Surgery Follow-up

My week after surgery re-check went very well. Dr. Sharma took all my restrictions off: I can drive, lift, exercise, etc. Yeah! All the tests were just fine on what he took out and I'm healing well, just in time for the holidays.

What a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year we'll have.

The best of Holidays to all of you.

My First "Part"

Here it is, my first hair part! Same color, curly and growing. That's what we like to see.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Be well.

Second Surgery Over

A note to let everyone know that my surgery (removal of ovaries and tubes) scheduled for yesterday went well and I came home safe and sound last evening. I'll have a couple weeks recovery time and it looks like 2009 will be a healthy year!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers, I know they've made a big difference in my healing.

Merry Christmas!

December 2008

Wow, here we are in December. What a lot has happened this year! Our beautiful country has a new president elect, spring, summer, fall have all come and gone and winter is blanketing the garden in sparkling white. My grandchildren have grown taller and wiser and my whole little family is healthy, lovely and nearby.

Our house is decorated for Christmas and Jay and I had the privilege of lighting the Advent candle at our 8:00 a.m. service last Sunday. God is good and has smiled on us all year. I'm feeling healthy, strong and loved.

Next week, I'll have a small, laproscopic surgery, which will help ensure that cancer will not revisit my body soon. My cancer was estrogen fed, so my doctors all felt I should have my ovaries and tubes taken out. Thus, eliminating another source of estrogen. Who can argue with that logic? I'm all for modern science and have faith in my doctors to keep me healthy. I expect to be home the same day and up and running in a couple of days after that. Jay is done teaching until January, so this was a perfect time for him to baby me a little.

Then, it's Christmas. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Two Months Out - Healthy

Hi everyone. Life is going great, Jay and I have harvested his horseradish and he made horseradish for our friends and family. We even grew some brussels sprouts this year that turned out great! They were a little small, but had great taste. I'm admitting to the good taste even though I've never been a brussels sprouts enthusiast. The garden is now officially resting for the winter.

I wanted to share a poem with all of you that I read and really liked. It was written by Marsha Millard-Atchley of Lake Annette, Missouri.

"THE BALD BADGE OF COURAGE

Cancer, you tried to take my spirit,
you only tarnished my patience.

Cancer, you thought you could steal my soul,
you gave me stronger faith.

Cancer, you plucked at my dignity,
you didn't know I would remain proud.

Cancer, you snatched away my strength,
you couldn't bring me to my knees.

Cancer, you warped my body and my mind,
you didn't steal my hope.

Cancer, you led to chemo, which took all my hair,
But the bald badge of courage, I was glad to wear.

Cancer, I am a warrior, through and through,
you tried to take me, but I took you."


Even going into winter, life is so rosy, warm and inviting. I'm glad to be here to embrace everyday, good, bad, happy, sad, rainy, snowing, bring it on!

Enjoy the holidays with loved ones and friends.

The Future

It's been just over a month (Sept. 9) since my last radiation treatment and I can tell you that I haven't looked back. I have been living every day looking to the future.

I've golfed in Wisconsin with my husband and my deceased Dad's best friend, Ed; and in Indiana with my foursome from my golf league in celebration of the end of my treatments. What fun!

I've finished my golf league and had the fall banquet and golf. So, league golf is done and now it's golf for fun until the nice weather runs out.

Gardening is also taking up some of my time, too. There are dozens of bulbs to be planted and Maya and Jonah will coming over to help Grandma and Grandpa next weekend, YEAH!

Therefore, my life is full and goes on. My breast cancer was a temporary bump in the road of my life. I see that bump in the rearview mirror of memories and I'm also seeing my hair grow! There are always positives to keep us going.

Embrace every day with love!

Conquered Cancer

Hello to all my family and friends who have followed along with my journey to fight and conquer my breast cancer. Hallelujah, my final radiation treatment was today and as of right now, I am CANCER FREE and LOVING IT!

This won't be my last post, but it does feel like an ending of sorts, so I want to say thank you all for your prayers, words of encouragement, cards, calls, flowers and companionship since my cancer diagnosis on March 18, 2008. This has been quite the year and I cherish every one's prayers, concern, thoughts, and helpful hints. To my immediate and extended family, all of you in my circle of friends, and great medical care providers; you lifted my spirits, destroyed the cancer in me and kept me focused on healing, THANK YOU.

My humble 'thank you' is not enough to let you all know how much you have meant to me during my journey. Thank you for walking with me, knowing I was not alone and could call on any one of you for help was of great comfort to me.

My warmest thank you is to my husband. You have been my strength through this darkeness to the discovery of a bright tomorrow -- ours, you are the love of my life. All my love forever.

Update

Just so everyone knows, my final radiation will be on Tuesday, September 9, instead of the 8th. The big machine was down two Friday's ago, so a day was added on to the end. Oh, well, best laid plans seem to get reconfigured sometimes.

However, everything is going well and we're all anxious for all these appointments to be somewhat done. I hear that I'll be seeing everyone doctor, surgeon, oncologist, radiologist every three months for a long time, but, that's okay as long as the cancer is gone and stays gone.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Getting Close to the finish line

Hi everyone. I have only six more radiation treatments to go, one full force tomorrow and then five boosts (just to the area where the cancer was found) and I'll be done on September 8. I'm still doing well, a little sunburned, but the doctor thinks I'm doing great considering how fair skinned I am.

