Race For the Cure

Thanks to all of you who have donated to Jaime's Team for the Race for the Cure. With your help and the organization of Anne Marder we have raised over $1,180.00. Our goal was $500 so way to go! My sister is designing some t-shirts for those who will be walking/running on Saturday, May 9th and Mark says he will donate the shirts to our team. I am planning on being there... can't walk the whole thing but will participate somehow. I have never done it and hear that it is very inspiring. Since my diagnosis at the beginning of January five of you have had a friend or relative diagnosed with breast cancer. I have spoken with a few of them as we are now members of the same club. There are too many women in this club and it's a bit scary. I guess that is why so many people support the Race for the Cure. If you want to join the team I think today (or tomorrow) is the last day to sign up as a member of the team. We get to have an Official Team Photo taken at the race. Again no need to make an additional donation. Anne will be contacting you with a meeting place and other information prior to race day. Thanks again.

http://komen.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=301523&lis=0&kntae301523=6D527EDC14E34CF8A120B62BBD2FB071&team=3367249

cut and paste...

Hair

I still have a little bit of hair on the top of my head... nothing really on the side. Still have eyebrows and eyelashes ... they are usually the last to go. If I'm lucky I won't loose everything. I have the wig, which I haven't worn much. I have a strip of hair that is attached to velcro and then put into a hat. See Easter photo with Calvin. I mostly wear the strip with a baseball cap. Otherwise I wear a scarf or nothing around the house. I don't think I am brave enough (yet) to post a photo of me without my hair.

Mark says I am his cupcake with no icing...

Chemo # 3 Done... Only One More to Go!

I had Chemo on Monday and it was the smoothest so far. No emergencies with any of the other patients and with an extra dose of Benedryl I tolerated the mediation much better. Friends Kathy and Pam kept me company. Talked the whole time. I was very anxious about getting through this one based on the reaction I had to the medication last time. So now I can check it off the list and have only May 11th as my last visit.

I have 4 more appointments with the Torturer (the plastic surgeon). These are getting harder as we get near the end of expanding my skin in preparation for the new silicone implants later on. She really is the nicest woman, but it's pretty painful the first few days following my appointment. Should be done with this phase by the end of May.

Mark and I went to get our second opinion with a radiologist. Another incredible doctor. She went the extra mile for me. In addition to being so thorough and patient during the exam she offered to contact her mentor to get his advice. She trained in Boston with Abram Recht. He is one of the leading experts on radiation oncology in the United States.He follows all the current studies being conducted here and other countries. This day really turned out to be a roller coaster for me... At first, her recommendation was that I didn't fit the profile that would call for radiation. So I was thinking maybe I wouldn't have to do it!! (The first doctor we saw last month said I was in a grey area but she would still recommend radiation.) What makes my case different is that one of the tumors grew into the pectoral muscle. There is not much data out there for this situation but as mentioned Dr. Recht is monitoring this. What he is seeing in these new studies out of Europe is that women with similar circumstances to mine have better outcomes if they have radiation. There is a higher rate of reoccurrence if you don't do radiation. So... looks like I will be spending 6 weeks this summer having radiation 5 times per week. It's a short appointment, about 20 minutes. I am up for it! The most disappointing thing is that the plastic surgeon cannot swap out the expanders for the silicone implants until 6 months after radiation is complete. Your skin, blood vessels, etc have to recover from the radiation for that amount of time before they can do another surgery. The plastic surgeon promises me that the expanders will be more comfortable after we are done expanding and done with chemo... I hope she is telling me the truth.

I do feel like I am getting towards the end of the hardest part of treatment. But the chemo has put me into menopause so I am now having hot flashes on top of everything else. Nice to know that many of you are having hot flashes along with me! :)

Attitude

I know that I am not the only one facing a family illness or crisis these days. I think about my friends often and hope that you are all coping as best as possible. One of the positive consequences of my illness is that it has put me back in more regular contact with many friends. A college sorority sister sent me this poem and I decided it was worth sharing. Although this one has leanings towards those of us with cancer, it really applies to anyone, particularly the last part. I try so hard to find the good side of things and be positive and upbeat. (Sometimes it's hard. I have bad days and tears just like everyone else.) Many of you have seen the painting in our house with two men staring at a glass of water. One is frowning and one is smiling. The title is "Glass Half Full" ... This is about how you view your life...
Please enjoy this poem and know that I think about you all constantly.

