Merry CHRISTmas!

I did not manage to get Christmas cards out this year. I am ashamed...there are many others that are much busier than I am that pulled it together. :-/ I have the cards. I have the photos. I just never got them coupled up, signed, sealed or delivered.

Please accept this as our warmest holiday wishes and prayers for good health, happiness and joy to all of you and your family! God bless each of you!

xoxo

Please tell me.....!

We received some boxes from someone. But we don't know who. Kinda reminiscent of years past, especially Christmas 2008. I wish I knew who sent these gifts.

Okay, I have to respect that whoever sent this wants to remain anonymous. Unless I missed a tag somewhere...? I called the UPS Store it was shipped from (Little Rock) but got nowhere.

I have this stongly intense, primal need to write a thank you note...to express my gratitude...to acknowledge the generosity of the person who sent these gifts for my children.

Whoever you are, if you are reading, please accept my most heartfelt thanks for the gifts you sent Oscar and Angelica!

Look for a video next week of the kids in action with their secret Santa gifts.

xoxo

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Love this version of one of my favorites. Jewel sings like an angel.




xoxo

San Antoinio Breast Cancer Symposium

Every year there is a conference in San Antonio (http://www.sabcs.org/) that is dedicated solely to breast cancer. The best oncology minds in the world gather for 5 days. It wrapped up yesterday. I am always facinated to read about the incredible advancements being made.


MOST exciting for me is the report on the trial I was in!!!!! Long read so I will summarize: I had some of the best medicine available!!! My Herceptin and Taxol were adjuvent but still a wonderful regime!!


Drug Combo Tames HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
BY MELISSA WEBER

Treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer turned a corner more than a decade ago with the approval of Herceptin (trastuzumab). More recently, another successful drug called Tykerb (lapatinib) hit the market. The question then became whether Herceptin, Tykerb or a combination of the two would be most effective in stifling the aggressive disease. Two studies presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium offer some clues.
Print this Article

HER2-Targeted Drugs Excel Before Surgery
In the first study, nicknamed NeoALTTO, a combination of Tykerb, Herceptin and the chemotherapy drug Taxol (paclitaxel) outdid either targeted agent alone. Among 455 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, giving the three-drug combo before surgery—known as neoadjuvant therapy—resulted in half of patients seeing cancer cells disappear completely in the breast at the time of surgery. The same pathological complete response was seen in only 30 percent of women receiving Herceptin alone, and 25 percent for Tykerb alone. Serious side effects were more common in the Tykerb-alone arm and included diarrhea, liver function problems, low white blood cell counts and rash. Although heart damage has been associated with HER2-targeted drugs, no patients experienced toxic effects to the heart at the time of surgery, researchers reported.
Similarly, investigators in the GeparQuinto study wanted to know which of the HER2-targeted drugs was more effective when given before surgery. In a head-to-head comparison, 620 women with HER2-positive disease received chemotherapy (epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by Taxotere [docetaxel]) plus either Herceptin or Tykerb. Like the NeoALTTO results, Herceptin edged out Tykerb when added to chemotherapy. No cancer cells were detected in the breast or lymph nodes at the time of surgery in 31 percent of patients on Herceptin compared with 22 percent receiving Tykerb. Serious cases of diarrhea and low white blood cell counts were seen in the Tykerb arm of the study.
Investigators of both studies will follow patients to see whether the absence of cancer cells at the time of surgery results in longer survival.
The HER2-targeted drug combo also works in combating advanced breast cancer. Last year in San Antonio, researchers reported that combining Herceptin and Tykerb helped women with heavily pretreated metastatic disease live approximately 4.5 months longer than Tykerb alone.
Excessive amounts of the HER2 protein cause cancer cells to grow more rapidly—a scenario associated with 20 to 25 percent of all breast cancers. Herceptin, approved for both early-stage and advanced cancers, targets the HER2 protein on the outside of cancer cells. Tykerb, currently approved only for advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, enters the cancer cell and blocks HER2—as well as growth signals from another protein called HER1—from inside the cell. Combining the two drugs could essentially knock out the cancer cell with a double blow.
While the studies were very encouraging, they’re not ready for use outside a clinical trial, said Eric Winer, MD, chief of the division of women’s cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “We’ve been misled too often with early results. And while on the one hand we want to bring the best treatments to people as soon as possible, on the other hand, we have to have some greater assurance that they’re really having a meaningful effect.”