Our biggest excitement this week was Maya's first day at kindergarten. She's such a pumpkin and was so cute in the pictures her parents sent us. We'll see her and her brother this Saturday morning along with her parents, Jason and Robin, and their two new kittens, Dash and Bandit. Maya's brother, Jonah starts preschool next week on the 2nd of September. They are getting sooo big!

Jessica and her son, David, were over last Sunday to celebrate a belated birthday for Jay (Papa). Jason's family couldn't come over because of a virus that they were passing around, gotta save Grandma from getting sick so close to the end. Thank you, my Funk family!

This weekend, two of Jay's three sisters are visiting us. Sandi and family are visiting from Bettendorf, while Ray and Taylor run a race downtown Chicago on Sunday. Gail is driving down from Milwaukee area to visit all of us on Sunday, too. We're looking forward to a fun weekend.

Have a fun three day weekend everyone! I'll talk to you soon.

Lazy Days

I've now completed over half of my radiation factions. Fifteen more factions to go, or three weeks. I'm still hoping I'm finished on September 8. The radiation treatments are still going smoothly, so nothing really to report.

We're enjoying these last days of summer, Jay's golfing today with the guys and tomorrow with me and another couple. Next Saturday, we'll have Maya and Jonah over night, we can't wait! It's always so fun and exhausting for all of us. Their mommy and daddy (aka Robin and Jason, who are celebrating their 10th anniversary) will pick them up on Sunday and cousin David will come over with his mommy (aka Jessica and maybe John, who are celebrating their 9th anniversary) to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. All this celebrating in one week of August! We're looking forward to a wonderful weekend and a cookout to celebrate life.

Relax and enjoy life everyone!

What a Week

Another beautiful week has flown by and I've now had 13 of the 33 radiation treatments. For the most part, my radiation treatments run smoothly, except when the machine gets an 'attitude'. The attitude happened on Monday after a rather active storm on Sunday. Although the staff said the storm didn't have anything to do with it, both machines shut down at the same time. Mine shut down while I was getting my treatment. I wondered if it was something I was thinking that made it mad. The techs sent me home and luckily called me back later that day when the 'attitude' disappeared and the machine worked again. Some people had that treatment added on to the end of their treatments. I'm really pushing to have these all done by September 8.

Tuesday my golf game was called off due to thunderstorms, so we went to breakfast. On Thursday, Jay and I went and played nine holes because the day was so beautiful.

I'm also going to my workout club. I've added a Yoga class and a Total Body class besides my two water classes. It feels great getting back and having my body remember the muscles that have been dormant for awhile. Taking IB relieves some of those memories.

Friday, while Jay golfed, I did back to school clothes shopping for two the cutest three and five year old grandchildren I know. Of course, the cutest eighteen month old scored, too. Grandma is such a sucker for her grandchildren!

Today I did garden work and was the household drudge doing the laundry and ironing. I also worked in my nap with the cats. Jay was golfing again. We golf with another couple again tomorrow. Can you tell Jay is getting ready to go back to teaching soon?

Stay well and enjoy your weeks!

My Week

This week I started two new water classes at my workout club, which, by the way, is part of my hospital. On Monday, it was Yogua (water yoga) and Wednesday it was Ai Chi in the pool. My friend joined the classes with me and we really had a nice time in the therapy pool. I'm ready to join my favorite land classes, too. Maybe next week.

Today was a great Thursday. Jay and I started it with a 6:14 a.m. tee time. I was pretty lukewarm until I got to hole 9, 10 and 12, I parred all three! I had to do a little par dance on 10. Yeah. Jay birdied hole 12, so he did one stroke better than me, but we had to leave the course and get me to my radiation appointment after that hole.

My radiation appointments have gone like clockwork, still. I get there, change, have the radiation and I'm out. Today, we arrived a little early, my appointment was at 10:15 a.m., but we were driving out of the ramp at 10:17. I've done seven of the 33 sessions, only 26 left. Of course, we were hungry so, we went out for breakfast and then came home for a nap.

Such is my life with radiation. I still can't be called Sparky. The pain I've felt so far is similar to the muscle pain of doing push-ups when you aren't used to doing them. Otherwise, my skin is doing fine and my doctor said I'm handling the treatments really well. Oh, boy. I'll have to come up with a little dance for end of all my treatments!

Be well and stay cool.

Radiation

I have now been drawn into the world of radiation. My first three of thirty-three sessions are done and I'm not glowing in the dark, yet. Jay is joking about calling me "Sparky," but so far, there has been no need. My sessions last about five minutes, it takes longer to dress and undress (top only) and get set up on the table than it takes to have the radiation. So, five days a week, I drive over to the hospital, sign-in, go put my gown on, and get my radiation. Works like clockwork.

Scheduled completion date is September 8, barring any skin complications, i.e. blistering (apparently radiation can cause sunburn like effects that can blister). However, the staff will be monitering me daily and I'll see the radiologist weekly, so they take care of any burns immediately.

We're traveling up to Milwaukee this weekend and we'll be seeing the Brewers with Gail and Ted on Sunday. We're really looking forward to the trip, especially since I don't have any food (or drink) restrictions anymore! Yeah.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Weekend Fun

I'm dedicating this blog to my sister-in-law Gail (lives in Milwaukee), who spent a long weekend with me while my beloved husband took a much needed break in Arizona with his buddies golfing.

