tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354624882011-09-22T15:27:37.719-04:00Cancer again...that's 3 times in 2 years. This time it’s not breast cancer, but a new one called squamous cell carcinoma. New cancer, same old fighting spirit! My blog is still named for one of many songs that kept me going the first time around. Driving home from an upsetting appointment, I turned on the radio just as this line from Steve Miller Band's Jet Airliner was playing: "I've got to keep on keepin' on"....so I did just that. And I'll do it again.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-35542483759564429432011-09-03T23:21:00.002-04:002011-09-03T23:26:18.779-04:00

This is John, posting a note on this, the second anniversary of Kate's passing. I am posting the same note on her Facebook page & blog, so sorry to be redundant for those who see it both places.Here we are, two years now. Even with another year gone by, some ways it seems like yesterday and in others it seems like a lifetime ago. I couldn’t even imagine this day two years ago, but here it is.

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1031178425360537002010-09-03T00:01:00.012-04:002010-09-03T00:35:47.761-04:00

This is John. I just wanted to post a note on this, the first anniversary of Kate's passing. I am posting the same note on her Facebook page, so sorry to be redundant for those who see it both places.Wow, it's hard to believe it has been a year now. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in others it seems like a lifetime ago. It's been a very busy, full year with school, sports, dance, piano

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-42057793677264788712009-09-07T23:53:00.008-04:002009-09-08T00:32:35.367-04:00

This is John, Kate's husband. I am very sad to say that Kate passed away last Thursday afternoon (September 3rd, 2009) after her 11 month battle with lung (NOT breast!) cancer. I has been a very long and difficult three years since her initial diagnosis but her amazing spirit remained strong until the very end. Our strong faith has sustained us and we are so very grateful for the very special

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-67875190060444940492009-08-25T20:09:00.007-04:002009-08-28T19:05:45.885-04:00

Lots of exciting things going on in the house! Thought I'd share some new developments....1) I started a homeopathic treatment for my cancer. John and I began researching alternative medical treatments a few weeks ago, since the medical doctors can't offer me anything else at this time. We figured, why not? At least we're doing something.We found a homeopathic doctor not far from us. He also has

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-21052112343923599912009-08-12T20:56:00.009-04:002009-08-13T18:38:10.571-04:00

We just got back from the most amazing outing. I'm a little tired, but want to get this all down while I'm still reeling from the magic of the evening! Here goes....My friend Mary Beth, the co-founder of Beyond Boobs, knows a limousine rental company in Virginia Beach (I believe it's called Icon). Beyond Boobs rents their hot pink stretch Hummer limo every year for the calendar debut gala (

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-37218766484594794222009-08-08T16:38:00.013-04:002009-08-12T21:39:15.775-04:00

Remember I wrote about being a calendar model? That wonderful breast cancer support group I told you about, Beyond Boobs, is still working on their 2010 calendar. The calendar is actually much more than a calendar....more like a breast cancer guide, full of information on cancer risks and prevention. Plus you can read all about the models and their stories, and learn from their experiences how

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-40016021879441093122009-07-31T18:05:00.003-04:002009-07-31T18:11:25.830-04:00

I finally decided, at this late stage in my life, to get on Facebook. Once I realized I could share pictures of the family with my family and friends, I was very interested! This way only people I know can see the kids. I never wanted to post thsir pix on the web since anyone could get a hold of the photos, a little too creepy for me.If you want to see my Facebook profile, and check out my photos

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-6849696431660602832009-07-13T10:58:00.011-04:002009-07-19T10:02:46.124-04:00

This is the post that I never wanted to write, but here it is, an update on me and my cancer status. It is not what I wanted, but I'm at peace with it and know that somehow God has worked out a plan for me that makes sense.Here's the update....I recently came home from a 3-night hospital stay. I had some breathing issues that needed attention, hadn't felt right for a few days prior, so John

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-52415952477016032792009-07-08T20:49:00.005-04:002009-07-08T21:16:48.757-04:00

Are you a Boober? You'd know it if you were. I've become acquainted with a wonderful support group called Beyond Boobs. I discovered them when my Aunt Mary set me a newspaper article and their calendar back in 2006 when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer.They are based in Williamsburg, founded by two phenomenal women who are breast cancer survivors. The support group, made up of breast

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-19867571136219994542009-05-25T17:50:00.012-04:002009-05-25T18:51:07.026-04:00

Hello again, it has been a long time between postings and I apologize. I've had a hard time getting online, for various reasons ranging from "fatigue" to "PC unavailability" to "not sure what to write"!Thought I'd catch you up as quickly as possible, before I run out of steam (or before one of the kids discovers me in the study and ruins my train of thought).....In March, we received the good

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-62204995704913741892009-03-14T14:18:00.010-04:002009-03-14T14:46:23.937-04:00

Hello again, sorry I've been so absent. Been busy feeling tired and achy, and John has been working from home a lot so he can be available to cart me around to appointments, so the study (and computer) is tied up all the time. So even if I felt like blogging, I couldn't get online.I have a number of updates for you. Our biggest piece of good news: the tumor has shrunk!!!! According to the CT scan

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-21294764327435471002009-02-23T09:32:00.011-05:002009-02-23T20:33:58.643-05:00

I'm up and fed, all on my own. Woke up around 9am, took my Femara, looked at my awful bedhead in the mirror (I need another haircut!) and threw on my favorite baseball cap. Walked (not crawled) downstairs, put on the tea kettle, poured myself some Cheerios with banana and milk, and ate my breakfast while I read the newspaper.All.By.Myself!How's that for a normal morning?I'm so pleased to report

