhile. Don't know how long. Just for awhile. I'll gladly take it.
I also love it that others (you!) are along for this ride. Thanks for standing with David and I. We feel you,
Cyndi
Oh, one other last new thing......you know we take Brooks to the Fort Worth Health and Science Children's museum regularly. This day was different!
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| Big day in the life over here. What used to scare him excites him now. Change is good 💛 |
He drove the ambulance! (which has previously been very scary). How time changes us all. ❤️
