I know people are asking when I'm going to blog again, but truthfully, I'm working pretty much full time again, and am having trouble finding the time.  I have had 7 taxol treatments out of 12...I have 5 left.  Truthfully, 5 treatments in it was decided my neuropathy in my hands and feet was getting too bad...I learned I have a really good chance of having it for my entire life...so, to lessen the effects, they changed my chemo medicine to abraxane (not sure I'm spelling it correctly).  It's very similar to taxol, only more expensive.  I was worried about the change, but the doctors assured me it was no less effective, and my insurance ok'd it, so I was good to go.  I think I'm a little bit more tired on this drug, and had some nausea for a few days, but with a few pre-med tweaks, I'm good to go.  I also had a pretty good scare last week when my port wouldn't work...I didn't realize how lucky I am to have a port until I had to start my chemo with an IV in my right arm...no left arm blood work for me, ever, because I've had lymph nodes removed...I didn't know that until last Tuesday.  And it stings and burns going into the arm.  So lucky they were able to unblock the clot and get it going again.  I cried, I was so relieved they were able to fix it.  Otherwise, I think my arm would have ended up looking like a junkie's from all the needle marks...

Working full time has been a nice transition...I'm still having my treatments on Tuesday afternoons, and Friday, I'm going in a few hours later, but other than that, I'm teaching all my classes, and I'm proud to say that even undergoing chemo, in the first 8 weeks of school, I've only missed one day of work...and that was due to a migraine headache.  I'm tired at night, and on the weekend it feels like I'm catching up on my rest, but it's all good.  Only five more weeks of chemo to go!  I'm 75% done with the 20 week regimen...and this Wednesday, I'm having my MRI to see just how the chemo has affected my tumors.  Hopefully, they are shrinking, so I can have a smaller surgery in December.

The biggest question around this house is where my son Drake will go to college next fall.  He's been accepted at CMU and Wayne State, getting nice package offers from each for his GPA...he's been accepted at Jackson College, and been asked to play on their soccer team...he even went and practiced with their team last week to check them out.  He's been contacted by Albion College's baseball coach, who invited him to play next year, and is waiting on his acceptance to MSU...he's feeling pretty confused right now, and we talk about his options almost every day, all good problems to have.  I've jokingly given him a 2 hour radius to "leave his mama..." but no, seriously...he's got two hours!  ;)  I'm constantly aware that this is my son's senior year, probably his last year at home...and when this whole cancer ordeal began, I made a conscious decision that I would miss as little of his sporting events as possible.  Well, I think I made every soccer game but one, and it was an hour away and pouring down rain.  I probably wouldn't have gone even IF I didn't have cancer.  So, Steve went and kept me updated with text messages.   I was at his senior parents' day for soccer, made him a beautiful poster for the display, and was even on the football field at half time when he was crowned the Jackson High homecoming king.  Both events were really windy, and I was scared to death my wig was going to blow off...but it didn't, and I'm so grateful I was able to attend.  We got his formal senior pictures taken for the yearbook, and they turned out great.  Bring on bowling in December!  At least it's inside...and no wig blowing worry there.  I couldn't be more proud of my son, and how well he's handled the added stress of having a mom with cancer.  He really is an amazing kid...and if it sounds like I'm bragging about him, I'm sorry... I probably am!  But I just feel so lucky to be his mom.

Halloween is just around the corner...I love this time of year.  Yesterday we reinstated a tradition of carving pumpkins and eating white chicken chili with my parents...I realized we've done this since we lived on 4th street...I actually had 13 pumpkin carving kits, all different...it felt nice to do something so normal... I want to make sure the holidays are cheerful around this house, too.  I think I'm looking at mid December for my surgery, so I need to get stuff out early this year...gotta be prepared in case I have no energy as it gets closer to Christmas.  I need to have my shopping completed, and everything set...

I'm ready for some new wigs... These are getting old, and I'm sick of how I look in them.  Actually, I'm ready for my own hair to start to grow back...I've lost about 2/3 of my eyebrows, but am able to pencil them in.  It's not been as traumatic as I worried about, but does look pretty weird without any makeup.  Also, I've lost about 2/3 of my left eyelashes, and about 1/2 of my right...isn't that weird?  I use that Mary Kay lash and brow serum every night, and I'm convinced that's the only reason I have any at all.  I bought some fake eyelashes, but haven't had to wear them yet... But am ready if I need to.  Five more weeks. Five more weeks.  Then hopefully, stuff will start to grow back.  Keep your fingers crossed for my MRI results, ok?  Thanks for reading...