September 27, 2026 - Lucky and Greedy

Can’t I be both?

As the Florida heat finally loosens its grip and fall settles in, I pause to catch my breath. Wait. That is utter nonsense. This is Florida. We don’t really have fall! It is still hot as Hades outside, and if I liked iced pumpkin spice lattes, mine would be melting as fast as I could drink it. Thank goodness I hate pumpkin! But the calendar says autumn, so I’m going with it.

The last few months have been full, busy, and a little bit humbling, but through it all, I keep coming back to the same truth: these are the moments that matter.

Eagle Scout Mason

Mason had an incredible time at Philmont this summer, hiking 59 miles through the mountains of New Mexico. It is hard to believe he has now completed three Scouting High Adventure camps. Each experience has helped him grow, and every time he returns home, he seems a little taller, a little more confident, and full of stories.

And if that wasn’t enough, Mason, two of his buddies, and their dads tackled five states of the Appalachian Trail, starting in the Mid-Atlantic and ending in New York. They hiked for four days and covered more than 30 miles. Mason would love to hike the entire Appalachian Trail from start to finish, but that takes at least four to six months straight. So instead, he and Jamie have set a goal to hike sections of all 14 states. They knocked out four states last summer and five this summer. Only five more to go!

Pause. I would be remiss not to mention that Jamie decided to experience his very FIRST kidney stone on the Appalachian Trail. Suffice it to say (and we all know this), men are not good with pain. We went straight to the hospital when he got home. They ran the obligatory tests and basically told him he should be able to pass it at home, on his own.

Well, that was not entirely true. That first trip was on July 28th. Almost a month later to the day, on August 28th, Jamie and I were back in the emergency room. His stone had not passed, and this time they admitted him. He needed a “delicate” procedure to remove the IMPACTED stone. This was not the “blast it into pieces and pass it” kind of treatment. This was an actual surgical procedure that involved going up his ureter... I’m stopping. I’m stopping. I know if any men are reading this, they are retching loudly.

The good news is that he is A-OK. The procedure went swimmingly, and he is back to normal. We now return to our regularly scheduled program. UnPause.

Now, back to Mason. Oh, how he’s growing! At 16, he is driving, working his first job, and juggling a very demanding junior year with five AP classes, MMA practice, and his Eagle Scout duties. Five APs! What was he thinking? Heck, what was I thinking?!?! I get tired just reading his schedule. He is doing so well, but this kid is super busy, and I am so proud of the way he is handling it all.

Mason started a part-time job at Ace Hardware in May, and it has been so good for him. I assumed they would put him on back-breaking nursery duty, but they hired him as a cashier, and that has turned out to be a true blessing.

I don’t remember if I’ve ever mentioned this here, but Mason has struggled with a stutter since he was very little. He has worked hard in speech therapy and does a wonderful job managing it. Being a cashier has brought it to the forefront. He has to talk to people all day long, mostly adults. He has to initiate conversations and ask customers questions, like their phone numbers. It has put him in uncomfortable situations that are now becoming easy and routine for him. I am so proud of how he has risen to this challenge. He takes his job seriously and is so respectful of the work and the people around him.

It certainly helps that he drives himself to all his activities. But I won’t lie, Life360 has become my new best friend. It was paralyzing the first time he got behind the wheel without Jamie or me there to guide him. But let’s face it, Mason is a good kid. He is a rule follower and probably the last person on earth who would speed. He is so risk-averse, and that is a trait I wholeheartedly love in a 16-year-old driver!

I’ve attached his junior picture. He is growing up so fast, and it is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. I find myself wondering where the years went, but I am also so thankful that I am still here to watch him grow. Yes, he is still my baby. No, I will never stop saying it.

Junior Year

Mason was nine when we first had to tell him about my breast cancer. When I was first diagnosed, my goal was to see him graduate 8th grade. Then I became bold enough to hope for high school graduation. Now? Heck, I want to see him graduate college. I want to be greedy. I want all the moments, the big ones and the ordinary ones, and I am not ashamed to ask for every single one of them.

