Storm chasers...

nothing says adrenalin like storm chasing!
tomorrow morning we find ourselves escaping a hurricane - which i have to say is my first in all my life (global warming, what?)

I went in the ocean without permission and have taken a couple of steps back in the healing progress. oops! but the ocean was so inviting!!!

training going well and have raised $375 already!! Thanks!!!! I'm up to 4 miles and starting the long hauls this weekend... 54 days and counting.

Fingers crossed for a normal flight out tomorrow - heading back north to brace another hurricane (seriously, nobody else sees anything wrong with this?!?!)

Where did the summer go.

I ask this as a rhetorical question. I am taking one last hoorah out of the city before thesis gets under way... going to Destin to battle a hurricane (not really - I am fully convinced it is going nowhere near us according to weather.com)

I also told sondra I would post a picture -- my hair is getting long and mostly thick! I can't believe it!!


I started training this week for the 3day walk in october. got a pedometer and everything (serious business) am riding and walking 3-5 a day. (except for today - i took tonight off to go see federer play in the us open - yay!)

60 miles or bust!

Susan Komen 3-day walk in Atlanta- sign me up! I am officially walking for the cure, people. Training starts today. (well technically it started 3 weeks ago for the 5K - but the surgery put a damper on thing)
The company that I work for is sponsoring a group of employees to go- so yours truly will be lacing up and headin' down south to walk for the tatas.
Here is the link to the site for donations and other guilt-inducing pandering...
http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/AtlantaEvent?px=2554694&pg=personal&fr_id=1181

don't think you will get off easy - I will be sending an email out shortly to tug at your heartstrings in hopes of donations. Pass on the link, in today's world you have no idea who has been touched by this and the numbers grow every day!

Boobs

knockers, tatas, fun-bags... whatever you call them - i gottem'. Yup, as of aug.6th at 12 noon I got 2 new boobs, well 1 new boob and one much improved boob. I am one nipple shy of a complete set but that comes with a little bit more healing.
I had a follow up appt. yesterday and got rid of the drain - that fast, you say? I know, i thought the same thing. but apparently it's cool, I'm good and it was time to take the drain out. No more port(s), no more drain - only wearing the uber-tight ultra sports bra 24/7 for the next week. Still tired and sore oh so sore - but am rockin the pain meds and wandering somewhere between consciousness and cabin fever. One day at a time - mom's been here to be the nurse, chef and general home organizer.

surgery successful

YAY!
totally sore and really tired. i will write more when i am not as drugged out...
thanks for your thoughts/prayers!!

Surgery in 1 week

Looking forward to getting it all done. yay! Little bit of a chaotic mess to get there, but a week from today (probably exactly) I will be coming out of surgery with new boobs and drains -- oh yeah - the drains are back... good times, good times!
Last surgery was such a blur - I am not sure what I do and do not remember. A lot of puzzles and movies and matzo ball soup... here's hoping I can get to the next level in Super Mario until I have to give it up til graduation :-)

I went over to the hospital today to do my pre-op blood testing, etc - met with the nurse, got my papers and now I'm ready to go.
Feeling ok - just tired as per usual - my dog is sick so sleep is not happening as much as it should. Off of detox but I am not really going off of it until after surgery - It's really just salads and brown rice for a week, so no biggie.

I started training for Race for the Cure - but obviously that has to be put on hold for the next few weeks... looking like it will be more like a "walk" for the cure - but there are worse things. Fingers crossed all goes well with surgery and I can get back to it soon!

Chemo is good for something...

it is good for making me appreciate my body when it is not going through treatment. dang. i have not been the best body host lately and hope to be better at that. I have been way into enjoying the summer - much to the dismay of the body. But body is getting back at me. I can't complain (TMI warning) I got my period back - which means all is functioning properly! hooray- but i also got my period and all the not-so-fun things associated. blech! so here's to respecting body!! and maybe body will be a little better to me.

This does mean that i will be starting tamoxifen shortly or some other drug on the study.

Also surgery is almost here. Almost here and almost gone. yay! the i'll be done. i went to the plastic surgeon and got it all sorted. i have my pain killers and my boob is ordered.all i need to to do is show up. I know i have "been on detox" for a couple of weeks but now i really am for real. no aspirin, no alcohol, good healthy food and exercise. This will help all go smoothly.

Lastly (but not leastly)
I am running in the race for the cure (ok run/walking, ok walking) but still training starts tomorrow (ok this weekend) but here is the link to my donation page if you feel so moved:
http://www.komennyc.org/site/TR/Race/race2008-wide?px=1602403&pg=personal&fr_id=1150
I will be sending out further info - and training updates. whoo hoo training. i love that!

Here is a snorkeling shot from bahamas where i met a great couple who had gone through BC three years ago- they were great and encouraging! so great to meet and talk to folks about their experience. I learned that 3 is a big year as far as recurrence. something to count down!!