So fast...thank God

When I wrote about Elizabeth Edwards this morning she was still here...now she is gone. What a blessing. Not that she is gone but that it happened so fast. If you have ever watched someone you love die of cancer, you understand. And I seriously doubt that there is anyone reading who hasn't had the wretched experience.

It is a horrible death but she was such a powerful, beautiful woman that she managed to even handle the process of her death with dignity. I love this quote from her:

"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful."

Amen.

xoxo

Elizabeth Edwards

The news of Elizabeth Edwards imminent death has kicked me in the gut. Every time someone loses their battle with cancer it is devastating. For me, the loses to breast cancer just plain scare me…obviously.

Elizabeth has been my beacon. I have always marveled at how much she has endured and her grace through it all. Losing a child, the public betrayal by her husband, and so much more.

I remember thinking about her when I was diagnosed in 2008...and specifically thinking that she will be fine and so will I.

Dear God, please give her peace.

xoxo

So much to tell...

I am sorry to have been away so long. My life has been very busy, as I am sure yours have also. We had a very special visitor from Guatemala. A member of Oscar’s foster family was here with us. Her visit was incredible. We will forever cherish the memories we made while she was here. I have oodles of photos to post and will do that soon. Jandy, thank you for being with us. We love you!

xoxo

AFV

We love America's Funniest Videos. It seems like a safe, family-friendly show. Not too much trouble to get into by letting the kids watch it and giggle uncontrollably...right...?

Last night the kids were up in my bed watching. I was 20 feet away getting ready for bed (okay....busted.....we go to bed REALLY early around here). I hear Oscar shout out a groan slash laugh after one of the scenes. Here is the exchange I hear next:

Oscar: Ohhhhhhh....dude...aughhhh!
Angelica: What happened Oscar?
Oscar: He got hit in the crouch (yes, he said crouch...as in "to hunker down"...lol)
Angelica: Oh no....his weenis!!!
Oscar: Yes, Angelica, his privates...his weeeenis!

Time for Anatomy 101. LOL!

xoxo

GREAT news....the recession is over...

At least it appears that way by the amount of candy people were giving out last night. The kids went trick or treating in our neighborhood only and, oh my gosh, they were loaded down with candy. It was a boondoggle! When we were kids no one gave out full size candy bars. My kids buckets are full of them!

We had a great time that started with Halloween parties on Friday in the kid's classes. Angelica was a princess (shocking!) and Oscar was a Star Wars trooper (doubly shocking!!). Then on the actual Halloween day we had block party down the street with all the neighbors. From there the kids went out begging for candy. It was a blast!

Hope you had a happy Halloween too!



A certain angel was not very happy here.... :-/

Oscar is checking out the competition.

xoxo

Oscar's 8th birthday

Oscar is 8. How the h.e.double hockey sticks did that happen? My precious little man is growing up way too fast. Here is a golden oldie!






I am a little slow in posting pictures. It was a delightful night with Molly, Megan, Marty and the boys. Here is a self timer of all of us. I love our family so much.



You can see the delight in Oscar's face when he opened the gift from our Guatemalan family, the Vela's. We love that family so much too! :-)



As a fun surprise for Oscar, I strung yarn all throughout the house. He had to follow the yarn and every once in a while there would be a little surprise for him. It was fun for the kids but a little challenging for me! Ha. I got tangled more than once.






I made Oscar's cake. It was a Star Wars theme. I made the frosting from scratch. Thanks, Megan, for the recipe. I crumbled oreos for the dirt. It turned out hideous. He loved it. :-)



xoxo

My 2nd Cancerversary

Every person I speak with has a different opinion on what constitutes the date that survival statistics begin. For example, if you talk to a surgeon, they say the date of surgery is when the clock starts. Some say it is the date of diagnosis, since we are survivors starting the day we find out we have cancer. And still others say the anniversary date is the day that you stop chemo or treatments.

It is estimated that 207,090 women will be diagnosed with and nearly 40,000 women will die of cancer of the breast in 2010. Statistics are very important. Specifically, the 2 year mark and then again the 5 year mark have the greatest drop in recurrance risk. Of course, it would help to know what day that mark is. LOL

October 1, 2008 was the day I was diagnosed. So, regardless of when the clock starts, Friday was an important day in my little world. I spent it with the neighborhood girls and my sister playing Bunco and drinking jello shots. Seriously. It was so much fun!!

xoxo

Detroit...

