It's That Time Of Year Again.

Are you ready for the barrage of pink? It is going to be everywhere for 31 days starting on Saturday. Do you remember when October was black and orange for Halloween? My favorite holiday by the way. Now we have pink everything.

I am not looking forward to it. A couple of weeks ago I paged through a couple of magazines, and all were full of pink stuff. There was a two page spread of items which are pinkified and their purchase will help support breast cancer. There were numerous ads for 'pinked' products. There were several articles with breast cancer stories. There was too much pink. I would have preferred articles on pumpkins, trick or treating, Halloween parties and decorations.

So anyway, I have braced myself. Perhaps I won't wear pink for the entire month. I want people to be aware and to help eradicate this terrible disease cancer is, but too many companies are using it to make a buck. Everything can be purchased in pink in October now. Randy is a good example as he buys pink hats like they are going out of style. What does it really do? It is basically a scam. It cons people into purchasing things that they believe are helping a cause when it is really a marketing ploy by many companies to sell more products.

You will notice it is very rare that they tell you how much of your purchase price goes to support breast cancer research or awareness or whatever. And that is the important question to ask. They may say 'this company will donate $25,000 from the purchase of this product during the month of October to breast cancer whatever'. But that means that a tiny percent of your purchase goes to the breast cancer part and when they hit $25,000 they will continue to sell the product but won't donate any more than that amount.

My son came home from school yesterday and announced he would like to sell the pink wristbands he wears, to his fellow classmates in school and donate 100% of the proceeds to breast cancer research. That is more of the spirit I like.

My little company also sells a multitude of "pink" items from calendars to staplers. This year I may feel differently when someone purchases one of those items and send 100% of the proceeds to cancer research as well. Maybe I'll post a few things with all proceeds going to a worthy cause.

What you want to ask before you purchase anything pink is what portion of my purchase will go to breast cancer whatever. And is there a maximum the company is going to donate. Without knowing those two, I would skip the pink product and buy what you normally do. And if the answer is 10% of the profit from the sale, that is nothing. A $10 item probably wholesales for $5 and of that probably $2 is profit so that means your 10% is $0.20. You are better off sending in $10 directly.

Yes there are some legitimate companies who donate a decent portion of their sales. And there are some good products which are worth their pinkification. But for 31 days you will need to sift through the pinkification and make your decisions on what you want to buy. Or just skip the pinkification and send a check to breast cancer research. What I really wish I could see is all the money spent on pink products was just sent in for cancer research.

Angry At Cancer?

There are supposedly five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. It is the process we go through when faced with a 'bad' thing - a death, a yucky medical diagnosis, or other trauma. I know I went through something like this.

Anyway, I recently experienced two events which made me think about this. The first one is I was with a few other cancer people and one of them said she was so angry about cancer and another agreed. I thought this was pretty shocking since I know both were diagnosed several years before me. Which means they have been angry for a long time.

Then a few days later I met a woman who said she had lots of friends who had had cancer and some of them were very angry about it which was upsetting to her. She was coping and doing okay and into the acceptance stage and all these others were just angry and it made it harder for her.

Anger is a nasty emotion. It creates negativity and stress - neither of which do much for quality of life. I decided I was going to take care of me - first and foremost. It took time to work through it and cope with the roller coaster it brings but I think I am doing okay.

Its all a matter of attitude, any other way of thinking is just stressful. It is my way of accepting what I am living with.

But people with anger are just making themselves miserable. They are not coping and accepting. They are still fighting and exhausting themselves. Anger is a waste of energy. No, cancer is not fun and it can be fatal. But it isn't always and we need to appreciate that we are still here.

Cleaning For A Reason

The following is an example of what can happen when others begin talking about cancer surgery and chemotherapy. It’s all about helping others. This was sent to me originally by a fiend of mine. It looks like a worthwhile cause and is listed along the side of our blog.

“If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning – once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It’s our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

“You may not know someone going through chemo, but someone on your email list might. Please pass this information on to your family & friends.”

