Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Long time, no blogging
I did not realize how long it had been! And I've even been tagged in the meanwhile. I'll get to that one later.
So, what's been going on?
It feels like nothing is going on, especially compared to the trauma at last year at this time. May and early June are always busy times with the end of the school year activities. Rachel's had 2 flute recitals, a band concert, Family Day (another day of school performances and a carnival), dance rehearsals in addition to the 3 day a week ballet classes, and has a few more rehearsals and the spring dance performance next weekend. I've been busy running to all those events. Every once in a while, in the middle of the hubbub, I remember what it was like to be in the midst of all that with the feeling of impending doom hanging over my head. Last year, the goal was to get through all of these things before I started chemotherapy. All our usual fun, after the craziness, Mommy/daughter plans for June were cancelled. This year, we are talking about going to the shore, seeing what Broadway show we can catch by getting tickets at the TKTS booth, spending a day at the Museum of Natural History, visiting friends, etc. :)
In the meantime, I've had a few routine doctor's appointments.
I thoroughly miss the days when a check up was just something totally routine. Everything is much more complicated now. I left my physical at my internists office with a "to do" list that was incredibly long. I've become one of those patients with a complicated problem list. One of those multiple medical problem people. I feel like Rip Van Winkle, like I went to bed one day and woke up 50 years later. I'm supposed to see an allergist (no one else will do my vaccinations because of my allergy history), a cardiologist to consider the possibility of having a stress test (!!!), a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy (planning to put this one off a tiny bit longer), and a dermatologist (made that appointment). This is in addition to the previously made appointments with my medical oncologist, gynecologic oncologist, breast surgeon (done) and plastic surgeon. The only positive is that after my co-pays (which are higher than ever), I should hit my deductible very soon, if we have not already.
Then, I got my blood test results back. I suspect that nothing is ever easy, even on this road out of Cancer-ville. I thought life was going back to normal. Albeit, a new normal. And I guess this just is a new normal... just one that find me about 50 years older than I was going in!!! Some of you are aware that I had some serious physical side effects from the aromatase inhibitor (medication) I was supposed to take for at least the next 5 years. I went off that medication in February and most of the symtoms went away. I'm left with just one issue and we are all hoping that was a medication issue too and that it will go away as well. So, my medication was changed to tamoxifen. It's been around a lot longer, decent safety profile, etc. All is well. Until my bloodwork, that is. In some women, tamoxifen can affect the lipid profile. It slaughtered mine! The recent surgical menopause probably contributed a bit too. But, as you've read here before, I had already been working on getting into shape, eating right, etc. My triglycerides and cholesterol are now so high that diet and exercise and supplements are not enough. My levels actually skyrocketed while I was already doing all those things!! So, I get to add yet another medication to my list. I get to have even more bloodwork several times a year. It's a big deal when every needlestick in your arm (either one) is a risk for another possible lifelong complication, lymphedema. So, I try to get my blood drawn from my foot whenever I can. Not easy because not many medical folks have done it before. At least I can talk someone through the process because *I* know how to do it.
So, that's life in the fast lane at the moment. :) Glad to be here.. now to go check on that tag from Dana!
So, what's been going on?
It feels like nothing is going on, especially compared to the trauma at last year at this time. May and early June are always busy times with the end of the school year activities. Rachel's had 2 flute recitals, a band concert, Family Day (another day of school performances and a carnival), dance rehearsals in addition to the 3 day a week ballet classes, and has a few more rehearsals and the spring dance performance next weekend. I've been busy running to all those events. Every once in a while, in the middle of the hubbub, I remember what it was like to be in the midst of all that with the feeling of impending doom hanging over my head. Last year, the goal was to get through all of these things before I started chemotherapy. All our usual fun, after the craziness, Mommy/daughter plans for June were cancelled. This year, we are talking about going to the shore, seeing what Broadway show we can catch by getting tickets at the TKTS booth, spending a day at the Museum of Natural History, visiting friends, etc. :)
In the meantime, I've had a few routine doctor's appointments.
I thoroughly miss the days when a check up was just something totally routine. Everything is much more complicated now. I left my physical at my internists office with a "to do" list that was incredibly long. I've become one of those patients with a complicated problem list. One of those multiple medical problem people. I feel like Rip Van Winkle, like I went to bed one day and woke up 50 years later. I'm supposed to see an allergist (no one else will do my vaccinations because of my allergy history), a cardiologist to consider the possibility of having a stress test (!!!), a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy (planning to put this one off a tiny bit longer), and a dermatologist (made that appointment). This is in addition to the previously made appointments with my medical oncologist, gynecologic oncologist, breast surgeon (done) and plastic surgeon. The only positive is that after my co-pays (which are higher than ever), I should hit my deductible very soon, if we have not already.
Then, I got my blood test results back. I suspect that nothing is ever easy, even on this road out of Cancer-ville. I thought life was going back to normal. Albeit, a new normal. And I guess this just is a new normal... just one that find me about 50 years older than I was going in!!! Some of you are aware that I had some serious physical side effects from the aromatase inhibitor (medication) I was supposed to take for at least the next 5 years. I went off that medication in February and most of the symtoms went away. I'm left with just one issue and we are all hoping that was a medication issue too and that it will go away as well. So, my medication was changed to tamoxifen. It's been around a lot longer, decent safety profile, etc. All is well. Until my bloodwork, that is. In some women, tamoxifen can affect the lipid profile. It slaughtered mine! The recent surgical menopause probably contributed a bit too. But, as you've read here before, I had already been working on getting into shape, eating right, etc. My triglycerides and cholesterol are now so high that diet and exercise and supplements are not enough. My levels actually skyrocketed while I was already doing all those things!! So, I get to add yet another medication to my list. I get to have even more bloodwork several times a year. It's a big deal when every needlestick in your arm (either one) is a risk for another possible lifelong complication, lymphedema. So, I try to get my blood drawn from my foot whenever I can. Not easy because not many medical folks have done it before. At least I can talk someone through the process because *I* know how to do it.
