Happy New Year!

Christmas has come and gone...it seems to pass so quickly! This year was the best one I can remember! Graham and Mallory Kate had a blast and we enjoyed them so much! We spent the Saturday before Christmas at my mom and dad's with all 4 of us children- Daryl, Rebekah, Adam, and myself and all of our children- 9 in all! Chaos...yes, especially when Uncle Daryl took all the kids downstairs for a game of Nerf tag. Boy did they have fun! Then on Christmas Eve we went to Greg's aunt's house for brunch- which was delicious! Then that night we went over to my in-laws for dinner and presents. So, Christmas Eve night...many of you with children the age of Graham will appreciate this one...I hear footsteps in my bedroom at 4:30 am! "Has Santa come yet?" Good gracious- I replied with, "I'm not sure, but I know you better get back in the bed just in case he hasn't yet!" Graham runs back to bed and wakes up at 6:30- still earlier than I wanted, but I thought that was a much more reasonable time. The kids came downstairs to find that Santa did come (despite several threats and the Elf on the Shelf watching for good behavior) and brought Graham a Wii and Mallory Kate a dollhouse. Both were ecstatic! Mallory Kate played with her dollhouse for a hour straight while I made pancakes. We had a ball! We also went to Greg's dad's house for lunch. So needless to say, we have been busy and we're glad to have this week to just chill out and play with all of our new toys!

I have felt so good these last 2 weeks, praise God for that! I have my 5th chemo on Monday. I am ready to be done! Just one more after #5...yeah! I have been going to physical therapy for my lymphodema in my hand, about twice a week. The PT is awesome, and my hand looks really good now. I still have to wear my "diva" compression sleeve and hand glove for about 3-4 months, 24 hrs a day. But if I am really good about it, then maybe I won't have to forever. I have gotten many strange looks and comments. The checkout girl at Publix asked me if I had a hand tattoo! Haha! Another good bit of news, my insurance finally paid on one of those "denied" claims! Yeah! So 2 more still pending and both in appeals, but hopefully good will come out of those too! I know I say this quite often, but honestly, thanks for the prayers! I know first hand the power of prayer. God is good...all the time, even when we don't understand his plan! :)

Here are a few pics of the kids at Christmas and a precious video of Mallory Kate! (She was in a wild mood, singing her little heart out to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!" I hope she doesn't have a multiple personality! Haha! I just had to share this one!)

Happy New Year to all!

Video of Mallory Kate singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

...Rock Style, then Little Miss Innocent Style...

Christmas Morning...

Graham at Mema & Papa's

Mallory Kate is obsessed with Dora the Explorer!

4 down, 2 to go!

Yesterday was round #4, and I wish I was done! I have 2 more to go, both in January. All went well yesterday, with the exception of my veins not cooperating for the IV. After 1 needle stick for labs, and 3 from the nurses, they were finally able to get the IV going! Yeah...by the way, it wasn't them, it was me and my little veins- rolling nd tumbling around in there. I just pray my veins will cooperate 2 more times and I won't have to get a port. It was a long day yesterday...we got there at 8:15 and left at 2:30ish. I was exhausted! I was thinking I would be able to take Graham to his Cub Scouts Christmas Party, but I was not able to. A big Kudos goes out to my friend Shella who helps out with Graham tremendously during my chemo weeks. I love ya girl! It seems the more rounds I have, the quicker they hit me and the longer they last! Not so fun, but I can make it through! (Of course with the prayer and support from all of you! I'm counting on you all! :)

Good news...the genetic counselor called me yesterday with my BRCA1 and BRCA 2 results. My BRCA 1 gene was normal, but my BRCA 2 gene showed a "variant". This was explained by this- this same thing has been found in 78 other cases and can't yet be classified as "normal", although they suspect that it is not disease bearing and there is no mutation there. Down the road, I could get a letter from the testing center that gives me more detail saying that it is "normal" or that they have found other evidence of something. But for now, I feel peace about it! They also ran a 2nd test looking for additions and deletions of pieces in the DNA of those genes. They came out normal as well. So, the geneticist said she felt like this was "good news". Yeah- we needed that! That helps me with other decisions such as this- for right now we have decided to post-pone the bi-lateral mastectomy. I met with the plastic surgeon and our time lines weren't working out with summer and all and I left with an uneasy feeling about it all. This confirms my decision hold off for right now, and maybe revisit that option down the road if needed.

