No excuses, just update

So I have been neglecting this blog for about 3 years!

In May of 2010, I got the official word from my oncologist that I was in complete remission! And in October of this year (2012), she confirmed that I am still in remission and I don't have to check in for a year. I continue to take the Gleevec every day in the same amount. Since it is working so well for me, we are not going to change anything. There are still side effects associated with the Gleevec, but I consider them manageable and much better than the alternatives.

I am still working part time for the Fire Department. Someone has to organize the paperwork because the firefighters (including the Chief) sure don't want to! No one becomes a firefighter because they want to know how to purchase the equipment or deal with the Borough's red tape. This is a perfect job for me because it has all the flexibility I need. We went through the process of trying to get me on disability so I would qualify for Medicare, but they didn't think I was disabled enough. I can still work, just not at the level of detail that used to be involved in what I did.

I am stitching right along too. It's especially something I do while sitting still for a couple hours in the evening to wait for the Gleevec effects to settle down before I go to bed. I haven't done any large projects for a while, but I am heading toward several.

I charted the names for "Mother's Tree" by MLI which sparked a HUGE genealogy project. I was having so much fun doing the research. Information gathering and data organization is a big part of who I am and I hadn't realized how much I missed it until I started the genealogy stuff. It's like putting together a puzzle. There is a little thrill feeling every time I find a new little piece of it.

I am still friends with the people I've met through Team in Training. Most of them are no longer raising funds for L&L, but still doing marathons and sometimes raising funds for other causes. We travel to some of the marathons together.

OK, I will try to be better about posting here and keeping this updated. I see I left off about this same time of year in 2009. I don't have any excuses - just went off in another direction.