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-91701256118759646022009-02-09T12:45:00.011-05:002009-02-09T19:03:03.234-05:00

OK, I am getting really tired of whining, so I will tone it down a little. I am still feeling pretty blah, but I get moments of energy here and there, which I'll take anytime. I'm thinking my problem is that I'm not eating enough. I'm too tired to fix myself anything, and my family had gotten used to me taking care of myself (I was doing great that first week after chemo/radiation ended)....so

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-2606868378093108142009-02-04T18:19:00.008-05:002009-02-04T20:51:43.450-05:00

How are things going? You'll be sorry you asked! I finally finished radiation, my 5-days-a-week zapping, on Wednesday January 28th. I even received a certificate of completion from the staff. My last chemo, for this round at least, was Tuesday January 27th.So now I am on a break. A 3-week break, until February 17th when I go back for more chemo. This next time it will be a regular dose, not the

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-63666495366085829602009-01-28T12:42:00.010-05:002009-01-28T13:04:41.366-05:00

You definitely know you're looking better and healthier when the kids go to your side of the bed (not Daddy's) in the wee hours!Usually I'm the one they wake up with their emergencies....you know, "Mommy I had a bad dweam", "Mommy I can't find Baby Brownie" (stuffed animal), "Mommy the closet door is open and I'm scared", or my favorite: "Mommy I have to throw up" (and then they do, all over me!)

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-24754244118569078022009-01-25T09:35:00.007-05:002009-01-25T09:52:09.542-05:00

We have so much sickness in the house, it is ridiculous! Poor Leah threw up all over the kitchen floor last night. Apparently, the stomach-ache-throwing-up virus has been running rampant through her 1st grade classroom. A good friend of hers was up all Friday night with it, and I hear another friend had it last night. And Leah just finished the antibiotics for the strep she had a week and a half

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-9332604468289128252009-01-15T16:58:00.005-05:002009-01-15T17:15:52.895-05:00

Yes, drugs are a wonderful thing. Those of you with children, my apologies if they read this over your shoulder and get the wrong impression. But I can't say enough about the drugs my doctors have me on. They are working wonders, really making this treatment somewhat tolerable.I've got TussinEX, a cough medicine laced with hydrocodone, to keep me from coughing myself off the radiation table. (

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-87529058449920339712009-01-07T18:35:00.008-05:002009-01-07T21:54:44.013-05:00

...and I'm not sorry! I thought they'd gain me a good pound or two, but it turns out they only weigh 12 ounces (I weighed them on my kitchen scale when I got home). Oh well, it was a good try!Why the deceit? I just am SO TIRED of everyone making a fuss over my weight. I'd been dropping weight steadily since treatment started, actually had dropped about 20 pounds before that (thanks to

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-73935557267021030392008-12-29T23:47:00.006-05:002008-12-30T02:05:46.540-05:00

Well, tomorrow is my 5th chemo session since starting treatment for this new cancer. Radiation every weekday morning, chemotherapy every Tuesday. We've settled into quite a schedule.I've learned a lot since that 1st chemo on December 2nd. First of all, when your oncologist says, "Oh, this is a low dose of chemo, your side effects will be minimal"....DON'T BELIEVE HER! You will still feel like cr*

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-72082448677076631652008-12-03T19:52:00.007-05:002008-12-03T20:48:57.073-05:00

Finally started my treatment this week. Chemo was yesterday (Tuesday) and I'm happy to report it was very uneventful. No passing out like the first time around 2 years ago. Since my port was in, they had easy access and didn't have to stick me in my arm veins....although they had a hard time getting a "blood return" (apparently when the solution goes in, some blood is supposed to peek back out. I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-72007569175226429892008-11-10T19:21:00.028-05:002008-11-22T11:50:17.184-05:00

Yes, I know. That's not a good thing.Unfortunately, for the 3rd time in 2 years, I am having to tell my friends and family that I have cancer once again. This time, it is a NEW cancer, NOT breast cancer....so maybe on the bright side, all that I went through with chemo, surgery, radiation, more surgery.....maybe that was worth it. Maybe the Femara that I've been taking every day, between that and

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-55781604505066774892008-09-27T14:04:00.008-04:002008-09-27T20:53:56.349-04:00

I am a rare breed. Anyone who has met me would agree. Not that I'm a weirdo, I'm just different! When John and I were first married, he used to compare me to an Irish Setter (kind of funny, because we both grew up with Irish Setters....me in New York, him in Nebraska....sigh....were we meant to be or what???)Anyway!My beloved would call me an Irish Setter, because of my long, brownish-red hair,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-16365374780411705902008-09-19T14:34:00.005-04:002008-09-20T15:35:39.702-04:00

Ahoy there me hearties! It be National Talk Like a Pirate Day, me favorite day of the year! Arggh!Jes' wantin' to keep ya posted on me comins and goins. So many things illin' me, I be feelin' like a senior citizen! (No offense meant to me senior readers, be sure o that!)Well, to start, I has-ta say "arggh, me bones are an-achin!" Been takin' that there Fosamax (some gritty stuff, lemmetellya),

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-59368070572093925652008-08-18T07:30:00.017-04:002008-08-19T12:12:31.941-04:00

"Well, Jane. It just goes to show ya! It's always somethin'! Either you're depressed at Christmas or you got toilet paper hangin' from your shoe!" Roseanne Roseannadanna, from a Saturday Night Live sketch (Season 4, episode 9) A quick post, to catch everyone up. I haven't posted in a while, with my diagnosis "anniversary" coming up. Last year at this time I was happily debating whether or not

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-68641574941333659692008-06-02T21:33:00.008-04:002008-06-04T17:14:42.074-04:00

