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!

May Brings Moms and Mad Panic Mode!

Have you noticed how everything is starting to bloom? The grass is so much greener and the leaves have popped out on the trees.  Everything looks much prettier with all the color.  The temperatures have been soaring this past week too.  I could do with a little easing into that, however.

This past Wednesday was my student teacher's last day.    The students and I really enjoyed having Miss Boots.  Being typical seventh graders they even came up with some nick names for her.  They called her Miss "Footwear" and Miss "Boots with the Fur!"  It was refreshing to have yet another mature young adult as a student teacher.  She was a wonderful role model for these young adolescents and it made me feel very positive about the type of teachers that are graduating from collegewith an education degree.  She is a go getter and will actually continue on with her education earning a Master's degree in Special Education as a grad assistant.   Her Bachelors degree is in Early Childhood which is from preschool thru Grade 3 and Special Education.  She even had the opportunity to hang out with the Autistic classroom next door to me.  We didn't even scare her away after she came to us from her Kindergarten placement!  That's a big jump in grade levels!!  We will miss having her around these last few weeks left.

Speaking of graduating, my first cousin, Adam, earned his Nursing degree at Cleveland State!  He was already hired to work in one of the hospitals in the Cleveland area.   We are very excited for him.  He plans to work in the nursing field and eventually go on be an anesthesiologist.  Impressive, I know!  Although he is my first cousin, he grew up with my kids.  My Mom and Adam's dad are siblings from a family of six.  My Mom is the second oldest and my Uncle Matt  is the baby of the family.  (he hates it when I call him "Uncle" since we are only seven years apart.)   Julie, Adam's sister, will sometimes work with Corey since they are both Physical Therapists and are employed by the same company.  It certainly is a small world!

My very young first cousins, Adam and Julie

I hope everyone took time to thank that special Mom in their life today and pay some sort of tribute to her whether you were able to spend some much needed time with her or said a special prayer for her if she is no longer with you.  Maybe you didn't have a good relationship with your Mom and had someone else that was there for you.  Whoever that may be, I hope you made her day just a  bit more special.  Maybe you don't have children, but have fur babies.  They count too!!  They are such a big part of our families!  I got to celebrate with my Mom, kids, sister-in-lawMichelle, and the kids' significant others along with Dad, my brother Bob, and nephew Matt.    

The guys made us a delicious breakfast that consisted of egg omelletes with all kinds of veggies, sausage, ham, and bacon if that was something you like.  That was what Rob was working on.  Corey made blueberry pancakes, and I think Zach was just stealing bacon!  That sounds about right!  Danielle had made a bowl of fresh fruit and we had donuts and danishes as well as orange juice and coffee.  It was a breakfast fit for the Queens!  The kids got me a sweet smelling candle and a Fit Bit!  So now I have to get off my butt more and get 10,000 steps in every day.  I only got 4,000 in today, so I've got to get moving as long as my joints aren't aching too much and I'm  not so tired.  I need to push through it regardless of those little parp side effects.  

Me and my Mom <3

Corey, Rob, and Zach preparing breakfast.

Jensen and Andrew enjoying some coffee and giving Sid some attention.

 

Dad pretending to help!

After a delicious breakfast, Danielle and Corey were all about getting to their house to work some more on it and to borrow our lawn mower so the grass could get cut.  They had a really busy week with Corey going to Youngstown State for some study tables in order to prepare more for his boards in July. . . yes I said July. . . the week before the wedding.  No pressure!  hahaha He was also able to pick up his cap and gown for graduation and get fitted for his wedding band for the final time.    Of course, I'm sure he enjoyed some home cooking and the company of his parents.  

Danielle hadn't been over to the house this past week either because they had five double headers!  Her and Rob would come home exhausted at 8 or 9 o'clock every night depending on where they were playing.  I'm sure the team felt the same way.  It was an exciting week, though!  They beat Seneca, Girard, and Fairview, and played  double header JV games  against Iroquois with wins as well.  The only loss this week was to Northwestern, 6-3.  This puts them third in the region at this point. 

