Chemo #6 - last of cycle 2

...and i feel good:) Ann Marie was my faithful chemo buddy again this last Friday, and since Will was out of town it was especially nice to be picked up and valet'ed around:) We even went to dd for coffee, but just for me cuz she's all healthy and whatnot ;) Then, the nurse noticed my heart rate was high, and we wondered if it was the caffeine...couldn't be:)

I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll feel well, and it won't be a repeat of last Monday when I had to leave work in the afternoon cuz i was so nauseated.  I'm bringing extra meds just in case to work tmw.

This week is my week off of chemo, and I can't wait. I have a massage scheduled for Friday morning, and  a little plan with friends to celebrate the week off.  :) Hope it's an uneventful and stress free week for everyone!

let the millinery show begin...

Wow! Thanks to our baby sister suzi, I am the proud owner of 12 new hats!! Here's a little selection - i think it's amazing how much a hat can change my face!! I had to delete a couple because i looked old or tired- wouldn't want to disappoint my public!!

aww...me and the kiddos

Thank you so much, Suzi! You *are* the fashionista of the family, and I love the selection you chose!! They make me feel sassy:) and i can't wait to wear them!

History girls represent!

I must sound like a broken record, but again, or still, I'm floored by the people willing to show their support for me and my journey, in addition to my regular support system.  Above is a pic of Gillies in her do-rag, who is a constant, fearless support for me:) and me with our history prof Corinna.  Corinna has consistently wanted to be a part of the do-rag club, especially once we explained the reason behind our headgear:)  Today in class she wore her do-rag to teach in, and after asking my blessing, explained to the class that I have been going thru chemo on Fridays and still coming to work every Monday, providing services for the class, and showing her appreciation. Gillies and I were both touched by her sensitivity and perception of the interpreter being there for the whole class (a concept often missed), as well as her caring way of making me feel welcome and supported.  She rocks! She's smart, sweet and compassionate...who could ask for more?!  Of course this led to a student of ours sharing her story about her family's battle with cancer...seems like it touches everyone. Definitely a warm, snuggly moment:)

I'm feeling better than Monday, no more barfing which is always good:) and gearing up emotionally/ mentally for treatment #6 on Friday.  My chemo fairy Ann Marie is driving me and keeping me company (she of the good snacks;)), and we along with my sister Jill are planning to attend Grand Rounds afterward as their topic this week is Cancer Pain Management, New Ideas er sumpin similar - sign me up!

My daughter Edie posted a little message to me as her status on Facebook about being strong and keeping up the fight:) She's a sweetheart, that girly of mine.  My mom came over last night and restocked my earring supply;) Something about being bald makes me feel like I need to wear makeup and earrings, all that hair fixing energy has to go somewhere! So, Mom gave me a TON of earrings, the dangly kind, just perfect for my little head! Plus I ordered several hats that just arrived so I'm all kitted out, ready to face the chill:) with all my supporters around me!

Waaaaaaah i take it back!

I should have known i was tempting the gods with my "easy peasy" post. I woke up this am with a little headache and alot of nausea. After facing down a monster on call that had me limping all over campus, i took a wee nap in the business lounge;) then tried to make it thru my 10 o'clock...no dice except Gillies saved me. Thanks pal. Went home at lunch and tried to sleep it off, and am at least functional now. Sheesh.
Gillies and i presented our history prof with her very own pink do-rag today, and she ran after me to chat and thank us:) she plans to wear it wednesday and asked if she could share the reason for the 3 of us wearing cute little caps:) i said sure, important for the kiddos to see a little pinkification and know that breast cancer effects so many.
Am flaked out on couch now and hoping not to have to move til bedtime:)

Taxol treatment #5 easy peasy ;)

No chemo buddy this week! It's all good, tho, it was a really quick couple hours and Leanne came to have  lunch with me at the end:) I also was able to catch up a little bit with Robyn by phone which was awesome- she was my virtual chemo fairy!
I was a little nauseated last night, but nothing major, and feel good today, so far so good! I was telling Robyn that i'm overwhelmed - in a good way!- by the support from my teammates at work, the hugs and kisses and offers of support make me feel so blessed every single day.  Thank you all so much! I also got to spend a fantastic afternoon with Chel after her surgery on Friday, who always makes me feel loved and supported. If all it took to cure this thing was support, I'd have been healed long ago! Sometimes I wonder how people who don't have the loving family and friends I do get thru this...treatment, dr appointments, surgeries, recovering, trying to maintain at home and work, etc etc etc...I could never ever do it without my boy and my sisters, and all y'all  I'm grateful every day! :) Keep those good vibes coming!!! xoxoxo

More good news:)

The other # that "measures" the cancer in my system came back and went from a scary 1200 to a less scary 513:) amazing that this treatment seems to be really bringing the cancer under control.  Hopefully will keep working to a level where my docs feel that I can go back on the oral med and that will be enough to maintain and treat like we've been doing for the past 4 years. Not to jump ahead, smile...still lots more chemo to go.
My hair hurts today, each little strand, and I'm getting bald spots where my hats are rubbing the hair away. Poor little strands trying so valiantly to hang on, but to no avail! Will gave me a closer crew cut in hopes that will help, cuz all the little hairs falling out were itchy too...sheesh. I had 5 minutes of nausea today while interpreting - thanks for having my back Carolyn:) but otherwise, I feel good.
Fun stuff: my amazingly supportive friends, Miriam and Gillies in their do-rags:) Solidarity!! xoxox

Woohoo!

