Getting color
Check it out!
Thanks again to my wonderful friend and awesome stylist, Maile Hino, for donating her time and talent to my efforts! I love you, girl!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Countdown Begins!!
Writing today's blog is gonna be tough. I am worried that I am going to get myself so riled up that won't be able to sleep!
Well, we are literally two and a half days away from opening ceremonies! WOO HOO! Seth and I are both SUPER excited! We have not trained nearly enough, but we have faith that we are going to be fine.
As the day draws near, I have been creating my packing and to-do lists, and they seem to be getting longer and longer! But I am also reassured by them, as writing things down helps me relax and also makes it less likely that I will forget something in all of the excitement. There is lots and lots of information online about what to bring and how to pack, and I am heeding all of the advice.
The last unknown at this point is the weather. A few days ago the forecast was a chance of showers on Saturday and Sunday, but as of today the rain seems to have moved to Sunday. Let's hope that in the next couple of days it disappears all together!
Anyway, here are some pictures I wanted to share with you:
My credential!
The buttons that Seth and will be wearing and sharing.
I made these especially for my donors that had a loved one touched by breast cancer.
Gina's mom is one, and two are aunts of mine.
I bought a new (super small) point and shoot for the walk.
I love an excuse to shop for electronics, especially camera gear!!
I received this check at work today! My company doubled the amount we actually raised at my restaurant! Thank you, Kincaid's!! This will all go to next year's walk!
Spencer decided he wanted a haircut tonight. This is the before.
The after. Isn't he handsome?
Tune in tomorrow to see MY haircut....
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Green Pee and More Surgery
On October 26, five days after surgery, Gina got a call telling her that Dr. Mabry had not cut enough tissue away during her surgery. They didn't go into the details of why this happened, just that it did. They wanted to go in again and take another millimeter of tissue to get a clean margin around the area where her tumor had been. While this was certainly a drag, it was just a bump in the road...Gina's status as cancer free was not in danger.
Her surgery was scheduled for 8 a.m. on halloween, and it went off without a hitch. This time, there was no dye and no guide wires...just straight into surgery. By 9:45, she was on her way back home, hopefully never to return!!
Although I wasn't able to make it to this surgery, Steven took a picture for me in pre-op:
Gina told me that post op pain has been minimal, which is great. I am so excited that Gina will be feeling good in a couple of weeks and will be joining us when we head off to walk 60 miles in the fight against breast cancer!! It's going to be even sweeter knowing that she is OK.
Anyway, that's the latest. I'll be posting about our prep for the walk soon, so stay tuned!
PS Here is a picture of Gina's pee after the first surgery...the blue dye mixed with her yellow pee makes blue! She described it as the color of Scope ;)
Her surgery was scheduled for 8 a.m. on halloween, and it went off without a hitch. This time, there was no dye and no guide wires...just straight into surgery. By 9:45, she was on her way back home, hopefully never to return!!
Although I wasn't able to make it to this surgery, Steven took a picture for me in pre-op:
Gina told me that post op pain has been minimal, which is great. I am so excited that Gina will be feeling good in a couple of weeks and will be joining us when we head off to walk 60 miles in the fight against breast cancer!! It's going to be even sweeter knowing that she is OK.
Anyway, that's the latest. I'll be posting about our prep for the walk soon, so stay tuned!
PS Here is a picture of Gina's pee after the first surgery...the blue dye mixed with her yellow pee makes blue! She described it as the color of Scope ;)
Friday, October 21, 2011
CANCER FREE! Yup, You Heard That Right!
Today, October 21, was labeled "Gina's Surgery" on my calendar. As of 4:12 pm PST, this date will now be known as CANCER FREE DAY, to be celebrated every year from this day forward! Yes, you heard me, GINA IS CANCER FREE!
The day started off as my visits to the Breastlink Center have for the last couple of months, with a stop at the donut shop. Only today, I didn't get a custard-filled donut for Gina (and I only got one chocolate French for myself!). Since I was about a half an hour early, I was also able to eat my donut and take the rest to the chemo room before Gina arrived. I knew that she wouldn't be able to eat because of her surgery, so I definitely didn't want to be eating donuts in front of her!
Once Gina and Steven arrived, we had to wait about thirty minutes for her to be called back. I had called the PA, Donna Valentine, yesterday to ask how the day would progress, so we would know what to expect. I also had done some reading about the procedures Gina would undergo, again so we would know what was coming.
The first procedures of the day were the injection of blue radioactive dye and the placement of guide wires into Gina's left breast. Using mammography as a guide, very thin wires were inserted into the breast to mark the location of the area that the surgeon would be removing during the lumpectomy. This is done in cases like Gina's where there is little or no identifiable tumor left. Next, blue dye was injected around her areola, and it's purpose was to travel up her duct system and color her lymph nodes bright blue, so they could be easily seen during surgery. During the "sentinel node biopsy" part of the surgery, her sentinel lymph node (the first one closest to the tumor) would be biopsied. If cancerous cells were found, then the next lymph node in the chain (leading up and into her armpit) would be biopsied, and so on. The more lymph nodes that test positive, the more likely the chance that the cancer has spread.
