Treatment number 3 of 4 is complete of the adriamycin and cytoxan.    In two more weeks I'll have my last bi-weekly treatment.  These are the only treatments where I have to go back the next day for the neulasta shot.  On September 9th I start my first of 12 weekly taxol treatments.  I've scheduled the first two to coordinate with my work schedule...I figure that will give me enough time to let me know how my body reacts to the new drug.... I sure hope I can handle working and undergoing chemo at the same time.

This week Steve and I went on a pretty nice bike ride.  We started out on the Falling Waters Trail, rode into town, and around lower Essex Heights.  The bad roads seem to be everywhere, even in that lovely southwest city neighborhood near where we used to live.  I still love that part of town, and part of me misses living in the city, so close to everything.  (Ok, I only live two miles away from there, it's not like I moved out to the middle of nowhere, but still...)  on our ride we ran into a couple we know. Our sons played sports together at Jackson High, and it was nice catching up with them.  I was talking mainly to Di, and Steve was talking to her husband.  Our bikes were kind of blocking the path, but not too terribly.  Di asked how I was doing, and I remembered that she was a breast cancer survivor... 10 years, to be exact.  She was such an inspiration to me...she went through everything I'm going through now...she even showed me her lumpectomy, which is barely noticeable under her arm, same area as mine.  And, she worked through it all.  She even had her boys help shave her head to get them involved and not freak at the whole bald thing...It was cute, she told her husband, "Hey, Kim's going through what we went through." Her husband said, "What did we go through?"  Men!  She said, "Kim has breast cancer and is going through chemo right now."  I mentioned to him that was why I was bald...I was wearing my bright yellow bandana from my sunshine basket, some big hoop earrings, and that was it.  Her husband said, "I didn't even notice you were bald...I just thought you looked kind of spunky!"  Ok...men...sometimes you've just got to forgive them! :).  The truth is, I had agonized over what to wear that morning, going for a bike ride.  While I normally wear bandanas, or just go bald, in the house, I had yet to LEAVE the house without a wig.  You know what?  It felt liberating.  And comfortable.  And, it absorbs your sweat when exercising....lesson learned.

My dad decided that he wanted to go with me to my treatment yesterday, to see more of what I'm going through.  My parents have both been great through this...we visited, watched tv, and talked to Tracy my nurse as she changed my meds as needed.  We then went to lunch afterwards...Steve, my dad, and I.  That's becoming a regular routine, chemo, then lunch, as I'm starved!  I just realized that after my last treatment my mom and I went to one-five-one...and now they have closed.  I kind of liked that place...I know my in-laws are sitting on gift certificates that I bet they never get to redeem.  It would be nice if some other establishment stepped up, even if they offered 25-50% of the value just to get you in the door as a new customer...maybe Bella Notte?  Hint, hint... ;)

Today I learned that my potassium levels are still running low, even though I'm taking a supplement...the doctor has ordered me to take it twice a day to get it raised.  I've got a list of potassium-rich foods to try to eat more of...I just really don't like bananas, and they say probably one banana a day would do it...ugh!  I'll go with the avocado, chicken, and lean beef and milk, baked potatoes with skins...we'll see how that works.  I'm sick of taking pills...though my doctor told me yesterday that if I wanted to try it, I could take half of my decadron the next few days, one pill instead of two... I told her how it doesn't let me sleep and gets me all wired up... I might just try that tomorrow.

So today, after my shot, I went to the Westwood Mall because my friend Janie told me that in the old Crown and Carriage store is a store that has wigs.  I was pleasantly surprised, chose two to try, and went into a separate, private room with beauty shop chairs and mirrors.  The lady working said they did the privacy factor because they have a lot of cancer patients buying wigs...I whipped off my wig, and said "Yep.  That's me."  She tried on my first one, a shoulder length, kind of side-swept multi-tonal blonde...and I really liked it.  The price?  $49.99.  I tried on the second one...a shoulder length multi-tonal blonde with beach waves...looks very casual, like your waves were air dried.  Price?  $39.99.  As you can guess, I bought them both, bringing my wig family up to six.  I spent an hour this morning trimming, combing, and cutting three of my wigs...they were just too long, and getting kind of matted underneath...and not that easy to comb out.  The lady at the wig store told me my body heat reacts with the synthetic fibers and mats them...shorter must be better!  I will say I'm getting more used to wearing a wig... I'm more confident that they aren't going to blow off...I've even been riding in my car with the windows down!  How's that for confidence?

I'm still getting wonderful cards in the mail, and last week friends of ours made us a wonderful dinner and brought it to our home...thanks Kyro's.  Your chicken enchiladas were wonderful, and we really appreciated them... You have no idea what that meant to us.  And I have gotten more Facebook friend requests than ever before...I wonder if news of my diagnosis is spreading?  Especially among my former students!  I always tell them I won't friend me while you're currently a student, but friend me after you graduate and I'm happy to comply!  I love seeing how they are doing in their lives, and many are so caring and compassionate...this is for you, Amber...you've been nothing but caring and compassionate in your messages to me, and I'll never forget that.  Thank you for your concern.  Give that baby a kiss for me, and best thoughts for your mother in her own cancer battle.  Us cancer patients have to stick together, be supportive, and above all, BE POSITIVE.  That's the only way to be.