Well alot has happened since my last post. I have officially ended Radiation therapy. Little victories for me are always good! I have recently as of this week,seen and spoken to 3 of my Dr.s, and all the news was good. I am going to have to wait another 6 weeks to have my reconstruction done, but hey, no biggie. I am keeping busy with the holiday season and playing volleyball and attending my daughters cheer. I also started working out everyday! I will do yoga or aerobics or kickboxing; something daily to keep my interest and keep me healthy.
I also gave up meat! I know! I did eat a little today, chicken, but it did not taste very good and I did not finish it. I tried, I really did.
As for work, I do not have a set date to go back but I am thinking February. I will have to discuss the details with my boss, but this looks to be promising for me.
Hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Kathy
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
This is a test
Well, alot has happened since my last posting.
I did celebrate my 43rd birthday. It was actually a very pretty day. I started off waking up and saying good morning to my family and then.......I got a phone call. My Aunt Joan had passed away that very morning around 5:30. Hmmmm, on my Birthday? I can't tell you how many bad things over the years have happened on or around my birthday, but they have. I wont bore you with the details, but come on! 43 is going to be a great year with many more to come and then this! Not only did this happen, but my neighbor and cardiologist who I work with, also died! Two people, 2, died on my birthday! I have to say, God is testing me. Is he? I don't know, but I sure do listen! I know that I can't take one single moment for granted anymore, and I know that every day is a blessing.
I have been doing and going anywhere that anyone invites me to, within reason. So I went to the Greenwood Marching Band's State Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. I had never been and it was actually quite fun and I loved the music from the many bands that performed. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as we get outside to leave, there was a funeral precession! Have I mentioned that I get stopped by one about once a week since diagnosis? Well, I have! I also run into and or am forced to run into people who are worse off than me on a regular basis. We are talking, oxygen tanks, other chemo patients, wheelchair bound children and the list goes on. I know this may seem like nothing to you, but when I leave my house, I brace myself for whatever I am about to see, literally! I know God is doing this for a reason. I also have eliminated some friends on Facebook, why? Well, I don't always want to hear about someone who is sick or died or has "C" or how much they still miss that person. I don't think FB is the place for that. I use it to keep up with family and friends and have a little fun. Not the Obits, just my thought.
So, I am glad I got that off of my chest! Whew!
All and all, I feel great. My back is a little sore from beginning to work out again and from dancing for 3 hours Friday night with a bunch of Survivors! We celebrated life and ate and drank and danced all night. I expected to sit and mingle, but instead, I had so much fun!
This week, well, I have radiation everyday at 3pm. Tuesday, I am getting together with my poker buddies in the hood and we are playing poker on a Tuesday night and watching the Final table of the WSOP! How fun is that? We will pick from the remaining nine players and hope, just hope I pick the winner! We put in 5 bucks and just have fun and food and friendship! Thursday, I have dinner with the Merry Crazies! Its a group of women who have had the "C" but we are non-traditional in our support system. We dine, drink and celebrate victories in our life; last day of chemo, new boobs, etc.....you get the picture. Friday, I hope to play Euchre and then of course, Saturday, we hope to play Poker, but I am not so sure of the remaining weekends left. Things are getting very busy around here.
Brad will be coming hope this weekend also, and we will definitely need to do something with him and the kids, but only if they want to do something with us! lol
Well, have a great day and God Bless!
Kathy
I did celebrate my 43rd birthday. It was actually a very pretty day. I started off waking up and saying good morning to my family and then.......I got a phone call. My Aunt Joan had passed away that very morning around 5:30. Hmmmm, on my Birthday? I can't tell you how many bad things over the years have happened on or around my birthday, but they have. I wont bore you with the details, but come on! 43 is going to be a great year with many more to come and then this! Not only did this happen, but my neighbor and cardiologist who I work with, also died! Two people, 2, died on my birthday! I have to say, God is testing me. Is he? I don't know, but I sure do listen! I know that I can't take one single moment for granted anymore, and I know that every day is a blessing.
