Happy Memorial Day.....

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Still....

This is getting crazy. I still don't feel right. The achiness is there, although better than it was. The constant acid reflux is driving me nuts. The fingertip numbness, which at least comes and goes. The god awful taste in my mouth that I can't get rid of. The port that once again feels like it wants to pop out of my chest! And last night (in the middle of the night) for some reason my belly was upset---I spent 2 hours sitting in the bathroom, afraid to leave it. I have a week until I do this all over again, for the last time at least. No Nuelasta shot next time, so I will have to be more careful. Another reason I don't know if I'll be staying at the walk. So, about the time I am feeling more normal from the chemo, I will be down from surgery. We are looking at the second week in July before I start feeling semi normal again. That seems so far out. I know it really isn't. But it sure seems that way. That is really bothering me lately. I am so sick of all of this crap. We had to run to Home Depot last night, and it wore me out! I was looking for a place to sit down. I was sore and tired! How sad is that? And today we have a picnic. I am getting to hate the fake hair and fake boobs. Don't feel like wearing them, but don't want to go without. I cannot wait to give that stuff up!! And I will probably be seeing some people I haven't seen in awhile. I SO do not want to talk about this crap at all today. I guess I will just have to say that. I know they are concerned, but I do not want to spend my day being cancer girl.

Achy, Achy Go Away....

..and don't come back another day!! This is driving me absolutely crazy. I feel like I am 175 years old. I have to get up super slow, I can't get anywhere fast. And the ache is everywhere. The plus is that this only lasts 3-4 days (yes--I actually said ONLY), where the nausea was the full two weeks. I don't believe I will be walking much at the Relay this year. I will be in this "achy" window then too. Although, at least it will be the last one. Honestly, my wrist is killing me too, so this will be a short post. I will be taking a vicadin soon to help with this. While we were out watching the pool fill (kind of goes with watching paint dry!) my eyes did this funky thing. If I closed one eye I could see ok, but with both open, I was seeing double. And my left eye felt funny. I will have to mention that to the dr next time.

Have a safe Memorial Day Weekend!!

Friday....

This won't be a long post. I am completely uncomfortable. I ache everywhere, and can't get comfortable in any position. I was trying to help John mark where the pool would be going last night and everything was cramping up. On the plus side--I did sleep last night, finally. I took some of the Lorazepam I got quite a while back to help. Five hours sleep in two days is just not enough!!

Ok--for those of you who voted for Jill's boobs the past few days (see May 21 entry)--Thank you!! She made the top five!! Now we need to vote again. Click here-her picture is the one with the cancer sucks stickers where her nipples should be, with the pink feather boa around them. She is doing this to raise awareness, please help her win!!

Have a great Friday!! And don't forget that the new Pirates of the Caribbean is now out!!

I only have on More....

You have to sing that in your head like you are teasing someone. Add the na-na-na-na-na behind it if it helps!! One more Taxol and I am D-O-N-E!! That will be cause for celebration! About the time I should be feeling more normal I will be having surgery. But at least that won't cause nausea or body aches(well only in one area--and I'll be expecting that!), I will just be laid up for 1-2 weeks, and have restrictions for 4 more. But the surgery is working towards giving me something back-and then some! I might as well get something out of this!

I tell you going in for the chemo is hard. Knowing how I will feel, and with the Taxol--how long of a day it will be! The girls asked why I packed a lunch, so I was explaining it to them. They didn't seem to think it was too long. Jenna says-well there is a tv. Yes, but I don't really like daytime tv. And having to sit it that chair for so long! I have been borrowing Haley's dvd player and rewatching the first season of Lost. Of course by 11 I can't focus, so I turn it off then. So today I kept a list of times etc. to show them. Here is the breakdown.
8:35--draw blood/take vitals/stick port
8:45-Back to chair
10:07-see dr
10:20-Back to chair again
10:25-Pre med #1 Aloxi(anti-nausea) and decadron(steroid)
10:45-Pre med #2 Benedryl-sleepy time!! Don't even try to fight it!
11:00-Pre med #3 Pepcid
11:30-Taxol
2:30-Herceptin
3:05-Done--finally!!

I did ask the dr a few questions about my pathology that I had been meaning to ask him. On the YSC list, someone will say they are sleeping with NED (meaning No Evidence of Disease). I didn't think I could claim that until chemo was done. Even though I knew the chemo was a precaution. Well, I have been NED since surgery! Woo-Hoo. Not really any news I guess, just hadn't been given that designation officially before.