This service is for women only. They do explain why men are excluded. (It’s okay, guys; how many of us really do a lot of housework?) Regardless, undergoing chemotherapy is tough enough without having to do daily chores around the house. This could be a life saver for many women.

Check out the website. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

A Backwards Look

It has been 40 years since President Nixon declared a war on cancer. We still don't have a cure but we have a lot of progress. Maybe the president was being a bit unrealistic in his goals but it did start some substantial progress in cancer's treatment and survival rates. But looking back on 40 years of research shows some progress. Let me say that I never did like the term war but I'll use it here.

This morning I was bouncing around the internet looking for worthy blog topics and came across a some articles on the subject..... (Do you think I come up with this stuff by myself? I always have to search for ideas. Sometimes I find things to write about and then forget about them before I start writing but today I went straight from the article to my blog before my brain loses the content I want to write about and here I am.)

I have been reading about the centuries of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It amazes me how early cancer was known to be a killer but also how badly it was mistreated and misdiagnosed.

By 1971 doctors thought they understood cancer. Since then, they have discovered how wrong they were. Cancer is now thought to be 200 different diseases that need to be treated differently. However there have been two significant break throughs:

- The most important is that of genetics based on the decoding of the human genome in 2001.
- The next is the understanding of the lifestyle changes that help reduce cancer rates - these are everything from eating right, quitting smoking, getting exercise.

Next in the war on cancer it is expected that personalized medicine will give us the answer. Also, the prevention of cancer should contribute greatly to solving the puzzle. If we can continue to make lifestyle changes that help prevent cancer in our aging population, more lives will be saved.

But after 40 years of progress we still have over half a million Americans dying of cancer each year. I see some progress here but I also think that overcoming 200 diseases is much more daunting than overcoming only the one disease the war was originally focused on.

Oh No! Not My Fish Oil.

Chances are, you’ve heard of the wonders of fish oil. Filled with rich omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements are known to ward off Alzheimer’s, boost heart health, and prevent arthritis. But now Dutch researchers found fish oil has another, more sinister, power: It may stop chemotherapy drugs from working.

Randy and I have been taking fish oil for years because of the touted benefits of heart health and lower cholesterol claims, and now I'll have to stop temporarily. News of this new correlation between fish oil and chemotherapy broke just last week.

While investigating why a tumor becomes resistant to Cisplatin—a chemotherapy drug that is used to treat many cancers, including testicular, lung, and colorectal—the researchers discovered that a cancer patient’s own cells can start producing platinum-induced polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PIFAs, that protect cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy interferes with DNA and cell division in tumors to stop tumor growth. But it’s not yet clear how PIFAs block the chemo drugs from working. The PIFAs likely create an additional substance in the patient’s blood that effectively prevents the chemo drugs from attacking tumors.

Turns out, some fish oil supplements contain PIFAs as well. Many cancer patients take these products to reduce their risk of heart attack, help maintain muscle mass, and decrease inflammation. When mice with cancer took these supplements, however, the chemo became ineffective against cancerous cells, reports the study published this week in Cancer Cell. Scientists need to conduct further research to see if all fish oil products contain PIFAs and if these products have the same effect on humans.

Researchers warn that until future studies are done, cancer patients undergoing chemo shouldn’t take these supplements unless they consult with their doctor first. They may be able to get the same heart-protecting omega-3 benefits from the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Plus, they can still eat whole fish like salmon and tuna, since they contain substantially less PIFAs—if any PIFAs at all—than concentrated fish oil.

There’s no reason for someone who’s not on chemotherapy to discontinue his or her fish oil supplement regimen. And while, I don't use this specific chemotherapy drug, I'm going to stop using just in case. I'm going through this whole process so the drugs going into my body are actually working. Randy on the other hand will continue with his fish oil...

Red White And Blue Blood Cells

After each chemotherapy treatment, it’s important to understand the level of red and white blood cells in our bodies. With modern technology, a blood sample can be instantly analyzed and delivered to the oncologists in a matter of minutes. Such was the case last wednesdday weeks ago when I had my chemo treatment. I’m thankful to report that my red and white blood cells were all in the normal range.

