I am just not feeling the whole "blog" thing lately.....or for the past year. I was busy with the holidays last year and then I got sick in January and the whole year kind of escaped me. I can't believe that it is almost December. I feel like I missed most of 2012. My health is definitely on the upswing and I feel pretty good most days. I still have a few swollen lymph nodes that are sore and I still get tired really easily, but otherwise, I think I am almost 100% better.
Who knew a cat could ruin a whole year of my life? A cat?! Pets and I? We don't get along anymore. And I have become a complete, crazy germaphobe. I wash my hands like a crazy lady and I disinfect the house with Lysol just about everyday. And I stay as far away from cats as possible. And most other animals and ticks and bugs and mold and dust and dirt. There is a lot of scary stuff out there! I learned WAY too much about all the crazy diseases that are out there because it took them so long to diagnose me. Every other week they told me they suspected some new, crazy disease that I had never heard of, so naturally I researched them all and now ALL germs kind of freak me out. Tularemia, Brucellosis, Coccidiomycosis, Toxoplasmosis, Tuberculosis (tested 6 different times for that one,) HIV, Lymphoma, Castles Disease, Sarcoidosis, Q fever, and Lupus, are just a few of the things that they tested me for that I can think of off the top of my head. Plus all the blood cultures ( I know had at least 12 of them drawn, so 24) and all the other blood work. I also had two surgeries, an FNA biopsy, CT scans, ultrasounds, hospital stays, pneumonia, heart tests, xrays. It infected my lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lungs, and eyes. It was seriously crazy. I am so glad that it is all behind me now (hopefully) and I can start to get on with my life. Unfortunately, there are many people with Bartonella, who are chronically sick for years. Crossing my fingers that I'm not one of them.
And all though this year has been a really crappy one, I am SO grateful that it wasn't cancer. Having lymphoma hanging over my head for over a month was rough. Especially with four kids and a husband at home who still need me. I had several doctors 100% convinced that I had Lymphoma (including my Oncologist) and they were prepping me to start chemo. Thank goodness they waited to do anything until my first biopsy came back.
When I slowly started doing things again, like cooking dinner, Caden would dance around and clap in the kitchen and say things like "Mom's back to normal. Everything is normal again. Yes!" It has been so nice to be able to take care of my house and family again. I hope and pray that I am never, ever sick like that again.
So, that in a nutshell, is mainly why I haven't been blogging. I am going to try really hard to keep up better now, but no promises. Facebook makes it really easy to neglect my blog, since I am always posting pictures and different things on there and keeping in touch with everyone on there.
My next post will be full of happiness and pictures ;) Maybe.