Gail arrived Thursday afternoon bearing gifts including supper her husband, Ted, had marinated for us. Unfortunately, Gail couldn't grill Ted's awesome chicken until the next evening because of rain, but Friday's dinner was delicious with his corn on the cob and chicken. We had to wait on the s'mores, but we had them as a meal on another evening.

Gail and I relaxed on the deck, had massages, went to the movies, rented chick movies and watched all three, went out to eat three times at great places I wanted to share with her, shopped, went to the Fine Art show at the Naper Settlement, and I even squeezed in naps in the afternoons!

Thank you, Gail, for taking time out of your busy life, both work and family, to come and spend some down time with me. I really appreciate that you gave up your days and nights at home to make sure I got my medicine, my rest, and my nourishment, both mental and physical. You are very special.

Last Chemo DONE!

My chemo treatment was uneventful today. Yeah! Blood counts were good and I am finished with that leg of our breast cancer journey. We are all thrilled it is over. The nurses even gave me a certificate to commemorate having completed all my treatments, signed by everyone of them. How sweet.

I'll move on to my radiation treatments starting the 23 of July for 33 treatments, so that puts me through the first week of September and my treatments will be over. I will be taking some kind of estrogen blocker drug for the next five years or so, but I'll deal with that just fine.

Everyone comments about my attitude and thankfully, it's a positive attitude that has carried me through along with a lot of prayers and wishes from all of you.

It is a beautiful day here, nothing but sunshine, flowers, birds, and contentment. I hope all of you are having a good day, too.

Be well.

Radiation

Hello. Today was my appointment to revisit my radiologist. I had another CT scan for purposes of making my 3-D image, so the physics department can zero in on exactly the spot(s) they want the radiation to hit and exactly the spot(s) they don't want the radiation to hit, i.e. heart, lungs, good nodes.

I also got three dot tattoos for purposes of lining me up exactly right every time for the radiation techs. My nurse started to get the dye ready and said "Opos", I said "That's not what I want to hear". She laughed and told me she'd gotten the dye all over her hands. Oh, well, as long as there was enough to do my tattoos. Now I'm a tattooed granny!

My radiation will start July 23 and run for 33 days. Six and a half weeks. Monday through Friday, so I should be done with radiation the second week in September. I'll be free to be me! A healthy, healed me. Can't wait.

Joan, my mother-in-law is coming to visit us for the week starting tomorrow. On the
4th of July, our daughter (with little David) and her husband will join us and great grandma for a BBQ in our yard. On July 6, our granddaughter, Maya (our son's daughter), turns five, so we'll have fun and dinner with her and her family that evening in Oak Park after her big party with her little friends.

My gardens are blooming with Monarda, daisy's, daylillies and Annabelles. Lovely sight.

Happy Fourth of July everyone.

Naperville Ladies Tournament

Today I played an eighteen hole tournament for the City of Naperville with my friends. I believe there were 77 women playing in four different flights. I received Runner Up in my flight "C" (last flight), so I brought home a baby plate to match the big plate I won in 2005. That was fun. Jay said the "C" flight signified 'cancer' for 08. So be it.

It was a beautiful day and the pure joy of being outside, hitting that little ball to the next hole was great fun. I know not everyone looks at it that way, but I saw plenty of wildlife, smiles and friends to make it a great day.

On to tomorrow for my regular nine-hole ladies league and as much fun as today, just a shorter time commitment.

Good days to all of you.

Three down, one more to go

Today's chemo treatment was uneventful -- thankfully! No reactions, just drip, drip, drip. Last chemo treatment is scheduled for July 9 - YEAH! Then I'll have my radiation for seven weeks. We're not sure when that starts, but I'll let everyone know after June 30, when we meet with the radiologist again.

We're having beautiful weather here, tomorrow Jay and I will be golfing in the morning. He's getting ready for a trip in July and I'm getting ready for the Ladies City Tournament on Monday.

Take care everyone and be good to yourselves.

Good News

We received a call from my gene doctor and we were told that I have NO MUTATION for the BRCA gene. Good news! However, I still have the family history of cancers - melanoma, colon, breast, so we are meeting with the gene doctor on Wednesday, or she's meeting with us while I have my third chemo treatment. Jessica will be meeting with us also to hear the total results and find out what's next for all of us in this cancer business.

On the home front, I finished painting my formal dining room and changing rugs around. Poor Jay, he's about had it with my home revisions! He did, however, shovel ten yards of mulch in and around our yard and gardens last week. Now, he feels like he's a part of our landscape and he knows the gardens intimately. He feels strongly that he'll never do that again!

I have been blessed with feeling well and not skipping the beat of life while I'm going through chemo. All the books I gathered to read are still waiting to be opened as I keep myself busy with daily living. This time around, I even got to play with all the grandchildren at different times during the three week period.

Today is Father's Day, happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

Nice Week

The days have gone by this past week as if I don't have cancer. How nice. I golfed Tuesday with my ladies' league (nine holes) and Thursday with Jay (eighteen holes). I had a great time both days. It seems that my white cell count has kicked into high gear. I really haven't slowed down this past week (ask Jay).