I have been doing and going anywhere that anyone invites me to, within reason. So I went to the Greenwood Marching Band's State Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. I had never been and it was actually quite fun and I loved the music from the many bands that performed. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as we get outside to leave, there was a funeral precession! Have I mentioned that I get stopped by one about once a week since diagnosis? Well, I have! I also run into and or am forced to run into people who are worse off than me on a regular basis. We are talking, oxygen tanks, other chemo patients, wheelchair bound children and the list goes on. I know this may seem like nothing to you, but when I leave my house, I brace myself for whatever I am about to see, literally! I know God is doing this for a reason. I also have eliminated some friends on Facebook, why? Well, I don't always want to hear about someone who is sick or died or has "C" or how much they still miss that person. I don't think FB is the place for that. I use it to keep up with family and friends and have a little fun. Not the Obits, just my thought.
So, I am glad I got that off of my chest! Whew!
All and all, I feel great. My back is a little sore from beginning to work out again and from dancing for 3 hours Friday night with a bunch of Survivors! We celebrated life and ate and drank and danced all night. I expected to sit and mingle, but instead, I had so much fun!
This week, well, I have radiation everyday at 3pm. Tuesday, I am getting together with my poker buddies in the hood and we are playing poker on a Tuesday night and watching the Final table of the WSOP! How fun is that? We will pick from the remaining nine players and hope, just hope I pick the winner! We put in 5 bucks and just have fun and food and friendship! Thursday, I have dinner with the Merry Crazies! Its a group of women who have had the "C" but we are non-traditional in our support system. We dine, drink and celebrate victories in our life; last day of chemo, new boobs, etc.....you get the picture. Friday, I hope to play Euchre and then of course, Saturday, we hope to play Poker, but I am not so sure of the remaining weekends left. Things are getting very busy around here.
Brad will be coming hope this weekend also, and we will definitely need to do something with him and the kids, but only if they want to do something with us! lol
Well, have a great day and God Bless!
Kathy
Monday, October 25, 2010
So long Port!
Hah! So a lot has happened to me since my last post. I have felt soooo good that I just forgot to add anything here. As you know I did receive my last chemo. My hair is coming back, but it looks really bad! Picture Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree on top of my head! Seriously sparse, but non-the-less, hair.
I also have been trying to stay active and tone up my muscles again. I played tennis and , I think, I did pretty well. I played for over an hour and then I went to my first appt. with the Radiation Oncologist the very next day. There, I found out that playing tennis is probably not the best thing to do since I could develop lymphedema from the repetitive motion of tennis! Argh! I loved it and my thighs were hurting so bad the next day, what a great workout!
The very next day after that appt., I had my port taken out! Yay! I arrived at 8am for the pre-surgery crap; I.V., signing of the consents, meet the anesthesiologist, etc..... I of course, loved the meds they gave me and tried to hang on in the O.R.! When I did awake, I had some steri strips on my left shoulder/subclavian area and some surgi glue. All went well and my surgeon told Paul that I am not allowed to vacuum for at least two years! She meant two weeks! We all had a good laugh at that one!
So that brings me to taday. Today at 1pm, I will go to my very first radiation set up. I will get a Cat Scan to map out my anatomy for the radiation treatments. I was a mess last week after my first consultation, but I am better today with a better frame of mind. I am better and I know it and I feel great and that is all I can say! I will go in there with my big girl panties and take it like a big girl! The room is kind of creep, I won't lie. I had them give me a tour of the joint before I left last week. Evryone was at lunch and they seemed pretty open to entertaining me! The room is dimly lit with a very medicinal table in the middle of it with a pillow area to cradle my head. Then the gigantic arm of a machine will rotate over me and deliver the 600 million megawatts of radiation to the areas that are necessary; chest wall and any remaining lymph nodes. Just to put it into perspective, a chest xray has only 560 kilawatts to it! Yes, I asked, OK? Who wouldn't? haha So the Dr. said that I have a great attitude to get throuh radiation and that is what is needed, so I got that going for me.
OK, last thought? Tomorrow is my 43RD Birthday! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be turning another year older. This happens when you fear for your life or have ever been told any devestating news that may potentially threaten your life. I will never, ever complain about turning another year older and if I hear anyone else doing it, then shame on them! It could be worse! Have a great day!
God Bless!
Kathy
I also have been trying to stay active and tone up my muscles again. I played tennis and , I think, I did pretty well. I played for over an hour and then I went to my first appt. with the Radiation Oncologist the very next day. There, I found out that playing tennis is probably not the best thing to do since I could develop lymphedema from the repetitive motion of tennis! Argh! I loved it and my thighs were hurting so bad the next day, what a great workout!
