Shout out...

Here's a shout out to two fantastic couples who tied the knot over the weekend!

My cousin got married on Friday night. It was a fantastic time and everyone is so happy for both of them. I love it when great people marry great people... Congrats you two!

One of my dear friends got married on Saturday night. It was also a beautiful wedding and an amazing time. I am sooooo incredibly happy for my friend, for finding such and amazing guy! AND I am sooooo incredibly happy for the groom who hit the lottery in finding my friend!

Although I don't have a picture of the two of them, I do have a picture of my friend and me together, thanks to a cell phone. 

Chemo Brain, etc

Chemo Brain is real... I forget everything! I am trying to adjust to my new memory problems. But the thing is... I forget that I forget, so it all kinda works out. I forget who I tell stories to, I forget who called or who texted me, I think of something then I forget what it was I was thinking, and it goes on and on. I overheard a lady in the treatment waiting room say something to the effect of, "I hate forgetting everything because of these stupid drugs!" She just kinda screamed it out, not sure if she was even talking to someone or if she just wanted to make a blanket statement to the world.

So, I'm trying to deal with it in many ways...
1) I write every plan I might have down in my pocket calendar
2) I check my calendar multiple times a day
3) I revisit texts and voicemail
4) Anything really important I tell my family or friends to text me or call me to remind me what I have to do
5) Before I start telling a story, I ask if I have already told it to that particular person
6) I have to slow way down and think a lot more than I ever have had to in the past
7) There are more things I do, but I can't remember them right now

Then there are the hot flashes! I get anywhere from about 5-10 in a 24 hour time period. I'm getting used to them, but it does hurt my sleeping. I wake up various times a night.

I also must mention the steroids. It's now 2:06 am and I am not the least bit tired. On the days I get treatments they pump me so full of (oh, hot flash as I'm typing this) steroids that I don't sleep at all on Thursday nights. Now that I know this, I don't even try. I have already watched the late shows, and now I'm on the computer writing this. I plan to read or watch a movie after I finish writing. 

Despite these three side effects, and the various others, it's still nothing compared to AC Chemo. It still sucks, as it is chemo and I never feel great, BUT it's a joy compared to what I went through!

Changing the subject drastically:

I just returned from a wonderful three days at the lake. I went down with some friends from work, one of those friends being Erin. Erin was the one in the ICU for many weeks with a rare lung disease. She is getting stronger and stronger by the day, and we all had so much fun swimming and talking and playing games together. It just makes me realize how fortunate I am to still have her in my life. We never know what can happen day by day. Take that extra time to really appreciate the ones you love while you can. I know that sounds very cliché, but sometimes we get lazy or so wrapped up in our own lives we forget about those closest to us. Spending the week at the lake with these friends lifted my spirits. I am inspired by Erin and all she has had to endure, while still laughing and smiling every step of the way. Thanks for being you my friend!

That's all for now... AS you might be able to tell, the steroids not only keep me awake, they keep me chatty!

Taxol... not bad!

I noticed that I haven't written for a while, so I thought I'd say hello. Sometimes I wait to write until I'm inspired by a conversation or something I have seen. Although I have been inspired throughout the last two weeks, I feel like being simple today.

I have now had two rounds of Taxol, the lesser of the two evils. It's really not bad at all compared to AC Chemo! I get fatigued easily and my bones really ache for a few days, but no stomach issues or dizziness! So far, it's pretty much a walk in the park!

Therefore I have been able to enjoy my summer! I have had many meals out, seen some old friends, gone to a few movies, had a long weekend at the lake with my family, entertained a friend from out of town, etc.

So, I think I am over the hardest part of this cancer process- I have climbed the mountain, and it was steep and difficult and technical, but I have reached the top. There is still a LONG way to go to get down, but it should be easier. I have to say the view is good from up here, so I might just sit and enjoy it for a while!

Now, something even easier than climbing a mountain is walking the Susan G Komen walk with me on Aug 14th! Don't forget to sign up to be on my team. Just click the pink link above this entry and sign up. I know it's still early, but I'm not sure if the price goes up as time gets closer!

Have a wonderful weekend!

WALK and PARTY- AUG 14th

CANCER SUCKS..... BUT IT WON'T SUCK THE LIFE OUTTA ME!

WALK AND PARTY AUGUST 14th 

When: Sunday, August 14th 7:00ish am-????

Where: First we will meet at Union Station in front of the main doors facing Liberty Memorial between 7:00-7:15. Then those that want to run the 5K will head to the start and those of us that want to walk will head to the walking start. After the race, the party will begin at my house with food and drink and sprinklers for the kids (and adults) to run through. And much more, that I haven't thought of yet! 