As for my lymphodema, it has it's good and bad days. My hands gets puffy like a marshmallow and then goes back down- not quite back tot normal yet. I am wearing a compression sleeve and hand glove- both highly unattractive garments! I can't tell you how many times shopping last week I have had to answer the question, "What is wrong with your hand?" By the end of the day, I just said it's hurt. (Which it is- from the lack of lymph nodes in that arm!) Anyways, I am going to Physical Therapy 2-3 times a week and that has worked very well. I ordered my "lymphediva" sleeve and glove that should be here on Friday- very stylish I might add! I'll take a picture and show you how trendy it is!

For fun things...Mallory Kate turned 2 this weekend and we had a great family birthday party here at the house. Most of you who know her, know her obsession with "fancy shoes"- so that was the theme! Her cake was adorable and she thoroughly enjoyed eating it! Enjoy the pictures! It is hard to believe that she is 2 and is a big girl! She is potty training and doing so well with it! She stays dry most days, but we're still working at it. She now sleeps in a "big girl" bed, too! Where has the last 2 years gone? We had her well check this morning- and NO SHOTS...yeah! She is in the 30%-ile in both height and weight. Her height to weight comparison was in the 55%-ile. She is doing very well developmentally- above average the doctor said. She is talking in sentences and can identify colors, shapes, and all of the body parts- even the hard ones like ankles and elbows! What a precious gift from God- both of our children!

The next few days will probably be a little rough, but please lift me and my family up in prayer. It is hard for Greg to get the kids up and out of here in the mornings and fed, bathed, and in the bed at night. I try to help out as much as I can, but some days are worse than others. I pray for an "easier round" like my 2nd cycle! Thanks for everything and I love you all!!!!!- Lori

Such a busy time of the year...

Well, we have been so busy that I admit I have slacked off with the blog. Not too much new news on me as of right now, with the exception of a diagnosis of lymphodema. I noticed my hand swelling last Thursday and called the doctor about it. The nurse said it was probably lymphodema, which turns out to be right. Since I had 9 lymph nodes removed during surgery, that affects my lymph system. (The lymph nodes do not grow back- once they're gone, they're gone.) The lymph system is responsible for taking fluid throughout your body. The lymph system takes the fluid and either dumps it back into your bloodstream or into your kidneys to later come out in your urine. So, since some of my lymph nodes are gone, the nodes under my arm can't handle that process of taking away the fluid in my arm. That has led to some swelling in my hand- which can be common. Sometimes people with lymphodema can have swelling in their arm as well. I don't have that yet, and we hope that we can get this under control before that happens. I have started physical therapy which the PT will massage the fluid upward and I also have a real tacky compression sleeve on my arm with my hand wrapped. I look like a Halloween experiment gone bad! The wrapping on my hand is temporary and I will get it off on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will get fitted for a compression sleeve (which I might add do come in designer fashions) and will wear this for 3 months for 24 hours a day. The PT said if I was really good about wearing it, then I might can back off and see how my hand/ arm react. I guess this is just another little thing I have to deal with. Once you have lymphodema, you always have it. I guess it could be worse! For some good news...on my last post I mentioned some heart issues. Well, Dr. Go had me get another echo done. One of the chemos I'm on, Adrimyican, can cause heart damage and he wanted to check me for that. But, I had a great report and my heart was fine! Praise God for that, because the Dr. said if I had any damage, they would have to stop that chemo- which I really need. Those results were an answer to prayer! My heart now feels back to normal- I guess it was feeling funky from the chemos! And, I'm still awaiting my genetic test results. They should be in any day now.


Now to the fun things that have kept us so busy! First off, we went last Friday to the mall to see Santa! I wasn't sure how Mallory Kate was going to react this year. She LOVED him! She kept asking him for "candy" and "more candy". What a smart girl...she saw the basket beside him and could care less about toys or a beautiful dollhouse, she just wanted chocolate! (A girl after my own heart!) And Graham had a great time, too! He asked Santa for a Wii and he made sure to tell Santa that his little sister wanted a dollhouse. How sweet was that? He really loves Mallory Kate and always looks out for her...okay, maybe not always, but most of the time!