The very next day after that appt., I had my port taken out! Yay! I arrived at 8am for the pre-surgery crap; I.V., signing of the consents, meet the anesthesiologist, etc..... I of course, loved the meds they gave me and tried to hang on in the O.R.! When I did awake, I had some steri strips on my left shoulder/subclavian area and some surgi glue. All went well and my surgeon told Paul that I am not allowed to vacuum for at least two years! She meant two weeks! We all had a good laugh at that one!
So that brings me to taday. Today at 1pm, I will go to my very first radiation set up. I will get a Cat Scan to map out my anatomy for the radiation treatments. I was a mess last week after my first consultation, but I am better today with a better frame of mind. I am better and I know it and I feel great and that is all I can say! I will go in there with my big girl panties and take it like a big girl! The room is kind of creep, I won't lie. I had them give me a tour of the joint before I left last week. Evryone was at lunch and they seemed pretty open to entertaining me! The room is dimly lit with a very medicinal table in the middle of it with a pillow area to cradle my head. Then the gigantic arm of a machine will rotate over me and deliver the 600 million megawatts of radiation to the areas that are necessary; chest wall and any remaining lymph nodes. Just to put it into perspective, a chest xray has only 560 kilawatts to it! Yes, I asked, OK? Who wouldn't? haha So the Dr. said that I have a great attitude to get throuh radiation and that is what is needed, so I got that going for me.
OK, last thought? Tomorrow is my 43RD Birthday! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be turning another year older. This happens when you fear for your life or have ever been told any devestating news that may potentially threaten your life. I will never, ever complain about turning another year older and if I hear anyone else doing it, then shame on them! It could be worse! Have a great day!
God Bless!
Kathy
Friday, October 8, 2010
Goodbye chemo, hello Radiation!?
Well, Tuesday was here and gone quite quickly! I woke up, and was out the door to have my labs drawn at 7:30. Back home and awaiting the arrival of my brother Al from Cincy, I decide I am going to have a small cup of coffee; I haven't had one since Hawaii! It was OK, I made the Hawaiian coffee I saved from the trip. There is something different but I don't know what it is....hmmmm, perhaps I have lost my taste for coffee?
Al showed up around 9:15 and we chatted a bit, went to Starbucks and then headed off to chemo. I like my oncologist, but her office is so dreary, it really is. I'm thinking she needs to hire me to paint and decorate it, at least in the treatment rooms. Anyway, AL and I settle in, still in disbelief that I am actually here receiving my last treatment. We notice other patients milling about and I honestly don't think I belong here and neither does Al! On we go. My nurse Humm comes in and is ready to access the port for the LAST time! She has a lovely British accent that Al and I both are dying to try to copy once she leaves the room. She manages to access my port without any difficulty, hooray! 3 premeds in and then onto the last dose of Taxol! Al and I catch u p on things and plan some lunch. Now what do you think we should not get to eat in a tiny room for chemo surrounded by many other tiny rooms? Yep, you guessed it, we got the stinkiest gyros, full of garlic and tzaziki sauce. We stunk up that whole office for sure! Humm came in after lunch and closed our door claiming we were too "loud" but we all know it was because the room smelled so bad of garlic! haha Al and I ended up playing three card poker for $.25 a hand; soon I owed him 16 bucks, but I won it back later on!
well, the treatment was over and I was ready to get the heck out of there! Out came the needle and out side to breathe in the fresh air and beautiful day. Al pulls out a gift from the trunk in celebration of my last chemo day! A surprise from Ellen and Al and their kids. I will love it forever, as I did the first one I got just a few short months prior. We drove back to my house and decided we were going to get pizzas for dinner, so that is exactly what we did. BJ's pizza for us and Dominoes for the kiddos, their choice not mine!
So, how do I feel about all of this you may wonder? Well, a little scared, I mean the chemo was killing or killed any remaining cancer, so hopefully it did its job! I know it did its job, actually because I feel so terrific. In fact, while at the office, my oncologist gave me the OK to join the church volleyball league for the next 6 weeks. I am really looking forward to it! Lots of energy and well, I just feel good. The next phase is Radiation. Starts on or around the 19Th. I do have a couple of apt.s in between to see my surgeons to get my port out and to evaluate my reconstruction and what not. All things are going well and as planned if not a little slower than I had anticipated! No worries though, I am taking full advantage of my time off by getting some much needed things done around the house and visiting with friends and family.
