Yes, I know it's been a while but just didn't have it in me to write about all that has been going on. But the past few weeks I realized its time and I need the mental relief to get things out. So here it goes!
The last post looks like it was in March when the family went to Lake Tahoe for our yearly trip. As you can see it was the best! Waking up each morning to Markie and Hailey running in our room and getting in bed with Papa and Nana. What a moment!
To speed up to what has been happening. As for my health, all is steady. My numbers are really low at 34 which normal is 26. The second chemo I take each month really does it but wow it really does me in too. This week is not a good week and all I feel like doing is crying. I'm sore, tired, sick and everything else in between. It sucks!!! But its working and I celebrated my 5 year since heart transplant. I went down to heart transplant on October 1st for all the big tests for two days. Dr. Dana performed the procedures and she said the heart is "PERFECT" I already knew that. All is good and I won't have to go back for a year unless I'm having problems. I'm so blessed to have been given this gift and living 5 years longer. I do not take anything for granted and appreciate my life. Mark and I have learned to live simple and it is so freeing to live this way. I wish we would have done it a long time ago. Stress kills and I live my life with little or no stress as possible. It is not good for my treatment and I have to keep fighting this terrible disease. So as for the heart and the disease everything is good news!
Kevin Anderson, as many of you remember, is the doctor who had a heart transplant and has the same disease. He just published his book "The Middle of Infinity" and I am in the book. I love reading it but have taken it very slow. It puts me in that space when I had the heart transplant and stem cell transplant and reading about the things he went through brings back too many things. I don't want to say they are bad or good cause some were both. Its just hard to put yourself back in that space. I can't even go back on this blog and look at the early posts from 5 years ago. It just hurts!
Now let me talk about the most important people in my life:
Mark and Erin are doing wonderful. They just brought a new home in Rincon Valley. Beautiful home in a cul-de-sac with built in pool and spa, big backyard for the kids, quiet street and most importantly the right schools and of course Rincon Valley Little League.
Markie will be 4 in April. He is going to pre school and loves it finally. It took a few weeks of him taking 4 minutes to say goodbye to Daddy but now he could care less. He still loves to watch all kinds of sports including football, hockey and baseball. He truly has taken after his dad for his skills. He plays hockey with 16 year olds and scores on them with no problem and he loves to play baseball with me.
Hailey will turn 2 in December. What can I say but she is truly a little bug. Very petite in size and just loves to look at all the jewelry I wear. She walks around with her bracelets on her arm holding her purse and baby. She is a girlie girl just like her mommy.\
I'm so blessed to have lived long enough to share this moments with my grand kids. It is the BEST!
Ok next is Matthew. What can I say. He is a gem. He is my gentle soul who takes care of me. He is very successful and enjoys life to the fullest. One thing he has learn from me is to do it now, don't wait. I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to travel before I found out I was sick. I have so many wonderful memories of Italy and the other counties I traveled to. Just sad that I won't be able to go back. I don't do well traveling long distances on a plane. Matt is living in San Francisco but will be relocated to Los Angeles. I'm really trying to get him to move here. I would love it!
We just spent 5 days in San Diego with Maxwell. Had a great time. He is going to school full time and working full time. He is loving life. He lives with his friend Brian from hockey and his girlfriend Christina in a beautiful condo. I spent each day cooking his favorite meals like ham and scalloped potato, pasta and chicken parm. We went to dinner and Max took us to Coronado for a wonderful lunch on the ocean. It was a perfect 5 days. Miss him so much but feel better knowing he is doing just fine. Mark and I took him out shopping for a new comforter and sheets for his bed. He is really into the inspirational sayings like I have all over my home. He picked out two new ones for his room. I love it love it!
Nana is doing great. She has her pains from time to time. We enjoy each other's company and do a lot of things together. I don't know where I would be without her and I pray to God she is here for a long time because I need her. I feel so sorry at times for what I have put her through. Watching your daughter go through a heart transplant, stem cell transplant and the 100+ heart biopsy. She is tough and I need her strength to keep fighting this disease.
Mark is doing great too. He and I can't wait for him to retire. He hates the commute. Its really getting to him. Lately, like tonight, he has to work nights. It is so hard on him. I wish he could retire now. Its just the medical expense that keeps him there until he can get Medicare. So in the mean time we wait. He has been very busy this summer with repaints which is good and bad. Good for the extra but bad for what it does to him. He's 63 and needs to slow down but that won't happen anytime soon.
Mark built me a pizza oven for our anniversary in April. I love it. It has taken a while to get use to cooking pizza in it but wow the pizza is soooo good. My backyard is my peace. I love what Mark has done.
Haven't been to the trailer in a few weeks and won't be going for awhile. This weekend is our Salvato family reunion in San Bruno. I am really looking forward to that but I probably won't be feeling very good but I'm going. My Mom will be the oldest Aunt there. She cannot miss it.
October 27th is our big Steeler and Raider party. Our neighbor (tenant in the big house) Nancie and her friends are Raider fans. All though the night we interviewed her she looked around our house and said her favorite team was Steelers HAHA. She is an RN and watching over me. She has been a god sent. We had the first party last year and it was a blast. So this year its pizza and my homemade ravioli lasagna. Can't wait! Nancie also brought a trailer in the same park we have ours. Her boyfriend Steve and her are there which makes it so fun. We have became a family and it feels good to have them close by.
Well hope this wasn't too wordy but I needed the time to get things out. My family has been so upset that I have not posted for a long time. Next come pictures.
Enjoy every moment because every moment is a gift!!!
Love,
Debbie
My Little Bug Hailey
So Proud! My Nephew Anthony was awarded "Apprentice of the Year in Sonoma County"
Little Markie playing in their pool
What can I say! My two boys Maxwell and Matthew about to go out together on the town.
My silly grand kids
