Monday, March 8, 2010

Good news, good numbers

CA-125 is more than a California Interstate highway (actually, there isn't one by that name). It's the marker for ovarian cancer. And Peg was tested for it last week. "Normal" is below 20.

Peg's number is five.

On Wednesday, we see Dr. B. for our quarterly check-in. As wonderful as she is, we're thankful to see her just four times a year after seeing her every three weeks from June through December.

A quick capsule of what life is like here these days:

Zoë is on her high school swim team and practices 2 1/2 hours a day, six days a week. Plus Science Olympiad Thursdays from 6-8pm. Sunday morning's sleeping in is a treasured experience.

I just wrapped some major freelance projects and Peg and I are turning our attention to planting blueberry bushes and doing some long-neglected repainting. We had dual-pane windows installed five years ago and still haven't even primed the trim around the sliding door to the deck.

Peg is happy. A lot. Visibly, "hey, you're spilling some happy on the floor, better grab a paper towel before the tile blisses out" happy. She just really appreciates being alive in a way I, who've never been gravely ill, have never experienced. I would do well to see the world the way she sees it now.

She gave Zoë her first driving lesson in the Prius, in our ginormous high school parking lot. We're already talking about a car next year. Even though she knows I'm joking, I never fail to tweak Zoë by mentioning that her first car should really be my truck. Hey, it's a Ford F-250 crew cab with an extended bed and a V-10! And it weighs 6,300 pounds! Ya want big and safe, here it is!

Aaaaahhhh, not so much. Probably looking at a 10 year-old Beetle. She wants to paint it yellow and purple. Hell, why not? The world's a wee bit too beige.

I'll snag a photo of Peg and post it soon. Her hair is really cute, and she looks radiant.