New Year, New Goals, More Inspired than EVER

Hi Hi Booble Spot Followers! Just a quick Sunday night updated from the Valley of the Sun! Today, January 16th, 2011, was the PF Chang's Rock n' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon! Over 6,000 marathon runners took to the streets of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe, Arizona to conquer 26.2 miles! I am proud to say that I knew 5 full marathons and 3 half marathons! They are the most wonderful and inspirational people I know!! What they did today brought me to tears....and made me want to be out there running so badly. What I love about my friends is that they are so self-less....they gave their time and energy to fund-raise for an amazing organization ~ The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; they gave their time and energy (and a lot of Saturday mornings) to physically prepare for today's event; but what I love most, is that they give hope and inspiration to so many, like myself. 

I have been told over and over again, 'Heather, I don't know how you can do what you do...go through treatment and remain positive and have a smile on your face'. WELL...I'm here to tell you that I do it because of the 8 individuals that I personally know that completed today's endurance event. In my opinion, cancer is cancer...and hopefully, once a cure is found for one, cures will be found for all...so knowing that my friends helped raise so much towards the research and support of finding a cure for cancer made we want to get out and run with them today! I know my time will come when I can be a participant again (perhaps Savannah, GA....November 2011?!?), so, until then, I will cherish the memories I was able to share in today, cherish the friends that are in my life inspiring me every single day, and KNOW that they will all be with me, when I cross my finish line ~ both in my treatment and in my next endurance race! 

So, anyone who is interested in meeting a GREAT group of people, becoming inspired, and taking an AMAZING personal journey, email me or call me...ask me how...!! 

On a side note, my training is going well for the upcoming Tri For The Cure Woman's Triathlon in March that I am participating in. I'm back in the pool, taking a spinning class and pounding pavement!!! Two months to go until I can officially add Triathlete to my list of accomplishments! 

Have a wonderful night, a GREAT week....and make 2011 the best year ever ~ YOU deserve it! 

Love always 

 ~ heather :o)

First new treatment, Tri For The Cure, and more!

Hey Booble Spot followers! Welcome to 2011!!! I'm so happy the new year is underway...as well as my first treatment of the new round of chemo! I have successfully survived the first dose and it really wasn't that bad. It got off to a bit of a rocky start...they give me Benedryl and when the nurse started the drip, it was going pretty quickly...and made me very dizzy and generally 'icky' feeling. Once the nurse slowed the drip down, it was semi-smooth sailing! I ended up falling asleep (no doubt because of all the Benedryl, huh?!?), and managed to sleep through most of the treatment! This Friday's appointment should be much shorter ~ I won't need to meet with my Oncologist...just go right in, get chemo, go home and relax! I will see my Oncologist probably every other week to touch base, see how I'm feeling, etc. 

On a side note, I have registered for the "Tri For The Cure" women's triathlon in March in Chandler, Arizona! It is an all women's race that benefits the Phoenix chapter of Susan G. Koman For The Cure! I know 4 other gals that will be swimming, biking and running with me! I'm very excited and have begun training! I think I can handle the running part (this particular race is only a 2.25 mile run)...the swim (400 yards...not bad) and bike (8 miles) will be the true test! But, I have been attending a spinning class in the morning before work and will be getting out on the open road to bike probably in the next week or so. Tonight will be my first swim for laps in about...oh...like a few years! Should be interesting! Hopefully no one has to fish my lifeless body off the bottom of the pool!! :)

I am also starting a weekly Yoga class with AnMarie, my cousin, friend, travel buddy, chemo cohort this weekend. It will be nice to relax, stretch and spend a few hours on a Saturday morning focusing on me! I'm looking forward to that! Maybe once I'm done with treatment, I can look into more Yoga classes...really become a Yoga guru! 

I hope your year is off to a stellar start! I know 2011 is going to be amazing...why wouldn't it?? Just remember that you create the life you want to live...so make it a good one and DO the things you want to do...WHY WAIT?? 

Talk to you soon!!

  ~ heather :o)

End of Year Recap

Hello 'Heather's Booble Spot' followers! I am sorry for not updating my blog more frequently, but here I am to recap what 2010 has held for me and what I have to look forward to in 2011!!

First of all ~ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL of you!!! I would like to thank you for all of the love, support, and encouragement you have shown me this past year! I know with the amazing support system I have, I will not only be able to beat this, but will beat it to a bloody pulp!!!!!!!!

So, it is almost New Year's and I finished my last Chemo of the year just over a week ago! My first round of treatment consisted of 4 treatments spread out over 12 weeks {1 appointment every 3 weeks}. The weekend before my 2nd treatment, I lost all my hair...it was rough to see because it really meant I was going through with chemotherapy treatments. But, after a few days, the new look started to grow (no pun intended!) on me!! And since then, I have been able to embrace my new, temporary look of "Q"-ness (as my cousin calls it and me!). AND...rumor has it my hair will come back even better than before!!

