New Year, New Beginnings

Why, hello there! Happy 2013! My new year is off to an excellent start and I sincerely hope that yours is as well. Some close friends have shared some exceptionally exciting news with us that has really kicked off the new year in the right way- this is going to be a good one, I can just feel it!

Yesterday was the 5th anniversary of my 30th birthday. Yay. Birthdays are not nearly as much fun as they used to be. I do have the unique honor of sharing my birthday with Stella - a very special bond with my girl! I cannot believe that she is 3, going on 16 but we won't go there today. We're in the midst of potty training hell (hopefully she'll be potty trained before she heads to college). What a frustrating time of life. That and she's now started having bad dreams. Stella is convinced that the squirrels are in her curtains (yeah, I have no idea where that came from either?!?!) and she's scared. She received a toy hairdryer for her birthday and she is (somewhat) convinced that it will protect her. Although, all bets are off at 2am. Steve and I are exhausted. Simon was kind enough to break my favorite vase yesterday. That child is in constant motion. That, and he's into way more trouble than Stella ever was. Lord help me!

With the new year comes a new part of my treatment. That would be no further treatment! Yes, only two Herceptin treatments left, it's so hard to believe. I have some scans coming up in the next month to see what my body has been up to (hopefully only good things!). In February, I'll meet with my oncologist to go over the scans. The current plan is: as long as I am still NED (no evidence of disease), I will just have scans every 3 months or so. Bascially, they will just be keeping a close eye on me, but no more meds! So, keep your fingers crossed for me that all is still as it should be. I'm feeling great, so that should count for something!

You know my birthday this year is funny, but sad at the same time. When I was first diagnosed and given the seriousness of the type of cancer I have, I wasn't sure I'd be celebrating this birthday. And yet, here I am and I feel amazing. I am so, so incredibly thankful for modern medicine and the advances being made with cancer research. Here's hoping that 2013 is a landmark year for wiping out cancer and beating the odds.