We've worked in the yard, deck and garden. Yesterday, with the high 40+ mile per hour winds, my six cacti plants were all thrown to the deck and smashed. We salvaged them all and I re potted most of them. They're all sitting huddled behind a wall on the deck wondering what the heck happened to them!

The rest of the yard and gardens are looking great. We're eating radishes that Jay planted, they're hot, but fun to have from the garden.

Life is good. Here's hoping all of you are having a wonderful week.

Two Down, Two to Go

The second round of chemo was interesting. After I got past the allergic reaction to one of my chemo drugs, Taxatere. Benedryl and something else took away the symptoms -- chest and back pain with flushing around the neck, front and back; I was able to continue both treatments without any more difficulty. Jay was sitting next to me when I sat up and he said "Talk to me" and when I told him how I was feeling, he had just about every nurse he could find around me. So, it was all about me for about thirty minutes yesterday! I thought I was having a hot flash at first. Guess not. Hopefully, the reaction is out of my system now and the last two chemo treatments will be fine.

Otherwise, except for tired, I'm good. No nausea and we even went to lunch today. Nice to get out and enjoy lunch with my hubby. We thought about golf today, but it was sprinkling when we left Rock Bottom, so we came home and I napped for two hours. Such a hard life!

I hope you are all doing well and planning great summer fun. It's fun watching my garden take on a life of it's own, once all the prepping is done. Enjoy the sounds of summer!

Memorial Day

Here we are at the start of all the summer fun and excitement. I don't know about you, but our weather has not been cooperating with the thought of summer, in fact, the temperature didn't get out of the 50's today.

I hope that everyone remembers fondly all of our loved ones that have left us. Let's make our life changes while we're here, so we can be alive, healthy, and loving as long as we can, and in turn, remembered fondly.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you.

White Cell Count

My white cell count is in and the chemo appears to be doing it's job. Normal white cell counts are 3.8 - 10.8, mine was 1.4. Which means I'm in the "extremely high risk of infection" zone. That means no crowds, going out to eat, raw or rare meats to eat, some fresh veggies are out, blah, blah, blah. No friends, grandbabies, kids, with runny noses or other springtime bugs. ): Lots of hand washing and more rules, rules, rules.

I'm content to wait it out here at home for now, thankfully, there is on-line shopping! I seem to be keeping the UPS guy busy. It's only until close to the end of July, then chemo will be done.
I'll have another blood check next Wednesday and hopefully, my white cell count will be rebounding. I'll keep you posted.

It's a beautiful Saturday here. Jay is out golfing. We had coffee and read the newspapers on the deck before he left. He is planning on grilling steaks for our dinner. We'll see how I like medium to medium well steak. I'm thinking not much as of right now, but we'll see. My favorite is a filet, medium rare with bleu cheese sprinkled on top. Hmmmm, I'm looking forward to August for that.

Have a great weekend everyone and thank you all so much for your support. I love reading the comments. Noah, what a nice surprise to hear from you. I hope your family is doing well!

Hair Day

I'll never have to say I have a bad hair day for the next four months or so! Today was the day for my buzz. Jay and I both got our hair buzzed and except for the mirrors, I don't notice a difference. It's kind of empowering to say "hair be gone" on my rules, instead of chemo's rules.



I had my white cell blood count done this morning, but I won't know the count until tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning, I start the process to have my genes tested (BRAC). So, I'll let you know how that goes and how long it takes, etc. The white cell count is important so I can go out to eat, shop, be in crowds without getting sick -- oh, yeah, and it has to be high enough for my next chemo treatment.



In the meantime, I golfed yesterday and had an awesome putting day - 15 putts for nine holes. Celebrate the small things and today, on my second visit to the Occupational Therapist, I graduated with full right arm motion! Every little victory is sweet.



Take care everyone and enjoy the weather when you can.

One Down, Three to Go

The week has gone pretty fast and has been fairly uneventful. There's been a few ups and downs like trying to figure out how often to eat (I need many smaller bites), what to eat (I'm trying to memorize the book, so I don't have to look each time I'm hungry) and drink (caffeine tea is out for me!) and the resulting chemo fatigue or, how should I put it, utter exhaustion. How was that for a good whine. As far as a first round goes, I hope the next three are equally uneventful!

I've been on my treadmill in the mornings (especially when I can't sleep, my old back is bothering me) and working in the garden most days. Jay is being a saint and willingly working in the areas that I would normally be toiling, like our wall of ivy. We decided to pull out the vines on the top of the wall and reinvent our design. He's awesome!

Speaking of awesome, my team Chickadee will be walking for me tomorrow in the Chicago Y-Me walk. Because I am in my low white cell period (Nadir), Jay is not permitting me to walk in the rain. My heroes are Jay, Jessica, my friend Vicki and her grandson, Alex from Minneapolis, and maybe baby David and John. Of course, the weather will be raining, blowing and utterly delightful right off Lake Michigan.

THANK YOU TEAM!

I'll be getting my blood checked every Wednesday, so we'll know how low my cell count goes. Since I have chemo on a Monday, I have a few extra days to fortify myself before Wednesday.

The tulips and daffodils are done and the lilacs are in full bloom. The iris are opening and the peonies are getting nice, fat bulbs.

Stay well everyone.

Beautiful Day

Today was one of those picture perfect days we all want to see and so many of us are too busy to enjoy. I enjoyed it all today. Golf was great, I didn't play that well, but I played and had a good time with my four some.

