One of my favorite youth group practices was the last five minutes in which all who attended shared what was the Hi and Lo of their week. A kind of reminder to count your blessings. So rather than bore everyone with the extended list here's my top 5 and my bottom 5.
Lows:
5. They're right don't drink the water in Mexico. I think Matt and I drank a little while swimming in an underground river. I spent our last there in bed sick, while Matt was ok. The following day Matt got sick and had to fly home ill. (GROSS).
4. dropping my electives and having to finish school one semester late.
3. hospitals & doctors visits
2. chemotherapy
1. umm, cancer.
Highs:
5. Mexico, ahh vacation. (I'm ready to return)
4. That 15 passenger can wreck in Appalachia, that led to my cancer diagnosis. Prior to the wreck I had NO symptoms.
3. Amazing student health insurance! I will pay less in tuition (student loans) that the school has already paid for my health care!!!
2. I don't want to toot my own horn but we really did have a bitchin' hitchin'! It was great to be surrounded and supported by so many amazing people-- and I had a great time.
1. Marring the aMazing Matthew Krings who I am blessed and amazed by every day!
Important Lessons learned:
--Illness is a great lesson in who my friends are. I discovered what a great family I married into, and appreciate my parents & family (here & gone) in a new way.
-- Attitude is everything.
-- Meeting some amazing fellow cancer ass kickers (hello Ed & Julie), have taught us how to have fun at chemo & how not to take the medical system lying down.
-- QUESTION EVERYTHING!
Friday, December 30
Friday, December 16
Holiday Warnings
Beware the Yule Cat my friends:
From Iceland comes the legend of the sinister and gargantuan Yule Cat, who, it seems, is ready to eat lazy humans. Those who did not help with the work of their village to finish all work on the autumn wool by Yule time got a double whammy -- they missed out on the Yule reward of a new article of clothing, and they were threatened with becoming sacrifices for the dreaded. This tidbit from a lovely Web site on Yule in Iceland, complete with a poem on the Yule Cat (taken from http://www.candlegrove.com/yule.html#cat).
Additional Holiday Warnings:
An elf has informed me that my generations old 'White Christmas Cake' (a.k.a. FRUITCAKE) will soon be arriving to the doors of myself and other extended family members. Some claim to LOVE this holiday treat (I think it has something to do with the ability of a small piece of cake to inebriate one faster than a gallon of egg nog). I too love the fruit encrusted cake of booze-- but not for eating. With that, I'd like to share with all who will be receiving a 'Christmas Cake’ or fruitcake some alternative uses for the cake from www.party411.com:
Centerpiece: Using a giant fruitcake that you made or bought (and no matter whether it's rectangular or round), put it center table on a bed of holly and evergreen branches with pinecones scattered as confetti. Delightful.
Votive Candle Holder: Take the fruitcake out of its container and make holes big enough to hold votive candles. Or just shove them in-who's to know?! Isn't this a great idea?
Guest Towel Holder: Take two fruitcakes, lay them side by side about 4" apart and insert popsicle sticks to make it a holder for your favorite guest towels. Decoupage if you feel up to it.
Knife Rest: Cut the fruitcake into 2x1" rectangles and put one at each place as a knife rest…your guests will marvel at your creativity.
Place Card Holder: Again, cut the fruitcake into rectangles and make a small groove in the top to hold a business card size placecard. Placecards with holly and mistletoe are easily found at your local stationery store. Coat with polyurethane so you can use year after year.
Holiday Door Knocker: You may think this is difficult but it's not. Super glue a hinge to the bottom of the fruitcake near the top, use removable double stick tape to attach the back of the hinge to your door. Let's hope they are not from the school of hard knocks.
Punch Hole Ring: Take your fruitcake, freeze it in a block of ice and throw it in your punch bowl for an unusual yet attractive garnish.
Trivet: No explanation needed.
Or for the family out West here's another option:
The GREAT Fruitcake toss-- Jan 7th 10 am- 2 Manitou Springs CO
http://www.manitousprings.org/ASP/CalendarItem.ASP?NUMBER=94
From Iceland comes the legend of the sinister and gargantuan Yule Cat, who, it seems, is ready to eat lazy humans. Those who did not help with the work of their village to finish all work on the autumn wool by Yule time got a double whammy -- they missed out on the Yule reward of a new article of clothing, and they were threatened with becoming sacrifices for the dreaded. This tidbit from a lovely Web site on Yule in Iceland, complete with a poem on the Yule Cat (taken from http://www.candlegrove.com/yule.html#cat).
Additional Holiday Warnings:
An elf has informed me that my generations old 'White Christmas Cake' (a.k.a. FRUITCAKE) will soon be arriving to the doors of myself and other extended family members. Some claim to LOVE this holiday treat (I think it has something to do with the ability of a small piece of cake to inebriate one faster than a gallon of egg nog). I too love the fruit encrusted cake of booze-- but not for eating. With that, I'd like to share with all who will be receiving a 'Christmas Cake’ or fruitcake some alternative uses for the cake from www.party411.com:
Centerpiece: Using a giant fruitcake that you made or bought (and no matter whether it's rectangular or round), put it center table on a bed of holly and evergreen branches with pinecones scattered as confetti. Delightful.
