Random things to share

I'm still recovering from a big night last night. My awesome book club friends and breast cancer "big sister" Susanne held a celebration dinner for our miracle baby. For all practical purposes, it was a couples baby shower with a sit-down dinner for 50. It was an amazing evening where P.J. and I were surrounded by some of our closest friends who have been there for us every step of the way during this amazing journey. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends showering us with fabulous (and frivolous) gifts for our baby boy and touched by all the kind words of support and love. Many of us were in tears when we weren't laughing our fannies off. Good times that I'll never forget.

My dear Great Aunt Margaret passed away on September 11. We are all relieved that she didn't suffer long from her kidney failure. That was my last day of chemo (before the baby is born). My cousin Anna called to share the news while I was having a non-stress test at Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Fortunately, I sent her call into voice mail which I picked up later and then had my cry fest. Aunt Margaret's cynicism and humor will be greatly missed.

The same night Aunt Margaret died, I put my exhausted self to bed early at 6 p.m. while P.J. took Georgia to a family dinner for the Kevin Gorter Memorial Golf Outing. During the dinner, they bought three raffle tickets for door prizes. P.J. put a ticket in each of our names. Ironically, my name was drawn and I (we) won a MacBook computer. Georgia claimed it and ran off. We're still fighting over it. I NEVER win anything.

At Georgia's first soccer game of the season, her coach's wife who is my former OBGYN approached me immediately and asked if it was uncomfortable for me to be there with her after what had happened between us at the beginning of my breast cancer diagnosis and pregnancy. I told her that I wasn't uncomfortable with her, but was glad we had a chance to be together so we could talk. I caught her up on my health and told her that if she ever comes across another patient in my situation that she please will treat them differently and refer them to M.D. Anderson and Evanston/Northshore Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She expressed her feelings about me and my situation saying that she is thrilled that it is all working out. I thanked her for insisting I have early mammograms that may have saved my life. It's all good now. I can comfortably spend the rest of the soccer season sitting with her beside the field.

Georgia announced to P.J. and me yesterday in all seriousness that she is a vampire-in-training. What?! She explained how it happened when she was in the north Georgia mountains this summer when she supposedly was bit on the neck by a bat. She went into great detail about how her fangs haven't come in yet and that she still was a girl that could be outside during the day and didn't have to drink blood, but could just have red Gatorade. We were cracking up, but she was so serious and has kept this up even today. Hmmmmm ... makes me wonder if there is any truth to this! (just kidding)

Thank you to the Cancer Warriors organization in my hometown of Griffin, Georgia. They have been praying for my recovery and for my family, sending me notes of encouragement, and a wonderful care package. They even organized a large group to ride their motorcycles to Warm Springs and back and a cyclist wore my name on his wrist band. It is heartwarming to have people you don't know do things like this for you.

I had a huge burst of energy this past Friday and baked eight pecan pies. Never in my life have I baked so many at once. I was on a roll. They were for the hosts of the party on Saturday night. It was actually very enjoyable. What fun to bake in my new oven!

My cradle cap is gross. I can't stop scratching it and making it snow. Ahhhh, the joys of losing your hair.

Those are all my random thoughts for tonight. It's past time for bed. I'll be in touch when I have something interesting to share.

Take care!
Love,
Jana

Baby's Last Round of Chemo

It's hard to believe that I began my 6th round of chemo today. These treatments have really flown by. I'm currently on my Adriamycin pump until Friday - always a bummer. At 31 weeks, my baby boy is doing really well. It's tough to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time as I'm constantly having to readjust my belly, hips, pump or go to the loo. I try to catch up during the day with naps.

My blood counts have rebounded from last week and since I'm on Decadrone (a steroid) this week, I finally have some energy. All my doctors are exceedingly pleased with both mine and the baby's progress. P.J. and I also feel very good about everything and keep hoping it lasts. :)

I spent a lot of the Labor Day weekend resting. I just didn't have the drive to get much done. It was nice to go swimming yesterday in Posy's pool and to feel buoyant with my belly and tissue expanders.

Would you believe at my ultrasound last week that the technician saw HAIR on our son? Amazing! He may have more hair at birth than his mom and dad do! I think I'm experiencing another period of hair loss as I'm shedding a little more heavily again and my eyebrows are starting to look more skimpy. Despite that, my leg hair is still growing and I still have to shave. The nurses were telling me today that normally with Adriamycin, I should be hairless by now - all over my body. I still have hair all over - inside my nose, arms, torso, etc. We are all amazed by this. I do have a case of cradle cap as my scalp is very scalely. Nice. Don't you love the unique grooming problems I have?

I'm very sad to share that my awesome Great Aunt Margaret is experiencing kidney failure. She's 89-years-old and is a pistol. She lives in Atlanta and just moved into hospice today. She called me last month and we had a very lively conversation. I'll treasure that as there is no way that I can travel down there to see her in her final days. Aunt Margaret is an amazing woman.

I'm going to go to bed now. I'm reading a great book called "The Middle Place," by Kelly Corrigan. She writes of her firsthand account of having breast cancer as a 37-year-old mom while dealing with her father's late stage bladder cancer. I sometimes like to read about other's experiences - depending on their attitude and the outcome.

I'll write more this week.

xxoo
Jana