An interesting thing that I learned was that the blue dye ends up turning your pee blue or green! I made Gina promise to take a picture if this happened.
While Gina was having her pre-op procedures, Steven and I walked over to the local deli, where I had lunch. Again, I didn't want to be eating in front of Gina.
After about an hour and half, Gina came out with a hospital gown on. She didn't think that they had injected the dye yet (but she definitely had wires sticking out of her boob!), but after some talking, she realized that they had done that, too. Next was to wait to be called into pre-op.
Once we went next door for the surgery center, it wasn't long before they took Gina back for pre-op. While back there, they basically just got her in a bed and started an IV. They gave her hydration and an antibiotic.
During the time we were waiting, I got a text from Gina that said, "You are my cousin." My first thought was, maybe they already gave her something and she's loopy! I responded, "What??" And a bit later, she explained, "The nurse asked." Ohhhh....she told the nurse I was family so I would be able to come back and be with her :)
After a bit, Steven and I were allowed to go back to wait with Gina. Although surgery was scheduled for 2:00 pm, Dr. Mabry was running late. I wasn't surprised, as this tends to always be the case with scheduled surgeries, and I also wasn't surprised that Gina was (understandably) irritated by the delay.
In the meanwhile, the nurse answered some of our questions, and then the anesthesiologist came by. Gina would be under general anesthesia during the surgery. We also looked at her mammography films, which were sitting on the table waiting for Dr. Mabry.
When Dr. Mabry showed up at 2:45. the first thing she did was initial Gina's left breast. This is standard procedure to avoid mistakes. Basically, she said, we could expect the surgery to last one and a half hours. If it went longer, it would likely be because cancer cells were found in the sentinel node and more nodes needed to be biopsied.
Gina went in to surgery at 3:00 pm. We went back to the deli so Steven could eat lunch. We were back in the waiting room about 3:45.
At 4:12, Dr. Mabry walked into the waiting room. I new immediately it was good news...it had only been an hour and twelve minutes!! As she spoke and confirmed that the surgery had gone as planned and that the sentinel node was cancer free, the relief I felt was overwhelming. And although both of us had agreed that we were not worried before surgery, both Steven and I ended up in tears. CANCER FREE!
It wasn't long before we were allowed to go back into recovery to see Gina. When we walked in, she was lying there with her eyes closed. She had an oxygen tube in her nose. When we said her name, she opened her eyes, looked at us, and immediately started crying. CANCER FREE! When I kissed her and told her she did it, she thanked me. I told her how proud of her I was. She did the work, and now she was getting what she deserved...to be cancer free. It was a glorious few minutes, Steven and I each holding one of her hands.
Within an hour, they were ready to release her whenever she was ready. Her sister Lisa showed up just in time, and we changed Gina back into her clothes. Then it was a short wheelchair ride to the exit, and Gina was on her way home.
On the way home, my thoughts were bittersweet. I cranked up the radio and sang at the top of my lungs as I sat in traffic, but I also though of the thousands who have not been and will not be so lucky. As I have mentioned many times before, this journey has exposed me to lots and lots of survivors and stories, and many of them were not as happy. It is for these people that I will continue to fight. Sure, I could walk in San Diego next month and be done with it. I could walk away never having to worry about fundraising again. But the fight is not over. As the 3-Day walkers say, "I walk because I can."
I love you, Gina. I am so proud of you. You were a champion through all of this, and I am proud to call you my friend. You did it!
And now, my friend, a surprise: Although I accidentally deleted the pictures I took today, I was able to recover them from my camera's memory card with the help of some software! I was so relieved, because I was devastated that I had lost the best pics of all! Here they are!
The day started off as my visits to the Breastlink Center have for the last couple of months, with a stop at the donut shop. Only today, I didn't get a custard-filled donut for Gina (and I only got one chocolate French for myself!). Since I was about a half an hour early, I was also able to eat my donut and take the rest to the chemo room before Gina arrived. I knew that she wouldn't be able to eat because of her surgery, so I definitely didn't want to be eating donuts in front of her!
Once Gina and Steven arrived, we had to wait about thirty minutes for her to be called back. I had called the PA, Donna Valentine, yesterday to ask how the day would progress, so we would know what to expect. I also had done some reading about the procedures Gina would undergo, again so we would know what was coming.
