No Power - which doesn't mean no energy!

Been without power at my house since 5:30 p.m. on Friday. I hear it could be another three days before it's on - oy vey!

That said I am feeling fine post-4th chemo & have energy today - love steroids for that purpose! I also have a cooktop thats gas powered so eating/meal prep are not an issue. Of course, eating out is a nice option!

The biggest drag is my Mac not having Internet access from home. On the upside, thank heaven for the iPhone!

Also, my catalog of photos is limited, so the Pic o' the Day is from a few months ago - departing "Sunken Lunken" airport out of Cincinnati.

Reporting Live from Chemo Central!

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I'm the one-handed typing bandit today. Got hooked up earlier than usual to the IV, so typing slooowww.

Say "cheesy!"

Here today enjoying my company is my big sis, Mary Ann who lives in Oxford, OH. Lucky for her she's got a stack of magazines 'cause duty calls and I'm working on a couple of office projects -- I love the distraction.

My fab nurse, Keri, getting me juiced up!

Today's office view is similar to past times and I have no complaints. My doc says I'm doing well, although I'm down another pound to 115. Geez, I guess that means more steak and ice cream for me, darn!!

Milestone Moment

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Tomorrow marks a milestone moment: it will be the last time I receive that lovely chemo cocktail, that darling duo of dangerous drugs ... Adriamycin and Cytoxan. YAHOO!

*Good riddance to indigestion, lack of appetite, and the miscellaneous TMI side effects of Phase I. 

"Hello" to not thinking about Phase II until July 13!

I bid you all goodnight and leave you with this inspiring view from the 15th floor of JobsOhio ...

*This statement made with the explicit understanding that it in no way holds A/C Cocktail responsible for creating over the course of the next two weeks the aforementioned side effects in said Bosomundheit blogger and, furthermore, it is understood that A/C Cocktail and Phase II Taxol Treat, while purely poisonous to the human system,  do have, in fact, curative powers that are much desired, wanted, and needed by same said blogger. 

You Say Whirligig, I Say Twhirliwig!

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Caught myself twirling strands of "hair" on my wig today - now that's weird! Gotta be careful of that bad habit as the next thing you know I'll be walking around with the new lid askew and folks thinking I had tee many martoonis with my lunch!

Did some chilling out in the backyard with Sedona the other night. Got the silly notion of taking our picture as we sprawled on the baked earth. Dona eventually had enough of my too candid camera and let me know it - see if you can find the fed up pup in the collage!

Tonight was a different story. Uncle Kirk came over and the three of us took a drive to Rita's Italian Ice. A fan favorite for all of us, Sedona got her own little cup of frozen custard. It was a beautiful way to end the evening.

"Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God." 2 Cor 4:15

Wigging It!

I look like one of the mannequin heads!

Well, getting ready to wig it and thought I'd give you all a peek at the dome prior to the new facade, so to speak!









The end result will take some getting used to on my part!

Egad, who's that girl?!

Rise & Shine It's Morning Time

7:15 a.m. today, this day, the only day.

This picture in no way captures the movement of my garden in the morning breeze, or the sweet notes of the songbirds, or even the glorious cast of light.

I share it because today truly is the only day -- let us rejoice and be glad in it!


P.S. What the photo does capture most perfectly is Sedona's expression of "You do realize you're out here in your pajamas?!"



END OF DAY NOTE: It was an 8+ day.
8+ hours of time spent in the office
8+ rating for the work I achieved
8++ (= 10) for the after-work company I enjoyed at dinner!

Satisfaction

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Feeling intellectually and socially fulfilled this fine Sunday. Had a marathon brunch with some former work colleagues (and good friends). Bon monts abounded as discussion around the table ran the gamut from trips down memory lane to past and present political intrigues at the local, state, and national level!

To round out the day, I came home to find a Styrofoam cooler sitting on my porch. Inside were tasty treasures: Hostess Ho Hos, baking potatoes, broccoli, and some heavenly red velvet brownies. Soon found out the mystery gifter was my cousin, Keel. Just missed him by a few minutes then learned he was visiting with my brother, Kirk, who lives just minutes away. Dona and I hopped in the truck to enjoy an hour or so of quality fam time with the guys.

Just look at that nicely-shaped noggin!

