This post is long overdue. I have always stressed that I want to be honest with my readers. I spent almost four hours writing the longest blog I’ve ever written then my computer glitched, and I lost all of it. So my heart has not been into re-telling all of those stories. My apologies for that. Hopefully, Santa will bring me a new laptop with an operational control button that is not broken.
Recovery/Health Update
My recovery from open-heart surgery went better than I could’ve ever expected. I was discharged from my thoracic surgeon four weeks after surgery. They were so pleased with how quickly I recovered. I went to see my regular cancer doctor at the end of October and apparently, they were expecting me to look like a decrepit old biddy. They were shocked that I looked like I always looked. To say my recovery blew them away is an understatement. That made me feel like I was on cloud nine. There’s no greater feeling than surpassing someone’s expectations of you.
I saw my oncologist and cardiac oncologist to get the tumor sequencing results. They told me there was nothing they could do preventative-wise for me at this point. I will have to wait for the cancer to return and then go from there. Not exactly the response I was expecting or wanting to hear. So we will use surveillance scans to watch for more tumor growth.
Speaking of those scans, I have a PET scan scheduled for Monday, November 25th. I’ll get those results on the 26th. I’m a nervous wreck because my past two PET scans have shown active cancer. If I’m being honest, I need a break for a little while. So if you could send me all your thoughts, prayers, good karma, pixie dust, whatever you can throw my way, I would appreciate it!!!
I have to take a minute to shout out my orthopedic surgeon who has been in my life since I was diagnosed in October 2019. He was a little nervous to see how I was recovering because he knew I had wanted to go to the Taylor Swift concert on November 1 in Indianapolis. He and his PA/my friend Glenna, were so excited when they saw how well I was doing. Dr. Patt has two teen daughters so he understands all about being a Swiftie. Now here’s the part that I want you to pay attention to. The weekend before my concert Nick came into the house and said someone is here to see you. I walked out to see Dr. Patt standing in my driveway with an envelope full of friendship bracelets that his daughter made for me for the concert. Yes, I get tears in my eyes every time I think about it. What an incredibly kind thing they did for me. It was five years in October since I was first diagnosed and met Dr. Patt and Glenna. They both have become like family to us now.
Three and a half weeks after my surgery, I went to Jackson's Homecoming pre-party at the host's house to take pics. Here's me and my boy.
Bucket List update
I’m actively working on my bucket list. I marked one off my list at the beginning of November. I also had an incredibly generous friend contact me to offer to help me achieve another bucket list item. I will successfully mark that one off in January! Thank you Lynn for making this happen!
Taylor Swift
A few weeks before I was diagnosed with the tumor in my heart, I had lucked into a pair of tickets to the Taylor Swift “The Eras Tour” concert in Indianapolis, IN. I was lucky enough to score a last-minute hotel downtown. I had never been so excited about something. I do not like to do things for myself, however, this was a bucket list item and it needed to be done!
I was cleared to fly because I recovered so quickly! So it was time to start preparing for the show. For those who aren’t aware, concertgoers trade friendship bracelets before, during, and after the show. Now, I freaked out because I am a boy mom. I didn’t have the faintest clue how to make a friendship bracelet. Truly. I bought some beads and made a factory on my dining room table. I spent hours making one, only for it to pop as soon as I put it on. Beads went everywhere. Jackson rushed off the couch to help pick them up while saying, “Momma don’t cry, we can fix it!” My child knows me!!!
I called in reinforcements. My neighborhood girlfriends came through for me in a big way. We had a big friendship bracelet-making evening in my driveway where even their daughters participated. These girls come through for me when no one else does. I am so lucky to have these women in my life. I think I ended up with 50 friendship bracelets! My friend who went with me has two teenage daughters who were bracelet machines! One of her daughters came up with the theme for our costumes. Yes, you dress up to match one of the eras Taylor sings. We went as Cruel Summer from her Lover album. I was "Devils roll the dice" and she was "Angels roll their eyes." Cute huh?!?! I am so thankful for people that have daughters.
