Sitting in Chemo #4

So I am sitting here in chemo with two men, wearing my purple wig with my pink breast cancer bra on over it. A slightly unconventional patient. Two more Chemos to go....will need two more wigs. Just waiting for my friends to show up with cameras and snacks...I have been so blessed to have such support! And I am amazed that I am doing so well..everyone else here this am is yellowish in color and sleeping. I slept well last night so I am not sleeping or snoring here today!! I have my singing class tonight ( yep this has been on my bucket list for over 15 years and this is a good reason to NOT put off what you want to do in Life. My next bucket list will be riding horses again) Work will definitely be on the back burner...just need a little to do weekly to keep me in the loop! (Maybe not!) Lastly book club tonight...didn't read the book but I am going to suggest "Shades of Grey". I think it is a sequel to "the fear of flying" which came out in the 1970's....so this book must be about baby boomer sex....wow and my daughter wants me to read it. This might be an over the top for my book club... The LOCQ's......which means "Lost Our Cherry Queens". You would have to live in Traverse City to get a part of the meaning for this....

'twas the night before #4

Laying in bed..taken the steriods today, and the Xanax tonight to take the edge of my thoughts... Lovely day, had a massage, then a drive in the country to dine for lunch at Fischer's Happy zhour to celebrate KB'S 60th birthday. It was somewhat difficult taking time off out of the day. I still could not let myself totally relax, still worried about work. I have got to get that corrected right out of my brain! But I did manage to slide back into work at four pm to check things out! I could start liking this time off thing! Xanax is working now,,I feel peaceful...I know I have two more of these "Super Vitamins that are kinda creepy but are helping me increase my survival rate" treatments to Go. I will have a treatment two days before we leave with all of our family to go to Ireland. Special precautions will have to be taken on the plane"but based on my last treatment..." IWill SURVIVE" and I will have my family around me as we travel. Tomorrow I will dress in purple, wear my new purple wig ( thanks to Katie and Sue Martin), and remind myself that I half it much easier than many of the others around me getting their chemo. Prayers for them. Good Night Moon,

Mother's Day 2012

A day late and a week or so short...but it was my best Mother's Day weekend ever..spent with my daughter Megan and her ever accepting of his MOL...my SOL...Joe! I went with them all day Saturday looking for houses...and of course I had the hardest time not putting my two cents in...in Japan the elders are considered for their wisdom...here, you have to watch about putting your two cents in! Lots of quipping with the realtor Michael who probably wanted to throw me out of the car when I asked too many questions and commented on his personal "too soon for activity with his new girlfriend"! I know I made points with Megan and Joe on that one!!!! Next time I go I will wear duct tape over my mouth! Sunday however was a very emotional day spent with Megan and Joe, Sue, Katie, and Tony Martin at the Susan G Koman Breast Cancer Race for the Cure at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. I decided we would decorate bras to wear over the outside of their racing clothes and so we did! We feathered, blinged ,used sparkly space looking balls, and cut nipple holes out of a bright red bra that my SOL Joe graciously wore in the race without complaining. I love him! And we were the ONLY ones wearing anything like that..getting comments from everyone. We were blown away that no one else had thought to do this...and there were LOTS of racers! ( of course we didn't see every one, but we like to think that we were trendsetters) 200K is the amount of people they thought were at this event. I saw friends crying and hugging as they finished the race...sobbing for someone they had lost due to this disease. Many raced with signs on their backs for "in memory of a loved one", but many wore signs celebrating survivors too! I choose to be a survivor, and I hope to run in that race next Mother's Day with my daughter. What a club to be in!

Mother's Day Weekend

So wonderful to be with my daughter Megan and my SOL Joe...they are a fun couple and it really gives me joy to see how much they love each other. Flew direct to Minneapolis because Delta FINALLY opened the route back up...and only $300...thanks for the deal Delta. Got to meet "The Office" where Megs works...so nice! Thursday...two and one-half hours in Target alone...lunch with Megs, three hours at "The Mall Of America"...actually I never made it out of Nordstroms. It is a good thing we moved away from all of this and that I live in Traveese City. I would seriously be in TROUBLE!!!! Friday...toodling around Minneapolis with cousin Sue...to the Arboretum to see Spring flowers and shop, to Pahl's Nursery to see lots of Pots and flowers, back to the MOA for more shopping and to pick up race packets for "The Susan B G. Koman Race for The Cure", Tiger Sushi, to see Sue's beautiful kitchen. And best of all to the Value Store to buy big bras to decorate for the race! And we found great ones to feather, and bling up with Sue M, Katie M, Megan O and me! Pizza and Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate cookies for dessert - that is why I am up in the middle of the night typing this...caffeine! L

One Week Ago!!

