Thigh Highs

After I got some real estate work done this morning I decided it was time to do something about the Beverly Hillbillies scene out front. I'm sure the neighbors wonder if I think those thigh high weeds are exotic shrubs (and you thought I was going to talk about the other kind of thigh highs, huh?). All that ivy out there was getting pretty creepy and out of control too. Anyway, John did all the hefty work. I dead headed the rose bushes, and at one point tried to cut back some of the overgrown bushes when John took the clippers away from me because I was breathing so heavy.....must have been the thigh highs! It looks a little better, but we stopped when the yard waste barrel was full. Will have to wait till next week to do a little more, whew!

I called the radiation oncologist office today to see if I had a schedule yet and they informed me that the doctor doesn't want me to start radiation until a full month has passed since I finished chemo. I didn't argue. I won't be starting until about the 11th of May. Sounds like a plan!

Gratitude

I'm a bit of a sleepy head right now, but I didn't want to let this day pass without thanking everyone that helped plan, and those that attended the Comedy Show last night. Everything you have done to help me and my family is sooooo appreciated! You guys sure are having a lot of fun without me......count me in on the next party, dangit!

Here's a link to a video that was made just for this event and just in case you haven't seen it yet, Click Here.

Dog and Butterfly

For the last few days Hazel has been going out in the backyard to chase a butterfly shadow. She doesn't actually chase the butterfly, but the shadow it makes on the patio. It's a Monarch and it seems to know it's sending her in circles because it goes on for a while. So cute!

Trying to get back in to working more over the past week or so. Janis and I took a new listing last week. Working on a couple of buyers, as well as a short sale. It always take a couple of months or more to get things going in this business, so I'm trying to do as much as I can now.....summer will be here very soon!

Stephanie Wall is a friend from the real estate industry here in Ventura and she's heavy on my mind today. She was also diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and is currently going through treatment. She just had her 3rd chemo and it's been really tough on her. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

I am so lucky to have so much support from so many wonderful friends and family. Unbelievably lucky. Thank you.

Medical Free Week!

Just finished rescheduling my appointments next week to accomplish the medical free week!

Went to an appointment with Kyla yesterday for a check up and to establish a plan going forward for her to be watched. She's on the hook for annual mammograms, and possibly ultrasounds and occassional MRI's. We will also be checking with insurance on whether we can have BRCA testing done on her too. So many things to think about and talk about with all of this. I want her to be able to make informed decisions on whether or not to even have the testing. So we are talking and I'm trying to give her as much information as possible. The last thing I want is for her to be worried about this all the time. I think she has a pretty good attitude about it all and will make good decisions based on the information she has. She's just 19, and interested in doing things that will keep her healthy for a lifetime.

On that note, I have some real estate work to get hopping on. Have a great day everyone!

Tramp Stamp

So, I was leaving the Cancer Center (you know, that really cool new building that would make a better art museum......just gotta cure cancer first) after my radiation simulation and I was behind a couple of women when one of the women turned around and said, "I just had to say hello to you, you're glowing". She was very nice and we had a little conversation about really short gray hair and a few other things. After I got in my car, I thought about what she said and how it's probably not the best compliment to tell someone leaving a radiation treatment center that their glowing..........ya know?

I got my first tatoo! Yup, I'm cool. Three little dots......so I'm not really that cool. The radiation simulation went well. I was able to get the perfect position with my surgery side. My arthritic side still wouldn't go in to position, but they were able to modify the position a bit to make it work. Should be getting a call about starting in a couple of weeks. Of course, if they forget to call me, that might be ok too!

Ok, 3 doctors appointments this week, done! I have a couple more next week that I'm thinking about rescheduling so I can have a medical free week. I'm thinking that's a really good idea so that I can start out fresh, with good attitude when daily trips to a medical facility start in May. Yup, I'm convinced......I declare next week MEDICAL FREE WEEK!

Well, I wasn't home free on the back spasms....they started up Saturday morning. But, they weren't nearly as bad as the previous round. However, the bone pain did amp up this time and Friday night was really tough. I broke down and took a vicadin which turned out to not be a great idea. I felt like a teenager after a night of too much malt liquor. I got the spins and felt like I was going to throw up. Made it through.....won't do that again. Been surviving on ibuprofen since.....helps a little, but I still ache sooooo much. Real tired too. It's hard because I'm ready to start doing all the things I need to do and I get so tired I can't finish what I start. So, I've started prioritizing 3 things I want to accomplish each day and I try to get going on them early because by the end of the day you can't peel me off the couch. I think it will get better as the next week or two goes on. But, I'm sure it will return once the radiation gets underway. Oh well.