 This week should be interesting too.  With only a week left to get any and all games in before playoffs, the higher ups decided this would be the week they would fix the softball field.  This is long overdue.  It has poor drainage issues and the past retired coach would spend hours working on it before games.  Danielle only has her lunch period to work on it.  Let me tell you, she is not making any fashion statements out there in her cleats with a pretty dress on!  She has a full teaching schedule with no time to shop vac puddles and water outta there!  It will be so nice to have a field with no more swim holes in it, but I can't help to think they probably should have asked to get it fixed after the season since it is so late!  Next year it will be nice to not have to cancel games due to the poor drainage on the field, though.  So I guess they'll just have to go with it.  

Poor Sid, our dog, we think was stung by a bee yesterday.  I was out (again) shopping for dresses for all of the upcoming festivities.  Corey noticed Sid's face looked swollen.  Sure enough, it was as if he had stuffed two big rolls inside his mouth and his eyes were tiny slits.  We are pretty sure he tried to eat a bee and got stung.  What a reaction he had.  By the time I got home the swelling was going down nicely, but the poor guy woke me up crying at our door.  So I got up at 2 a.m. and let him out.  We played that game a few times.  Eventually, I was googling what I could do to ease his anxiety and possible pain.  I could not get a good look in his mouth to see where or how many times he might have been stung.  Nor could I see a stinger.  So that left the whole ice idea or baking soda and water.  I didn't even have Benadryll on hand.  I did have some Bach Rescue Remedy drops, though.  So after laying on the floor with him, it said to rub a drop onto his ear and it would calm him down.  Low and behold it worked!  Sid finally fell asleep around 3:30, so then I was able to.  I just slept on the couch to make sure he was okay for the rest of the night.  

After the morning and early evening festivities, I had to  head to school.  I was at the elementary schools attending transition meetings on Friday so I had to finish my lesson plans and complete my Educator Effectiveness binder.  This includes 4 domains regarding a classroom teacher.   It has to do with classroom walkthroughs, a formal observation, a SLO or Student Learning Objective, and 35% of your score is based on how well the students you teach perform on the PSSA's.  I was working on my binder looking for data that showed preparation and planning, my classroom environment,  instruction, and professional development.  Throughout the year, I had been sticking it into a binder, but I needed to label everything and put it into some cohesive manner.  I arrived at school around 2 pm and left at 6:45 pm.   I had been so busy finishing up my SLO collecting my last assessment using the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Assessment for the past week and a  half, that I was quite behind on this part.  At least it is done and I am ready to meet with Ms. Evans first thing in the morning.  Then I have the last few bridal shower invitations to address, get them mailed out, and I will be in shower mode!  Only 17 more school days to go and 11 weeks until the wedding!  It's getting crazy around here!

One more thing:  I will probably wait to blog next week Monday or Tuesday since I head down to see Dr. Krivak in Pittsburgh on the 18th to hear about my scan I had this past week and my CA125 that will be drawn this Thursday.  Have a great week!  Make each day count!

Preparation, Trepidation, and Motivation!

It is softball season!  My daughter Danielle has played softball for a long time; from her  elementary days all the way up to Division I in college.  She is now coaching her second season as the head coach for the Harbor Creek Huskies, where we both happen to teach.  My husband Rob, is her assistant coach.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, they have a young team.  Throw in some very rainy weather  and a field that doesn't drain well, and you get a slow start for your season.  They still have one more game to play in order to be half way through the season!  It is going to be a busy May!

This week, the sunshine finally decided to come out for several days and they got a few well
deserved wins under their belt.  They even gave Northwestern a run for their money!
Northwestern is a good team.  They are undefeated so far.  I ended my Friday sitting on the bleachers soaking in some sun and enjoying an awesome game!  It was a close one all the way through and they were tied for several innings.  The Wild cats took the lead in the 7th inning 5-3.  We had one more chance up to bat.  They loaded the bases and gave it their all, but fell short this time.  With more experience playing as a team together, the more they will grow.  I was so proud of them!  I know they have many more wins in them as we begin the second half of the season.  I know those coaches will continue to prepare them for more situations until their response becomes automatic.

Not only are these girls a terrific bunch, they surprised their coaches by ordering these bows to wear in their hair.  That's a photo of Danielle wearing hers.  They are sporting the ovarian cancer teal ribbon!  We were all so touched and love the fact that these girls are behind us!  This week I hope to get a pic of the entire team with their bows in their hair.  When I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Danielle's college softball team wore teal ribbons in my honor at several games.  I still have
the picture they sent me.  I cherish it.