Vascular invasion was another concern, as cancer can travel through your blood stream as well as the lymph nodes. No evidence of that (obviously since I am NED!!!). And as far as staging, I was originally told stage 1 on the left and stage 2b on the right. I didn't think that was right. I think the last dr just looked at the tumor size when he answered. 2b is over 2 cm with lymph nodes involved. 2a-can be over 2 cm (my tumor was 2.1cm) if there are no lymph nodes involved. I did get this cleared up today with the new dr. Not much of a difference, but I will take it!!

There was a support group meeting tonight that I had planned on attending. They are normally the same night as my board meetings (third Monday), so I was happy this one was on Tuesday. But I was so tired when I got home, and not feeling the greatest, I didn't go. I really didn't want to drive back to Kankakee tonight either. Now of course the steroids have really kicked in, and who knows when I will get to sleep. When I first came home, I could have fallen asleep then!

I forgot to mention yesterday that I had a PS appt. Nothing really to report there. Just a pre op appt. Went over all the legal stuff they have to go over, gave me the prescriptions to get filled, and reminded me that I have to get a front close sport bra. I think she said you can get them at Target. I need to call back though and ask what size to get??

I made the avatar on the right at Meez. This is me having a hot flash(ok--fantasy version of me!)!! Lovely chemo pause. I haven't had too many yet-but yikes. Night sweats I am kind of used to, although they are still gross, I used to get those around my period.

Night night folks!!

Checking in....

Where on earth does the time go?? We finally got the cable issue with our tv straightened out. Yes that is right. Our small town has finally hit the big time!! Sewer and cable in the same year!

The owner of the Coldwell Banker Honig Bell (CBHB) offices has season sky box tickets for the Jackhammer games (minor league baseball). Every year he gives each of his 16 (or is it 17 now?) offices a turn to go to a game. Our turn came early this year, this past Friday. John and I went. It is always a nice night out. Food and drinks are included. The games always seem to run late when we go. This one was 13 innings! And unfortunately they lost. We didn't get home until midnight, and John had to be up at 4:30 for work.

Saturday Haley had her showcase at gymnastics. She did well. I need to remember to try my camera on the sport setting to see if it is faster. I missed alot by taking the pics, and I could have had some great shots-but by the time it took the pic it was too late.

There is a lady on the YSC boards that is taking part in a radio contest. The contest is who has the best implants. She is using this forum to raise awareness of breast cancer, esp in younger women. If she wins she is going to donate any money to the YSC. The radio station is also donating to breast cancer awareness. I am asking you to go to the site and vote for her. You can only vote once, so pass it along to anyone else you think may vote. They pick the finalist on Friday, so please do this now. There is a spot where they ask for your phone number, I have to be honest, this always bothers me. I "accidentally" switched a couple of numbers around. Her boobs are named "100% Silicone Cancer Free" and have pink stickers where her nipples would be (if she had nipples!) that say "cancer sucks!" She also has a pink boa on. (Sixth row, first column, when I was voting.) Click here to vote.

Shhhhh.....the girls still don't know about this yet. The pool is getting delivered Wednesday and installed Thursday. I need to find out where I can get it filled. They will know Wednesday night obviously. I just didn't want them knowing super early and asking 50 million times when it would be set up. Even though they are fully capable of reading a calendar!

Well, I am off to bed. Or to at least try to go to sleep. Having a hard time with that lately.

Happy Wednesday

Nothing really to report here. Went in yesterday for my Herceptin. I call ahead of time (the dr writes the prescription the week before) and they have it waiting when I get there. I didn't go until the afternoon, we had cable set up in the morning. Cable, internet and soon, phone. Which means I get to tell Verizon to take a flying leap-YEAH! I left the drs office at 2:20. The thermometer in the car said 86. It was a little nasty looking. On the way home, I first ran into some dust storms, then a downpour. From the dr office to Essex Rd, the temperature dropped 22 degrees! There were some huge tree limbs down on the way home, one barely missing a house. Luckily, none of our trees were damaged.

Don't forget the links on the right. Our Relay is June 8th and 9th. The 3-day walk is August 10th-12th. Please make your donations today--while you are thinking of it.