Secret- surprise pizza party

The final part of our day yesterday--aka the last day of chemo!--involved a "surprise secret pizza party!" We walked into a very festively decorated house and were excitedly greeted by the welcoming committee, which included Reese, Weston, my aunts Janise & Kathy, and cousins Stephanie & Rheannon. It was a great family celebration, where we toasted the closing of the chemo chapter and ate--what else? Pizza!

I was confused why Weston kept calling it a "secret " pizza party and kept telling him it was in fact a "surprise" party. My confusion was cleared up at bedtime, when we read this book, which seems to be his new favorite. I'm guessing one of my aunts got this while we were in Houston, and we've read it no less than five times in the past 24 hours. Like I said, new favorite!

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Reese, Weston, Janise, Kathy, Stephanie & Rheannon for our secret/surprise pizza party homecoming, and a very big thank you to Kathy & Janise for staying with the kids and keeping them on their schedules the past couple of days. Stephanie has also been regularly coming over to help Reese with her homework, and to brighten up the kids evenings, for which I am also so grateful. Thank you to my sweet family! I love you!

Ding dong, the chemo's done!

Today! Was! My! Final! Chemo! 

Hallelujah!

What an awesome day.  I feel like this cancer treatment is structured somewhat like a triathlon.  Since I completed the 2008 Danskin triathlon (please notice how I specified "completed," not "competed in"), I feel especially qualified to make this comparison, she said with obvious irony.  Finishing the chemo segment is akin to stepping out of the water from the swim segment. A huge milestone has been accomplished, a big chunk of the process is behind me, and I am this much closer to crossing the finish line! Goodbye, chemotherapy!

We have all been anticipating this day with much happiness and excitement (please see my previous post and note the happy faces and celebratory mood).

Dad showed up in his team gear!

We packed up and headed to the appointment. 

My oncologist Dr. O is out of the country leading a breast cancer conference in South America, so I met with another doctor at Baylor Clinic.  He told us the medical results we are seeing are very positive, which reinforces what Dr. O has been telling us.  It was a good meeting and interesting to hear a different perspective.

The infusion was the smoothest, easiest one yet.  Many visitors joined me, including my parents.  I didn't get pictures with everyone during the infusion, but you will see the crew further down in the bell-ringing photos (spoiler alert!).

Everyone in the clinic has been so kind, compassionate and extremely competent throughout my treatment.  I have bonded with my two infusion nurses tremendously.  I really love those ladies and appreciate all they have done to make the process as tolerable and relaxing as possible, and sometimes even fun (!).  Genie was on vacation, but I did get a pic with Jan.

And some of the other infusion room ladies, too!

A great sign in the infusion room.

And the opportunity I've been looking forward to since January 16th, the day of my first infusion...the ringing of the bell!  Once you complete your chemotherapy treatment, you can ring the bell in the infusion room.  I have only seen two women ring the bell before today.  Today, another young woman who has been a regular during my Taxol infusions rang it an hour before I did, which was so fun!

Lorne pointed out the truly extraordinary symbolism in this image, the exit/arrow pointing to the bell.  The meaning is not lost on me!

We took two group photos, one with Lorne, me, mom, dad, Tessa, Lissa, Michelle and Becky.

And one with David switching spots with Lorne.

And the actual ringing of the bell....well, I have to admit: it felt amazingly good!

I actually rang it so hard it flipped upside down! Haha!

Oh yeah! 

Farewell, chemo.  It's been an interesting ride, and one for which I am ultimately very thankful.  There have been many ups and downs, but in the end, this hugely powerful medicine has worked tremendously to shrink my tumor and eliminate the cancer from my body.  It won't get rid of all of it, but I truly believe that it was so effective on my breast masses, that it most definitely eliminated any cancer that might have spread to other areas.  And what is left in the left breast tissue?  Well, that's the second and third part of this treatment triathlon!  Next up.....surgery!

Silver linings: being able to share with you the story of a magnificent dinner on Wednesday and an end to chemotherapy on Thursday, both celebrated with family...and now more family and friends near and far who follow this blog!

Having David home again after his 12 days in DC! 

Finding out that the other young woman who rang the bell today is also named Dawn (that's my given name)...a funny coincidence!

The smiles we received when we handed out pink roses to everyone in the office and infusion room.  My mom had the great idea to distribute roses on my last day, which seemed to bring a little joy to everyone who got one.  

Knowing I can go back and say hello to my friends who work in the infusion room after my future appointments with Dr. O....and I can say hello, visit for a few minutes and then leave without having to receive chemo!

We had a final fun surprise when we returned home, but I will blog about that tomorrow when I am feeling more rested. So, goodnight to all of you and good bye to chemo!

Out with a bang!

I'm going to approach the blogging tonight with a divide-and-conquer approach.  It might also feel like an avalanche...but I can't help it!  Today marks a huge milestone and I feel like I have so much to share with my teammates!

