These things will not bite you, they want to have fun.

Thing 1 & Thing 2 joined me during my first of two treatments this week. Thursday included my good friends Adriamycin, Vinblastine, and Etoposide. Friday was a 2nd dose of Etoposide, as you can guess, I can't get enough of this stuff.

They stayed to watch Mom's blood drawn & see what actually goes into my "medicine maker" (that's what they've named my PICC line). After much fun in the doctors office, it was off to the next adventure, catching frogs with Dad.

As for me, the past week was amazing. It started with a great bike ride, International Waffle Day, watching an Easter Egg Hunt in a pool, and time spent with so many friends that I absolutely love.

Ahoy Mateys

Because mutiny on the bounty's what we're all about.

(That one's for you Jules)

Sorry for not updating this for about a week now. It’s completely related to how I feel – which is great. I’ve been staying busy while I can. I’m at the ½ way mark. Six weeks of chemotherapy down, six more to go.

Last Thursdays treatment I was surrounded by pirates. The chemo itself is a little bit like a crew of pirates. Each week they board this ship and pillage & plunder the snot out of marla. To which I’m just fine with.

My nurse rocked these shoes.

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The official cancerlebrity photographer.

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Lunch this weekend with childhood friends.

Everyday I get asked “how do you feel?” followed by the astonished look from someone when I explain that I feel just fine. My luck lines are paying off. Everyday I’m grateful that my diagnosis was not terminal and had so much optimism with it. So if you happen to be one of the 1.4 million people diagnosed with cancer, here’s what keeps me going:

1. Surround yourself with family & friends. Be around, about, & in love.
2. Stay busy. I can’t sit around and feel sorry for myself all day, there’s no reason to. I still have plenty of “this really sucks” moments (like finding a long blonde hair on a jacket or inside my helmet), then I resort back to #1 and move on.
3. Become ecstatic that morning you wake up and cancer is NOT the first thing you think of. You temporarily forget you have it until later that day, or the alopecia looking back in the mirror reminds you.

My Chemical Romance

Are we having fun yet?

Thursday’s treatment marked the beginning of Round 2. All drug combinations will be repeated for another month, then one more month to go. This week it was Adriamycin (the red Kool-Aid looking stuff), Vinblastine (I like that one because it has the word BLAST in it), and finally, Mechlorethamine (Nitrogen Mustard). There is something to be said about the last one, when my nurse mixes it right before administering it to me and says, “If you see smoke or fumes, run!” Lovely, I’ll take two please.

GREAT news for the day: Consultation with my Doctor regarding the recent CT scan. No signs of the tumor in the left lymph node in my neck. We’re just seeing scar tissue. marla has been reduced in ½. That’s right, in ½ following 1 month of treatment. I’m ecstatic about this one.

Many of you are close family & friends, and even a few people I have not yet met, and have been following my progress. I want to express my thanks and gratitude to you all. As you know, I’m not one to wear religion on my sleeve. However, I believe that prayers are heard and answered. Whether you pray to The Almighty, Jebbus, Buddha, or just your über- positive thoughts & well wishes, it has made all the difference. There is no other explanation for my continued day to day strength. Thank you! I’m honored to have all of you a part of this too.

I still can't watch.

Shrinkage!

It pays to suck-up to nurses. It also helps when you’ve accumulated a healthy amount of frequent-flyer mileage around a hospital too. A good number of employees at Deathview Hospital now recognize me. I got my grabby-little hands on a copy of my CT scan. Keep in mind I have no medical training what so ever. Looking at a side-by-side comparison of my CT scans from today & a month ago, you can see the difference in the size of the tumors.

(you can start singing "Turning Japanese" in your head now)



A month ago... today's scan.
My trachea is still left of center, but moving back to midline.

Check out my cool PICC line too.

One of these things is not like the other...

OK technically Megan Fox was never bald, but I figured I'd throw in some eye candy for the gents. Like fish & guests, wallowing also goes bad after 3 days. I'm much better than I was a few days ago. Sans coiffure, I'm still a little camera shy, but I'm working on it.

Thursdays treatment was a repeat of week 2 in the Stanford V regimen (not regime, small pet peeve of mine when used incorrectly), Vincristine & Bleomycin. NO side effects this week! How cool is that? I have a feeling that Radiation is going to make up for all this good luck and kick my butt.

Now that I'm in official cue-ball status here are a few things I've noted over the past few days.

Things that rock:
- Cut my shower & prep time in 1/2. No more standing around waiting for the conditioner to do it's job.
- No drag when swimming. Sadly, I won't be able to utilize this until Han & I say our goodbyes. I can't wait for May.
- Deer repellent. I cut up what I shaved on my head and spread it around the emerging tulips in my yard. We'll see if this keeps the little darlings away from their candy.
- I can do a great impression of Uncle Fester. I'm so glad we introduced the munchkins to the Addams Family movies prior to this. (this borders on the "things that don't" category)

...and things that don't:
- It's freezing cold now! I don't know how you guys do it. Hats all the time for me.
- No swimming until May, so I can't take full advantage of this situation, yet.
- I look the part of a c-word patient. Not always cool because you should see the looks I get. I've seen "oh, that poor girl" on people's faces. I feel fine, I just don't look like it.
- Having to keep baby oil on my head. Helps prevent irritation. Even though my hair is falling out, it's still growing new stuff too.

Good News of the Day: I'm officially 1/3 of the way finished with chemo! Two months left.
So...to all you sweet souls that have offered to shave your heads too, DON"T DO IT! I'll smack you if you do. Save your lovely locks, mine will catch up to you soon enough.

canser sucks

I won't give you the dignity of spelling you correctly. Today I HATE YOU!

WARNING: This rant is completely in vain. I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm simply venting. I know I should be happy, I'm getting an extended warranty on life, but I'm just not feeling it today.

I knew this day would come. I envisioned making a party out of it, letting everyone take a swipe around the noggin. Mostly, I wanted to prevent shocking my munchkins. I couldn't do it, it wasn't a party.

"Hold on. Hold on to yourself, for this is gonna hurt like hell."
You're right Sarah, this does hurt.

I've come to identify a fair amount of my femininity with my hair. I envied the girls in jr. high & high school with long hair. Finally, in my 30's & with the help of some pregnancy hormones, I had a length that I loved. I admit, one of the first questions that ran through my mind when I was diagnosed was if I'd lose my hair or not. How sick is that? For normal people it would've been, "How successful is treatment?" or "Is this curable?" Not me. I know it's just hair and it'll grow back, but please don't say that to me, it's not comforting right now. The most difficult part is that you have no say in the matter, it's decided for you. marla also messed around with Pride & Joy too. There's a double edged sword that comes with significant weight loss. Ladies, you know what's first to go. I discovered this when, a few days after being diagnosed, I went "therapy" shopping. For the first time in my life I was looking for a smaller bra size. That was a nice kick to the head to start. Yes, it could be worse, much worse. Women who are fighting breast canser are my heroes. Talk about a devastating blow. I lack the courage to battle that one.

So I may be wallowing for a little while, then I'll be just fine.

Today's score:
Rachelle - a whole lot
marla - you got me on this one

Fish

Officially off the needles!

My blood is now thin enough that I no longer require the 1 shot - twice daily, of Lovenox.

Time to celebrate with what I’ve renamed as “therapy.”