Of course I was aware that my oncologist was going to monitor my blood cell count after each treatment. It’s why she scheduled an appointment each time I have chemo. I was also aware that the blood cell count could fluctuate, but I was not aware that the count could be obliterated in the blink of an eye. But, according to the internet, after the fact, that is always a possibility.

Why aren’t we told this? Do our oncologists think we only need to know what they think is reasonable? Why is it their choice? If I had been told this, I know I still would have chosen to receive the chemo treatments. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have a right to know.

Questions to ask our oncologists are: I know that you will be monitoring my red and white blood cell counts, but what are the chances that I could wake up one morning and have no white blood cells? If this happens, what do we do? Will I get every infection known to mankind? Will my kidneys fail? Could the count be so low that I might not even wake up? If the count can be corrected, how long will it take? Will I ever return to normal?

These are not the only questions. What are others? Please share.

Doctors, Doctors and more Doctors.......

Among the many methods for closing wounds of the skin, stitching, or suturing, is the most common form of repairing a wound.

Removing stitches or other skin-closure devices is a procedure that many people dread. Understanding the various skin-closure procedures and knowing how they are put in and what to expect when they are removed can help overcome much of this anxiety.

Stitches (also called sutures) are used to close cuts and wounds in skin. They can be used in nearly every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally "sew" the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Stitches then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together.

Stitches are used to close a variety of wound types. Accidental cuts or lacerations are often closed with stitches. Also, surgeons use stitches during operations to tie ends of bleeding blood vessels and to close surgical incisions. I've had both types in recent months internal and external sutures.

Sutures are divided into 2 general categories, namely, absorbable and nonabsorbable.

Absorbable sutures rapidly break down in the tissues and lose their strength within 60 days. This type of suture does not have to be removed. These are used internally or in special areas such as inside of the mouth.

Nonabsorbable sutures, on the other hand, maintain their strength for longer than 60 days. These sutures are used to close skin or external wounds and require removal once the wound has healed.

The general technique of placing stitches is simple. The "thread" or suture that is used is attached to a needle. The wound is cleaned with water and peroxide. Betadine, an antiseptic solution, is used to cleanse the area around the wound. Next, the area is numbed with an anesthetic agent such as lidocaine (Xylocaine). Then the needle with the thread attached is used to "sew" the edges of the wound together, in an effort to recreate the original appearance. Several stitches may be needed to accomplish this. Once the wound is closed, a bandage is initially applied to the wound.

I actually only had 4 stithces on the outside of my chin but my doctor said I have "plenty" on my lip and inside my mouth that will disolve on their own. I seem to get them stuck in my front bottom teeth from time to time. Wierd feeling.

I also went to my plastic surgeon today for another fill. She informed me that if I decide to have the radiation treatment I would need to be fully expanded before radiation and that it is possible they would need to deflate one side so they can direct the radiation easily. Interesting.....

Little Mermaid and Kombu

Sea vegetables may play a role in lowering risk of estrogen-related cancers, including breast cancer. Since cholesterol is required as a building block for production of estrogen, the cholesterol-lowering effects of sea vegetables may play a risk-reducing role in this regard. For women who are at risk of estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, sea vegetables may bring a special benefit in this regard.

Kombu seaweed is an important part of Japanese cuisine. Kombu is also eaten in other parts of Asia as well; it can be found fresh, dried, pickled (yes, pickled), and frozen in many Asian markets. There are a wide range of uses and it is one of the more popular foods in Japan since it is so versatile and affordable, thanks to seaweed farming which makes it easy to cultivate and harvest. It grows naturally in the deep waters of the ocean and is a variety of very thick, wide and dark green kelp. While it is commonly used in cooking, specifically to make soup stocks, candy and condiments, Kombu is also useful in natural cures and home remedies.

