Life's Journey

I finally have some good news to share! As mentioned on my last update I had my PET scan and consultation with the radiologist on 3/31. Just went back today and learned that the PET scan had no surprises! They don't see any other spread of the disease! Yay! Deep breath... and.... smile! It was a huge relief to hear this. We now have a clear picture of what we are facing and where it is trying to hide. I have a walnut sized mass that we are targeting with Radiation. He found some activity in a nearby lymph node that he will treat as well. Today he did some additional preliminary scans that will allow them to set up the appropriate beam angles, depth and strength. This process takes 3-4 days. Then I'll go in for a "dry run" to verify that they have everything set up correctly.

Treatments are expected to begin on Monday, April 11th. I will have radiation Monday through Friday each day. Chemo will be added on Mondays. The chemo works to help boost the effects of the radiation. This plan will continue for 7 weeks. We will then retest and verify that the treatment was effective.

I'm still recovering from surgery, but it's going well. It's hard to live in slow motion. I've found myself pushing a little too hard sometimes and crash the next day. But, every day is getting a little better and I find I can go a little further. I was a little relieved to hear that I get this week as a "bonus" recovery week before starting treatment. It will possibly give me a couple of "feel good" days to enjoy.

In an effort to keep spirits high and keep laughing I invited a few girlfriends to join me this past weekend for wig-a-palooza! Like I said, if I hafta do it, I'm going to do it with flair! We all met at a wig store in the mall and I'm pretty sure between the six of us we tried on every wig in the store. We had a lot of fun laughing at the ridiculous and surprisingly found a few new styles that we really liked! I left the store armed with a few new looks to pull on when needed. I've attached a few pics to the photos page for you all to enjoy, these are my friends, my sisters, my ya-ya's.

I must tell you all how very grateful I am for all of your support, prayers, happy thoughts, and love. I was talking to Roy last night at dinner about how overwhelmed I am by all the kindness and generosity. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye. I feel so blessed to have so many dear friends sending me smiles and love, co-workers reaching out with an unbelievable amount of support, family wrapping me in blankets of support and love, and the kindness of neighbors and other aquaintances. Getting the mail is the highlight of my day. There's nothing better than finding a bright colored envelope in the mix of bills and junk mail. I don't think I could ever thank you all enough. Every act has warmed my heart and brought smiles and laughter into my life at a time when I need it most. With all of your help I feel like I am armed and ready for battle. Bring it on cancer, I'm ready to kick your butt!

With love and a big hug for each of you,

Sarah