Birthday, Biking, Chemo & Beyond

Happy Birthday to me!


My birthday was a couple of weeks ago so I have been slowly celebrating with my friends and family.  This year has been pretty low key for me because I'm still dealing with this good week-bad week schedule.   (But things are looking up for me...more on that to come.)  One of my great friends, Katie Cavaretta got me a label maker for my birthday. :)  I don't know why I've always wanted one but Katie and I share a love for office supplies so I was pretty psyched to get one.  My first response was "What am I going to label first?!?" Yes, I am a dork.

As a present to myself (and with the help of my Dad and Aunt Barb), I decided to upgrade my bike this year since I will be training for the Apple Cider Century ride in September.  I currently have a mountain bike (which is not really needed since I don't live near any mountains). So, it was time for me to move on to a bike that is better for city and long distance riding.  With the help of my Uncle Joel, we picked out the perfect bike for me.  I am really excited to pick it up and take it out for a ride!

My new bike -- TREK 7000

Chemotherapy -- 7 down, 1 to go!!!

It is amazing to think that I am almost finished with chemotherapy.  I feel like I have come such a long way from my very first treatment on February 2nd.   The last few treatments have been really tough for me.  I've been very achy, had bone pain and the fatigue started to catch up with me.  My doctor recommended taking a new vitamin and I have also have done a couple of acupuncture treatments.  I don't know if it's the combination of those (or a little bit of magic) but I am feeling so much better than the last few treatments.  I met a woman in the treatment room that is one week behind me and she has to take narcotic pain medication for the bone pain.  I haven't even needed to take Tylenol this weekend. I feel very blessed this time around.  I'm sure that it also helps that the weather is picking up in Chicago and in the back of my mind I know I only have ONE TREATMENT LEFT!!

Thank you Bridget for coming along with me to chemotherapy.  It was so fun to catch up with you!  I am very fortunate to be surrounded by friends and family at every single treatment.  Even the nurses commented on how I have a different friend with me at nearly every visit.  It is so nice to have cheerleaders near and far.  Thank you for all of your  happy thoughts -- I could definitely feel the love this week.  

What's next?


I will take about a month off after chemotherapy and begin radiation.  I believe I have to do 5 weeks of radiation (which will be five days a week).  I am meeting with the radiation oncologist in 10 days and will confirm all of that then.  But it looks like I will be finished with all of my treatment in July sometime.  It will be so nice to have this all behind me.  Then, I will take about 6 months off and allow my skin and tissue to heal and I hope to have the second part of my reconstructive surgery at the end of the year.


It has been a long road but I can't tell you how many blessings I have to be grateful for.  Thank you for being by my side and providing such a wonderful support system!  


Love to all! 

I'm not alone this Easter

I decided not to go home this weekend for Easter. I haven't for several years and I just enjoy the long weekend at home. Plus, I was just in the country last weekend and didn't want to be gone two weekends in a row.

So I slept in this morning and saw the beautiful sun shining and decided to head out for a bike ride. I rode a couple of weeks ago and managed to get 10 miles in but it was really tough. As I'm riding my bike this time I feel like it's getting even harder for me. There's a slight wind here today so I can't really blame that for slowing me down. It's just the fatigue. I tried to go at a steady pace and just take my time all the while telling myself I only need to make it 30 minutes. I don't need to do 10 miles right now. Then some fast paced runner started running faster than me (again, on a bike). I felt so defeated. I am so tired of being exhausted. I made it to a resting point far away from Forrest Gump and just started to cry. It's hard to remember in the moment that this is only temporary and in a few months I'll be back to my normal, energetic self. In the middle of my lakefront pity party, I saw two ducks, which reminded me of my Mom and Meme. I was not alone. It was as if they were there to tell me stay strong and keep going no matter how tough it feels. And so I will...

Here's the view from my lakefront pity party. (of course the ducks were camera shy).



I only have 2 treatments left and can't wait for the next 3 weeks to be over so I can move on to the next phase of kicking the crap out of cancer.

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6 down, 2 to go!

When I lived in New York City, I lived off the 6 train so I thought that this picture was appropriate.  In a way, it is only uptown from here:  2 chemotherapy sessions left.  The end is so close and that makes me happy! 

My friend Mollly accompanied me to chemotherapy today.  She asked if I needed anything from the store and I asked for a big bottle of water (thinking she would get me one of those really tall bottles of Evian).  Instead, she shows up with this:

Sorry Molls, I couldn't figure out how to get you right side up...

Talk about literal. :)   I was told I needed to push water to flush the chemo out of my body and I don't think I was drinking enough.  So my friends have been REALLY pushing me to drink loads of water.  I drank 3/4 of the gallon today -- I pretty much floated home.

