Happenings and surgery...

Wow!  I can't believe it's already October.  And I can't believe that it's been since June that I've posted an update!! 

Here are a few of our highlights from the summer.

First off I went to Canada to "surprise" Papa, Omi and the rest of my family.  Only Jason (my bro) and Amanda (sister-in-law) knew that I was coming and were kind enough to pick me up from the airport.  A very generous friend of mine gave me a buddy pass so I could fly home.  I ended up staying up there for 10 days.  It was so nice to spend time with family. 

Guelph, Canada

San Antonio

Next vacation was a few days in San Antonio to attend our great-niece's 1st birthday party.  We spent time with family there, our niece and her fiancee as well as my cousin from Michigan.  We also went to Sea World.  We had a blast!!!  We ran into some friends of ours from Kingwood at Sea World.

After that we had visitors from Canada.  My brother, Jason and my sister-in-law, Amanda and our 2 nieces came to visit for a week.  Quality family time!!!

The kids with their Canadian cousins

Celebrating our 40th Birthdays

Off to Vegas next for Jim and I.  We met up with some of our dear friends from Austin.  Jim and I were celebrating our 40th birthdays along with a few of the others.  Vegas is always fun!!!

Florida

Our next vacation was the last week and a half of the summer.  We first went to Pensacola Beach, Florida then to Treasure Island, Florida.  It was amazing!  We went in-shore fishing (in Tampa Bay), hung out at the beach, the pool, collected treasures (seashells), rented a boat, watched dolphins swim right by the condo we stayed in.  All this thanks to some of our close friends.  It was definitely paradise - I would move down there for sure!!!

Kids are back into the routine of school.  Jakob is a Freshman in high school now, Kelli is in 7th grade and Joey is in 5th grade.  Jakob tried out for the High School golf team and made it!!  Kelli really enjoyed swim team this summer and got "high point" winner for her age group at All-Stars!  Joey loves going to the ponds just down the road from our house to fish!! 

Jim is busy at work.  He just returned from a short trip to Kuwait.  This was his 3rd trip to Kuwait this year.

Me - well I'm feeling great!!!  I have started running again.  I only run about 3-4 miles, I'm running for me. 

This past weekend we participated in Houston's Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure.  A 5K.  There were over 35,000 registered participants.  This was my 3rd time participating, 2nd time as a Survivor!!!  I had lots of friends and family on my team - Moni's Bosom Buddies this year.

Tomorrow, I have a day filled with appointments at MD Anderson.  Pre-op appointments.  I'm having surgery on Wednesday.  This is my reconstruction surgery on my non-cancer side.  It should be my final surgery.  Dr. Skoracki will be removing my tissue expander (a.k.a. the rock).  It's called an exchange surgery because the tissue expander is exchanged for an implant.

This time I won't even be spending the night in the hospital.  I will most likely have 2 drains.  Jim will be taking a couple of days off to take care of me and the kids.  I most likely won't be able to drive for about 2 weeks.  Should be the easiest surgery to date.
 I will have Jim update the blog on Wednesday as soon as he gets word that I am out of surgery. 

Thank you once again for your prayers. Please pray for the Dr.'s and medical staff caring for me before, during and after surgery.  Also for Jim and the kids as they wait for me to get out of surgery. 

I would like to share with you an article that was in last week's local newspaper http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/kingwood/news/survivor-credits-breast-cancer-with-changing-her-life-for-the/article_a06a1e5a-d8f9-55b9-b95a-d1ab566fb7df.html

Love and Blessings from the Top of my Heart,

Moni

www.monkmoni.blogspot.com
www.caringbridge.org/visit/monimonk/journal

And if you'd like to sponsor me in the Race for the Cure (it's not too late)
http://rfch.convio.net/site/TR?px=1664564&pg=personal&fr_id=1130&s_tafId=39220