Interesting 3 part series on Detroit. I tend to feel a fierce defensiveness about my birthplace. It is a mess, but it feels optimistic. And there is no place else that I want to be.

Big news

Angelica came home from kindergarten and told me she got married. I will let you know where she is registered.



xoxo

I did it!!!

I am great at doing laundry. But I suck at folding it and putting it away...lol. Just now I actually finished every last speck of laundry in this house. All of it. And, are you ready for this...are you sitting down? I folded it all and put it all away. I even matched socks and put, oh, probably 40 tucked little bundles in the right drawers!

Only one problem. None of us will know where to get our clothes for school/work tomorrow since the laundry room and laundry baskets are all empty. :-)

xoxo

Giving up hope and replacing it with a deadline...

I LOVE this cause!

http://www.stopbreastcancer.org/2020/about-this-deadline.html

By the way, Dr. Dennis Slamon (go to the Experts tab) is considered the "Founder" of Herceptin. Herceptin is a life saver, truly, for those of us diagnosed with HER2+ cancer.

Thank you, Jesus

I am not sure why it has been so long since my last post. Because I continually think of things I want to tell you all. But, unless there is a pad of paper and a pen close by, the ideas slip right through my brain like grains of sand in an hourglass. (wheeeeeeeeeeeeeew-weee, that was poetic!)

Life is good. I mean, really good. Angelica has a cold, Oscar should be getting it soon, work is awesome although I haven't closed my most recent deals yet (but I am so close), Autumn is almost here (so excited!!), my house and neighborhood continues to delight me with many new friends. In a nutshell, LIFE IS GOOD and deliciously normal.

More soon with photos of Oscar's 8th birthday party. He was so happy to have his Aunts and cousins and Uncle Marty here. Although he wished it could have been his "whole family", to quote him. He loves his aunts, uncles and cousins! I am sure someday he will appreciate his sister too. :-)

In the meantime, here is one of my favorite videos from the archives. We got a wonderful message from our Guatemala family, the Vela's, that reminded me of this sweet video of Oscar asking "'Low, abibobidehr?" or, translated, "Hello, is anybody there?"



xoxo

Couple thoughts this TGIF...

First, I would like to warn you all to never buy the 1 pound bag of new pretzel M&Ms. They are dangerously addictive.

I had to travel to Indianapolis this week for my job...very nice town. On the way I saw this billboard and loved it! Wanted to share. It said:

Recession 101: Self Worth beats Net Worth

My sister Suzanne will be here today...last minute trip. We are so excited although she is coming for a funeral so that is sad.

And, finally, one last little bit of news...........



I GOT MY PORT OUT THIS WEEK. Almost 23 months after having it put in. Wow...wow...wow. What a good feeling! (Well, it will be a good feeling once it stops hurting) :-)

xoxo

Pinkness

Here is the montage I put together to thank all those who made donations. You are all my supporters so I wanted to share with you too.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

3-Day video - part 3

Megan did such a good job getting this video. There were thousands of people....thousands...and it was unbelievably loud and chaotic. So, try to hear the words. And try to take me seriously in my outfit.

3-day video - part 2

3-day videos

Here is my 3-day posting part 1....the intro video. By the way, have I told you about the team we
merged with??? Merry, Katy, Lisa & Rhea...the most AWESOME girls ever. Merry has agreed to be my blog spell checker. You can all thank her. More about them soon.

I walked...60 miles...in 3 days

I walked to honor my mom, whose life was cut so tragically short by breast cancer.

I walked to heal the wounds her death left. For the life moments she deserved to be a part of. And that we deserved to have her be a part of.

I walked for the friends I have lost to breast cancer.

I walked for my friends who lost loved ones to breast cancer.

I walked for my friends who carried my when I could not walk.

I walked for you, my army of supporters, that still care enough about me to check in on this blog.

And, finally, I walked for my sisters…my sisters, who took the news of my diagnosis with such strength that it took my breath away…and still does. My sisters, who were at my side through my battle. My sisters, who are still by my side. My sisters, who are my heros.


xoxo

p.s. Check back soon for photos and funnies.

Did I tell you guys?

I am so excited.....so excited!! I was selected as a flag bearer for the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Ceremonies! I will be carrying the "Courage" flag for the opening and closing ceremonies. All thanks to my incredible sister, Megan! I am so honored.

Getting ready to walk 60 miles...

Tomorrow starts the Susan G. Koman 3-day walk. Oh my.....

More soon!

