Here's to a better new year!
Can't believe it's halfway into Feb. 2009 already! I've had some challenges trying to find quality quiet time to update my blog & so much has happened the past few months. We finally put Kailee into a full time preschool (Santa Margarita Children's Center) about 2 1/2 miles from our home at the beginning of this month -- luckily he enjoys it & has adapted well to this new setting.
I had my 1st chemo treatment on Dec. 22 (Taxotere & Cytoxan). I'd need to go in every 3 weeks for a total of four treatments. My sister Yin Ling accompanied me to take notes since there would be a lot of instructions given that day. I had my CD player (yup, I haven't upgraded yet to an Ipod) & some reading with me & some snacks. I still had my port implanted from my 1st chemo treatments back in Hilo, so they won't need to find a vein in my arm. I was there from about 10 am to 3 pm. Pete brought Kailee for a visit too, so that he could better understand why I may be tired at times. I read a book entitled "How to help children through a parent's serious illness" (by Kathleen McCue) & got some ideas for Kailee. I thought even though he's too young to really understand all that's going on with me, he may pick up on my emotions & also needs to know some truths & realities. He understands a bit about my "owee" & why I needed to use an "owee" pillow under my arm after my surgery. They had lunch at a nearby Japanese restaurant, Mikado's (Pete's dad's favorite) & brought me some sushi afterwards -- yum! I was sad to see Yin Ling leave that evening back to India though.
Pete's younger brother has been giving me acupuncture treatments, which I think has helped my energy & nausea. I'm now done with my 3rd chemo treatment & next Monday will be my last. Been taking tons of supplements, trying to swim and go on the rebounder from time to time. Also started pilates training from the Pilates Wellness Institute, which subsidizes pilates personal training & small classes for breast cancer survivors (the founder's sister & she herself are survivors). Soon after my 2nd chemo treatment, my hair started falling off, so Jan buzzed off my short haircut & has also knitted me a bunch of caps. After I got shaved, Kailee told me I look like Daddy. Then I put on my wig (which my brother had mailed over from Hawaii) and Kailee told me I look like Dora (from Dora the Explorer!) -- I just had to crack up after he said both those remarks! I don't like my wig & caps are more comfortable anyway.
Last Saturday, Jan & her kids Miko & Ben watched after Kailee while Pete was at a faculty retreat & I went to a conference at San Francisco General Hospital sponsored by Zero Breast Cancer. It was on young women & preventing breast cancer. Interesting topics on screening issues more appropriate for younger women, genetic issues, and things we should consider to lower the risk for breast cancer since we don't know definitively how to "prevent" it.
Last Wednesday I went to an American Cancer Society workshop "Look Good Feel Better" where the 1st hour a volunteer showed us how to use wig pieces, hats, scarves & other accessories to creatively cover our bald heads. Then the 2nd hour another volunteer, a makeup professional, showed us how to apply makeup -- main topics I was interested in was about ingredients in personal care products & how to recreate my eyebrows, which are fading away right now. Some of the makeup donated by some companies contain preservatives called parabens, which have been linked to breast cancer. Plus there's a long list of synthetic chemicals which hopefully won't give me a reaction. It was a fun & informative workshop -- although I never wear makeup (except for a little lip gloss every once in a while), I'll try some of the products out though -- if anything, maybe I'll look younger!
I had my 1st chemo treatment on Dec. 22 (Taxotere & Cytoxan). I'd need to go in every 3 weeks for a total of four treatments. My sister Yin Ling accompanied me to take notes since there would be a lot of instructions given that day. I had my CD player (yup, I haven't upgraded yet to an Ipod) & some reading with me & some snacks. I still had my port implanted from my 1st chemo treatments back in Hilo, so they won't need to find a vein in my arm. I was there from about 10 am to 3 pm. Pete brought Kailee for a visit too, so that he could better understand why I may be tired at times. I read a book entitled "How to help children through a parent's serious illness" (by Kathleen McCue) & got some ideas for Kailee. I thought even though he's too young to really understand all that's going on with me, he may pick up on my emotions & also needs to know some truths & realities. He understands a bit about my "owee" & why I needed to use an "owee" pillow under my arm after my surgery. They had lunch at a nearby Japanese restaurant, Mikado's (Pete's dad's favorite) & brought me some sushi afterwards -- yum! I was sad to see Yin Ling leave that evening back to India though.
Pete's younger brother has been giving me acupuncture treatments, which I think has helped my energy & nausea. I'm now done with my 3rd chemo treatment & next Monday will be my last. Been taking tons of supplements, trying to swim and go on the rebounder from time to time. Also started pilates training from the Pilates Wellness Institute, which subsidizes pilates personal training & small classes for breast cancer survivors (the founder's sister & she herself are survivors). Soon after my 2nd chemo treatment, my hair started falling off, so Jan buzzed off my short haircut & has also knitted me a bunch of caps. After I got shaved, Kailee told me I look like Daddy. Then I put on my wig (which my brother had mailed over from Hawaii) and Kailee told me I look like Dora (from Dora the Explorer!) -- I just had to crack up after he said both those remarks! I don't like my wig & caps are more comfortable anyway.
Last Saturday, Jan & her kids Miko & Ben watched after Kailee while Pete was at a faculty retreat & I went to a conference at San Francisco General Hospital sponsored by Zero Breast Cancer. It was on young women & preventing breast cancer. Interesting topics on screening issues more appropriate for younger women, genetic issues, and things we should consider to lower the risk for breast cancer since we don't know definitively how to "prevent" it.
Last Wednesday I went to an American Cancer Society workshop "Look Good Feel Better" where the 1st hour a volunteer showed us how to use wig pieces, hats, scarves & other accessories to creatively cover our bald heads. Then the 2nd hour another volunteer, a makeup professional, showed us how to apply makeup -- main topics I was interested in was about ingredients in personal care products & how to recreate my eyebrows, which are fading away right now. Some of the makeup donated by some companies contain preservatives called parabens, which have been linked to breast cancer. Plus there's a long list of synthetic chemicals which hopefully won't give me a reaction. It was a fun & informative workshop -- although I never wear makeup (except for a little lip gloss every once in a while), I'll try some of the products out though -- if anything, maybe I'll look younger!
posted by goforsushi @ 7:17 PM
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