1 Down, 19 to Go....

 We're back!  We got home from the most amazing trip last night at about 6PM.  We slept 11 glorious hours, took Nolan to his 13 year old physical (they start the "turn your head at cough" at 13 apparently), and then I had my first radiation treatment!

I laid down for a cat nap that turned into a nap nap, with an incorrect alarm...thankfully Jason woke me up and I ended up only being about 5 minutes late.  I always preach about good first impressions though, so that was kind of mortifying.  Anyway, I thought I would feel something or see something and I didn't.  I put on a gown from the waist up, and laid on a hard, sheet covered platform.  They rubber banded my feet together and adjusted me using my tattoos.  Then they left through the thickest door I've ever seen.  I thought there would be lasers or a zapping noise and I would feel burning.  HA!  How wrong I was.  They had 80s music on, a really cool light-up ceiling, and the machine moved around me while I felt nothing.  It was super fast.  19 more to go.

Jason, Nolan, mom and I just spent 9 amazing days touring Amsterdam, Germany, Switzerland and France, and I thought about cancer less than I have in the last 2 months.  It was glorious, and it gave me hope that this WON'T be the first thing I think about everyday when I wake up for the rest of my life!  I did start to feel whiney about Wednesday because I didn't want to come back and do radiation!  It was truly the trip of a lifetime!

Quick recap....

Arrived in Amsterdam, sunny and beautiful.  Orientation dinner, sleep.  Canal cruise, trip to Volendam- clog and cheese shop, windmill, touristy town.  So beautiful.  Dutch meal.



Bus to Heidelberg, Germany, short orientation tour, looking at the famous bridge and castle, free time, and German meal at Bierhaus.  Beautiful hotel, fun green parrots!  There was a new Hallmark Christmas movie set in Heidelberg last year!


 Best breakfast in Heidelberg, but amazing everywhere!  The croissants and pain au chocolat were to die for!  Bus to Lucerne, Switzerland including a cruise on the Rhine River, a stop in the Black Forest for cake and shopping and Rhine River Falls.  When we arrived in Lucern we saw the Lion Monument and panorama, as well as city orientation.  The next morning we went to Mt. Pilatus, the weather wasn't great, but we did get glimpses of the mountains we were surrounded by.  We shopped in the afternoon...Swiss watches, army knives and chocolate.  Then we attended a Swiss Folklore event with fun food and entertainment!  





After Lucerne, Switzerland we traveled to Beaune, France in the Burgundy region.  We toured the world's oldest hospice, had a wine tasting and some wonderful and interesting food.  (Note- in France a charcuterie board is only meat....)



After Beaune we traveled to Chateau du Versailles where we had the best lunch of the trip (I think), crepes, ham and cheese baguettes, and other deliciousness.  That evening we had a French Dinner (free flowing wine, escargot, French onion soup, Leek tart, boeuf bourguignon, duck l'orange, cod, chocolate), YUM!

Our final day was spent on a city tour, including a cruise along the river Seine, the Louvre, and then we walked to the Eiffel Tower, ate, shopped, and enjoyed views from Montparnasse before we packed and watched the tower twinkle one last time!


Truly the trip of a lifetime.  We're exhausted, but so thankful this was planned MANY months before my diagnosis and that we were able to work treatment around it!  
Our traditional pouty picture at the end of vacation.  



















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