My absolute favorite new documentary of the year is “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” - a film by Joe Cross about juicing. It WILL motivate you! Click HERE for the trailer. I plan to do a 10-day juice fast before the end of Feb 2012.

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In October 2011 I celebrated my ONE YEAR of remission by hosting a PAR-TAY at my house, which for me was a big deal because technically I hadn’t thrown a party at my house since long before the diagnosis actually occurred! Here’s some pics with some of the friends that helped me celebrate…

(L-R: Melissa, Me, Mandy and Pam)

Ryan and Tempa

Dean, Scott, Lisa and Pam

Lynsi

Whew! So I would like to look at the “year in review” from the “since remission” perspective, as opposed to Jan 1, 2011.

Without further adieu, I am proud to say that since my final treatment on October 15, 2010, I have explored glorious, mystical (and desperately want to go back) Italy!; hiked the red sand-stone “spiritual” trails of Sedona, AZ; cruised down into the south rim of the Grand Canyon; hung out on the Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon in UT; snowshoe’d in the Indian Peaks Wilderness of Colorado; ate succulent stone crab claws in Delray Beach, Florida; explored castles, medieval churches and vineyards in France (Paris & Bordeaux), stood on the stage of the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville; got in my camping fix in places like Salida, Woodland Park, Golden Gate Canyon and backpacking in the Lost Creek Wilderness, and spent weekends hiking in Vail, Steamboat Springs, Rocky Mountain National Park….to name a few.

You could say that I’ve made up for lost time in the travel / Colorado crush department!

(Brainard Lake)

(Rainbow Lakes trail on Cottonwood Pass)

(Backpacking in the Lost Creek Wilderness)

(Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park)

(Snowshoeing in the Indian Peaks Wilderness:)

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I’ve also continued to be on the Social Coordinator for the YES Young Empowered Survivors organization and have met some amazing, awe-inspiring women along the way. It’s been a great thrill to be a part of this group of women who have come together to help support one another. It’s also added meaning to my life to know that I’ve helped others along the way when they are facing cancer for the 1st time and are understandably overwhelmed and terrified.

Here are the blogs of some of the amazing young women in Denver I have met in this group:

Melissa Childs: Her Blog

Laura Ayson: Her Blog

Erin O’Flaherty: Her Blog

Jax Arcaris Her Blog (PLEASE send Jax your healing energy. She is currently fighting a very aggressive Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer which has metastasized into her liver and bones. Jax just turned 40).

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My buddy Kelly from MD Anderson (whom was also going through radiation treatment at the time) married the man whom was by her side during most of her struggle with breast cancer. She too is now in remission. So it was a super-special occasion. I went down to Silsbee, TX in May to support her:

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Rocking out at the People’s Fair near the capitol in downtown Denver June 5, 2011 – just a few days after returning from France:

(L-R: Scooter, Zack, Greg)

(L-R: Christine, Dean, Scott, Pam, John, Krystal, and Silvi)

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This year I lost my dear Phoebe of 18 YEARS. R.I.P. September 14, 2011. My “Baby” who has been with me through everything. It was very heartbreaking. She died in my arms.

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Until next time, I leave you with this message…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Updates: per PET CT, MRI, xray and bone scans in March 2011, I’m still cancer free! Wooo! I may have another surgery within the next 6 months or so, but for now I’m having fun. After a year and a half of dealing with breast cancer, I’m taking a nice, long welcome break. I had made a choice to take a year off from it all (1-yr anniversary of no treatments or surgeries is official in Oct 2011!). The choice is up to me on what I do next.

I also started a new job! I had been laid off from Level 3 in December 2010 – just two months after I got back from Houston. Four months after the lay-off I landed a job in April 2011 as a Sr. Business Analyst in the Denver Tech Center (DTC), doing what I do best. I’ve been there four months and everything is going good.

In May 2011 I went to France! My friend April invited me and I couldn’t resist. Our plan was to spend a day in Paris, then fly to Bordeaux for a few days (seeing Arcachon, St. Emilion and the Dordogne region), and the back in Paris for a few more days and meet up with Lisa at some point. Needless to say I have Europe out of my system for now. *grin*

On May 21st – off I went!

