The boys filmed a short 30 second commercial for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer today! They did a great job and looked so handsome! The walk is in mid-October, so the commercial will start running on 10/11 in about a month! They were initially bummed to be missing the Fremont train with the daycare, but after the taping they said they had fun and were so glad they did it! What nice boys....
What am I thankful for?! A good day with the boys. Now for some relaxing, chemo is kicking in and I am so wiped out.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.29.2010
7.27.2010
CFD Cheyenne WY
(We missed you Heidi! Hope you and Stevie are feeling smarter after your weekend in Estes!)
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
God/Prayer Question
To anyone who believes in a higher power and that would like to comment, what are your thoughts:
So, I have heard that you shouldn't pray for a cure to your disease, you should pray for courage or strength in dealing with it, so that is what I have always done.
Then, I hear that when you pray for courage or strength, God doesn't give you courage or strength, but instead he gives you opportunities to be courageous or to show your strength, I don't want more opportunities to be my courageous....
So, I thank God for all that I am given and for each day that I wake up I thank God for giving me my soul back another day....
But, does anyone have any thoughts on praying for a cure to cancer? What if I pray for a cure for someone else with the same thing I have...I would do that anyway, is that like praying for myself since it would help me too? Are there really all these restrictions on what we can pray for, or should we just talk to God and see what happens...do we go to hell for praying the wrong prayer? What do my friends and family believe on this topic?...I could really use some other peoples thoughts on this.
What am I thankful for? A forum to ask this question.
What would I appreciate? Honest thoughts, written in a respectful way, so as not to purposely hurt others. People won't agree, but out of respect, I ask that if you deside to read the comments and leave a comment of your own, you write it so as to just share your thoughts and not to judge or demean the thoughts and beliefs of others! Thanks!
Sometimes we need to agree to disagree...this is one of those times. HOPE and LOVE!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
So, I have heard that you shouldn't pray for a cure to your disease, you should pray for courage or strength in dealing with it, so that is what I have always done.
Then, I hear that when you pray for courage or strength, God doesn't give you courage or strength, but instead he gives you opportunities to be courageous or to show your strength, I don't want more opportunities to be my courageous....
So, I thank God for all that I am given and for each day that I wake up I thank God for giving me my soul back another day....
But, does anyone have any thoughts on praying for a cure to cancer? What if I pray for a cure for someone else with the same thing I have...I would do that anyway, is that like praying for myself since it would help me too? Are there really all these restrictions on what we can pray for, or should we just talk to God and see what happens...do we go to hell for praying the wrong prayer? What do my friends and family believe on this topic?...I could really use some other peoples thoughts on this.
What am I thankful for? A forum to ask this question.
What would I appreciate? Honest thoughts, written in a respectful way, so as not to purposely hurt others. People won't agree, but out of respect, I ask that if you deside to read the comments and leave a comment of your own, you write it so as to just share your thoughts and not to judge or demean the thoughts and beliefs of others! Thanks!
Sometimes we need to agree to disagree...this is one of those times. HOPE and LOVE!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
Scans
Just realized not too long ago that my scans are coming up in a week or so...getting VERY nervous! More nervous for these scans than I have been for other scans in the last couple years, if you can imagine that. It could be a long couple weeks.
I apologize to the boys and Jayme in advance, because they have to live with me, and by now we all know how I get...
What am I thankful for?! Well, I guess I am thankful that, with the scans, Dr Langdon and I will know what is going on and we will be able to make adjustments accordingly.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
I apologize to the boys and Jayme in advance, because they have to live with me, and by now we all know how I get...
What am I thankful for?! Well, I guess I am thankful that, with the scans, Dr Langdon and I will know what is going on and we will be able to make adjustments accordingly.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.26.2010
7.21.2010
No Chemo this week.
I went in for chemotherapy this week, and my blood counts were all to low to get treatment, especially my white count which was 0.9. Normal is between 4-10. Yikes! The doc put me on antibiotics, and I did shots to boost my counts on both Monday and Tuesday. Today I went in and had lab drawn and my counts were back up. My white count is normal, and my red count and platelets are only mildly low.
I am packing for a girls trip this weekend to Cheyenne for Frontier Days! YAY! I leave tomorrow! If my counts didn't go up, they didn't think I should go...thank goodness my bone marrow responds well to the shots they give me! Giddy-up!!!
Right now I am writing this from bed where I am watching the boys sleep. They are so peaceful when they are sleeping. I haven't even left yet, and I am already missing them. I hate going 4 days without them, but they will be with their dad, and he has promised to make them ribs on Saturday, so they are looking forward to that! =)
Thankful for?! Good friends, guardian angels, and my family!
