House Arrest again, but weekend was worth it!

I am under house arrest again. I had a full Memorial Day Weekend and the Neulasta shot is slow kicking in again so my levels are low and Andy has me on house arrest with resting and pushing fluids, not alcoholic! This time the WBC's are pretty good, but the Red Blood Cells (RBC's) & it's cousins are not good.


WBC - 2.5 (4-10)
RBC - 2.85 (4.1 - 5.3)
Hemo. - 9.1 (11.5 -15.5)
Hemat. - 26.5 (36 - 45)

So now we have to get serious and understand what all these numbers mean cause I know Andy's Dad is sitting there scratching his head and asking himself if I am OK?  I am OK Bill! 
All those numbers being low basically mean I am anemic and I am suppose to be tired and fatigued, but those don't look good on me and I don't do them well!
RBC -  These cells carry Oxygen throughout the body.when low, tired and fatigued.
HEMOGLOBIN - when low, you are anemic. tired and fatigued.

HEMATOCRIT - the fraction of the whole blood volume that consists of RBC's. when low, tired and fatigued.
PLATELETS - help blood clot & prevent bleeding - yeah, these guys were good and saved me from transfusion.
When these numbers are low, the Doctor can opt to infuse with growth factors that stimulate the particular type of cell or they can infuse with "healthy" blood.
My numbers were close to being infused, but platelets good and I was feeling OK, so just House Arrest for a few days.


Enough seriousness, I am fine, OK, I am a little tired, constant headaches, new mouth sores and tooth pain,  & constipated, but a girls gotta have something getting chemo, give me a break, I am not Superwoman.
Let's talk about the fun that shot me into this downward spiral.
         Friday Evening of Mem. Day Wkd.: Melissa Etheridge Concert:

                                                   Enough said, we are like new best friends

         her advice, listen to your body and find out all ways of healing, not just what the Doctors say

Saturday of Mem. Day Wkd.: Rest & picnic Bonfire

I slept in alot for me, until almost 11am and just puttered around the house on Saturday. went to bonfire picnic with great friends Saturday evening. Andy went up to castle and back, but was back in time to enjoy the bonfire.     

You got me. This was not our Bonfire, this was the Boyscouts at a recent camping trip, but it felt like this one to me and Ididn't get a picture of the one I was at!                                                                                                                                          

                                         

                      Sunday of Mem. Day Wkd.: Rest & BBQ @ Pool

More puttering around & some shopping with Ruby on Sunday and then we went to Ms. Bev's and hung out by the pool for a BBQ there. She was on the Meal Train that evening, so she had us there instead of delivering. Very relaxing.                   

                                                        the boys played Stratego, Rex won!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                        Girls swam.

                                           Monday of Mem. Day Wkd.: Parade & Party

                           The boys marched in the parade in the morning, I took pictures. It rained a bit, but no one melted and Rex found his new boyscout shirt is water resistant! 

It was a nice tribute and celebration at the lake! 

then we had friends over to a glass party. We set up window frames for the castle windows we are doing in stained glass and let each family make their own design, here are a few examples of our new castle windows, everyone had fun and worked hard! 

                                                               we all had a "GLASST"

                                                           we raised some glasses

                                                            and then raised some more

                                            Rex wins again, look at this kid. the legos paid off!

and my many hair styles this week were as follows:

my own husband didn't recognize me as a blonde

                                                        the kids in town loved the red hair.

Andy is still trying to figure out his favorite, we'll keep him guessing! 

going to take a nap in my zero gravity chair! 

Busy, Fun weekend & Chemo #3

Warning, I had a fun weekend.
So my WBC's continued to rise, as did the energy, so I was able to get out and have some fun. Saturday, Ruby & I helped at the community playground build, it was an awesome thing to be a part of & it is Going to continue to be an awesome part of the community. I did a cartwheel into a handspring to capture the excitement I was feeling and just to let you know, cancer did not take my cheerleading skills away. the split will be next, stay tune.

I only did a 2 hr. half shift so as not to over do it & I did come home and nap. Had a great picnic Dinner with great friends, but again home by 9pm for bed. Everything is possible in moderation in cancer treatment!

Sunday I slept in, walked the dog or long walk, went to ruby's art how at local Bookstore. Ruby did the Adirondack painting on top left, the white reflief on the bottom left, and the egg in far right corner. Thanks to Ms. Janie for all she does with the kids and their art, they love her and the work!

 Nice day and we got a new kayak, so off to the lake. Ruby & I kayaked for 3 hrs., the boys were canoeing with the boyscouts on the Erie Canal. during which time, on the wayback to country club, I "dumped" the kayak reaching for my water bottle in back of kayak. Funny now. Bit scary then, but all was well. The lake was cool 62 degrees! My bald head felt it!
A nice dinner waiting for us when we got back from the Meal Train and a massage from Maria in the evening, a new per- chemo treat!