I baked brownies today. Not a big deal for me, usually. I like to bake....it's very soothing and I am not ashamed to say, I am a very good baker. And, since I'm a terrible cook, I like to make it up to the family with my baking.Anyway, I baked brownies this afternoon and to my surprise, I started feeling antsy, and a wee bit angry. It took me a few minutes to figure out why. It sounds silly, but

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-16516163788758161792008-03-19T11:35:00.021-04:002008-03-19T14:43:15.269-04:00

Finally! The weather is warming up enough so that we can get outside on an almost-regular basis. Poor Jesse has been cooped up indoors for too long. He'd look out the windows to his backyard playground, then run to the deck door and press his little nose against the glass. I am pretty sure he said "side?" (outside?) as he pointed his little finger and whined to Mommy. "I'm sorry Jesse," I'd say,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-14184337041301425692008-03-16T19:52:00.008-04:002008-03-17T09:07:16.508-04:00

Dancing With the Stars begins tomorrow night. I will be watching, I'm sure (or at least taping it). It is one of those shows that I wouldn't normally watch, but thanks to my parents I am hooked on it!I started watching DWTS sometime in the fall of 2006. It was one of my parents' must-see shows. Mom and Dad lived with us almost the whole time I was going through chemo, from September 2006 until

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-48955469298059857252008-03-07T12:45:00.010-05:002008-03-07T13:20:34.732-05:00

March 9th is Get Over It Day. Last year, I posted about my own Get Over It Day. Back then, I was having a very rough time with my radiation treatment. I was a basket case and after doing so well with chemo and surgery I was surprised at (and very disappointed in) myself. I couldn't stop crying, every day before and after treatment. I'd complain about how hard treatment was for me, but I wouldn't

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-69987771517100622362008-03-03T08:16:00.000-05:002008-03-03T09:28:48.875-05:00

I had the best idea for a post the other day. It was brilliant! Scathingly brilliant! It really was. It had something to do with something Leah said while we were driving home from somewhere....or was it Emma....and were we driving? Or in the bathroom brushing teeth?Oh, I don't remember. Wherever we were, I didn't have pen and paper to write it down. But it was brilliant. Scathingly, I swear.

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-42978379314062026062008-02-29T10:26:00.012-05:002008-02-29T13:39:16.774-05:00

Today is my grandmother Katherine's birthday. We called her "Grammy". She was a Leap Year baby, and if she were still alive today she would be 96 years old and celebrating her 24th birthday.I was named "Katherine" in honor of my mother's mother, although growing up everyone called me "Katie" (until I moved south after grad school and decided I wanted to appear more "mature", so I started going by

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-241330437561330312008-01-20T15:02:00.000-05:002008-01-20T19:14:44.856-05:00

I am going to be AWOL for a few weeks. I'm not sick, not depressed, not anything.....just really busy! This is a very crazy time of year for us, with Emma's and Frances' birthday within 13 days of each other. And on top of that, I made the mistake of signing up to host Bunko the end of January. What was I thinking?So, I am frosting cupcakes to send to Emma's 3rd grade class and frantically

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-52838697769163572712008-01-13T21:37:00.002-05:002008-09-20T15:43:37.137-04:00

Frances woke up several times during the night last week, crying and crying. Often she was inconsolable. A few times I was able to calm her down enough so that she could tell me what the trouble was: once she had a bad dream about monsters, but more often she just woke up and it was dark and she thought about monsters and scared herself.All of the kids went through a monster phase. (Well, not

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-62970200970081095762008-01-08T21:30:00.000-05:002008-01-08T22:34:59.239-05:00

Not long ago, I overheard my 6-year-old happily singing away, "My lumps, my lumps....my lovely lady lumps"!For those of you not familiar with the Black-Eyed Peas, this may be a bouncy dancing song, but certainly not one for a 6-year-old to sing! It starts out "Whatcha gonna do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?" (and they're not talking about your car) "I'm gonna get you drunk"

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-17657064407610723802007-12-28T09:57:00.000-05:002007-12-28T12:33:06.474-05:00

Any Seinfeld fans out there? You might remember the episode when Jerry dated a woman who had, as my husband would say, a "tremendous rack"? Teri Hatcher played that character on the show. Elaine, convinced that the woman's breasts couldn't possibly be real, followed her into the sauna at their gym, hoping to catch a glimpse. But naturally, Elaine tripped and fell--hands outstretched--right onto

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-74955623499586455572007-12-05T08:06:00.000-05:002007-12-05T21:17:06.613-05:00

8:30PM ***See update below!*** Good morning! A quick post before I get Frances moving along. She has speech today, and I'm happy to report she is doing well and working with her teacher. A wonderful change from just weeks ago!After speech, I'll drop Frances off (John is working from home this week, to be available should I need help lifting baby. It also works out well since I have lots of

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-2235490865259081422007-11-28T21:39:00.001-05:002007-11-28T22:20:54.004-05:00

I saw Roz at my surgeon's office yesterday, and she took the steri-strips off from my touchup surgery. My skin is healing beautifully, she said. And my scar looks great, for a scar.Roz (the nurse) is not my doctor's nurse. Virginia is his nurse. But whenever I've had stuff removed post-surgery....drains, staples, whatever....Roz is the one who sees me. No wait, that's not entirely true. Virginia

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-44320770801554114162007-11-25T22:59:00.000-05:002007-11-26T14:48:13.495-05:00

If you stopped by for a visit these days, you'd think we had a cat. No, not because of the smell (at least I hope not!) but because of the sounds. Frances has conquered the dinosaur sound! It goes like this: "kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk" and it sounds like a cat coughing up a hairball.We're all allergic to cats, so believe me there's no cat here. Just Frances practicing for her next speech lesson. And while

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-17671716065632444742007-11-20T19:30:00.000-05:002007-11-20T19:33:29.384-05:00

Uneventful is a good thing! I'm home, taking a quick break during intermission to post on my blog. The girls are putting on a dance show tonight for us. I think they're stalling because they don't want to go to bed, but it's a good show just the same. They must have practiced all afternoon while I was sleeping off the anesthesia.Will write more later!