Say a little prayer that I get chemo next Monday!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
I am packing for a girls trip this weekend to Cheyenne for Frontier Days! YAY! I leave tomorrow! If my counts didn't go up, they didn't think I should go...thank goodness my bone marrow responds well to the shots they give me! Giddy-up!!!
Right now I am writing this from bed where I am watching the boys sleep. They are so peaceful when they are sleeping. I haven't even left yet, and I am already missing them. I hate going 4 days without them, but they will be with their dad, and he has promised to make them ribs on Saturday, so they are looking forward to that! =)
Thankful for?! Good friends, guardian angels, and my family!
Say a little prayer that I get chemo next Monday!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.17.2010
7.16.2010
Watched a FANTASTIC game by the DAWGS! WAY TO GO BOYS!!! Skye had great hits and did well as catcher!!! You make me proud, Kid!
On the road again! Rollin towards Lincoln to get our Relay on!!!
Thankful for?! A full life! We only get one chance...let's now waste our time!!!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.15.2010
Fun with the Dawgs/Preparing for Relay
Well, I have been in Des Moines since lunch time on Wednesday with Skyes baseball team! We are having a GREAT time! Skyes team all did well in the skills competitions on Wednesday night and today they won both of their games!!! GO DAWGS! Skye had his debut as catcher, and he did a great job! He loves it...he likes to be bossy!
Made it up to the room tonight to shower and make calls to check on how Relay preparations are going! Sounds likes things are going well, and if the weather cooperates, I will be happy! I hope a lot of people come out, Relay veterans and newbies! Relay is very much a time to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back! I am so thankful that I found Relay when I did. The people that Relay connects you with are such great sources of inspiration, encouragement, and HOPE!
I am so thankful to be a part of such an event! ....And so thankful for all my team members who are at home right now making luminaries and packing their trunks with tents, coolers, fundraising items, and overnight supplies! Don't forget your ipods and walking shoes!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
Made it up to the room tonight to shower and make calls to check on how Relay preparations are going! Sounds likes things are going well, and if the weather cooperates, I will be happy! I hope a lot of people come out, Relay veterans and newbies! Relay is very much a time to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back! I am so thankful that I found Relay when I did. The people that Relay connects you with are such great sources of inspiration, encouragement, and HOPE!
I am so thankful to be a part of such an event! ....And so thankful for all my team members who are at home right now making luminaries and packing their trunks with tents, coolers, fundraising items, and overnight supplies! Don't forget your ipods and walking shoes!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.13.2010
Cluck Off!
Story:
New National Cluck-Off champion crowned
Larry Pankoke of Lincoln ended the 11-year reign of Del Hampton of Fort Smith, Ark., by winning the 2010 National Cluck-Off title Saturday during Wayne Chicken Show activities at Bressler Park.
Click on the video to see the winning "clucker."
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://mywaynenews.com/articles/2010/07/10/video/doc4c39014a719ab750683221.txt
JUST MAKES ME SMILE!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
New National Cluck-Off champion crowned
Larry Pankoke of Lincoln ended the 11-year reign of Del Hampton of Fort Smith, Ark., by winning the 2010 National Cluck-Off title Saturday during Wayne Chicken Show activities at Bressler Park.
Click on the video to see the winning "clucker."
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://mywaynenews.com/articles/2010/07/10/video/doc4c39014a719ab750683221.txt
JUST MAKES ME SMILE!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
BUSY DAY!
Today I went to Omaha and had my lab drawn. My counts were FANTASTIC! YAY! So, I was able to get chemo! That feels great (mentally, not physically)!
Then, I worked on Relay stuff (got to see Brandy, Angie, Lori, Ronda, Jackie, Mary etc) because BANK NIGHT was tonight!
And finally, I ended the night with a great great conversation with Jayme! We laughed, we cried, and then we laughed again! Goodnight, Moon!
Then, I worked on Relay stuff (got to see Brandy, Angie, Lori, Ronda, Jackie, Mary etc) because BANK NIGHT was tonight!
And finally, I ended the night with a great great conversation with Jayme! We laughed, we cried, and then we laughed again! Goodnight, Moon!
Thankful for?! Larry (an acquaintance through my friend Betty, who has been a Relay supporter), winning the Wayne Chicken Days Click Off!!! How fun! I will send a link to my BLOG!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.11.2010
Lastnight's Relay in Utica
Wow, lastnight's Relay was both fun and emotional. I sort of just expected to run out there, have a little fun and come home, but it ended up being quite the experience.