Standing in front of Notre Dame in Paris:

Me, April and Lisa (also friend from Denver) at a cafe in Paris:

A castle in the Dordonge region near Bordeaux:

St. Emilion, in the heart of the wine region of Bordeaux:

Vineyards near St. Emilion:

St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Bordeaux. It was so monstrous that it couldn’t all fit into one picture:

In front of a fountain in Bordeaux:

Pastries and cathedrals in Bordeaux:

April in a Bordeaux street:

More of Bordeaux (I loved Bordeaux!):

Back in Paris… peas!

Paris and the Sine river from the Eiffel Tower:

The Lourve:

Inside the Lourve. They say that if you looked at every piece of art in the Lourve for one minute each, it would take you nine months to complete:

April in front of Arch De Triomphe:

Being a fan of The Doors, I paid to Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris. Turns out someone stole the statue of his head.

Locks of love along the Sine river:

Having seen Italy and France within 6 months apart, I wasted no time venturing out into the world and being thankful for HEALTH and newfound freedom (and of course friends, family and love). On my last day in France I’m proudly wearing my “Italia” shirt.

Europe rocks. Cheers!

For more photos, you can go here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2049289707394.121431.1099012279&l=dd20165996&type=1

PS: Since May 2011 I have been enjoying a LOT of the Colorado summer hiking and camping and backpacking opportunities. I’m sucking it all in. I can’t get enough! More pics to come.

Imagine that you have been diagnosed with cancer. You go through treatment and you make it out with a clean slate. Take that imagination and multiply it by three. Three times. By the time you are 38-years-old you have been diagnosed with some form of cancer twice in your lifetime (2 primaries and 1 recurrence) and have been treated for cancer three times. But does it matter? Two or three? Does it matter?

Here’s the truth: You take this information, you take this experience, you take what has made you stronger and you process it. It is absorbed. It is acknowledged. You appreciate it for what it is, are thankful to be alive, and are gracious for the friends and family that have supported you along the way. Had it not been for the “inconvenience”, there’s amazing people you may not have met and friends you may not have made along your journey…

(Dec 2010. With Macy in Justin in Rome, Italy. A cool, awesome Seattle couple whom I met at the Rome hostel. They were extremely gracious with showing me the metro system as we checked out the Tivoli Fountain and The Spanish Steps along the way. They were too cool to leave soon!

You aim to make lemonade out of lemons with this experience and absolutely hope to do the right thing by learning as much as you can. You try to become a better person because of it; ignoring all prospects becoming victimized or wounded. You remain who you are, but are a “better” you because have a new pair of shades on along with a new pair of walking shoes. You have more to offer the world and you have more to take in.

Dec 2010. Bryce Canyon National Park in UT. The gift of a splendid sunset with magnificent views of Bryce Canyon:

For those who have dealt with this hand, you may already know that cancer does not own you. It does not, nor has ever, defined WHO YOU ARE. You refuse to be victimized by it. Rather, you choose to Survive it. You become a Navigator. You take charge. You overcome it.

And most importantly – you recognize an opportunity to seize the freedom of what a non-cancer life brings: The freedom to not be tied down to the doldrums of therapy, treatments and a weakened body. You recognize the freedom of being surrounded by loved one’s – to be able to share a cup of tea with your sister, or share a laugh with your mother. You recognize that there is a whole world out there to be explored.

And I don’t mean figuratively. I mean literally.

Rome, Italy enjoying a glass of wine along one of the many quaint outdoor restaurants. (Dec 2010)

My unexpected lay-off from Level 3 Communications in December 2010 bought me some time to explore further.

Krystal, Jen and I (the friends I accompanied from Denver) mesmerized by one of the greatest works in Roman architecture and THE house of the Gladiator fights – The Colosseum:

Within walking distance from the Colosseum was The Forum – the center of Roman public life for centuries. This was the site of elections, venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches:

The food was insanely delicious. All diets aside. It was completely baffling to know that the “Italian food” we have in America doesn’t come close to the real thing. I’ve been spoofed! Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of “Eat, Pray, Love” was right to spend 4 months in Rome just to enjoy the food. Hello!

