Starting chemo September 2014

Top of the morning to you! Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all! Despite building an elaborate trap, Little E did not catch a leprechaun! He did get some chocolate, a couple of hot wheels cars and a Star Wars guy for his trouble tho! Along with a note wishing him better luck next year!

Jean, glad to hear that your first rads tx went well! You will be a rockstar at this!

Toby, isn't your last chemo this week? I know you will be so glad to put this behind you!

I bet LARock is having a blast in Italy with her family. Hope she enjoys her adventure!

Feeling a little better every day! The weather has been beautiful the last several days, so Little E and I have been able to get some exercise and fresh air. It's been so nice to be able to go out without wearing 10 layers of clothes, and to walk without worrying about breaking my neck falling on ice. So excited for Spring!!!!

In chemo news, I have been nursing my thumb nail along for weeks and weeks. It had separated from the nail bed, but I figured if I made it another month, it would grow out and be fine. Of course, I ripped it halfway off this morning! Ouch! I am debating on cutting it the rest of the way off, so that I don't catch it and rip it off. Shudder! Or painting a bunch of coats of clear polish on it to try to save it. Stupid chemo! Stupid cancer!

Geez, ladies!!!!  Of all the stupid things!!!!  Last week I noticed several ants crawling up the wall in our spare bedroom, so I got the can of spray out and killed them.  I left the can there for more of them little burgers to come out and look for their buddies.  On Sunday night, the smoke alarm in that room went off and for the past three nights, 12:45 a.m., 2:30 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. it has gone off.  After we fall off the ceiling, we frantically go running around the house trying to find the fire.  It would make one long "beep" and then silence and then "beep" and then it would set the other 6 off.  Last night since my stick didn't shut it up, the only thing I had handy that would reach that high was my spray, so I am sharing this picture of the ant I must have sprayed in the middle of the night on my smoke alarm!!!!  The exterminator comes on Friday!!!!! 

Enjoy your vacation LARock!!!  You have certainly earned it -- CONGRATS!!!!! 

No matterwhat, the only good bug is a dead bug! I once had to kill a hornet, while buck naked, in my bathroom. He was stuck up in the skylight and I couldn't reach him, so I blasted him with hair spray! Of course, I then had to drag out a ladder to clean all the sticky mess off the skylight, but you do what you have to do!

LARock, I thought you finished last Friday! (Chemo brain, anyone?) Have a wonderful trip with your family!

Jean, I told you that you would be a rockstar! Age doesn't matter, it's a state of mind!

Life goes on around here! Little E has Pinewood Derby this weekend with scouts, then his first soccer practice. Getting ready for Easter and enjoying warmer temps. So nice to spend a little time outside. We have been doing a bit of walking and some scooter riding. Not feeling brave enough to try to ride my bike just yet. Patiently waiting for the ice cream shop on the corner to open up! That's when we will know winter is gone for good!

FINALLY!!!! Congrats to you Toby!!!  It has been a long road for you.  I am thrilled you are done.  BIG HUGS

Thought I would share a photo of Little E with his pinewood derby car and trophy. He is so proud of himself! He painted his car as Stampycat from Minecraft, and received a trophy for "Coolest Paint Job". Such a little cutie, isn't he?

OMG!!!  Little E is absolutely adorable!!!  Congratulations to him and his pine derby car. How are you doing on Tamoxifen? 

Well Jean, are you crispy yet?? 

Toby, since your weight is suppose to come off in about two months, you can have the 20+lbs I have gained since starting this journey to lose as well. 

I have been through two surgeries, chemo, radiation and now Femara and for my GRAND PRIZE --  Lymphedema!!!!  This sucks!!!!! 

I finish my second of six weeks tomorrow and so far doing ok. I'm slathering on Aquaphor 3x daily and ditched the bra last week. Wearing only men's large white cotton t shirts. Love, Jean

Moving right along. Going for rads #10 of 30. Still have lingering side effects from Taxol. Neuropathy in my feet and some bowel issues. Anyone else still have neuropathy? Monday I go down to NYC after rads for my Herceptin / perjeta (every 3 weeks). Five hours on the road, but our son is driving. Totally worth it to save my life. God is good. Here's the latest pic of Valentina, my great granddaughter. Three months old last Sunday. Love, Jean

I have the neuropathy in my feet.  My toes feel like they are asleep all the time.  My husband thinks I am strange (to say the least), because I am always wiggling my toes in hopes of waking them up.  DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!!

Absolutely, love that picture!!!!  Someday, I will have a grandchild and not a grandDOG!!!  LOL 

Halfway done tomorrow with radiation. Three weeks to go! Love, Jean

You go Jean!!!!!!  Now you get to start counting backwards.  YAY!!!!!

Hope everyone has a blessed Easter and Passover. I'm also on the Spring rads answer Femara boards. Love, Jean

SO GREAT to hear from you!!! How long is your hair? I am going to color mine next week: but still not going without wig. Mine is white in front and dark gray in back: tiny curls at ends: near my ears there is a hint of red (my natural color)

My toenails will never be the same: fingernails better, but still a little discolored. 9 more radiation for me

Hope everyone else is well!!!

Mine is about an inch and a half long, but it looks so much shorter because of the curls. I give all the credit to that Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nails I have been choking down three times a day since chemo ended.

I actually had a trim a few weeks ago to clean things up, and my stylist has really curly hair, so she showed me what to do to make it look not so crazy. I can't wait until it gets a little bit longer so I can do something cuter with it.

I went out "topless" for the first time about a month ago, to our cancer family support group. Everybody there was so excited to see my hair, since they have all been through it, and I got so many compliments, so I have ditched the wigs for good!

Now that I have my very own podiatrist, I am hoping my toenails won't look awful forever. I'm considering acrylics for my hands, if I can find a way to afford the upkeep. I hate having ugly looking hands!

Toby, You have come a long way! I hope you are planning a nice reward for yourself when rads are over!

Jean, it will grow back, I promise! I spent so much time staring in the mirror, willing mine to grow. It seemed to go so slow, and then all of a sudden, it took off!