As for what is ahead...a long road, but it will be broken down into manageable chunks that I know I can handle! Starting right away on January 7th with the first treatment of Chemo Round #2! This set of treatment will consist of weekly appointments for 12 consecutive weeks. The frequency is becoming a bit more; but hopefully the dose is easier on me. AND...good news...this set of drugs does not cause hair loss...so my hair should start growing back soon! WOOHOO!!! If you are doing the math in your head, I will be receving this Chemo until March 25th! Once I'm done with that, I begin my 7 weeks of Radiation...this is when things get really 'fun'. 5days per week for 7 weeks I will undergo Radiation. 

Like I said...long road, but totally manageable 'chunks' of treatment! 

Outside of Chemo and Radiation - 2011 is going to be an amazing year...I mean, why not??!!?? I am going to get back into the gym...Start training for my next TWO big adventures...a Triathlon and the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure. I am going to walk the streets of San Diego in November with a very good friend of mine, Lynne, and her mom, Diane, and WHOEVER else wants to join in! More info to come on this!!

I want to get back into marathon running as well. I have a long list of races still to accomplish! I am going to do some light traveling (probably back to Ohio for the most part! See my amazing family and friends there!). And I really want to get out to California a few times this upcoming year...lay on the beach in San Diego...Maybe learn to surf!! The sky's the limit ~ and speaking of the sky - I have plans to jump out of a perfectly good plane with a friend of mine and I want to go to Trapeze U - learn to fly on the trapeze like the best of 'em! 

It is going to be an amazing year! I will continue to update my blog (hopefully more frequently than I have been recently!) and keep you posted on treatments, Operation Re-Grow Hair, training for all the fun activities I want to accomplish, and occasionally, just life in general!

I love you all so much for keeping tabs on me and really appreciate the support I have received the last few months. Like I said earlier...I KNOW I am going to beat this! Just you watch!

Have a safe and happy start to what is sure to be a 'FANTABULOUS' year!! Hugs and kisses to everyone and talk to you after the 1st! 

 ~ heather :o)

Long time.... no update... Till NOW!!

My Booble Followers ~

First, let me apologize for being MIA for the last few weeks. I have lots to update you on, but I'll try to keep it short(ish) and to the point!

I'm back at work ~ and loving it!! It is so nice to be around all my friends again. Everyone has been so wonderful too. I am the luckiest worker ever!!! 

My hair has fallen out...But it lasted a lot loner than I thought it would, so that was good! Time to break out the hats...and THANK GOODNESS it is getting cooler here in Arizona!! Geesh....can you imagine going through this during the 100*+ temps in AZ?!?! Phew...I can't!! 

Today was chemo #2 and so far ~ so great!! Getting tired now (maybe because it is almost 9pm!).  I'm ready to see what the rest of the week has in store for me. I'm actually really hot...I always am after treatment...and for those of you that know me, you know I'm always cold!!!!!!!!! After chemo, I always get the flu-like symptoms...achy lower back, upset stomach, sore joints / muscles...but they told me some secrets at the Oncology center on how to combat that, so I'll going to keep taking the OTC 'goods' they told me about and hope for the best!!

On to the really exciting news...My amazing baby sister is organizing a wonderful benefit in my honor. I can't believe it! She has worked so hard on this benefit and it is going to be amazing...and, I'll be there!! I was given the 'ok' by my Oncologist to travel and bought my ticket already!! Here is the info on the benefit...anyone that is able to make it, please be there...It will be wonderful to see so many happy, familiar, loving faces!!

When: Sunday, November 14th, 2010 from 1 - 4pm

Where: Park Road Bar & Grill * 9 Park Road * Painesville, Ohio 44077

Cost: $10 per person; $15 per couple; $4 for children 10 & under

What: Spaghetti Dinner and amazing Auction of some great goods!!! Including, but not limited to local restaurants, personal training sessions, a one-hour massage and great gift baskets!!!!! 

Tickets can be purchased at the door...so come and have a great day!!! 

I'm signing off for now, but PROMISE I will update my blog again SOON!! 

Love to all and thanks for checking in!!

  ~ heather :o)

A good week!!

I have made it though my first chemo week!! Phew...What a few days that was! I don't remember ever sleeping so much in life before! But it is what I need and I will get as much of it as I can! Finally, the nauseous feeling went away ~ about 3 days after my treatment...but better late than never, right??

I will be starting back to work next week too. A full month off to recuperate has been a blessing, but I am ready to get back into some sort of routine...plus (sadly) my mom is leaving this weekend. She has been with me in Arizona since I found out my diagnosis back in August. I think my dad and sister are starting to miss her and I'm afraid the puppies won't remember her! It has been an absolute blessing having her here with me...she has made my life so easy...helping to make meals, do the laundry, make my bed...the simple things. Her and my car get along famously these days and she bought him a 'kitty condo' yesterday! He loves it! We will all be sad to see her go, but I know the support system that I have in Arizona will help get me through the rough days. 

