It’s been a while…

Hi everyone!

School started two weeks ago and I completely forgot to blog about our trip to Iowa and the Tom Petty concert!

Mom and I had a great time back in Iowa. The weather was beautiful for August (the humidity was suprisingly low) and moving Billie in wasn’t nearly as miserable as previous years Nicole and I remember well. Having the opportunity to spend a few days with Little Billie on her turf was long overdue for both Mom and me. We were able to see her new place, meet a few of her friends, check out the new BBQ joint on campus where she now works, and have a few cocktails! We were also able to catch up with some of Mom and Dad’s friends and a few of mine as well. As much as Pete and I fly back to Iowa, rarely do I get to spend several days in Des Moines and get reacquinted with the people I miss so much there.

We got back on Tuesday the 19th and on Wednesday, Mom, Dad, Pete, our friend Kristen, and I went to the Tom Petty concert. It was AWESOME! We danced and sang the night away. Thanks to the killer front row parking spot we were able to finaggle, we got home in time for a full night’s sleep which was truly needed!

Fast forwarding a bit, Mom and Dad spent the whole last week up at the cabin working, golfing, and spending some well deserved quality time together. They came back yesterday morning and Mom leaves again today for treatment in Tucson. The completion of this round is a huge milestone – she will be 2/3 of the way done, leaving only 6 treatments left!!!

I also wanted to mention that September not only marks the anniversary of Mom’s diagnosis but is also Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Again, we want to stress the importance of being aware of the signs and symptoms:

Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
Urinary urgency
Pelvic discomfort or pain

Possible other signs include:
Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
Unexplained changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation
Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)
A persistent lack of energy
Low back pain

Thanks again for your continued support – take care,

Michelle

P.S. don’t be afraid to leave a post…we miss reading them! 🙂

Oh…and one other thing happened since the last time I posted…