Secondly, this past Sunday Graham was in the Greer Parade with his cub scouts troop. Greg and Graham rode in the float while we bared the frigid weather with some friends. That was the kids first parade and they both had a great time. Mallory Kate loved waving at everyone in the floats and especially liked getting the candy thrown at her! I must admit, I totally missed Graham in the parade! We saw their float coming, but Graham and his buddy were on the other side and we couldn't even see him! Oh, well...next year we'll have to coordinate our seating better!
And finally, Graham was recognized as the 2nd place Reflections Contest winner. The theme this year was "Wow" and he drew a picture of a bunny coming out of a magician's hat. I guess that is "wow" to a 6 year old. When we were brainstorming things he could draw for this, I kept trying to get him to think of things like the election year, and things of that sort, but he wanted to do it himself! And I'm glad he did...he got a certificate, a free waffle cone from TCBY, and a gift card to the Open Book. We're proud of him!
I have been very busy trying to tie up loose ends for Christmas! Round #4 is Monday...please pray that this round will be much easier than last! I am really dreading it! I hope everyone has a great week and thanks for checking in. XOXOXO

I'm back and blogging...

So I really can't sugar coat this one- this round of Chemo really stunk! I was really hoping for another round like my second, but unfortunately, it didn't work that way! It's been a week, and I am just now starting to feel better. This time I felt nauseated-which is terrible and I am so thankful for my $106 Emmend pills! (Luckily that feeling only lasted for one day!) And this time I had extreme fatigue and feeling crummy- through Thanksgiving, but we made it. I did have a cold that started last Wednesday- which I'm sure didn't help my situation- and my doctor has now put me on antibiotics since my blood counts are at their lowest. I still am feeling a "racey-heart", which I think I will call about tomorrow. (I'm sure that's all pure side effects from the toxins!) Anyways, I have to give a big Kudos out to Greg for being Mr. Mom, since the kids were home during all of this because of the holidays. Greg did an awesome job of keeping our household running and keeping the kids fed and bathed! Thanks honey! :)

Since I had a lot of thinking time- in the bed and on the couch- I really got to thinking about Thanksgiving and what I am truly thankful for. A friend of mine, who I met down this road of breast cancer, recently sent out an e-mail about what all she is thankful for. Of course she said friends and family, but the 3rd thing she mentioned was being thankful for her breast cancer. Now that's a hard one to chew...but really, God has shown her through this road many things including a great support group of people that love her. When I read her e-mail, I starting thinking, too, of my wonderful support group. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes something bad like cancer, to bring us closer to those who care and love us. God has already used my cancer to reveal relationships that have been neglected, and I am thankful for that. I truly am blessed to have my friends and family praying for me and who are with me on this journey. During my thinking time, I really have thought about how much God has blessed me- with a caring husband and 2 beautiful children, wonderful family, a great Sunday School, awesome friends, and a job that I love (although I'm not currently there). I am amazed in all of His good work and I can truly say that God is good in all things! Thanks for checking in, and I hope all is well with all of you! Happy Late- Thanksgiving!

50% done with Chemo! Yeah!!!

I just finished my half-way point in my chemo treatments yesterday! I have 3 left and will be done with those in the end of January. The doctors will give me a 3 week or so rest and healing time, then go for about 7 weeks of daily radiation. We've done a lot of thinking lately, and have decided to go ahead with a bi-lateral (double) mastectomy with reconstruction after the radiation treatments. I meet with the plastic surgeon on December 1st about that process. I know my surgeon Dr. Rippon and the plastic surgeon will "tag team" during the surgery. It is a lengthy process to get from point A to point B, but I'll find out all of the specifics on December 1st. We really did a lot of thinking over this one, but I have come to the conclusion I will do anything it takes to fight this fight over breast cancer- and if taking my breasts off will help any, then that's what we'll do! We'll also be having a hysterectomy done in the future, but hopefully next year sometime. Too much surgery is too hard to recover from quickly. My oncologist will be putting me in "menopause" with an injection later on after treatment. I still haven't heard my results from the genetic testing. I hopefully will hear sometime in the next 2 weeks. So that's the plan for now! (Oh, and I feel okay today- I just was very tired last night and my stomach was feeling a little funky! So I took one of the many meds lined up on the counter, and drifted right off to sleep.) Let's pray for me to feel pretty good this week like I did on the last round! :)

Now I want to tell you all about my amazing weekend! First off, on Friday I had 2 things to attend. I went to a surprise 50th birthday party that was so much fun! I saw a lot of people I haven't seen in a while since I've been out of work. (And guess what...I didn't wear my wig! I'm totally over the wig and I don't think I've put in on in about 5 days or so! So, the new me is with a scarf or bandanna covering my bald head- which I might add does get pretty chilled in the weather we've had lately!) Anyways, after I left the party, I went to our Supper Club. When I got there, I noticed all 7 of the men had shaved their head in honor of me! They had set up a barber shop- with none other but "Barber Brad"- the one who shaved mine- and there was hair all over the floor. What good sports we had! Check out the pictures I attached.

