Hello folks! It is a gorgeous late summer day today!
I went to my follow up appointments at City of Hope, and just like I thought, everything looks good and I should just keep on doing what I am doing! That is always a relief to hear, especially after it felt like I would never find my new normal. I had two appointments that day, and I took the time in between to sit on the rooftop like I did when I was there for the 3 weeks following the DIEP flap reconstruction. It was nice to just walk up there so easily without a walker!
We had the photo shoot for the magazine cover, and I just love the photo that we selected! I think the article is going to be a bit different that what I originally anticipated. The magazine is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on our community, so I think it will be less about my cancer journey and more about my part in our community. That is all fine and good, but I am a little disappointed because I really wanted to get my story out there to motivate as many people as possible to get screened as soon as it is recommended.
I reported for jury duty on the day I was supposed to start my new position at work, and I didn’t get selected! Not only that, but I didn’t even make it to the interview portion. They apparently summoned about twice as many people than needed because there was originally supposed to be two cases but one settled out of court. I was a little disappointed and a good bit frustrated because it made me miss out on a whole month of the increased pay at work, and I literally just sat in a room for 2 to 3 hours.
The following weekend Jaxon and I took a trip out to Alabama to visit a Volkswagen car show that my dad entered his Karmann Ghia in. His is the orange car in the last photo. We saw a lot of unique cars! The best part is that I got to see a good bit of family including my niece Felicia who I had not seen in awhile. After the car show, we went to Felicia’s house and spent some fantastic quality time together catching up and letting the kids play. I have missed them living literally down the street from me.
Yesterday was the 5th Annual Buffalo Creek Fall Festival, and I participated with what plushies I was able to finish in time. It was a great day for it, and it was a fantastic turnout!
Coming up, I will start my training for my new role at work on the 15th of this month. The first week of my training is “protected time” so I will actually be training at our center in Lagrange. My commute will definitely be longer ( about 50 minutes!) but it will ensure that there are no interruptions to my training which would likely happen in my home center.
And last but not least, later this month my niece, Jaxon, and I will be traveling to New York for a day/overnight trip! She and I have been trying to get back since the last time we went, so we are SUPER excited that we were able to make it work!
And that’s it folks! Otherwise I am just taking life one day at a time and being grateful for what I have in life; a big loving family, sweet supportive friends, an able body that has no evidence of disease, a good job close to home… what more could I ask for?
See you next time!
-Rachel 🩷
I want to go to New York too!!! 😭😄💜