3 Important Events in February

 Today is February 12th and three big things have already happened this month.  

February 2

Sometime in 2019, I went out to the mailbox and grabbed the mail. We don't get too many important things, like letters.  It was the usual day of junk mail and I was ready to throw it all in the recycling bin when my mom popped into my head as she reminded me to always open junk mail because there might be a dime in it, or more likely, those return labels with your name and address printed on it.  I opened every envelope hoping to find a dime when I noticed one of the letters from a company, I thought was trying to sell allergy medicine, was actually telling me my breast implants placed in 2013 had been recalled!  I quickly checked the serial and model number and sure enough, I had the bad ones.  The implants placed because of breast cancer could cause cancer.  I then read the list of symptoms and I didn't have any.  I wasn't worried.  My Athens Georgia doctor had told me I should have them replaced every 10 years and I was just 3 years away. I could wait.

When I went for my annual physical with our family doctor in 2020, I didn't even think to tell him about my implants until he asked if I was seeing an oncologist. I told him no but my implants had been recalled and that  I was going to wait. He wasn't going to have any of that!! He convinced me to meet with a local plastic surgeon, which I did right at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.  

This was something I should do but didn't want to do and with the beginning of the virus scare, I put it on the back burner. I soon received mail from the insurance company that I was approved for the procedure. Don't rush me!!  In October I received a call from the Doctor's office asking if I wanted to go ahead and get on the schedule. I told them not really.  I knew this surgery wouldn't be as brutal as the one in 2013 but I wasn't in a hurry.  I called the office back to ask if February 2021 would be okay. I thought the virus would be settled and knew this was the least busiest time at work for me. So, I was on the books for February 2021.

Maggie came up from Georgia the last week of January. She tested negative for Covid and headed right up. I had to test a few days before the surgery so Mike, Maggie, and I were quarantined at home.  We had a great time hanging out together.  Maggie had fun helping Mike shovel! I decided I am not shoveling at all this year so good thing Maggie was here to help.

I  went off to surgery February 2.

Everything went well.  I went from silicone to saline, teardrop to round, path results showed no cancer, and the implants were intact.  Three weeks of recuperating instead of six in 2013.  I have one week to go and feeling better everyday!

I also received a very nice and comforting shawl from the care givers at my Church. Hand delivered by my sister Mary, who is the care giver coordinator!

February 1

Pete, our cat turned 19!  We can't believe it.  We did a lot of reminiscing about how we ended up adopting Pete all those years ago, and how he grew up with us.  We had gone out to eat as a family at a restaurant  in a strip mall that had a pet store. The girls would always like to go look at the animals while us adults would finish up our pitcher of beer.  When the girls headed over this particular evening, I reminded them we would not be going home with any animals.   Soon they were back in the restaurant very excited about an orange cat.  Mike and I both said absolutely not. We didn't need to have another cat around the house. Somehow they convinced me to come take a look (maybe it was the beer). Molly took Sunny out of the cage and both her and Maggie started begging. Again I said no but  when Molly looked down at Sunny, and the way he looked at her, I melted and couldn't say no. That cat had so much love in his eyes and he was just begging to go home with us. The bio said he was born in a bucket, rescued and needed a good home.  I went back to the restaurant and told Mike I bought a cat. He couldn't believe it.  We decided Pete didn't look like a Sunny so we renamed him at least 15 times before we settled on Pete.

Can you imagine a pet growing up with you, for 19 years?  We expect many more years from him. 

The girls would dress him up in doll clothes.

NO Pete!  Happy Birthday to YOU!!  He get's a little confused in his old age.

A week after Pete's Birthday

We celebrated Molly's birthday! The whole family was together to celebrate and this was the first time since forever, .  Maggie was up here for my surgery so we were very excited to be all together again.  Maggie's boyfriend, Chase flew up from Georgia a couple of days after my surgery so he was able to celebrate along with us. Brice, our nephew and the girl's  cousin, even came for a day to hang out with us. It was a house full of fun!  Maggie baked Molly's cake and we had a fun, challenging time decorating it.

Happy Birthday Molly!!

Next we will celebrate Mike's birthday this month.  I guess that makes it four important events in February. Unfortunately, The girls won't be here so it will be a quiet celebration.

It is always a wonderful time when we can all be together again but very sad when everyone leaves.  I had a longer than usual what we call, Lonely Feeling.  It will be nice when we can all be together again.