Well, my parents are on there way in via Greyhound Bus Line from Hammond; that's right I said Bus! I hope there trip is going smoothly! I will meet them downtown Indy at 3pm to take them back to Greenwood.
Have a blessed day!
Kathy
Al showed up around 9:15 and we chatted a bit, went to Starbucks and then headed off to chemo. I like my oncologist, but her office is so dreary, it really is. I'm thinking she needs to hire me to paint and decorate it, at least in the treatment rooms. Anyway, AL and I settle in, still in disbelief that I am actually here receiving my last treatment. We notice other patients milling about and I honestly don't think I belong here and neither does Al! On we go. My nurse Humm comes in and is ready to access the port for the LAST time! She has a lovely British accent that Al and I both are dying to try to copy once she leaves the room. She manages to access my port without any difficulty, hooray! 3 premeds in and then onto the last dose of Taxol! Al and I catch u p on things and plan some lunch. Now what do you think we should not get to eat in a tiny room for chemo surrounded by many other tiny rooms? Yep, you guessed it, we got the stinkiest gyros, full of garlic and tzaziki sauce. We stunk up that whole office for sure! Humm came in after lunch and closed our door claiming we were too "loud" but we all know it was because the room smelled so bad of garlic! haha Al and I ended up playing three card poker for $.25 a hand; soon I owed him 16 bucks, but I won it back later on!
well, the treatment was over and I was ready to get the heck out of there! Out came the needle and out side to breathe in the fresh air and beautiful day. Al pulls out a gift from the trunk in celebration of my last chemo day! A surprise from Ellen and Al and their kids. I will love it forever, as I did the first one I got just a few short months prior. We drove back to my house and decided we were going to get pizzas for dinner, so that is exactly what we did. BJ's pizza for us and Dominoes for the kiddos, their choice not mine!
So, how do I feel about all of this you may wonder? Well, a little scared, I mean the chemo was killing or killed any remaining cancer, so hopefully it did its job! I know it did its job, actually because I feel so terrific. In fact, while at the office, my oncologist gave me the OK to join the church volleyball league for the next 6 weeks. I am really looking forward to it! Lots of energy and well, I just feel good. The next phase is Radiation. Starts on or around the 19Th. I do have a couple of apt.s in between to see my surgeons to get my port out and to evaluate my reconstruction and what not. All things are going well and as planned if not a little slower than I had anticipated! No worries though, I am taking full advantage of my time off by getting some much needed things done around the house and visiting with friends and family.
Well, my parents are on there way in via Greyhound Bus Line from Hammond; that's right I said Bus! I hope there trip is going smoothly! I will meet them downtown Indy at 3pm to take them back to Greenwood.
Have a blessed day!
Kathy
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Had a great week.....
You know your feeling better when you are trying to find more things to do around the house! I am feeling better every day. I am approaching the last day of chemo on Tuesday. My brother is coming in for the last treatment. I avoided buying a hat today based on the fact that my hair will be growing back and I wont need one anymore. In fact, a little fuzz is growing back already. It looks awkward and scraggily, and kind of ill looking, but none the less, it's hair.
I talked with my Dr.s on the phone this week as I just wanted to touch base with them and figure out when I am getting my port out. This will happen soon. I am going to ask my oncologist to call my surgeon and set it up asap! It is gross and creepy, but it was very well served.
I ended up playing cards this weekend with friends, as usual. I say as usual, because I love playing, but some of my friends are getting a bit burned out, and want to do other things....so, that stinks for me! I look forward to playing after sitting home alone all week when everyone is at school or work.
Today, shortly after I woke up, I went for a long ride in the country. It was a great day; sunny and brisk. I just felt like getting out of the house but not to the mall! I was there yesterday for a bit and wow, there were too many people there for me! I listened to Seriously Sinatra on my Sat. radio and had the best time, seriously. When I came home, I was hungry, so I made pork tacos with all of the fixings and taco rice. It was delicious!
Off to bed as I have absolutely nothing planned for tomorrow! haha
God Bless,
Kathy
I talked with my Dr.s on the phone this week as I just wanted to touch base with them and figure out when I am getting my port out. This will happen soon. I am going to ask my oncologist to call my surgeon and set it up asap! It is gross and creepy, but it was very well served.
