My Computer Died :(

About a month ago, my computer fried itself. I've been so busy over the past few years with doctor appointments and all that goodness that backing up just slipped my mind. I suppose that is for the better since many of my cancer pictures were washed away with the couple gigs of music I also lost in the hard drive death.

I've got a new computer now and I am in the process of salvaging files from random back-up DVDs. I have some pictures posted on Facebook and Myspace, but getting those off the sites and saved on my new hard drive is going to be a project.

For now, I will leave you with a picture that makes me smile. This is Lola. She was my 1 Year Cancerversary present to myself. So much love in such a little package.

I Did It!

I ran the White Rock Marathon Relay today with 4 friends. These are our lucky team socks. I can't wait to do another one! Survivors Rock!

Port Out!

Yippee! Finally got my port out. No more Heparin and lemon-lime skunk saline aroma drifting into my nasal cavity. Now I just have to wait for the red line across my collar bone area to diminish... until then, there is always Photoshop to make it disappear.

Back to the familiar again

I was sitting on the couch earlier when the phone rang. It was a local number that seemed familiar, but I didn't know it. When I answered, it was my radiation oncologist's office confirming my appointment for tomorrow. Dammit... I almost forgot I am a cancer patient. Thanks for the appointment reminder and the reality check. So, my routine tomorrow will be one that has become too familiar over the past 8 months. I have to get my infusion of Herceptin and my lovely Benadryl cocktail that makes me loopy, and then I have an appointment with my rad onco to get my month check-up. Bloodwork. I'm sure somewhere in all of this I will get bloodwork.

Ack, I also have to get a couple of prescriptions refilled. I currently have two tins next to my couch filled with the various drugs I have consumed and continue to consume daily. All cancer patients have these containers. I choose to use old cookie tins to house my drugs. Seems more pleasant that way. I once busted out with the tins in front of a friend who hadn't seen them before and her response was, "Uh, you take all those?" Yep. Unfortunately. I used to love prescription bottles, don't ask me why. I think it is the cylindrical shape. Well, now I hate them.

My check-up tomorrow should go fine. My rad onco just wants to look at my skin and see how it is holding up now that treatment is done. It really looks great I am happy to say. It only burned a little toward the end and peeled slightly. All that is done and the deep dark tan I was sporting on one breast is diminishing as well. Besides the scar on the side of my breast, you really can't tell I've been sick. Well, that is if you ignore the port implant in my chest. lol. I have to keep that buddy for a few more months.

Oh, on a side note.... I applied for my first job today as a cancer survivor. I'm a little nervous about it, but hell, if anyone wants to discriminate against me because I've had cancer, well, fuck 'em... and fuck cancer too :)

Growing like a weed!

My hair! It deserves a celebratory yee-haw!!!! Since I've gone months without hair, I've gotten used to not having to do anything with it. I now have to put time back into my morning routine to paste it down as it tends to stick up in crazy clumps when I sleep on it. lol. My eyelashes are also getting long enough to curl again. They were pretty much sticking straight out until now... but who can complain? At least they are growing back! Double yee-haw!

OMG! Cancer Summit in NYC

I signed up to attend the 2nd annual OMG! Cancer Summit for Young Adults in NYC in May. I can't wait to meet up with other young survivors and chat about advocacy, insurance issues, and just generally being badass survivors :) Stupid Cancer! Survivors Rule!

My Treatment Update

A Summary of My Treatment

Lumpectomy 6/2008. My margins were clean :)
Chemotherapy: Taxotere and Carboplatin. I got these one time every three weeks for 6 treatments. Finished chemo 10-30-2008!!!
Radiation: Finished 7 weeks of radiation January 30, 2009!
Hormone treatment: Zoladex and Tamoxifen. I will continue it for 3-5 years. Boo.
Biological therapy: Herceptin is an antibody that I get an infusion of every 3 weeks for the next.. well, seems like forever.

I've been on Tamoxifen now for 3 months and Zoladex for 2 months. I had hot flashes all during chemo and for the first month on Tamoxifen. Suddenly, they stopped. I got rather worried that my hormone levels were too high again. I had my onco check them and sure enough....through the roof. So, my doc started me on Zoladex to suppress ovarian function and so far, I haven't experienced any aggonizing hot flashes. I am still waiting. lol. My doc said hot flashes aren't an indication of whether or not the Zoladex is working, so maybe I am just a lucky gal and I won't get hot flashes. Unlikely I suspect. I get my levels tested again next month and then I'll feel confident that the Zoladex is doing it's job. So far, not so much.

Celebrating the End of Rads in Vegas!

To celebrate the end of rads milestone, my friend Wendy and I met my sister, her friend, and my nephew in Vegas for a couple days of debauchery. Since I am broke these days, I didn't partake in any gambling, but we went to Tao nightclub, saw Menopause the Musical (pretty fitting. lol.), and hollered at the Aussie boys as they stripped for us in the Thunder from Down Under show.

While in the show, I had to wear my glasses because I wanted to catch all the action. Each guy did an individual "dance" for the audience and some of them included pulling girls up on stage and jumping on the tables around the theater. So, a very scantily clad man was standing on the table next to mine pouring water all over his body, when all of a sudden, we made eye contact. At first I wasn't sure what was going on, but then he and his wet bod made a bee line over to my table. He jumped up on the table and walked down it to me. As I looked up to him in horror and anticipation, he bent down and took his towel and draped it around the back of my neck pulling me toward him. He proceeded to steal my glasses when I was caught in a moment of panic. I almost reached up and wrestled them out of his hands, but then it occurred to me that may seem pretty uncool in that atmosphere. So, the Aussie models my glasses for the screaming ladies in the crowd, and then sees fit to rub the lenses on his wet, sweaty chest and abs. When I got them back, they were unfit to wear for vision improvement. When I got out of the show, I looked down at my poor glasses, and the lenses were greasy and cloudy. Boy, that gives new meaning to the word smudge! lol.

Vegas, baby. Vegas!!!

Age-appriopriate support? Too much to ask?

I gained weight during chemo. The roids gave me horrific puffy face. I remember looking down at my body while enduring the fallout from chemo #4 and thinking that my body had officially gone to shit. At first I thought my fuzzy brain was causing my eyes to play tricks on me, but then I stepped on the scale at my next onco check-up and sure enough. Ten pounds. Ugh. Now that chemo is over, I resolved to drop the weight. Well, my doc sort of instructed me to lose the weight. After all, sans hormones is the new me and apparently those pounds cling to your body for dear life. In a valiant effort to begin, I decided to go to a weight management for breast cancer survivors group at the local hospital. I had seen the flyer at my treatment center and thought it would be a pleasant experience.

So, I go on the first Tuesday of the month (the group meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays), and I get weighed and meet the group leader. As I am sitting down waiting for group to begin, I look around me and notice I am the youngest person in the room - by far. I mean like 35+ years younger. Talk about feeling a tad out of place. The lesson for the day was about the benefits of eating dark chocolate.... 65% dark or more. I thought if any of these ladies makes a comment about how chocolate is a substitute for sex, I was gonna be outta there. When it was over, the ladies all told me they were glad that I came and they hoped I would continue to come to the group. I told them I would be back. I haven't been back yet. I need to go. I just feel so odd and I wish there was someone there I could relate to. Boo. I'll let you know how it goes.

We are SeventyK Strong!