WHAT'S GOIN ON...

May 8, 2010 Saturday

My past week was spent healing. I'm bruised and still sore on Saturday from my port removal on Monday. I will say though, the soreness is much less, I still have a great deal of tenderness. As each day passed I found I could do a little bit more around the house. So slowly, I am getting the house that has gone to "paper"weed cleaned up. I was able to do a lot of work on my Avon Walk fund-raising though. I addressed many envelopes and sent out many requests for sponsors. I met my $1800 minimum in just over 24 hours, so I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I met with the Owner of Cafe Della Pace here in my neighborhood and he has generously agreed to donate 25% of August 10th, 2010's dinner gross to the Avon Walk. Let me tell you something, this man is one of the most sincere generous loving men alive. And to top off the fact that I adore him for that, his food is wonderful! It is easily my favorite restaurant to go to here in NYC. The prices are reasonable, and the food is authentic. When you walk in you feel as if you have been transported to Italy. Chic and small with two levels of dinning, this restaurant is hopping on the weekends. The staff are friendly and whenever I walk by they always wave hello! I've had two birthday parties with Peitro at two different restaurants, both for my daughter and her friends. I've done a fund-raiser with the help of Peitro and Paulino for my daughter's school PPAS, where the kids had a cabaret night and performed for the crowd. It was a successful event. I have no doubt that this dinner will be no different. August 10th is my 49th Birthday, and I have a lot to celebrate. I'm still here for one thing. I am successful in beating back this Breast Cancer and am only months away from being done with treatment. I've already raised almost $3200 for the Walk and I'm just beginning. So much more to do. I want to get together a basket to raffle off for the Birthday Event. I need to come up with stuff for that to happen, perhaps a Trader Joe's gift card, WholeFoods Gift Card, Wine, something from the Avon Walk like a hat and shirt....I don't know yet, but it'll be great!

I don't want gifts for my birthday, I want donations for the Walk. So, if you can come to the restaurant on August 10th, please come, and bring your wallet, they are a CASH ONLY restaurant. Also, bring your Good Times hat and be sure to wear it! I hope we all have a great night. I only wish that my daughter, Sarah could be there, but she will filming the Second Season of Modern Family by that point. Sarah being there would be the only gift I would want to receive that isn't a donation.

So mark your calendars and come have dinner, and know that by enjoying a great meal you will be passively giving a donation to the Avon Walk.

Happy Mother's Day to all those MOMs out there. We are a special breed, and need once a year to remember that we really do matter in the world. Hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow.

Light and Love!

Melissa

PORT REMOVAL

May 4, 2010 Tuesday

I've been so busy lately dancing, paperwork, feeling "normal" again, that I've forgotten to come here to blog. The medications have helped me a great deal. I'm sleeping better, my mood greatly improved, and my usual sunny outlook has returned. My hot flashes still happen but not at the horrendous rate of the past few months.

I was so nervous the day before my port removal yesterday. I took all that nervousness and put it into my chanting. I met Rose @ 8am for Soka Spirit, and again @ 3pm. In the morning I chanted yet again. Waiting for my name to be called, I chanted. Then when my name was called, I sat in my room waiting for the procedure and chanted more. I was not put under, just given a local. It was Freaky! I felt no pain, but definitely felt a lot of heavy duty tugging. First the catheter came out of my neck, tug tug, snip snip, tug tug snip snip...on and on. Then I asked, is it out? He said "Yes. Now for the port." HUH!? then the digging the tugging the snipping really began. At times he would pull on the port and my body would go with it. Very freaky! because I felt NO PAIN at all, but my brain knew it hurt like hell. I faced a wall, so could see nothing. At one point he put the towel over my eyes. (Just in case?) Finally, after what seemed hours (but really only 20 minutes or so) He held up the "Alien" that had been residing in my chest for nearly 8 months. It was much smaller than I had imagined. It was purple and triangular in shape, with a tail. His hands were stained with my blood, and the port was looking so harmless. It amazed me that this small device would cause so much discomfort when bumped or when the weather was cold and wet. I said, "Goodbye, Friend." and with that the port disappeared from view, never to be seen again. My blood pressure gauge quit working, and the nurse seemed upset about it, but I knew I was just fine. My heart rate was a steady 69-70 beats per minute. I was very proud of that. So as the tugging, snipping, slicing away at the scar tissue that had built up around the port over the past 7 1/2 months went on, I chanted in my head, to remain calm, to not feel the overwhelming urge to jump off the table and run. My heart rate remained steady and slow. Then the stitches went in. At one point I felt pain as the needle went through my skin. The doctor would stop and poke at my skin; I'd feel nothing. He'd continue and the pain would return. Strange. It was decided it was "transient" pain. Soon I was stitched up and rolled into Recovery. Ed was brought in, and together we finished the crossword puzzles as I waited to be given the okay to go home. My vitals strong, I was released early on good behavior, and I rewarded myself with a bagel from my favorite deli near the Hospital. We returned home and I headed to bed, and slept the rest of the day away; emerging once and a while to wander, take Tylenol and get water. The pain is more sore from the digging than the actual cutting of my skin.

Today, the pain is better, but still I am so sore. I can't move my arm without a lot of pain, so I only use my arm from the elbow down. The trans dermal tape that holds the compression bandage in place itches at the borders. My body doesn't like adhesive of any kind. I can't wait for Thursday when I can take it off and look at my newest battle scar. I am one step closer to saying goodbye to cancer. The port is gone, and only 9 more Herceptin treatments remain.

I move closer to my end date of treatment with great joy. I have raised just over $2500 for the Avon Walk in October and still have a lot of time to raise more. I have a fund-raiser coming up for friends and family in NYC at Cafe Della Pace on 7th ST & 2nd Ave. I'm hoping that I will be able to do this on August 10th, my 49th birthday. The owner has generously agreed to give me a % of the night's profits to the Walk. So I'll keep you posted on the date. It's a way to enjoy a wonderful dinner with friends and give passively to the Avon Walk. Also, I'll be there with Ed and Ian (Sarah will have to be in LA =/) to celebrate my birthday, so be sure to come and celebrate with me.

That's it for now, I need to rest, my surgery site is nagging at me.

Nite!

Light and Love!

Melissa