I  ran into some high school friends at the field.  Who would have thought my daughter would be coaching some of my cherished friends children on her team!   I got to meet Michelle's adorable children, Manni and Caesar; my friend Shelly and her husband Mike were there watching one of their twins, Rachel play ball, and Deb was there too watching her daughter play.  Shell walked me out to the parking lot and gave me a beautiful prayer shawl.   No wonder I have been blessed with so much!

The bottom half of the picture is the "before" shot of one of the bedrooms.   The top half is the "after."  It's actually a gray on the walls in the  top pic, but it doesn't look gray in the pic for some reason!  What beautiful floors they found underneath the carpeting!

We have been helping Corey and Danielle paint, tear up carpeting, and tear down wallpaper in their house they just purchased.  The first day I got there, I was going up the sidewalk steps when I felt a zipper feeling on the outside right part of my knee.  Then I went down!  Not wanting to make a scene in their new neighborhood, I just sat on the step waiting for someone to come out looking for me.  I even said hello to a neighbor who was walking his rather large CAT!  Finally, Rob poked his head out to see what I was doing.  So I waved him over and explained.  Then, as another neighbor waved to Rob, I hung onto his forearms and hopped into the house!  How embarrassing!  Ma and Pa came to run me to the ER.   I am 49 years old and I still have my parents coming to my rescue!  I am very
lucky.  Long story short, it's either torn or strained.  I could not put any weight on it.  Seriously?!?!

I used crutches for a week and an immobilizer.  Recently, I had it checked by an orthopedic doctor.  He gave me a cortisone shot and I have been not too happy about that ever since.  Cortisone equals steroids.  I have had a rash and my stomach hurts from the roids.  I haven't been able to sleep well either.  I should have said NO.  The only good part is I can walk!  My friend Kathy brought us a delicious stuffed shell dinner.   That girl is always thinking of others.  My family was  happy about that since it's a busy season around here and that means I wasn't cooking much with crutches.  It is getting better.  I just need these steroids to wear off.  It reminds me too much of regular chemo and that sick feeling you usually have in your stomach.  Ugh.

Speaking of chemo, me and my Parps are doing well otherwise.  I have felt sicker from the steroids, but I know that's why I feel this way.  I have a CT scan tomorrow afternoon and blood work again in another 2 weeks preparing to see Dr. Krivak in Pittsburgh so we can see how I am doing overall with the parp inhibitors.  It has just become another part of my life popping 8 pills two times a day.  I have my phone alarm set and when it goes off I take them.  My family members love to tease me about the parp alarm!  At least I won't forget to take them, right?

ZaCh got hired at Perseus House, a juvenile residential facility where teens have been court ordered to live there and receive rehabilitation, coping skills, etc. to help them make better choices  rather than a life of crime.  He begins tomorrow!  He also plans to continue to work with his buddy Erik, a young man with autism.  So he is going to be a busy boy! We are very proud of him and think this should give him a great experience.

Andrew took his girlfriend Jensen and their friend Tiffany to a Cocktails and Color class for her
birthday.  They seemed to have a really nice time and their pictures  look great!  Andrew is heading for finals week!  He will be busy cramming and hopefully ending the semester on a positive note!  Good luck, Andy Pandy!

Yesterday, my fun sister-in-law, Michelle and I headed out to find a mother-of-the-bride dress, and. . . we found one!  It has been purchased!  I have it hanging on my closet door for these last 11 weeks of motivation.  Thank God for Spanx!  They should help too!  We had a great time trying on all kinds of dresses.

My talented sister-in-law designed the wedding shower invitations for us, as well as the wedding invitations.  We really need to get busy addressing and stuffing envelopes!  I can't believe how it snuck up on us! We just went to  a family friend's shower and had a wonderful time!  I hope ours goes well too.

On a final note, it is teacher appreciation week and nurse's day is this week as well.  If there is a teacher that has made a difference in your life be sure to thank them!  Alex brought me a delicious apple pie on Friday.  It had little apples cut out all over the top for the crust.  Adorable.

The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day!  Get out there and enjoy it!  I plan to try to walk a little out at the peninsula.  Let's see how that shot holds up now!

Pittsburgh with my Posse, PSSA's, and Play Ball!

 What a way to start the week with some beautiful yellow carnations and some stress relief ant bacterial soap.  Thank you, Michelle! Just in time for a stress filled week! 💛

     There's an exhilarating feeling when you get the opportunity to escape from the usual routine and head out on the highway on your own.  Granted, my kids are grown adults; however, I rarely go too many places without them even now.  Otherwise, Rob is with me in the driver's seat while I enjoy the scenery or a good book.