I ended up playing cards this weekend with friends, as usual. I say as usual, because I love playing, but some of my friends are getting a bit burned out, and want to do other things....so, that stinks for me! I look forward to playing after sitting home alone all week when everyone is at school or work.
Today, shortly after I woke up, I went for a long ride in the country. It was a great day; sunny and brisk. I just felt like getting out of the house but not to the mall! I was there yesterday for a bit and wow, there were too many people there for me! I listened to Seriously Sinatra on my Sat. radio and had the best time, seriously. When I came home, I was hungry, so I made pork tacos with all of the fixings and taco rice. It was delicious!
Off to bed as I have absolutely nothing planned for tomorrow! haha
God Bless,
Kathy
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
2nd to last chemo.........
Wow! It has been nearly 2 weeks since my last post! I am definitely felling better. I am counting down the days now for my last treatments. This makes me both happy and a little aprehensive. Could it be that the chemo gave me a security blanket? The dreaded chemo, with the accessing the port and hot flashes, this gave me some kind of safety net, knowing that it was eliminating any traces of cancer left in my body. In three weeks, the chemo will be over with and I will start on the radiation. Scared? Not at all. Irritated? Yes! I understand that the mapping out of my body will take some time and this is very irritating to me to say the least. However, I do have to look at the BIG picture, right? I do want this port out of my chest and this will happen sooner than later; I hate this thing!
So I am off today at 9:40 for treatment with a good friend DeeAnn. She is a trooper! I will also have dinner delivered to my family from a good friend from work, Robinn. Thanks to both of you, it truly means alot.
Ok, off to tidy up and do a few chores around the house before go time.
God Bless!
Kathy
So I am off today at 9:40 for treatment with a good friend DeeAnn. She is a trooper! I will also have dinner delivered to my family from a good friend from work, Robinn. Thanks to both of you, it truly means alot.
Ok, off to tidy up and do a few chores around the house before go time.
God Bless!
Kathy
Saturday, September 11, 2010
2 down, 2 to go.......
I finished with my second round of Taxol. My friend Faith escorted me to chemo. It was quite uneventful, my nurse got the port, I got lots of drugs and sedation to ward off any reaction and then we thumbed through magazines and chatted. She was a real trooper because it was boring in that tiny room. Thanks Faith!
I have caught a cold. I had it on Tuesday during treatment and it has escalated. I now think I have a sinus infection, but I'm on antibiotics already, I hope they kick in. This would be the reason I wake up at 5:30 in the morning, because I am so stuffed up I can't breathe!
I had a busy week also. Right after chemo on Tuesday, I had to take Curtis to the Dr. for his back. Everything is OK but he needs PT, go figure. He will be driving himself there, thankfully. Rachel also went to the Dr. for her shoulder. MRI pending! To much repetitive cheer and stunts has made her shoulder very loose and too flexible. She has a little pain but he is afraid she tore something. We shall find out next week. Brad has a cold and a very weird room mate. We hope this semester flies by for him and that he gets a new roomie next semester.
So it is early Saturday morning, and it is brisk outside, I love Fall weather. I am not sure what I am doing today, but I want to play cards later or corn hole....hmmmm any takers? Have a great Saturday!
God Bless,
Kathy
I have caught a cold. I had it on Tuesday during treatment and it has escalated. I now think I have a sinus infection, but I'm on antibiotics already, I hope they kick in. This would be the reason I wake up at 5:30 in the morning, because I am so stuffed up I can't breathe!
I had a busy week also. Right after chemo on Tuesday, I had to take Curtis to the Dr. for his back. Everything is OK but he needs PT, go figure. He will be driving himself there, thankfully. Rachel also went to the Dr. for her shoulder. MRI pending! To much repetitive cheer and stunts has made her shoulder very loose and too flexible. She has a little pain but he is afraid she tore something. We shall find out next week. Brad has a cold and a very weird room mate. We hope this semester flies by for him and that he gets a new roomie next semester.
So it is early Saturday morning, and it is brisk outside, I love Fall weather. I am not sure what I am doing today, but I want to play cards later or corn hole....hmmmm any takers? Have a great Saturday!
God Bless,
Kathy
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