Surgery & Bunco

With only one more round of chemo scheduled for next Friday, I met with Dr. Habal this morning to discuss surgery options. Since the tumor has shrunk, we have decided to go ahead with a lumpectomy, for now. Once my skin heals from the radiation, I am going to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction.  If I have the double mastectomy prior to radiation, I would have to wait a year or two for my skin to heal before I could have the reconstruction and I don’t want to wait that long. Dr. Habal will also remove the lymph nodes and my port during the surgery.  Once the port is removed I will be able to stop taking blood thinners! After I recover from the surgery, I will have radiation 5 days a week for 6 weeks. If everything goes according to plan, I will be done with radiation before Christmas!!! My surgery is scheduled for October 19th, the day after Bunco for Breast Cancer.  This event is presented by Greenville Women’s League and proceeds go to Gardeners for Hope Breast Cancer Fund. The Gardeners for Hope Breast Cancer Fund distributes money to patients in eastern NC currently undergoing cancer treatment to help purchase wigs, prescriptions, health products, lymphedema treatment and supplies, or aid other financial needs of patients. When I joined GWL last year, it was to help others. In the past 5 months, this group has provided my family with a tremendous amount of love and support. I’m so lucky to be part of such an amazing group of women and to participate in such a wonderful event. If you are in Greenville and would like to attend this event please let me know, I have tickets! If you are not in Greenville, you can make a donation!

Trend Setting, a New Class, & a Visit with the Greats

Shortly after I was diagnosed, I read an article that said the head scarf was the *NEW* fashion trend for the summer. I knew the trend would never make it to Greenville but it still gave me hope that it wouldn’t just be women facing cancer that were donning scarfs!

If I’m at home I don’t wear anything on my head. Other than the boys and my parents, only handful of people have seen me bald. If we are expecting company, I usually have a scarf on. It took me awhile to be comfortable enough to wear a scarf and not my wig out in public. But, while I may be comfortable with a scarf, I think it makes others uncomfortable.  Wearing a scarf is an outward sign that I am sick and some people just don’t know what to say or do.

You don’t need to do or say anything; just treat me like you would if I had my long, brown, curly hair; like you normally would. Normal is good, I’m not constantly reminded the battle I’m fighting. If you have been where I am, it’s okay to say so, I welcome talking to other patients or survivors. If you have questions, ask me, I’m a pretty open person. Please don’t stare, give me a weak smile, or sad puppy dog eyes; that what makes me uncomfortable.

I’ve been dealt a shitty hand and so have many others that have faced cancer, it sucks! It’s an everyday struggle but in the end I’m going to be a stronger person for having fought and won this battle. And I’ll have a cute collection of scarfs for when the fashion trends does hit Greenville!

Round 5 is tomorrow morning.   I’m super excited to say I have made it the last 3 weeks without an unexpected visit to the doctor! Plus, one of my many awesome cousins is making the trip from Jersey to spend the day with me in the chemo room.

On another note, my sweet boy moved up to the next classroom at school last week. He has done so well with the transition and we are both loving Ms. Bethany’s class. Here are some pictures from his end of year party.

Last weekend we took a quick trip to VA to visit Jonathan’s grandparents and great-grandfather. We had a great time but I only managed to snag a few pictures.

Talking to Great-Great Grandad Clay

Exercising with Grandad Clay

Pirate football starts this weekend. It’s the first time in years that we didn’t get season tickets but we weren’t sure of my treatment plan or if I’d have the energy to make it to the games. So we are planning to watch the game from home. Let’s go Pirates … Aaarrrggghh!



A Week of Pintrest

As promised, here are some of the Pintrest projects that I have been working on the last couple of weeks, pictures included!!! I've managed to get 15 pins completed ... I'm halfway there but not going to meet my goal by Monday.

Funfetti Chex Mix

Aiden and I made this together and he had a blast! He brought it to school the next day to share with his friends and was so proud of himself, it was too sweet! It was so yummy and easy, I made another batch for us to keep at home.

Four Seasons Guacamole

I purchased avocados to make a different Pintrest find but ended up using them for this delicious recipe instead.

Brownie Refrigerator Cake

A couple of weekends ago, Jonathan headed to Raleigh for a guys weekend, a much needed and MUCH deserved break. Since he has such a sweet tooth, Aiden and I decided to surprise him with this cake when he got home. I changed the recipe a little bit by using chocolate cake mix instead of brownie mix and it turned out great, I may never use brownie. It's several layers of chocolate goodness so it does take some time to put together but it worth it!



My Sous Chef

Adding the ingredients





Mixing











Layer #1 - Cake



Mixing Layer #2 - Cool Whip & Cream Cheese





Layer #2

Layer #3 - Pudding

Finished!!!



