chemo

Just call me Dream Boat.

Screenshot 16:07:2014 5:06 pmLet’s begin with ‘how I am’ because my friends and relatives always check my blog for ‘medical details’ so here tis…

I’m grateful to be having a 3 week break between chemo drugs. I finished the 4 months of Paclitaxel and on July 29th I begin the AC chemo. The Paclitaxel drug has 2 pages of ‘possible side effects’ which mostly I’ve escaped unscathed. I’m  more tired than usual but my blood counts are all normal and I have no numbness or tingling in arms or legs which is common on this drug.

So goodbye to Paclitaxel and hello to AC.

The name AC comes from the initials of the drugs used:

In comparison, AC only has half a page of ‘possible side effects’ but they are more likely to bump the blood counts down. So it’s more likely to compromise my immunity and energy levels and give me nausea. I have my fingers in my ears saying ‘la la la’ to that. Praying for it to fly by effortlessly and to keep my energy and sharp wit going!

I’m still running 5km 3 times a week and trying to do ‘Body Balance’ twice weekly but I have had a very nasty stabbing pain in my upper abdomen for 4 days of this week (and a bit the previous weekend too). I’ve been off my food and not sleeping well because of it. I see my GP tomorrow about it as it’s most likely tied up with the drugs I take for my arthritis. Ho hum. Nanna naps are becoming a little common now but most of the time I don’t actually sleep. I just rest for 30 minutes or so.

10555161_10152298070909506_2005442233_nI saw the surgeon at the breast clinic today and she is booking me in to get the breast lump (if they can find it!!!!) ‘tagged’ next week. A bit annoying given that we have been asking them about it for 3 months now. The tumour can no longer be felt, so in a way I hope there is something found in the ultrasound so that when they do surgery that don’t have to guess where it was. If they find something they will ‘tag’ it so that they can remove the area during surgery. Surgey will be in October sometime.

You can read more about tumour tagging here.

Perhaps they are really microchipping me so I can’t run away from surgery. They know how fast I can run:) Anyhow… that is going to rudely interrupt my ‘Arty’ week away where I was going to eat apples and paint pictures in my pjs next week.  Luckily we can drive back for the surgery and return to Rosebud the same day and it won’t interfere too much!

Here’s a little story from todays visit to the doctors.  The MALE surgeon said to me ‘We need to pop up on the bed so we can look at your breast’. I almost got the giggles but stopped myself. WE???? Really. That would be kind of odd. So glad he didn’t pop up on the bed with me as it’s only 50cm wide.

Dream boat

Here is the truth about my sharp wit. My brain is so scarily foggy that I spend my time worrying I’ve forgotten things. I’ve always had a ridiculously good memory. This week I forgot a lunch date with a friend. ARGHH! If you have any dates with me please remind me the day before. It’s not that I don’t love you dearly, it’s just that I’m so lacking in grey matter right now. That’s why I can’t work. I don’t even remember what my job used to be let alone how to do it ha ha. Just call me Dream Boat.

Gratitude amongst the hard times

I’m grateful for many things.

  • The bonding of relationships with my husband, my family and my friends
  • My artistic gifting
  • The strengthening of my faith
  • My dog
  • Wigs
  • Eyebrow pencils
  • Bed
  • Humour
  • Bra stuffing (for the future)

Most of all I’m grateful for having the following story to share with you.

As you know, a friend named Josie died from Breast Cancer a week ago. Her husband, Kevin, popped in to pick up some artwork from me and stopped for a coffee. Kevin watched his wife struggle for 13 years with secondary breast cancer and shared with us many stories (mostly funny ones). This one really got me thinking though…

13 years ago, Kevin was seriously stressed about his job. He had both medical and emotional conditions which were stress related. He worried continually and had difficulty sleeping etc. When Josie was diagnosed with cancer the stress stopped instantly. He said that almost overnight it completely went away as he focused on what was important to him and prioritised his life. He spent the next 13 years enjoying his marriage and focussing on each other. They focussed on the things in life and what really mattered.

