Friday, March 30, 2007

Indianapolis Race for The Cure

The Indianapolis Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (that's a mouthful) annual Race for the Cure is on April 21st. This is the organization that is so near and dear to my heart, as I was involved in Grand Rapids for 6 years!

Logan, Richard and I are planning on walking! They are planning over 35,000 people. WOW! Anyone who feels like making a trip to Indy is welcome to crash at our place and join us for the walk. It should be a truly inspirational event. (if you're crashing with us, please let us know, so we can at least pick up dirty underwear and stuff :)

Also, for those in Grand Rapids we are planning on coming up there for the Race in September, and are working on planning on some sort of party/celebration that Saturday night so keep the last weekend in September open for us!

Monday, March 26, 2007

4 down...2 to go

Well, with four down, I'm getting anxious to finish this crap up! I got sick during treatment again, so maybe that's just the norm for me, get it over with. I just felt yucky all weekend, but I'm definetely ready to be done with this chemo. We just hung out and enjoyed the nice weather this weekend.

Again, my oncologist is very impressed with the results. In fact we were discussing weather or not I will be needing radiation, and he feels pretty confident that we'll have a 100% response from the chemo and won't need radiation, so that's very encouraging.

We have also been researching reconstruction options. I have tested positive for the BRAC2 gene mutation, so I have decided to have a bi-lateral mastectomy when this is all done. The gene mutation increases my risk of a recurrence, so no breast tissue, no breast cancer. Knowledge is power I guess, and as long as I can do something about it the better.

Through some amazing young breast cancer survivors, I've learned of the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery in New Orleans. They perform some procedures that aren't done here in Indianapolis, and are quite the procedure with some amazing results. The procedure involves re-building my breasts with tissue from my stomach. So I'd have a fab new set of boobs and a flat stomach, there has to be some perks to all of this cancer!

I don't need to be in a hurry for the reconstruction, but emotionally I'm not sure how I'll do without boobs, so for now the research continues, and we've got some big decisions to make as to weather or not we want to proceed with reconstruction right away, or wait until we can save up the giant deductible. Decisions...decisions...

Thursday, March 15, 2007

drip....drip....drip....

You never realize how much you appreciate nose hair, until you don't have any. I aquired a sinus infection and without any hair there really is nothing holding all of that snot in, so it's drip, drip, drip for me. Or walk around with kleenex stuffed in my nose, very attractive.

But I'm on some antibiotics, some nasal spray, and claritin, so hopefully it clears this crap up soon. Otherwise I'm attaching a bucket to my chin! :)

Friday, March 2, 2007

HALFWAY DONE!!

Just got back from my third treatment. I'm feeling good, now. But I actually got sick in the middle of treatment today, and felt much better afterwards. I've had a cold for awhile and all that snot makes my stomach upset, so I'm sure that was the issue on top of the drugs. So the nurse said I could take sudafed or benadryl to help dry it up the weekends of my treatments, to save the upset stomach.

I also met with the doc again today, and he did an exam. He said if he had not known there was ever anything there, he would not have been able to find anything. WOOHOO!!! That's so good to hear, this crap is still doing it's job.

So we'll just hang out this weekend, and see what I feel up for. I'm actually craving an Arby's roast beef right now, weird. So maybe I can convince Richard to stop on the way home.

My mommy and grammy are coming to visit next week, and I'm so very excited to see both of them. I'm kind of bummed that grampy decided to stay home, but I understand his reasons. We'll just make a special trip up after chemo to see him. We'll probably head to downtown Indy, show grandma the sights. I think pedicures are in the works as well, so that will be fun. Who knows what other kind of trouble we'll get into, hee hee.

Hope everyone has a good weekend! I hope those of you in the U.P. have dug out from the big storm, I heard it wasn't so nice.