The Next Phase

Today I had my follow up appointment with the oncologist.  He started me on tamoxifen.  (He also wants me to start taking baby aspirin to counter balance the increased risk of clotting from the tamoxifen.)  I'm to come back in a month if I'm experiencing side effects.  

I also spoke to the gal who was supposed to set me up with PT for my shoulder and a personal trainer.  She made an appointment for me for tonight.  The cancer center has an arrangement with an assisted living facility (that coincidentally Blair used to work at) to use their fitness center two nights a week.  The trainer showed me how to use the machines and I tried them all and used the recumbent bike and a recumbent stepper.  I can go Monday and Friday afternoons.  And I can do yoga Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.  That seems like a good start.

It's also time to stop eating like I'm bulking up for an endless winter.  I decided not to worry about it too much while I was in treatment, but it's time to get serious.

Happy Anniversary!

To my parents - 50 years today! We're all meeting up in the Bronx for dinner (but Mom doesn't know), and my youngest sister came through by letting Dad know that an eternity band would go over well. They couldn't afford a diamond when they got married (she 19, he 23).

Photos! clockwise from top left: My Mom and her mother; dad and mom;
dad and his mother; mom's mom and dad's dad - they were soooo young!!

And here they are at their party 50 years later!

And she was thrilled and overwhelmed with her ring. We went back to my brother's for dessert and he gave it to her there. She was surprised and loved it. She kept watching it sparkle all night. Dad did good.

Wish Me Luck!

I just finished my application for CT's ARC program this summer.  Hopefully I can start next fall as a High School Math teacher.



The program runs for 8 or 9 weeks this summer in Hartford including student teaching. It runs all day each week.
It's about an hour or so drive from here and I don't know whether to suck up the drive or stay up there during the week.

Typical Teenager

A friend's teen "liked" this on Facebook:


> I'm just a typical teenager?
> I have a messy room.
> I'm moody.
> I get up late.
> I swear.
> I complain most of the time.
> I spend most of my time on my pc.
> I have private things on my phone.
> I go to bed late.
> So mom and dad .. Deal with it.

So I came up with:

I'm just the parent of a typical teenager?
I know a messy room can make it hard to concentrate (not to mention it being unsanitary).
I'd prefer you didn't take your mood out on the rest of us.
It makes the rest of us late when you get up late.
I'd like you to swear only when it's appropriate to the situation and audience.
Instead of complaining, pitch in and fix it.
Take some breaks from the computer to rest your eyes and exercise your body.
Until you're 18, privacy is a privilege and not a right - earn it. And until you are paying your own phone bill, your phone is really mine.
You can go to bed when you want to, as long as you wake up on time and in a good mood..
So teenager .. Deal with it.