A Reflection & Pic o' the Day: Giving thanks, as always, for many things. Today, it's for my mother ensuring I developed a shapely head - may my vanity not come back to haunt me. Yeah, odd to be thankful for having a complimentary cranium. But, as a female forced into baldness, it pays to have been properly turned in the crib as an infant. Thanks, Mom!

Are You Kidding Me?!

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I'll start by saying it was a good food day for me. Woke up hungry and decided to go out for breakfast. "Restaurant X or Restaurant Y?," I asked Sedona. She was silent on the matter as she knew her goldenness would not be joining me. I ended up at Restaurant "Y" simply out of habit. Wrong choice. Sat up at the bar since it was just li'l ol' me, which provided a front-seat view to the food line. The waitress had my coffee and water out faster than a Texas two-step. My order: one egg over easy, hash browns, crispy bacon, and a fruit cup. 

You might be thinking I'm about to say it took forever to get my order. To the contrary. It was out very quickly. Here's why Restaurant Y was the really, really wrong choice this morning: Between sips of coffee and reading the newspaper I watched in utter horror as the manager hoisted himself up onto a food table! I WAS FLABBERGASTED. He had his dirty, nasty honkin' shoes on a food table that held bins of sausage gravy, mashed potatoes, and whatever else was ladled out of there and served up to customers.

I watched in jaw-dropping disbelief with him STANDING ON A FOOD TABLE to install a new paper roll into the little machine that kicks out orders to the kitchen crew. He finally jumped down and walked away. He neither sanitized the counter, asked an employee to clean the station, or apologized to customers for the completely unacceptable and unsanitary condition he created.

Total lack of understanding about food safety and customer service. Jones would have been apoplectic over such a food sanitation violation!

Lucky for me that didn't totally spoil my appetite, although my order was so-so at best. The manager's actions definitely had me wondering what other unsanitary food practices could be going on that I didn't personally witness.

Now on to the day's more tasty food adventure: The thought of a good steak cooked medium rare has been on my mind. So, I called up Outback Steakhouse and placed a take-out order for a 6 oz. filet, side of steamed broccoli, and a baked potato with extra butter and sour cream. Brought it home and dined al fresco. A truly wonderful, delightful meal accompanied by a small glass of a favorite Sirah -- Petite Petit from Michael David winery.

There you have my gastronomic gadabouting for Saturday, June 23. 

June 23, 2008

Oh, and Happy Anniversary to my sweet niece, Amy, and her darling Jude!

Don't Call Me Pollyanna!

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I’ve been “called out” on my digital diary. Or maybe I just feel that way. I was discussing the blog with a friend and she noted how upbeat I sounded in my scribblings. But within the context of her statement I sensed the unspoken question, the: “but how are you really doing?”

That led me to begin noodling through why I birthed Bosomundheit and its intention. 1) It was to be a convenient pathway for me to share how I was doing with all of you. 2) It was not to be a poor-me page. 3) It would serve as an outlet for simple expression and creativity.

Now, after pushing this “thing” around in my head, I've realized this blog is more than those three surface-level objectives. It's steering me toward some true introspection and the occasional dive into the emotional weeds – for your benefit, for mine? I don't know, maybe both.

In any case, the Bosomunhdheit won't always (or even most often) be weighty. As for today, hold on, cause we're going into the deep end!

Make no mistake, I’m not a Pollyanna about any of this current bullshit. I get pissy. I feel wrung out. I am moody. Today, I wallowed awhile in some self-pity because I didn't feel my best. I raged -- yet again -- against Ron for not being here to help me. (Sedona hid during that tirade!) And then there are the days when I'm just too dog-tired to give a damn about anything.

In my garden.

Then the miracle happens – I feel the flame of faith fill me and hear the promise of a future full of hope and not despair. I am wrapped in love.

I behold all the gifts, all the beauty, all the life that surrounds me and these negatives begin to recede. For sure they’ll continue to lurk in the background and occasionally show their ugliness, but not for long and not forever. 

Let me reiterate: this view is not Pollyannaism; it is the promise of Jesus Christ in my life. 

Ready for more revelation? Here’s a little something from my hard-copy journal written at 8:25 a.m., Sunday June 10: “I’ve been dipping my toes in the river of worry and the current nearly pulled me under. But Lord, you kept me from drowning. With your right hand you held fast to me and led me to the shore.” That's not just sappy prose. It's fact. It's real.