Imagine if we all lived our lives that way. If relationships were the most important things in life and not money. Why do we need these nasty reality checks to know what is important? Divorce rates, work related stress, estranged families and suicides would all decrease. People would take better care of their health. If we stopped prioritising the material things.

Simplistic I know, but it did get me thinking and thinking is pretty hard for me right now so that’s a miracle!

 

 

Caterpillar and worm eyebrow drawing adventure

It was a dark and gloomy morning and I was alone. The MOTH had flown off to work (the MOTH to the flame…or the firestation) and I was looking forward to a day of slobbing around the house with my arty farty self. However, the mild curry from the Indian restaurant the night before  confirmed the doctors wise words. Don’t eat spicy food. My stomach had given me grief all night with diarrhoea, nausea and severe burning pain along with a headache. Boo hiss… another chemo drawback.
I stumbled out of bed at 6am thinking some breakfast might help settle things but got distracted by the computer on the way. An hour later the power went out. I vaguely recollected the notice in the mail to say it would be off all day. In fact, it was off for 10 hours! So now it was cold, dark, gloomy and breakfast was not an option and neither was coffee since there was no milk in the fridge. No art for me in the dark house either as I couldn’t see! Waves of nausea and stomach pain were making me want to curl up in bed.
My pity party didn’t last long. I decided to go out and get a coffee and breakfast down at Croydon but glancing first in the mirror I was confronted by a scary sight. Erm. White face, bald head. No eyebrows or eye lashes, dark rings under the eyes and a kind if squirmish look on my face.  Oh… and blood shot eyes. So I went to work remedying it in the darkness of my ensuite mirror.

Self portrait

Self portrait

The day before I had forgotten to draw my eyebrows on twice. Once to go running and out to breakfast and once to go watch my son do a flying trapeze stunt.  Who leaves home without their eyebrows? So I did my best to draw them in the darkness and put on my other makeup and left home. At the traffic light I glanced in the mirror and discovered a horrible sight. One eyebrow was fat like a caterpillar with a surprised arch. The other one was pale and thin like a sick worm. My eyeliner was looping like it belonged on one of my art pieces. The rest was just as odd and disturbing.
I’m doing my best. Two nights previous, my daughter tried using eyebrow stencils (purchased on ebay) which resulted in much hysterics. Groucho Marx looked good in comparison.
Eyebrows. Who needs em?

Farewell to a fellow breast cancer sufferer

Josie passed away peacefully with her loving family surrounding her on Saturday. It was such a joy to know her and to watch her family fill her life with love and support.

My role in the flexible learning team at Swinburne gave me the opportunity to meet most staff across the Tafe at all campuses and Josies interest in elearning meant I got to know her quite well.  She was also one of my students in the Diploma of VET which I taught.

I wish her family all the best in the future and for this difficult week coming up. After 13 years of loving and supporting her through her battle I can’t imagine how they must feel.

Last week her husband asked me to draw a unicorn with her name on it. Knowing that she was in palliative care I went straight to work on it. I got it finished the night before she died but of course she didn’t get to see it (in the flesh). I created a little tag around his neck with her name on it.

Josie

Josie

Some of the art I’ve produced in the past 4 months have a huge emotional connection for me and this is one of them.

Those of us from Swinburne who have breast cancer right now can take the baton for Josie and run with it. Now go!

Progress photos of the unicorn drawing can be seen on my Facebook art page

Goodbye grumpy pants

Grumpy pants from the last post has left the building. Today is ‘feel good Thursday’ so I’m writing this before the chemo kicks in again tomorrow he he. Then you won’t have to listen to the whinging again.

Chemo, coffee and carousel horses

Chemo, coffee and carousel horses

I spent the last chemo session having a chat to my beautiful sister. She got to share my world with the lovely nurses and other BC patients in the ward and time sure went quickly having her to chat to.

Hooray! I still have normal blood!! My white blood cells were 5.2 and red 5 but my sister and I were both a bit vague about the exact number. The nurse said they were all within normal ranges though so that is a good thing after almost 4 months of having it attacked by the DRUG. Thanks so much for all your prayers… it’s working… of course!

