Busy Week!!!

Whew! For a girl who's s'posed to be fatigued and resting ....I've been runnin' all week!!

• Sunday - Cooked all day, big breakfast, Meatloaf, Chili, Cicken & Noodles, smoked chicken....sent food backw/Amie and meals ready for the week....
• Monday - Work all day, actually went back in the evening when the boys were at Football practice!
• Tuesday - Cape ALL DAY - left around 8 am - had treatment, then lunch & shopping w/Lyssa & Mother, Matthew & Glen came down after work/school , more shopping and late dinner - (Didn't make it to my movie)...home at 10:00 PM
• Wednesday - Work all day - drove to St. Louis around 6:30 PM
• Thursday - Appointments @ Siteman Cancer Center till almost 2 PM - Mother & I stopped for lunch on the way home, said a few words to 'the boys' before foot ball practice then I attended the SV vs PHS High School Volleyball game...which the girls had dedicated to BC Support...all were wearing pink themed t's - all proceeds went to BC research! (Very Exciting Game!!)
• Friday - work all day, said a few words to 'the boys' again...then to Cape for dinner & program at Church with Lyssa & Mother - home at 9:30 pm

Other than needing reading glasses for EVERYTHING this week, I've felt 'Normal' - Maybe I've gotten the 'side effect meds' figured out?!

Then again, next week may be totally different....ANYWAY...

Today - fun day of football! Matthew's team victorious over the undefeated team in the league...Boys were pumped!!!

Very Nice Surprise...

- One of the boys on Matthew's team upon seeing the NFL support BC 'in pink' told his mother that he wanted to do that! Lori Ellsworth brought pink & white BC sweat bands and helmet stickers for the team. The boys were happy to sport the PINK!

In fact, she had boys from other teams asking her for sweat bands!

Incredibly sweet and thoughtful!!!!!

Here's Matthew - he likes pink... He's been after me all evening to '"find out where she got those and order some more!" He wants to take some to school, and have plenty for their winter basketball team.... Says he also wants to order pink gloves like the NFL guys....:)

News from St. Louis Appointments.....

Our first stop was with the Radiation Oncologist...While in the waiting room, noticed a small group of girls (I say girls, probably close to my age), seemed to be having a good time... a few minutes later a very healthy, happy girl comes in the room accompanied by a couple healthcare workers...and SHE RINGS THE BELL... I've read about this on my forum - The ceremonious ringing of the bell when you've had that LAST RADIATION treatment...Everyone in the (large) room clapped & cheered.... The group of friends were awaiting with hugs, and then I'm sure they were off for a day of friendship and celebration!

Now, y'all know, I'm not a boo hoo kinda person - but I found myself a little emotional, nearly cried! Imagine....every day for probably 6 weeks, and for most, this is the end of several months of cancer treatment!!!!

They don't have a bell in Cape, so I'm going to St. Louis for my radiation.......

JUST KIDDING!!! (wanted to see if you were paying attention)

Really, I am going to St. Louis for radiation, but not because of the bell (well, not entirely, anyway)

They have more advanced means of radiation delivery. Can target the area needing zapped and minimize the damage to surrounding tissue and organs.....AND.....can adequately and confidently radiate with tissue expanders in place.

So, plan is finish chemo Dec. 1 - surgery around the 15th..... Start radiation probably first of February.

Not looking forward to that daily commute and the time involved, but - these 4 months have flown by so far, sure that will go fast as well.....

And, I've already had many offers for 'go with me's' - will have to spend some of those days relaxing, having fun, enjoying the companionship of girlfriends & family....

I really do need to learn to relax.....

Good Night...Love to you All!!!!

Side Effects - What you may not (want to) know:)

When people ask how I'm doing, I always reply positively - Because as I've said a million times, I really feel pretty good!

Good when you consider, as I always have, that when people get chemo, they get SICK!

I think most people still envision the 'head in the toilet - sick'

The good news is that for many chemo meds there are meds now known to combat that side effect.

However, there are a colorful array of other chemo side effects, and as I had intended for my experience to somehow be helpful at some time to someone else effected by this experience, I should then be a little more revealing, than just 'fine' or 'great' -

Experiencing one of the prominent side effects, known as chemo brain, when someone asks me in the future about all of this, I surely will have forgotten most of the details (for some, that won't be a bad thing!) - but again, I want to be informative and helpful!

So, as I've already kinda forgot how I felt with the first treatment, I better jot down now...

A/C every 3 weeks for 4 treatments - Some call this treatment "The Red Devil"

• decrease in appetite - very few things 'sound good' - difficult to decide what to eat.
• indigestion
• fatigue
• altered sleep pattern - may not be able to sleep at night, then can't stay awake when you sit down during the day.
• Brain Fog - some days literally difficult to carry out simple tasks
• chemo brain - forgetful, difficulty finding words, etc.
• weakness
• constipation
• impaired vision
• mouth sores
• Hair loss (almost forgot)
• Chemopause (chemo shuts down ovaries) HOT FLASHES / NIGHT SWEATS, moodiness for some (not me, of course, tee hee)

Taxol / Herceptin (Taxol is Chemo / Herceptin is an antibody)

• Chemo Brain Continues....
• Steroids go with this - definitely altered sleep pattern
• Puffy face
• Bloated / Gas
• weight gain - especially belly / mid section (10lbs and counting...)
• Mouth sores
• constipation / diarrhea (believe it or not, both)
• indigestion
• body aches
• Joint pain
• splitting nails, some fall off
• loss of eye lashes and eye brows
• Hot flashes, Worse night sweats
• impaired vision
• dental decay
• runny nose - nose drip when you least expect it...NICE!
• Nose bleed - also without notice, also NICE!
• Peripheral Neuropathy - tingling / numb hands and feet
• Can cause heart damage

Not everyone gets all of these, or experiences them all at the same time. Some unfortunate girls get it all and then some! My heart sincerely goes out to them!