The first procedures of the day were the injection of blue radioactive dye and the placement of guide wires into Gina's left breast. Using mammography as a guide, very thin wires were inserted into the breast to mark the location of the area that the surgeon would be removing during the lumpectomy. This is done in cases like Gina's where there is little or no identifiable tumor left. Next, blue dye was injected around her areola, and it's purpose was to travel up her duct system and color her lymph nodes bright blue, so they could be easily seen during surgery. During the "sentinel node biopsy" part of the surgery, her sentinel lymph node (the first one closest to the tumor) would be biopsied. If cancerous cells were found, then the next lymph node in the chain (leading up and into her armpit) would be biopsied, and so on. The more lymph nodes that test positive, the more likely the chance that the cancer has spread.
An interesting thing that I learned was that the blue dye ends up turning your pee blue or green! I made Gina promise to take a picture if this happened.
While Gina was having her pre-op procedures, Steven and I walked over to the local deli, where I had lunch. Again, I didn't want to be eating in front of Gina.
After about an hour and half, Gina came out with a hospital gown on. She didn't think that they had injected the dye yet (but she definitely had wires sticking out of her boob!), but after some talking, she realized that they had done that, too. Next was to wait to be called into pre-op.
Once we went next door for the surgery center, it wasn't long before they took Gina back for pre-op. While back there, they basically just got her in a bed and started an IV. They gave her hydration and an antibiotic.
During the time we were waiting, I got a text from Gina that said, "You are my cousin." My first thought was, maybe they already gave her something and she's loopy! I responded, "What??" And a bit later, she explained, "The nurse asked." Ohhhh....she told the nurse I was family so I would be able to come back and be with her :)
After a bit, Steven and I were allowed to go back to wait with Gina. Although surgery was scheduled for 2:00 pm, Dr. Mabry was running late. I wasn't surprised, as this tends to always be the case with scheduled surgeries, and I also wasn't surprised that Gina was (understandably) irritated by the delay.
In the meanwhile, the nurse answered some of our questions, and then the anesthesiologist came by. Gina would be under general anesthesia during the surgery. We also looked at her mammography films, which were sitting on the table waiting for Dr. Mabry.
When Dr. Mabry showed up at 2:45. the first thing she did was initial Gina's left breast. This is standard procedure to avoid mistakes. Basically, she said, we could expect the surgery to last one and a half hours. If it went longer, it would likely be because cancer cells were found in the sentinel node and more nodes needed to be biopsied.
Gina went in to surgery at 3:00 pm. We went back to the deli so Steven could eat lunch. We were back in the waiting room about 3:45.
At 4:12, Dr. Mabry walked into the waiting room. I new immediately it was good news...it had only been an hour and twelve minutes!! As she spoke and confirmed that the surgery had gone as planned and that the sentinel node was cancer free, the relief I felt was overwhelming. And although both of us had agreed that we were not worried before surgery, both Steven and I ended up in tears. CANCER FREE!
It wasn't long before we were allowed to go back into recovery to see Gina. When we walked in, she was lying there with her eyes closed. She had an oxygen tube in her nose. When we said her name, she opened her eyes, looked at us, and immediately started crying. CANCER FREE! When I kissed her and told her she did it, she thanked me. I told her how proud of her I was. She did the work, and now she was getting what she deserved...to be cancer free. It was a glorious few minutes, Steven and I each holding one of her hands.
Within an hour, they were ready to release her whenever she was ready. Her sister Lisa showed up just in time, and we changed Gina back into her clothes. Then it was a short wheelchair ride to the exit, and Gina was on her way home.
On the way home, my thoughts were bittersweet. I cranked up the radio and sang at the top of my lungs as I sat in traffic, but I also though of the thousands who have not been and will not be so lucky. As I have mentioned many times before, this journey has exposed me to lots and lots of survivors and stories, and many of them were not as happy. It is for these people that I will continue to fight. Sure, I could walk in San Diego next month and be done with it. I could walk away never having to worry about fundraising again. But the fight is not over. As the 3-Day walkers say, "I walk because I can."
I love you, Gina. I am so proud of you. You were a champion through all of this, and I am proud to call you my friend. You did it!
And now, my friend, a surprise: Although I accidentally deleted the pictures I took today, I was able to recover them from my camera's memory card with the help of some software! I was so relieved, because I was devastated that I had lost the best pics of all! Here they are!
Steven holding up one of Gina's mammograms. You can see the guide wires.
From a different angle.
Happy!
BFFs!
My new T-shirt! I love a survivor!!
Oh, and by the way, Gina's pee turned "the color of Scope." You owe me a picture!
Please continue to support the fight against breast cancer.
We need to find a cure.
Best,
Lisa
Monday, October 17, 2011
Countdown and Camp Mail
Well, it's officially one month until we hit the road for the 3-Day! Wow, it seemed like we had so much time to prepare and yet we did so little preparation! I'm trying to keep my excitement at bay, just so I don't make these last 4 weeks pass too slowly!