I suspect I had a bug last week and that is why I felt so ghastly. Next week I will be half way through the chemo and will begin the ‘big bad AC drug’ in 2 weeks. From my calculations I have my last chemo ON MY BIRTHDAY. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not but what a way to celebrate! The surgery will be 2 or 3 weeks afterwards and then 6 weeks of radiotherapy. I suspect there will be a gap after surgery to heal the wound before radiotherapy so I think we will be up to Feb/March before finish time. Now I can start counting the days down to chemo finishes.

On a more sobering note…

It’s all very well for me to be upbeat and enthusiastic after 4 months of treatment but it’s very sobering when you discover your work colleague from Swinburne (one of 12 with BC) is now in palliative care. Josie has had breast cancer for 13 years now and that is a long time for her to keep that spring in her step and gorgeous twinkle in her eye. She is such a sweety and has blessed all who know her. Big hugs to her and her family xxxooo

 

 

 

My head says ‘who cares’?

10412182_10152212273964506_649321099_oI totally understand why people stare at unusual things. Our brains just wants to make sense of things that aren’t the ‘norm’. I manage to go under the radar and blend with the crowd in my wig and my creative eyebrow drawings but I find going to gym is sometimes quite uncomfortable. I usually wear a baseball cap and a little makeup to take the shock away. At any given session I am stared at by 30+ people for that 3 seconds longer than politeness allows. Even my friends stare until the flicker of recognition kicks in. I always respond with a big smile. So far NOBODY (apart from friends) has smiled back. I go to gym 3+ times a week so that’s pretty bad. It’s not the staring that bothers me it’s that NOBODY responds when I smile at them.  I know I look like an alien but aliens can be friendly too.

If I said I was going to shave my head to raise funds for cancer I imagine they would all be cheering and giving me a hearty pat on the back.

Perhaps I need to get over my bad self. Let me just say… if you see someone who looks ‘different’, give them a smile regardless. It may well make their day.

images-1

 

Chemo news

If I had the choice I would not choose Tuesdays to have chemo. It takes 3-4 days for the side effects to kick in which means I am feeling yuk by the weekend. Monday to Friday I feel pretty great. Then the weekend I am tired and ‘weird’ feeling. It doesn’t stop me running 5k on the athletics track and socialising my little heart out but I have to force myself and take naps. This weekend I had ‘flu like symptoms’ that are common with Paclitaxol. Aching joints and tiredness.

Apparently it’s ‘have a whinge day’ at the Wood Hood. Ha ha

Two more sessions of Paclitaxel to go and then 4 cycles of AC. I’m almost half way through the chemo woo hoo!!

 

 

 

Kick butt news

10457180_804091166281343_499142815765436925_nYesterday I had the first treatment of cycle four of Paclitaxel (chemo). On the day of the first chemo appointment I always see the doctor for a measure up and to check how I’m going with side effects etc. The doctor named me ‘Super woman’ because of my exercise routine and then armed herself with the measuring tape to measure the tumour. She soon discovered that she couldn’t find it to measure! It’s shrunk from an egg to ‘too small to find’ within 3 months. That’s something to be happy about yes?

I still have 5 months of chemo, then surgery and then radiotherapy but it’s certainly a promising outcome. Being on a clinical trial, the order of process won’t change. Even though the tumour can’t be felt, it will take a scan or biopsy to tell if it’s still there and the cells in the blood stream need to be killed too.  I will finish in March with flying colours at this rate!

Thanks to everyone for your continued prayer and support it’s really appreciated and helps boost my spirits and health to a higher level.

I’m back to having the weird taste in my mouth, a little tired but otherwise good. PLUS I’ve sold 10 art works this week so far so the excitement is just too much!

Frida Kahlo eat your heart out

Gee I thought losing my hair would be bad but it hasn’t worried me as much as I thought. However, now that my eyebrows and eyelashes are disappearing I frighten myself in the mirror each morning. I’m not sure if I have a fear of aliens or if it’s the ‘classic chemo patient’ look that shocks me.