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-61691637892866458812007-11-17T20:29:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:56:46.134-05:00

John came up with this idea for a personalized license plate for my van. In Virginia, vanity plates are very inexpensive. So everyone has one. I used to scoff at vanity plates, thought they were ridiculous. What if you decided to rob a bank? Your getaway car's plate would be easy to remember and they'd soon nab you.But in the last few years, I've been thinking a custom plate would be interesting

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-75249888614444145762007-11-13T12:26:00.000-05:002007-11-13T14:16:41.159-05:00

I've been so busy writing about other things that I haven't posted anything about my status. Don't worry, I'm fine! My scars look fantastic, to quote my surgeon. He is very pleased with how they're healing.I have my mobility back: My arms move as well as they did before this surgery. I can even do those wacky windmill arms Miss Kim has us doing in our Thursday night jazz class! My left arm

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-71844598474144538682007-11-11T14:28:00.001-05:002007-11-11T21:05:48.495-05:00

Frances saw my breasts the other day. Or should I say she saw "the site formerly known as Katie's breasts"?I had just gotten out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my chest, when I heard the phone ring. I picked up the phone, which I had conveniently left on the sink (forgot to hang it up as usual), and started talking with my friend Kim.Since I'm big on multitasking, and since my hair will

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-21338708416088202442007-11-05T22:30:00.000-05:002007-11-06T10:55:17.033-05:00

Ever since my sister ran that marathon, I have been thinking about goals. I'm so proud of my little sister for setting a goal and going for it. She's inspired me to look at my life and see if there's a goal I can set, too. (I can guarantee it won't be a 26.2-mile marathon!)When I started chemo last year, and continued on through surgery and radiation, and then again with this last surgery, so

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-34221818741302430422007-10-28T15:36:00.000-04:002007-10-28T16:20:27.708-04:00

My sister, Susie, just ran a marathon today. She ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. It is a 26.2 mile run (that's 26-point-2....don't forget the point-2, Susie says).She ran it in 5 hours, 47 minutes, and 18 seconds. I am so impressed! I can't even run for 5 minutes without getting a stitch in my side. I've just never been a runner....a walker, yes, but not a runner.Susie has been

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-21107158476987603362007-10-23T08:58:00.000-04:002007-10-23T09:47:01.812-04:00

I really felt it, I swear! Last Wednesday, I was walking across the parking lot at the elementary school, on my way to read to Leah's kindergarten class for Read-Aloud Week. The sun was shining, and there was a slight breeze, which was so welcome as it's been unusually hot and I've been sweating in tank tops with long-sleeve zip-up sweatshirts.So I'm walking across the parking lot, or more like

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-10390137150267777852007-10-18T22:56:00.000-04:002007-10-19T09:13:48.281-04:00

I have been so sleepy these days. I don't understand why (I really don't). I'm more than 3 weeks past surgery, and while both the bilateral mastectomy and the oopharectomy may be considered major surgeries, they didn't knock me off my feet for very long. In fact, the nurses had me up and walking almost as soon as I woke up from the anesthesia. (Well, maybe they made me wait an hour or two. Once I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-24067791807634058502007-10-17T13:41:00.000-04:002008-12-11T14:56:46.526-05:00

I am so excited, I could split my stitches! (I promise, I won’t.) My new blog friend, Jen from Jenster’s Musings, has nominated me for the “Courageous Blogger Award”. Here it is: Jen received it from another blogger, and she decided to pass it on to me, and to our blog friends Sherry from ABreast In the World, and Jill from Reconstruct This.In case you can’t tell from their blog names, these

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-62906530023384680832007-10-13T21:49:00.000-04:002007-10-13T22:11:44.940-04:00

I forgot to mention in my last post, I may be even more special than I thought. On Monday, my oncologist informed me that doctors are now saying that some women with a certain genetic variation (involving CYP2D6....pronounced "sip-two-dee-six"....it has to do with how the body metabolizes) do not receive the full benefits of Tamoxifen. Women with this altered gene may be at higher risk of relapse

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-18943148977904813472007-10-10T21:04:00.000-04:002007-10-10T22:44:44.697-04:00

I was never a big fan of Chrissie Hynde, lead singer for The Pretenders, a band popular in "my youth" (late 70s-80s).But for some reason, her song Brass in Pocket (which I didn't like back then either) has been going through my head....mainly this line: "I'm special (so special), I gotta have some of your attention give it to me"It invaded my head on Monday, after John and I met with my

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-42493891394509298252007-10-06T19:58:00.000-04:002007-10-06T23:11:28.473-04:00

So, what about the children? Where have they been through all this mess?Well, they've been at school and preschool and home. They've been taking ballet and piano lessons. They've been practicing with their softball and t-ball teams, and playing softball and t-ball games. They've been riding bikes with their neighborhood friends, doing homework, and helping Daddy and Mommy in the garden. Baby

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-46223093421571778392007-10-05T14:22:00.000-04:002007-10-05T22:50:05.549-04:00