So after this past Chemo..which I think the doctor wants to do two than the original four just for extra help...not sure I want to but I guess I will have to do THREE MORE! I was more tired this time...but it could be because I partied for Cinco De Mayo with company and the family. We cooked Mexican food on Saturday..DJ made his famous guacamole, Dan, Uncle Tom and I all made Chicken mole, I made Spanish rice, Mexican flank steak, and we bought tamales! Found the best canned refried beans ever, why would I ever try to make them from scratch now? Oh and don't forget the Margaritas. Unfortunately I cooked again and it all tasted like S_IT because of the Chemo. So, I slept a little more...just naps from all the partying! THE OTHER SYMPTOMS.... Food still tastes like S_IT.....it is like my tongue is burnt and for a much longer time this time. No sores inside though so thAt is good! No hand rash...Yeah!!! My fingernails hurt, but they are not numb. They actually seem to be stronger. Weird. The chemo goes through your whole system...and it burns the whole EXIT area...leaving a few sores. I will have to find some type of homeopathic treatment for the next time. Cotton underware for sure....annoying. Otherwise I am back up and running. So I guess the next treatment is May 23rd, and I will be 2/3rds done! Much easier than most of the patients that I spend time with at the oncologist's office. Much easier than some of my friend's I know.

Steroids, Chemo 3, and Xanax!!!!!!!!!

Rainy day as I sit here having my Super Vitamins injected in my left arm, they can never use my right arm forever because of the lymph node removal on that side. I am wearing a black T Shirt that Tobi C, who does my pedicures in life, made for me to wear today. It has white letters on it that says "Save Second Base". I am also wearing my son Tommy's platinum mullet wig!  So what does the steriods do for me....well I stayed awake all night and never went to bed! Working on a FuN project for the office that no one even knows that I am doing. That is impressive. I am so tired!!!! No sleep last night and so I am fading here, I also have a full bladder and I can hardly stay awake.    (I wrote that when I was totally asleep!)

Everyone was excited as I snored during my procedure - I kept catching myself - and would wake up and everyone laughed.   I had also taken the two Xanax - did I say how much I like these for this anxiety thing pre-procedure.  I am very lucky because I have no problems during the chemo time.
This is the first time that I slept.  Paula came to visit me and brought me a muffin.  She caught me sleeping when she came in. I scarfed down the muffin.  I gained 2 lbs this trip - have to watch out!  Bob and Shelley, her hair stylists sent us the attractive rain bonnets to protect our hair - wow - I never thought that I would wear something like this - but hey, they work.
I was really done when Paula arrived - so we went back to Salon Elan to show them my choice of wigs!  I thought this was platinum, but it was really yellow!

Dr.  K is thinking he will have me do two more, so a total of 6 procedures - just for good luck I guess.  He said he will see how this one (#3) and the next  one (#4) goes before he decides.  Maybe I am looking too good and too funny - but if I need it as an extra procaution - I guess I will go for it.   We will see - -

Listening to a GREAT tape - Anti Cancer - A New Way of Life - worth everyone reading.

Going to try to go out for Mexican Food tonight - probably the last night that food will taste good for awhile!   For my last treatment - I think I will have a big SURPRISE for the office!  I keep them cracking up - at least for now!

Sent from a Dear Friend

How To  Plant Your Garden 

First,  you  Come to the garden alone,
 while the dew is still on the roses. 


FOR THE  GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING  , 

  PLANT THREE ROWS  OF PEAS : 



  1. Peace of  mind
2. Peace of heart
 3. Peace of soul

   PLANT FOUR  ROWS OF SQUASH: 


1. Squash gossip 
2.  Squash indifference 
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash  selfishness

PLANT  FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE: 



  1. Lettuce be faithful
  2. Lettuce be kind 
  3.  Lettuce be patient 
  4. Lettuce really  love one another 


NO  GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:



 1. Turnip for meetings
  2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another 


TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN YOU MUST  HAVE   THYME: 


 1. Thyme for God
   2. Thyme for each other
  3. Thyme for family
  4. Thyme for friends 
WATER FREELY WITH  PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.    THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU  REAP WHAT YOU  SOW.  NOT BAD,  HUH?!

My instructions were to send this  to people that I wanted God to bless and I  picked you! 



"IN GOD WE TRUST"