Fields of Gold

A song so beautiful in its simplicity...

Fields of Gold click on link to play...

Bescarved...

No two ways about it. Chemo sucks. To all the women and men out there who have gone through this, my hat (or scarf) is off to you.

Oh,.. and the bangs are faux. Velcro on wisps of plastic hair. Note to Jessica Simpson: I can't use your bangs because one would need some hair to clip them into. http://www.voguewigs.com/bangs-hairdo-clip-in-hair-extensions.html Can't recall where I heard about her bangs but thought it was funny at the time.

For realistic fixes for us baldies, check out http://www.tlcdirect.org/. They sell everything from hair to breasts. Who would've thunk?!

Note to self: When all of this is over I would like to go on vacation!

They painted me orange...

Yesterday's Power Port surgery went well. Thank you Sharon for driving!

The skin prep they use is a povidone-iodine something or other. It's orange-colored. They forgot to remind me post surgery that I was orange from the chest on up to my ears. Yup. Part of my face too. On the way home I got some strange looks when I walked into Starbucks.

I got home around noon and promptly fell asleep. The port-a-cath borders between very uncomfortable and "pain". Tomorrow I

begin the first of my one year of chemo. Eww. Icky icky.

The chemo is Herceptin, Carboplatin and Docetaxel (Taxotere). The common side effects are many and disgusting. 1x every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. Then it's just the Herceptin to finish out the year.

From the Daily Book of Positive Quotations:

"People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."

~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

I pray I can find a light from within...

Port-a-Cath Surgery

Me & D love this song. And Faith is exactly what I need this morning. Off to surgery #3.

Kutless: What Faith Can do

Successful Surgery(ies)...

Two days in the hospital and not one but two surgeries. Blood clot removal was the second surgery. Thank you Dr.'s Wechter and Parimi for keeping me alive!!

Mindi stayed with me overnight at the hospital- and we're still waiting for staff to bring her cot. She made it through the night on a reclining chair and we awoke around 6 a.m. I was ravenous! VM is a hospital with some darned good food. I recommend the omelette's and lattes!

Today we're home and stripping the drain tubes (yuk but it must get done). Black and blue all over. Sore but in good spirits.

Thank you to everyone who came to visit; I know I wasn't the best of company (I was sleeping most of the time). Love You All: Savannah, Mindi, Jennifer, Natasha, Deneese, Dallas, Domenic, Sharon, Eleanor, Julie, Claire, Sylviann and Caprielle who wrote me the most amazing song. You are all angels!

Off to nap...zzz...

Surgery Date!

Surgery date of Thursday, June 3rd at Virginia Mason. Four hours later my "girls" will be gone. I've joked that they're only good for two things: babies and men, and I have neither in my life, so take them- just hand me back my life. I have the most wonderful surgeon and am confident that she'll help us all get through this.


My sister Mindi is flying in from sunny Florida to help out. Love you Min! She's an experienced RN so that makes me feel better. She's so good that the family of one of her Italian patients took her to Italy with them to train the nurses there. Darned impressive. Sorry Min, all I have to offer is metallic grey sky Seattle but we could eat spaghetti, listen to Pavarotti and celebrate neighboring country Spain's famous football player Ignacio "Nacho" Novo!


Quote of the week:

"Drain tubes and no boobs and vicodin oh my."

Musical selection of the week:

Eagles: Seven Bridges Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbqBAuEphw&feature=related

Good reads this week:

"Cancer Vixen" by Marisa Acocella Marchetto
"Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book" by Susan M. Love, M.D. with Karen Lindsey

What's In A Name?

"Climb The Mountain".

Naming this blog was important to me as it relates to my attitude and approach to my recent diagnosis of cancer. Through tears, talk and questions, there comes a quite stoicism and unwavering inner strength to fight. Not for one moment do I think I cannot win!

So, what's in the name you ask? Are you climbing a mountain as a fundraiser for research funds? No. I simply equate this journey in life to a mountain climb.

In May of 1983 with a group of youthful students in the Alpine Club from a local community college, we climbed Mount Rainier (14,410 ft.). We trained all year. I ran hills in my neighborhood (the U District), hit the gym and the weights, learned about gear, equipment, practiced falling down steep snow covered hills and arresting with ice axes. The arduous training culminated in one of the most significant events in my life (most significant being the birth of my daughter! Hey Savan!). Throughout the training we were surrounded by people teaching, helping and sharing their knowledge where ultimately, on the mountain, our lives depended upon one another's.

On a glorious Sunday morning with the sun-in-a-sky-so-blue-you-thought-God-colored-it-with-a-crayon-out-of-the-box-of-64, fourteen of us reached the summit.

That will be my battle against cancer. A team is assembled as I write: oncologist, surgeons, nurses, technicians, social workers, and my blessed family and friends. Prayers are being sent up from synagogues, baptist churches, catholic churches, christian churches- anywhere the power of prayer holds the belief that in our most human of struggles, we are never alone and shall overcome. Thank you all for your help in my climb.