Beginning with what has developed into a most beautiful new tradition over the course of the past 16 weeks: the pre-chemo night family dinner.  Our families have really worked hard every other week to come up with really fantastic plans to gather everyone for a fun and relaxed evening to soothe nerves and even distract us from the upcoming day.  We have met faithfully the Wednesday night before the Thursday appointments and infusions, sometimes at restaurants and other times at the homes of my in-laws or the W5.  And every single time, there's has been laughter, love and happiness to lift our spirits behind measure.  David and I so appreciate all of the effort and thought that has gone into these evenings--our families have made huge efforts to attend from near and far, to host, to plan wonderful evenings, over and over.

Last night was the grand finale to this tradition, although I know we will gather together again and again throughout this process. But most likely, not with the same regularity. We will miss these dinners, but I am so thankful that we have these wonderful warm memories from this time.

This time, my parents held the dinner at Brennan's. (I'm stealing the collage that my cousin Tessa made because it's a great overview!  Thanks Tessa!)

The evening started off with a HUGE surprise: David was scheduled to arrive at midnight, in time for the morning appointment and last chemo, but not in time for the celebratory night-before dinner.  Of course I was very disappointed he wouldn't be with us, but understood that the White House egg roll doesn't just break down on its own, and also knew it was a real stretch for him to make it in time for the Thursday appointments anyway. So imagine my shock when I glanced at the entrance amd saw my amazing, handsome husband strolling into the restaurant!  What an awesome start to the dinner!  I love you, honey!

We were blessed with a big group of my family and David's family gathered to celebrate. 

My mom, my aunt Melissa, my cousin Tessa (who drove in from Dallas to be there!) and my aunt Becky:

Gigi and my wonderful nieces and nephew, Mary Blake, Bain, and Georgia:

My sister-in-law Christine, David's uncle Blaise, Georgia and Bain:

My parents Pam and Mike, hosts of the fabulous evening:

The gang's all here!  Well, at least the Houston gang!  My father-in-law Lorne kindly and expertly too all of these great photos and sadly is not in them...

Many toasts were made, all thoughtful and moving in their own way....

Raise a glass!

And repeat! It was such a great dinner.  The toasts were meaningful, the food amazing, and the dessert...

Well, Bain helped prepare the infamous Brennan's bananas foster!

With flames!

He did a great job. They were delicious!

I hope this gives a good glimpse of how special these nights have been; so filled with love and laughter, happiness and gratitude, family and sharing.  The negative emotions that could have been--fear, concern, anxiety--were deftly and lovingly replaced with positive ones.  And for that, I am profoundly grateful.  Thank you to our dear families.  We love you tremendously.

Amazing Easter memories

Pull up a chair & stay awhile! This is one heck of a long post....

I hope you all had a blessed and happy Easter with your family and friends. I cannot begin to express what a special Easter week we had, with so many amazing memories!

On Maundy Thursday, Reese was selected as one of two second grade representatives to be honored at the annual washing of the feet in all school chapel. The wonderful Head of the Lower School washed her feet onstage, all while telling her the different things that make her special and unique. This photo is poor quality because I was sitting all the way across the gym. I truly wanted to run over there and stand next to her to listen to what Mrs. Z told her and to take better pictures, but I restrained myself and behaved like the other parents....

But really, what a huge honor for our precious girl. She was on cloud nine and I was forcibly trying not to end up in a puddle of tears!

If you squint and hold your head sideways, maybe you can make out Reese? She's seated in a light blue shirt and dark jacket, just to the right of the flag.

The kids had a four day holiday weekend, so we headed up to DC. We did so much in our short time there! We visited the Air & Space Museum, where Reese posed in front of Amelia Earhart's plane...

...and we saw The Wright Bros. plane...

We goofed around on the mall!

Reese, mom & I headed to an early Easter service at the National Cathedral, which was such a treat.

We also visited the Lincoln Memorial. The kids were thrilled with all of the history, and also because many of these sights are featured in Night at the Museum 2.

On Monday, we were so fortunate to see what David has been working on for several months--the White House Easter Egg Roll! It was a gorgeous day and a wonderful event!

The kids met Spidey. Weston couldn't be bothered to pose, he had too much to say to his hero. He even told him he loved him, to which Spider Man replied that he loved him back!

Team Umizoomi! Mighty math power!

Rolling eggs!

Yes folks, those are actually hardboiled eggs...thousands upon thousands of eggs...

We waited for quite awhile to see POTUS & FLOTUS roll eggs...

And they finally made it out, about 20 feet away from us.

There were all sorts of great activities. The kids dyed eggs, made kites & instruments, and we watched Mrs. Obama give a cooking demo with the cast of Jessie.

It was an amazing experience--can you say bucket list?--and a flawless event--way to go, honey!

We had the best Easter! It was such a great weekend, there were so many moments to stop and realize how truly blessed I am in my life.

And speaking of blessings, we are headed to Houston today for...wait for it....my final chemo tomorrow!!!!!!!!  Post to come soon....xxoo

New & dear friends

Well, so far round 3 of Taxol hasn't held many surprises! I felt great the day after the infusion, per usual, but also felt some major fatigue over the weekend--also normal. David and I forgot to administer the Neulasta shot to boost my WBCs on Friday, which we realized Saturday morning. It's not a problem, as we have a 24-72 hour window to get the Neulasta into my system.  However, the bone pain in my legs was delayed by a day, which pretty confirms that the Neulasta plays a big role in these aching legs! Oh well, only one more time to trudge through the aches and pains.

