Christmas 2016 post Chemotherapy

Dec 27, 2016

Dear Noah and Dylan,

Well, honey moley, it's been quite the six months since I last wrote!  Little did I know, at the time of my last entry here, I was sick with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer.  It is a silent, nasty disease.  Fluid had accumulated in my lung cavity (3 liters!) and another liter in my abdomen.  I had NO IDEA!   I only knew my upper stomach area felt funny sometimes and I thought I had gastritis.  Too long a story for this journal but I've now been through six chemo treatments, MAJOR surgery where they took out my reproductive organs (good for nothin anyway) my appendix, part of my colon, my omentum and used a basic knife on my diaphragm to cauterize some cancerous nodules.  Found no lymph nodes affected.
    I had my last chemo two and half weeks ago.  My hair starting to grow back but I still look like Uncle Fester.  I do have to go to Mass General in Boston today to have my surgical incision treated again.  It has the two fatty bumps that won't go away, called hyper granulation.  Healing was extremely slow because I was on chemo.  Had to use a wound vacuum for two weeks at one point.  That was a pain in the ass.  But being on chemo did not stop me from enjoying time with you guys, playing (and winning) bocci ball tournaments (he, he) and other fun things but mostly we did not see each other a lot.  I was afraid to get sick from you guys since I was more vulnerable with my immune system.  You did visit me in the hospital but I had to kick you out.  You were not behaving very well and acting like it was a bloody party in my hospital room.  I was sad after you left but mad too, at your dad, for not discipling you since I just wanted to spend some time together.
   Well, anyway, the reason I went to write here today was to tell you about our Christmas Eve at your dad's.  We had a ping pong tournament with you, Uncle Joe, George and your dad.  Me and Joe beat George and Noah, your dad and Dylan AND your dad and George. You both played against each other with your dad and George.  Carlos and Ruby got to be there, too, since no more cats live at your house.  Ruby could smell the remains of Sebastian around though and she was on the hunt.
    Nils and Missy, his mom, came over for a visit while were were having dinner.  It was a ploy to drop off a gift they were hiding at their house.  We had lobsters, steamers, lasagna on a table your dad decorated with the Juan Valdez mugs he stole from Puerto Rico and other little free gift items for each of us at our place settings  such as regifted Colombian coffee and left over candy from Diana, a free pass to Latitudes for George, and you guys had a globe with an elf hat on it for a decoration at the kiddy table, plus lobster hats to wear.  After our ping pong tournament, we watched Elf.  Stayed til about 10 and you guys were exhausted but apparently stayed up (Dylan) until 4am, following your dad around the house.  You both still believe in Santa apparently (I doubt it) but your are saying you do.  Your dad couldn't put out Santa's presents until Dylan finally crashed at 4am.  Again, Fun Daddy could not make you go to bed?  I will keep my mouth shut!!  We also got together the week before at Uncle
don's in Plymouth.  You guys played with the Wii most of the time, but I saw you when you opened gifts.  Dylan was very interested in the map I included in box of books, etc.  We went over it together. Quite fascinated!!  I got Noah a comic book drawing kit and drawing books, plus bike lights and Dylan several chapter books about animals that were recommended by the ASPCA to help teach about empathy.
    I am looking forward to seeing you for the day Friday and you are staying over either Thurs or Fri.  Hope to play some games and take you on a walk from the new CVS back to my house!  It's a new trail.