Holy cannoli! My last post I said I was the worst blogger…this proves it! What a blast to see what I posted so many years ago! THIRTEEN YEARS AGO!!!! Yikes! How do you come back from THAT?!?!?

Ummm…guess I’ll try. Let’s see…last few posts I mentioned ShaoXi was a Senior in HS, and we were looking at colleges. We did indeed make the trip down to Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. While it was the school farthest from home, I felt like it was the right place for my girl. I said nothing, as I wanted it to be her decision. Ultimately she was accepted at 3 colleges, but Belhaven offered the most scholarships. But, beyond that, Shao decided that she truly was meant to go to Belhaven. So in August of 2014 I drove her down and got her settled in. My best friend, Kim, flew down from Pennsylvania to drive back home with me, so I wasn’t alone. Best friends are the best! 

Thus began my life as an empty nester. Oh, it was hard! I couldn’t wait for December! I kind of forget, but I think she flew home. A few times over the four years of college she carpooled with classmates, so it’s a bit foggy! Christmas break was way too short for my liking, but that’s no surprise! One big surprise was that she had a boyfriend! I wasn’t really surprised, I knew about him before she came home. The biggest surprise? He was from Australia! And a Senior, getting ready to graduate in five more months. Long distance relationships are tough enough, but that was REALLY gonna be long distance! 

I also mentioned in previous blogs that I was not feeling well. Once Shao left to go back to school life went on as usual. For the last eighteen months I had been seeing a plethora of different doctors. I had been diagnosed with kidney disease, due to my former doctor prescribing WAY too much ibuprofen to treat constant pain. So there’s that. It doesn’t really affect me much, but I do have to be careful to keep hydrated, and it is of concern if I need to have tests done with contrast dye, like CAT scans or MRIs. 

I had been struggling for years with low iron/anemia, so had a hematologist on board. I adore him, such a great doctor! We were perplexed by the persistence of the anemia, as I had had a few iron infusions which did nothing for me. That winter of 2015 I had some new symptoms, beyond the paralyzing fatigue. I was seeing Dr. Levy every few months by then. March/April 2015 rolled around and I went to my bimonthly appointment. To my shock, and likely his, he said, “Oh, you have some enlarged lymph nodes in your neck!” One biopsy and month later, we finally figured out why I had been feeling unwell for so long. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. 

Okay this is getting so long! Stick around, I PROMISE that I won’t make you wait 13 years for part two!

Blessings, Nancy