Hello everyone!

I go for my second round of Herceptin on Tuesday after my echo test on Monday. With Herceptin, it’s important to monitor the patient’s heart closely. I will go for Herceptin chemo until April and then get my port out (can’t wait for that day!). I’m also supposed to be taking Tamoxifen for the next 5 years, but am doing my research and getting a second opinion on that as well, as it has numerous major side effects and I want to be sure before taking any medication that the benefits outweigh the side effects. After all, I lost 40% of my hearing in one ear due to a side effect of one of the chemo medications!

On a positive note, my hair is starting to grow back! It’s coming in a dark brown and I am crossing my fingers it stays dark, as I always thought it would be cool to have darker hair! I shaved for the first time in 6 months – ugh! I sure didn’t miss that!

We went to Atlantis in the Bahamas this past weekend, which was really nice. The kids have been living in “cancer world” for the past year, had missed birthdays, etc… so it was indeed a much needed break from reality.

I am back at work (NSU) in full force, with 420 student athletes to assist with their academics. I am also teaching 3 grad courses this term. It’s a lot, but it makes me feel good when I am able to help others. It also takes my mind off the yucky stuff. Cade started 5th grade and Bryn started 8th. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, their independence and helpfulness around the house was fleeting. I thought if they have no clean clothes, they will wash them as they did when I was “out” but that hasn’t happened. This morning, I watched Cade grabbing one of Bryn’s uniform tops from her room. Now that they wear the same size, the little devil figured out a way to get out of doing laundry!!

Seriously, I can’t write how good I am starting to feel and how grateful I am to all of you. I know I repeatedly thank you, which is because with my chemobrain, I can’t remember if I thanked you or not! So just take the appreciation 🙂

I somehow got sucked in to being the Breast Cancer baldie in front of Mike’s Hard Pink Lemonade salespeople last week. They showed a movie of my journey, which I will post on here if I can figure out how. So I cried ridiculously after I saw the slide of Bryn, Cade and Larry which read “Why I fight” and I was unable to even speak. Fortunately, they still gave me the case of Mike’s.

I am off tomorrow with two of my dear chemo buddies for a girls weekend in the Keys. And yes…the case of Mike’s will be accompanying us.

The only taste which has not come back yet is chocolate. It’s like an evil joke…but then again, probably a good thing, since I have all this chemo weight to lose!