How I am I Spending My Summer Vacation

Remember back in the day when you returned to school and your first assignment was to write about what you did over your summer vacation? Come to think of it, I think even Lauren and George had some of those assignments. You always wanted something in your summer memories to be special, different, or something the other kids would go "wow" or "cool"...you certainly did not want to admit the truth that you had laid in the air conditioned house, watch TV and were really bored. Side bar...coolest summer vaca was when Kathy and I attended an Apollo launch as a NASA VIP with my mom, who was a NASA VIP. It was a down and back one day affair, with a plane ride and private tour, but it was way cooler than the car trip that everyone else had taken. While our kids did have some pretty good summer vacas..I still think watching (and feeling)a Saturn V rocket leave the launch pad is still top of the list for memorable vacas...yeah, space geek, I am. Fast forward, after a couple of years of business travel with Ed, semi retirement travel and full out retire travel...the last six months have been lacking in cool, interesting or wow...it has been boring, and I feel deprived. When we (I mean me and my travel partner, Ed) first started the 2012 medical year, we promised that we would reward ourselves we I finished my last chemo treatment,before I began radiation (usually a four week recess) and after he finished his knee replacements. Well, how's that plan working you ask, since I am finished with my chemo and Ed is three weeks out from his right knee replacement. The medical community all wants to see us before radiation starts...as if I might explode or something during rads...like a marshmallow in the microwave. Monday was Ed's day with Dr. Siff. What can I say, the boy responds to having his ego stroked...Siff gave him yet another gold star for being his best patient. Wanted to hire him to teach his other patients how to rehab after knee replacement. The man who was too stiff that morning to drive downtown, sprinted out of the very crowded office and nearly jumped over the furniture to retrieve me. He skipped to the elevator...he has a couple more weeks of three day a week PT, where he continues to showoff his flexibility and brag about the zero complications he has had. He has made loads of new friends... Told you we were bored. Tuesday was my turn...back to the plastic surgeon...for after, but before pictures. You know how much I love having my picture made to begin with...it is a head on crash of fantasy, reality and the whole "adds ten pounds" thing...hate them...just ask my family. So, a shirt off shot, cringe...while my neck up are not,part of the shot, I would know the girls before and after surgery in a heartbeat if said pics show up on a gallery of clients. Just hope I didn't sign that right away somewhere along the line. After regaining my shirt and dignity, I recognized that I was a mere 1.5 miles from the new Trader Joe's store in the Woodlands. Summer field trip...105 in the shade, yeah, let's go...if nothing else to people watch. I am familiar with TJ from my Tucson visits. I was curious how a Texas TJ would do..when you have HEB, Central Market and Whole Foods..Texas born and breed...and everything is bigger in Texas, thing going on..the bar can be pretty high for outsiders. There were lots of confused shoppers...this is not a big store...this is more for high end, empty nester or professionals, not mom with 5 kids. Got my party snacks...great selection and price, my chicken sausage (want to compare to my HEB) and the obligatory bottles of "two buck chuck" ($2.99) ...aka Charles Shaw wine, now rebranded as Trader Joes wine. Think that a midtown location may have been wiser, but since I have plenty of trips (30+) this summer, I will bring my friends along for their summer field trip, when we go to radiation and lunch. Oh yeah, there will be more shirt off pics after they nuke me. Dr. G said that it might make the skin look like a dried out citrus fruit, or they could change shape or size...like I said, no big bucks on cute underwear yet, can't wait. Today, is Wednesday, I was out the door solo by 7:45 for All day appointments with the mother ship of MD Anderson..complete with the usual awful traffic on 59 just as you get to downtown and crawl to 288. Eddie knows how to go through downtown and get back on right before 288 and avoid the mess. I thought I remembered, apparently not, chemo brain, whatever, I was on a one way going the wrong way during rush hour...the good Lord watches over me, thank goodness. If Eddie finds out, he probably won't let me leave the 'hood by myself..so mums the word. Anyway, it is more pictures after and before...shirt off...but don't know,if I would recognize them in a line up. Can I tell you how much easier a mammogram is when the girls fit on the platform, without help...not too painful either. Even the tech remarked how much smaller they were, since she had my before surgery shots. Interesting side note, she said you could tell how they had rearranged the furniture with the reduction. Most painful moment would be the close up of the ratty chemo port...so it is not confused with any of the other pieces of furniture..as if...I am currently waiting for my ultrasound, where they use way more than the recommended dose of goo. If I am lucky, I will be finished early and head back home before the traffic builds. Today's reward stop will be at Pensky's for a spice fix. Hey, you have to look forward to these small vacas. Next couple weeks will be pretty much like this week, hot, humid and doctor's waiting rooms. Radiation after the 18th looks more like a holiday since it suppose to be quick in and out. Gee, I hope you all aren't jealous of how I am spending my summer vacation. Will keep you updated on our unique staycation...until then, hope your summer travels are safe and full of good and happy memories.