Supper Club men went "bald" in my support!

So did my brother, Daryl! (before)

(after)

And for the most amazing thing through my breast cancer journey was the event on Saturday night. My step-sister Rebekah, and my step-brother Adam and my parents had planned this benefit BBQ to help us out. It was initially supposed to be a surprise, but with Facebook, I found out- and I'm so glad I did because those of you that know me well, know that I'm not one to be the center of attention or like surprises! But anyways, they all worked themselves so hard to get ready for this event. They had invitations mailed and passed out and Rebekah had almost 50 items donated for the Silent Auction- and big things, too! We held a raffle and had a BBQ kick-off between Adam and my dad. And there was an amazing DJ that donated his time for this event, too! The food was amazing, but what blew my mind was all of the support that came! We estimated about 175 people came that night! I was in awe! Everything was through donations and this is where God is really good- we raised $4, 111 that night and more is still coming in! I was blown away from the support of my friends, family, and even strangers that brought money or sent it through someone. God is good all the time! It was hard to get around to talk to everyone, but I am so thankful for all of you- even from supporters that couldn't come. I love you all and thank you tremendously for your support through this journey! Please continue praying for my whole family, and for others who are suffering during this holiday season.

Olivia, Mallory Kate, and Claire swinging in the cold!

Tests, tests, more tests...

Today was yet another test on this breast cancer road we are traveling. This was our genetic testing, which took 4 weeks to get this appointment. Greg and I met with a genetic counselor for about an hour this morning. She went over my family background with me and we went from there. On my mother's side, we don't have any known cancer as far back as we could trace. However, on my father's side, there is quite a bit. My father died of bone cancer, that spread throughout his body, when he was 50. Then on my father's parents' sides, there are 7 breast cancer cases that trace through cousins, aunts, etc., that are pretty distant to me, and most were in there 70's+ age range. The statistics show that 1 in 8 women will eventually get breast cancer, so it is not all that alarming for breast cancer to appear in older women. But the genetic counselor was more concerned with my age and my father's age at the cancer diagnosis. This test is very expensive, but will hopefully yield more information about my cancer. What I learned this morning is that all people have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene; it's whether there is a mutation in that gene. If so, that is where the hereditary breast caner/ and or ovarian cancer can stem from. (Both ovarian and breast cancer can come from a mutation in the BRCA genes.) So, they drew a tube of blood and sent it off for testing. I should hear the results in about 2 1/2 weeks. So what does this mean? Well, if the test comes back negative (which is my hopes and prayer) then my breast cancer was caused by another source- which is the million dollar question, and if you can answer that then please let doctors know! :) If the test comes back positive, then my cancer was caused by a mutation in that gene and there is a 50/50 chance my children could inherit my "bad gene." If positive, this also makes some decisions more clearer- such as a complete hysterectomy and bi-lateral mastectomy. So, with all of that said, we just have to do the wait and see game, which I have become really good at! I still feel really good! My next round of chemo will be Monday. Please pray for a quick recovery, like last time, and pray for Greg to have patience with the children when I can not help out so much! This will mark my half-way point...yippee! Oh, and yes...my eyelashes and eyebrows are still in tact! Let;s also pray that they will stay that way! :) Thanks for the prayers! And this week I have been made especially aware that we don't know why bad things happen to people, but we do know that God has the perfect plan and we have to have faith and trust in Him! (For those prayer warriors, please pray for the Gleason family. They have a 2 yr old who is loosing her battle with cancer as I type this. Please pray for comfort for the little girl, Rachael, and for peace for her family. If you want to know all the details, visit her Caringbridge site..http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rachelgleason.)

On another note, let me just tell you what I have gotten into lately...couponing! Since funds are tight, this is a great hobby for me to start! A friend of mine, Kelly, turned me onto this. If you want to know the whole scoop, check out these other blogs for exact info on how to get started.

