We all March on.

 Things went well with the surgeon.  The prognosis is very good.  The cancer is small.  The surgeon expects the surgery will take about an hour.  Her surgery will be at the end of October.  So she'll still be able to come to visit in a week and a half.

Oddly enough, my dad is having surgery on the same day.  His is much more complex and will take a lot longer.   

I went back to the dentist for my cleaning and crown installation.  The cleaning was fine.  Surprisingly, there were no glaring issues.  The crown wasn't quite right.  It needed to be about a millimeter longer.  So it got sent back to the lab.  It was supposed to e ready on Thursday, but the lab was running behind, so I'm going back on Tuesday.

Bertram's first soccer lesson wasn't great.  He spent a lot of time complaining.  But the lessons have gotten progressively better.  I think he would be good on a running team.  I may need to try to find one.  I signed him up for some yoga/mindfulness classes.  He didn't like it at all.  But he has three more, because I already paid for them.   

Bron had a cough, starting last Saturday.  So she was out of school on Monday and Tuesday.  She still has a lingering cough, but no more fever, and she's not feeling poorly anymore.

Bron had her first ballet/tap class last week.  She really likes it.  She isn't meant to be a dancer, but that's ok.  She's not the best listener.  

Aaron was going to go on the cub scout campout with Bronwyn, and possibly Bertram.  But it's while my mom is here.  Apparently, he said I was going to go too.  When he told me, I asked if he was joking.  I do not camp.  I like being outside, but at the end of the day I want my bed, and indoor plumbing.  They might not be going.  I'm not sure if they'll go.  I won't be going.

I donated whole blood last Sunday.  Nothing too interesting about that.  It went fine, without issue.

On Monday, I'm going to Rosh Hashana services with my dad.  I'm thinking about Judaism again.  I'm not too interested in organized religion in general, but I want to have somewhere to hang my hat, so to speak.

I can't think of much else for now.  Here are pictures from the last week or so.

Playing chess, and acorns.

On a hike

Reading after school

Ready for her first dance class

I can't remember where we were going.  He was all dressed as a Pokémon trainer.

First week of soccer.

When she wasn't feeling well.

Bertram had to do another self portrait.  He had to bring this one home as well.  But he persevered, and did the assignment without much complaining.  His perfectionism came into play a bit, but not nearly as bad as the first portrait.

He drew this hedgehog.  It might be my favourite drawing of his.

Cancer

 I feel like I've been waiting for this shoe to drop for a long time.  I assumed it would have happened long before now, but here we are.

My mom has breast cancer.

We've known for about a week.  It's stage 1a, which I guess is like just a little cancer.  She had her MRI yesterday, and meets with the surgeon on Friday, which is when there will be more information.  That's all the information I have right now.

When I was 12 my mom had a cancer scare.  But after a biopsy, it was found to be not cancer.  I can't remember what it was, something benign

I feel like this has been kind of crushing my life for the last week.  I was kind of falling back into depression before, but now I feel like I'm embracing it.  Like that old friend that you know is bad for you.  But you hang out with them anyway.  Or like a cocoon, the protection of depression.  It's hard to explain, unless you've been depressed, I guess.  

Everything in my life is cancer and depression tinted.  This is a funny show. My mom has cancer. Man, the kids are so cute.  My mom has cancer.  

Since everything is cancer coloured, I've been leaning into the depression, hard core.  Not doing much of my work at home, skipping the gym or when I actually do get to the gym, just having terrible workouts, avoiding things I like, not sleeping well, sleeping too much.  And eating, of course. I wish I was one of those people that have no appetite when I was depressed, but no, I eat for comfort, not that it actually helps.  

Another catch up

 Seems like I update this when I can't sleep.  I guess that's when I have the time.

The trip home from Virginia was uneventful.  The kids did well.  They're good travelers.

After we got back, they did another week of swimming lessons.  That was fun, they both really enjoy swimming and water in general.  My goal is for them to be able to get out of a pool if they fall in.  If they learn strokes, all the better, but it's not the goal.

Everyone in the house has had, and is update with covid shots.  Yay.

