Oncologist Visit and Ugly Doll

I saw my oncologist this week - just a follow-up. She is very pleased with my recovery (I guess that the brain issues and hip issues and upcoming surgery are not very important to an oncologist). Okay, sorry, I know that I am being negative. I have lots and lots to be thankful for and with all that I went through, I am lucky to be alive and doing as well as I am! I know and understand that. I also try very hard to celebrate all the good things in my life, but sometimes being told that I am "fortunate", just gets old and annoying!

Anyway, I digress. My office visit went well and all my blood work was good and I have now "graduated" to only seeing her every three months. I will also have a brain CT scan in March - after the hip surgery, I can no longer have MRI's. So, lots of good news. I gave Dr. Rao a little present - it was a clip on Ugly Doll. Ugly Doll's have sort of been my "thing" since the whole cancer stuff. I'm not exactly sure when I said it or to whom, but at some point, I was feeling low and my hair was falling out and skin peeling and I said "I feel like an ugly doll". The reply was "well, Ugly Dolls are adorable". So, to me, Ugly Dolls have been a symbol of recovery - yes, I might have felt "ugly", but I really was "adorable". I have given Ugly Dolls to some co-workers, family members (Hannah loves them), some favorite nurses and a few friends throughout this cancer ordeal. I would have liked to buy an Ugly Doll for everyone in my life, but then I would need to have gotten back to work and be making some overtime for that! Dr. Rao is not normally a very demonstrative person - she is very business-like and matter-of-fact. I was surprised to see her almost (almost) tear-up when I gave her the little Ugly Doll. She said that she was going to put it on her purse. While I was checking out and making my next appointments (Not until March - yeah!), I heard her telling her staff about the Ugly Doll and how cute it was! Made me feel good. It was a good day all around. I'm not bragging - but for now, I am one-up on cancer!