Stuffed ravioli with fresh peas and smoked bacon:

Pasta with truffles:

They weren’t kidding about their Gellato:

Here we are enjoying Gellato and espresso – a solid staple of Italy:

Hello cutie!

Here we are at The Vatican on Christmas Eve – home of all Pope’s:

Ahh, Rome:

After four days we then caught a train to Florence. It is the home of Michelangelo’s David, the gothic The Duomo (started in year 1296 and completed 200 years later), and of the Uffizi – one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world.

In front of the Duomo:

Florence from the Overlook:

A nice drive to Montepulciano, Tuscany doesn’t hurt…

Back in the States in January 2011…

Hiking in Sedona, AZ in the Wilson Canyon

Rich and I exploring the Grand Canyon:

Checking out the art in Santa Fe…

Cliche warning: You only live ONCE. Would you allow life to pass you by if you knew the opportunity was there to extract more of out of what was already available to you? The World is your oyster. It’s there and it’s not that hard to reach. You just have to believe that anything is possible and with the right planning and strategizing, it can be pulled off without a hitch. Go for it! The night is young!

Bon Voyage!

- Elana

I admire her because she took this opportunity to stop, take a look around her, and seek alternative methods without hesitation. Her #1 mission was to safe her life. In her “Crazy, Sexy, Cancer” documentary, she traveled the USA to find a natural cure and simultaneously film her journey – which ended up debuting at SXSW and the TLC channel, and her accompaniying book of the same title has now leaped her into the National Best Seller category and landed her a seat on Oprah (to name a few hot seats). Her story, donned as “Crazy Sexy Cancer” has now empowered countless hundreds, if not thousands to follow in her footsteps and learn by her example.

It’s her message that has inspired me to change the books I read and way I think about food and what I consume – whether that be with items I clean my house with, how I drink my water or foods I put into my body on a daily basis. Whatever the case may be, I have learned to admire the freedom to THINK.

As shocking as this may be for some, I believe that the Western methods to “cure” cancer with chemotherapy and radiation are NOT the end-all, be-all. As much as I respect my doctors and the treatments I agreed to receive, I refuse to be a submissive sufferer. Rather, I believe it is our noble and American right (if not, human right) to be active participants in our health-care.

Here’s my new “Coca-Cola”. A green smoothie consisting of cucumber, kale, ice cubes, spinach, coconut water, wheat grass and sprouts. Out with the old, in with the new!

Regardless of the known expertise of our health-care providers, we must still seek multiple opinions. We must question. We must ponder alternatives. We have to believe that the earth has provided us with the means to heal ourselves. After all, it’s the earth that (in some cases) has caused our cancer. Does the earth not provide us with natural healing methods?

This topic for me could easily span 24.9 feet long. So for now I will spare you the details. All I can say is that I am not perfect. Neither are you. But I will say that I am “doing the best I can” and will hope that I continue to grow and hone in on this new-found knowledge and to share my discoveries with those whom are interested, along the way.

If you have read my past blog postings, you will know of the books that have inspired me and how I have been driven to try new things. Books such as Kris’s book, as well as “The pH Miracle” and “Anti-Cancer”.

Here’s my unorganized, yet newly green fridge:

Trying to incorporate a new diet at the age of 38 isn’t an easy task. But I find it fascinating and enjoying to learn new things and try new recipies and, well… learn to cook? If it weren’t for my cancer situation, I may not have been motivated to really try this. So in this case I see cancer as a blessing. It has forced me to look at things differently and consider my options and seek alternatives. If FOOD has helped others cure themselves of cancer, it can happen for me and for you too!

Here is an Elana original. This is my “Tofu Happy Meal”. Enjoy!

