I'M BACK!!!!!

Hi Lovely Followers!  💓💓

I am happy to say that I will be once again posting about wonderful books (yes, mostly romance as that is my favorite genre).

Please forgive me for the hiatus.  I believe I had previously posted about some health issues that arose last summer.  It has taken me a while to get back on track and blogging just wasn't up there on the list while I dealt with, not only the physical aspects of my health, but mental and emotional ones too.

Here's a bit of my story:

In July, I visited the doctor with a complaint of abdominal pain.  She ordered a CT scan which discovered an abdominal mass.  Now, in 2015 I had a complete hysterectomy so it was a bit worrisome since there were no parts down there!  I followed up with a gynecological surgeon and the tentative diagnosis was endometrial cancer (which can occur despite the hysterectomy - sometimes some minute cells get left behind)  Surgery was scheduled for August.

Surgery Day - once I was out, the doctor scanned before cutting and discovered that it appeared smaller then the previous scans.  She decided to go in laproscopically first to see what was going on.  Well, lo and behold, it wasn't a gynecological issue but was gastrointestinal one!  The mass was attached to my small intestine!  (the mass had fallen over which is why I felt it where I did and why it was believed to be gynecological).

Fortunately, one of the top GI doctors was in the next OR and came in to consult.  It was successfully removed and recovery began.  Now, overall the physical recover from the surgery went very well.  I felt fairly good from day one and improved from there.

This is where the mental and emotional issues began.  It was a cancerous tumor.  After testing, etc., it was determined to be a Gastronintestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST).  My prognosis is very good and, while I do need to have treatments, they are in the form of a daily pill.  Not terrible but still, a bit overwhelming. 

My doctors and additional staff have been fantastic - from the surgeons to my oncologist to the social worker and nutritionist to lab staff, etc.  While it can still be overwhelming and there are moments it gets to me, I have a wonderful outlook that these amazing people have helped me achieve. Yes, it will lifelong fight but my odds are good and I am just so happy to live life and enjoy!!

So, there's a summary of why I was MIA these last several months.  I already have a few books lined up to post about in the next few weeks - it might take me a bit to get back up to the rate I was posting but I am back and will post away!

I hope all is well with my lovely followers and wish everyone a healthy, happy and amazing 2019!

Cat  😻