I CAN'T RMEMBER THE LAST TIME I FELT THIS GOOD THIS EARLY IN THE DAY!

A QUOTE FORM MY LATE FATHER.  So...I do feel great and actually enjoyed a glorious Sunday of fall weather, walking the track, enjoying a good day off.  So there is life after the side effects of chemo.

I put a full day in the office today (the mortgage company) and it felt swell. We are real busy with these historically low interest rates and the boys have a keen way of keeping me busy with new loan after new loan. No complaints... otherwise known as job security. 

There will be a pattern of good days/bad days and I am thinking it will be the good Sat night thru thursday night with Friday and Saturday reserved for checking out into a dark quiet room. All in all that doesn't seem undoable. 

I  have a good appetite and attitude and will be ready for Weds. It starts off at 8:15 am with a lab exam where they get all the blood and then an appt.  with my oncologist before the 6 hour chemo drip begins. It promises to be another long day but hopefully I will get a few chapters under my belt for my Mortgage brokers lisc. exam that I am trying to study for. 

Cheers to all and a Happy new year to you MOT's out there. Hope your fasts were painless and your breakfasts were fabulous.

susanna

GOT THE FIRST ONE ALL WRONG

Your friend, the invincible one, got a wake up call...24hrs after chemo it seemed every possible side effect kicked in. I of course thought that was impossible and hadn't  bothered to read the volumes that they sent home with me...without going into the gory details I ended up back at the Cancer Center the moment they opened on Friday looking nothing like their poster child of Weds. Tey wheeled in the IV of anti nauseau meds, liquids, adavant, you name it...and I woke up 4 hours later feeling at least alive with a heart beat. 

Since then I have been sleeping..feeling better but tired and noodle like.  Its a drop dead gorgeous Saturday in Boulder. Fall leaves in the breeze and I just made my way downstairs and managed to eat a garden salad and fresh blueberries thanks to MJ's brillant suggestion " can you eat even if you don't feel hungry?" never really thought of that and it was brillant...I am eating!!

Julia is being a great sport, cleaning, driving, feeding me and wondering how one so wound up like me got so wound down, and what I would do with out her. I'm not sure what I would do.  Don't underestimate those chemo drugs...they are nasty nasty.

So heres hoping the first week will be the worst...The cocktail will be different next week, and the doctors and my body will figure this out sooner than later. 

I thought of leaving  episode out all together , hoping its the only one so grim, but then that would make me seem tougher and stronger than I really am. 

Love ya all

sus  

ONE DOWN MANY MORE TO GO

Thursday morning I am up and at em off to work...Yesterday was a long day but honestly I don't feel any side effects whatsoever yet! Having done this before I do remember it takes 24hrs or so before I would notice any effects. So to make the best use of the feeling good times I am out the door. 

Next chemo is scheduled for Weds next week. It seems from my vital signs yesterday that I am receiving the real thing and NOT  the placebo for the study I am in.  We should be able to verify that next week. That's a good thing I think. Remember no news is good news!!!

lets all get out and try to make the world a better place!

Wednesday 9:03 AM update

What is it really like? Well..I am sitting in a leather reclining chair with an amazing view of the flatirons. its a gray cold day in Boulder. I have my MacBook in my lap, my i-pod with headphones in my ear playing Bob Dylan, a fine cup of black coffee, the Wall Street Journal...oh and I almost forgot , Benadryl, and chemo flowing freely via my port to my heart.  It really dosen't get much better. For someone who dosen't know sitting and taking it easy this is like living the dream .

I am suppose to be here for 7 hours today.  WOW! they have to run the drugs slowly to be sure there is no adverse reaction. So far so good. I don't know if I mentioned that I am part of a medical study with the American Cancer Society testing two drugs and how they work together.  Consequently they have to monitor my blood pressure, heart rate and temperature every 15 mins.  I have become a part of science. They also have to draw large amounts of blood for the study that are shipped on ice all over the country to various study sites. Pretty wild. They have a nurse (Pam) whose entire job is to monitor those of us in studies. There are only 5 or 6 people in studies at his center right now. 

The process is daunting with between 4 and six bags of clear liquid medications hanging from the I V each to drip away into me. I am feeling no pain, the nurses are great. 

Thanks for all your thoughts and good wishes. I have no doubt they are driving me. I may check back in at the end of the day. I have my phone with me and access to e-mail so feel to humor me.

love to all you

sus

 

Waiting and Ready

after a great wet, stormy week-end in Telluride with great people and Music I am home safe and warm ready to take on tomorrow. Chemo session #1 begins at 8am and should finish by2 or 3pm. I have good books to ready, my computer and a pillow.

I can think of many ways to spend this kind of money but then no body asked me to think so here we go.....

As you can see..old man winter has found his way to colorado!