I'm still feeling fine from the chemo yesterday and I don't expect that I'll really have any problems with the nausea -- Yeah. Another picture perfect day!

My gardens are shaping up nicely and I even enjoyed an hour futzing around and communing with nature. Jay had dinner made for us and quite frankly, it doesn't get much better than that.

"To love and be loved in return" makes the whole world go round.

Be well.

First Chemo Day - Three more to Go!

First of all, my CT scan and MRI came back as NO cancer anywhere else. I have bursitis in my right hip, as we already knew. Whew!

So, the chemo went on as planned. Got my nausea drip first along with a nausea pill, then an hour of the first drug, Taxotere. My nurse, Deb, watched me like a hawk the first half hour. I guess that drug can cause an immediate allergic reactions, they even had the oxygen near me in case I needed it. But, I did just fine. The second drug, Cytoxan, dripped in the last hour. It can be given in a half hour time, but because I don't usually due too well with drugs, she put it in slower. A piece of cake for the first time. Yeah -- small victories, I celebrate them!

Everyone from the doctor to all the nurses were great. For the next 48 hours, they have me taking compazine every six hours and, of course, my dexamethasone (steroids) today and tomorrow. These two drugs keep the nausea at bay.

We're switching my chemo days from Monday to Wednesday, since my next chemo would have fallen on Memorial Day, seems no one would be there. But, I'll be going in every Wednesday for blood tests so they can track my white cell count. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep that up so my chemo treatments won't be delayed. There's always something.

Jay and I are much relieved that everything went so well today. I think it's going to be a relatively early bedtime tonight. All the adrenalin is slipping away from us and we're worn out.

Tomorrow my tee time is 7:08 a.m., so I must be well rested if I'm going to go out and chase that little ball around. I've decided I'll take a cart, so the cart can do most of the chasing! I'll just have to hit them straight.

Be well all of you and thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. THEY WORK!

Peace and Quiet

Five days have gone by without a doctor or hospital test visit. Nice to have life a little more normal for the time being!

Jay is whisking us off to Galena for a couple of days, Thursday, Friday, coming home Saturday. We're hoping the weather is nice enough so we can golf, yes, golf. I'm going to try golfing, I think I'm just about ready. We are really looking forward to getting away and enjoying our last weekend before CHEMO starts.

Yes, I'm feeling quite well and I've started an exercise program here at home to be combined with occupational therapy starting next week. Who knows, maybe I won't be in occupational therapy too long if I'm already golfing and exercising. It feels great just to be in control of my own workout program.

Then there's the garden. Apparently, during the winter I decided to buy more plants to put in the garden. They arrived today, now I'll to decide where to put them tomorrow so they don't die while we're gone. Then I can baby them all summer while I sit and sip tea on the deck.

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts. I'm healing well, so I know they are working on me.

Tests

I survived both the CT and MRI without any screaming, panicking or kicking. I survived them without music, too, as the Bolingbrook facility couldn't make their CD player work. Oh, well, now those tests are both done and we'll see if I ever hear anything more about them. I'm setting my mind to: No news is good news.

Rainy, warm spring afternoon and evening here. You can almost hear the grass, plants and trees growing and stretching. I have a very active imagination!

I hope everyone has a beautiful, fun filled weekend! Be well.

Testing

Okay, so I scared myself into calling for an open MRI instead of the one scheduled for today. So, I'll go for the CT and MRI tomorrow at a different location. Thankfully, they're all around us which makes it really convenient to get to. Tomorrow I'll be ready for them!

We had chemo class at the Cancer Center yesterday. We received another three ring binder full of information on chemo and had a power point presentation, too. We toured the whole floor and saw where I'd receive chemo, get my blood tested (has to be done early before each treatment so they know my white cell count -- too low, can't have chemo). Anyhow, so many things to process! More info than you want, but you are all with me.

Then we saw my surgeon who thought I was healing very well. He said I could start swinging a golf club -- not driving a ball, but I could putt and maybe chip -- if my arm will let me. Three weeks after surgery, he said I could try golfing again. Silly doctor, I always TRY golfing, so hopefully, I'll be back with my golf league either May 6 (maybe not that day, I have my first chemo on May 5, we'll have to see if I turn into a spit ball or something) or with any luck on May 13! Yeah!

Spring smells great! Be well.

Chemo Oncologist

Today, Jay and I met with Dr. Joseph Kash. He will be my chemo doctor. He's younger than we expected, but so is much of the population.

GOOD NEWS! After reviewing every inch of my profile, Dr. Kash decided that I will be on chemo - four times, three weeks apart. Dr. Kash will use two different chemo drugs (neither of which will be hard on my heart -- enough things going on there), both will be through my veins and one takes an hour and the other takes thirty minutes. So, because I will only have four injections, I don't have to have a port implanted into my body to accept the chemo and take blood count levels. YEAH! We have our first chemo class tomorrow, to learn all the ins and outs and I start chemo on May 5. I should be done with chemo on July 7. Radiation starts immediately after and continues 5 days a week for seven weeks.

MORE GOOD NEWS. The holiday are looking pretty cancer free and fancy free to me right now. I'll set my goals, emotional, physical and mental to a beautiful holiday season with my lovely family.

