Yesterday morning as I was washing my hair, I noticed that a large amount of hair was coming off in my hands. I went ahead and blew it dry and did not touch it again, so that I could attend church with some hair! Ha. We were at my son's home in Mesa for the day, but when we returned home last night, we had a hair buzzing party! Here are a couple photos. I wore a wig to work today, but about an hour ago I could not stand having it on my head any longer and took it off then sent a message to everyone's computer telling them not to faint, but I had taken my wig off! I will be going to chemo in about 30 minutes and I will look at other wigs. Such experiences I am having!

BLESSINGS

I am soooo grateful to feel almost normal today!!! Not nauseated, food is tasting close to normal and my spirits are lifted. I still tire quickly, but that should get better also. I had an appointment this morning for post-op with the surgeon who put the port-a-cath in and this afternoon I have to go have blood drawn at Arizona Oncology, but those are all the appointments I have this week!! I don't have chemo again until next Monday and I am looking forward to a week of near normalcy. This weekend I was so totally out of energy that I spent most of my time in bed, on the couch, or in the recliner. I spent a lot of that time thinking about all the blessings in my life and reminding myself that this too shall pass and everything we experience provides us with another diminsion to who we are. My son and his wife have developed a habit with their young sons that each night they kneel in prayer together prior to going to bed and after the prayer they gather together and have a group "squish hug". Those squish hugs are the best! Well, since being diagnoised with breast cancer, I feel that I have been in the middle of an enormous group squish hug with all my family and friends. Here is a photo of flowers I received from a dear friend who lives out of state. I've also received flowers from those in town, cards, letters and telephone calls to check on me. Thank you, I love you all!

SINCE FIRST CHEMO & NEW HAIRCUT

I had my first chemo on Monday. It did not hurt too much when they put the iv in the port. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get all the mediation: anti nausea, one chemo drug, 2nd chemo drug, small bag to flush. Now I know what to expect and it the process does not seem scary. I felt okay on Tuesday, with just a headache. Went in Tuesday afternoon and had the injection that is suppose to make my white blood cells produce more rapidly. Woke up Wednesday morning and felt so sick to my stomach. Threw up at 8:30 a.m. and did not call the doctor as I had been advised. Felt better and thought I would be okay, but no so. After laying around all day concentrating on not throwing up. I threw up again and felt as if my insides were turned inside out! Called the doctor and went in for an iv of fluid and a shot for nausea. I felt so much better. But it was 3:00 by the time I went in. Next time I will definitely go right away!! Fell much better today. Next chemo they are going to give me a different anti-nausea drug as it seems the one that works for most people, did not work for me. Of course, I'm unique! P.S. here's a photo of my short hair, got it cut Tuesday evening. Thought it won't be so traumatic for me when it all falls out in about two weeks. Thank you all for your love and support.

Chemo Day

I got to work this morning and there was a large balloon bouquet of pink and white balloons with a balloon that said "Get Well" on my desk along with a pink snug sack, a pink ribbon tac pin and a pink breast cancer magnet ribbon for my van. It took me a little while to notice that everyone at work (even attorneys) were wearing pink and also a pink ribbon tac pin!!! I work with the greatest people ever! Getting my first chemo treatment doesn't seem so scary now. My appt is at 2:45 this afternoon. P.S. I wore brown today, Ha.

Today I Cried

Sunday, February 13, 2011

This morning I woke up and thought about the fact that tomorrow I have my first chemo therapy and that they will be sticking a needle through my skin into my newly installed port and the thought of anyone even touching that area makes me cringe and I cried. I haven't really cried since I found out that I had breast cancer but this morning I laid in bed with Gregg and cried and told him that I did not want to do this! He cried also and told me that he wished he could take my place. I told him not to worry, that I would do just fine, but I guess I just needed to cry for a little bit. Then I was all better.

I am having outpatient surgery tomorrow to put a port-a-cath in my chest for the purpose of using that instead of the veins in my arms to give the chemo therapy. It will be at 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm not that nervous about the surgery, but I can't eat or drink after midnight tonight - are you kidding me, what about my wake-up Dr. Pepper! It will be okay, I'm sure.

How it began

On Sunday evening, January 2, 2011, I was undressing for bed and stretched and at the same time went to scratch my left breast. My fingers ran across a large hard lump in my legft breast which I had never felt before. I called my husband in to see if it was just my imagination ... it wasn't. I have mamograms anually and had just had one in October, just 3 months prior. I planned to call my gyn and go in to have it checked. The next night I noticed that under my left arm was very sore and that if I tried to put my arm tight to my side, it felt as if I had a marble in my armpit. I knew this was a lymph node and this was not a good sign. I went to the gynocolgist on January 6th, had a mamo and sonogram on January 11th, a biopsy on January 17th and received a call from the breast surgeon on January 20th, that the results were back and I definitely had breast cancer. WHOOA, my head was spinning.