Yesterday, in the midst of a powerful spring cold front, I met up with my two dear new friends, Kathleen and Suzi. The three of us are in this fight together. I have learned so much from these two women and despite the crummy circumstances that brought us in touch, I have truly enjoyed every moment I've spent with each of them. We all have similar diagnoses and treatment plans (especially K & S), so today we braved the weather to have lunch and shop at the new breast cancer boutique at Seton. Believe me, I'm all about retail therapy but shopping for post-surgery garments is a first. It was a great time though, and I am so thankful that these lovely ladies are in my life. It is so nice to compare notes, talk about our experiences and try to make sense of this chapter in our lives. 

Here we are, after lunch-- Kathleen, myself & Suzi:

Aren't they the cutest???

After our shopping trip, we are all proud owners of the "Brobe," a garment that looks promising for post-mastectomy healing and relaxation. I do recommend the Seton boutique for those going through breast cancer in the Austin area. It's a nice facility and though the store is quite small, they do have some useful items. Plus we want to support this community effort!

I also was able to enjoy a massage from the wonderful oncology certified massage therapist I have met yesterday, which seemed to really help my leg pains.  Looks like I am on the downhill slide after my 7th chemo!  Yippee!

Gearing up

Well...here we go again! This is all becoming very familiar. We are in Houston in preparation for an appointment with my oncologist and chemo tomorrow. However, today we met with the surgeon performing the bilateral mastectomy. It was a very positive second meeting after a rushed and confusing initial meeting. I'm so thankful we took the time to come down and make sure everyone is on the same page and communicating well. So far, our trip has already been a success! And we still have the fun family dinner and Bain Train appointment/infusion tomorrow! Hoping the vibe stays positive!

We are becoming very accustomed to waiting rooms these days!

So close!

Infusion #7 (of 8 total!!!!!) is complete!  Yippee!  

Dr. O told us my tumor is now "smaller than a pea" and the other areas are barely detectable!  Hooray!

(As a side note, he explained how tumors react to chemo.  It isn't like a balloon inflating and then uniformly deflating. Rather, segments of cells are killed randomly throughout the mass, causing a "crumbling" effect, which is why he mentions a few small masses versus one large tumor during my exams these days.)

Did I mention that he told us a few weeks ago that this cancer mass has been developing for 5-10 years?  Yikes!  

My final appointment is booked, along with a heart exam, a meeting with the anesthesiology group, and a pre-op with my plastic surgeon!  Yea!

All in all, it's been a great visit.  Very productive, filled with plenty of good news and plans in place for all of the necessary pre-op meetings. And a fun, relaxed pre-chemo evening with my wonderful family and far too much delicious Chinese food.  Success!

Backing up a little bit, some people have been asking why my surgery will be so long (12 hours) and involved.  I am opting for a bilateral mastectomy with an immediate DIEP flap reconstruction, which will basically work like this (the New Wave side mullet she's sporting is optional):

While it is a complex surgery and difficult recovery, I will have my own tissue forming my new and improved "girls" and will not need a long second surgery.  There will be a brief second surgery in the fall to make adjustments after I complete radiation and to remove a strip of skin that will be attached along the scar during the initial surgery that somehow monitors whether the tissue is "taking" after being transplanted.  Or, in David's words, they will remove "my gills."  He was pretty proud of his "gills" joke.... oh, dear.  I don't think I've heard the end of that one, friends.

Anyway, it will be very difficult and painful up front, but my plastic surgeon Dr. C assures me that I will be quite pleased with the results.  My surgical oncologist Dr. L explained the scar patterns to us yesterday and they don't sound quite as bad as I was expecting.  So that's good.  Plus: tummy tuck!  Score!

Moving along, we received the good news I mentioned earlier at today's appointment and settled in for an especially long visit to the infusion suite today.  It took almost two hours for my blood work results to come back.  They have to make sure my white blood cells are high enough to receive the infusion, so nothing happens until those numbers come back.  Luckily, I had great visitors to keep me company today.

Here are the Bain Train reps from today:

I enjoyed having great conversations with my father-in-law Lorne....

...my mother-in-law Michelle....

And David's uncle Blaise, my mom, my aunt Melissa, and David!

If that last shot looks familiar, it may be because we had so many folks we recreated the infamous Oscars selfie!

The pictures are grouped this way because everyone comes in to visit in shifts, so we don't overwhelm the room (but just wait until my final chemo-- they have been warned)! It was a very light-hearted, social atmosphere throughout the room today--lots of visitors, patients and nurses chatting. 

The dose of Benadryl they give me prior to the Taxol knocks me out, so I squeezed in a guided meditation and a nap. Not a bad way to pass the time during an infusion!

And that wraps up my NEXT TO LAST CHEMO! Which is music to my ears!