Okay, some not so good news. I have to have a CT chest scan and a MRI (UGH) on my right hip that has been bothering me since last Sept. Too much golf on the hip, so they are scheduled for Wednesday. I just need to fast forward through those two little blips and get on to the healing.

On the happy front, Jay and I had our first grilled meal out on our beautiful deck tonight. Life is grand.

Be well.

Radiation Oncologist

We met with our new radiation oncologist this morning and we are both totally impressed with the facillities and the doctor. Her name is Dr. Vasudha Lingareddy and she was both very friendly and very informative. We spent about an hour and a half between her nurse and then Dr. Lingareddy. She took her time with us and answered our questions as well as questions we hadn't thought of to ask.

I won't start with her until after the chemo. We see the chemo doctor, Dr. Kash, on Monday. Dr. Lingareddy thinks I'll have about four months of chemo, so through the summer. Two weeks before I'm done with chemo, I start going back to Dr. Lingareddy, where they prepare a 3-D version of me with the CT so the radiologists get the exact places to radiate my breast.

How fortunate I am to have cancer in this day and age where everything seems to be so precise and formulated for me as an individual, even though the doctors use general equations, the treatments will be specifically for me.

We also found out today that my bone scan was good. At the hospital, Dr. Piazza (our surgeon) found that I had bursitis in my right hip. He mentioned he was going to check into it, but Dr. Lingareddy said she'd already looked at it and that was what it was, bursitis only, not more cancer.

On top of all that this morning, we learned while waiting for our appointment at the Cancer Center, that we had had an earthquake at 4:27 this morning. We didn't feel it or hear it! Even the earthquake can't shake us, I'm going to be fine and I'll take my treatments and come out healthy.

Be well.

Another Small Victory!

We're celebrating another small victory tonight, my drain was taken out around 5:00 p.m. Hooray, and oh, yeah, OUCH! But what a freeing feeling this is not to be attached to something attached to me.

We also saw my internist this afternoon. Jay got to meet her for the first time and the three of us had a very positive meeting. Some of the small things I'm worrying about, became things I really shouldn't waste my time pondering and she pointed us to the healing of positive thinking. So, tomorrow is the radiologist meeting and Monday, we meet the oncologist. I understand that they'll all give me some time for my incisions to heal before I start the rest of my story.

For now, I'm just happy being cancer free, resting and healing at home and sleeping in my own bed.

Take care and be well everyone.

Good News

Jay and I just returned from the surgeon's office where we found out that there were no more lymph nodes involved! Great! The tumor was a little larger than we had first suspected, 1.4 centimeters, but it is gone and I'm just barely a Stage 2(a) with a Grade 1, which means yes, I'll have chemo and radiation, but the cancer was slow growing and this isn't going to kill me!

Jay and I are thrilled with this news and thoroughly relieved that no more surgeries are required. Healing and getting rid of anymore likely suspects lurking about in my system is our next step.

Prayers and good thoughts do work, we are very grateful to all of you who have been with us in this journey. More later.

It's Saturday - I'm HOME

Well, that was quite the day and night!

Thanks to my loving husband, daughter, and son and all our friends, I made it through another loop of this breast cancer ordeal. It was indeed a long day and night. I seem to not tolerate pain medication or any adhesives. The doctors and staff did a great job coming up with creative ideas on how to not bandage me, yet keep my surgery protected. Oh, the trials of being a delicate Scandinavian flower. The wonderful night nurse cut back on the meds dosage and paced it al little more evely, so I got just enough to keep the pain at bay and not have to be sick.

We arrived home around 11:30 a.m. today, Saturday. Our two cats couldn't wait to be all over us and I couldn't wait to lay down in our bed and sleep, which I did after I ate.

Now, it's wait until Tuesday afternoon to find out if any more lymph nodes were positive and the next step to a healthy recovery from breast cancer.

It's time for another nap. Talk to you all later.

SURGERY DAY (reported by Jessica, Jason, Jay and a groggy Dee)

Mom and Dad got to the hospital at 6 a.m. for all the prep work necessary for her lumpectomy. All of that took them up to 9:30 or so when Jason and I were finally able to see her. We were hopeful and in pretty good spirits as we waited another hour before her surgeon, Dr. Piazza, and the anesthesiologist came. Then they wheeled her off, away from all three of us, for surgery at 10:45. The hope was that the surgery would be about an hour and that she'd be in recovery for another hour and then be able to go home later tonight.

Unfortunately, the surgery took longer than expected and wasn't what we had hoped for. Cancer cells were found in one of her sentinal lymph nodes (the first ones off of the breast - the surgeon removes these and sends them to pathology before beginning the lumpectomy to check to see if the cancer has spread). That meant that the rest of her lymph nodes on that side had to also be removed, which extended the surgery. She will now be in the hospital at least overnight and perhaps for two nights.

All the lymph nodes and the tumor are now in pathology for testing. (Note: The surgeon was surprised that the sentinal node had cancer cells because her tumor was so small.) We'll know more Tuesday when mom and dad meet with Dr. Piazza. Worst case is that mom will be back for a mastectomy next week. Either way, I think she is prepared to do whatever it takes to fight this cancer and we are prepared to do whatever she needs to support her in her fight.

The good news is that she is comfortable, except for her hot flashes. But we are getting Dad a large palm leaf so that he can fan her and feed her grapes and chocolates.