So, that's life in the fast lane at the moment. :) Glad to be here.. now to go check on that tag from Dana!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The Martha Stewart Show, May 11 2007- PREVIEW!
Just so you can see what we are wearing and what we look like. :P
Yup. I'm in bright pink again. Makes me easy to spot in a crowd, even if you do need sun glasses once you find me. And, yes, my cheeks are often that bright too, without blush.
Here's a who's who, from left to right across your computer screen...
Chris (Pat's sister), Emilie (the pregnant one), Sonia (aka sonyscraps), Pat Rex (owner of Scrapbooking Moments in Time), Barbara Base, Me, Dana (aka dtuskey), Patria , Beth (my sister), Anne (behind Beth), and Angela.
Dana asks a question of "Big Martha" (Martha's mom) during the truly impromptu "Ask Martha" segment. We actually did not get to see Lindsay Lohan as she wasn't there for the taping, so it will be interesting to see if that segment occurs and is spliced into the show.
Unlike last time, when I was the bald girl in the front row, LOL, I doubt I am on camera at all during the show as I was sitting directly behind the area where most of the production folks stood. That did make for an interesting taping though. The only time I was aware of the camera was the very opening shot. The camera man had me tilt my scrapbook "just so" to get rid of the glare so they could zoom in on a page in my album. :) It just happened to be a page with the TV show logo and photos of my last adventure to visit the show for breast cancer awareness month. Patria and I took a photo of the two of us in front of that same poster again. I want to do a before and after page of some sort. Being back at that studion made me realize just how far I have come. I had so much fun at both tapings, but this time was different. It's not just the no drains and the curly hair. I'm back , if that makes any sense.
Monday, May 07, 2007
The Martha Show, 7 months later
I'm going back for another taping of The Martha Stewart Show tomorrow. :)
You may recall this photo, from my little excursion at the end of September for the taping of a show dedicated to breast cancer survivors.
What a difference a few months make. My hair had just sprouted and now I have a full head of curls. I could even use a haircut now, but that's just not going to happen for quite sometime. I still had 2 drains in from my bilateral (ie double) mastectomy. I can see the wrinkles on the shirt from where I had them pinned. Now those scars are well healed and those drains, that I still had 2 weeks later, are long gone. I even have breasts now. :) Back then, I was living in Cancer-ville every minute. Every thing I did, every move I made, was affected by breast cancer some how. Little things, like I had trouble opening a bottle of water for myself. When I went to scrapbook for the first time, about 3 weeks later, I had trouble using a tape runner. Cancer was everywhere in my life. Now, it's a past tense thing.
This time, Patria will be accompanying me once more. So will my sister and a group of 7 other friends. The show is about scrapbooking, at least a segment or two of it will be. I cannot wait to have pictures from the show with hair and boobs. LOL! :P
You may recall this photo, from my little excursion at the end of September for the taping of a show dedicated to breast cancer survivors.
What a difference a few months make. My hair had just sprouted and now I have a full head of curls. I could even use a haircut now, but that's just not going to happen for quite sometime. I still had 2 drains in from my bilateral (ie double) mastectomy. I can see the wrinkles on the shirt from where I had them pinned. Now those scars are well healed and those drains, that I still had 2 weeks later, are long gone. I even have breasts now. :) Back then, I was living in Cancer-ville every minute. Every thing I did, every move I made, was affected by breast cancer some how. Little things, like I had trouble opening a bottle of water for myself. When I went to scrapbook for the first time, about 3 weeks later, I had trouble using a tape runner. Cancer was everywhere in my life. Now, it's a past tense thing.
This time, Patria will be accompanying me once more. So will my sister and a group of 7 other friends. The show is about scrapbooking, at least a segment or two of it will be. I cannot wait to have pictures from the show with hair and boobs. LOL! :P
Friday, May 04, 2007
My sweet angel!
This past weekend, Rachel decided it was time to donate her gorgeous hair. For various reasons, we choose Pantene's Beautiful Lengths to donate her hair to. This program, probably much less known than Locks of Love, creates real hair wigs (as opposed to the very expensive synthetic wig I purchased) and makes them available through the American Cancer Society for those undergoing chemotherapy. {Locks of Love 's program is for children with long term hair loss, not kids undergoing chemo as is popularly thought.. a good cause nonetheless, but not what most people understand.} I wish I had known about the Pantene program when I had my hair cut short in anticipation of the massive chemo related loss. Another little plus is that they only require 8 inches of hair for a donation. Rachel donated about 9 inches.
We went to a local mall to get her hair cut. She had wanted to do this back in November at a hair cutting party held at her school, but in all honesty, I wasn't ready. I was still wearing a wig back in November. While I did take it off to show the children at school, it was still crew cut like length, not ready for public viewing. LOL
I admit I do love her hair at this length! She does too. She's quickly become the queen of headbands, coordinating them to every outfit. Putting her hair up in a bun for ballet 3 days a week isn't easy at this length, but it will be by September. Rachel's now debating growing it to donate all over again or possibly keeping it around this length.
I am so incredibly proud of my little girl. Not only has she donated her hair, she's been working on fundraising as well. About a month ago, she came up with an idea for a business. She decided to sell friendship bracelets to raise money for a cancer related cause. Very quickly, in just 3 days, she raised over $100, all essentially on the playground. She created quite a stir at school. She ended up employing other children to make the bracelets, but not before she charged them to learn how! She has since started tasking orders. Demand at school has slowed down a bit, so she's decided to go on-line with her sales after I get around to creating a web site for her.
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