Full-Time Jobs, Bridezilla, Positive Parp Report, Graduation, Softball, and Beast on the Bay!

Yesterday, my dear friend Kathy and I set out for West Penn Hospital to see my oncologist, Dr. Krivak for my three month check up.  Lots had changed since my last visit with him at the end of January.  I was feeling a bit of gloom and doom with a CA125 reading of 196 and lots of spots including on my lymph nodes.  Then he put me on an oral chemo, called Lynparza where he has me popping 16 pills a day- 8 for my Breakfast of Champions and 8 for my evening snack.  My latest CA125 reading is 59 and Dr. Krivak said my spots are shrinking!  They are even gone from my liver.  My Erie oncologist said today I have one spot on my colon that got larger, but I'll go by Dr. Krivak's report.  He's going to continue to keep me on the parp inhibitors for the next four months and he doesn't need to see me until September 18th!  I am looking forward to a summer with oral chemo!!!  Dr. Krivak even said I can tan in the natural sun.  Get that Vitamin D!

The past five summers, I have had to hide under umbrellas and in the shade.  I was nauseated and had no energy.  I slept a lot and I was pumped with steroids too.  So this summer is going to ROCK!  I am going to be able to get so many things accomplished that I have not had the energy to do.  Organization 101 here we come!   I also have a bridal shower and wedding to continue to put together and I am going to exercise.  Granted my joints ache like a 70 or 80 year old at times, but I can walk, ride a bike, swim, and stretch.  So look out as you see me buzzing around the area this summer!  Thank you, Lord, for a summer that I believe I will thoroughly enjoy!

Speaking of summer, my family has started to witness a bit of Bridezilla in our Bride-to-Be, Danielle.   Most of you see her with this big grin on her face like in the photo below with her high school coach.  The rest of us at Cavaliero Drive get to see a crabby young lady who is stressed and grumpy.  Her softball team made a great comeback during the second half of the season.  They tied for 3rd place in the region only to be beat by Fairview when they had to play one another a third time to see who would move on to take that spot in the playoffs.  It was heart breaking.  No one likes to see their season come to an end.

They also played Iroquois.  This is the team Danielle played for in high school for Coach Parker and her dad.  Harbor Creek beat their JV team the week prior twice in a double header.  However, the Varsity game was another story.  I believe it was the first time Iroquois has beat Harbor Creek at the Varsity level in the past two years.  It's always nice to see all of the familiar faces, but no one likes to lose!  Everyone was a good sport and there is still such a fun rivalry between the two schools from when we used to play against one another all the time!  So needless to say, this was a rough week for the softball girls and Bridezilla. . . I mean Danielle.  

She also had to say farewell to her seniors.  This is always tough.  I'm only Coach Mom Chase and usually only make it to the home games.  I greet the team each day at my hall duty post at the end of the school day when they are heading into the locker area to get ready for practice.  I know how much I will miss seeing these girls, so I can only imagine how Coach Dad Chase and grumpy girl. . .I mean Coach Danielle Chase will miss them.  They spend a ton of hours together during the spring.  I always see the girls heading down to her classroom during her Plan period.  They have been excellent role models on and off the field and remarkable students as well.  

SENIOR NIGHT!

Only Coach D. Chase would have such a girly and colorful bulletin board outside of the locker rooms for her players!

Husky Softball Team showing support for Ovarian Cancer Awareness. <3

Thanks for all the memories this year, Lady Huskies!  I look forward to the next several years.  Although we will miss the seniors a ton, we've got some phenomenal talent in the girls that will return next season.  I believe we will be hearing a lot more about them as they grow and play ball together the next several years!  Oh, and what about the ones who will come out next year to tryout as well?!  Ohhhh it's going to be exciting!  Even the softball gods were with us and some how the company that is supposed to be coming to fix the field's drainage problem during one of the biggest weeks in softball had to cancel!  Thank you!  They are actually coming in June and that will work out perfectly.  That was just another thing that was bringing the crankiness out in Miss D. Chase!