Who: Everyone and anyone and friends and family of anyone and everyone! All ages welcomed and encouraged!

Why: The Susan G Komen Walk for the Cure raises money to help fight breast cancer. And, well, since I have breast cancer why not get some people together to fight for the cause. The party at my house will be a thank you for all of the love and support that have come my way!

How: I have formed a team on the Susan G Komen website. All you have to do is click on the link below and join my team. You do not have to fundraise, all you have to do is sign up for the race through my page (so you're on my team). The cost for the race is 25.00 per adult. (Young kids can ride in strollers for free)

Click Below to be on my team and register for the race:

http://kansascity.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/KNS_GreaterKansasCityAffiliate/452241727?pg=team&fr_id=2243&team_id=172586

What else: You will get a free t-shirt for registering for the race, but if you want to buy one of my "Cancer Sucks" team shirts it's only 10.00. My team shirts will look like the one I am wearing in the picture except they will be black with pink writing. (Pink is reserved for survivors so I'll be wearing the pink one). NO OBLIGATIONS to buy a shirt, but if you want one, please let me know how many and what sizes. I will order them the last week of July so I can get them all to you before the race. I will have a running list, so you can either comment below with your name and size, e-mail me, text me, call me, or facebook me.. :) (Too much technology!)

Postponed

Today my oncologist postponed the start of my next round of Chemotherapy. Turns out my white blood cell count was too low to begin, so I'll start next Thursday. This makes sense actually because I am just now recovering from a terrible cold, damn immune system- or lack of one. I came down with it two weeks ago and am just now getting better. So, rather than risk having to stop treatments in a few weeks, we just postponed a week. It's not a big deal, but this means I'll have to go a week longer than expected in August. On the flip side, I get to feel pretty good my first week of summer break. So, I'm very happy about that!


Now I'm off to the park to make my fuzzy friend happy! See below...

Educating the Children

So, we have 1 1/2 days left of school. Making up snow days can be painful... painfully painful. So today, I decided to challenge the kids. They are living up to the challenge....

Meanwhile, I hepled my friend Pam set up her blog for the summer. She is going to spend her summer in an apartment in Taipei with her husband. Since I will be homebound all summer, I will "travel" through her blog. If anyone is interested, check out her blog at:

typingfromtaipei.blogspot.com

I gotta get back to the Wii, so I can kick some high school kids' butt!



The Forbidden Years

Today I had a profound conversation. A conversation that I wish I never had, not because of who I was talking with, but because I simply wish the events had never occured. I was talking to another teacher friend of mine over lunch and it came up that her younger brother had died of cancer when he was just 14 years old. He died back in the "forbidden years". What are the forbidden years, you may ask. The forbidden years, a term I just made up, were the years when people whispered about "cancer". I just learned about these years today, at lunch. When my friend's brother died it was back in the early 70's (I think). When people learned that he had cancer, many people turned their backs. It sounded  like it was forbidden to have cancer. When he died, and the family went to church, the minister actually said, "He died because you must have sinned." (or something to that extent). Can you imagine? There was more, the school refuse to let him wear a hat and take his books home to make up work. My friend lost some of her close friends and boyfriend at the time. She let me know not everyone was like this, but the fact even 1 person was blows me away. I really don't get it, I don't understand. And, to be a little selfish here, I am so thankful the world has changed.

And the world has changed! We now shout about cancer, kicking and screaming and fighting for a cure. We have shirts, and bumper stickers, and professional athletes wearing pink, and walks, and runs, and dinners, and fundraisers, and TV shows, and websites, and organizations, and lunches, and so much more. As far as support, not one person has turned their back on me, instead I have had an army march forward. And if people whisper the word "cancer" it's as a joke, and now I get the context. I only wish the world was shouting the word cancer when my friend's brother was sick. I really wish it, with all my heart.

But this gives me hope. I guess we could use the term the forbidden years for many things. We could use the term to describe the times before Civil Rights, when blacks were living under the Jim Crow Laws and forbidden to mix with whites. We could use the term to describe the times when gay people had no rights and it was forbidden to even be gay. We could use the term to describe how many people felt about immigration when America was just beginning, forbidding the entrance of various people. Why do we instantly forbid? Why not instantly accept? We might still be fighting for some of these things mentioned above, but the world is changing. And if the world is changing, I still have hope that people won't judge or exclude or hurt other people who are sick, different, or hard to understand.

Told you I had a profound conversation at lunch.