the nodule in my breast was a fibroadenoma. this is benign, but is considered a “marker” for breast cancer in older women (that’s me). they rarely recur in the same spot, so due to the increased risk of ca, we’ll do mammograms every 6 months for a while. they always have to be removed, so i hope if i have any more they are located in an easier-to-reach spot than this last. my boob still hurts! oh, wait that’s my hangover….
thanks for all your prayers and thoughts. if you don’t have a smile, i’ll lend you one of mine.
YAYYAYYAY! i don’t have the big “C”. more later on what i do have……..
well, crap. yesterday i returned to the breast clinic for a repeat mammogram of my right breast. i’d received a call last week saying they needed to check again following my routine mam done 7/10. this has happened before and it turned out to be a shadow on the film, no problem, so i wasn’t too concerned. on being escorted to the x-ray room, the tech showed me the x-rays and my heart thudded to my stomach: there was an obvious opacity about 1cm diameter shining away. no shadow. it is very much toward the back of the breast, toward my ribs, and they were unable to see it using ultrasound. after the doctor herself tried to visualize it, she said she needed to do a stereotactic biopsy. they explained what that was — uncomfortable positioning, long needles — just your usual crappy pain. they scheduled me for this morning at 9:45.
this morning i reported and the procedure was done. i will hear “one way or another” tomorrow after 3pm what the results are. i am having mild pain, relieved with ice bags and advil. i am studiously avoiding researching this on the internet. i feel very positive that i can handle any diagnosis that is presented to me, still smiling.
we went straight over to the brewery tour. not only is it free, but they give you 2 free beers at the end. the place is tres interesting, very clean, and did i mention the 2 free beers? on our way downtown we stopped at the soulard farmer’s market and took pictures and ate at a nice pub. after checking in to our room we walked over to laclede’s landing and had some huge (22 oz) beers at the morgan brewery as well as a nice meal. shortly after our arrival there a short, but intense, storm blew by, we walked around taking pictures after eating, then went back to the bar and i made friends with the dude sitting next to me—well, actually he was as drunk as i was and very friendly. the next morning we took some pictures from the rooftop and headed over to the botanical garden. turns out it was the garden’s founder’s birthday and admission was free all day!! except for running out of battery, it was perfect. we ate there and then headed on home.
my garage doors are functioning, the lighting is looking great and casey went back to work today. i feel like winding down my vacation and getting back into the school-time schedule. it’s been a rather weird summer weather-wise, but the gardens are flourishing–but that’s another post.
i’m going to smile my way over to walmart and get some groceries.
i’ve forgotten all about stl until recently, though in the past it was Thecity because of the cardinals. and the zoo. and that whole “meet me in st. louis, louis” aura. forest park, where the 1904 world fair took place, is a gem. though i’ve seen it dozens of times, the first glimpse of the arch as you’re heading west on i-64 is something that still makes me marvel. it’s a 3 1/2 hour drive and when you cross the mississippi you hit yukky traffic, but it seems to personify americana in so many ways that i’m challenged to capture the vibe in some photos. we’ll see.
at any rate, i’ll not be missing much here at sonnystone as i let the soil dry and clouds pass.
i’m putting on my traveling smile.
my tomatoes are prolific and the work of harvesting and eating makes me miss my loved ones who aren’t here to help. i have tons of cherry tomatoes and i think of mom everytime i nibble one. she used to make them up into a salad for dad and they constantly praised and thanked me for the summer supply. mom would even come over and pick her own. veggies have never been as fun to grow since they died.
i’ve been listening to some good music: little feat, join the band is a collection of standard little feat stuff with the perfunctory guest artist such as dave matthews, bob seger, emmylou, bela fleck, –vince gill, even. little feat’s piano player, roy payne, is as good as it gets and i’m lovin’ this album. try it. also picked up the nitty gritty dirt band will the circle be unbroken III and since i own both I and II, how did i miss this one for so long? it is great; done in the usual format and covered up with great musicians.
i’m returning a book to the library today that i’ve really enjoyed: annie liebovitz at work. it’s always been too expensive to buy, but it’s been on my wishlist several times. reading it makes me think it’s worth the cost, but in these harsh economic times perhaps we’re better off borrowing it. you’ll love her stories of some of her most famous sessions and her love of photography and not herself-as-photographer is inspiring. check it out.
tut-tut, it looks like rain. but guess who’s still smiling?
i found a new spot to take pix of the horses and wish i had a lens like my daughter’s or the one the fella next to me was using. next time i’m going to take my longer lens and see if it will do better.
i haven’t got much to say today. complaingripecomlain. the hammering and sawing started at 7 a.m. and i keep telling myself it will be over soon. it will, won’t it? the workman said wednesday.
if nothing happens soon, i’ll make something up. something that will make you smile, i’m sure. say cheez.