I am clean! Squeaky clean! Took my first post-surgery shower Wednesday and have showered every day since. What a wonderful feeling!After my surgery last week, my surgeon told me to keep my stitches and drains dry. "No showers?", I whined. "Nope, just birdbaths," he said.Birdbaths? While I chuckled at his choice of words, I was very disappointed. If you can't shower, why bother? You don't get

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-79189833950517045322007-10-03T10:03:00.000-04:002007-10-04T14:32:49.838-04:00

At a church dinner a few weeks ago, one of the members approached me and began consoling me. She was devastated to hear my news of the second cancer, she said, and she was praying for me. Naturally I thanked her and we chatted a little. She asked lots of questions about the cancer and I answered them as best as I could. The only problem? This all happened in front of the children. It was a

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-67609558930584258872007-09-30T08:56:00.000-04:002007-09-30T12:03:42.521-04:00

Did I mention my bonus surgery? In addition to the bilateral mastectomy on Tuesday, I also had an oopharectomy. That's doctor-speak for "removing ovaries".Guess I was the 1 millionth mastectomy served, so they threw in the "ooph" for me.Actually, I have my surgeon to thank for this bonus surgery. On Monday (the day before surgery), he learned from my oncologist that I had wanted to get this done

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-43492760322170439892007-09-28T22:46:00.000-04:002007-09-30T14:31:03.045-04:00

Surgery went well. I did fine. I didn’t wake up from the anesthesia screaming hysterically, so that to me was a success. I wasn't too nervous going in, probably because they kept me so busy in the pre-op room....so many conversations around me, so many questions to answer over and over. They (the nurses, anesthesiologist, surgeon, surgeon's assistant, maybe even the janitor) all wanted to know my

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-46213215300191297372007-09-24T23:54:00.000-04:002007-09-25T00:13:54.893-04:00

I have been puttering around the house tonight. Packed my bag, straightened my bedroom (in case anyone wants to dust and vacuum while I'm out), snacked all evening since I can't eat or drink after midnight and I know I'll be hungry.Looked at my breasts in the mirror for a few minutes, since that seemed like the proper thing to do the night before a mastectomy, but 1) was not impressed and 2)

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-32758814876546364372007-09-21T08:45:00.000-04:002007-09-24T11:53:20.807-04:00

Well, the days have gone by so quickly since my 2nd diagnosis in August. I've practically lived at the hospital, with all these scans and tests and doctor visits. I haven't had time to visit my friend Susanne's new baby, who judging from the emailed pics is absolutely beautiful. I haven't had time to get the dining room cleared out so I have some scrapbooking space for my recovery. I haven't had

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-40973667243883339382007-09-20T23:15:00.000-04:002007-09-20T23:24:56.561-04:00

Good news: nothing in my bones! That was a big relief. No cancer in the major organs either. According to the MRI and PET scan, we're looking at a few tiny spots in the left breast, same one as before. They may or may not have been there in February. They've been able to grow despite the Tamoxifen I've been taking to prevent recurrence and despite the Lupron injections I've gotten to shut down my

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-42530724285864862072007-09-14T00:10:00.001-04:002007-09-14T07:11:44.119-04:00

My new plastic surgeon is full of interesting information:Apparently if you're slender, you can't make a fake breast out of your stomach, back, or butt. And you can't use donor tissue either (I've had several offers, thank you anyway). And bulking up between now and surgery will not help me create more usable tissue.That's what I learned today at my consult with the plastic surgeon.The original

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-90315602746120591872007-09-10T21:39:00.000-04:002007-09-12T09:02:02.267-04:00

This is a long post. I have a lot to say. You've been warned!Looks like I got ahead of myself on this cancer anniversary thing! It's baa-aack..... It is the same kind I had before, invasive lobular cancer with some ductal carcinoma in situ mixed in. Fortunately, this time it is much much smaller. It is teeny-tiny, hardly even registers on the measuring scale. And it doesn't appear to have spread,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-14264636520960185752007-08-21T23:17:00.000-04:002007-09-11T21:38:27.408-04:00

September 5th is coming up fast. That is the day, 1 year ago, that John and I sat in my surgeon's office (along with then 2-year-old Frances and 5-month-old Jesse), heard the biopsy results and learned that yes, indeed, I do have breast cancer.So do I celebrate anything when September 5th comes up this year? Maybe do a "ha-ha-I'm-not-dead-yet" dance or something like that? Or should I celebrate

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-41499131910699912762007-06-15T00:35:00.000-04:002008-12-11T14:56:47.555-05:00

While I was not blessed with my mother's gracefulness (or her pretty legs), I can at least keep a beat. So I am glad to report that I did not make a total fool of myself last weekend at our ballet recital. I think I've mentioned my Thursday night jazz class before? It is something that I promised Emma and Leah I would do. All girls whose mothers take a class at the ballet studio are allowed to

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-34090012142331881932007-06-15T00:12:00.000-04:002008-12-11T14:56:47.827-05:00

I was so pleased when my parents, brother, and sister all came to town in May to walk (Susie ran) in the Race for the Cure. My sister was one of the top 10 fundraisers, too! When my mom called in March to tell me they were thinking of walking, I seriously thought about joining them. But in March I was still doing the radiation thing, and I was feeling more than a little wiped-out. Even though the

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-17065386030552199152007-06-13T21:53:00.000-04:002007-06-13T22:35:49.140-04:00

Feel free to call: My labwork came back normal!I called on Monday and left a message for my oncologist: "I know the doctor was going to call if anything looked suspicious," I said, "but I hadn't heard from her and am going crazy every time the phone rings. So I had to call just to verify: Did the labs come back and was anything suspicious?"The nurse called back the next day and left a message for