Because Kombu, like all other seaweed, is harvested from the ocean, it is extraordinarily rich in mineral elements that provide immense nutritional benefits. Believed to be beneficial to beauty and diet, Kombu is also very low in calories.
Known to reduce rates of breast cancer in women, the Lignans in Kombu are specifically believed to be responsible for the lower incidence of the disease in Japanese women who consume diets rich in sea vegetables, including Kombu.

In people with under-active thyroids or who are deficient in proper levels of iodine, Kombu is also known to help increase physical energy. In fact, it is widely used in natural cures and home remedies to treat both of these disorders.

As a naturally rich source of dietary fiber, Kombu is also commonly used to treat bowel issues, including constipation, and other digestive ailments which Chemotherapy patients are always concerned with including Denise.

Kombu also helps to soften beans and legumes, making them easier to digest and will help to prevent gas too which will be a godsend to all of you who know my family.

Taste Changes

There are 4 main types of taste: Sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. Sense of taste is primarily located on the tongue. Taste changes are common during chemotherapy. The exact reason for taste changes is not clear, although it is thought that it is a result of the damage to the cells in the oral cavity, which are especially sensitive to chemotherapy. About 50% of patients getting chemotherapy experience taste changes.

One of the chemotherapy drugs known to be associated with taste changes include carboplatin, which Denise has been taking. Some drugs also produce a metal taste during the actual intravenous infusion and sometime afterward. As Denise describes “it’s like sucking on a metal pipe”. Taste changes may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, or even months after chemotherapy. We did order special water from New York to take care of some of the metallic tasting water, but the results haven’t been what we have expected so far.

There is no one magic solution for taste changes that suits everyone. Finding foods that taste appealing may be a process of trial and error. Utilizing plastic utensils to avoid the metallic taste is a small step we have tried. Some people who experience taste changes avoid their favorite foods to prevent the possibility of spoiling them for the future. So we as a family are supporting Denise by not eating anything we like, so we can all enjoy our favorite foods when this is over.

Thoughts of Kindness

I often marvel at the realization that it has really only been just under 3 months since the start of this crazy cancer adventure. That is not very long to digest and wrap my brain around all that I have experienced and learned. How life can come to a halt so quickly. And yet I have gone through such an ordeal beyond what I could have ever imagined.

There is something I have noticed. I feel me coming back to life slowly as I recover from my initial surgery. I've been out and about more. The love and concern from my dear neighbors, friends and family is always there and I can understand their support. What has surprised me is the concern from total strangers. People that notice the scarf and understand will stop and talk to me with genuine concern in their eyes. Heartfelt questions are asked on how I am holding up. People hug me and pat my shoulder. People feel an instant connection to me and want to be extra helpful in whatever I need.

One experience is especially memorable for me that happened this week. I was involved in a auto wreck on Thursday, the day after my chemotherapy. Dazed and confused after the collison a wonderful women appeared at my door and helped me out. I couldn't speak, I thought my jaw was broken for sure. This wonderful person helped me by using my phone to call Randy at work and get instructions as to what to do. She stayed with me the entire time at my side comforting me. I was frightened at the thought of what had just happened. She took everything in stride and helped me. She came to the hospital later where she left behind her kindness and these flowers to brighten my day.

It is nice to know there are people like that out there. Complete strangers that are not only able but willing to help out. She may not know but she made my day, helping me feel a bit more confident. Cancer really does bring out great kindness and compassion in others. Compliment someone today for ANY reason at all. It is a great feeling and you never know the good you can do!


Swelling is going down a bit in the jowls. Hopefully some of the stitches will be coming out his week.

Running Cross Country

I was able to get out on a cool fall day and enjoy the Cross Country Invitational my daughter participated in. She was able to run her best time of the year at 16:37 and finished 6th out of 211 JV girls. So, so proud of her. Even though I look beat up from the car wreck on Thursday it felt good to get out amongst friends and enjoy the day.