The boys and I went to Utica to support my home county's Relay. It was nice to be able to do that this year. It is usually scheduled for either the weekend of my Relay at Haymarket Park or the weekend of my annual trip to Cheyenne Frontier Days! Geesh! Don't they know I am busy?! HA! Anyway, Dan's mom is on the committee, so it is nice to go out and see her Relay event in action and to participate in a Relay that is not quite so CRAZY BUSY as ours is!!! But, what I found is that when you slow it all down, you have a better chance at getting personal, which is exactly what we did. They gave everyone who wanted to, the opportunity to say who they Relay in memory of or in honor of...I went up and said I relay for a couple of friends that have passed away due to this dreaded disease, my nephew went up and said he Relays in honor of me, Dan's mom went up and said she Relays in memory of her mother and in honor of me, and then came Laken....out of no where, my shy in the bigtime spotlight, Laken, goes up....takes the mic....and says (with voice cracking) that he Relays in honor of his mom...and then starts crying. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Now we are all crying, me, Laken, Rosemary, oh what have I done....maybe we should have stayed home. We all hugged for awhile right there, and then Laken and I went for a walk around the dark track where we ended up having an AMAZING mother and son conversation that one would never expect to occur with an 8 year old. I no longer wonder if we should have went. It was a bonding time that we will never forget! I LOVE YOU LAKEN! (Skye, I love you too, but I am thankful that you were playing basketball in the gym and missed the whole thing! One upset child at a time please! Thank you!)
Then, we all proceeded to have a GREAT time...Laken and I won the water balloon toss, they had a foot race, a frozen t-shirt contest (Skye got 2nd in that), Skye ran a mile on the track, little Tiki won a cake in his very first cake walk, and all in all, we had a lot of fun!
Thankful for?! Those times when we get to tell people how much they really mean to us!
The boys and I went to Utica to support my home county's Relay. It was nice to be able to do that this year. It is usually scheduled for either the weekend of my Relay at Haymarket Park or the weekend of my annual trip to Cheyenne Frontier Days! Geesh! Don't they know I am busy?! HA! Anyway, Dan's mom is on the committee, so it is nice to go out and see her Relay event in action and to participate in a Relay that is not quite so CRAZY BUSY as ours is!!! But, what I found is that when you slow it all down, you have a better chance at getting personal, which is exactly what we did. They gave everyone who wanted to, the opportunity to say who they Relay in memory of or in honor of...I went up and said I relay for a couple of friends that have passed away due to this dreaded disease, my nephew went up and said he Relays in honor of me, Dan's mom went up and said she Relays in memory of her mother and in honor of me, and then came Laken....out of no where, my shy in the bigtime spotlight, Laken, goes up....takes the mic....and says (with voice cracking) that he Relays in honor of his mom...and then starts crying. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Now we are all crying, me, Laken, Rosemary, oh what have I done....maybe we should have stayed home. We all hugged for awhile right there, and then Laken and I went for a walk around the dark track where we ended up having an AMAZING mother and son conversation that one would never expect to occur with an 8 year old. I no longer wonder if we should have went. It was a bonding time that we will never forget! I LOVE YOU LAKEN! (Skye, I love you too, but I am thankful that you were playing basketball in the gym and missed the whole thing! One upset child at a time please! Thank you!)
Then, we all proceeded to have a GREAT time...Laken and I won the water balloon toss, they had a foot race, a frozen t-shirt contest (Skye got 2nd in that), Skye ran a mile on the track, little Tiki won a cake in his very first cake walk, and all in all, we had a lot of fun!
Thankful for?! Those times when we get to tell people how much they really mean to us!
7.10.2010
7.09.2010
Moment in time
A bird sings out and breaks the silence... Oh, thank God, I am not going crazy!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.07.2010
More good news for some breast cancer patients!
Revolutionary therapy slows tumor growth in advanced breast cancer, Penn research reports
New strategy holds promise for fewer patient side effects
PHILADELPHIA - A novel therapy designed to attack tumors in patients with a genetic mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2, slowed tumor growth in 85 percent of advanced breast cancer patients treated in a small study, researchers report in the July 6 issue of the Lancet.
New strategy holds promise for fewer patient side effects
PHILADELPHIA - A novel therapy designed to attack tumors in patients with a genetic mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2, slowed tumor growth in 85 percent of advanced breast cancer patients treated in a small study, researchers report in the July 6 issue of the Lancet.
"That is really an enormous response rate in a population of patients who have received a median of three prior therapies," says study co-author Susan M. Domchek, MD, associate professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and director of the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.
"This is the first time that we have been able to take the genetic reason a person has developed cancer and make it a target," Domchek says. "Most of the time we look at what is going on in the tumor itself and then figure out how to target it. But in this situation, the women all had an inherited mutation in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and we could exploit that weakness in the tumor. It is a strategy that may cause fewer side effects for patients."
The new agent, called olaparib, inhibits a protein called poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Both PARP and the BRCA proteins are involved in DNA repair. And while cells seem to be able to do without one or the other, inhibiting PARP in a tumor that lacks a BRCA gene is too much for the cells, and causes them to die.