Screenshot 20:06:2014 6:58 pmTo top it off I can’t seem to do anything to fix it. You would think that being an artist I would be able to draw my own eyebrows on but according to my beauty consultant (daughter) I’m hopeless. Somedays one eyebrow looks surprised and the other one looks angry. Other days I look like Frida Kahlo’s doppelganger.  Maybe I’ll start wearing a balaclava or a disguise from the $2 shop.

 A week off chemo

I had last week off chemo so the MOTH and I went to the Peninsula for the week. We had a lovely time together and also a lovely time apart. Unlike most married couples we actually spend a lot of time together so time apart gives us something to talk about over the BBQ dinner. I completed multiple art works while the MOTH managed 45 million holes of golf. The golf course was attached to the timeshare resort so that was handy… and free!

As well as that, we had my two sons and their wife/girlfriend for one day, Sophie for another and 4 of my lovely friends came down for a day and we went shopping, ate lunch and then soaked in the hot springs. The other days were spent in wineries, cheese factories, restaurants and running (with Screenshot 20:06:2014 7:04 pmthe MOTH) from Safety Beach to the Dromana pier and back along the beach (twice).

At least producing all this artwork has given me an income now that I’m not working and it’s soooo relaxing! Most times I sell the work before it’s finished thanks to Facebook and Instagram. If it doesn’t sell it doesn’t matter diddly squat. I just love creating it. I have 2 exhibitions coming up so there’s art everywhere at the Wood Hood!

The fault in our stars

I know some of you will be surprised but I read ‘The fault in our stars’ while I was away and when I was half way through it I went to see the movie with the MOTH at Rosebud. I recommend that you read the book if you haven’t, regardless of whether you have seen the movie. It adds more layers to the story and fills gaps that the movie leaves.

I am always a sook at that type of movie (so is the MOTH… shhhhh), but I had a strange desire to watch it. The focus is on a condition which was known to be terminal and the patient was only 17 years old, so I didn’t identify with many of her feelings.  Aside from the many thought provoking aspects of the book/movie it attempts to remove the stereotype attached to chronic illness and Hazel struggles not to be brutally honest about her feelings to those around her. The need to protect others from her harsh reality is something I identified with.

Anyhow, I won’t say we didn’t shed a tear but I cried much worse when I watched ‘My sisters keeper’, ‘Beaches’ and a few others. Perhaps the fear of cancer is worse when you haven’t experienced it? OR maybe I’ve just turned to ice and nothing moves me. Ice Queen?

Back to the turban factory

My running gear for Winter in Dromana!

My Eskimo running gear for Winter in Dromana!

 

I’m back this week for my fourth cycle of chemo having had a couple of days with less energy last week. I wondered if my blood counts had (finally) dropped but I seem to be fine again this week so I’m roaring to go back to the turban factory for more drugs… erm… not.

My running distance has dropped off a bit because I’m getting breathless. This is to be expected as I push through the cycles but the nurse thinks it’s to do with the cold air in my lungs. I’ll go back to the treadmill this week and see if being in warm air helps. Running 4k along the beach in the winter was pretty brisk! Brrrr.

No other symptoms other than eyebrows dropping like autumn leaves, wonky sinuses and looking like an alien. I’m good… but then I explained what ‘good’ meant in a previous post:)

 

The hairy nose enterprise

Hooray I’ve finished cycle 3 of the Paclitaxel chemo. One more cycle (4 weeks) to go and I switch to the AC chemo for another 4 rounds. Everyone tells me that will knock me around more but I have my fingers in my ears. La la la.
So far no nausea and other than two tooth fillings (one root canal) done without anaesthetic, I’ve been feeling pretty good. I have the odd Nanna nap, although now that I have a new bed I’m getting a much better night sleep. Boo to the latex one!

Food tastes weird for a couple of nights after chemo. Everything I eat on chemo night puts me off it forever. I will never face Taco Bill or Parmas again.