Deep abiding losses, coupled with the unanswered "whys," reside within me today and for as long as I will live. Without doubt, more sorrow will come my way. But there's no getting around it. My sorrow and pain are countered by ample servings of joy and pleasure - the four are inseparable for me, kind of like the salty-and-the-sweet: each necessary to enhance the other.

God did not promise me or anyone else a trouble-free life. Following is a verse I've read more times than I can count and it always brings me solace: "You will suffer in the world. But take courage. I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Think I’ve come full circle now. Off my soap-box and out from behind the pulpit. I’ve taken a leap of faith and shared some of my vulnerabilities and my greatest strength with all of you. Today, you got to see a little deeper into the life of the Bosomundheit Blogger!

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Didn't post last night. Didn't feel like getting on the computer, to be honest. Sometimes that lighted screen and the digital world it illuminates is too much. Instead, after getting out a bit with Dona, I chilled in my comfy new reclining chair under a lovely quilt made by the James Stitching Sisters. Eventually drifted off while watching "Chopped" on Food Network.

On another note, wondering if this is something men with buzz cuts experience: I can't just lay my head down on the pillow. I have to keep adjusting because it feels like the direction my hair grows has to match with the lines in the fabric of the pillow. That probably makes no sense. But if I don't find this exact pattern match between pillow and head placement then sleep is impossible. It's the oddest sensation.

The bright side: that issue will soon enough resolve itself!

The Other Side of "Me"

I'll say this upfront: I'm the world's worst at asking anyone to donate their money for anything. But what a poor excuse on my part to be silent when something is so critically needed. So, I ask your pardon in advance because I'm about to be the most horrible, blunt, and tactless fundraiser you've likely ever encountered! 

I need you to help me raise at least $1,000. Now. Today. It's for one of the best possible reasons: further research into finding the cure for breast cancer. Need convincing? Refer back to my June 13 post and check out the stats. Really, this isn't rocket science.

Specifically, this is for the Komen 3-day, 60-mile walk in Cleveland (Aug. 3-5) that my friend Andrea is participating in on my behalf -- in my honor. 

If I can get 50 of you to each donate just $10, I'll match up to that amount.
You can:
Donate in honor of someone
Donate in memory of someone
Donate anonymously
Donate just to donate
And donating is easy: online or by mail.

Frankly, I don't care how you choose to donate and I'll take whatever you're willing to give. But I have to have your support to help propel the funding of breast cancer research.

Advances are being made every day in this battle. Finding a cure isn't just a phrase, it's real, it's happening, but it does take money.

Together, we can help beat back the CBitch. Donate for whatever reasons move you: for me, for moms, sisters, nieces, aunts, friends, co-workers, total strangers.

The CBitch isn't silent. She doesn't fight fair. And now, neither am I.

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A Sweet Memory Germane to the Moment

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Laura Schneider, 3rd grade

Today brought another significant round of hair loss -- how revealing! And, as I continue to have less and less coverage up top, a childhood memory has been unleashed. It's from Miss Finn's 3rd grade class at Courtright Elementary. I'd come home from school anxious over an assignment to write a Valentine's Day poem. Much to my joy, my dad came up with a witty ditty that today is certainly most fitting. It was equally appropriate back then as my hair was cut pretty short.

There once was a girl names *Laura
whose Valentine gave her a Tiara,
but said she in despair,
"If I just had enough hair to spare ya!"


*For the rhyme to work you gotta say my name as it was given to me: Laura sounds like Lar-uh, as in the Christopher Cross song "Hey, Laura." All a bit much for a simple poem, but again, it's my blog!


ADDENDUM TO MY EARLIER POST: In an effort to follow doctor's orders and not lose additional weight, Sedona and I capped off our walk at the park with a stop at Graeter's Ice Cream: a scoop of black raspberry chip for me and a small scoop of vanilla for my golden girl. Delicious!

Tired Does Not Equal Sleep ;/

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Left work at 4:45 today and was I ever tired. Thought for sure I could come home, lay down and immediately fall asleep. Nope! The brain was a whirling, jumping from one useless thought to another. So, pushed my lazy rear end out of bed, put on my walking clothes, dog jumped in the truck and off we went to the park. Beautiful evening, a real Americana kind of night with kids playing ball, bicyclers, walkers, dogs.

