Busy time of year...

Only 9 days of school left this year!!! Wow. Testing went well for the most part. I administered the re-take orally and that gave me WAAAY too much knowledge of what my kids were really doing. As I walked around, I DID NOT say anything, because it is against the law, but WOW they have no clue... Most of this group will be in summer school, sadly. We are moving into the hectic final days with field trips, talent show, graduations, field day, exams, end of year awards, report cards and banquets. Whew.

I passed my English Language Arts high school certification! I was kind of worried, mainly because there is a lot of literature I haven't read (or can't remember) that was referenced on the test and I wasn't motivated enough to study- at all. Since I teach Language Arts all day every day, I was betting that I would do OK, although the farther I got from the test date the more I doubted myself. I scored 283 out of 300. Yay me. Now all I have to do is pay the money to become officially certified... This summer I will attend a training and become AP(advanced placement) certified (endorsed?) I don't believe there is a test...

My friend Louise is celebrating her 60th birthday this coming weekend and I'm going to the par-tay! I haven't seen Louise and Judd (her husband) in years and I am truly excited about the weekend. I'm going to drive up to Ft. Worth on Saturday for the Sunday party!!! It will probably be odd, since I know none of her local friends, but I can't wait to see them!

Eating plan is going pretty well. I am newly motivated since I have now lost 23 pounds. Chris has done much better than I. I guess the massive cheating is obvious in my numbers... I just crave dairy and bread, neither of which is on this plan. He is down by about 30 pounds!!! He says he feels better for it.

The house is getting very bare now. Yolanda and Kevin have done a good job moving all the stuff so we can have the floors refinished. The less we have in the house the more I am motivated to simplify and pare down our belongings. We have come a long way from when Chris and I lived in 700+ square feet in NY! We have acquired way too much STUFF.

Health update: Hand swelling is not so pronounced as before, but still present. Right arm has been having some weird sensations. Am I getting back feeling in my arm and that's why? Whatever is happening, it is not pleasant and makes my arm feel raw, like someone has scraped my skin. Ankle and knee are still a little problematic and give me an ache every now and then, but not constantly, so that's an improvement.

Big changes

13 days of school left. My kids do the TAKS re-test this week and I'm a little tense and stressed.

Hand is still a little swollen. I guess I'll have to have it looked into. Maybe get one of those gloves... Knee and ankle are much better, I hardly know there was a problem. Stairs remind me though.

Saturday was the memorial get-together for Sandra Raftis. It was wonderful and sad and beautiful. So many people loved her and shared memories. It was held at the Strand Theatre where Sandra had done so much work over the years and her spirit was very present.

Tomorrow Yolanda and Kevin (our handi-couple) will start packing up the house. They are also in charge of all the repairs and painting, so we are finally getting to the part where our house may soon be back to "normal." They'll start the painting and refinishing of the floors by the 8th of June, so we need everything out. Things are ramping up for a busy few weeks!

Swelling!

I'm not too happy today, since I have been having a pain in my right hand for a few weeks now and it has started swelling. I talked to the nurse at Dr. Markowitz' office and they want to see me if it continues, to treat me for lymphedema(accumulation of lymphatic fluids due to the compromise of my lymph system!) Arrgh. I have been elevating it and putting heat on it, but it is still swelling. Specifically it is on the back of my hand, between the first two knuckles. It feels like I just had an IV taken out - that's the kind of pain. I hope, hope, hope it isn't lymphedema because that is NOT reversible. I just don't know what could be causing the pain and swelling. I haven't been as careful as I should be with my arm and hand, but now...

Gonna go vote now. I REALLY hope that the proposed $53 million dollar stadium for GISD is voted down. They couldn't maintain the old one... They are cutting jobs, losing students and they want a new stadium and the bond debt WHY? Oh, well, gonna do my civic duty.

A week of passings

This past week two passings: Sandra Raftis, a beautiful, talented actor/director and elegant gracious woman left us. She had lung cancer and leaves the Galveston theatre community with a big hole. I had the honor of working with her and she was a giving actor and excellent director. Her spirit was so alive, so creative, intelligent, calming, kind... I wish I had the words to describe her. I suppose it is a testimony to her that she was so hard to describe. I wish I had known she was ill...
Sunil Rajan, a good friend of Chris' died today. He had been dealing with tumors in his head for quite a long time, and they finally got him. He was a really talented sound designer and all around good guy. Chris and he became quite close when they toured with "Carousel." I am so glad that Chris was able to see him one last time when he was in NYC...

My doctor's appointment on Friday went well, and Dr. Markowitz was glad to see that I've lost 15 pounds. He asked me if it was on "purpose?" DUH, like I just lost weight accidentally???!! My hair is thinning due to the Arimidex, but it is not all that noticeable to anyone but me, so we won't do anything about it just yet. The Arimidex is supposed to keep me cancer free and it seems to be doing that, so I'll deal with the thin hair. Since my hair is curlier than before the chemo, it really doesn't show, but I am so used to having a LOT of hair that it is weird. Other than some tenderness over my mastectomy site, I am good to go for another 3 months. Yay, me!

Chris comes home tonight after going to LA to take his Clinical Science exam. He feels pretty good about it and is really grateful for the prayers on his behalf. He was also able to spend some time getting to know the nieces, Sage and Jade. They are now very different from the babies he knew before. He hadn't been able to go with me the last couple of times I went to LA, and was missing out on seeing these two beautiful girls grow up. They are amazing. My sister, Becka and her husband James, are doing an excellent job raising them.

Only 23 days of school left this year! Wow.