THANK YOU to everyone who helped us celebrate today and give chemo the send off it deserves! I knew I wasn't the only one who was eager to kiss it uh buh-bye.
Here are a few photo high-lights...
My nieces seriously need to stop being so pretty.
Even sitting down, Patti is still the tallest woman in our family.
And! This is your three month reminder for our I Survived 2012 Party. Okay... so I'm a couple days late. That just means it's less than 3 months to party time!
To say I went into round #6 of taxotere and carboplatin with the confidence of a seasoned chemo veteran would be an understatement. Yes... I was feeling every ounce the superhero pictured here in this card from Tim.
Clearly this isn't an exact likeness, as this superhero has a lot more hair and is missing a signature pair of fabulous shoes.
Maybe this last round snuck up on me...just a little bit. Now I know I make this whole chemo thing look super glamorous, but mostly it looks a lot like this...
Seriously, lady, get that thing out of my face.
But it does come with some pretty fabulous accessories. Like these...
For anyone at home wondering "Is 31 too old for hand-crocheted bunny slippers?" Obviously the answer is "No." It's also not too old for your mom to bring you lunch. Or help you with your laundry. Or watch Mr. Popper's Penguins with you.
The fog of #6 is almost lifted (almost)... just in time for this vicious storm that is about the pound the mid-Atlantic. Also in time for a luxurious five weeks of R-n-R before the next big adventure in this tale of cancer ass-kickin'. But before you go thinking it'll be all MTV Spring Break: Chemo edition for these next few weeks, here's what Team Cancer Sucks has on tap...
A follow-up Echocardiogram. Remember when I had one of those about 4 months ago to make sure my heart was healthy enough to be poisoned? Well now it's time to go back and make sure it's still healthy enough for surgery and 11 more rounds of herceptin.
Round #7 of herceptin. Now I know I got you all excited about last week being my last round of chemo... and it was, sort of. It was my last round of the really nasty, make your hair fall out and your taste buds go on hiatus, kind of chemo. But I still get to take 11 more spins around the dance floor with my good friend herceptin to keep those ugly HER2 cells shakin' in their boots. So me and the big H? We'll be sisters from another mister until May of next year.
Pre-op appointment with the reconstructive surgeon. If this appointment is anything like the initial consult, it will involve a really graphic slide presentation.
...surgery is actually scheduled for Monday 22 October, 12:00 pm at Fairfax Hospital. I fully expect each of you to come up with some hilarious waiting room antics. And document each of them for me since I'll be too sedated to enjoy any them.
If you've been playing along at home, you've noticed that we've got quite the chemo soundtrack going. So I thought I'd try to keep all of our rockin' tunes here in one place. Feel free to keep adding to the list. And when you're in need of a pick-me-up, give one of these a spin!
Have we already used Another One Bites the Dust as a chemo theme song? I really should start cataloging these things. Perhaps a chemo playlist? I just might be on to something there. Well, if this is a recycled theme song, then I'll offer this as a consolation song...
And if not, well you just got yourself a bonus song, now didn't you? So what were the highlights of today's last full round of chemo? In no particular order... First, there are the two new fabulous breast friends I made today. It was lovely meeting you both today, and I'm happy to share with you any of the trade secrets I've picked up along the way so far.... you know, seasoned cancer-pro that I am. Then there was the chair in the private room...sooooooo super comfy. Much more plush than the chairs in the big, open room. Which - even though I had a private room today - I ended up spending most of the morning in the open room anyway... 'cause how else are you supposed to socialize? But then the rest of my chemo crew arrived, so it was back to my room for the par-tay.
Not only did Uncle Jim bring deliciously home-made sandwiches and cookies... he also brought Grandma!
Isn't she precious?
Uncle Jim also brought flowers. Mom thought my IV pole needed a little sprucing up...so voila!
And this is my favorite picture of all, because it's of Grandma YouTube'ing the honey badger.
Then I came home to this goodie basket of fruit and wine and truffles from Laurie and Mark. Which I'm pretty sure if full of antioxidants, therefore are cancer fighting, therefore are good for me. Particularly the wine and the chocolate.
And since I am now an official chemo grad, this is the perfect time for your party reminder. Saturday September 29th. Be there or be square.