(Fiddledeedee and Southern Savers) But let me tell you my success story- I did as the blogs told me to do and I went to Publix last week. My bill came to $107 before my savings and coupons. After the coupons and in-store savings, my bill came to $53! I saved a whopping $54...whohoo! Isn't that amazing? So, now every Wednesday, I'll print my coupons and check out the deals and save money! It's actually really fun!

Check out what I got for $53!
It wouldn't fit in one picture!

One last tidbit...Our house is returning to somewhat normal...Graham has finished his soccer season! He learned a lot and had a great time. Here are a few pics of his last game. (Needless to say, we had a great time, but I sure am glad to heave my Tuesday and Thursday nights back with my family!) :)

Graham is #9, in white!

Mallory Kate likes to "entertain!"
Check out her "frowny face", as she calls it!

Thanks for checking in! My love to all...Lori

Thoughts and feelings...

Well, new week...new me! I feel great- back to life as I know it (without work, of course.) And that's weird. You know being home in the summers are different than now. In the summer, I have the kids home and we are going to the pool each day and playing around the yard, etc. Being home now is different...both kids gone and a quiet house. On my "feel good" days, I can get a lot accomplished! Although sometimes I should be doing more household chores than I do! Today I have spent most of my morning on the phone with my insurance company! Boy...that sure is draining work! So I thought I had pretty good insurance- Cigna an HMO plan. But they sure are stingy with their money, I am coming to find out. Right now they have denied $13,000 in claims for one thing or another! I have 2 claims in appeal and one claim the doctor has to call to do a peer-to-peer review with the medical director of Cigna! I have found out that I have to "study" the Explanation of Benefits that comes in the mail- and I get about 2 or more each day it seems! I should get graduate credit for all the work and I time I put into this! Then I call the member services number- which I have now memorized- and push all the options until I finally reach a human voice. (I learned a trick- just act like you don't have a touchtone phone and keep saying "associate" and eventually, they'll put you through!) Then, most days I call, it seems like I know more about my plan than the representative on the other end! That is so frustrating sometimes, actually all the time! So, since I'm on a venting spree, let me tell you how much I hate wigs! You would think they would simplify your life, no...trust me, they don't! They are uncomfortable, itchy, hot, and I can't stand it. When the wind blows, I have pieces of hair standing every which way, and it doesn't feel like my hair! I am constantly fidgeting with it- getting stray stands out of my face and trying to flatten it more on my head. I have already gone back to the wig store for them to thin it out some. So I have come to the conclusion, the bandanna "Harley Davidson" look is more suitable for me! I have been wearing my wig out in public so I don't get the strange stares, but I think I'm over that now. So, now I may get some strange stares, but my head will feel good. I have even gotten a collection of different scarves and bandannas in a lot of different colors and styles- thanks to friends! Speaking of friends, I want to tell you about a special gift my school did for me. They made a handmade quilt with all of their hand prints for me to take to my chemo treatments! It is absolutely beautiful! You know when you get chemo, you get chilly. I have been using the white blankets- that they provide- to cover up with. Now I can come "armed" with a beautiful quilt that means so much to me! I will have the support of all of my friends from school right in my lap! How special is that? I've attached a picture so you can see it! I think I've probably written too much today, sorry. Sometimes it's just great therapy to get my feelings out on the keyboard, rather than to Greg! Thanks for visiting my blog! :)

I LOVE it! :)

Not so bad...

So, today is Friday and I feel pretty good. I really don't think this round hit me as hard as my first round. I am so glad about that, and hope this pattern continues. I still feel chest pressure and a little achiness, but not too terribly bad! Yeah! Answered prayers....Amen! I have had my aunt from Alabama with me since Wednesday. That has been awesome! She has helped out so much around the house with the kids, cooking meals, laundry, etc. How I would love to have someone "full time" like this all year round! I could get spoiled very easily, ya know? Haha! Maybe since she loves me and my family so much, she would work out a deal? You think? Seriously, it has been wonderful to have her help when I feel cruddy. Well, we are planning on eating lunch at Graham's (and my) school today- and he is so excited about that! His request- biscuits and gravy from Stax's. After lunch, I need to run a few errands- if I still feel up to it. Sometimes I think I feel better than what my body can handle. Like last night, after I gave Mallory Kate a bath, I felt like I had run a marathon. The energy takes a while to get back. But...as a whole, I feel pretty good- much better than last go round! And thanks again for everything- the meals have been wonderful! Keep the prayers going up...God answers them! :)

"Catch up"...

