5 down... 1 to go!

So I had my 2nd last chemo last Thursday and it went OK. Wasn't the best weekend but it wasn't the worst either. I was not taking the Miralax religiously (it is gross tasting) the week before so I ended up with some GI tract issues again but nothing that couldn't get resolved easily enough. The worst part of the recovery was me pulling a darn muscle in my back while I was helping my friend Jen, change a tube on the rear tire of my bike. The pain was so bad, I had to take muscle relaxants all weekend. I just cannot stand taking drugs... and here I was taking my anti-indigestion, anti-nausea and muscle relaxants... in addition to a little Dulcolax then Immodium. My purse is a darn pharmacy!

The good news is that my friend Jen came down from Kelowna, British Columbia and we got to spend some time together. Thanks for looking after me Jen!

Other news... my surgery is scheduled for December 8. I am planning on being off work from December 7 (seems I'll have some pre-op appointments the day before) to January 4 for recovery. The surgery scheduling nurse also told me that I will be in the hospital for two nights.

My fingernails still feel funny and can be sore at times (gripping things, picking things up, just using my fingers...) but it's not too painful really. A friend from a support group told me about taking Glutamine and my oncologist said it would be fine to take. I have also found that I have really been struggling with my vision. I am finding that reading computer screens is challenging when it has never been before. That's a bummer... I just hope that I don't need to get new contacts before my existing supply runs out. I also think that my eyebrows have been thinning... but well, as long as they are still there, I'm ok with that.

Other exciting news... Dougie is coming to the US this Saturday but will be stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington for post-deployment stuff. At least we will be in the same time zone! He should be back to the OC anywhere from Nov 9 to 11. Guess it's time I moved my stuff out of his closet! And just in case you were thinking I was the clotheshorse wife... it is Doug, who wears a uniform to work every day who has the double closet and I who have the measly single closet!

That's all for now. Thanks for the continued support!
Mo

Of course I'm going to make it!

Hi all,

Been doing pretty well lately. I did a nice 50 mile ride with a friend this morning and am feeling pretty good, although my legs did feel pretty tired by the end of it. I am unbelievably slow on hills. Mind you, this is my best week. The only weirdness I can complain about these days is some tenderness under my fingernails. My fingers are a bit red under the nail in the center of the nail. I think this is a side effect of the Taxotere chemotherapy and I just hope that I don't end up losing my fingernails because really... how gross is that? I'll report this to my oncologist next week and see what he says. I still have my night sweats almost every night but who knows what that's from... I'll have to mention that as well. It is so weird to wake up with a super sweaty head and I don't even have any hair!

I had contemplated snowboarding this weekend (they got a real dumping at Mammoth where I have my VIP pass that I'm going to be pressed to use) but when I mentioned to the nurse, she poopooed the idea as I still have low platelets. She said that if I fell and bruised myself badly, that I could bleed internally and never know. No fun!

My genetic testing is setup for November 2. I'll be getting my surgery scheduled next week.

My girlfriend Jen, from British Columbia is coming to stay for my next chemo treatment this Thursday. Looking forward to seeing her!

Oh... and to explain the title of my blog... when I was getting my Herceptin IV treatment this past week, this lady took an interest in me (she liked my hat) and when she was talking to me, she said "You're going to make it". Can I tell you what a bummer it is to hear that? I mean, I never (or almost never) think of NOT making it. Of course I'm going to live to ninety something or beyond like my Bubby Edna (who is alive and well at 92). I hate it when people say things that make me think... "geez, you mean there is a possibility that I won't make it?". Anyhoo, a short rant to end off my blog. This is what blogs are for... right?

Thanks to everyone for your calls, emails, Facebook messages/comments and ongoing positive thoughts. They all matter to me.

Mo

Oh yeah... I have cancer... I forgot...

Last night, I remembered I am going through chemo after forgetting and thinking I was a normal person...

You see, a friend emailed around about going on a night mountain bike ride on the Fullerton Loop. The loop is a really easy ride so I said, yes, of course I'll come. Then I remembered that I get my Herceptin by IV every Thursday and I have no idea if it's even safe to ride after getting that by IV.

So I asked the nurse today if it would be OK. He said there was no problem with riding after the IV but that "had I forgotten that my platelets were really low last week?" Er... yes, I did. And my platelets were again really low this week. Safe enough for the IV but still low. He said that while he really recommended against it... that I could ride, but if I crashed, I would need to tell my friend to rush me to the ER right away. Cripes, no thanks. I know it's only the Fullerton Loop but it was also supposed to be a night ride and well... you never know. So, he said I would probably be ok for the weekend but I will need to take it easy.

I hate it when I forget that I have cancer... and I can't have fun and ride like the rest of my friends... I feel like life is going along and I am waiting on the sidelines... 2 more chemos to go.

Oh yeah and happy 5th anniversary Dougie! I miss you.
Mo

4th Chemo down... 2 to go!

Hello all,

Sorry I haven't posted a blog in a while. To be honest, the past few weeks have been pretty busy with Jewish High Holidays, Race for the Cure and work... and sometimes I can't face opening up my computer at night when I have been working on a computer all day.

The Race for the Cure in Orange County was last weekend and it was a real blast. I think that we had about 45 people on the team and I am so happy that my friends and coworkers came out to support me and the cause. The support at work has been phenomenal and my coworkers in the office have been wearing Pinky Mo and the Livestrong shirts for two Fridays in a row now.

My older sister Michelle arrived last Tuesday and has been cooking up a storm for me. She has taken almost all of the bananas that have been hibernating in my freezer (15!) and has baked squares and muffins for me. She has also made a few great meals that are of course, high in fiber!, but tasty too. It is so nice to have her here and have someone really close to me to talk to.

We went to see my breast surgeon this week and he did an ultrasound on my breast. He said that the hard part of the tumor has dissipated but that there is still a soft tumor there and the way the chemo works, it breaks up the tumor into pieces as it kills the cancer cells. We talked about options and mastectomy is pretty much the only option for me because of the spread of cancer in my breast. I am fine with this... have been for a while. I don't want anything left on me that might be cancerous! The bigger issue is around having a bilateral mastectomy. He also mentioned that I may need radiation and they won't know until my get tissues samples back from the surgery.

To help make the one vs two decision, I am going to go for Genetic Counseling/Testing to see if I have the BRCA gene mutation that will predict my lifetime risk of breast cancer. Because I have Ashekenazi jewish ancestry, got cancer at an early age and have breast cancer in the family (cousins and great aunts), my breast surgeon thought it was a good idea.

I am also going to see a plastic surgeon on Monday. He will also help me make my decision about the mastectomy and what kind of reconstruction I will get. I really hope that there are NOT too many options for me to choose from because these decisions are really hard. I am also really hoping that through my recovery is quick enough that I can salvage some part of the snowboarding season. This may seem juvenile but well.... it's what I think about.

I had my fourth chemo on Thursday which went relatively well after the third attempt at putting an IV in my arm. My veins just don't cooperate really well, so I continue to look like a junky on my inner arms :-( The good news is that I feel ok today and I have no GI tract issues, the plumbing is working great! Thank you again Miralax.

I am off to the beach with my sister for some relaxation. Hope all of you are well and I thank you for your ongoing support and wonderful comments.

Love,

Mo