Bron had her check up.  She's healthy, but still small.  Nothing unexpected there.

Both kids started school.  The first two weeks, Bronwyn had short days, after that the normal 6 hour day.  They've both been doing well, as far as I know.  Bertram had a small incident when he didn't want to make a self portrait, because it was too hard and wouldn't look like him.  So we did that together at home.  He has some issues with perfectionism, that plus the ADHD and autism made this project a very difficult task.  Which is kind of odd.  He love art and drawing.  But usually Pokémon, or made up animals.  I wonder if that's because there aren't too many rules with drawing that way.

I did some quilt work.  I have hit a road block lately with the big quilt.  Nothing in particular, I just either have been busy, or haven't wanted to do it.  I'm hoping to have it done so my mom can take it home with her after her next visit, which gives me about a month, maybe 5 weeks.  I think I can do it, but I've got to hop to it.  It's too bad i don't have somewhere I can sew and not wake up the whole house.  #smallhouseproblems

Piecing the big quilt

 

Baby quilt, laid out.

Baby quilt, complete.

I had a terrible dental appointment this week.  When I was still in Virginia I broke a tooth.  Like right in half.  It didn't hurt, and wasn't bothering me.  I chewed on the other side, as I didn't want to chance breaking the rest off.  I didn't need a root canal, thank goodness.  But I did need a crown, which I knew.  I had an appointment right after we got back to California, but I had a cold from traveling.  (Funny how simple colds keep us home now.  Though, I suppose it should have been that way all along).  Granted, I've never been assaulted, but dental work always feels a bit like an assault.  People doing things that I don't really want, hurting me.  I didn't ever get numb properly.  And I was crying.  Normally the dentist is very sensitive to this.  But I guess he was having a bad/off day. When the temporary crown was on, he asked if it felt ok.  It didn't, it was too tall, but I said it was fine because I just couldn't take anymore drilling.  It felt like the drilling took an hour.  I'm sure it was no more than 10 minutes, in reality.  Anyway, I got home, and had a snack, and immediately popped the temporary off.  I just started crying all over again.  Fortunately, they said if it wasn't bothering me and didn't hurt, I could do without it.  God, I hate my teeth.  I think it's partially genetics, and partially crohns.  All the people in the crohns facebook group have bad teeth too.  I got back in a couple weeks for the crown and my dental cleaning.  

I've done a couple platelet donations.  I set up the appointments through the end of the year.  I do platelets every couple weeks, and do whole blood every 9 weeks.  I feel very proud of myself.  It something easy I can do, that can help a lot of people.  

In a month, during fall break, we're going to Great Wolf Lodge for a couple days.  I'm pretty excited.  I don't think the kids understand it's a hotel centered around entertaining them.  But I'm sure we'll have fun.

Bronwyn expressed interest in scouts.  Girl scouts, specifically.  We're already enrolled in a scouting troop, for Bertram.  He decided he didn't want to do scouts this year.  (Though he didn't say anything, I think this is a big disappointment for Aaron).  But Bronwyn went to the first meeting this week, and enjoyed it.  Plus she just looks so cute in the uniform.  They're going camping in 6 weeks.  Both kids want to do that.  I'm hoping I can stay home, I don't like camping.  I like sleeping in a bed.  But if Aaron thinks he'll need help, I can go.  Plus, it's not too far away, I can always come if I'm needed.  So we'll see.  The girl scout interest meeting is next week.  So maybe she'll end up doing cub scouts and girl scouts.

Both kids start after school activities this week.  Bert starts Futsal later today.  (I think Futsal is like soccer, but a smaller pitch?)  I'm glad he wanted to do something athletic.  He needs opportunities to work on coordination.  We didn't buy anything for the class.  I wonder if he needs shin guards?  The course description didn't say.  But I know futsal doesn't use cleats.  Brony starts a tap/ballet class on Wednesday.  I got her a leotard and ballet shoes.  I'm hoping I won't need to buy her tap shoes for such a short class.  $30 for shoes she'll barely wear seems silly.

I'm sure there are other things I've forgotten.  But that's the bulk off it.

Until next time...