Lets all be well!

susanna

PASSING TIME

Its been a great opportunity to pass time and I had a great invitation last week for "Adult Art Camp". It in volved Julia and I going to a friends house and playing with clay, drinking and eating and playing with clay. It was great fun.

In the mean time I have some news!

I have an appointment at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center (RMCC) which by the way is about 10 mins from my house, on Thursday morning at 8 am to go over the regiment.  My biopsy came back from the Mayo Clinic and I will be in a Trial. Its a bit complicated for you non-cancer folks but lets just say its a good thing...a drug test not chemo per say. At any rate, on Thursday they will review everything with me  and next Weds is the day. My chemo day will always be Wednesday every week.  The first two treatments will take 5-6 hours since they will have the drip set slowly to be sure I do not have a bad reaction and then they will open the gates and let it flow.  3  hours most likely. 

One less unknown to think about.

Julia, Jan and I are off to the mountain town in SE Colorado known as Telluride. Its a music festival named Blues n" Brews.  Need I say more...good music and good Beer. The fall colors and Aspen Trees should be in full bloom. Promises to be great fun. I will post photos. 

Just Know I am out there, not working too hard (seriously) and living the dream. Remember you can't finish till you start so I am ready to start. Weds it is!!!

I love you all!

banana

Long awaited GREAT NEWS!!!

1. Julia accompanied me to the Dr. this afternoon to get the prognosis from all the tests, biopsy, MRI, etc...It is Great News in the scheme of things. Without going into great detail I will share the highlights.
   
2. It is metastasized Breast Cancer not a new cancer.
3. There is an 80% chance of 100% remission!!
4. Chemo will start the week of Sept 21st.
5. I will receive chemo every week for three weeks and one week off with just herceptin for 6 months.
6. Yes I will lose my hair probably by Halloween.
7. Herceptin is a drug (protein) that I will take for the rest of my life that fights to keep the cancer from coming back. They expect me to respond very well to it given my genes and circumstance.

Thank you all for all your good thoughts and wishes. I am feeling a great sigh of relief with the news. I have some good fun ahead until The chemo begins and it does not sound like an overwhelming protocol or anything I can't wrap my head around.

Please know I have GREAT Doctors, access to a great massage therapist, accupunturists, Clean air, great trails, good food, great friends and kids. All of this combined is a sure cure in my mind. 

Take a Big deep breath

Breath deep and pooof...... exhale and BLOW !   Tell me that's not fun!

Julia and I moved this tree like plant in from the outside last night.  The temperatures have been dropping and it seemed like it might get cold. I awoke this morning to find this incredible blossom on the plant.  It seemed miraculous as there was no sign of it the night before and it somehow mirrored the painting behind it.

You gotta love nature.

We all need to get out and take in this long week-end.  In a world where we all work so hard and forget how to play.  So I am off to remember how to play. I never forgot nor will I. 

Thank you all for  your great wishes and prayers. You have no idea how strong I feel and How thankful I am that I know each and everyone of you.

I am still getting over the fact that I got this photo on this page. Thanks brother Daniel for the great tutorial. It all seems to be working.

Love

sus

 

All the tests have been completed which is a huge relief to have behind me. Now its the waiting period for some final results.  the MRI of the brain came back clean which is great news.  I am still a confirmed nut case so it just goes to show the limitations of medicine and research.

Yesterday they very successfully did a  biopsy of the node on my lung. Nothing collapsed and I refrained from coughing during the procedure,  which was a good thing.   It will take a few days for the results of that to trickle its way down to the doctor. So in the meantime I have 5 days to enjoy myself, with no more tests.  I am feeling good. Just did a couple of miles on the tread mill and got my first shower after 4 days.

Daniel is off to Seattle. It was great having him here. many thanks to him for setting up this blog. More to come next week.  Until then

everybody get out and enjoy memorial week-end, the official end of summer. 

I have a full week-end of BBQS, fishing, resting and reading.  Wishing all of you the same

Love

banana 

Colorado Columbine by Susanna Block July 2009 La Vita Co.

Since my last update...I have had a barrage of tests and exams, some more interesting than others.  I still do not have any final results to share. Daniel has been here from Italy all week and we are doing all the fun things people do in Boulder. 

Thanks to all of  you for  the phone calls and e-mails.

I could not pass up sharing my horoscope from the Boulder Weekly  with you:

 

What life will you be living at noon on september 1, 2014? Who will you be? How thoroughly will your dreams have come true? What kind of beauty and truth and love and justice will you be serving? Will you look back at the time between  August 27 and September 21, 2009 and sigh " if only I had initiated my Five Year Master Plan at that ripe astrological moment"?  Or on Sept 1, 2014 will you instead be able to crow, " I can truly say that in these past 5 years I have become the President of my own life"? 

With those thoughts...get out and enjoy this upcoming holiday week-end. 

Love to all of you from the heart of the Rockies.