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-84079036123581834032007-06-07T10:03:00.000-04:002007-06-07T10:11:47.867-04:00

Please, no phone calls for the next few days! It makes me nervous! I just had a checkup with my oncologist on Monday. The labwork they did in the office (white blood, platelets, etc) came back normal, which was good to hear. However, the real labwork (tumor markers) had to go out to an external lab and won't be back for a few days.My doctor said she would call me if the labs showed anything

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-64911422794469480482007-04-16T21:15:00.000-04:002007-04-16T21:27:01.857-04:00

Last week, I called one of the writers from the local paper. Her name appeared at the end of a story titled "When Cancer Returns". What a depressing article! Ever since Elizabeth Edwards' recurrence hit the news, I've read nothing but bad things about cancer survivors.....all about how they went cancer-free for years only to be hit once again.I don't mean to be unkind or unfeeling. I certainly

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-33271846814557991602007-04-15T15:54:00.000-04:002007-04-15T16:27:54.663-04:00

Well, I'm done. No, I guess I mean finished....as my sister says, "A lady is never done, she is either finished or through." So yes, I am finished with my treatment. YAY! That's it!On Friday, in celebration of my last day, I received a "TREATMENT COMPLETE" certificate from my radiation oncologist and his nurse Melinda, and on the drive home I stopped at my favorite cafe for some breakfast. The

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-50895650016060994882007-04-07T12:06:00.000-04:002007-04-08T00:59:26.395-04:00

Woke up with bed head this morning. To most people, this would be annoying, to wake up and look in the mirror only to see your hair sticking out in all sorts of unattractive ways. Me, I am just so glad to have hair! And now I'm THRILLED that it's finally long enough to look funny after I sleep on it!I'm happy to have hair and even happier that it seems to be growing fast. Kelly, my hairdresser,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-31195435498602232462007-04-05T22:49:00.000-04:002007-04-05T23:25:28.513-04:00

Back to treatment today, after a lovely day off. It turns out the machine really was down yesterday. One of the motors was broken, the one that turns the big round thing where the radiation beams out. (That's as technical as I can get, sorry).So it was not a setup by some jealous patient coveting my timeslot. 9:20am really is a great time for treatment. I miss the morning traffic on the drive

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-10149105813345522602007-04-04T08:18:00.000-04:002007-04-04T11:05:45.752-04:00

Good ol' Suzy Sunshine! Just when my chest was starting to get burnt and itchy from the radiation, she comes through and gives me the day off!The machine broke down yesterday, sometime after my appointment. I got a call from someone in the office, telling me not to bother coming in today, because they are waiting for a part to come in from California (isn't that the Sunshine state? or maybe

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-56579935442343227142007-04-03T11:13:00.000-04:002007-04-03T13:28:18.224-04:00

OK, just because I haven't posted in a while, and just because when I DO post I complain a lot, it doesn't mean I'm not doing OK! Life has been busy, with soccer (Leah) and softball (Emma) season starting up in March, plus our usual hectic schedule, not to mention my daily radiation....I mean, Suzy Sunshine....appointments.When radiation first began, I was so unhappy that I didn’t want to write

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-51116630086315769742007-03-27T22:19:00.000-04:002007-03-28T00:00:06.415-04:00

The other day, not long after Get Over It Day, I decided I needed to be really upbeat about my radiation treatment. If I can pretend everything is great and treatment is a breeze, then maybe I'll make myself believe it. It couldn't hurt to try, right?To start, I gave my treatment a name. Actually, I gave the radiation machine a name. It is this big huge box with a long thick curved arm (like a

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-47018854385562506272007-03-22T16:29:00.000-04:002007-03-22T16:42:24.860-04:00

Emma and Leah are so confused. "Mommy, why are you going to Miss Kelly's on Wednesday? You don't need a haircut!"They are dumbfounded. It is so cute. Frances, on the other hand, just raves about my "Uncle David hair" (my brother used to have a crewcut). "Mommy, your Uncle David hair is back!" she cries, clapping her hands. She is so happy for me, and I am too.We're all happy because I'm sprouting

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-36849582773530547242007-03-09T17:19:00.000-05:002007-03-09T22:53:56.791-05:00

My brother David called me the other night, to check in and see how things were going. We hadn't talked in a while. It was great to catch up and hear about his house projects and really cool vacation plans.Eventually, David asked me about my radiation treatments....how they're going, what is the machine like, etc. I had a hard time sounding positive. I really did. I mean, I should be excited that

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-81307927460256242732007-02-24T22:36:00.000-05:002007-02-25T11:02:53.289-05:00

Well, I discovered a new game to play with my children. It's called "paint eyebrows on Mommy"....My eyebrows have been thinning these past few weeks. I'm OK with it, I guess. I might look a little strange, especially since the left one is all gone (thanks to Frances, who plucked quite a few while I napped the other day) and the right one has just the outer half still hanging on. But what can you

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-44410591376148563492007-02-18T23:02:00.000-05:002007-02-19T10:03:32.177-05:00

Well, it is 11pm Sunday night.....more than a week and a half past my surgery.....a lot has happened since then. No, I didn't get hooked on my favorite painkiller, although I did start taking it again after my last posting. I felt justified in starting it up again: I fell down the stairs Monday night and pulled muscles in both arms. (Yes, I am a total dork. I was feeling so good and was carrying

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1171137936044975812007-02-10T14:35:00.000-05:002007-02-10T15:08:17.990-05:00