“Tofu Happy Meal”

1/2 pkg firm, organic tofu (drained, chopped)
1 half chopped broccoli head
1 half chopped cauliflower head
2 chopped carrots
1/2 bunch asparagus heads
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS crushed garlic
1/2 TBS Thai green curry paste
1/2 TBS spicy brown mustard
1/2 TSP coriander
1/2 TSP cumin
Eyeball of Liquid Bragg’s Aminos
Eyeball grinder of garlic sea salt

In a medium-large sauce pan, begin with stir-frying the tofu with the olive oil until light brown. Then add the chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and asparagus. Mix the seasonings in a bowl (garlic, mustard, curry paste, coriander, cumin, sea salt and liquid Aminos). Then stir in the seasonings into the food mixture. Blend well. Once you reach a place of “Ok, that looks good”, remove food from the heat.

Serve!

It’s been almost a year and 5 months since my battle with breast cancer began. In this year and 5 months I’ve been through chemo twice and I just completed radiation therapy at MD Anderson in Texas (which required living in Houston for 2 months). Although I’m convinced that my life will continue to be impacted by my breast cancer journey (lingering medical bills, lifestyle changes, etc…), I’m happy to say that my treatments for breast cancer are finally OVER!!

Both my Dr’s at MD Anderson and in Colorado are convinced that I am cancer free. So much so that they don’t feel it’s necessary to run me through a PET CT. Reason being is that PET CT’s are not used as a “follow-up” tool. Rather, they are used if the Dr’s have a strong suspicion that cancer may exist. I will have follow ups every 3 months and blood work. But as my instincts have worked for me in the past, I will continue to listen to my body and work diligently to change my lifestyle. Now that I have completed the recommended traditional therapies (“2010 style”), the rest of this journey is now up to ME.

While at MD Anderson, I took advantage of their free Place of Wellness programs – geared toward the mind, body and spirit.

Taking advantage of these free programs, I attended meditation, yoga and nutrition classes. One in particular stands out to me the most. That being “Everything you wanted to know about Tea”.

I learned such things as “Matcha” green tea is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and anti-oxidant content. Some studies have indicated that EGCG, a major component of green tea, inhibits VEGF production (growth of blood vessels that feed tumors). Pu-erh tea is the MOST alkalizing and aids with the removal of toxins and reducing inflammation (both toxins and inflammation have an association to cancer). I also learned that Roobios tea has double the anti-oxidants of green tea and helps reduce inflammation.

For more benefits of tea in regards to cancer: HERE.

Thus, I am on a new kick with organic, loose-leaf teas and am drinking 3-5 cups a day. Here’s a recent green tea sampler purchase I made from a Boulder-based company called The Tea Spot. I’ve turned into a tea snob! Drink up peeps!

As stated in previous posts, the reason I choose to receive radiation treatment at MD Anderson as opposed to here in Colorado is because of the top-of-the-line, high-end technology tools that they use – to which they claim do not exist in Colorado. However, while in Houston I learned that this treatment will cost 3 grand out-of-pocket deductable as MD Anderson is deemed an “out of network” – so that’ll be a joy to pay off. However, I won’t let this keep me from enjoying life. YOLO: You Only Live Once!

The top-of-the-line treatment I received was electron-based and they had the ability to control “where” the radiation was directed. Here’s a photo of my breast on a scan. You can see here where the skin tissue is highlighted. This is the treated area. The rest (my implant, ribs, heart, lungs) are not impacted.

Radiation is not the same as chemotherapy. It’s laser-specific and localized whereas chemo affects the whole body. My physical experience with radiation has been fatigue and a really bad sun burn. I am instructed to moisturize this skin like crazy for the rest of my life and stay out of the sun as much as possible (or wear serious sunscreen). The recommended lotion by them is Aquaphor. I use this stuff called
“Jean’s Creme” and raw aloe vera.

Here I am on my very last day of treatement (10.15.10), ringing the designated “completion bell”. For whom the bell tolls…

My treatment team (L-R: Travis, Sue, and Melissa)…funny faces were my idea:

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Prior to the final days of my residency in Houston, I had some incredible experiences and met some incredible people – namely Kelly Whitted.

Kelly and I met in the waiting room and were both receiving daily radiation treatment. Close in age, she also had a double mastectomy with recurrence after the double. Needless to say we had a lot in common. Recognizing our “click” personality-wise and that we were both there alone, we tore up the town and became hellions.