Feeling so full!

I had the most WONDERFUL birthday...! Check out the cake Megan made me. It was a work of art and scrumptious!

What a year. This time last year, finishing radiation and detoxing my body, seems like a lifetime ago. My life is so full of love and health and fun and blessings. I am grateful!




xoxo

Tribute to Leah on ESPN

Wooooooooooooooooooo-we! Stinky!

I always loved this photo, titled "Daddy, come look at the cute kittens"!

Tonight it just makes me shudder. Scruffy got sprayed by a skunk. Wish me luck.

xoxo

Summer fun...

...in no particular order!







Click to enlarge (above). Does that work to make it bigger? Anyway, this was hilarious! We thought thumbs up meant "we are doing great"...but oh no....!



(Disclaimer: In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to confess that none of these are my feet. These lovely tootsies belong to the girls we went up north with)

Feet owners above!

Oscar and I were trying to take a picture of ourselves. A little too much zoom...!

The world's largest Slip'N'Slide at my neighbors...oh my gosh, so much fun. The kids shoot off the end into the creek.

We went to a horse ranch that was a big part of my life when I was younger (in my 20's...like just a couple years ago). When we woke and opened the RV blinds, look who greeted us!

I scored the world's greatest nanny this summer. She is lovely and my kids adore her...and so do I. She does crafts with them. I thought this was so clever.

I LOVE this picture...

More photos to come of our time in Ludington with our dear friends and also of our camping trip that included a lightening strike...! (Just to keep you riveted in suspense!)

I hope your summer is going great also!

xoxo

Leah

I have so much to tell you all. Every day things happen that I want to come here to tell you about. All good stuff...camping stories, adventures up north, chronicles of our incredible summer. Sorry I have been absent.

But I post this morning, as I weep, for one of my friends in Dallas. Leah is in the final days of her battle with breast cancer. My heart is shattered. Please say a prayer for her 3 precious, very young children and husband. I hope God carries her home soon and that her suffering is almost over. She fought her battle bravely.

I had to come here and write. It is where I have come for the past almost 2 years when things were tough and the place I came to cry this morning.



xoxo

Hot dogs with some brilliant pre-schoolers

My kids are in Vacation Bible School this week. Today there was a hot dog lunch for the moms (and dads) and kids. Megan & I went since her kids are attending as well. We sat at a table with some of Angelica's classmates. The smartest of all the little girls asked Megan if she was Angelica's grandma.

I am still giggling...

Fruit of our labor...

This post could also be titled "Boring!". lol A bunch of pictures of flowers. And it also does not include any shots of our fruit because they are not quite ripe yet. So there will be more pictures soon. That is if I can sit down and post. We have been very busy fishing and playing and swimming and enjoying summer in Michigan. Man, there is NOTHING like it! I love love love it here!

And I am just loving my gardens. They are exploding with blooms and butterflies.

I hope you are enjoying your summer too.

xoxo

Thank you

This year, more than any year I can remember, I was so moved by Memorial Day. I am embarrassed to say that, more years than not, it has just meant a 3 day weekend with grilling out and picnics. But the Memorial Day holiday is meant to honor America's fallen heroes and be thankful to them for their efforts and their profound patriotism.

I have a hard time leaving my children and dogs for an overnight trip. These men and women leave their homes and familys for months and years. How can I ever adequately thank them?

Megan and I went to outdoor mass at a gorgeous cemetary near our houses. They had fields of flags, each in honor of a Michigan soldier that had died in Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

There were too many flags.

Poor Oddie...

I got so tickled listening to Angelica tell Oddie that it was time for his "bab - BOOOO -shka". This dog has the patience of Job!





Now, tell me he doesn't look like a little Russian grandmother?


xoxo

Couple more...

I love my family...
The only thing that would have been better is if Suzanne & MB were there too.


Megan didn't want her photo taken anymore... :-)

Thanks for letting me share!

xoxo

Volume up...but not too loud if you are at work

This is a sample of the pure joy I experience being with sisters, kids and dogs. There are no kids in the video because they were all in the swampy area looking for frogs. The dogs made brief appearances between getting all muddy too.

Ahhhhhhhhh...bliss!

Ms. Moons Goes to Washington

I was in Washington D.C. part of this past week....and oh what an incredible experience it was! I have been so excited to write this post. I could not wait to tell you guys about it!!

