Today...

I am remembering Sal. She of spunky spirit and carry on and carry a beer attitude. She and her husband Phil were our hosts at the end of my ride in the UK last September. How I will miss her quick, quirky wit and loving enthusiastic heart. How my heart aches for Phil. How lucky I am to have known Sal.

Some Hope, Some Laughs

News like this keeps me hopeful even though I know the realization of a therapy is years off, if ever to be.

And this just makes me giggle every time I think of it. Viewing it brings on full laughter.

A Mutual Experience

A cancer diagnosis can strain the strongest of relationships. However, a new study that is scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of Annals of Behavioral Medicine suggests that "a husband -- as either patient or caregiver -- appears particularly influenced by the wife's frame of mind."

I don't want this kind of influence. But, the dynamic is one I've been aware of throughout my experience with the disease.

Hello, WHAT?

You might recall that Avastin is part of my treatment regimen. This article in U.S News and World Report on the drug looked interesting, and I was thoroughly enjoying the information until I got deep into the story. That's when I realized the headline of the article did not prepare me for all the information disclosed. Read carefully and see if you, too, can find the words "BRAIN DAMAGE" in the article.

New This Week

Monday: The return to work. It's certainly good to be back in the office exercising my brain and interacting with other humans again. However, ongoing prednisone withdrawal symptoms continue to kick my ass making me all draggy and depressed. I can't wait until this crap is out of my system.

Tuesday: I now have 165 platelets onboard. That, my friends, falls into the normal platelet count range of 150 - 450. If only it were warmer outside, I'd go for a rip on my l'il Ninja to celebrate. I don't do cold.

Here's a bit of breast cancer information for you. I learned the about the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation at the YSC Conference last month. The organization is trying to raise awareness of this sub-type of breast cancer so more resources can be directed at learning and treating it. Since I am among the 15% of women with this type of breast cancer, I say go TNBC Foundation!

I Need a Note from My Doctor

I am going back to work on March 10th. I am relieved, excited and nauseous. I need to bring a doctor's note with me that says I am well enough to work. I'm on it. I'm still being treated twice a week, and will be in the office late on those days.

Did I mention that I'm excited to get back to work? If this "disability" last much longer, my brain is going to atrophy.

Have I Reached a Limit?

The Kid's elementary school had its annual ice skating party this past weekend. So there I was at the local ice rink, with sharp, foot-long blades on my feet, a less-than-ideal number of platelets circulating, and a glass of wine onboard. Also there were scads of quick-moving, unpredictable, unskilled kids with blades strapped to all their feet.

I took one shaky lap and called it an evening.