As you can see here we’re causing quite a ruckus in this Tex-Mex restaurant:

Wig swapping, naturally…

Nothing compares to you…

Through our adventures we grew close and continue to stay in touch. She’s dealing with some unique challenges right now with her healing and will soon be recovering from a hysterectomy (recommended in her case), so please keep Kelly in your prayers and pray for her accelerated healing.

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While there I also attended the Cancer Survivorship Conference at the Omni Hotel. It was there that I first heard all the rave about this book “Anti-Cancer”. Published in 2009, it was written by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, whom was once diagnosed with brain cancer but is now free and clear. He’s traveled the globe and has researched cancer studies from around the world (not just American studies!)

This book contains a summary of all of Dr. David Servan-Schrieber’s extensive research and focuses on the lifestyle, mind-body-spirt and diet changes that have been proven advantageous to help prevent cancer and prevent recurrance – as the traditional American Standard Diet has wreaked havoc on us since the Industrial Revolution. Example: Ever woner why more Americans are showing up with cancer as opposed to China – a country triple the size? Out of all the sources I’ve read (so far I’m just half way through), this book ROCKS!! I highly recommend this book to ANYONE!

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While staying in Houston, my dear, long-time friend from Dallas, Donna Sue came down to visit and took me to Galveston for the weekend. It was a great girls weekend and a true treat for the both of us – as we hadn’t seen each other since December 2008. Thanks for a great weekend Donna!

My seestor Kim also came down for a weekend and took me to Bassnectar – as super bad-ass electronica show. Elana DANCED!! A crazy, good time…

Bassnectar:

One of the coolest things I saw in Houston was NASA. Me, Chris Daniels and his girlfriend spent the afternoon there and saw some of the most amazing things. For instance, can you find Elana near the rocket launcher? Where’s Waldo?

Afterwards someone went to Galveston and found themselves playing guitar on the beach. Hmmm…..

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Just before I left my Mom came down for a weekend and we went to Rockport, Texas – the town where my grandfather (her father) spend his retirement years as a fisherman. It was a sentimental journey for the both of us. It had been 15 years since I’d been there and over 20 for mom.

Here I am standing in front of Bea’s Bait shop – THE shop where my grandfather went for his daily bait. As children my sister and I used to play outside of this shop and watch the scary, yet bountiful jeffly fish in the nearby waters.

Here’s Mom and I eating at “Charlotte Plummer’s” – Papa’s favorite restaraunt.

Here’s Mom stading in front of Fulton Mansion

Me playing with seaguls on Port Aransas beach – one of my childhood favorite things to do.

My last open mic in Houston at this place called The Last Concert. Had to get a quick fix in there…

Three days later it was time to head back…

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Here’s my Father and I in the Marfa courthouse tower overlooking the town.

He’s the caretaker of quite the car collection. Guess who in a Nash Healey:

Here’s a cool photo of J. Edgar Hoover speaking to my grandfather (the two making eye contact). William Rogers was in the FBI back in the day.

After spending a few days with my Dad I ventured north towards New Mexico. There I landed at Carlsbad Caverns – the largest underound accessible cave in Noth America! This was my 1st visit. Spectacular.

Heading further north I paid a visit to my distant cousins in Roswell.

Can’t go without your alien-head street lights!

I then crashed in Santa Fe, NM and spent a few hours the following day exploring the Plaza with its surrounding art galleries and silver / tourquoise shops. Needless to say I’m in LOVE with Santa Fe! It would be my 2nd time there and certainly not my last. It’s one of the few cities I’ve been to that carries an energy comprised of spiritual “groundedness”, healing, and an overall sense of solid well-being. I can’t wait to return. Future home perhaps?

Ahhhh. The art. Love, love, LOVE!

There’s my car parked in front of the St. Francis Cathedral. Note the Adobe-style architecture of the buildings. This is a zoning law of all properties in Santa Fe. I think it’s pretty cool myself.

Along the Stan Fe market…

Do I really have to leave this handsome statue? Really??

*sigh*

And then finally… HOME!!!