So what's to come?? Well, work next week...Chemo treatment #2 on November 1st...Erin's benefit that she is putting together in Painesville, Ohio on November 14th (more info to come on this!)...and, of course, the holidays! I'm looking forward to spending the next few moths with the best family and friends a girl could have! I am so lucky to be surrounded by such loving, caring, generous people...it is because of you guys that I know I will make a full recovery! If I haven't said it recently ~ THANK YOU for all you have done for me ~ and continue to do for me.

Have a wonderful weekend!!
Love always!!

  ~ heather :o)

Chemo #1 ~ In the books!

Yesterday, October 11th was Chemotherapy treatment #1. I'm pretty happy to say that I got out {mostly} unscathed! I had to be at Ironwood Cancer & Research Center at 10am so that I could meet with my Oncologist, the delightful Luke Halbur, before my treatment could begin. Everything checked out accordingly ~ my lab work from the week before was great and my MUGA scan (remember, the scan for my heart to make sure the Chemo doesn't cause heart damage) came back with an exceptional clean bill of health ~ Let's keep fingers, toes and eyes crossed that doesn't change...I tend to like my heart & in the condition it is now!!!! 

So off we went, to the Chemo treatment room. Although it was a slightly busy morning, there were two chairs together so that my mom could hang out with me the entire treatment. So...treatment begins...since I had the Medi-port put in last week, it is easy-peasy!!! First, they clean the chest area surrounding the Medi-port, then spray a numbing solution on the skin, then poke the port with a needle and get the IV started that way. I have about 20 minutes of 'pre-meds' to get my going...the beloved anti-nausea meds so I don't get too sick and some fluids to keep my veins open. All of that is done through the port. Then the 'good stuff' ... my two Chemo drugs. The first is what they call a push ~ it is injected by a very large needle into the IV that was started through my Medi-port. It is a pinkish-red drug, and the nurse sits next to me and injects it completely. After that, I have about an hour drip of the other medicine. Then I'm done.

Yesterday, I noticed that I felt pretty good during everything...right up to the last 5-10 minutes. All of a sudden, I got really tired and very pale. I didn't come close to passing out or throwing up, but just didn't feel right. So mom got me right home and I laid down on the couch, ate a sandwich and took a nap. 

I was in bed by 7:30 last night...just not feeling right. Mostly flu-like symptoms...achy everywhere, headache, hot / cold constantly...but luckily, I managed to fall asleep ~ and stay asleep until about 12:30am. By then, all meds seem to have worn off and I was not feeling well again. I woke my mom up and asked for another anti-nausea pill ~ then was all of a sudden hungry (good sign!), so mom and I were up at 1am heating up some home-made chicken soup with dumplings that she made for me! It was so yummy and it stayed down! {Knock on wood} I have yet to get sick from Chemo. We'll see if I can continue this trend!

I go in again today for my Neulasta shot which will help increase my White Blood Cell counts and will help my immune system recover more quickly from the Chemo...but for now, I'm off to lay down. I'm getting a little tired and my head is starting to way a small ton!!! 

Thanks for checking in and I will have more updates posted soon! 

Much love to everyone!!

   ~ heather :o)

Chemo set to begin

Well, we all knew this was coming ~ Chemotherapy. I am set to start this upcoming Monday, October 11th, 2010. I have a full 6 months of Chemo...the first round will consist of 4 treatments given once every three weeks. It will be approximately 2 hours per appointment. I will then have to go back on Tuesday so that I can have an injection to increase my White Blood Cell count. Rumor has it that I won't get sick...but will be very, very worn out and sleepy all the time. Yay...just what I need...!! But, the way I look at it is the more sleep I can get, the faster I can / will recover from this!

Today is a busy day...I have to have my MUGA scan, then I have to have pre-Chemo lab work, then I have to go pick up my anti-nausea meds from the pharmacy. This will become my new Thursday or Friday routine...lab work and the pharmacy before Chemo-Mondays. 

This past Tuesday was my Port-Placement surgery. It went well. I'm still a bit sore, but it is definitely getting better every day. Honestly, my neck is killing me! They place the tube into the jugular vain...not very natural!! 

On a side note, the weather in Arizona is finally starting to be tolerable again!! We had a HUGE storm front blow through on Tuesday...hail, wild winds, rain...it was AWESOME!! We actually opened up the windows in the condo yesterday and turned off the AC!! WOW...October 6th and we turned off the AC...!!! I told my mom that she has pretty much missed any sort of Fall Season. It has been so hot since she has been out here and when she goes back to Ohio it will already be cold and rainy and icky there!!

This weekend is the Susan G. Koman 5K in Phoenix. I am lucky enough to have a team in my honor...Walking for Heather. TONS of work people ~ from jobs present and jobs past ~ will be there. I truly am the luckiest person in the world. I can't wait to see everyone on Sunday!! Hopefully I can get some great pictures and will get some posted! 

Off to start my running around for the day! Thanks for checking in and more info to be posted soon! 

Love always, 

  ~ heather :o)