I’ve got the chemo routine down pat now. Each week I manage to get the canula put in my left arm so that I can draw pictures. The veins in my right one are much better and the nurses look at them longingly. I’m pushing my luck as far as I can.  Here’s a picture of my routine. It’s enough to make you jealous isn’t it? You can’t see my Kindle but that’s my standby when I’m not chatting to the lovely people in the turban factory.

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I’m off to spend a week in a timeshare resort with the MOTH, given that I have next week ‘off’ chemo. It’s right next to a golf course so I can’t imagine what he will do with his time. As well as that, we are planning a trip OS next year and that is giving me a good goal to head towards. The MOTH and I plan to do an unguided trip to Europe (again) and meet up with a group of our good friends in Tuscany, Italy for a week. It’s such an exciting thought I can’t wait.

Being the creative soul that I am, I’ve made an invention. Having no nose hairs in my nostrils means that they run without warning at 1000kph. As well as this, I have no filter for bugs or pollens which I have always been sensitive to. So I’ve invented a nostril wig for chemo patients. I might cut up one of my wigs and create little mini ones. Do you think it will take off?

I pinched this illustration from my children's book... 'Maggie Magee and the giant sneeze'

I pinched this illustration from my children’s book… ‘Maggie Magee and the giant sneeze’

On a final note… One of Colin’s work crew wrapped up a “Ferrari’ (in Christmas wrapping paper) for me because he said Colin would never buy me one. If you read my first couple of blog posts, written when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer that will make sense. Actually it’s a yellow Lamborghini but who’s complaining?

MS fun walk/run

Some of our ‘Are we there yet?’ team did the MS fun walk/run on Sunday to support our dear friend who has had MS for 21 years. She is such a trouper. She walked the 5km’s, taking regular rests like a good woman and made it around the whole course. I’m so proud of her!

Cheif running MOTH

10440853_10152212061764506_6969246208604146620_nThe MOTH decided to be my jogging partner (with a little prompting) because Sophie couldn’t. Given that he hasn’t run 5k since the MFB recruits in 1904BC he was a little dubious. His crew at work told him that they would have the MICA unit ready for him.

In typical fashion, he ran the 5k without even getting puffed out or looking at all exerted. He still had his jacket on to keep him warm. I was conscious of keeping up with him the whole way even though I’ve been training my butt off! Grrr. To top it off he went through the finish line one second faster.

The only consolation is that he is walking like a 99 year old man today and has lost the spring in his step. I do appreciate him coming with me and it was just as well he did!

 I found my boundaries

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First aid in the background just in case

My oncologist agreed that I should keep up the running while I’m having chemo but not to run until I can’t get my breath. Oops. It wasn’t the MOTH needing resuscitation it was me! I got to the 4k mark and felt very weary so I began to walk but after 5 steps I got dizzy so started running again. For some reason I wasn’t dizzy when I was running. I had run 5k on the treadmill twice during the week so it wasn’t a big challenge.

I got over the finish line and suddenly couldn’t breath so had to take a trip in the wheelchair to First Aid. That kind of took the elation of going through the finish line away. Boo!

By the time the medics got to me I was breathing fine but giddy so they did blood sugar, oxygen tests and blood pressure. I think they were excited to use all their equipment ha ha. My oxygen levels were down but they came up again when I took deep breaths. It’s amazing how that works. I have no idea why that happened but I guess I’ll chat to them at chemo tomorrow or ask one of my running friends for advise.

The best part of the First Aid tent was that Rosie and I managed to do a strip tease behind a blanket and change out of our wet tshirts.

Thanks to Tony for driving us all in. We had a lovely warm coffee and a free tour of the city afterwards. I can’t wait for the next one! Next time I’ll take it a little more easy.

 

Good thanks!

10347187_10152183012219506_1541027296625629266_nWhen people ask me how I am I say ‘good thanks’. That’s the standard Aussie response but what I mean by ‘good’ is… ‘all things considered… I’m good’. If I wasn’t on chemo and was asked the same question maybe I’d say ‘not so good’. I don’t usually launch into details because there are people around me suffering far more from various illnesses. Besides, I am feeling good emotionally and that’s a significant thing. In 2 months time I change chemo drugs to ‘AC’ and this could reduce my blood count dramatically. I will have 12 weeks of it, so I’m preparing my body to be fit and healthy by eating right and exercising regularly! At present, my blood count is still normal and the tumour has shrunk to the size and width of a long grain of rice so thank God for that!