Thank you for reading. My future posts will be focused on the experience of what it’s like to try to change one’s lifestyle and eating habits after 37 years; and the challenges and inevitable entertainment that may come with that.

8-]
Stay tuned!

Before I venture off into the Lone Star State experience, here’s the cancer survivor group photo from the July 28th “Meet-n-Greet” event I organized for the Young Empowered Survivors (YES). I’m the new Social Coordinator for the organization and our first outing was at the Wynkoop in downtown Denver. More events to come!

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So I’m now in Houston and have been here 3 weeks – since 8/24/10. The radiation treatments at MD Anderson started on Aug 31st. I am now 13 treatments in. I have 20 more to go = 33 total treatments. I go daily M-F and have my weekends “off”. My final treatment will be on Friday, Oct 15th. I’ll then drive back via Marfa, Texas to see my father for the weekend, then continue north through Santa Fe, NM. I’ll land back in Denver on Oct 20th. =)

On my drive down here my long-time friend Tony was generous to offer to fly in from Dallas to Denver to help me drive down to Texas. What a nice gift! The night before we left we made sure to meet up with our spirited friend Lance, who once lived in Dallas but then also relocated to Denver like I did 8 years ago. So the three of us go back more than 11 years. Crazy!

On Aug 23rd Tony, along with my two kitties (Toby & Phoebe) and I packed up my car and headed south. On the way we frolicked amongst the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I’m glad I was able to show Tony that because I felt guilty that we didn’t have the luxury of time to have more mountain fun.

When you’re gone for 2 months, here’s what your truck could look like:

Phoebe, curious about what the hey is going on:

Once in Dallas I stopped by my mom’s house in Duncanville (suburb) to visit with her and her long-time boyfriend Jerry:

Jerry hasn’t aged a bit! (wink)

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Once in Houston, the original “fingers crossed” plan I had with the Church Apartment Ministries didn’t work out. They didn’t call me about an apartment available until the DAY I moved there. Seriously? By then it was too late. When you do a move like this you have to have something ready for you in advance. Thus, I had already found a place and paid my deposit.

Although it’s more money, the digs are super-nice and are absolutely PERFECT for what I need. It’s a fully-furnished 1-bedroom apartment, great amenities, fully stocked, a built in computer station for my office and just 5 minutes away from the hospital. Muy perfecto!

My work station as I’m still working full-time:

Toby and Phoebe are happy as clams:

~*~Insert drum roll here…~*~ Here’s WHY I’m here = electron-based radiation therapy. This is the monster I see every day M-F. No nightmares so far:

For Labor Day weekend I returned to Dallas (my home town of 29 years), While there I saw a bunch of old friends, including childhood friends Carla and Holly. I’ve known Carla since the 5th grade and Holly since high school. This day we enjoyed Lake Whitney!

Mom and I also went to go see our Aunt Louise – my grandfather’s sister. She’s 93 and the last living out of 10 children. She’s an inspiration to me:

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Speaking of inspirations, while in Houston I’ve met a true Colorado musical legend: Chris Daniels. His musical career spans 30 years, has reached international heights, and his band “Chris Daniels and the Kings“ have won such awards as the Best Rock Band (1985), Best Blues Band (1990), and Best Jazz Band (2002) in the Westword. He’s been living in Houston almost full-time for 8 months, receiving various treatments and therapies for Leukemia from MD Anderson. He’s currently recovering from a stem cell transplant received from his loving sister.

On the 1st night we met he taught me some new chords. I’m looking forward to incorporating them into some songs. His girlfriend Jennifer took this photo:

I returned the favor by taking him to the ocean. Note: It was his FIRST time to go since he’s been here. He really enjoyed the opportunity to walk around and breathe in the ocean air.

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While here I may as well experiement with some cooking. Here are two Indian dishes for starters: Curried cauliflower with green peas and tomatoes, and a pot of coconut milk with green curried chicken & veggies. So far I’m a fan!:

Taking walks in Hermann Park is refreshing and convenient. It’s literally just across the street from where I live! The Natural Science museum entertains me with its supply of IMAX movies. I should have the brain of Einstien by the time I leave. There’s also plenty of open mics around town to choose from, which I’ve performed at. One of my fav’s so far: an old Victorian home converted into a bar, surrounded by front and back yards of tropical foliage and antique furniture: Avant Garden.

