Hello Lori,
How are you, too? I can't remember if you are done or are still in treatment.
I'm at cancer treatment centers of america in IL, I'm only disconected from my chemo for two hours a day and I decided to come up to the "resource room" - I always call it the library, and everyone corrects me. Even though there are books, pamplets, and computers. Sure looks like a library to me...
The food is so good here! And the best cofee is in this LIBRARY.
A short update: I had radiation from Jan-Feb this year, and in March had scans here as an evaluation, and to see what else they had. SO THE CANCER WENT FROM A HOTDOG BUN SHAPE FROM MY ARMPIT TO MY SHOULDER TO looking like the ends of the bun were bit off, and the middle is left, about the size of a golf ball. The chief of oncology is my doc. He said it is really hard to get rid of brachial plexus mets. This hospital has a special machine for giving more radiation to people who had already had it, but since the cancer is attached to the subclavian vein, it's pretty risky. I'll be back in four weeks to get scanned and more chemo. If the cancer is not visible on the scan, then we'll start getting ready to have high dose of the mini-ICE and bone marrow transplants, maybe two, one where I'm my own donor and one from my sister (if she's a match. we have the same blood type, so maybe we'll match).
My parents divorced when I was about two, and the sister is his daughter with his second wife. I'm teasing my mom that the transplant will make me even more Toby-like... They're actually a pretty fun bunch.
Speaking of my mom, I'm making a race for the cure banner for her-I made a team for her because I really enjoyed that my work friends made a team(the JenPossible team) and special banner for me, they wrote special messages to me on it that I see every day. Her team is called "hope for the flowers" - I'm waiting to get email from the publisher for the proper way to credit the author, but I have a verbal approval. The book is about going through life's struggles (if you are a caterpillar, that it) and how you can decide to change things (become a butterfly) for the best with hope and faith- wow, doesn't that sound a lot like being a cancer survivor?
Mom is doing OK, she had some post op problems but nothjing that she will allow to stop her first Race for the Cure.
Race for the Cure in Detroit is Saturday, June 11 - I get to be on the stage this year holding the 1 year survivor sign to represent (you guessed it) all the one year breast cancer survivors at the race. The survivor shirts are so pretty this year, I just wish they came with breasts.
Maybe Ellen could show me how to do the electric slide before then? I'm not a very good dancer, but feel like I should have some kind of victory dance.
I'll try to post a picture of the teams (some friends are coming this year as team JenPossible again) this weekend.
Have a great day! I'm going to try to get a seat by the window here so I can get a little bit of sun. There is a beautiful pond just out the window to look at.
-JP