In honor of the crazy wind this week, I share Jimmy Fallon singing as Neil Young "I whip my hair back and forth." I almost lost my wig multiple times on Wednesday. #cancergirlproblems. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9adAljIaKYc 
 
Today marks the end of week 2 of radiation, 10 down and 15 to go. Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy Tuesday! So, over the weekend I got a horrible cold and let me tell you about it.

I woke up Saturday with a fever, a cough, body aches and chills. I was falling apart. It was like I had never been sick before. It hurt to cough and I couldn't get warm. This is what followed. I called my mommy and cried (if you told me I was going to do this, I would've laughed in your face). I had about a 15 minute freak out and then pulled my crap together and called the nurse line. The nurse got in touch with the nurse practitioner that works with my oncologist. She very nicely told me I was crazy and I had a cold. So after she told me what was up (which was VERY needed) I took a nap for most of the afternoon and felt much better. So if anyone needs a Class A drama queen, you let me know because after this cold I should've won an Oscar for best dramatic performance.

Anyway, that leads us to this week. I have now completed 7 radiation treatments and have 18 left to go. Getting closer. Everyday I hall my cute little butt down to the Roger Maris Cancer Center. I normally come flying in because I am late. Pull up to the valet parking (almost hitting the nice volunteers) and drop off my car. I then rush into the radiation oncology check in office and take my chair. I see the same folks most days, which is kinda nice. Familiar faces always make things easier. Its strange that complete strangers feel like good friends but that is now my weird new life. 

Then either Pam or Mary Jo come to get me. I have the same two nurses everyday, except for Fridays when the closer (Deb) comes to work. They are very nice ladies. After they come and get me from the waiting room, I head to the dressing rooms to change into my lovely pink smock (I should probably make hospital gowns into some type of new fashion statement because I make them look good...just kidding that is completely impossible). After I put my pink smock on, I head into the radiation room. The room is just a big hospital room, kinda looks like an x-ray room (for those of you that have had the pleasure of x-rays). I lay on a cold metal table, they tie my feet together, lay my body into this strange mold, and get to see my bare chest. I know this sounds like a good time, let me know and I'll be happy to switch out with you for a day. :) They do some measuring, number talk, and then the nurses leave the room. There is a big metal arm that comes out, over the top of my head from behind. This arm moves side to side. I call the nurse that controls the arm the driver. I don't actually know her name but I refer to her as Dale Jr. (because that is the only race car driver I know). Anyway, Dale positions the arm where it needs to be and then a loud buzzing/beeping noise follows. The whole process lasts for about 10 minutes. The worst part about this whole process is the laying still...I'm not so good at that. Then it's over and I get to leave.

I'm looking forward to the end of the week and being 10 treatments down and 15 to go. Well..that's all, bye for now. :)

 

Good News...started Radiation this week. Actually I am 3 down, 22 to go! :)

It's not so bad, the laying still part is the hardest for me. I have the same nurses everyday, which I like. Another plus is they listen to GREAT music, which makes the 10 minutes go WAY faster.  

Can't wait to have one week under my belt and be that much closer to being done. LOVE IT!

Duh, Duh, Duh!
Got a call today to schedule my Radiation appointment. I start my scheduling and marking next week. It's starting, so soon it will be over. HALLELUJAH!!! HALLELUJAH!!! (sung like Messiah's Chorus)

That also means that soon I will only have one inflated boob! ;) I find that funny so I have to mention it. 

Headed home from Lousiville today! Can't wait to see my boys!

Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start...When you read you begin with A, B, C...When you sing about cancer you begin with F, U, C....I better stop before I offend someone. :) 

So it has been forever since I blogged. So long in fact that I feel like I need to almost start over. 

I have been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. Between work, my wonderful family, and our new little puppy the blog has been put on the back burner. Although it doesn't bother me, it doesn't help people know what is going on with me. So my apologizes for flaking out.
 
In January I had two rounds of chemo. Both went pretty well. Shortly after my last round I took a trip to Bismarck for work. I was glad to feel well pretty quickly and get to feel like a normal person. There is something that feels really good about being able to go to a work function and not feel like EVERYONE knows that something is wrong with you.

I had one round in February that was a little more difficult. It took me longer to bounce back and feel well. After this round I took another trip to Bismarck for our annual strategic planning meeting. It was a very busy couple of days and not feeling well took its toll. 

As I am writing this, I am realizing its my thing to have chemo and then go on a trip. I say that because I am sitting in the Louisville, KY airport waiting for my executive director to land so we can go to meetings. Makes me seem important but I promise I am not. :)

I AM SUPER HAPPY TO REPORT THAT I HAD MY LAST ROUND OF CHEMO!!!!!! That's right! My last round was 3/11/15! I pretty much ran out of that room and never want to go back. When I think about it, I get sick to my stomach. Although it isn't the worst thing I could have to experience, it is nothing I want to do again. On my normal days (before cancer took over my life) I felt good most days. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I didn't feel well, stayed home sick, or had to take medication in the last 5 years. Feeling dependent on nausea medications, Tylenol, immune system boosters, etc is not fun for someone who likes to think of them self as healthy. BUT...I am on the upswing. I will be better about updating this wonderful blog from now on. :)

For now, I am off to enjoy Louisville, KY. The weather is beautiful and the sun is out, so I am happy on a number of levels. Life's little blessings!

Day 3 after chemo and woke up feeling pretty good. We'll see how long it lasts for the day. :)

I feel like my blogging is slowing down a bit, since pretty much the same thing happens each time I have chemo. Don't get me wrong, I like the predictability but it has to be boring to read. 

Good news is I have Feel Good Friday and even though I forget which day is Friday...I love it anyway. So since I forgot to do Feel Good Friday yesterday, so I am doing it today.

I get told every time I go to the doctor that I am handling this all in stride and seem to be doing really well. I continue to think that I can't change what is happening to me, only my response to this disease. So my response is to kick its butt and I am slowly getting closer...

 

Happy chemo day! Today marks my downslide of chemo. I completed round 4, which means only 2 left.

I have had a lot of people tell me that they feel like this process is going quickly. Although time does go fast, this process has felt anything but quick. I can't wait to be done with chemo. My doctor is wonderful, the nurses are great, and I know I have had amazing care but I so do not want to see these people anymore. 

I had a good partner in crime for some of the day, Matt came along for my appointment with my doctor and the first hour of chemo. But I sent him away to go let the dog out and instruct jui jitsu. :)

My friend Katie came to get me, since I got done before 1:00pm today. It was nice to be done early and get home and rest a little before I picked up "o". 

Looking forward to getting through the next 3-4 days and feeling back to "normal" soon. I found this great quote today and thought I would share....

"Whenever I get sad, I stop being sad and start being awesome!"