And of course there’s always the wig fun. Making sure I’ve still got my mojo. Hehe.

Stay tuned for more mojo moments!

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UPDATE: It comes with great sadness to announce the passing of one of Denver’s most adored musicians. He passed from complications of a rare form of cancer: Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor (IMT) disease. R.I.P D. Scott Morris. Please stay tuned for details about services and benefit.
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This was my final chemo treatment. In one year I have received 10 chemo treatments. Since August 2009, that puts me at 9 months of chemo with a 3-month break (during the time I didn’t know it was coming back). It was bitter-sweet, teary eyed moment. My friend Krystal accompanied me:

Dr. Paul. He’s not always a midget:

Sarah, one of my nurses. It was cool because we were close to the same age:

However, this does not mean that I’m now off of the oral chemo – Xeloda. You know, my BFF that causes the awesome hand / foot syndrome. I’ll have to stay on this a few more months until I finish radiation. This is also why it’s hard for me to play gigs this summer.

OUCH:

Warning: this is not pretty. I am showing you this solely for educational reasons. I am not asking for your sympathy. The hand / foot syndrome also causes extreme peeling of the skin – no matter how much moisturizer you use. This occurs after the pain goes away. It is completely and utterly bizarre. For me it means holding off on pedicures or wearing those cute sandals I bought last summer. Good times:

My side effects from this last treatment were the absolute worst. I haven’t been completely honest (or telling to the “world”) of every single thing I experience. But I will say that for the first time out of the 10 treatments, I found myself vomiting. Whereas in the past it would be a week of nausea. This lasted off and on all last week. In addition, my dehydration was so bad that I had to go into Rose Med 3 times last week for fluids. This is despite how much water I drank. Overall I received about 3.5 liters of saline. Is this behind me now? ABSOLUTELY. I am fully recovered and am thankful I may never have to experience that again. Good thing I stopped at four, huh?

I am not always happy:

Here’s how I typically look after a chemo treatment:

This also changes my plans for Houston. There’s a certain time frame you must begin radiation following the completion of chemo. So instead of arriving October 1st and enjoying the month of Colorado’s beautiful Sept like I had originally planned – I now have to be there August 24th. I will be there for 7 weeks (47 days) from Aug 24 – Oct 9th and receive 6 weeks of daily radiation to my left breast (minus weekends). This is crazy. It only gives me one month to plan and prepare and find a place to “live” for 7 weeks. It’s been very stressful.

I have applied at the Church Apartment Ministries for an apartment for $39 or less a day. No religious affiliation to their church required. However I am on a waiting list and there’s no guarantee. Thus, there’s a chance I’ll be paying in the ballpark of $55 a day – which is actually the low-end you’ll find with extended stay hotels or furnished apartments. Let’s say that the church apartment thing doesn’t work out. I’m looking at spending around $2,700 total for a place to stay. Insurance does not cover lodging.

On July 30th I finally get my arm port removed!!!! That thing has wreaked havoc on me. The incision never fully healed, it created skin rashes due to my allergy to tape on my skin (certain Band-Aids) and it caused a clot. Duuuude! I will have to stay on blood thinners for 6 months. I didn’t have a port last time so thankfully I was spared. It’ll be a good day when I get this dorky thing out of me. Sorry guys, I’m NOT a fan!! It’s the damn truth. Hey, just being honest.

Here’s yet another non-awesome photo. No sympathy please. This is an example of the havoc. It took a while for the bruising to go away:

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So guys… I provided some telling photos here. But I want to reiterate that I’m NOT asking for sympathy. Or maybe I’m just one of those peeps that finds it hard to receive sympathy. Either way, this is merely to tell my story, educate, and, for me… to be completely honest about what this journey is really like.

Let’s just say, although the facilities were nice, the staff was compassionate and total professionals and they took care of me, I’m happy to not have to sit in one of these nice chairs or see this room again! Yay for me!!

Now onto Houston. A new adventure awaits…

Elana