Here is my pity party list for those who want to know what ‘good’ means…

  • I can’t sleep due to insomnia and night sweats which are every 30 minutes. This is due to ‘THE PAUSE’ not the chemo, now that I’m off HRT. 3 months ago I slept like a log. Here I am now, writing this blog post at 4am. Boo!

 

  • My brain is really struggling with ‘chemo fog’ as well as ‘THE PAUSE’ causing brain malfunction. It exhausts me to make every day decisions. Cooking tea is a major drain on the grey matter. I’m so glad I’ve made my life uncomplicated! Being self employed means no sick leave and my job requires lots of brain power because eLearning projects have strict deadlines and can be very complex. The threat of litigation looms over my head if projects are not completed to an agreed standard. So work is out of the question. Boo!

 

  • My sinuses are picking up allergies and causing problems due to the thinning of the skin (everywhere) and the hairless nostrils. Bleeding and congestion issues have been mostly resolved by putting vitamin E inside the nostrils each night. I know that’s TMI but some of my readers have cancer and details can be helpful!

 

  • Although I have no nausea, my food tastes weird. I have to ask people if my cooking is funky because it sure tastes that way.

So overall, that’s not too bad is it? As I say… I’m good!

 Balancing acts

10377159_789271297763330_542149322412441886_nLife is fairly self indulgent right now. I have ‘rest time’ blocked in most days so that I don’t over do it. I am not putting my hand up for things which I know will create stress. What? Not doing 1000 things at once? No study, art, work and play? Usually that’s what I thrive on. SometimesI feel listless without the challenge factor, but mostly I’m happy in my little foggy world. I’m so glad I have my art and it’s been selling quite well so that helps pay for materials. My social calendar keeps me pretty busy and I don’t have to use my brain too much for that:)

I’m managing to keep myself healthy and to maintain my fitness level. On Sunday I’m off to run the MS 5k fun run with my dear friend who has had MS for 21 years.

I’m not being a hero, I am a fighter by nature. I am also contrary, independent and stubborn, which is the flip side of being a fighter. The MOTH will verify this without thinking about it for more than 3.5 seconds.  I know that all cancer patients deal with their illness differently, there are 100s of different chemotherapy drugs which have various side effects and also different types of cancer and different types of breast cancer as well. I would hate to think people felt inadequate or compared themselves to my story. My story is my own and I recognize that we all tick differently and our bodys respond differently. My first response to anything is to fight. Not necessarily the right response!

To begin with, I was already physically fit (for a 53yo female) and ate a healthy diet. I don’t drink alcohol very often and I don’t smoke. I also boosted myself up with supplements prior to beginning chemo. So my starting point was high therefore I’ve managed to maintain good health up to now. If my starting point was low, no doubt I would be struggling a bit more than I am. I’ve found it important to know my limits and listen to my body!

Loving my 3 sisters

The sisters

Last weekend I escaped to Sorrento with my 3 sisters for our first time away together ever. It was an amazing weekend and I loved having time to just chat, laugh, soak in the hot springs, eat and shop with them.   Getting there was a challenge. Firstly one sister had an abscess which resulted in surgery to have a molar removed the day before we went away. With a mouth full of stitches and in pain, she soldiered on!  One of my other sisters had a chest cold but wasn’t infectious. As well as that, I broke a molar off on the Wednesday and had it filled the day after, which is a bit of a big deal when you’re on chemo. Hooray for them and the tough genes! It was a miracle we made it but it was definitely worth it.

