Excellent!

Hello. Hope you enjoyed the long holiday weekend and took a few minutes to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

I'm feeling excellent! My energy level is high and everything about me feels pretty normal. My head has started to tingle which signals the start of hair loss. I haven't noticed much falling out, but I suppose it won't be long now. I'm prepared to sport my new fancy wig when the day comes. I'm sure the thought of my hair falling out is much worse that it actually happening. Just think.....I won't have to shampoo or style my hair or shave my legs. I'll save on shampoo, razors and water. That doesn't sound so bad. It's not forever.....hair does grow back....and more beautiful than before I hear.

Today I had a blood draw to check my white blood count in preparation for my next cycle of chemo tomorrow. If my count isn't high enough, I'll have to wait until it is. I don't anticipate this will be a problem. I have several friends helping our family tomorrow.......one taking our daughter to the movies, another taking me to chemo and yet another bringing us a meal. On Friday, my mom is coming to help with our daughter and take me to get my Neulasta shot. Plus, a friend will bring another meal on Friday. Thanks to everyone for helping our family this week. We are so blessed and grateful for the love and support.

Please don't be afraid to call. I've had several people tell me they didn't want to call because they were afraid of bugging me. We have caller-ID. If I don't want to talk, I won't answer. I'll call you back when it's a better time. Please don't treat me differently because I have the dreaded "C-word". I know people mean well, but I want to maintain a normal life as much as possible. Technically, I don't have cancer anymore. My treatment is "Adjuvant Chemotherapy". This means it is precautionary measures to dramatically decrease the likelihood of cancer recurring. We are not actively fighting cancer tumors in my body.

I just finished an audio book on my walk this morning....In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Fascinating book. It's a captivating account of the past, present and future of the Western Diet. He simply says, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." The last section is full of great advice. The audio book is available at the Chandler library or the paperback book at Costco for $9.49.

I joined a yoga studio. This is HUGE for me. I've never joined a gym in my life because I much prefer to exercise outdoors. However, with the summer heat coming and the importance of me staying active during chemo, I'm willing to give it a try. I've read about the benefits of yoga for cancer/chemo patients. It's phenomenal how beneficial it is for your whole being....mind, body & spirit. It's so relaxing, too. Thanks to a friend for getting me hooked on it. Before I was diagnosed, I used to practice yoga in the park with her and other friends. Yoga is a good thing!

That's all for now. I'll keep you updated on how my day goes tomorrow. Thanks for standing by me and energizing me with your loving support. With much peace, love and gratitude, srb