I was a "consumer reviewer" at the Department of Defense US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command’s Congressionally Directed Breast Cancer Research Program panel (mouthful!).....to be referred to from now on as DoD BCRP . LOL I was nominated by and proud to represent my HER2 Support group. The Department of Defense paid for my airfare, hotel and meals.

The DoD BCRP has something like $150 million in congressional funds to be specifically applied to breast cancer research. So a panel of scientists and consumers (me and others) reviewed proposals with a goal of allocating funding to support high-risk, high-gain research.

So, what did I do...what did we do...? We would read and evaluate research study proposals, discuss them and then vote on them. My vote counted equally with the scientists!

I was so HONORED to be a part of it. There were just a couple consumers reviewers besides me...and LOTS of scientists. It was like alphabet soup of degrees in the room: PhD, MD, MPH, etc. The critical mass of brain power was incredible!! So many great minds in one place! There were molecular scientists, breast surgeons, surgical oncologist, epidemiologists, biomedical engineers...and a dozen others I have never heard of before. But they were all SO nice and so cool...and most were really fun. There were even a couple cuties so that was enjoyable! :-)

By the way, EVERYONE knew Dr. O'Shaughnessy (my Dallas oncologist).....and hold her in the highest regard. She is famous...in a good way!

As we were reviewing the research proposals, I found it interesting that it wasn't all just "out-of-this-world-can't-get-my-little-brain-around-it" science but also proposals relating to the effects of nutrition and exercise, which I thought was great. I was especially interested in the evidence-based alternative breast cancer therapies. Some even pertained to Native American use of medicinal herbs to treat breast cancer.

We reviewed 48 proposals. There were 49 but 1 got triaged (eliminated before review). In the beginning it took around 40 minutes to complete each review, discussion and vote. Then we picked up the pace. Regardless, we worked hard...really hard...morning 'til night!

Amongst all the talk of T cells, epidemiology, polymorphisms, nanoparticles, immunology and epigenetic something or others, I did get the chuckles a couple times. One of the scientists had a very strong accent and kept saying "toomah"....tooooo ma. Reminded me of Arnold in Kindergarten Cop. LOL

Watch and then hit your back button: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaTO8_KNcuo&feature=related

I also had to bite the inside of my cheek so I wouldn't giggle when they were talking about cleavage. They were not talking about what I used to have peeking out of the top of my shirt but rather splitting cells or something.

One time one of the scientists made a joke about using polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery...and how that was just like trying to determine genetic factors in a genome wide association study without a symptom cluster. Oh, the eruption of laughter.....! I guess it was a real knee slapper!!!

Seriously, the scientists were GREAT! Some were older, some were younger, some were male, some were female, some were outgoing, some were shy. But they were all lovely...and so grateful for my involvement. Can you imagine?!?! They thanked me. Here are these people that have dedicated their lives to eradicating this disease and they were thanking me! I was weepy with gratitude to them!

I am so glad I was able to do this! It was empowering. It made me feel like I was ACTUALLY doing something. Like it was not all for naught. I was able to represent all of us that have been touched by breast cancer. I am so grateful!

xoxo

What a long, strange trip it's been...

Guest bloggers Megan, Michele and Janice here...with some great news to share. After 18 months of treatment for Breast Cancer, we now leave Karmanos Cancer Center to celebrate Maureen's FINAL CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay...that is as far as we got on Monday. It's me...Maureen again. I am not such a control freak that I took back the blogging from my guest bloggers. It's just that we were very busy celebrating and they did not get farther than the above paragraph. :-) But, for those that have known me a long time, of course I love this post title - loving the Grateful Dead band as I do.

So...yes...I am done. Done. DONE! No more infusions. Thank you, sweet Jesus. I am grateful beyond words. Thank you, Megan and Janice, for being with me Monday and always!

One of the other best parts of my last chemo was also the best part about my first chemo. Michele was with me. Yes, that is right...Michele from Costa Rica via Miami flew in as a surprise to go to me with my last treatment. I was floooooored! And to think I was mad she wouldn't call me back. She couldn't...she was on a plane! ha It was FANTASTIC to have Michele with me in person. I was so grateful!

For those of you that don't remember my sister Michele, you can read more about her here: MICHELE

Megan took a great photo of the infusion pump reading "Volume Remaining: 0.0 / Time Remaining: 00.0".....

Some other photos from my last treatment:

Above: Me eating a yummy chocolate covered strawberry that Janice brought.

Below: Me and the girls...



...More soon on other neat things happening...

xoxo