And last but not least, to Rob for my gorgeous new Tory Burch satchel. I have been coveting one of these for months - ever since my co-worker Val turned me on to the brand - and I really can't think of any better end-of-chemo gift.
Today was another big day of appointments.
Starting with a CBC and CMP - still anemic (me and a basket of laundry going up the stairs could have told you that), but overall counts are good enough. Followed by a check up with the medical oncologist. Chemo side effects from the last few rounds have been pretty tolerable. Fatigue, muscle weakness/soreness/tightness, hot flashes, weight gain/fluid retention/edema, dry mouth/metal taste, drippy eyes and nose. But all the really weird stuff - nose bleeds, acne, headaches - haven't been around in a while. So all is well and Dr. F is pleased. Tomorrow will be my last round of Taxotere and Carboplatin. Which is awesome 'cause the big T is just a nasty little bastard. I can also say uh-buh-bye to those Lupron injections. I'll still have 11 more rounds of Herceptin. But that's all good in the hood 'cause the big H over there is pretty harmless to me.
And...I'll start getting my hair back! Can I get a HELL YEAH?!?
Next stop was the surgical oncologist where we talked surgery options again. Lumpectomy and mastectomy have the same survival rate relative to the current cancer. My survival, that is. Not the cancer's. We're kicking its ass, remember? Try to stay with me. But the younger you are and the more breast tissue you have, the better chance you have of the same cancer coming back or of getting a new cancer. And that really does not sound like my kind of party.
So the evil twin and the good twin have got to go!
Now you might be thinking, "The good twin, too? What's she ever done wrong?" Well nothing yet. This is a preemptive strike. Not to mention, it's a lot easier for the surgeons to keep the girls even that way. So just like Kanye, I'll be better, faster, stronger.
And speaking of better, faster, stronger - now seems like the perfect time for a shout out to the Young Women with Breast Cancer group at Inova Alexandria. It was great to meet such a kick ass bunch of ladies last night! Now where was I before Kanye distracted? Oh, yea... bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. So Monday 29 October is the big day. Who's got a suggestion for a pre-op party theme? I'll have 6 of these drains hanging around for about a week after surgery, so there have got to be some good Halloween costume ideas out there.
UPDATE:My new surgery date is Monday 22 October!
There's got to be an easier way to smuggle your own booze into Fed Ex Field.
I've just been all over the map with this post, so I'm just gonna go ahead and leave you with Kanye stuck in your head while I go catch up with Mel while she's in visiting from the left coast. Have a great evening everyone!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
This post is a little overdue, but here goes anyway....
Last weekend Rob and I made the annual pilgrimage to Ocean City, MD. As you can see, we don't exactly travel light.
Our pups have it so rough. Clearly they needed this vacay as much as we did.
I'm also way overdue at introducing PeeWee in this blog. We go way back and have known each other since she was all pin feathers and beak. She's like American Express, never leave home without her. More on her in another post!
So the five of us made it to the OC to join the Annual Suraci Clan Vacation already in progress. Here are some of this year's highlights...
We took a "sunset cruise" on a boat that was surprisingly clean for a vessel that was a fishing charter merely an hour earlier.
I made Mom and Rob go on a 90 minute walk for doughnuts. Totally worth it.
Then Rob and the pups took a nap.
And cousin Sarah got something pierced. Why? 'Cause she's effing 18! That's why.
Much like a boardwalk piercing and Candy Kitchen taffy, no OC trip would be complete with a visit to The Haunted House. PS - Your eyes do not deceive you. Rob actually could fit several Suracis in his pockets.
I should add that this year was my very first trip through The Haunted House. Two decades of Ocean City vacations, and year-after-year I have been too much of chicken. Well guess who put her big girl panties on this year? This girl!
Speaking of big girl panties, check this out!
As any good common law uncle would do, Clint insisted we ride The Sling Shot together.
And as any good husband would do, Rob stood safely on the ground while his lovely wife was propelled into the night sky. Clearly he's the brains of this operation.
If that's not enough Ocean City awesomeness for you, check out the full album HERE!
It's been four loooooooong months (and 6 even longer chemo treatments) since we last had an excuse to get together with everyone and celebrate. And like I always say, any excuse for a party is a good one. So c'mon out and grab a bite with us.
Please RSVP to me or Rob by Wed Sept 26th. Thanks!