Just got some of my blood work back from last Friday, and my cancer CEA value has improved! I think that means the chemo thing is working! These numbers aren't reliable for everyone, but for me, historically, they've been an accurate reflection of my cancer status. There's another number the docs watch called the cancer antigen, but those results aren't back yet. Both of these numbers being elevated over the summer was my first indication that my meds had stopped working and then that was verified by PET scans. Anyway, happy news, my numbers are down, and that makes all the chemo totally worth it! All those good vibes you've been sending are working!!

Chemo #4 Treatment today

mmm, gotta love Wegmans and their pink ribbon cookies! Thanks Ann Marie and Maria!!!

...and I'm feeling fine:) amazing - I'm all hopped up on steroids, pepcid, benadryl, taxol, zometa and a lovely liter of saline - and i feel fine! My friend Anne came to sit with me today and be my chemo fairy and I slept thru the whole thing! I woke to find her cute little face smiling at me - so sweet of her to come and be with me.  She also gave me some tips to help with the pain in my thigh since cavorting on the beach last weekend;) (no jill, i didn't really cavort, but you knew that!) She knows about muscles, my Anne, so i trust her advice and will try to figure out my trigger points and release the muscle so i can walk normally again.  Being bald is one thing, bald plus crippled is kinda more than i can handle to be honest.  Then, my other chemo fairy Ann Marie and her daughter Maria brought us an amazing dinner tonight, my favorite chicken french and mashed potatoes and green beans, plus fresh cider and apple crisp with ice cream and whip cream for dessert. Delicious. Food plus talking with my friends= happy girl me:) Thank you all for making my chemo day more bearable.  Thanks also to my friends Gayle and Carolyn for letting me leave work early (even with the big boss man there!:)) to go to treatment...i was home and finished by 5, and that was such a blessing. You're all the bestest support system i could ask for!! xoxox

Success:)

Gillies in her do-rag!!
Here I was so worried about having to answer questions coming to work bald! I guess I'm scarier than I realized, because not one of my students asked me about it! One student asked if I donated my hair and I said yes, and that was it! I've now seen all of my students so feel much more comfortable and confident about coming to work now.

One of my professors asked me very sweetly and when I said "chemo", he simply said "honey!" which of course brought tears to my eyes. I was able to keep it together thank goodness, since I was sitting in front of 100 people at the time.
Thank you to so many of my colleagues for the hugs I've gotten over the past 2 days! I can't think of any better way to express your support:)
Bring on chemo treatment #4 this Friday!

Bald is beautiful!

safety on the plane!

Col, Kat and me chillin' in FL

Thanks everyone. My week off of chemo has been restorative mentally, emotionally, and physically. We've been in FL visiting kathryn and ian and they have spoiled us rotten! All the positive feedback has made me brave!:) I feel totally comfortable with no hat, not self conscious at all, and looking forward to shopping for cute winter hats:) I especially like the cloche style, almost a 1920s style i think...adorable. And Col has agreed to teach me to crochet my own hats, plus etsy has some...:) *evil giggle* My dad and Mitch also shaved their heads in solidarity...the support I have received has been phenomenal. Thanks everyone! Xoxoxo

Will's Experience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaxmCH7OXRs
Click above to see my husband Will's new vlog on being a husband/ support person for me and our journey with breast cancer.

Baldylocks:)

Before:)

and after!

What do you think?! My sisters, mom, kids, husband and fantastic friends were all with me this afternoon for the big shave:) It was lots of fun with just a couple moments of trepidation...but i love it! Jill and Will both shaved theirs, and Leanne has an amazing sassy new 'do too.  I couldn't have done it without them!!

I'm bringin' sexy back...

Alrighty, I guess it's time to face the facts...gonna have my head shaved Thursday night, with my sister Jill and Will going bald right next to me. My sister Leanne is cutting hers short in support and Colleen will be there to memorialize the event and hold my hand:) Too much of my hair is falling out to deny it any longer, and I really want to be able to donate it to the Locks of Love program, so I'm as ready as I'll ever be! I am most nervous about going to work the first couple days after I'm bald; it's such a public admission of my very private fight, and I know it will be hard for me to answer people's (understandable) questions. Colleen and I thought of several rude things to say, but I'll try and behave;) Shaving my head on Thursday means I'll have the weekend to get used to it at least. Plus I'll be in FL, so it's all good. Fingers crossed that I'm one of those inexplicably sexy bald women:)