I am feeling pretty OK today, still a little sore but not bad. I am trying to use my arm as instructed by the nurses, to get dressed, eat, brush my hair (I do have some now but not enough to lose the wigs). Every now and then, I'll overdo it and feel a little twinge in my armpit. But as far as pain goes, I've "graduated" to plain old Extra-Strength Tylenol as of yesterday. The pain medicine I was

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1170901983599735082007-02-07T21:12:00.000-05:002007-02-07T22:13:56.603-05:00

I had to autograph my breast yesterday morning. So did my surgeon. It was the funniest thing. Once I had finished the wire localization (a whole other adventure, actually not a bad one), they wheeled me into the anesthesia room so I could meet my anesthesiologist and nurses and get the IV started.They all quizzed me on what was going to be done in the operating room. I told them I was having the

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1170732781331267482007-02-05T22:18:00.000-05:002007-02-05T22:41:36.486-05:00

I have to type this quickly, before John realizes I'm still in the study and comes in to lecture me for staying up too late. I just can't sleep right now. I finally did get my bag packed, with all sorts of things I might need should I stay overnight: pajamas, zipup sweatshirt, a book I haven't been able to get through (thought it would come in handy in case I can't sleep), crossword puzzles,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1170609848587322262007-02-04T11:59:00.000-05:002007-02-04T12:30:03.313-05:00

I'm still here, just waiting around for surgery on Tuesday. I feel good, not too tired (other than the usual mommy-tiredness).Several friends have asked me if I'm nervous about my surgery. My answer is "not really". I'm a little nervous about the anesthesia, but more excited that the last of the cancer will be taken out. Originally I wanted to have surgery before chemo, but all the research I did

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1170216281277696492007-01-30T22:36:00.000-05:002007-01-30T23:07:15.043-05:00

John went back to work today. Well, back to the office. He's been working from home since January 3rd, so he could be available should I need help with the kids or the house or whatever. I wanted him to return to the office this week because I wanted to try being on my own. I'm 2 weeks out from my last chemo treatment, and I have just 1 week until surgery. I really wanted to see if I could handle

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1169152094640236052007-01-18T14:31:00.002-05:002007-01-18T15:28:14.656-05:00

Well, it's Thursday and I'm finally feeling a little bit energetic. This last treatment was tough! I'm glad it was my last. I can't believe people actually work through treatment. My doctor says it's possible.....I did have a wonderful weekend, at least, before the pain kicked in. On Saturday, still feeling peppy, I took my friend Janet, and Emma and Leah, to get their nails done. I just watched,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1168756352696635872007-01-14T01:18:00.000-05:002007-01-14T13:13:33.176-05:00

I am either still hopped up on the chemo steroids, or maybe it was that 2nd cup of tea I had around dinnertime, or possibly I am just itching to write in my blog.....but here I am, at 1:30 in the morning, unable to sleep.I ache a little bit, but nothing bad. Actually, I feel a lot better than in previous chemo weekends. Maybe it's because I AM FINISHED WITH CHEMO!!!!! My doctor promised me this

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1167859235864667152007-01-03T15:56:00.000-05:002007-01-03T16:22:22.503-05:00

John and I met with my surgeon this morning, a pre-surgery appointment. The dr wanted to see how things were progressing, so he could plan for the lumpectomy and get a feel for how big a chunk he'll be removing from my left breast. When he examined me, his first word was "WOW!" I am pretty sure he followed it with a "This is better than I had expected!"My doctor had trouble locating the tumor, so

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1167672077043794492007-01-01T12:11:00.000-05:002007-01-03T19:26:19.630-05:00

I was a little p.o.'d at my husband yesterday, over something he said when we were preparing for our New Year's Eve celebration with the kids. John and I haven't gone out to celebrate the New Year in years, even before we had kids. I don't like being out on the road that particular night, and we kind of fell into a stay-at-home-and-party-by-ourselves-and-review-our-year routine. Sometimes we had

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1167498812407988512006-12-30T11:20:00.000-05:002006-12-30T15:24:13.756-05:00

Emma went with me this morning to get my Neulasta shot. Neulasta is the brand name; I think the drug is called pegfilgrastim or something like that. It is administered the day after chemo, to help boost my white count earlier than my body naturally would, allowing me to go every other week for chemo instead of every 3 weeks.Anyway, Emma went with me today. I hadn't brought her along before as I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1167250856844751442006-12-27T15:17:00.000-05:002006-12-28T16:02:15.776-05:00

Well, I learned something last week: If you cry too many times over losing your eyelashes, they fall out faster.It was a hard lesson. Fortunately, I wised up before they all came out. I'm down to about 18 on each upper lid, 3 on the lower left lid, and 6 on the lower right. (Yes, I really did count them, yesterday.)I can't figure out if putting mascara on them enhances what's left or draws

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1166305779484006322006-12-16T16:38:00.000-05:002006-12-16T20:33:15.616-05:00

Well, I made it through another round. Yesterday was my 6th treatment. Just 2 more to go, YAY!I was all by myself at chemo, had a neighbor drop me off while John stayed home with the kids. I actually had a really great time. I guess I am really great company after all!What I enjoyed most about yesterday was approximately 4 hours of quiet "just me" time....that is, aside from the infernal

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1165716522438570112006-12-09T20:52:00.000-05:002006-12-09T21:53:14.750-05:00

I saw my oncologist on Friday, for my "off-chemo-week" checkup. She was very pleased that my white count was high, and my platelets and red blood count were good too. I brought my films with me, since she hadn't seen the mammogram my surgeon took in November (to help him better estimate whether I would need a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy.... we're looking at a lumpectomy). She showed me the

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1165174942708324602006-12-03T14:00:00.000-05:002006-12-03T14:43:51.696-05:00