Well, going to give that sleeping thing a try again and hoping my brain will let me rest. 

Nothing random about this pic o' the day -- I love my girl!

A Mulligan Stew of a Post

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Got my parents to the airport in good time this morning. They reported back that the flight was smooth, luggage pick up was extraordinarily convenient, and their ride back to Bayside flawless. I know they are glad to be home. Even thought I'll miss them and they'll miss me, we all have our routines and no bed is as comfortable as our own!

I took advantage of the cool morning temps and stopped at the park with Sedona on the way back from Port Columbus. After our walk, came home and did a few chores then down for a nap around 2 o'clock. Bummer was that I did't hear my alarm and woke up just in time to get myself together for church -- I was second reader this evening!

Once home from church, popped a potato in the oven. While it baked I ate a small bowl of chicken noodle soup and my applesauce. The baked potato had to be one of the best I've ever eaten: loaded it up with butter (doc's orders!) and topped it with sour cream and broccoli. Now, that's one way to put weight back on these bones!

My walk off tonight is this: The scripture I read at church is one of my faves, so I'm gonna share. Its focus is on living by faith and not sight -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10. Father Bob's homily really hit the mark as well.

Random Pic o' the Day

Monarch caterpillar munching on milkweed in my backyard. Hope it lays some eggs!
Up top are red milkweed beetles busily procreating. 

A Good Day After

Help Me Give the CBitch a Total TKO

Had a really good day today on a number of levels. Decided to give the whole wig idea another shot. My first such experience wasn't a great success and I vowed I'd never wear the wig I bought -- and I won't. Many mistakes made that first time, first and foremost: I went alone. Heavens, I can be stubborn!

One on left will be styled some, one on right will be lighter in color

This time I went somewhere else and had with me my mom and dear friend, Susan Banks. It was a good time and with their sage input I believe I landed on a couple of winners. One of them, I think, will surprise some of you. Both my mom and Susan thought the blondish wig on the left looked great and, when my dad saw the picture and agreed, well, how could I disagree!

James, Raegan, & Maddie!

Another high point of today was getting to enjoy the company of my brother John, his son James, Jame's girlfriend Maddie, and their little sweetie, Raegan. Had a really good pork tenderloin on the grill, courtesy of John and I made applesauce, steamed broccoli, and redskin mashed potatoes. It was damn good, and I ate a pretty good plate full.

Heading upstairs and hoping the Sandman is quick to visit. My folks leave for home tomorrow (Fort Myers Beach) and they need to be at the airport by 7:15. :o

Got Through Round 3 Just Fine

Help Me Give the CBitch a Total TKO

Arrived at the Spielman Center at 8 a.m. and started the process of getting ready to be infused with the two chemo drugs. One more treatment with these two then on to four treatments every-other-week with Taxol.

- Random Pic o' the Day -
Me & Brutus, Big Wheels event, 2-4-12
LifeCare Alliance Fundraiser

Here's the routine:
1. Arrive and have the catheter installed in my hand/wrist through which the chemo will then be infused.
2. Go back to an exam room where two nurses and my oncologist eventually meet with me.
3. First nurse takes BP, temp, oxygen levels, etc.
4. Second nurse gives me one of two anti nausea drugs and asks me a bazillion questions about how I'm feeling.
5. Then my oncologist arrives. She goes over results from a blood draw that looks at my platelets, hemoglobin, liver function, etc. Nothing alarming in those results for me this week. We discuss how I'm feeling and if we need to address anything.
6. Finally move to the room where the infusion will take place. Total infusion time is about 1.5 hours.

Today, Doc Lustberg and I made a decision together to exchange out one of my IV anti-nausea drugs for another and extend the use of another an extra two days into the work week. Why? Concern over my weight loss. I weighed in at 123 lbs on May 18, dropped to 119 lbs on June 1 and, today, 116 lbs. Seems the light queasiness I've felt since starting chemo has been enough to keep me from consuming the required amount of calories. Dr. Lustberg stressed it's o.k. to eat anything that sounds good to me - that I'm not to be concerned about healthful foods at this point in my treatment. Loved that advice! Came home and ate three Hostess Ho Ho and chased them with a bowl of my fave chicken noodle soup from Einstein's Bagels at the Huntington Center.

