Update and a Smile

So two weeks ago today I had my biopsy.  The oncologist said that if everything was fine, she wouldn't call. If it was still there or worse, she would call.  I had asked the lab how long it would take for the results of the biopsy to come back.  They told me 5-7 days.  So the oncologist should have the results by now.  Do I assume that everything is fine because she hasn't called?  It is like lulling me into a false sense of security.  Not getting a call makes me think that everything might be fine, but then I think back to the biopsy that I had in March, and when I called after a month, I found out that they were waiting on a second opinion because they didn't know how bad it was.  Turns out it was the worst it could be (with the exception of cancer).  I'm not worried about it coming back cancerous - they did the MRI, cancer would have shown up.  And I do seem to be responding to treatment - the lining is much thinner than it was and apparently the spotting every couple of weeks is normal and the oncologist was happy with the results.  She thinks that it's cleared up - but I"m not convinced.  I had the waiting.  This is much worse than the TWW!

On another issue, the car that died about three weeks is done for.  The engine seized up completely.  The best guess is that the oil pump went and the engine was getting no oil, and burned up.  The total cost for repairs would be about $4000.  That's great except that the car is was worth only about $1000 max.  So we got it towed back to the in-law's place where it is sitting.  I'm hoping to sell it on kijiji or by classified ad for a few hundred.  The body is still in good shape and it has some new and newish parts in the engine (brand new starter motor for example).  The tires have less than 10,000 km (6000 miles) on them.  The interior is in really good shape.  So hopefully someone wants it for parts, or has an engine they can pop in and get a few years off of it.  Failing that option, we may donate it to the kidney foundation - they at least give you a tax receipt for the car donation, so that would be good.  Turns out a wrecker will only give me about $100 for the thing, so that's the last option.

So, we went on the car hunt.  It made it extra difficult given that I was just released from bankruptcy a month ago.  So my credit is nil and not too many people want to take a chance on lending me money.  I found a bunch of vehicles that I was interested in at one dealership and called them up.  They ran the credit and found out that they could do a payment for me up to $700 per month.  That would have taken care of a new vehicle, but that seemed awfully high (particularly with hubby still not employed).  Knowing that we could get  the money made it easier to look for something.  I went to do some test driving, and ended up test driving a couple of different models.  The Jeep Compass that I thought would be the key for us turned out to be like driving a tin can, and the Hyundai Santa Fe was like sitting in a shoe box.  Seriously, right now, take your hand and put it on you eyebrows like you're going to salute.  Then look straight ahead... that's what the visibility was like for me in the Santa Fe.  I had less than inch of head room between my head and roof!  I didn't even bother driving it.  In the end, the winner was a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox.  It's silver and completely decked out - automatic everything and the miles on it were minimal - only 109,000 km (67,700 miles for you American folk).  I'm pretty happy with it so far.  I nearly lost it on hubby when I got into the car today though.  He has a habit of putting his sunglasses, wallet, etc on the console in front of the gauges.  Now, in his little car I get that, there is no storage room, but this one has all sorts of space.  I threw his stuff around and screamed for a bit (he wasn't in the car btw lol).  Anyway, I'll have to work on training him on that. :)

So that's the current update.  I go back to work in a week and students are back in two weeks.  I just don't know where the summer went!  But hey, my countdown timer told me I'm less than 6 months til Hawaii, so that's a good thing!!

And I leave you with a picture that you can't help but smile at...