Someone on the cancer forum that I frequent, put it like this...

Breast Cancer takes a beautiful, vibrant, healthy young lady and turns her into a middle aged man - Bald, flat chested, and Fat!

OK, there's your educational segment on chemo - side effects....

Aren't you glad that when you ask how I'm doing, that I spare you the really glamorous details?

As always and forever...Love to you All!!!

Vote for this puppy!!

You've got to see this adorable photo -and while you're at it, vote for Vicki's 'cutest puppy'!

I've asked her for a copy of this pic to put on this blog....here's the link!

http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=75AF15D7D26B47F08BAC5E3BD23A8B71&page=1

tootles again!

Di Di

PS, now, just because I gave ya that good news about the prognosis, remember, no guarantees with cancer, so please continue to pray!!! All my Love Again...Now, I really am going to get off the computer - however, got the 'roids' - thats steroids, not hemoroids, (i'm a nurse and don't know how to spell that -and really too lazy at the moment to look it up) So, I may be back at around 3 am or so :)

Good News!

Hello Everyone!

Weekly Treatment #4 today.. 8 more to go!

Doing Very WELL!! It's taken a little effort to get the 'right combo' down for addressing these side effects...In fact this week, I feel pretty NORMAL!!!

No major complaints, even managed a little get away to Branson with John & Lisa Staggs a couple weeks ago - Although I wasn't 100% and felt like I was in 'slo-mo' they said they didn't notice - I even rode a coaster at Silver Dollar City! Hatless, no less, as it's their policy not to allow 'loose articles' on certain rides. The girl was so sweet - she offered to contact her manager for special permission to let me wear my hat - Of course, it didn't bother me, and I immediately declined and hopped on (To save you from this uncomfortable picture, I was wearing a cute little American Eagle doo rag) So, I wasn't totally 'naked' and didn't look too creepy!

In fact, my hair is coming back in - (now that looks a little creepy - I prefer bald) it started as soon as I finished the first chemo and some have said that theirs continued coming in with this type of chemo (Taxol) We'll see...

Hey, I wonder if I'd been wearing a wig, if that'd been considered 'a loose article' - or - if I had one of those 'fake boobs' - if that'd be considered a 'loose article'? That'd look pretty funny sitting in the complimentary bins provide by these rides!!!

OK, OK, As always and forever, my family is wonderful, especially GLEN!!! We really are just carrying on day to day pretty much normal - Happy, really no obvious stress... Of course Glen is picking up and doing more than usual.. although he's always been a willing doer, he's definitely doing more ...more dishes, more laundry, more 'picking up', more running errands, more school stuff with Matthew, more driving, more trips to the Dr., more, more, more....and I'm quite sure he's tolerating more - maybe we should call him Glenmore.... I do know that He Loves Me and I Love Him More

!!!

Kudos to my Mother as well...she would do even more if I'd let her - but you all know how independent I am!!! In fact, she's coming over again tomorrow night to stay with 'my boys' aka Matthew and Sam (yes the latter is the dog)

I have three appointments Thursday at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis and, yes I know it's only an hour and a half away, but the first appt is early and there will be more traffic, and I don't like mornings, so we just thought we'd go up tomorrow night and get a room. Found a hotel that's actually considered 'on campus' at the hospital - it's in the Central West End, we've never stayed there - so what little time we'll be there, will be a new adventure!! ....Yes I know I'm fortunate, maybe some would consider 'pampered'...and I am continually grateful for my many blessings!!!!!

Which Brings Me To 'THE GOOD NEWS' That We got today...

I think I mentioned in previous posts that my cancer is responding well to chemo - well, it has been, but the breast tumor is still 'there' and I've been able to feel it and the Dr. had been able to feel and measure it still as well. But, today, after only 3 of these treatments, it's less palpable and so soft that she could not measure - in fact if I didn't know it was there I don't think I'd notice it!!!

She told us that she is sure that by the time I finish chemo and go into surgery, that it will be GONE!!

I have never asked about specific prognosis - not really sure why - I really have felt all along that we'll handle this day at a time and the outcome will be positive... and if it's not, we'll deal with that when it comes.... and maybe, I just didn't want the chance of hearing that because my cancer is an aggressive type that it's whatever percent likely that it'll will recur, because, maybe that would interfere with my ability to remain postive....and, not everyone with similar diagnoses respond to treatment the same way, I don't know, but anyway....

She went on to say that my aggressive tumor is responding to the treatment (herceptin - that just a few years ago wasn't available) and that with the treatments I've received, the response I'm having, and the treatments yet to come, that the percentage of a recurrance for me is less than 5%!! In Cancer World, That is HUGE!!!

Closing for now, Love to You All!!!!!

Di Di