This posting will include a little bit of things that we've done since Halloween up to my 2nd round of chemo. I guess I'll start there. Yes- I am 33.3% finished with my chemotherapy! I have 4 more rounds to go. Yesterday my mother went with me. First I had lab work done- which indicated that my potassium levels were low- so I will be eating some bananas to help with that! All other blood work was fine. I then met with Dr. Gococo. As I've said before, I adore him and his nurse Cassie. I feel that I am getting the best care with them! He said for the most part to expect the same thing from my last round, although each time I will be a little slower to recover. My brother had asked me a good question, that I hadn't thought of before...when it's all said and done, how does the doctor know the cancer is all gone? So, I asked Dr. Go that. He said that treating me with 6 rounds of "TAC" chemotherapy and then radiation, and then the Tamoxifen, that it should all be gone. He said that scans cannot detect little cancer cells, so scans really don't do any good so soon after treatment. He said I will be watched very closely, every 3 months for a while, then every 6 months, which he will be looking for any symptoms, etc. At any point in time he said, he could order some scans if we suspect or feel funny about something. After meeting with him, we went over for chemotherapy. I took a picture of my chemo nurse all dressed up in her "scary" clothes while she pushes the "Red Devil" as the Adrimyican is called, through my IV. She doesn't have to wear that for any of the other two chemos. Through the IV, I was given Benedryl, Decadron (a steroid), saline fluids, the 3 chemos, and 2 anti-nausea meds. A total of 8 bags! No wonder about all of the fluid weight I gain in 24 hours! I gained another 4 pounds in one day again! But by Thursday, the extra fluid weight should be gone. Having a computer and someone to talk to sure does pass the time- we were there in the office from 8:30- after 2:30- 6 hours. Long day, but not so bad. Last night I was very tired- and forgot to take a med to help me sleep. I woke up at 12:30 and realized I was wide awake- I went downstairs to find that medicine, along with all of the bottles lined up on the counter, and took it right away. The steroid I'm on has that insomnia effect. So, about an hour later, I think I drifted back off. This morning I went back for my Neulasta shot and flu shot- which everyone in my family has to have. Graham got his yesterday- and was not happy about that one! Mallory Kate is getting hers on Friday and Greg sometime in the next few weeks. I did go out to vote before my appointment, and the lines weren't really too bad- about 30 or so minutes. I am beginning to feel the same chest pressure I felt last time and the nasty copper penny taste is back, too! But now I can say, 2 down and 4 to go! Yeah! Here is a pic of my nurse and me getting the "Red Devil."

Halloween...

Boy, did the kids have a blast! We went to my cousin's neighborhood and trick-or-treated with them. They ran from house to house with so much excitement! Graham was dressed up as Harry Potter and Mallory Kate was Tinkerbell. She now knows what candy is all about! She even asks for "Chocolate Candy" first thing in the morning- that girl knows what tastes good! Claire was a snow princess and Riley was a pirate. Enjoy these pics- and this was the first picture taken of me with my wig- which I can officially say I HATE! It is itchy, hot, uncomfortable, and I am now opting for the Harley Girl look on most days!

Helen, Georgia...
Greg and I went down to Helen Georgia with Tamara and Mark, to surprise Pete. As many of you know, Pete just got back from Iraq and Tracy, his wife, had planned this trip. We went up on Saturday and came back on Sunday. We had a great time eating, walking around, relaxing, etc! We had a blast! (Take a look at Tamara trying on my wig- for all I care, she can HAVE IT! She looks much better in it that I do! Haha! :)

Tamara with my wig on! Looks great on her! :)

Graham at Camp Old Indian...

My dad took Graham to Camp Old Indian with his cub scout troop. Since Greg and I had already had the Helen trip planned, my dad so graciously agreed to take him. Graham had a ball- enjoying bee-bee guns (which he hit the target all 3 times), flash-light tag, campfires, etc. Thanks Dad for taking him- that will be a memory to last him for a lifetime! He really enjoys the cub scouts. (And you ask what about Mallory Kate? She stayed with my mom and had a great time eating homemade mac-n-cheese, one of her favorites, and playing outside with Nana. Thanks Mom for keeping her! Oh, and she is potty training- we're on week #2 and she is doing fabulous! Hopefully by Christmas we can say bye-bye to diapers!)

