Erma Bombeck was right

I think it was Erma Bombeck who said to eat dessert first. Since dessert is no longer anything I can experience (either it has sugar, which would rot my saliva-starved teeth, or it would not taste good to the few tastebuds who have come back to the party), I am so glad that I had my fill in years past.

I have had a pretty busy month since last writing. I found out that I was not only keeping my jaw exercised for my own use - anesthesiologists were happy that I had maintained good working order of that joint, when I had to be knocked out for another procedure. I have had neck and head MRIs done as well, and the combination of the three results say (drum roll please): No Evident Disease. I think the only test I haven't had in the past year is a bone scan, but with this form of slow growing cancer, bone scans can miss tumors, so I haven't signed up for one. All other body parts have been inspected, scanned, prodded, scraped - and No Evident Disease was found. I am taking that as a very good sign. Kind of nice to hear that samples were classified as 'benign', after getting the big jolt last June.

The face and neck still swell up, especially after procedures in or around them, due to lymphadema. I still cream them daily with Cetaphil, after washing them with the Cetaphil soap in the morning and doing the maneuvers I learned back in July from the visiting physical therapist at the support group. I have to practice turning my head left and right, up and down, just to keep the neck joints limber - I can tell I have lost some range of motion, and I don't want anything to interfere with driving, biking, or watching tennis. Never thought I was a 'high-maintenance' type, but I sure got that way fast!

Another activity that kept me busy - I was asked to go for academic promotion to Associate Professor, and was writing the narratives and updating my CV to turn in to the Peer Review Committee. I am honored to be asked to go for promotion, but there is a part of me that wished it hadn't been at the time I was anxiously waiting on so many test results. Life does go on, thankfully, and everything was turned in on time. I guess this means I can still function under pressure!

My list of things to do has grown at work, but the one on my home computer is still the same as it has been since June, when I was waiting on those first test results: Breathe, love my family, watch the sunset, be grateful, and pet the dog. That pretty much sums up what is and has been important to my core being.

My birthday is on Saturday, and I am trying to think of ways to celebrate it that don't involve food. I have been saving for a bike, and that may be my present this year (if Rikker is reading this - hint!). There are a couple of movies that I would like to see - GhostRider, since I figure I can relate to his condition (at least in the head region), and Wild Hogs, since I am just about at the moment when a wild road trip can commence.

Now to end this long post with a quote I heard the other day from Sir Walter Scott's poetry. My recommendation to everyone reading this - go out and crowd some hours!!

Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife!
To all the sensual world proclaim,
One crowded hour of glorious strife
Is worth an age without a name.