     This past weekend was different.  It was time for my college roommates and I to get together.  We try to meet up twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring.  Three of us live in Pennsylvania; York, Valencia, and Erie.  The other one lives in Canton, OH.  We've been to Pittsburgh a couple of times, Northeast, PA twice for wine tasting weekends, Ligonier, PA and even West Virginia a few times at a town called Berkely Springs where we rented a house.


I got a late start on the road because I was setting up my classroom for PSSA's.  (I am going to take the back road for a minute and talk about this first!)   There is a lot that goes into it believe it or not.  We were required to keep a binder of materials this time in case the PSSA police from the state pop in.  I liked this idea!  That way everything was in one place.  I needed copies of the state accommodations for all of the students I monitor that have IEP's.    I also needed to make sure those teachers that have any of my students in their room for testing had their accommodations as well.
Seating charts needed to be made.  The room had to be set up so the students were spread out as much as possible.  The Smartboard pages were created to display the section we were working on
each day with the test and answer booklet pages displayed on it along with the questions they would
need to complete.  PSSA Training papers and emails were place in the binder.  Ethical standards and
the code of conduct were put in there too.

     Then, any motivational posters or bulletin boards had to be taken down or covered.  It looked so sterile and unfriendly. . .I couldn't take it!  So I made big, bright flowers to hand on the wall!  No words were on them.  It just made it more homey.  Finally, I gathered supplies together-extra number 2 pencils, sticky notes, highlighters, reading windows, index cards,  xeroxed puzzle packets to
complete while others finished, etc. . .Signs were posted on the door.  I was finally ready for
Monday's testing to begin!

     As we finished Day 4 today and I was watching my students working hard and trying their best, I couldn't help thinking how unfair it is for them. I know, life is unfair sometimes.  However, how would you feel if you were taking the 7th or 8th grade PSSA's, but only read on the 4th or 5th grade 

reading level?  How frustrating that would be!  They've been beat before they've begun. Ohhhh, how 

I wish those that made these crazy rules up would see the light!  All those accommodations the Special and Regular Education teachers make are not allowed during the testing, however.  Minimal accommodations are allowed such as extended time.  This of course, is for everyone.  So what are we measuring??  And then I will receive a score as far as how effective a teacher I am based on how they perform.  It makes up 35% of my score.  I don't care about that part.  I know I work hard and do all I 

can for my students.  It's just frustrating.  Until next week when we begin the Math section, I will try 

not to think of this for a few days. . .

     Now back to the weekend!   I finally left work Friday around 6 pm, stopped to pick up some veggies, hummus, and almonds to share, purchased a bottle of red wine, grabbed my bags and my parp inhibitors and finally hopped on I-79S at about 7:20 pm.   It was a beautiful ride down as the sun set on a gorgeous day.  I had my own concert on the way down belting out the words to songs from Sugarland, The Wreckers, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and many more enjoyable tunes.  Before I
knew it, I was pulling into Tammy's driveway where a plaid "Edinboro University" bow was hanging
around the lamp post and my roommates were waving their wine glasses and greeting me from the
front porch!

     We had a great time catching up since we saw one another last November.   Tammy and Bob's home is beautiful.  They just built it two years ago.  Tammy has 3 children and Bob has 2, so let's just say they could run a Bed & Breakfast establishment.  They have 5 1/2 bathrooms and 6 bedrooms!  The kids were at gone for the weekend, so we took over the house.  We sat in the hot tub enjoying the view of the stars while sipping our drinks and reminiscing about long ago times.  How quickly life
passes by.  It seemed like only yesterday we were back at college having the time of our lives!

Tammy had dug out her Edinboro brochure that the Band had been the cover of back in the mid 80's.  She had it framed and hanging in one of her rooms.  The Tam O'Shanters (dance team) were front and center.  Tammy and I were captains, so you can't miss us!  Just look for my big hair!  It looks like I
may take off at any minute!  If you look along the line on the right hand side, you will see my husband of almost 28 years, Rob, who wanted to be noticed in the photo.  So at the last minute he decided to step out of the line a bit.  Yep!  That's my guy!  Tammy also brought out her photo album from the 80's and ohhhh how we laughed!

