I've written in previous entries about the busy month my mom and I had, with her having to make an unexpected visit to the dermatologist at the beginning of the month for what thankfully turned out to be a benign mole.
Later in the month, there were also her CT scans and the appointment with her medical oncologist to go over the results, and to do lab work as part of the post-chemo monitoring process.
We felt so blessed to hear him say the CT scan results looked "really good" and to later learn from him that her bloodwork numbers were encouraging as well. Also, he informed us later in the week that her CEA number (what they call the tumor marker for colon cancer patients) supported his belief that she was in remission.
READ MORE (VIP) -->> Caregiver's Diary Part 41: CT Scan Results, and an Act of Kindness That Hit Me Right in the Feels
All of the above was the best we could hope and pray for, and after all was said and done, and after we had time to catch our collective breath, Mom and I got to talking, a conversation in which I was reminded that we have had a steady stream of doctor appointments since February.
Between the two of us, we've had at least one doctor appointment a month since nearly the first of the year, and in some cases - like June and July, it was more than one.
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— Sister Toldjah 💙 (@sistertoldjah) June 18, 2025
I had mom double-check her calendar, and I scanned mine as well, and we both discovered that as of right now, there are no appointments for either of us in the month of August. They start back up again in September for both of us, but August is - for now, at least (and hopefully will remain), appointment-free.
Anticipation over certain doctor appointments can sometimes consume me and distract me to the point that it makes it difficult to focus on anything else, so it's going to feel weird (in a good way) heading into August with none on the immediate horizon.
So what are our "big" plans for August?
Trying to catch up on some small projects I've put off - some of which include some redecorating, and possibly even start a semi-big project or two, assuming I can find contractors to do the work at a reasonable price.
While this may not sound like a big deal or something "fun" to do for some, for me, it is absolutely essential for my well-being, because any long overdue thing I can tick off of my ever-growing to-do list is a mega-win, a weight that finally falls off of my shoulders.
There also may be a couple of day trips in store, depending on the weather and how Mom is feeling.
SEE ALSO (VIP) -->> Caregiver's Diary Part 25: Stepping Out of the Caregiver Comfort Zone
The plan is to take each day one day at a time, one step at a time, and enjoy the moment without thinking too far ahead on the "what might be" stuff. This is hard to do when you're like me and are always in "lookout" mode for things you feel might warrant a call to the pharmacy, or an email and/or visit to her primary care physician.
While I can't turn that part of myself off (and don't want to), what I am going to try to do is not hyper-analyze every cough or sneeze, and instead will just play things by ear, which will be a relief to mom -- and me, too. :)
DIVE DEEPER: To check out my previous Caregiver's Diary entries, please click here. Thank you!