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror,
and noticed she had only three hairs on her head..
'Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today.'
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror
and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.
'H-M-M,' she said,
'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today.'
So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed
that she had only one hair on her head.
'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going
to wear my hair in a pony tail.'
So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed
that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
'YAY!' she exclaimed.
'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

Attitude Is Everything.
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Chemo Party #2 with sister Gigi

Race for the Cure

My friend Anne Marder, my book club and a few others have decided to enter a team for the Race for Cure on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at Cal Expo, Sacramento. Although Anne tried to name the team boob trotters, that was taken, so she settled on the brilliant and creative name of Jaime's Team. She set a very reasonable goal of $500.00. No pressure. If you want to partake by joining the walk or making a donation please feel free. I like to think that I might be able to walk for a short while that morning with my friends. We shall see. Calvin has participated before with good friend Pam Kunkel and her family. I have also had numerous friends participate in the longer events, all for a good cause.

Not sure if the links listed below will actually work. You can always contact Anne if you have any problems or questions. Here is her message.

Won't you consider joining us, and bringing daughters and friends? (sons) Go to http://www.sackomen.org/ for more information and to register. Go to the home page, click Race for the Cure, then find the Team Rank and click to find Jaime's Team, which will allow you to register. You do not need to make a donation other than to register, unless you are so moved. We will organize more as we know who will be participating. Please send this information on to anyone who might be interested in doing the event!
Thanks all!
Anne
a.marder@comcast.net

Okay, I am frustrated and can't quite get this link to work so copy and paste it into your browser or follow the instructions above.

http://komen.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=301523&lis=0&kntae301523=6D527EDC14E34CF8A120B62BBD2FB071&team=3367249%0A

Update Hair and Chemo

I made my last public appearance at my book club meeting last week with my short hair. Just as my doctor predicted it was starting to come out in clumps at about 2 weeks after my first treatment. As soon as I got home Mark got out the clippers and started in on my lovely highlighted blond locks. First he took the bulk off and then buzzed me down to a #2. I look just like Calvin after he had he head shaved for water polo during championships each fall. We do have the same facial structure although his eyebrows are perfectly shaped and mine always need help. I think I had come to terms with loosing the hair earlier in the week. Although I shed a tear it didn't last long. I was more worried about Mark nicking me with the clippers. He didn't. He did a great job. It was probably harder on him than on me. So now its scarves (need some work on how to tie those), hats or nothing. Oh and my wig. I actually didn't get the Denver wig, ended up trading it for a shorter one called Wind Swept. It's a little more styled than I'm used to... but makes me look like I am not sick. Wind Swept made her debut at lunch last Thursday and then at again at a business meeting last Friday. I ran into an old childhood friend at the meeting. I told her that in the wig I feel like I am playing "dress up" again. It's been confusing looking in the mirror lately. I have gone from long hair, to the short bob, to the buzz cut and then to a wig. Mark says he is used to looking at me with the buzz and that I look great. Like I said before, I guess I will keep him! The hair is actually still falling out, getting a bit patchy in some places. But it's part of the process of getting better.

I had my second chemo treatment. Also part of getting better. But of course it really doesn't make you feel better. I had a bit harder time tolerating the chemo medication this time. I had to stop for a while, have an additional dose of benadryl and then they had to slow down the drip line. As a consequence I was there for 6 hours. My Mom and sister were there with me so we just had a "chemo party" and covered about every topic you can imagine. I know I will feel very crummy (understatement) for a few days but then I can say I am half way done with chemo! Actually I have decided to call it a "chemo hangover"... leftover from the "chemo party" that I attended on Monday. Don't think I have ever had a hangover for this many days.

Wish I could make it to the movie theater but will have to settle for video on demand. Watched "Australia" which I think was panned by the critics. But come on... Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and the spectacular scenery of the outback? How could it be bad. I thought it was a great epic! Would watch it again. Warning... it is long. Glad I could watch it in the luxury of my own home and take breaks when necessary. Then I resorted to a teenage chick flick. Not having a daughter I never knew much about the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" books and movies. But I watched the second movie and it helped me through the hangover. Liked it a lot except for the fact that all the girls have beautiful hair and mine is gone. Mark tells me I look normal. He tried to tell me that lots of women are wearing their hair really short these days... I told him he was "full of shit"!