We thank you all so much for your support.

Sprin Rains - Introspection

As you can see from my blogs, I've put the term 'breast cancer' out of my mind for awhile. However, it's the Wednesday before my Friday surgery and gloomy spring rains are making me face the reality that Friday is two days away. But, in the same sense that the gloomy day and soggy gardens make me face reality, they also lift my spirits. Life begins again no matter how hard a winter or how hard the spring rains pour, the brave daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, iris and tree buds just keep on shining through! The birds are back, making nests, calling to one another and life goes on.

I'm positive that I'll be looking back at Friday as the spring that gets me back to a cancer free life. My winter will be the therapies for breast cancer and that will happen at the best time of the year, our summer and fall. I'll spring back just in time for our winter holidays and a whole new life and year, cancer free.

Thank you all for taking this journey with me, I am humbled knowing I'm loved by so many. Your prayers and thoughts are truly working on me and giving me peace.

new haircut, sam is a fireman, milwaukee brewers

Opps! I guess I'm not so blog savvy after all! Got the title, lost the blog. Oh, well. Here goes.

We spent a wonderful weekend up in Wisconsin. We left Friday after visiting and lunching with Jessica and David. We went to Janesville where our newphew, Sam, graduated from his program and became a fireman with the Janesville Fire Department. Very nice ceremony, nice weather, and a very nice town. Mom, Dad, Aunt and Uncle were all very proud of Sam!

Oh, yeah, the new haircut. Not much to tell, it just looks shorter, most of my friends say it's how I used to wear it.

Gail, Ted, Jay and I all went to the Brewers game on Saturday. Gail scored great seats from work, fourth row behind home plate. Brewers won, we had a great time, a great food at Gail's (and drink(s)), then home on Sunday to work in the garden.

We now have a home made wigwam in our garden for our grandchildren to play in. Of course, it's big enough for Grandpapa and Grandma to get in to have picinics with the kids, if they want.

The daffodils are starting to bloom and the hyacinths are right behind them.

Take care.

Race for the Cure

I keep forgetting to tell everyone that my lovely daughter, Jessica and her son, David, invited Jay and me to walk in the Race to Empower for the cure of breast cancer on Mother's Day in downtown Chicago. Seems like a logical thing for us to do since my surgery will be a month past and I will be ready to go. Jessica created our team: ChickaDEE. If anyone is interested in walking with us or checking it out, you can visit the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization on the internet at: http://main.y-me.org/

When you get to the page, enter Team Chickadee, the team list will appear; scroll down to Team ChickaDee, captain Jessica Eterno, click on that and you will see her blog.

Thank you to all of you who have already been invited by Jessica and have responded, I know you'll be thinking of us (especially if it's raining!), but I also hope that everyone has a GREAT Mother's Day!

We have a beautiful day today and part of it will be spent in the gardens gearing up for the warm weather to come. I know we all can't wait until spring comes and stays.

Our downstairs is 98% completed, so yeah!

Think crocus!

April Fool's Day

Yesterday was the day for setting up appointments with the oncologist and radiologist for after the surgery. All of that went well, it appears that my life will be consumed with doctors for awhile.

In the meantime, we will be enjoying life just as it is. Tonight is Wednesday, so we will be going over to Jessica's in LaGrange to have dinner with her and David. We're bringing Sheperd's Pie and our smiles. It's always fun to see David run around his own home.

Jay and I are also hoping to get out to the garden to do some more cleanup. I'm always optimistic that spring is coming and we (Jay) even put the deck furniture out yesterday. I took the winter bird bath (Jay calls it the 'boiler') down and the two bird baths are set up in the garden. I'll also be putting out hummingbird feeders soon, maybe today.

Oh, yeah, I also have a new attitude short hairstyle! My stylist was great yesterday. He took an hour plus and showed me how to style it in different ways and then didn't charge me. That almost made me cry! So, I left him a great big tip. What a sweetie!

We're going to Milwaukee this weekend to see Gail and Ted and I hear a Brewers game is in the plans. We always look forward to these trips.

Thanks for joining me in my journey.

More testing

My EKG and my blood tests were all done today. So far, so good! I think. At least that was the consensus on my EKG. I won't know for a few days what my blood work tells us and I haven't heard about my bone scan or x-ray. No news is good news they say.

This past weekend was a total blast. We had Maya and Jonah overnight Friday night. Mommy Robin and Daddy Jason picked them up Saturday early afternoon. Maya (4 1/2) was napping and Jonah was playing. He didn't want to go home. We played downstairs, upstairs and main floor. They loved having our basement finished. They learned "Rules" for playing pool. Their cousin David and his Mommy Jessica came over Friday,too. David is fascinated by his cousins and tries to keep up with them. Next year, he'll be really able to run like the wind and tickle with the wormy finger.

Grandpa and Grandma were duly happily tired. We played so hard, Grandma didn't have time to paint their nails. Next time.

Hope all of you have a good April Fools day tomorrow. No jokes, just good fun.

Go Cubs! :(

Bone Scan

Okay, the bone scan wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I didn't have to sit and have some long nuclear infusion, just a shot in my arm and three hours latter, laid on a table for twenty minutes plus while the scanner rolled over me. I guess it was under and over. I kept my eyes shut. I brought my favorite music and the technician invited Jay to come in and sit with us. So, I was comforted that he was with me and the music was very calming.