Monday was Chemo #3 .Skaneateles Grandma & great friend, Ms. Bev accompanied Andy & I this week. My WBC's were back up to above normal at 12! One extreme to the other for me.
 

Saw Dr. Lemke. Brought in the head dress & spread the Chemosabe cheer throughout all the infusion rooms. We made Dr. Lemke sit and pow wow with us, you can see what peace she is at doing this on her face. Might have to start out every day like this at the ROC. 
Below, I am trying to have her exam me, seriously, with the headress on.

Met Marcia & her lovely daughters. It was Marcia,s first time, so I sat with her and walk her hrough some of hat o expect and best ways to deal with things. Always good to give back. Marcia looked pretty good in the head dress for her scrapbook picture. She'll be ther on my rotation on Mondays, so I,ll keep an eye on her. 

.Ellen & aunt Ann were at a follow up for Aunt Ann's double Matectomy from last month, she is looking and feeling fab & she too looks good in the head dress 

. 

and my most faithful and loving Chemosabe husband stood by my side too! 

Had nice lunch and shopping after chemo, spent alittle much, I blame it on the premed. steriod high!  Lesson learned to go straight home from chemo! 

Mild nausea and headache, but I found if you stay on the meds as prescribed it never gets intolerable & certainly no worse than my best hangover, as my besties mother pointed out in the grocery store when I was telling her. You'd think he thinks her daughter and I like to drink together and Have had a few whopper hangovers in the past, nothing recent I can recall.  Tuesday. Back today for the Neulasta shot, slight stung upon administration, nothing since.  Nice Lunch with Shelly, my truly amazing artistic friend who then proceeded to Henna my head. TaDa: here it is, it looks awesome. She explained the symbols all have meanings, so mine are the following:

           *Ganesh - Elephant God - good health & protection from Evil

* Circle Sun - caring & protection 

                                                               *Flamingo - Good Luck

*  crown - I am the queen and needed a crown.

  Topped off the evening with my besties from college, Janet & Barb, with a great post birthday dinner. Thanks for coming out girls.         

Nicey Nice picture

      

                                         Kicking Cancer in the butt picture

Breast Check all your friends whenever you can! 

Really, YES REALLY, IT SAVES LIVES!

                                              Glee finale, American Idol semi finale, bed

.

I got a bill today for my breast MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), It was the best 40$ I have ever spent! It was $2500 before insurance and write offs. Let's remember this is the test that saved my life and it is not one they order routinely order for follow up on Breast Cancer, my plastic Surgeon, the magnificent. Dr. Gil Quetell , ordered it to ensure my implants were still doing well. I think we might need to do something about getting these routinely ordered, maybe 3 yrs. post breast cancer on all woman to to make sure their cancer hasn't crept back in like my did. Alot of people are afraid of this test when they hear about because they are in a cylinder and it is loud, here it was it looks like.                                       

When you do it for the breast you are facing down and your boobies drop into two holes, the worst part about it for me was my breast bone hurt. Now you do have to lie still and they do play alot of loud noises and clicks, but you got your mind, you can imagine anything you want. the sounds sounded like the ocean to me and I imagined the clicks were dolphins talking to each other and me. Now laying still is usually hard for me, but again, pretend you are having a massage, you can lie still for that, right?  

Here is the image the tech saw when he deemed it "suspicious. That triggered a call to Dr. Quetell. I went and got the DVD with the images on it at the hospital and met Dr. Quetell at his office and we saw, very clearly, the same area. then we did an exam and could actually feel the sucker once we had the location!  

A 2 hour test, good technician reading, a smart cautious Doctor, and another life saved. 

If I were a lady out there who is a survivor of breast cancer, no matter how many years out, although 3-5 are the highest years for re-occurance, I would be asking for an MRI every once in awhile. 

OK, enough of that soap box, you got the idea, let's move on to the latest entries for 

Entry 1 & 2 come from my college room-mate and we're still great friend Barb and her kids:

                Spicer 1

Spicer 2

entry 3 is from Joanne and she took a different approach, she is going for 

2 chicks supporting me

                                                  

Entry 4 is the Skaneateles Education Foundation

and the last entry was a card I received from the Navaroli's,

Speaking of cards, you guys are crazy. I hav received over 100 cards so far. I am thinking of making a great collage with them all with all your names on them so I will always remember how I got through this again! 

Thank you for thinking of me and taking it the extra step and sending cards, they do brighten my day! 

So, gearing up for Chemo Treatment # 3 tomorrow. Andy and Ms. Bev are going with me and I hear I may have a visit from Ellen and Aunt Ann who will be in the area!  Let's do it!