1 Dana J., Gr12 16:03.3 Eden Prairie
2 Kaitlyn G., Gr9 16:12.2 Chanhassen
3 Mallori J., Gr9 16:19.6 Moorhead
4 Hayley M., Gr8 16:27.5 Chanhassen
5 Anna D., Gr10 16:37.4 Eden Prairie
6 Samantha S., Gr9 16:37.7 Eden Prairie
7 Olivia H., Gr10 16:41.0 Moorhead
8 Kylie R., Gr10 16:41.4 Chanhassen
9 Erica G., Gr11 16:44.8 Eden Prairie
10 Annika B., Gr12 16:45.6 Eden Prairie

New Boobs, New Hair, New Teeth

Signaled a few days in advance by a head-tingling sensation, Denise started shedding her hair last weekend. It was just as some had predicted: 18 days into her treatment. First, it was more than the usual strands of hair around the bathroom sink. But by yesterday, Two days after her second chemo treatment, strands of hair became clumps. A small wastebasket is quickly filling with hair. It was gut-wrenching to witness.

The anticipation and dread of this moment has gnawed at Denise -- and me -- for days, perhaps weeks. But today, I was moved by how Denise has handled it with such inspiring courage, calmness and grace.

Thursday, after hitting her face on a steering wheel and sustaining injuries unrelated to any chemotherapy treatment or cancer prognosis, she is still able to show alot of grace and a little smile. I told her her in the ER that now we can look forward to New Boobs, New Hair and some new Teeth, she was able to smile through the tears. Brave lady for enduring so much in a short amount of time.

There were a few tears at first, but she ended it with her great big smile -- truly, a smile against which no hairstyle or sutures can compete. Denise is beautiful, not because of her hair, but simply because she is beautiful. I continue to be in awe of how Denise has fought this fight, and today was no exception.

Battered and Bruised, But Outlook Staying Positive

I ran across this story the other day when reading about all of the 9/11 tributes. I thought I would repost the story since this was kind of how we felt yesterday. I'm not saying there is a correlation of the attacks on 9/11 to what we are going through. What I am saying is, as we get battered and bruised and look kind of tough, we are coming back for another day and will continue the fight.

The Sphere and eternal flame 9/11 memorial. A plaque alongside "The Sphere" reads as follows:

"For three decades, this sculpture stood in the plaza of the World Trade Center. Entitled "The Sphere", it was conceived by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace.

It was damaged during the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but endures as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country.

The Sphere was placed here on March 11, 2002 as a temporary memorial to all who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

This eternal flame was ignited on September 11, 2002 in honor of all those that were lost. Their spirit and sacrifice will never be forgotten."

The Sphere once stood in the middle of Austin J. Tobin Plaza, the area between the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan.

After being recovered from the rubble of the Twin Towers after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the artwork faced an uncertain fate, and it was dismantled into its components.

Although it remained structurally intact, it had been visibly damaged by debris from the airliners that were crashed into the buildings and from the collapsing skyscrapers themselves.

Six months after the attacks, following a documentary film about the sculpture, it was relocated to Battery Park on a temporary basis—without any repairs—and formally rededicated with an eternal flame as a memorial to the victims of 9/11. It has become a major tourist attraction, due partly to the fact that it survived the attacks with only dents and holes.

Stitches and ointment repair those dents and holes and we're not looking back.

When It Rains It Pours

"Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?"

Yes, sometimes bad things happen to people who seem undeserving of them. But God allows things to happen for His reasons, whether or not we understand them. Above all, however, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Need some happiness sent our way this evening, been a rough day.

Chemo: 2nd Round In The Books !