Votive Candle Holder: Take the fruitcake out of its container and make holes big enough to hold votive candles. Or just shove them in-who's to know?! Isn't this a great idea?
Guest Towel Holder: Take two fruitcakes, lay them side by side about 4" apart and insert popsicle sticks to make it a holder for your favorite guest towels. Decoupage if you feel up to it.
Knife Rest: Cut the fruitcake into 2x1" rectangles and put one at each place as a knife rest…your guests will marvel at your creativity.
Place Card Holder: Again, cut the fruitcake into rectangles and make a small groove in the top to hold a business card size placecard. Placecards with holly and mistletoe are easily found at your local stationery store. Coat with polyurethane so you can use year after year.
Holiday Door Knocker: You may think this is difficult but it's not. Super glue a hinge to the bottom of the fruitcake near the top, use removable double stick tape to attach the back of the hinge to your door. Let's hope they are not from the school of hard knocks.
Punch Hole Ring: Take your fruitcake, freeze it in a block of ice and throw it in your punch bowl for an unusual yet attractive garnish.
Trivet: No explanation needed.
Or for the family out West here's another option:
The GREAT Fruitcake toss-- Jan 7th 10 am- 2 Manitou Springs CO
http://www.manitousprings.org/ASP/CalendarItem.ASP?NUMBER=94
Wednesday, December 14
The Waiting Game
As a child the entire month of December I felt like my insides were being tickled with excitement for first my birthday then Christmas! I think squirrels may have moved into my body for the month and prevented me from staying still for an extended amount of time. My 5 1/2 year old niece Raya is a lot like that. She was so excited to be a flower girl in the wedding, the kid couldn't be still. From her perspective she was doing the very best a 5 1/3 year old could do. As we were having our hair done before the ceremony she exclaimed several times 'Aunt Meg, this is the STILLEST I've EVER been'. It's this kind of hopeful, exuberant, waiting -- that has been my perspective on Advent, until this year.
This year I'm practicing a different kind of waiting, still hopeful, but also dreadful. Like a test of the emergency broadcast system, you sit through it because you HAVE TO not because that long monotone or obnoxious beeping feels good to your ears. Nearly each day of my holiday break from school, I schlep to the medical campus of my university, for tests, shots, or doctor's appointments. Each trip is accompanied with an hour long commute one way on the CTA, then at least an equivalent pre-appointment wait in the hospital. This Advent I wait not for Santa or the birth of Christ, this year I wait for my health. The irony for me is that many times as I wait I don't feel ill, but weary of the waiting. My time in Kenya taught me how to wait, yet I still grow frustrated with the experience of extended waiting. Yet I know that 'wait and see' may be the most truthful thing a physician may ever tell me. For me this spiritual season of waiting is not the squirrelly exciting that often gets paired with the season, rather it's a weary and worn hope that someday sooner than later the things I dread the most will be over.
This year I'm practicing a different kind of waiting, still hopeful, but also dreadful. Like a test of the emergency broadcast system, you sit through it because you HAVE TO not because that long monotone or obnoxious beeping feels good to your ears. Nearly each day of my holiday break from school, I schlep to the medical campus of my university, for tests, shots, or doctor's appointments. Each trip is accompanied with an hour long commute one way on the CTA, then at least an equivalent pre-appointment wait in the hospital. This Advent I wait not for Santa or the birth of Christ, this year I wait for my health. The irony for me is that many times as I wait I don't feel ill, but weary of the waiting. My time in Kenya taught me how to wait, yet I still grow frustrated with the experience of extended waiting. Yet I know that 'wait and see' may be the most truthful thing a physician may ever tell me. For me this spiritual season of waiting is not the squirrelly exciting that often gets paired with the season, rather it's a weary and worn hope that someday sooner than later the things I dread the most will be over.
CT Results
The mass is smaller, but still there. I will be having Chemo through Feb. (six cycles) then another scan and we'll go from there.
Thursday, December 8
wedding photos
Way back in July (remember the warm weather?) I had this magnificant day that I was blessed to share with many of you. At long last I've finally got a handful of the photo's on-line to share. (I'm still not 100% if this really works or not, so please give me a heads up if it doesn't).
thanks Megan
copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://kringswedding.shutterfly.com/action/?a=2EcuXDdm1YuJg
thanks Megan
copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://kringswedding.shutterfly.com/action/?a=2EcuXDdm1YuJg
Tuesday, December 6
Well it's official!
My third semester of grad school is complete!
Just as noteworthy, my fourth round of chemo is complete.
To think two weeks ago I was worried about what I'd do with all this 'free time.' I forgot that I've managed to book myself with a couple more doctors’ appointments than my usual load. But I've tempered the additional doctors visits with massage, acupuncture, some non-alcoholic holiday cheer, and if this artic blast ever lifts maybe I'll make it to the library.
Today I went in for another CAT scan to determine the direction my treatment will take. Next week I'll get the results from Dr. Chen. I'll keep you posted.
Stay warm!
Megs
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