Time to dig in

Salted Caramel Bars
This recipe was Jonathan's pin because he's a sucker for salty and sweet. The bars are good but hard, like break your teeth hard, probably why we still have some left. They take a while to make and set too.

Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Penne
I loved this recipe. It was quick, easy, and super flavorful.









Almost Done

Last Friday was my fourth round of chemo - I am officially 2/3 of the way through my treatment! So far, I’m feeling good, just tired and worn down. I’m taking advantage of this week to rest up since the fall semester starts on Monday. Yes, I will be teaching … just not as much as I normally do. My department chair and colleagues have been super supportive and helpful in working out a schedule that meets everyone’s needs and has minimal impact on our students.  I’m so lucky to work with such great people, especially the school health faculty!

With classes starting next week that means summer is almost over too! We have managed to squeeze some fun in this summer in between chemo treatments. Aiden took swim class at Raynez during July and absolutely loved it. He came home after the first night and said, “Mommy I know how to swim!”

He was able to show off some of his swimming skills last week in the OBX. We took a quick overnight trip to visit the Beach family while they were vacationing in Nags Head. Aiden had a blast and it was great to get away with both my boys, enjoy the beach and some good seafood!



The most exciting news of August is the arrival of our niece; Jaclyn Ann Tier was born August 1^st and is just precious!!! Congrats to Paul and Cheryl!!! I cannot wait to meet this sweet baby girl!

I’ve been keeping up with my “30 Pins of Summer”, I just haven’t posted them. Hopefully, I can get them up this week and maybe reach the 30 mark before Monday. If not, I’ll have to extend it … I have lots of Halloween/Football/Fall pins that I’m dying to do!

Thank you again for all the love, support, prayers, cards, texts, emails, meals, etc. They brighten my day, put a smile on my face, and remind me just how blessed we are! I hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

Quick Update

It seems that ever since I had the blood clot a few weeks ago I’ve been on a downward swing. First it was a bladder infection then I had a hard time with my third round of chemo. Yesterday I woke up not feeling so well along with a fever, so in to the doctor’s office I went. I got IV fluids for my dehydration but my blood work came back just fine. Dr. White put me on an antibiotic, just to be on the safe side, but was a little stumped as to what was causing all this. Even with my bladder infection she was surprised I felt as bad as I did. She is concerned that it could have something to do with the coumadin I’m taking since all of this started after I was put on that medicine. She’s said it’s not common but wants to monitor me. If I continue to get sick like this she may take me off Coumadin and put me back on the blood thinner shots or take my port out. I’ve been resting today and feel much better! I’m going to try and take it easy this week so I can rest up for my fourth round next Friday!

Pins, Pins, and More Pins

I’ve fallen a little behind in posting about my “30 Pins of Summer” Project. In fact, I’ve slacked off on the project quite a bit. I’ve managed to complete a total of 10 pins so far with 8 of them being food – no surprise there! But my biggest failure is the lack of pictures I’ve taken during the project. I’m lucky if I manage a picture of the outcome, forget the process! Here is what I managed to scrap together from Pins 5 - 10. Now that I'm feeling better, last week was a rough week, I have several projects on my list for this week!

Tissue Box Dinosaur Feet

Aiden and I did this project together at the beginning of summer; he lasted about 10 minutes into making them but still enjoys playing with them.

Blueberry Lemon Bunt Cake

No pictures of this one AND the link is no longer available ... I'm so sad, I didn't save the recipe and it was delicious!

Honey Sesame Chicken

Another one without pictures but oh so good and easy, it’s a crock-pot dish!

Breakfast Casserole

Another crock-pot dish without pictures, this dish cooks overnight, is super easy to put together, and great when you have a large crowd!

Napkin Wreath

I made this 4^th of July wreath in about 20 minutes and for about $5. The great part, I tossed the napkins after the holiday and have the wreath saved for the next time! It's perfect for all those smaller holiday that you don't have many decorations for.

Summer Vegetable Tian

Jonathan made this dish yesterday for our friends The Slates’ along with corn on the cob and a grilled skirt steak. It's a great dish for fresh summer vegetables, we got all the ingredients at the Farmer's Market yesterday morning. It was yummy, but the prep took a while so don't plan on using this recipe if you want something quick and easy.



The Halfway Point

Friday marked my third round of chemo; I’m officially halfway through my treatments! While I’m super excited to reach this mark, it’s been a rough week. On Thursday morning, I woke up weak and nauseous, with a low grade fever so I ended up at the doctor’s office for some IV fluids and nausea meds that afternoon. Turned out, I had a bladder infection. My blood worked looked good so Dr. White felt comfortable going ahead with treatment on Friday even though I was so sick the day before. My liver enzymes were a little high so she ordered more tests. There could be several reasons they are elevated but we have to wait on the results to see if it’s going to be an issue. Unlike my first two treatments, this one has really taken a toll on me. I have spent most of the weekend in bed or on the couch, with zero energy and no desire to eat. But I have two sweet boys that are taking good care of me! Hopefully, I’ll start to feel better and we can celebrate the halfway mark!

