9/2/14. The post where I have the best news EVER!

9/2/14: back to work after four days out.  I took a long walk and started the day at about a 6.  Then I went to work and settled in for a long day of waiting.  This afternoon was Mom's doctor appointment, where she would get the results of her scans.  Dad and one of my brothers would be at the appointment with her, but it was still really hard for me to handle not being there.  At one point this morning I considered jumping in the car and joining them, but settled for calling her instead.  

Late in the afternoon, the group text to the family finally came...no sign of cancer!!!  The next 30 minutes were filled with excited texts back and forth between family members.  I called Mom as soon as they got home to get the details.  For the next three months, she'll continue to have lab tests and oncologist appointments, and then another scan.  For the foreseeable future, there will be no chemo!  She can concentrate on regaining her strength and weight.  I see a lot of queso and chocolate in her future.

The next few hours were amazing. I stopped by the store after work to buy ingredients for a celebratory dinner.  It wasn't crowded, they had everything on my list, and the employees were friendly and competent.  (Yes, I know.  It doesn't take much to impress me.)  I went home and started cooking.  Everything was going great...until the garlic exploded.  I was smashing garlic gloves on the cutting board and perhaps I was a bit too exuberant on the last clove. It flew into a million pieces, sending the rest of the garlic flying all over me and the freshly cleaned floor.  I let out a mild curse, but my heart wasn't in it. It was way too great a day to be bothered by first world problems.  

My patient, long-suffering husband was also in on the excitement.  Even though he had to work late fixing someone else's errors and came home sore and tired from sitting at his desk for too long, he walked in the door singing and laughing.  We opened a special occasion wine and enjoyed our dinner, giddy over the happy news.

The only one who didn't get in on the fun was my foot.  It sat scowling with its arms crossed, holding its breath until it turned purple (if you can imagine a foot doing such a thing).  Which cements what I have long suspected - my foot is kind of a jerk.  No worries.  Right now I may be at an 8 and smell like garlic, but in two more days I will have the last laugh.  But I will probably still smell like garlic.