"If you put too much stress on the cancer cell, it can't take it and it falls apart," Domchek says. Because the non-tumor cells in a patient with an inherited BRCA mutation still retain one normal copy of the BRCA gene, they are relatively unaffected by PARP inhibition. "These drugs may be very potent in tumor cells and much less toxic in normal cells. That is important from the perspective of cancer treatment," Domchek says.
The international study enrolled 54 patients in two groups. The first group of 27 women received 400 mg oral olaparib twice daily and the second group of 27 patients received 100 mg oral olaparib twice daily. The higher dose appeared to have more activity against the disease, with one patient (4%) having a complete resolution of her tumor and ten (37%) showing substantial tumor shrinkage. Another 12 (44%) women had stable disease or some tumor shrinkage, but not enough to be considered a partial response by standard criteria. In the low dose group, six (22%) patients showed substantial shrinkage and 12 (44%) had some tumor shrinkage or stable disease.
Although the results look good thus far, Domchek says more clinical trials will be necessary before olaparib or other PARP inhibitors in development will be ready for use in regular practice. "It is important for patients to join those clinical trials because we need to determine how best to use these drugs, on their own or in combination with other agents," she said. "And we need to establish definitively that they are better than other drugs."
The PARP inhibitors are a transition in the field of cancer drug development. "This is a different way of looking at cancer therapeutics," Domchek says. "In oncology, this is really one of the first times that we've seen drugs being developed on the basis of inherited susceptibility - and that may open up a whole new avenue of drug development."
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.06.2010
Relay!
I made it to the last team captain meeting and was so happy to see everyone and feel the good, positive energy! I was definately needing that after chemo today! I feel so blessed to have Relay in my life!!!
It was also good to see the 4 Borer blonds!!! Love you Girls!
Update on Relay: I still have $280 to raise in order to reach my GOAL! So, if you are still wanting to donate, scroll down to my link!
Update on Chemo: My lab was good this week, so I was able to get my Gemzar today (at the reduced dosage). Talked to the PA a lot about my chemo and dosages since I am on a lot less chemo than they had initially prescribed, and there really isn't anything else to do right now due to my bone marrow not tolerating the treatments. Okay...
Thankful for?! Chemo today.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
It was also good to see the 4 Borer blonds!!! Love you Girls!
Update on Relay: I still have $280 to raise in order to reach my GOAL! So, if you are still wanting to donate, scroll down to my link!
Update on Chemo: My lab was good this week, so I was able to get my Gemzar today (at the reduced dosage). Talked to the PA a lot about my chemo and dosages since I am on a lot less chemo than they had initially prescribed, and there really isn't anything else to do right now due to my bone marrow not tolerating the treatments. Okay...
Thankful for?! Chemo today.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.05.2010
NE Diamond Dawgs!!!
Congrats Laken on making the NE Diamond Dawg 8's team!!! I am so proud!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
Happy 4th of July
Thankful for?! My freedoms and the men and women that fight for those freedoms! Thank you!!!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
7.01.2010
Tonight Jayme, the kids, and I headed over to Misty's for wing night with friends! It was a nice time, and was great to get out. Misty's has the best food and one bloody mary never hurt anyone, right?! After that we came home and watered the flowers and garden. We picked the first greenbeans of the season (we are a little behind you, Julie K) and we were able to beat the ground squirrel to a red tomato! He has been getting the red cherry tomatoes as they ripen. He eats half and then I find the other half in the yard. The garden is doing great and Laken is still excited about it. We have a ton of tomatoes on, so when they riped we won't be able to eat them all!
I am really having a tough time with my hair thinning like it is. The slow daily torcher of waking with hair on the pillow and having it come out in the shower is starting to wear on me. I am lucky I still have a lot of hair and most people can't tell, but for me it is very noticeable and I am beginning to be more comfortable in a hat or bandana.
I am off all my pain medication! I am proud of that! I was very nervous about becoming addicted and I was on pretty strong stuff (20mg of OxycontinCR in the morning and 20 mg at night), so being able to wean off is a great feeling!
What am I thankful for? My time with the boys and wing night! =)
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
I am really having a tough time with my hair thinning like it is. The slow daily torcher of waking with hair on the pillow and having it come out in the shower is starting to wear on me. I am lucky I still have a lot of hair and most people can't tell, but for me it is very noticeable and I am beginning to be more comfortable in a hat or bandana.
I am off all my pain medication! I am proud of that! I was very nervous about becoming addicted and I was on pretty strong stuff (20mg of OxycontinCR in the morning and 20 mg at night), so being able to wean off is a great feeling!
What am I thankful for? My time with the boys and wing night! =)
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