I am not glowing in the dark, nor is anything coming out green. I checked both in the dark last night. The technician told me if I glowed or saw anything coming out green, to call her, she wanted to be the first to see that!

The chest x-ray was fine also. We won't hear the results of those two tests until next week. On Monday, I have an EKG and blood work to be done. I think that's all for getting ready for the surgery.

It's very convient that the hospital is so close. Very non-stressful for me. Jay and I came home afterwards and cleaned up our workout area and played pool before calling it a night.

All my grand children will be here soon, so that's all for now.

Watch for the daffodils to come poking up in the garden.

Gardening, dinnner and playing at David's

Tuesday morning, we got our pool table put in. We bought it from our neighbors Dinah and Doug, who are great friends of ours. The day started with coffee at Dinah's while the gentlemen broke down the pool table then ended at our house while the gentlemen put the table up. Jay and I played our first three games that night. He won all three games, but I got better and better as I played. I expect to be winning regularly sometime soon!

Wednesday, Jay and I worked in the garden for a little while. He has promised to help me get the garden cleaned up before my surgery, so that after surgery, I can work on it as I feel like it. We'll get the heavy stuff done now, and the playing will be later. As you can see, I'm eternally optimistic.

Wednesday evening was our evening to spend with Jessica and David for dinner. We pick Jessica up at the train station and bring her home. Jay makes dinner and I get to play with David while Jessica does her household duties. Then we all sit down to dinner and talk and laugh, usually at something David has done, but sometimes at one of us. David ate his first asparagus last night. He got one small piece of asparagus down, but most of them were in his chair seat when we took him out after dinner. I told him it was an acquired taste and he should try again.

David is growing taller each time we see him and gets smarter every day. He loves music and has now began to realize what hair is and likes to grab every one's hair except his own. He loves the children's shows on "Noggin" and playing hide and seek. David is a very happy baby with a great laugh.

Today is Thursday. Today is the day I have my chest x-ray and my bone scan. I might glow in the dark after I have the dosing for my bone scan, I'll let you know.

Tomorrow, the little Funks, Maya and Jonah, are coming to spend the night with us. We can't wait! Now that we have the pool table and basement finished, they have a new place to make a tent! They don't know that yet, though, it's a surprise!

Be well all of you.

We had a wonderful, busy weekend, filled with family and friends. The fun started on Friday when Jessica brought David over and Jason, Robin, Maya and Jonah joined us. We played at our house for awhile, then we all loaded up and went to lunch together. David had a great time tasting new foods and Maya and Jonah colored pictures and enjoyed their Mickey Mouse pancakes. Then it was back to Grandma and Grandpapa's house for more playing, puzzlemaking, picnicing, etc. Everyone had to leave a little early because of the snowfall, but everyone made it home safely.

Saturday it was a day trip to Peoria, Illinois, for our niece's thirteenth birthday party. All of the Naftzger family was there and Cara received some wonderful gifts and money to spend. We all ate cake and sang the ever popular 'Happy Birthday' to her.

On Easter Sunday, Jay and I went to church and then had lovely brunch with our friends.

Today, it's back to the everyday grind of life, work and be happy.

Happy birthday niece, Cara and our friend, Nancy!

Yesterday, Jay and I sat on our deck without jackets relaxing in the sun. Today, the first day of spring, it's snowing. I guess that's just how life is, as long we're alive, we know it's going to change.

I want to tell everyone that right now, I'm not anxious about my surgery, but I am anxious about the follow-up procedures, radiation and chemo. However, my general practioner called us yesterday and reassured us that Naperville at Edward Cancer Center was definitely the place to be for the best treatment. We had asked the surgeon the same question and he assured us this was the place to be.

Edward Cancer Center is staffed by professionals who have worked and/or trained at the best hospitals in the Chicago area and are very skilled. Both my surgeon and general practioner as well as qualified friends, helped us choose an oncologist to match both my medical needs and my personality.

So far, my experience with Edward Hospital has been A+ with the kind, caring radiologist and staff in the mammography center and the kind, caring surgeon and his staff, as well as my general pratitioner who found the cancer.

I believe that if I had to have breast cancer, this is the right time and place for me to be to have it and be cured. I have my family, friends, medical support, all within five minutes or less by computer. Nice to have the computer age, too!

The best reassurance my surgeon keeps giving us is that "this breast cancer is NOT going to kill me, I'll be here until I'm 97". Stay tuned.

Think Spring!

Messages

Hi everyone, please use this blog to send me any messages and to keep up to date on my medical dealings.

My lumpectomy surgery is scheduled for Friday, April 11, at Edward Hospital here in Naperville. It is scheduled for same day surgery, pending any complications, which we (and the surgeon) are not expecting. I should be home in the evening.

I am writing this blog to keep all of my friends and family apprised of my upcoming battle to fight and conquer my breast cancer. I learned I had breast cancer on March 18, 2008. Early detection promises excellent results and the surgeon stresses, "You will not die from this breast cancer!"

Comforting words to for us all. So, I'll be posting my progress, my highs and lows, new knowledge, old knowledge and anything else that comes to mind for everyone to see. I am also comforted by the knowledge that you'll all give me your support, love and prayers, which I treasure.