Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_yivlcCpB4&feature=related

This video clip was posted on the Susan G Komen site. The first minute or so really hit home for me.

Spoke Too Soon

Oh, my goodness! Had a bit of a set back this week. Was not feeling well, got a little temp (100.1), a lot of pain from the Neulasta shot and I started throwing up. I had to go in yesterday for re-hydration IV with anti-nausea medicine, which helped perk me up. My white blood cell count was tested and is already very low (I think day 10 is when it is supposed drop, so this is a bit sooner). Since WBC is low, I am on antibiotics for the next week to keep infections at bay.

Next round of chemo is set for 6/26. Hopefully, with the "tweaks" made to my regimen, I will have an easier time.

Getting Better

Wow! Chemotherapy is some powerful medicine. I am drinking water to help clear the chemo out of my system and trying to eat several small meals a day. It feels like I get spurts of energy then it is time for another nap.

I have to send a huge THANK YOU to Lauren Feniello for the wonderful "chemo" cut and the restyle on the wigs! Lauren went with me to pick out wigs, took me back to the salon to get the wigs right for me, then gave me my new short Sharon Stone look (kind of a combination of Tinkerbell meets Peter Pan). Lauren did not charge me for all of her time and effort (wouldn't even take a big tip....this is a good tip for hairdressers....don't run with scissors!). You really learn who cares about you when going through something like cancer! Lauren, THANK YOU. I still need Eddy to post a picture of the new haircut before I am bald, look for that in the next day or two. Lauren works at Main Street Annex (formerly Tangles Salon) in Los Gatos, 408-218-5235 (cell). The salon is under new ownership and completely remodeled inside....I love it!

Time to sign off for today.
Cheryl

Quick Update

Not feeling 100%, not much of an appetite and a little achy all over. Taking it easy, sleeping and watching TV (there is not much on).

Thank you for all the good thoughts!
Cheryl

Chemo

Made it through my first round of chemo today. Very long, long day for the two of us. My chemo was set to start at 10:45 but we didn't really get going until around noon. There was a back up of patients and only one oncology nurse today. Next go around should be better. I am tired from all of the drugs other than the chemo you get (Benydrl and more steroids along with anti-nausea in the IV).

Tomorrow I go in for the Neulasta shot, which will make me fatigued but helps fight infection. The doctor said I should start feeling the effects of chemo starting tomorrow.

Signing off for the evening.

Chemo Cut

I love my new chemo cut! Once Eddy takes a couple of pictures, I can post them. I also got a nice wig and one of those half-head wig things that go under hats. The store also had sleeping hats because when you have no hair your head tends to get cold (I was told by several people, not just the sales person).
Cheryl

Good Day

We had our front yard cleared of weeds, ivy and jasmine today! Yard is down to dirt except for the front lawn, which is getting torn up for new sod. The back got attacked by the weed eater and looks much better. This evening I was able to see a fawn bouncing around in the field behind our house since there were no more weeds blocking my view. Cute as a button!

My sister, Suzanne, took me shopping in San Jose today at Valley Fair. It was nice to get away for the day, find a couple of things and have lunch. I wish it could have been a longer day but I still get tired in the afternoons and I just wasn't super interested in anything. For those of you that know about DSW (the shoe store), I couldn't find anything I wanted, which is saying a lot since there are sooooo many shoes to choose from in there. It was obviously not my shopping day.

Tomorrow is new hair cut day! I am very excited and wished I had done it a few weeks ago when I had my hair colored. Cat is out of the bag, I color my hair! I started getting grays around thirtysomething, so I've been coloring since then. Now my eyebrows, lashes, etc are getting gray. In fact, I found a couple of gray arm hairs the other day!

We are also wig shopping tomorrow. Not sure how I feel about the wig thing, mixed emotions. I feel too young for a wig and like everyone will know I have it on. We'll see how the morning goes and if I actually get one. By the way, Eddy is going for the wig shopping trip. Could you ask for a better best friend in life?

I talked to three cancer survivors today. Judy B who I met on the Susan G Komen message boards, Beverly who I met at the hairdresser getting her wig trimmed a few weeks ago (doing chemo right now) and the clerk I met at Nordstrom today who is a stage IV survivor (five years). It means so much for me to talk with women who are going through the same or have gone through the same experiences I am. It is hard to understand if you have not been diagnosed with cancer, you might have an idea but you really don't feel the full impact of what it means to have cancer and all that goes with it. I will never be the same person that I was before diagnosis and I know I will continue to change through this life altering journey I am on. It will be interesting to see who I am on the other side.

Please keep up the positive thoughts for me....I need them for the upcoming days.
Cheryl