When I asked Yolandi to go, I texted her and said I need you to be somewhere November 1 and you can’t say no. She didn’t even know where it was and said I’ll be there!!!! How incredible is that?!?! I told her where we were going and she said she wouldn't miss it for the world. She took her daughters last summer when TS was in Pittsburgh. She was experienced, and that turned out to be very helpful! I flew out Friday morning to meet my friend in Indy. She’s from the Cleveland area so she was driving to grab me from the airport. When I landed, the pilot played over the loudspeaker “Are you ready for it?”!! Every person on that flight was headed to the concert. It was so much fun. The airport was decorated in Eras Tour and TS decor. You couldn’t help but smile.
As I was trying to figure out where I go so she could pick me up, I looked up, and coming down the escalator was her with a big old smile and tears running down her cheeks. We had one of those sweet little reunions right there in the airport. (Backstory) Yolandi and I have known each other since before our kiddos were born. Before the Internet was a scary place and smartphones were rampant, we were on a birth board together. Our kiddos were due two days apart. She and I immediately hit it off. We would talk and email and we just had this instant connection. Her daughter ended up being born a month before my son because she decided to be flashy and give birth to her daughter in the backseat of her Audi on the way to the hospital.
We used to have meet-ups when I lived back in West Virginia. We met in Columbus a couple of times and we went to their house and they came to ours. Since we moved to North Carolina, I have not gotten to see her. We still talk and text, but I haven’t gotten to hug her in 10 years. We laugh and say we were sisters or connected in another life. We never seem to miss a beat. So as unlikely as it is for two friends to meet on the Internet 18 years ago, let me also add she’s originally from South Africa. So we were destined to find each other 18 years ago. I truly believe that.
After we figured out where she parked (ha!), neither one of us knew anything about this airport. We finally found our car and the way out. The city is decorated in Taylor Swift from head to toe. The Marriott had a 34-story-tall Taylor Swift! It was unbelievable. The street signs were changed to songs. It was such an experience.
We made it to the hotel and decided to head over to the convention center to get Merch. That’s what the kids call merchandise. Man, I’m old. We stood in line for 3 HOURS!!! It was nice bc it gave Yolandi and me a chance to chat and catch up. Went back to the hotel to grab a bite to eat before getting ready for the show. The employees and the menu were even TS-themed!
In the room, we blasted TS songs and turned into an angel and a devil. We finished with glitter 13’s, hair jewels, and red lips! Heading over to the show we had people sing Cruel Summer or tell us they loved our outfits. This brings me to the atmosphere. Every single person was so kind, and complimentary, offering to take pics, asking to trade bracelets, using manners, and being polite. It was like being in the twilight zone of how the world used to be. I wish I could live in that bubble every day.
The show was amazing. We danced, sang, lost our voices, and soaked in every ounce of it! I know I’ll never experience something like that again. It was just incredible. Incredible. We stayed up until 2:30 talking and then I had to get up at 6 am to head to the airport. I wasn't in Indianapolis for 24 hours, but it ranks up there with the all-time greatest memories I will ever have. My sweet friend made those 24 hrs about ME. I always worry about everyone else but she was determined to make this about ME because this was my dream. I will never forget her doing that! Just love her! Saturday morning I went to the airport with my Glitter 13 still on my hand, my Colts sweatshirt, and the red lipstick that I didn’t realize was red ink. Wow, that took a while to get off! If anyone would like to start a GoFundMe or donate tickets to her last shows in Canada, I would be a grateful recipient. I’m %100 kidding, but it was a night I will never forget. It was rare, I was there.
If you’ve hung on to the end through all my rambling, thank you! Sadly, I tend to live my life three months at a time (between scans). But I’m trying to do things for myself and work on the things I’ve always wanted to do! I’m trying to Make It Count…..for Cort!
Love, Cort
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