On a more important front, Gina is just days away from her lumpectomy. This Friday, she will have dye injected into her breast to make her lymph nodes easier to follow. They will start with the lymph nodes closest to the breast and work their way up to her armpit looking for cancer cells hiding there. They will also remove tissue around where her tumor once was. The goal is to get "clean margins," meaning that they want to take out all the cancer-damaged cells plus an edge of normal cells. Having an edge of normal cells all around the tissue they take out means they got it all.
From what I have read, the armpit is actually the most tender part after a surgery like this. Swelling in the affected arm is common, as is the inability to raise your hands over your head (like to get dressed). After surgery, there will be radiation treatments...five days a week for 6-8 weeks to be exact. But, by most accounts, the worst is over now that chemo is over. I am hoping this is true!
Please keep Gina in your thoughts this weekend.
Love,
Lisa
PS The 3-Day has announced the address for camp mail! If you would like to send us a letter that we will receive over the weekend of the walk, please mail it NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 8 to:
3-Day for the Cure
ATTN: Lisa Brubaker
P.O. Box 722485
San Diego, CA 92172
On a more important front, Gina is just days away from her lumpectomy. This Friday, she will have dye injected into her breast to make her lymph nodes easier to follow. They will start with the lymph nodes closest to the breast and work their way up to her armpit looking for cancer cells hiding there. They will also remove tissue around where her tumor once was. The goal is to get "clean margins," meaning that they want to take out all the cancer-damaged cells plus an edge of normal cells. Having an edge of normal cells all around the tissue they take out means they got it all.
From what I have read, the armpit is actually the most tender part after a surgery like this. Swelling in the affected arm is common, as is the inability to raise your hands over your head (like to get dressed). After surgery, there will be radiation treatments...five days a week for 6-8 weeks to be exact. But, by most accounts, the worst is over now that chemo is over. I am hoping this is true!
Please keep Gina in your thoughts this weekend.
Love,
Lisa
PS The 3-Day has announced the address for camp mail! If you would like to send us a letter that we will receive over the weekend of the walk, please mail it NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 8 to:
3-Day for the Cure
ATTN: Lisa Brubaker
P.O. Box 722485
San Diego, CA 92172
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Last Chemo & A Little Surprise
Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I've written! It actually seems a lot longer than that!
Since we last "spoke," all of our kids have gone back to school (I have one in kindergarten and one in middle school now!), soccer is back in season, and I did some selling and fundraising at a local "bazaar."
The bazaar was a bot of a disappointment, but you never know how an event will go until you try it at least once!
Oh, and Seth and I finally got around to a few training walks!
Today, though, was a landmark day...it was Gina's 6th and final chemo!! Woo hoo!
As usual, I drove out to be with her and have some donuts :)
When she got there, I presented her with a small gift to mark the occasion, a bracelet that says "Never Alone" on the front, and "Fuck Cancer" on the inside :)
But the real surprise of the day was that I had planned a surprise lunch for after chemo, and that a few friends and family members would be waiting for us at the Mc Cormick and Schmicks up the street.
When Gina got up to pee, I let the nurses in on my secret, and they were pleased to be in on the plan.
After that, it was business as usual, although today I brought my camera and took some pictures for the blog.
With Gina hooked up, all I had to do was text everyone and let them know that we had started on time. We usually get out of there around 1ish, so I had made the reservation for 1:30.
At 11:20, Kathy started the second bag of drugs and turned up the drip. Twenty five minutes later, the bag was empty, and it was time to start the last bag. Shit! At this pace we were going to be WAAY early, and I had people who had to drive an hour to get out there!
In a panic, I followed one of the nurses (Melissa) out when she went into the hall.
"We have to slow down the chemo or we'll be way too early for lunch! Can you please ask Kathy to turn it down?!"
And so she whispered to Kathy, who then came over and slowed down the drip.
About half an hour or so later, Gina was wondering out loud why the hell it was taking so long!! :)
When Gina went to the restroom again, I ran up to thank Kathy, who remarked that no one had ever asked for chemo to be slowed down before!!
Realizing that it was now too slow, the other nurse, Georgia, caught my eye and gestured "Do you want me to turn it up?" And she did.
Not long after, my cousin Jill showed up. She was to be the one to suggest lunch at Mc Cormick's.
Chemo finished just before 1:00, we took a few more pictures, and we were on our way.
When we got to M&S, there were 3 parking spots right in front. First I pull in, then Jill, then Gina. Then when Gina looked over, there was her mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the car next to hers! Surprise!
I grabbed the bottle of champagne I had brought, and in we went. Gina saw her boss Anita and our friend Sandra sitting in the bar immediately. Surprise!
The only person missing was Gina's sister Lisa.