Thank you so much for all the prayers, card, e-mails, phone calls, etc. That means so much to us! I couldn't get through this terrible disease without prayer and support from all of you! I love you all!

The deed is done...

Well...it's officially done! My head is bald and white. My hair started coming out more yesterday, and I was really disgusted by it. So, I called my friend Julie to ask if her husband would come over and shave my head. (He shaves his own head and is an expert with the blade.) He very willingly accepted, so we made a night out of it. We ate dinner, carved pumpkins with the kids, and then headed to the bathroom for the final farewell to the mane. I was glad to have Julie and Brad there for support as well! They are both good encouragers and great friends! Greg started off by taking our scissors and cutting it down. Now that was a sight- it looked like I had gotten attacked by a 3 year old with crayola scissors! Then Greg took his clippers and buzzed it down- like Shanade O'Connor. (Not an attractive look on me!) Brad then took over, "Barber Brad" as I referred to him- and lathered my head up and went to it! It's gone- all of it- and I feel okay. No, it's not something I would ever voluntarily do again, but this comes with the territory of kicking breast cancer's butt! I was nervous about having some strange birth mark or knots on my head, but I didn't thank goodness! However, you can see where my part was- it's the only thing with "color" on my bald head. It's actually kinda funny seeing a little tan stripe running down the top of my head! So how did the kids react? Well, Graham came in the bathroom in the middle of it all and was totally shocked and I could tell it bothered him. I shed a few tears because I didn't want to scare him. During his prayers last night he said, "Lord, please help my mom's hair grow back really fast!" So hopefully he'll get adjusted to it and I do hope God answers Graham's prayer! :) As for Mallory Kate, she was already in the bed last night so I put a pink bandanna on this morning. When she saw me come downstairs she said, "Mommy's pink hat." She's not even 2 years old yet, so of course I can't really explain all of this to her like I can to Graham. All of this will soon be a distant memory! Showering was very different this morning- do I use shampoo or body wash on my head? I went for the shampoo this morning and boy did that feel weird! I never really knew how cold bald people must feel. Even in the shower, I got chilly from my head. I've always heard that you lose most of your body heat through your head, but now I can attest that yes, that is true! I needed to run a few errands this morning, so I put on my wig for the first time. I am definitely not used to that either. I'm not a big fan of it so far...I think I will opt for the Harley Davidson Do-rag look most days, especially around the house! I am not that brave to post a picture of my bald head yet- maybe I can soon. Please help me pray that I will not lose my eyelashes and eyebrows. I know that sounds silly to ask of you to do, but some people do keep theirs- and I hope I do! :) Here are some pics of us carving pumpkins...

Brad, Cooper, and Julie

The dreaded time has come...

Yes- it's here. The day has come when my hair has started to fall out. I noticed my head "hurting", more like tenderness, yesterday. This morning, after my shower, I was drying my hair- with my fingers because it's so short- and I looked at the palms of my hands...and it was confirmed...the chemo was working. You know, I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier post or not, but the reason for hair falling out during some chemos (not all chemotherapy makes people lose their hair- but mine does) is that the chemos "attack" the most rapidly dividing cells in your body. Cancer cells and hair follicle cells are the most rapidly dividing cells...meaning the loss of hair. So, yes, it really stinks to lose my hair, but on the other hand I know that the chemo drugs are doing their thing! Well...I knew this day was coming, I just didn't know when. I had to drop off some paperwork this morning at my surgeon's office and I was talking to the nurse there. She said by the end of the weekend, I probably wouldn't have any hair left. So...it's a good thing I wasn't too terribly crazy about my new short-do (although many people have said they loved it...and I'm not so sure if they were just saying that to make me feel better or if they really did like it! Haha!) You know the funny thing is, I have just gotten used to passing by a mirror and knowing that the image looking back was me and not a man! Funny how these things work out. Anyways, I'll post a closer up picture of my short hair do, although it will soon be gone!

And here are some more pictures to enjoy...our trip to the Pumpkin Patch! We had a blast and Mallory Kate especially loved the "Baby Pumpkins!" (as she called them!) :)