An Emotional Couple of Weeks

I know it’s been 2 weeks since I last posted. I’ve tried, several times; to write a post but honestly it’s been an emotional 2 weeks and I just couldn’t seem to get the words out.

They say beauty comes from within, but that’s hard to remember when you watch your physical appearance change right before your eyes. Since I started chemo, I’ve gained about 10 pounds. I know that’s not the end of the world but for someone who has always struggled with her weight, that’s a lot! I’ve never had a problem eating and my treatment hasn’t changed that. We have been spoiled with amazing dinners from family and friends!!! Please don’t think that I’m not thankful for the fact I’ve only had minimal side effects when it comes to appetite. I know how blessed I am that, other than a little nausea, I haven’t had a problem, most people aren’t that lucky. This just means I have to pay better attention to what and how much I’m putting in my mouth.

Right at the end of June my hair started to fall out. It started slowly but every morning I had just a little more hair in the drain, on my towel, and in my comb. I could feel pieces on the back of my arms during the day and started to notice strands on the couch and my pillow. For me, this has been the hardest part of treatment so far! After about 5 days, I couldn’t handle the emotional roller coaster that became my morning routine so my awesome hairstylist shaved my head!!! It was a rough experience; it’s a constant visual reminder that I have cancer and an outward sign to others that I’m sick. I sometimes forget that I’m bald until I catch my reflection in glass and I’m not used to the reflection I see in the mirror but I’m handling not having hair better than I handled watching it fall out. I have a really cute wig that I wear when I’m not in the house; the cut and color look a lot like my natural hair.  I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my hair but right now I’d love to have it back.

This past weekend we celebrated little man’s 3^rd birthday. We had an absolute blast with family and friends but it was a little bittersweet for me. Before starting treatment, Jonathan and I made the decision not to harvest my eggs. There were several things that played into our decision and I’m not going to get into those. There is a possibility that I may still be able to have children once chemo is finished but we aren’t holding out. We are both 100% okay with the decision and have no regrets, but as a mommy, it’s still a little sad watching my little boy grow up knowing that I won’t have another one.

My second treatment went as well as the first, Fourth of July I spent most of the day in bed but I did make out to see fireworks. I’m so glad we were able to go, Aiden loved them! I was having some pain and swelling in my arm that I didn’t have with the first treatment and when it didn’t go away I called the doctor. Turns out, I have a blood clot; it happens in less than 5% of patients. I need to give myself injections of a blood thinner twice a day for the next week and then the doctor will reassess.

While it’s been a rough couple of weeks, I’m thankful for all my family and friends that have helped me get through it. My next round of treatment is scheduled for July 20^th and I promise I’m going to try and be better about blogging. I have several new pins that I have tried and need to post!

30 Pins of Summer ~ Pins 2, 3, and 4

Since both Jonathan and I love food and cooking, it’s no surprise that a lot of my pins on Pintrest are recipes. Last weekend we managed to try 3 new recipes that we pinned. Yes, I said “we”, Jonathan loves to scroll through Pintrest just as much as I do. In fact, he pins so many things I sent him an invite for his own account, but refuses to join and continues to pin away on my boards.

Pin #2 ~ Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

This is something I pinned, that I figured was right up Johnny’s alley – he’s a sucker for a bacon cheeseburger! I put it together Friday afternoon and had it ready when he got home from work. It was super easy and he LOVED it!

Pin #3 ~ Homemade Donuts

Those of you that know us well know this pin was ALL Johnny, he sure does love him a sweet tasting breakfast! This pin was our Saturday morning breakfast and the prep was a family affair. While the recipe above got us going, we made a few modifications along the way ... we did cinnamon sugar donuts and powdered sugar donut holes plus ... Maple Bacon Donuts! This is a recipe Johnny saw on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and had to try. You dip the donut in a glaze made from powdered sugar and maple syrup then you top it with bacon crumbles. I was a little hesitant to try them but they were amazing! Not something I would eat often but definitely worth the try.

Pin #4 ~ Zucchini Boats

After our donut breakfast on Saturday, we headed to the farmers market for some fresh, local produce. One of many down sides to chemo is that raw fruits and veggies are on the "Do Not Eat List", worst time of the year to have to make sure your fresh produce is cooked! So, we set out to get us some items that we could enjoy cooked, which wasn't hard. We cooked up these zucchini boats along with fresh corn on the cob and some grilled chicken for dinner that night! It was yummy!!!

I promise that not all of my pins will be recipes, in fact Aiden and I worked on a craft project today that I hope to post this weekend and I'm hoping to start a craft project over the weekend, if I feel up to it.