Then, abruptly, Gina went outside (she had gone to get her glasses in the car). I thought to myself, "I bet she's gonna see Lisa in the parking lot now!" And sure enough, there she was. Surprise!
It was a GREAT lunch. It was a nice sized group, and everyone was talkative. It had all worked out perfectly :)
Thank you again to everyone for coming out. I know it meant a lot to Gina.
Before we get to the pictures, let me tell you what's next...
Gina will still be having IV medication administered every 3 weeks well into next year. This medication, Herceptin, is not chemotherapy, however, and Gina should have no side effects from it at all. In addition, taking this med only takes an hour visit, as opposed to a four hour visit.
On October 21, Gina will be having her lumpectomy in the surgery center next to Breastlink (the place where she goes for chemo). She and I had a meeting with the surgeon, Dr. Mabry, last week, and she was very confident that a lumpectomy was a good and safe choice in Gina's case (her tumor is basically GONE!). Believe it or not, the lumpectomy is an outpatient procedure, and it will last about an hour and a half. For most women, the most painful part after surgery is in the armpit, where they have taken out the lymph nodes. The scars are small, and they disappear over time.
After surgery, Gina will also have radiation treatments. A lot of radiation treatments: five days a week for six to eight weeks!! The treatments, however, only take a matter of minutes, and they can be done at a radiology center closer to home. Basically you go in, they zap it, and you're done. Like at the dentist :) One interesting thing that you might not have known before is that when you have that many radiation treatments, they actually tattoo about 5 little dots on your chest so that it is easier for them to line everything up exactly the same every time you go in.
And finally, I hope, our walk will be here. I am hoping that Gina will feel up to going out to San Diego to cheer us on and to soak up some of the love that thousands of people have dedicated to showing women just like her. SURVIVORS.
I love you, Gi!!
And now, here's some of what chemo looks like...
Since we last "spoke," all of our kids have gone back to school (I have one in kindergarten and one in middle school now!), soccer is back in season, and I did some selling and fundraising at a local "bazaar."
The bazaar was a bot of a disappointment, but you never know how an event will go until you try it at least once!
Oh, and Seth and I finally got around to a few training walks!
Today, though, was a landmark day...it was Gina's 6th and final chemo!! Woo hoo!
As usual, I drove out to be with her and have some donuts :)
When she got there, I presented her with a small gift to mark the occasion, a bracelet that says "Never Alone" on the front, and "Fuck Cancer" on the inside :)
But the real surprise of the day was that I had planned a surprise lunch for after chemo, and that a few friends and family members would be waiting for us at the Mc Cormick and Schmicks up the street.
When Gina got up to pee, I let the nurses in on my secret, and they were pleased to be in on the plan.
After that, it was business as usual, although today I brought my camera and took some pictures for the blog.
With Gina hooked up, all I had to do was text everyone and let them know that we had started on time. We usually get out of there around 1ish, so I had made the reservation for 1:30.
At 11:20, Kathy started the second bag of drugs and turned up the drip. Twenty five minutes later, the bag was empty, and it was time to start the last bag. Shit! At this pace we were going to be WAAY early, and I had people who had to drive an hour to get out there!
In a panic, I followed one of the nurses (Melissa) out when she went into the hall.
"We have to slow down the chemo or we'll be way too early for lunch! Can you please ask Kathy to turn it down?!"
And so she whispered to Kathy, who then came over and slowed down the drip.
About half an hour or so later, Gina was wondering out loud why the hell it was taking so long!! :)
When Gina went to the restroom again, I ran up to thank Kathy, who remarked that no one had ever asked for chemo to be slowed down before!!
Realizing that it was now too slow, the other nurse, Georgia, caught my eye and gestured "Do you want me to turn it up?" And she did.
Not long after, my cousin Jill showed up. She was to be the one to suggest lunch at Mc Cormick's.
Chemo finished just before 1:00, we took a few more pictures, and we were on our way.
When we got to M&S, there were 3 parking spots right in front. First I pull in, then Jill, then Gina. Then when Gina looked over, there was her mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the car next to hers! Surprise!
I grabbed the bottle of champagne I had brought, and in we went. Gina saw her boss Anita and our friend Sandra sitting in the bar immediately. Surprise!
The only person missing was Gina's sister Lisa.
Then, abruptly, Gina went outside (she had gone to get her glasses in the car). I thought to myself, "I bet she's gonna see Lisa in the parking lot now!" And sure enough, there she was. Surprise!
It was a GREAT lunch. It was a nice sized group, and everyone was talkative. It had all worked out perfectly :)
Thank you again to everyone for coming out. I know it meant a lot to Gina.
Before we get to the pictures, let me tell you what's next...
Gina will still be having IV medication administered every 3 weeks well into next year. This medication, Herceptin, is not chemotherapy, however, and Gina should have no side effects from it at all. In addition, taking this med only takes an hour visit, as opposed to a four hour visit.