Today was my 2nd Chemo treatment. Earlier this week I was anxious in anticipation for today knowing full well what is coming. I have felt so good these past few days that I feel sad to lose that and nervous for what may hit. However, today, I have felt calm. My neighbor Lori again drove me and when she came back to pick me up, she came a little early to support me during the end of the chemo. I went in at 9:30am, waited for a bit, got my port hooked up, then saw Dr. Lassi. She is really wonderful. Everything looks fine and on track. She really put some of my concerns to rest, reminding me that everyone reacts differently to chemo and are on different chemo meds so it is difficult to make specific comparisons. After meeting with her, they hooked me up. The medication round is, first, Herceptin, then two anti-nausea drugs, then usually Benadryl which helps counter any allergic reactions to the chemo drugs, but today I felt good enough to pass on this option. This drug always knocks me out and makes me feel woosey. I no likey. Then the Taxotere chemo med starts followed by Carboplatinum. Each one takes a certain amount of time to complete. The whole appointment time lasted 4.5 hours but the actual chemo treatment was about 3 hours. Better than last time. Turned out to be a much better experience than my first chemo. Almost as enjoyable as chemo could be! :) We drove home feeling good and calm, that everything would be fine. I can tackle this, at least I will try to be brave.

Why Chemotherapy Is Given In Cycles

Chemotherapy attacks cells that are in the process of dividing. So, any resting cells are not killed. Cancer cells that were resting during the 1st treatment could be dividing and attacked during the 2nd or subsequent treatments. This is the reason chemotherapy is a cyclical process of administering a combination of different chemotherapy drugs designed to attack cells at different stages of cell division.

The fact that chemo drugs kill dividing cells helps explain why chemotherapy causes so many negative side effects. It attacks healthy body cells that are constantly growing and dividing, such as the skin, bone marrow, hair follicles, and lining of the digestive system. These tissues have dividing cells that are continually damaged throughout the course of repeated chemotherapy treatments. The current standard for chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer is 6-cycles spaced 21-days apart. Denise's first cycle was August 24, 2011. The second is tomorrow.

Confessions Of A Chemo Brain

A typical day in my life… with Chemo Brain.

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of soda I’d been drinking.

I’m going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the soda aside so that I don’t accidentally knock it over.

The soda is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the soda,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye – they need water.

I put the soda on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I’ve been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I’m going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we watch TV,
I’ll be looking for the remote,
but I won’t remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:
the car isn’t washed
the bills aren’t paid
there is a warm can of soda sitting on the counter
the flowers don’t have enough water ,
there is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can’t find the remote,
I can’t find my glasses,
and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I’m really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I’ll try to get some help for it, but first I’ll check my
e-mail….

I know we have all done something like this as part of the normal day's activities but it seems to happen more often and more extreme.

Attitude Is Everything

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and she noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said. “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So she did, and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and she saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “H-M-M,” she said. “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.” So she did, and she had a grand day.

The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror, and she noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said. “Today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.” So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror, and she noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “Hooray!” she exclaimed. “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Attitude is everything.

It's Comin!, It's Comin!

One of chemo's most cruel punishments is the loss of hair. For women, it is a devastating blow, feared more than almost any side effect inflicted by the cancer treatment. Denise will be no exception. But so far -- her hair still firmly rooted as she waits for the chemo to ravage her normal healthy cells -- she has managed to keep on her game face. And thankfully, she still has a sense of humor.

Let me be clear: Denise sometimes hates her hair. Or at least that's what it seems when she curses it most mornings in front of the mirror. (Let's also be clear: she doesn't hate it enough to lose it all...and she hasn't lost it yet, but it's coming).

There was no way to help prepare Denise for losing her hair to chemotherapy. Seriously, what does a man understand about the relationship between a woman and her hair? Despite the many hair transformations she's had throughout the years, this would be different. Or so I thought.

They say time takes its toll on a body,
makes a young girl's brown hair turn gray.
But honey, I don't care
I ain't in love with your hair
And if it all fell out
Well, I'd love you anyway.

Randy Travis (Forever and Ever)

What a Beautiful Day.......

Today is a good day, the mouth sores are gone! I can eat tomatoes again! I heard that if I suck on ice chips during chemo the chances of mouth sores goes down. Ice chips here I come!!

I started running again this morning. Not too far just enough to rid myself of the fatigue. I could have started sooner but the calander seems to fill up so fast. If you don't make time for exercise it just doesn't happen. I do seem to have a few more stands of hair in my brush than I used to but nothing noticable yet.