Had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday. Just a check to make sure I hadn't mutated since the last chemo. Everything looks good.....whatever that means. Speaking of mutating, I got a little good news on that front yesterday. My insurance approved BRCA testing for me to see if I carry a mutant cancer gene. I had to swish Scope for a total of 60 seconds and spit about 4 times into a test tube. We'll have some results in the next couple of weeks. It is limited because they've only identified a couple of genes so far. I could be carrying other genetics, but the cancer geniuses haven't identified any of those genes yet. Bottom line, I better not be positive.....don't want to think that I've passed this ugly monster on to my kids and their kids.

Well, off to see The Girl From Lymphedema........still having a hard time not singing the song every time I say lymphedema. She's going to help me with my range of motion a little more. I've got an appointment with the radiation oncologist tomorrow to get the simulation done. Won't be long now.

Oh yeah, yesterday I got a call from the plastic surgeons office to let me know they had approval from my insurance to go forward with the reconstruction. Huh? When I told her I was getting ready to take a couple of months of radiation she was confused too because she said tissue expanders wouldn't work with radiation and I'd have to do it another way. Anyway.....lots of confusion on both ends of the line, so we have an appointment next week so they can tell me what my options might be if I decide to get those double d's.

I'm getting through this round ok. I woke up this morning with some pretty intense bone pain and a bit queasy, but no back spasms so far. It was the Friday morning after my Nuelasta shot the last time when the back spasms started, so maybe I'm safe this time. This whole round seems to be going a little better than the last one. I've been able to keep eating and I've been drinking a ton, as well as staying up and about......I think all that is helping to flush it out of my system.

On another front I got some good news. I had this oh crap moment a few months ago when I realized that one of my term life insurance policies would expire in about 3 years and I wouldn't be able to get a new policy because of that pesky cancer question they ask. I thought I had everything covered. After each kid was born, I took out a term policy. When Kyla and Jesse were born, I took out 10 year term policies. Of course, they expired, but I took out a new policy when they did. After Roman was born, I took out a 10 year policy too......DUH.....needed a 20 year policy! I guess I never thought there'd be any reason why I couldn't get insured again. DUH DUH DUH! Anyway, I just got off the phone with my insurance agent and he has confirmed that my policy can be converted to Universal Life.....very good news. Of course, I can't afford the premium right now, but I have time to convert it in the next year or so after I get back to work. So, hopefully, none of my friends with youngins' are making the same mistake I did. If so, fix it now!

The kids are all doing great. It's been nice to have all 5 kids home this week. We are going to color a few easter eggs tonight and maybe play a little Uno Attack after we make pizzas. I'm always amazed at how much food we go through when everyone is home. It's like there's a grocery black hole in our house.

The chemo set in around midnight last night. I was soo tired from my steriod induced all nighter the night before that I fell asleep about 8:30 in my chair. By midnight I was up with that cauldron pot bubbling feeling in my belly and stayed up till around 3:30. A little better than the 1am - 6am 'roid fest I had the night before! Oh well.....by next week it will all be behind me. I just rescheduled my radiation simulation appointment for next week. No sense going in when I feel like this.

On Monday before I went in for my chemo, my friend Sharilyn Danebrock dropped by with a wonderful gift. I had called her about a month ago after seeing a write up in Ventana Magazine about Midiqueen Handbags. I had a little birthday money to spend and really wanted this certain fabric that I saw in the magazine. Sharilyn tried to find one for me, but they had all been sold already. I settled for another bag that I like, but kept thinking about that other fabric. To my big surprise, they found a piece of the fabric that I really liked and whipped a bag as a gift for me. Thank you Midiqueen, Sharilyn, and Kristina.....I love it!

Almost made it back home without chemo today. They couldn't get an IV started, but decided to try for the 7th poke......it was a lucky one. I got stuck 8 times today......to add to the 6 times last week. My arm is feeling a wee bit sore tonight. One of the nurses came over to talk to me about having a port installed because it's getting so hard to find a good vein. I explained that this was my last infusion......not sure she believed me because she spent the next few minutes reviewing my chart to make sure it was my last infusion. They might have had a One Armed Riot on their hands if she found something to the contrary in that file! Anyway, feeling ok. The steroids leave me feeling pretty yuck, but that should be gone by tomorrow morning sometime, just in time for the chemo yuckiness to set in tomorrow night. Okie doke....planning to become one with the sofa tonight......