New Hairdo...

Hello. It is the weekend. My mom flew back to Colorado yesterday, so this week will be an adjustment.(She was here about 5 weeks) My collegues are heading back to work to face the masses in the classroom after Labor Day. I do not envy them. Due to current circumstances I took a year leave of absence. I have a few other things on my plate to focus on :) I start treatment 3 of chemo Monday. Then #4 of 4 on Sept 5th. A CT will follow to check on progress. (remission-remission-remission)
I'm tired. My energy level is low and what there is of it, goes to Jane. She is my motivation. To wake up each morning with a smile and giggle without a care in the world- that's an awesome perspective.
Thank you for all the cards and calls and good energy and prayers. It feels good, I am blessed. Those "pacman" are working hard.
Chris and I shaved our heads Thursday night. Mine was falling out due to the Taxol. All eight months of growth- gone in minutes. But we know the medicine is working.....
Jane is currently down for a nap and I am signing off to join her. Take care my friends.

Plan B....

So this summer I'm finishing up my oral chemo ready to move on and enjoy life without the "cancer". Fate had another plan. I developed a nasty rash that is called dermatomyositis. http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00335.html The rash lead us to run more tests to to find out what was causing this. Friday, August 4th, the bone scan came back clean (yeah!), however the CT scan had other news. The CT scan confirmed that my cancer was now Stage 4, meaning the cancer has metastasized to my lungs and liver. There are multiple nodules in both lungs the largest measuring 2.7 cm and a nodule on my liver. Surgery is not an option. So here is Plan B. I am currently on Prendizone (steriod) for the rash and a new chemo cocktail. The chemo drugs of Avastin, Taxol, & Gemzar are used in a 21 day cycle with treatments on day 1 and day 8. After two of these cycles we will do a CT scan and determine whether this is the cocktail of choice. The lesions should shrink and/or disappear. If this is the case we will keep up with this treatment, if not plan C is awaiting. You see me with my "onocologist" (chemo doctor) Dr. Jeff Margolis. I did get a second opinion from a friend of a friend down at MDAnderson in Houston. They recommended the same treatment path. So trust in the doctors, prayers from loved ones, and belief in my own energy and abilities will lead to remission. Afterall, who could pass up my motivation. (See Jane!)

Start from the beginning.....

Well let's do some quick review to catch everyone up to speed. This journey of mine began almost a year ago. I found a lump in my right arm pit region while making "chicken wings" with Jane. After my OB/GYN confirmed the lump, a monogram, ultrasound and core biopsy confirmed the lump. My Cancer was official on Monday August 29th, 2005. The race then began.... I have "invasive ductile carcinoma" in my right breast, it is "highly differentiated". It has spread to my lymph nodes. (#uncertain) but cancer has not shown up elsewhere through the tests. All my receptor nods are negative do hormone treatment is not an option for me. I am receiving 6 treatments of chemotherapy first, once every three weeks. (TAC Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxan.) . So Chemo began and it sucked! But it shrunk the lump( originally 3.2 down to 2.6 cm). Surgery took place Feb 16th 2006. They removed a lump of 4 cm (yikes!) 33 lymph nodes, 3 of which were found cancerous. Then it was 35 treatments of radiation. A daily routine. I survived with slight burn or decoloration under my arm pit. No worries. Then due to growth factor and # of lymph nodes removed I was going to finish up treatment on an oral chemo (pill form) called Xeloda. There was a 3 week cycle: 2 weeks on, one week off, for 6 months. That was plan A...

Chemo round 2; treatment 2 of 4

Hello. Today I went in to continue my treatment for this time around. (update that later) I received an IV chemo of Gemzar. A lovely clear liquid that will go in as warm champagne bubbles to find the cancer and then little pacmans will gooble up the yuk. (wocka-wocka-wocka) Our goal with this chemo treatment is to reduce the size of the lesions on my lungs and liver. Kickin' their butt into remission is our primary focus.

3 Day Walk

Hello everyone. It is the day after our big weekend. The 3-Day! 60 miles in three days to raise money towards a cure. Chris, Cinnie and Bets helped to create my team ENJOY. Together the four of us raised over $13,000. Thank you for all your support. The Detroit area even raised close to $5.9 million. Amazing! Words truly can not begin to describe our weekend experience. Very powerful and life defining. There is hope out there. I have the courage and strength to accept each day one day at a time and ENJOY my life with friends and family along the way.