More Good Than Bad

Let’s get the ‘bad’ out of the way. Hair….mostly gone, the grey ones are hanging in there. Mouth/tongue/throat sores….sorta gone. I sucked on ice cubes while receiving my second infusion this Tuesday in hopes that the vasodilation will help ward off the worst upcoming offenders.

Sense of taste…totally gone, I hope not forever, I actually like my cooking and baking and strictly eating food for nourishment requires more mental fortitude than I dreamed possible.

Now for the good.  I have an awesome wig which I wear when I need to change-up my Sinead O’Connor/Demi Moore-GI Jane look. Stacey, Kellie, Harmony and Georgia were by my side cheering me on as Hana (Hana Designs specializes in wigs for cancer patients) buzz cut me and styled my new long tresses. A cool new hat that has UV protection followed by lunch and I felt totally uplifted and supported…my heartfelt THANK YOU ladies.  I also give thanks to whomever donated, or more than likely sold their hair, so I could look in the mirror and see a somewhat familiar image looking back at me.

My broken knee sisters from around the world sent me an AWESOME hand-made silk scarf and photo book to remind me of our meet up in Chicago, October of 2015 and to let me know they walk beside me on this journey.  Thank you SSBAL sisters.

Thank you’s and hugs for the lunches, dinners, walks, concerts, phone calls, energy healing, emails and cards that have kept my spirits high and my body strong.

To Stacy and Jay Montgomery who invited Jim, Lene, Jason and I to sit at their table at the Colorado Cancer League Gala in honor of our dear Kaylene…it was an honor and a privilege to attend this amazing event. And we got to get dressed up! That automatically raises a girls spirits.

And my dear brother-in-law Vern, who will ride his bike in my honor this weekend in Portland, OR for the American Lung Association’s ‘Reach the Beach’ bike event.  Vern is living cancer free after his own battle with colon cancer. He is a tremendous inspiration and had it not been for chemo on Tuesday, we would have been there supporting and celebrating with him. A very public THANK YOU fellow warrior, friend and brother.

My next PET/CT scan is scheduled for June 2. Asking for your prayers that this new regime is working. My blood counts were good this week and tumor markers continue to decline, all good news!

We are still appealing the Kaiser decision on Afatinib. I should hear back from them in the next couple of weeks with their 2nd appeal decision. If they turn me down again, I have a better chance of getting the drug manufacturer to reopen my case.

Because lung cancer needs a light shown on it’s lack of funding, I will be walking in 3 cancer research walks this summer and would love to have you participate with me.

      *The first is the Lung Force Walk – June 10 at the Denver Botanic Gardens – Chatfield Farms.  Register at www.LUNGFORCE.ORG/WALK, our team name is ‘The Possibilities’.

      *The second will be the Cancer League of Colorado – 5K Race for Research. Sunday, August 20 at Washington Park. This will be my 5th year walking. For information or to register: www.cancerleague.org.

      *And the third will be the ‘Free to Breathe’ 5K walk. Sunday, October 1 at Washington Park. http://participate.freetobreathe.org/site/TR/FreetoBreatheSignatureEvents/General?pg=entry&fr_id=359… . We are putting together another amazing ‘The Possibilities’ team this year!

As always, I am sending my love and gratitude for your continued prayers, good thoughts and positive energy. Life is good and Love is simply the best!

xoxo