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:)