Danielle had tryouts on Saturday with her dad for Colorguard at Iroquois.  They had a really nice turn out.  It was a bit of a debacle prior to tryouts because Corey was graduating from Youngstown State

Corey receiving his diploma after 7 years of hard work!

this weekend as well.  First he thought he was graduating on Sunday.  Then he told her Saturday.  As her plate runeth over, she missed the memo.  Somehow, though, she was able to hold tryouts, drive to her old stomping ground, YSU, watch Corey graduate with his PhD in Physical Therapy, celebrate with the Vukovic's and head home that same evening so they could work on their house                                That grin says it all!  Corey has been focused and has waited for this day for a long time.  Not only was he offered one job, where he completed an Internship, but two at another place he completed an Internship in.  Thankfully they were both in Erie, too.  We are very proud of him.   My girl might be a sassy pants right now with all that is on her plate, but I was hoping now that she has an excellent teaching job and is the head softball coach, which are two goals she had listed on a piece of paper she used to keep in her sock drawer since her high school days, they would stay in this area.  She had told Corey when she was hired at Harbor Creek that he would have to find a job in this area!  This just makes it a for sure thing.  Seven miles away is much better than thousands.  We'll take it.

So although my girl is cranky and went to bed at 5 pm last night and then 8 pm tonight, I can see why.  She is on overdrive!  I just need to get her to not bite our heads off.  She has lived with us since she graduated from college.  We have been doing all we can to help them out so they will have a nice start when they begin their life together.  Just do not ask her to cook, clean up after herself, or stop at the store!  Only ten more days and we will be on summer vacation.  Then I am sure she will start to enjoy some of the most exciting days of her life that will be coming up and maybe, just maybe she will appreciate her family again just a little bit more.

Zach was hired at Perseus House Residential a few weeks ago as a full time Behavior Specialist.  He is

Brock Lesnar

really enjoying it so far as he is meeting the clients and staff.  Of course, he has already earned the nickname of Brock.  Apparently, they think he looks like some WWE guy named Brock Lesnar!  Now I do see a little resemblance, but some of the pics of this guy are scary!   The photo on the left I can see a little bit of resemblance.  The hair color, maybe even the hair style a little bit and even the face.

Zach

However, when I saw the picture below, I was afraid, very afraid!  I do not see any resemblance in that one!  It's fun to meet new people and it's even more fun when they tell you they think you resemble someone.  So, the nickname sticks.  Last weekend, he and another staff member took the boys to the YMCA.  The boys wanted the two staff to have a lift off contest.  They told the boys they would only lift 215 lbs since they did not have time to warm up.  Zach beat the guy and benched it 20 times vs. the other guy who only made it to 12.  The boys were definitely impressed.  Then they shot some hoops before heading back.

Yikes!  That is scary!

Zach also continues to work with his buddy Erik.  He is a young man who has autism.  He said there was no way he was quitting that job.  He and Erik have been hanging out for the past two and a half years or so.  Another woman is working with Erik, too, but Zach was adamant that she would not be taking his place with him!  So he puts in a few hours with him as many days or nights he can.  He is fortunate to have found such a great family to work with.

Andrew also works with a terrific family and a young man with autism, named Donovan.  He is hanging out with him on the weekends.  They go to the YMCA or he takes him for walks.  He also really enjoys hanging out with him and working for the family.   Andrew is  also working a physical job, full time for the summer, lugging concrete in a wheelbarrow.  He also just started a job as a Bouncer at a local establishment on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.  Needless to say, the kids are busy "making bank" as Andrew tells me!

 Lifting, running,  and working out at the gym as well as having a physical job will help both of the boys prepare for BEAST ON THE BAY!   Santa brought the boys a workout shirt and signed them both up for Beast on the Bay.  I am sure you've heard of it if you are from the local area.  This is an extreme obstacle course designed by a Navy Seal along the Peninsula.  I believe it is about 10 miles long.  You can join a team and then you train.  Be sure to train in sand too, because that's what a lot of it is in.  All benefits go to the National Barber Institute.  The boys are on a team called Beauties and Beasts.   This group is lead by Erik's mom, Karen.  Karen's sister Elaine, is also on a team called Krauza's Krazies.  They love to have fun competing against one another.  If you haven't already signed up, you should!  Either of these teams would love to have any of you on their team.  I will be a spectator on September 12th.  I don't think my body needs to go into an acidic mode training that hard.  I have my own fight going on!  So I'll stick to a gentler work out.  I would love to cheer any of you on, though!

Well, enough for tonight.  Have a good week.  I am sure I will have lots more to share next week.  Take care and God bless!