My meeting with Dr. Lustberg this morning once again reinforced that I made the right decision to receive treatment through OSU. She is an amazing oncologist, the people at the center are simply outstanding, and the facility beautiful -- they cater to your every need.

And, I want to give a shout-out to all of you who I know (and didn't know) were praying for me today, and to those who texted me their support. I am uplifted by the love and use it as an extra shield against the dangers of self-pity.

My iPhone has become an invaluable tool for documenting this journey. So, moving on now to three pics from today, but with One caveat: I've included an image that might leave some of you feeling a little queasy!

Starting from the bottom and going clockwise: 1) Received a sweet visit from Cindy. I was glad she and my mom got to see each other. Good chance, too, for us to pray together. 2) Similar office view from June 1. 3) Infusion of the first of two chemo drugs, Doxorubicin [aka Adriamycin]. The "rubicin" is in reference to the red color of the drug, which comes from the Latin root word for red, rubrica. I receive two syringes full of that lovely cocktail, which is manually administered by a nurse and takes about 30 minutes. The white and red pad you see on my arm above the wrist is a heat pack that helps keep my veins from "twinging" as the drugs flow in. The second drug of the day, Cytoxan, arrives through an IV bag and takes around 45-60 minutes to process, depending on how I'm feeling. Today, we headed out the door at 12:45 p.m. Not bad.

Wrap on a Good Week

Like Elvis, my creativity has left the building. I am reduced to yet again giving you a "report" on my day. That said, it was a pretty damn good day on many levels...

Ohio Statehouse

My parents came Downtown to the JobsOhio office. I got to introduce them to my colleagues and show off our view from the 15th floor, which was stunning today with blue skies and sunshine over the Statehouse.


The rest of the work afternoon was equally fulfilling and now I'm gearing up for tomorrow's 3rd chemo. Feeling pretty good about it emotionally and physically doing great. My appetite was really good this week although the taste buds have started to change. The most noticeable alteration is that I can no longer taste my favorite food flavorer, Frank's Red Hot, which so bums me out. 

Time for bed. The first step in the chemo process tomorrow begins at 8 a.m., so I better get some shut eye!

Lend a Fist and Help Me Punch the CBitch!

Also, don't forge to check out my two new pages!

"Giving the CBitch a Total TKO"

"How It All Began"

Not Pulling Any Punches

* Without a cure, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes in the United States.

That is staggering.

Let me pull that lens down from 10,000 feet to ground level and share this more intimate statistic:

Of a core group of seven women I’ve been meeting with for dinner on a semi-regular basis, three of us in the last two years have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

... that's just plain mind blowing.

Now let me take you back to the first three words in the quote at the top “Without a cure …”

Therein lies our challenge, the fight, the need to battle the CBitch.

Today, I'm asking you to go directly from this post to a new page I've created. It's something that's way over due on my part and I hope you take time now to make this extra "click" -- a click that pushes the fight forward on finding a cure for the CBitch.

If you don't have time to check out the page today then CLICK HERE and you'll get the drift. :)

Thank you, my friends.

*American Cancer Society, 2010

A Missed Opportunity?

This morning revealed that it won't be long until the pate is devoid of any coverage. So, I'm now wondering: did I miss an opportunity by not keeping my hair "long" for longer? With all that I saw coming out today, hell, I could have woven my own hairy cap!

C 'est la vie
Onward and upward ...

This-n-That

I'm up way later than I should be, but it was a full day. It started with Sedona making an unexpected trip to the vet this morning (she's o.k.), followed by yet another excellent day at work then wrapped up with a spiritually satisfying evening with my home church peeps. An added bonus tonight was getting to meet the parents of two former colleagues and friends from DNR. Always fun to see the trees from which the apples fell, so to speak!

So with this brief entry, I bid all good night, though for most reading this it will be "good morning!"

Random Pic o' the Day: Yes, that's me sporting long hair, with my Aunt Rosie and her daughter, my cousin Gretchen in Colorado many, many years ago!

Fab Day!