My last treatment was really tough.  The Taxol (chemotherapy) makes my body ache like I have the flu and the shot I do to keep my white blood count up makes my bones hurt.  Those coupled together left me in  a lot of pain.  Tylenol was like child's play for what I was feeling.  Thankfully my white blood cell count was really strong this week so I don't have to do my shot tomorrow. And if I need to do a shot next time, I am better prepared to treat the pain (e.g. get some good drugs from my doc).

I'm spending the weekend out in the country visiting with my family.  I think the TLC that I will be getting will definitely help me feel better this time around.

Hope you all have a great weekend.  Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and good wishes!

Biking Season Has Begun!

This week I signed up to do the Apple Cider Century bike ride at the end of September with my friends Katie Cavarretta, Katie Dorcak and Erin. And because today is an unseasonably warm day in Chicago,  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take my bike out for the first ride of the season. I love to ride my bike, especially along Chicago's beautiful lakefront path.  Despite all the fatigue I'm feeling, I managed to do 10 miles (at a slow pace but there were some gusty winds today).  It felt great to get out there but I have a lot of training to do this summer to prepare for ACC 2011.  A great excuse for me to keep up with an exercise program that will only increase my odds of survivorship.  TAKE THAT CANCER!

For those of you in the Chicagoland area, I hope you are savoring this beautiful day!

xoxo

It's the final countdown...

Yes, I am a child of the 80's because when I type those words, this is the song that I think of. (Not sure if the video will actually work so you may need to click on this link to hear the song & laugh at the band's hair).

Anyway, today was my 5th chemotherapy. I have to say it feels good to be in the home stretch.  I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Getting half way there was a bit anti-climatic but I'm feeling good about having 5 down and only 3 to go!  My word of the day was hope, which is a pretty powerful one for me.  It was the first time in a while that I have felt this hopeful -- I'm almost done with chemotherapy, I'm feeling pretty good (all things considered) and I just have this powerful feeling that I'm going to come out on top.

I also started Taxol today (a new chemotherapy for me) which  is supposed to be the 'easier' of the two regimens that I'm on; so we'll see how the next few days go. I hope that will be the case. 

I had quite the entourage with me today.  My Aunt Barb, Dad and Katie were there with me during treatment (although I think Katie just wanted me to concentrate on getting her to the next level of Angry Birds).  Regardless, It was nice to have so many cheerleaders by my side.  

After  treatment my Dad, Aunt and I got an early dinner to one of my favorite places -- the Athenian Room.  I love this place because it's just a good neighborhood Greek restaurant.  And because they have a 'vegetarian salad' on the menu that is a dieters dream --- it's a salad with Greek fries on top.  No joke.  That's the most delicious oxymoron I've ever had.  

...and to continue the afternoon of indulgence (and since we were in the neighborhood), we had to stop at Sweet Mandy B's for cupcakes...

Not a bad ending to the day.  I'm going to call it an early night soon.  I don't have much planned for this weekend, just going to rest like I normally do after treatment.  If I'm lucky, I'll get some laundry done. :)

Oh, and tomorrow is opening day for the Chicago Cubs!  GO CUBS GO!  May this be your year!! 

50% Completed!

Rather than spending St. Patrick's day drinking green beer, I was getting my 4th chemotherapy treatment.  While that doesn't sound like the most fun day, I was pretty psyched to get over the half-way hump of chemo!  Thank you Chevy for coming along with me to chemo this round.  And thank you to Christy & Mike for the delicious Irish meal afterwards.

I'm now done with the 'harder' of the chemo regimen (A +C) so hopefully the next four treatments (Taxol) will be a little easier on my body.  I'm actually feeling pretty good this round, which is a surprise because I didn't feel so hot after my last treatment.  The weather in Chicago is finally getting warmer so maybe that has had an impact on my energy level.  I made it out for a walk on Friday and Saturday but today is a rainy spring day so I'm just going to lay low.

I don't have much going on for the week ahead, which is fine by me.  I've been pretty busy the last couple of weeks so I hope to just take advantage of the warmer weather and get out while I can enjoy it.

Thank you all for the support thus far.  I hope the next four treatments fly by so I can have this part of my treatment behind me!

xoxo  

Dinner with Wolfie

Last night I had the pleasure of going to an event where Wolfgang Puck was doing a cooking demonstration!

My friend Molly (who you may not recognize without her tinsel wig) was invited because she's coordinated events at the space where the dinner was held.

It. Was. Awesome.  Wolfie is a very funny guy and made jokes throughout the entire demo.  If I saw him on QVC, I would possibly watch to hear what kind of jokes he would make on live TV.  :)

It was so nice to get out and have a couple glasses of wine (I've really missed wine!) and enjoy an amazing meal.  I feel like I haven't done that in ages.

Here's some pics from our night...

The menu was the same as what Wolfgang served at the Governor's Ball before the Oscars 

First course -- trio of salads 

Second course - Dover Sole....SO GOOD! 

Side of paella with spring vegetables 

Lemon cheesecake for dessert -- so rich and delicious! 

Thanks again, Molly for inviting me!