I am so thankful for these seven years with him. Seven years I couldn’t count on, and seven years I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Sometimes it feels like I’m cheating, and I find myself asking, “Why did I get so lucky?” But I do feel lucky. I am so lucky!

So Proud of Jamie!

I am thrilled to share that Jamie’s book, Medicare Mastered, is doing wonderfully! It has helped a whole new audience find him and hear his voice. It truly was a labor of love, and the response has been so rewarding. He’s already excited to update it this fall with 2027 guidance, with the new edition releasing in January.

This is also the start of Jamie’s busiest time of year. Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is right around the corner, and while it means long days, he still genuinely loves the work he does helping people navigate Medicare. That passion is one of the things I admire most about him.

And because apparently one project isn’t enough, Jamie and a few of his buddies have created a software app to automate football pools! It’s called Winapoolooza (winapoolooza.com). It is not a betting site. It’s a place to ditch the spreadsheets and manage your football pools easily and in real time. The app is live, and they’re releasing updates weekly with the goal of making it the best pool app on the market. If you run a pool or play in one, check it out!

My Health Update

Well, I mentioned possible toe surgery in my last post, and I had it! My surgery was last Monday, September 21st.

The official name is a matrixectomy. It’s a procedure to permanently remove all or part of the nail matrix, the tissue at the base of the toenail that produces the nail. Think of it as the “nail factory.” Most people have it done to end painful, recurring ingrown toenails. In my case, years of cancer treatment did a number on my nail factory, and it simply wasn’t doing its job anymore.

Let me just say, I totally underestimated this procedure. I honestly thought I’d be bopping around in flip-flops after a few days. Um, no. My feet are wrapped up like an ancient foot-binding ritual, tucked into these very fashionable black surgical boots (see photo). I can’t put any pressure on my toes, which means I can’t walk very far. I will know more on Wednesday, September 30th, when the bandages come off, and I finally get to see my Frankentoes! The doc said I still have four more weeks before I can get them wet, but I am seriously hoping for better shoes on Wednesday!

As it turns out, the surgery was a bit more involved than I expected. Along with removing the nail matrix, the doctor also sliced off the tops of both toes. I’m still not entirely sure why or how much. My best guess is that it was so there would be enough skin to pull down and stitch up. Don’t you love my medical jargon?!?!

Recovery has meant sitting in my trusty old recliner with my feet up while Jamie waits on me hand and foot. Once again, I am forever indebted to him. Didn’t I say I was lucky? I am so lucky to have Jamie. Those words feel so small next to the way he takes care of me.

Chemotherapy, the gift that keeps on giving! It doesn’t help that the oral chemo I take every day suppresses healing, and I suspect that’s what got me into this pickle to begin with. So I’m sending all my good vibes to these toes and truly hoping they heal quickly.

In the meantime, I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Instagram reels my girlfriends keep sending me about fake toenails. 😂

As for my cancer, it is still being managed by my chemo cocktail, and I am so grateful for that. My next scans are coming up this fall. You would think that after so many good reports, the scanxiety would ease up. It’s actually the opposite. The longer the streak of good news, the more I have to hold on to, and the more I find myself holding my breath as scan day gets closer.

Lucky and Greedy

If this season has taught me anything, it’s that I am lucky and I am greedy, and I’m okay with both. Lucky for a husband who carries me through every hard day (sometimes literally). Lucky for a son who keeps showing me what courage looks like. And greedy for every single moment still to come.

Thank you, as always, for walking this journey with me. Your prayers, messages, and encouragement mean more than you will ever know. Here’s to healing toes, busy seasons, and soaking up every moment along the way.

With gratitude and love,
Renee Kranking
Moments Matter: Thriving With Metastatic Breast Cancer