Embracing the bald

Day 1 of my bald badness

Day 1 of my bald badness

I’m taking a photo a day of  my lovely bald head in different hats, wigs and so forth, of which I seem to have in abundance. Many of them are costumes I’ve scavenged from around the house. I might make a fast paced movie at some stage. Why? Because I want people to know that losing your ‘vices’ isn’t so bad. Hair loss is a fear a lot of women have and I was not looking forward it at all but it can be quite liberating or even amusing. Sometimes it can be just plain weird.

Day 2 embracing the bald

Mothers day classic fun run
Our fundraising

Our fundraising

Last Sunday was my first ever fun run and although I never understood why it was named ‘fun’ I discovered a euphoria and sense of achievement foreign to me.  Although I did the 100k ‘around the bay in a day’ cycling event once before, running has more of a sense of ‘togetherness’.

Our team page raised $2,450, and to add to that, individuals in the team raised over $1000 combined so that’s a huge effort. Thanks so much to those who donated. Without your donations I would not be on this clinical trail right now.

The doctor told me not to run until I am breathless, but it’s ok to run until I can’t talk. Well as if that would ever happen!!! I can always talk. I managed to run the whole 4k apart from the big hill on Anderson St (which I power walked) and I stopped for 2 drinks. My timing was 28.21 which I did without becoming breathless so I was very happy with that. An average of 7.1k per hour. Not my best but certainly not something to  complain about!

Before the run
After the run with family
Being interviewed for stardom

The Wood Hood team

The day began at 5.15 am (after going to bed at 11.45 pm the night before). Rosie, Sophie, Jess and I were driven to the city by the MOTH. The traffic was very quiet which was unexpected. We had agreed to jump out of the car close to St Kilda rd but on approaching Swanston St, the MOTH was deep into a long story. I interrupted him and asked if this is where we should jump out. ‘Yes’, he said ‘jump out here at the lights’. We were all taken by surprised and jumped out of the car and watched him sail into the distance. Ooh. It was cold and none of us had a jumper or jacket (apart from Rosie). Having been told not to get cold by my dr this was a vague worry for me. We were an HOUR early so we wandered around pretending to be warm and wondering how on Earth we would find the MOTH afterwards, given that we hadn’t arranged a meeting place and he doesn’t own a phone!!

So while we were waiting, an enterprising  journalist noticed my fantastic hair do (or lack of it) and asked if she could interview Sophie and I. We prattled on for 5 minutes, talking about how the money raised from the run contributes to cancer research. Given that I am on a clinical trail, this kind of treatment wouldn’t be available to me without the funding and this is why the race is so important.

I’m still not sure what the video was for but if anyone ever finds it please let me know. I want to get myself ready for the red carpet.

Sophie ran with me for the whole race. I can’t explain how lovely that felt. We both clocked in EXACTLY the same time to the second and it was such an emotional feeling running through the finish line with her by my side.

Most of the team caught up with us afterwards, including 2 of my lovely sisters and other family members. Some of the team ran or walked in other races. I’m so grateful to everyone who raised funds and contributed to the day.

I ate sugar and carbs all weekend to celebrate. My bad? After 3 months without it I was out of control.

Like a MOTH to the flame

So here is the question you’ve all been waiting for. Did we find the MOTH  (Man Of The House)?

Just like all moths, he is attracted to the flame. He is so worried that I will say ‘if you had a mobile phone this wouldn’t have happened’.

He spent time at the finish line. He watched Rosie, Janet, Jess my sisters etc all run past. He got a tear in his eye watching old women and pregnant mothers run past. BUT… he missed Sophie and I all together. How? We were running so fast we were just a flash, I explained.

He did manage to find us though which is always the way, lucky for him.

Chemo news

Chemo art

Chemo art

I’ve finished cycle 2 and they have stopped giving me cortisone altogether now as I have no nausea or allergic reactions. Woo hoo! I actually feel quite human today after having a sleep riddled with ‘night sweats’ but not the ‘wide awake’ night that I normally get from cortisone. I ran 3.5k on the treadmill to celebrate.

Now I have a one week break and then start my final 6 cycles (each cycle is a block of 4 weeks).

The good news is that the tumour appears to have vanished and at the next appointment in 2 weeks time they will discover that for themselves.

A happy dance is happening here:)