On October 21, Gina will be having her lumpectomy in the surgery center next to Breastlink (the place where she goes for chemo). She and I had a meeting with the surgeon, Dr. Mabry, last week, and she was very confident that a lumpectomy was a good and safe choice in Gina's case (her tumor is basically GONE!). Believe it or not, the lumpectomy is an outpatient procedure, and it will last about an hour and a half. For most women, the most painful part after surgery is in the armpit, where they have taken out the lymph nodes. The scars are small, and they disappear over time.
After surgery, Gina will also have radiation treatments. A lot of radiation treatments: five days a week for six to eight weeks!! The treatments, however, only take a matter of minutes, and they can be done at a radiology center closer to home. Basically you go in, they zap it, and you're done. Like at the dentist :) One interesting thing that you might not have known before is that when you have that many radiation treatments, they actually tattoo about 5 little dots on your chest so that it is easier for them to line everything up exactly the same every time you go in.
And finally, I hope, our walk will be here. I am hoping that Gina will feel up to going out to San Diego to cheer us on and to soak up some of the love that thousands of people have dedicated to showing women just like her. SURVIVORS.
I love you, Gi!!
And now, here's some of what chemo looks like...
The chemo room. 6 recliners and 6 visitors chairs. Gina always took the corner chair (behind me and to the left of where I am standing to take the picture). I told Gina at her first chemo in June that I would one day raise money to replace all six of the visitors' chairs. They look nice, but they are uncomfortable!!
The nurses' cart.
Gina's port. Just below the scar where it looks bruised, there is a little bump that is the port under her skin.
Kathy applies freeze spray to lessen the pain of inserting the needle.
Even though you have a port, the skin still gets pierced. The needle that goes in there is over an inch long!
They take blood before starting chemo to check cell counts. Gina's have always been good.
More blood.
Hydration.
Gina's bracelet.
First bag of chemo started...
Donuts. Custard-filled for Gina and a chocolate devil's food for me (I already ate my French crueller before I took this pic!)
Anti-nausea meds and Benadryl.
Dr. Link
Chemo bags.
Donna, the physician's assistant.
FOUR HOURS LATER...
Flushing out the port.
A painful and slow injection of Neulasta, which helps fight infection.
Nurses Kathy and Georgia
Anita, Gina, Lisa, Jill, Sandra, Pam, and Lori.
So bummed this picture came out blurry!
They made special menus!
Apparently Gina's not any better of a photographer than me!
I just discovered this picture on my camera tonight! It's from the BJ's fundraiser. Love it!
Thanks again to everyone who has shown their support for the cure!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Coyote Cantina Pancake Fundraiser
It's 11:41 pm, and I'm exhausted. Today was the much-anticipated Coyote Cantina All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Fundraiser and it was phenomenal! I just can't stop sitting here thinking about every person who contributed to this event, who made it everything I envisioned and more. I am humbled, overwhelmed and so grateful!
I wish I could tell you what I've been doing since my last post, but it's literally been a blur...a flurry of lists, boxes, chocolate and cookie dough! Virtually every free hour of every day was spent planning the pancake fundraiser. While at times it was overwhelming, it was always something I was excited to be doing, and after today, it feels like every minute was time well spent. Before I talk more about that, though, let's take care of first things first.
On Wednesday, August 17, Gina had her 4th chemo. When the nurse, Donna, examined her after she was done, she could not feel the tumor at all! As hoped, Gina's tumor is responding well to the chemo! Only two more chemo sessions to go before Gina can schedule her lumpectomy. Assuming everything comes back clean, she will then undergo radiation 5 days a week for 5 weeks, in addition to another year of and IV medication called Herceptin.
At this last chemo, there was a very diverse group of women in the chemo room. There was a girl, much younger than us, on her 2nd chemo. There was a woman, older than us and dressed very feminine, in a flowy dress with a long scarf covering her hair, There was a loud, weathered looking woman who seemed very matter-of-fact about it all, like she was just having a social visit with the nurses. And there was a 50 something woman undergoing her first treatment. She was scared. She couldn't smile, couldn't joke, couldn't even consider having a donut :) Donna, the nurse practitioner, did her best to reassure her, as did the chemo nurses, encouraging the other women to tell her that everything was going to be just as they told her it was gonna be. Not painless, but not the end of the world, either. I was touched by this woman, because I think it was the first time I could really feel and see someone's fear since I've been going with Gina to chemo. Her husband was there, but I don't think she was comforted by that. I hope to see her again, if only to see that she has managed to deal with the chemo.
Like I said earlier, nearly every free minute I had in the last week has been spent planning the Coyote event. I also spent a solid 2 days chocolate dipping Oreos, marshmallows and pretzels for the bake sale table. Then, as the date drew nearer, it was time to bake the cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats and magic cookie bars. Faced with the thought of baking, wrapping, tying and labeling each individual package, I had an idea...