     Besides catching up, we went to the Strip District and looked through all the shops.  We ate at a little diner that was actually on "diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" with Bobby Flay.  It's called Kelly O's.  I had a delicious Spinach Salad that I would highly recommend!  We also played a new game called QUELF.  It was hysterical.  The game actually won Board Game of the Year!  There are five
categories of cards in the game.  Don't ask.  I can't remember what they were.  At one point, though, I
had a board game cover stuck under my shirt-and nicknamed Sponge Sue Square Shirt-Sarah had her head wrapped in toilet paper like a mummy dreaming of the number 4 to be rolled, Pam had to write a song and then sing it to Bob, and every time Bob wanted to take a drink,he had to say, "I need to take my pills."  That would have been a good card for me to draw!  We enjoyed getting to know Bob
better.  Tammy and Bob have been married two years.  He is from Canada and ohh how we enjoyed
hearing him say out and about!  We told Tammy he's a keeper if he could put up with us all weekend! 
The girls started their Saturday morning with Mimosas and the hot tub.  I started mine with my 8 chemo pills and a big glass of H2O!  It didn't matter what you were drinking, and they know I have never been a lush!  We just had fun.

     While I was catching up with my friends,  our baby niece Lydia and the family celebrated her FIRST Birthday!  She is walking and babbling up a storm!  We just love her.  Happy Birthday, pretty Liddy!

   All things must come to an end so we said our goodbyes and look forward to reuniting again for Danielle's upcoming shower and wedding.  We may not see each other a lot, but when we do, we pick right up where we left off.  Poor Sarah's battery died on her way home and she was then greeted by a sick husband.  Pam's husband pulled a muscle in his shoulder while she was away.  Back to reality!

     As for the rest of the week it has been filled with PSSA's, softball games, and blood work.  Even though Danielle no longer plays softball, she now coaches for the high school she and I teach at.  My husband, her dad, is the assistant coach.  They have a great group of girls with lots of potential.  It is a building year with 13 freshmen on the team.  They only have 5 seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophomores.  I have enjoyed sitting at the ball field watching them play the past two evenings in the sunshine.  I
didn't realize how much I missed it!  What's really nice is running into old high school friends like
Shelly and Debbie.  Their girls are on the team my daughter coaches!  Yes, I was a young 22 year old bride.  Cindy, a friend I used to teach with when I was a long term sub, also has a daughter on the team.  They lost both games this week, but only by a run or two.  It will come together for them!  I just know it will.  Meanwhile, they have quite a winning streak with their JV team.  A group of girls who have played ball together for a long time.  It's quite a difference between JV and Varsity.


     Well, the weekend is here.  Danielle and Corey closed on their house yesterday , so stay tuned as we get ready to help them make their house a HOME!

    

Busy Easter Break!

Ohhhh what a great Easter break we had!  It was filled with family, friends, great food, and lots of  naps!

Several of the days during break I continued to educate myself by watching some podcasts called "The Truth About Cancer: A Quest for the Cure."  I know my life has been extended due to my faith and being in the hands of some excellent oncologists along with lots of prayers.  In these eleven episodes many of these holistic doctors tend to tell how they began as
physicians.  After seeing many patients never really being cured but rather medicated,  which poisons the body more, they started to study nutrition and curing those with cancer, depression, fibromyalgia, and many other diseases by eating from natue's pharmacy, detoxing the body using coffee enemas, keeping the body more alkaline rather than acidic, heating the body core up to 103 degrees and sweating out toxins, kelation therapy to remove metals from the body, etc.  Well, I decided that I would continue my journey by trying to eat more like the hunters and gatherers.

Over the past year and a half I no longer drink pop of any
kind, artificial sweeteners, wheat, or dairy (most of the
time.)  I participated in Dr. Krauza's 58 Day Challenge that
got me started eating better.  It's surprising how our food can
make us feel so sluggish, bloated, and full of inflammation.
I believe it is the right thing to a do for ME.  The hardest thing I struggle with is giving up sugar completely.  I'll do well for several weeks and then fall of the wagon for a few days.  When I have foods with sugar or carbs, my body craves it like an addict craves that next cigarette.

