Life As Of Late… – Kristin Sterk

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve executed a “life” replace, so I believed I might share what we’ve been as much as!

I began off the brand new yr with a bang by beginning to work in school once more and likewise helped coach our college’s eighth grade basketball workforce. I had reached ONE YEAR put up transplant and what a milestone it was to hit. The truth is, simply yesterday I acquired a message that my one yr most cancers take a look at got here again NEGATIVE! Woohoo! The following purpose is to get me by means of the subsequent yr and by subsequent January, I needs to be thought-about “cured”. I’m slowly engaged on getting off some medicines (t-cells aren’t QUITE the place they need to be), and likewise finally getting revaccinated since my chemo and BMT wiped every part out of me. Simply goes to indicate what that stuff does to ya! After they say it kills every part it kills EVERYTHING :).

I’m feeling nicely and the center is engaged on recovering from my ablation in December. I simply had an ECHO, and it confirmed that the center is about the identical since December, however isn’t getting worse, in order that’s a very good factor I suppose! We’re praying God places his therapeutic hand on my coronary heart once more and that I don’t have to return on any anti-arrythmia meds anytime quickly!

Right here’s a picture-view of what we’ve been as much as…

In January we have been blessed with 4 snow days off! I obtained completely NOTHING executed these 4 days, however boy did Mazy and I stay them to the fullest! She created “properties” out of popsicle sticks and containers, which she spend HOURS on! I used to be fairly impressed together with her creations!

Each snow day we frolicked with our neighbor who additionally teaches, so when 10:00am hit, that meant it was neighbor time! We LOVE our new custom and are extremely grateful for neighbors who’ve change into greatest mates.

We have been even loopy sufficient one night time to drive out searching for ice cream! I say “searching for” as a result of we struck out on a number of locations that closed early because of the climate. So it was Culver’s for the win!

It was just a bit nasty…

And wouldn’t you realize, amidst the entire snow that week, I used to be scheduled to fly to Mesa, Arizona Thursday afternoon at 2:30, the day we acquired over a foot of snow. However lo and behold, my flight LEFT ON TIME! As you’ll be able to see under…we obtained only a few flakes that day…

I promise there’s a pool in there someplace!

Whereas I used to be gone, Mazy and Dan determined to start out constructing an igloo:

Mazy was SO excited for me to get away for a number of days that she even made me a going-away signal:

AND…I made it to Arizona, the place I met my expensive pal my Minnesota! It felt AMAZING to flee the chilly, the snow, and soak in some vitamin D. We had the ABSOLUTE BEST TIME. I can’t let you know what number of occasions I used to be doubled-over laughing about who is aware of what. Oh the tales we got here house with, despite the fact that we have been solely there 2 full days. It was the proper option to have fun my one yr post-transplant with a pal who has been by means of all of it with me!

Despite the fact that it was a brief journey, it was simply sufficient to catch up in the intervening time. We stayed in Fountain Hills, which I HIGHLY advocate. It was extremely quiet, mountains throughout us, with beautiful views in every single place.

Dem cactus have been BIG!

One thing I by no means would’ve considered, however there have been a LOT of planes that flew over therefore all of the aircraft traces, It could’ve been fascinating to see the place they have been all going!

Oh to take a seat down for dinner for hours and simply speak for hours. Anybody else love eggplant parmesan???

The cacti by no means obtained outdated! Who wouldn’t love this pink magnificence of their entrance panorama?

Fountain Hills is thought for it’s, nicely, huge fountain! There have been stunning trails throughout and whereas mountain climbing them, we rapidly realized everybody knew we have been vacationers as a result of we caught out like sore thumbs; most have been older than us by about 20 years or extra :).

The views by no means obtained outdated…are you able to see the fountain within the background?

We rapidly realized that at this canyon, they “verify your footwear” to see what path you’re match for…we clearly didn’t have the suitable footwear for some trails!

Despite the fact that the moon is within the background, that is truly the sunRISE:

On the best way again to the airport, I made a decision to take the scenic route again and little did I do know it might take me by means of some fairly mountainous areas! Fortunately the pace restrict was sluggish, which allowed for everybody to simply take all of it in. As with every image, it by no means does it justice!

Our God is such an impressive artist, isn’t he?

I do know I’ve posted about being 1 yr post-transplant, however I really feel the celebration simply continues as a result of it actually provides even MORE motive to have fun EVERY SINGLE DAY OF LIFE. Tomorrow will not be a assure. It has been laborious to determine what’s “regular” is once more, after years of battling. However God has given us grace for every day and we’re simply grateful FOR every day.