A few weeks ago, I learned about an online business called Task Rabbit. Basically, you can go to the Task Rabbit website, post a task you need done, and "Task Rabbits" (who were all interviewed and background checked by the company) could bid on a chance to do the task for you. (When I found out about this company, I immediately applied to be a Task Rabbit, and am waiting to hear back from them.)
Anyway, at about 2:00 am the night before I was scheduled to start baking, I decided to post an ad on Task Rabbit: "Help Package Goodies for Bake Sale: I am baking hundreds of goodies for a breast cancer fundraiser bake sale. We need someone to help package the items (per my instructions), tie the bags with curling ribbon, curl the ribbon, and apply stickers to the packages. You will be helping us, not working all on your own! Please be someone who is detail oriented. Appearance of the items will be very important." Within 15 minutes, I had a bid!
The next day, I think I ended up with about 5 bids to choose from. I had hoped to only spend about $20 for 2 hours, and luckily, a woman with a great profile had bid $20. Her name is Jaime, and she showed up and worked non-stop for two hours, and did a fabulous job! All in all, I was at Jill's baking and wrapping for 12 hours. Without a doubt, hiring Jaime was the best move I made all day! Thank you, Jaime!
Thank you, too, to Jill for the kitchen and the help, to Seth, and to Olivia, who rolled hundreds of dough balls :)
One of the things I did very early on in planning this event was think about who I wanted to ask to volunteer. I was very particular about who I wanted to ask, as I needed people who would take direction, work hard, and have a fabulous personality (you know, like me!). Luckily, everyone I asked who was available said yes! And, luckily, I even picked up some extra help in the days leading up to the event, which it ended up, I really needed! All in all, we had over 20 people working the event, and they all ended up having a great time together.
Thank you Vanessa, Amber, Shanna, Katie, Carlos, Guy, Rik, Ed, Todd, Heather, Jacki, Jenni, Marisa, Brooklyn, Alexa, Mena and Cynthia!
And an extra special thanks to Sean, who made our official Team Tough Titty t-shirts, made even more to sell, who drove up all the way from San Diego, and who also did some heavy lifting! You are the best!
As usual, my mom also pitched in with her sewing skills, making some awesome towel aprons (a hot seller!), bags, and checkbook covers for me to sell. Thanks, MOM!
Except for a few minor glitches (I forgot a bucket for the 50/50 raffle tickets and we ran low on food a couple of times (a good thing!!), the event went off wonderfully. There was a great crowd, a great energy, and great food and drink! Lots of friends stopped by to support us, and we made lots of new friends, too!
I wish I could tell you what I've been doing since my last post, but it's literally been a blur...a flurry of lists, boxes, chocolate and cookie dough! Virtually every free hour of every day was spent planning the pancake fundraiser. While at times it was overwhelming, it was always something I was excited to be doing, and after today, it feels like every minute was time well spent. Before I talk more about that, though, let's take care of first things first.
On Wednesday, August 17, Gina had her 4th chemo. When the nurse, Donna, examined her after she was done, she could not feel the tumor at all! As hoped, Gina's tumor is responding well to the chemo! Only two more chemo sessions to go before Gina can schedule her lumpectomy. Assuming everything comes back clean, she will then undergo radiation 5 days a week for 5 weeks, in addition to another year of and IV medication called Herceptin.
At this last chemo, there was a very diverse group of women in the chemo room. There was a girl, much younger than us, on her 2nd chemo. There was a woman, older than us and dressed very feminine, in a flowy dress with a long scarf covering her hair, There was a loud, weathered looking woman who seemed very matter-of-fact about it all, like she was just having a social visit with the nurses. And there was a 50 something woman undergoing her first treatment. She was scared. She couldn't smile, couldn't joke, couldn't even consider having a donut :) Donna, the nurse practitioner, did her best to reassure her, as did the chemo nurses, encouraging the other women to tell her that everything was going to be just as they told her it was gonna be. Not painless, but not the end of the world, either. I was touched by this woman, because I think it was the first time I could really feel and see someone's fear since I've been going with Gina to chemo. Her husband was there, but I don't think she was comforted by that. I hope to see her again, if only to see that she has managed to deal with the chemo.
Like I said earlier, nearly every free minute I had in the last week has been spent planning the Coyote event. I also spent a solid 2 days chocolate dipping Oreos, marshmallows and pretzels for the bake sale table. Then, as the date drew nearer, it was time to bake the cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats and magic cookie bars. Faced with the thought of baking, wrapping, tying and labeling each individual package, I had an idea...