It all started with one red light, this fantastic day of mine. I hit just one red light a short distance from home as I headed into the office. From that point on it was green lights all the way into Downtown. Pretty damn amazing! Definitely an indication of beautiful things to come:

• I felt good
• Ate good
• Watched some great legislation get signed into law
• Heard my boss deliver a spot-on speech
• Checked off several things from my "to do" list
• Had heartfelt, compassionate conversations with some remarkable people.

Life! :-)

Pic of the Day comes to you from my cousin's backyard in Chillicothe!

New verse for Isaiah 11:6-9 -- "... and the tom turkey and young raccoon shall feast in harmony ..."

Oops!

Darn, forgot to post yesterday! Ah, well, it was for a good cause. It was father-daughter time. My mom had class reunion festivities to attend starting Friday, so me and the pops got to hang out. My dad's a pretty quiet guy, a gentle soul, who has a really wonderful and dry sense of humor. His one-liners are like gold -- the kind that keep you chuckling for awhile.

We spent Friday evening with Kirk and Kathy, my brother and sister-in-law. Met them at Old Bag of Nails in Old Hilliard then we all hung out on my patio for awhile.

Me and my dad, July 2011, Fort Myers Beach.

Saturday morning we did some chores. My dad is really, really, reallllllly, good about doing the little maintenance things that keep a house and yard in good shape. Me, I have no discipline on that score, so this was good for me. Then it was time to "play." We ran errands together that included him helping me pick out a new vacuum. Such excitement by me over a new home appliance! Mr. Bill (as we sometimes call him) had been hankering for Skyline, so we stopped there for lunch. It was one of the best meals I'd had in a long time and I'm talking beyond the menu. He picked up the tab, but the treat was all mine.

Some more running around occurred before we heading back home. Caught the Belmont, fixed ourselves some dinner and enjoyed watching a Ch. 10 special from the Wilds with Jack Hanna. My mom arrived home before dark and our little pack settled in for the night.

Father's Day came early for me and I enjoyed every minute to its fullest.

Hi, I'm _____, and you are?

Experienced today what it must feel like to be both *invisible and unrecognizable -- curiously, neither response was "offendable," (I know, not a word, but I wanted the "ble!"). I've known, of course, that the outward change in my appearance - as in nearly no hair and sporting hats - would evoke some sort of a reaction in the folks I encounter. What I didn't know was how I'd react to those reactions.

On a smiley note: Rover loves her grandpa!

I think I now know at least two of my reactions:
1) with empathy, and
2) gently challenging

I never want to be preachy, or pushy, or sanctimonious about anything. But helping people get comfortable with those of this world who are being treated for the CBitch is important. On the flip side, experiencing their reactions is a humbling and constructive life-lesson for me.

Heavens, I'm tired.


-----------
*From the LJ Dictionary of definitions:
Invisible = "That person over there is obviously going through some health problem. I don't know how to respond, so I'll just avoid making eye contact."

The Nature of Postings and the Human Factor

My later-than-usual postings have been noticed. Instead of occurring in the mornings or late afternoons they've been published toward the end of the day. My excuse: a temporary shift in routine from living on my own to being blessed with the company of my parents. I get home from work, chill out a wee then settle in with Mickey & Bill. A nice change of pace.

That isn't all of it, of course. My sleep patterns are off, making me a slow girl in the mornings. I suppose my routines will continue to shift as I move through these next six treatments/12 weeks.

On another note, I'm bummed. I wrote a post on May 31 and through a slip of a button, didn't post it :(

From my dad's 80th birthday party last July.
We kids flew down as a surprise.
And, yes, it surprised him!

Mickey, sis-in-law Kathy, bros Kirk &
John, me, sis Mary Ann, Bill

The post included pics of my parents and sibs. So, to make up for my oversight: meet the fam!

That Thing Called Life

So much joy and goodness exists in our world -- a truth I've always held fast to in all seasons of my life. Every day there is reason for praise of God's beautiful creation. That firm belief does not mean a lack of recognition for the sorrow and darkness that also is part of the human condition.

A couple I went to high school with just lost their 21-year-old son as a result of a tragic accident. A young man so loved by family and friends, handsome, strong, one who was on a good path. It makes no sense today and it will make no more sense tomorrow or ever that they lost their boy.

I don't know. It's a thing to rage against and then lean into, to rise above and be laid low by -- It is life.