What a beautiful day for a Cross Country Meet!!

Thought For The Day.

Its not about wigs, hair loss, scars, lymphedema, insomnia, nausea, constipation, neuropathy, and all those other lovely side effects/results of cancer treatment. Its about being around to live and enjoy life.

The Side Effects To Prevent Side Effects

So I have all these wonderful chemo side effects - nausea, hair loss, mouth sores, fatigue, low blood counts, etc. so they give me more drugs to prevent the side effects. I can prevent the nausea by taking stuff that does all sorts of other fun things. A few of these are:

'May cause drowsiness, use care when operating a car or dangerous machinery.' Does this mean a car is not a dangerous machine or are they really saying other dangerous machinery. What is a dangerous machine - does it include an electric toothbrush, electric mixer, vacuum cleaner, dryer? I don't really think I operate other machinery and am not sure I consider them dangerous. They should clarify. I think if they made the print smaller, they could fit in a realistic list of what really is a dangerous machine.

The next favorite is 'May cause drowsiness. Taking this medicine alone or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or perform hazardous tasks.' Again, so is driving a hazardous task or is the word other missing in there? Again, more smaller print and tell us what a hazardous task is? I mean is using a cell phone or computer hazardous? Well, yes, if you are driving at the same time but separately? I am confused.

Then here's the other version 'May cause dizziness. Do not drive or perform other potentially dangerous tasks until you know how this medicine affects you.' Can I be dizzy and drowsy at the same time? Will I be able to tell the difference? What's the difference between a hazardous task or a dangerous task?
'Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking this medicine.' That's easy. Chemo makes wine taste like battery acid. No I haven't tried battery acid but now I think I know what it tastes like.

'This medicine may cause blurred vision.' I thought I needed new glasses. That label should be put on top of the list in LARGE print. If your vision is blurred you probably can't read the little dinky type face. So I am dizzy, drowsy, and have blurred vision.

'You should avoid prolonged or excessive exposure to direct and/or artificial sunlight while taking this medicine.' So no tanning salons. I can figure out that. But does this mean I should stay indoors? How boring.

Finally, 'Check with your doctor if you plan to become pregnant while using this medicine'. Um... do they put this label on the bottles for men's prescriptions too? If not, what do they put on men's prescription bottles?

Enough deep thoughts for the day. More than my brain can handle. Must be nap time.

Dreaded Mouth Sores Looming !

Mouth sores are one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy therapy. Known to doctors as mucositis, they can actually occur anywhere in the mouth or throat and develop when the ultrasensitive tissue that lines the mouth and throat becomes inflamed.

Yesterday I started to notice my mouth starting to get sensitive, figured I must have eaten something too hot and burned it while at the State Fair. This morning the same spots were tender and it was painful to eat breakfast. Could this be the dreaded mucositis? If so, I'm not looking forward to it since I've heard it is extremely painful.

I aslo feel very tired today, but that may be the "State Fair" effect I'm experiencing. Had a wonderful time yesterday with the kids and my sister in Law from Phoenix as we spent 8 hours wandering around and enjoying all of the food. We ran into lots of people many we haven't seen in a long time, so it was nice to catch up. We came across my Aunt who is going thru this same journey and were able to chat for a short time. She is looking fantastic. Also ran into cousins, Jill, Patti Jo and Deanna which made it a fun day for all.

I'm changing the mood indicator to neutral because these mouth sores may be the real deal and if so the mood will change in the coming days.

Eat every two hours?.....State Fair here I come!

No issues today, as long as I eat something about every two hours I seem to be fine. That will come in handy for the state fair tomorrow! The metallic taste is getting a little less, but water still tastes funny. I will need to try some of the flavored waters to see if any of it tastes ok to me.

I was at my daughter's cross country meet, with a heat index of about 100 this afternoon, I find myself very tired tonight. She did very well. She came in 10th out of 149 JV Girls. She was the 1st freshmen to cross the finish line. This was the first meet of the year.