Remember Huey Lewis and the News? Well, I WANT A NEW DRUG! One that won't make me ache all over.....I was doing great on Saturday, the day after my first Taxol treatment. I was peppy, feeling good. My dad and I went out for coffee in the morning, after stopping at the hospital for my shot of Neulasta (the white count booster I get the day after treatment, to bring my count up faster so I can get

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1165008419045163832006-12-01T16:07:00.000-05:002006-12-01T16:29:40.906-05:00

Well, I completed today's chemo with success. It was the first of 4 treatments of Taxol (paclitaxel). Really not much to report. I slept a little because of the Benadryl they gave me (in case I had an allergic reaction to the drug), then I woke up again because of the steroids they gave me (to make the antinausea medicine work better). So I was in between loopy and hyper, like Jekyl and Hyde!I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1164900221638431192006-11-30T10:32:00.000-05:002006-12-07T09:48:36.643-05:00

I guess I don't have enough to do. Or I'm easily entertained (I know that's true). I just timed myself, to see how long it takes me to get my wig on. Since I posted that bit about the average woman spending an average of 41 minutes each day on her hair, I have been wondering how much time I'll save during this time in my life.So it took me approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds to put Delores on

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1164663789652794422006-11-27T16:22:00.000-05:002006-12-07T09:48:03.950-05:00

Feeling like a regular girl again! These last 2 weeks have been great. I really needed that long break from chemo. I wasn't disappointed that my next scheduled treatment fell the day after Thanksgiving, when the cancer institute was closed.Having an extra week to "recover" from treatment has made a difference. It wasn't physically that I needed a break, more mental. It would only take me a few

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1164124282429199122006-11-21T10:29:00.000-05:002006-11-21T19:51:20.663-05:00

Delores, my ponytail wig, got a hair-washing the other day. Emma helped me. (She was so excited when I asked her!) The hair wasn't dirty, but the mesh cap that holds it together seemed like it needed a cleaning. It didn't look dirty or smell bad, but the thought of it sitting on my almost bare scalp every day seemed a little gross to me. I thought it was time.Emma and I filled up the sink with

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1163788831598497312006-11-17T13:14:00.000-05:002006-11-17T13:40:31.713-05:00

Well, now I know why I've been so tired this week! I'm anemic. Not enough to have to take iron pills (phew! they are awful!), but enough....And here I was blaming it all on the chemo. I slept most of Sunday, and was really dragging Monday. By Wednesday I was back to normal energy-wise, so I went ahead and cooked dinner and baked a dessert. Thursday morning I was exhausted again. (Wah wah wah) I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1163303035438637662006-11-11T22:22:00.000-05:002006-11-11T22:45:20.476-05:00

That's how I am today, Tired and Wired.....unable to sit still and unable to nap! Just waiting for the steroids to wear off so I can get some decent sleep. Last night I slept on and off, partly because of the drugs and partly because of the kids. Poor Frances woke up calling for me. She had a nightmare, so I held her and curled up with her for a bit, then snuck back to my own bed. She woke up

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1162904938454117382006-11-07T07:54:00.000-05:002006-11-07T11:06:20.446-05:00

I saw my surgeon again yesterday. It's a long story as to how I got there:At my appt last Wednesday, I had asked him a lot of questions about the surgery. Last week he was pleased with how the tumor was responding to chemo, but was on the fence about lumpectomy vs. partial mastectomy. It depended on a few things, including whether the tumor continues to respond as I go through the rest of my

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1162834784480728212006-11-05T23:12:00.000-05:002006-12-28T15:56:53.560-05:00

Went to church today with my mom and the girls, the 9:45 contemporary service, which is not my favorite because they play rock music, no hymns. They even have a full band up front in the sanctuary, which to me seems out of place. No organ music, no choir, just a short piano solo during the offering. I don't find the contemporary music very peaceful, but the pastor is great and the sermon is

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1162592233947120662006-11-03T16:46:00.000-05:002006-11-03T17:39:29.466-05:00

Hello, I'm home and my white count is up and no one cares! Yippee for me! I walked in and announced my happy news, but only my mom said hurray. That's OK. I'll tell you guys all about it:I just got back from my off-week checkup with the nurse practitioner (NP). They take my blood the minute I walk in the office and then make me wait about 30-45 minutes before bringing me in to the NP's office,

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1162431684574911832006-11-01T20:26:00.000-05:002006-11-02T09:30:19.426-05:00

he agrees with my oncologist. Let's continue with chemo, since my response has been so good thus far. The lymph node in my armpit is now hard to find, the mass in my breast has shrunk from about 5.6cm to 2cm (that's just the dense tissue part....the cancerous part inside it was originally only about 2.7cm, so imagine how tiny the cancer is now! For background on tumor size/type/etc, see How I

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1162006285225286492006-10-27T22:32:00.000-04:002006-10-28T07:17:58.453-04:00

My oncologist was absolutely giddy today when she saw me. I always meet with her before my chemo, so she can review my blood count (they take my blood the minute I walk in the office), examine the lymph node in my armpit and the mass in my breast, answer my questions (I always have a few), and just chat a little bit about how things are going.She was thrilled that my bloodwork looked so good, and

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35462488.post-1161831791914206262006-10-25T22:56:00.000-04:002006-10-25T23:03:11.923-04:00

Everything is going well. No complaints. I feel good, not tired (at least not because of the chemo, maybe because of my beautiful but sometimes exhausting children). My stomach has been back to normal since last week, and I haven't abused it too badly so I'm feeling fine. (One small mistake: I decided three days after my last treatment that I needed to stop babying my stomach with all those

KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885521957407702980noreply@blogger.com0