Kind of a tough one today. Chemo finally showing its colors, so to speak. Long day, but I didn't let the beast beat me. Took care of myself, did some work, rested. Ring the bell and let's start new tomorrow.

Grandma and Sedona chilling out together. Makes me smile:)

The Day is Getting Long ...

... and my eyes are drooping. Felt pretty good for the Monday after treatment, but tired. Was happy to get in a few hours of work at the office and a little more at home.

I can say that once I got moving this morning that getting ready for work was lickety-split with no hair to fuss over! The new look is being well received. Wore in a black fedora to the office, but took it off soon after. Thinking that once the hair begins to regrow that I'll give serious consideration to maintaining a close crop (perhaps not this close, but pert near!)

Not much in the creative way tonight. Going to toddle off to bed.

My sister, Mary Ann, and me at my nephew's graduation dinner on Sunday.

My Way, My Time

After yesterday's chemo and Saturday morning's shower, it became evident that things were changing with my hair. So, rather than let what was happening drive me, I drove it -- right off my head! My mom and niece, DiAnna, joined me in this adventure, providing great support (see yesterday's post). I asked DiAnna to document the event with my iPhone and she did a damn good job! Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my totally excellent and wonderful hair stylist, Jasmine. This woman knows me well, my hair, and she's an outstanding individual.

Also, props to the final star of this "short" 4min-24sec video, my nephew Andrew, who appears with me at the end. The consensus at home was I now have a closer resemblance to the men of the family than the ladies! Since they're all handsome fellers, well, I have no objection!

O.k., not much more to add. I'll let the video tell the tale, but with two caveats: 1) the close-crop I now sport is temporary as the drugs will have their way, and 2) this is my first video upload and I don't think I got the best quality -- I'll keep trying.

With all that I hope the video moves along at a quick enough pace and with such a riveting musical score that you'll stay for the entire show :) Enjoy!

It's time ...

At the salon to have the mop removed. With me for support are my mom, Mickey, and my beautiful niece, DiAnna. Will follow with end results.

Laura, DiAnna, and Mickey at Kenneth's Hair Salons

Feeling a Little Ookie this A.M.

Woke up at 2:30 having to get rid of yet another tank of water, but also because of some queasiness. I'll blame the tummy troubles on my middle brother, John :) After my mom and I returned home from treatment, John had a lovely pork roast simmering on the cook top. It smelled heavenly and was equally delicious. Pork being one of my favorites, I scarfed down more of it and the accompanying carrots and potatoes than I should have -- it was well worth it.

RJ with our golden girl

Another notable point of that meal and the previous evening's offering (chicken and noodles cooked by my mom), is that they marked the first time in three-plus years I've walked into the house with a sumptuous cooked meal waiting for me. That was RJ's forte, something he loved doing for me, for us. Brings a sigh, but also a smile for the conjured memories.


Going to take it real easy today. I'm hoping that by tomorrow I'll feel good enough to join the family for dinner at the Buckeye Lake Yacht Club in celebration of my nephew Andrew's high school graduation.

Another Gift(s)

Met with my oncologist, Dr. Lustberg, this morning and together we made a decision to alter Phase II of chemo. The previous timetable for Phase II (Taxol) was every Friday for 12 weeks. Well, I was getting concerned about the number of IV sticks that was going to mean for my veins, and I mentioned this to my doc. Without going into the details of the "why" it's o.k. to switch up, I'll now receive:

Four treatments of Taxol every other week. This does mean the dosage will be higher, but Dr. Lustberg thinks I'll handle that just fine.

Making this change means I should be done with everything, including radiation, by mid to late September instead of mid November -- now tell me that's not a GIANT gift!

My other gift today,
my mom, Mickey.

My "office" view for today!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

... off to chemo I go! And still with a head of hair. No complaints, no expectations of continued coverage, though smiling that I beat one of their predictions (hair loss in 2 weeks). Hhmm, wait, I don't want to beat too many of those predictions 'cause there are good predictions (aka prognosis).

So, now, I write contrite of heart and humbled. Hair, sheesh, who cares :)

Will let all know how this second poison-to-get-healthy treatment goes!


"God's way is unerring; the Lord's promise is tried and true; he is a shield for all who trust him." Psalms 18:30