Next On the Agenda...

Hello...I'm back. Well, after that last blog I had to take a breath and have a long talk with God. I am happy to say that not only are we still on speaking terms (me and God), but that our relationship is stronger than ever. The author Anne Lamott says that there are really only two prayers -"Help me, help me, help me," and "thank you , thank you, thank you." I have been praying both of those prayers non-stop for some time now. I do feel the presence of God and I am comforted. Earlier in the diagnosis I actually felt the presence of my grandmother and that was comforting as well.

Today was a red letter day for me - I got my last drain out!! Many of you have seen me catch a piece of clothing on a door jamb or on the back of a chair, etc. Well imagine how nerve-wracking it was for me to know that I was always just a hair away from catching that tubing on something. Just thinking about it now makes me cringe. So I went to Dr. Simmons office (she was not there...I am assuming that she was home enjoying her new baby boy) and her nurse Cindy did the honors.

I did spend a beautiful day down the shore after all that, and when I got home I started in with the next round...I am scheduled for a mugascan at Frankford Torresdale on Monday the 22nd to make sure that my heart can handle the chemo - hope there are no surprises there...I know they have to inject dye and I have to be able to put my hands over my head so I am already starting to hydrate and brush my hair incessantly in order to strengthen my arm... On Tuesday, the 23rd, I have an appointment with my oncologist, Julia Kennedy, to discuss what chemo will look like for the next 5-6 months. Then on Friday, the 26th, I will go into Frankford Bucks and have a port put in. On Saturday, Susan is riding her bike 75 miles - city to shore for MS, and on Sunday I'm planning to go to a wedding. Then on Wednesday, Oct 1st, I'll have a PET Scan and then I can relax until chemo begins (which will probably be 20 minutes after I get out of the PET Scan...) So, I don't know about the rest of you but my calendar is full. Even so, Mauri, if it is at all possible I would love to be your poster child drummer at the Susan G. Komen Race on Oct. 5th. I can't call myself a breast cancer survivor yet but I think that is just a technicality...(power of positive thinking).

I'll be back next week, if not sooner, to tell you about all my adventures. Until then - Thank you, thank you, thank you...