A few weeks ago, I learned about an online business called Task Rabbit. Basically, you can go to the Task Rabbit website, post a task you need done, and "Task Rabbits" (who were all interviewed and background checked by the company) could bid on a chance to do the task for you. (When I found out about this company, I immediately applied to be a Task Rabbit, and am waiting to hear back from them.)
Anyway, at about 2:00 am the night before I was scheduled to start baking, I decided to post an ad on Task Rabbit: "Help Package Goodies for Bake Sale: I am baking hundreds of goodies for a breast cancer fundraiser bake sale. We need someone to help package the items (per my instructions), tie the bags with curling ribbon, curl the ribbon, and apply stickers to the packages. You will be helping us, not working all on your own! Please be someone who is detail oriented. Appearance of the items will be very important." Within 15 minutes, I had a bid!
The next day, I think I ended up with about 5 bids to choose from. I had hoped to only spend about $20 for 2 hours, and luckily, a woman with a great profile had bid $20. Her name is Jaime, and she showed up and worked non-stop for two hours, and did a fabulous job! All in all, I was at Jill's baking and wrapping for 12 hours. Without a doubt, hiring Jaime was the best move I made all day! Thank you, Jaime!
Thank you, too, to Jill for the kitchen and the help, to Seth, and to Olivia, who rolled hundreds of dough balls :)
One of the things I did very early on in planning this event was think about who I wanted to ask to volunteer. I was very particular about who I wanted to ask, as I needed people who would take direction, work hard, and have a fabulous personality (you know, like me!). Luckily, everyone I asked who was available said yes! And, luckily, I even picked up some extra help in the days leading up to the event, which it ended up, I really needed! All in all, we had over 20 people working the event, and they all ended up having a great time together.
Thank you Vanessa, Amber, Shanna, Katie, Carlos, Guy, Rik, Ed, Todd, Heather, Jacki, Jenni, Marisa, Brooklyn, Alexa, Mena and Cynthia!
And an extra special thanks to Sean, who made our official Team Tough Titty t-shirts, made even more to sell, who drove up all the way from San Diego, and who also did some heavy lifting! You are the best!
As usual, my mom also pitched in with her sewing skills, making some awesome towel aprons (a hot seller!), bags, and checkbook covers for me to sell. Thanks, MOM!
Except for a few minor glitches (I forgot a bucket for the 50/50 raffle tickets and we ran low on food a couple of times (a good thing!!), the event went off wonderfully. There was a great crowd, a great energy, and great food and drink! Lots of friends stopped by to support us, and we made lots of new friends, too!
We raised over $2200.
Thank you, Matthew McQuaid, for giving us the opportunity to host this event at your restaurant. Thank you for letting us advertise the event using your email list. Thank you for always saying yes when I ask!!
And finally, before we get to the pictures, I want to thank all of the attendees, both friends and strangers. We sure enjoyed having you, and we hope that you enjoyed yourself for a good cause! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Ok, here are the pictures. Thank goodness Cynthia picked up my camera, or we'd only have 5, and thanks to everyone else who contributed the ones they took. Enjoy!
This was the official e-blast created by Tima and
sent to all of the people on Coyote Cantina's email list.
Seth making brownies, Olivia rolling cookie dough balls,
me making Rice Krispie treats, and Jaime wrapping!
Jaime the Task Rabbit!
All decked out in pink and setting up.
Matthew McQuaid, owner of Coyote Cantina
Todd and Heather selling meal & raffle tickets out front.
I made "Opportunity Baskets" that people could win.
The Pink iPod Shuffle and the Kincaid's gift certificates were the most popular.
We also had a 50/50 raffle with a cash prize and a
19" flat screen TV as a consolation prize!
Cynthia and Amber working the street!
Vanessa enjoying shave ice!
Yes, I face paint, too!
Samantha
Spider Boy!
Jack, Seth, and Spencer
The Pink iPod Shuffle and the Kincaid's gift certificates were the most popular.
We also had a 50/50 raffle with a cash prize and a
19" flat screen TV as a consolation prize!
Jacki ("Nana") and her daughter Jenni at the bake sale table.
Marshmallow Pops
Chocolate Dipped Oreos
Amber & Nana
Amber & some chocolate dipped pretzels
Sean at the tie dye/pink ribbon/arts and crafts table.
With his sister Mena. Their parents did good :)
Guy, our culinary-school-trained pancake chef!
Goofin' in the kitchen
Ed & Rik (pancake sous chefs) and good friend Paul
The breakfast!
Spencer (5), Jack (10), and Ian (8)
Katie & Amber
Shanna rocking the pink!
Paul, Jill and Danny
The Amazing Carlos!
The Pink Ladies...we should open our own restaurant...
Alexa, Marisa, and Brooklyn
Katie, bartender extraordinaire!
Me and my little man Spence.
Thanks again to every single person involved in this endeavor.
And if I missed anyone, I hope you'll forgive me!
Love,
Lisa
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