So after listening to these podcasts, this is what the repeated messages were:  Cancer cells feed on sugar!  It is actually sugar water they put in your veins for the PET scans so the cancer cells will light up.   I may have to buy this podcast
and play it over in my head at least once a week to keep reminding myself why I am not eating it!   They continued to
repeat how we should be eating God made food, not man made (aka processed).  If you read a label
you should buy the one that has the smallest list, and be able to know and pronounce all that is in it.  We should also watch the added sugar they dump into everything we eat so our bodies will crave more of it.

These Holistic physicians recommended eating mostly vegetables with a little lean, hormone free, grass fed animal meat.  They said to stay away from wheat.  It is another one of those products that cause inflammation. This was interesting; the male doctors said eat fruits and veggies.  The women doctors said eat any of the berries, but not  too much fruit because they are high in natural sugars which will make your body crave sugar.  I am eliminating those things that are "bad" for me.  Fruit isn't bad for me!  I just won't go overboard with it so my glycemic index doesn't hit the roof!   They spoke quite highly of the cruciferous veggies.  The spice that was brought up a lot was turmeric, or cucermin, which is in the turmeric.  One doctor referred to the Bible stating the three Kings brought gold, frankinsence and mryhh to Jesus.  They actually believe the "gold" was turmeric!  How about that.  I'm glad I've been popping my turmeric/curcumin capsules!   So I look forward to continue to eat healthier and learning more.

We received great news about my CA125 tumor numbers!  It was at 196 six weeks ago and now it is
 65!!!!  It dropped 131 points in six weeks!  I'll take that!  My scan is scheduled for the end of this
month (with sugar water, I would imagine, but how else will we know what's going on in there?!) and before I head down to Pittsburgh to see Dr. Krivak mid May, they will check it again.  We
are so relieved that the parp inhibitors are working.

Mel, Linda, and Melinda busy decorating their bonnets.

                                             Lots of supplies and two of the hats.

To prepare for all the Easter festivities, I knew I needed to see my dear  friend and retired colleague, Melanie.  Sadly, her Mom Betty passed away in the fall.  Mel and Betty's favorite holiday is Easter.  My colleagues knew this would be a difficult holiday for her.  So to get Mel into the holiday mood, a few of us were able to get together and decorate bonnets!  This was a tradition her and her Mom had done for years, so we knew we needed to continue to uphold the tradition!  It was a lot of fun and a new tradition we plan to continue with her each year.   

We had a great Easter celebrating Saturday and Sunday.  I love spending time with my great nieces.  Aubree is really starting to come out of her shell these days.  Great Grandma and Great Grandpa 

Pakela had placed bunny footprints all over the  kitchen.  My brother Bobby is an amazing Grandpa!  

I can't get over how much he loves his granddaughters.  He stuffed plastic eggs with surprises in 

them and we all chipped in hiding them around the house at Aubree's eye level.  Of course, Morgan, her sister, who is 14 months made her own fun collecting eggs as well.  

Aubree on the search for eggs!

Family visiting and me attempting at photography

Morgan so happy with her stuffed Peep!

Morgan collecting eggs near the bunny prints.  I see Aunt Gerry!

Cousins Shannon and Danielle with Morgan.

On Sunday we headed to Grandpa Chase's and JoAnn's house.  We were all able to be together except for Kian, Scott, and Michelle.  Kian came down with that awful stomach virus that is going around.  He even had to go to the hospital for several hours and have an IV for fluids.  Unfortunately, he is still not feeling well.  It seems to take quite a while to get back to feeling yourself.  Lots of fluids and rest is the best. 

Lilly checking out the family Easter basket!

Pretty Liddy! 

Ethan and Lydia

So the rest of us enjoyed watching Ethan and Lydia find their baskets and enjoy a great meal while we watched the Pittsburgh Penguins LOSE.  I'm hoping they pull out a big WIN tonight, or they won't make the playoffs this year. . .sigh.   Anyway, we saved the Easter egg hunting for another day when Kian can join us.  

All good things must come to an end!  Have a great week and continue to look for things that make you happy and bring you joy!  I am enjoying the time I take to fill my Joy Journal as often as possible.  It really does make you think happier thoughts.  Oh, one more thing:  I need to give the Lady Husky Softball team kudos on their first region win of the season!  Way to go ladies!  You made Mama Chase proud!  

Next weekend we have Lydia's birthday.  She will turn 1 year old!  I will also be getting together with my college room mates in Pittsburgh.  We try to do this twice a year.  So much to look forward to!  Have a great short week!