Betty is Bald

Couldn't stand the hair falling into my food. Louass and Joan came over and buzzed it.. I didn't cry...I was so relieved..My cranium is perfectly shaped and my ears are so dainty and attractive looking! It was a busy weekend getting my cave together. It was all hands on deck. It's beautiful. Went and bought a flat screen TV and rug. I tried to bargain with the guy about the rug. I said come on..better price.. I have cancer...I think he was related to my mother..he said didn't matter what I had... this was the price.

Went out to eat last night as a final fling before chemo tomorrow.

Fell in love at the bar....a beautiful dish of rigatoni. Hours later I discovered rigatoni and chemo do not mix...

My mom said people don't win the lottery but they win cancer... why is that..of all people you.... you ate your vegetables...I think it was all that beer you drank...that gave you cancer...(no mention of spinach)

So tomorrow I go into the hospital for chemo until Wednesday. I got a bad ass bandanna and hat to wear. Keep you posted..

Hair City

Hello everyone! An eventful week of cancer happenings. The Chemo Special has taken off at the board office. Thin slice of grilled chicken, lettuce, mayo, on multi grain bread with a pear and two waters. My hair is falling out by the clumps. On Wednesday I put hairspray on my head to stop the process (stupid) it didn't... During an important parent conference that was adversarial, hairs started falling on the table...oh well ..I just continued to talk while wiping the hairs off the table. I said with a smile sorry just a little chemo. I continued to talk and the adversarial conference took a turn to my favor..not bad!!! The parent hugged me after the conference...love this..Well on Thursday I wasn't ready for my wig so I wore a baseball cap to work. Of course I announced why the cap was on while I grabbed clumps of hair and throwing it in the garbage. My secretary offered to cut my hair....fearful looks came across everyone's face so I declined..I went home a little down...who cares about the cancer....this hair thing is is hard...Patti and Ellen came and got me in the middle of the storm and brought me to Landmark...(sorry mom didn't tell you because of worry)... Chris met us there. I felt better, eating my hamburger while hairs were still falling all over the place. Of course Patti and Chris got a free round because they told the owner I had cancer. I tried to look a little sicker for more free beer. Of course OCD Patti couldn't stop picking the hairs off my shoulder ......the shoulder that was facing her side of course...

We decided to come to my house and cut hair off the back..Ellen did a nice job...a new career in the making...rock star, hair stylist..oh..financial planner. I put the wig on this morning and I'm feeling better about wearing it...I'm planning to pull it off during key moments...for laughs of course..The girls are painting my "cave" today which is my name for the small room in my house..they have to get through all the hairs to get to the room.....

Monday

I learned on Friday night that Chinese food doesn't mix with Chemo. (enough of that) A big truck came to my house yesterday. It was the bubble my brother ordered for me to live in!!! I came home from my brother's house last night with all hairs on me. I'm thinking it was his dog...but it was me..the hair is starting to whisk away. I demonstrated at work to a select population how a bunch of hair can just land in my hand. I know that's sick.....oh well the wig is ready. Probably by the end of the week I will look like a model..Went to dinner at my parent's tonight. My father is picking out baseball hats for me to wear and my mother is trying to get me to eat spinach. (help) You never forget cancer..and most of all you never forget the moments like those........

Doctor DAY! (again)

A great day at the doctor! White blood cell count normal and all the evidence shows that the tumor shrunk. I went to the doctors with my t-shirts in a big bag. I met with the director of operations and she loved them..she is going to help me make other cancer patients smile!!!!! My brother the watchdog was with me...he prefers me to live in a bubble away from germs....The cancer card is still working with the cafeteria lady...I'm getting chemo friendly sandwiches and smiles on my plate. Thanks for all the cards and gifts!!!!! Patti where's my card???

Back to School!

First the bad news..my mother is reading my blog....Just ignore her if she posts....I'm feeling a little tired, but went to work so happy! Chemo has its good points..I lost about 5 pounds, my chin hair stopped growing, and hangovers will be a piece of cake after this! The Shore Team mailed the "cancer" Tshirts. I'm ready to go on the road with them...can't wait! Having a doctor's appointment Thursday to get the date of my next stay at the St. Barnabas Hotel. Hopefully we'll stop at two sessions...

Valentine Greetings

Happy Valentines Day everyone..it is a holiday of love...and I love you all for your support. I know more people are reading than responding, but either way thank you!! People live with autism, diabetes, asthma, or a pimple on their butt..I live with cancer which is just another cross to bear just like any other disease. I am feeling good and positive and going to turn this into to positive and help others. The heartache is not being able to gulp down an eggplant parm sub. I miss eating recklessly! hahaha I lost 5 pounds. Of course my mom wants to kill me before the cancer does. She actually offered to make me spinach today without the garlic. My response was somewhat emotional and she responded with an offer to make escarole (help me) ...Received the best t-shirts from the shore girls and KNOCKOUT INC. It made my day.They had all different sayings..one said I went to Chemo and all I got was this lousy T-shirt. I'm wearing that one tomorrow for my blood test. Have a great day everyone..blog ya soon....

Friday Morning

Well the worst of it is over...it wasn't too bad...it feels like a bad hangover that doesn't go away. My life hasn't changed much. I still would have been on the couch watching soap operas and not moving..so far this chemo is not an inconvenience. My mother thinks I'm tired because I'm fat...it has nothing to do with chemo. I told my mom I would come for lunch today. She said anything you want..I have fresh spinach. Since everything doesn't appeal to me now I told her a spinach omelet might be nice . My mom feels that spinach doesn't belong in an omelet. I explained they have spinach omelets in diners ...she doesn't care about the diners. So today my lunch will be spinach with fresh garlic with a side if omelet. I'm getting out feeling better...but the cancer card does not work on my mom....

I'm Back From the Chemo Tour

Hello everyone! I didn't blog form the hospital...too much socializing. I walked in ready for the battle with my new shirt saying "I will beat cancer and you at the same time" It was a big hit with the staff and rest of the cancer patients. I growled like a lion every time they read my shirt. Of course my mom didn't like that I wore the shirt. Not the first time she time she didn't like something I wore. Monday was a rough start waiting for this stuff to go in me. Some tests and about 4 o'clock kick off! It was a miracle and the pain in my side is gone already. I enjoyed my stay...was very sleepy. Please disregard any inappropriate texts from yesterday. Cookie and Louanne represented the shore girls with a great dvd player and pillow thank you!!! and of course the north contingent..love all of you The food was not as good as the last stay but found a great hot chocolate machine down the hall. Not hungry today..just had a half of wrap and some soup. Last week that was an afternoon snack. I here at home in peace...I like it this way..feeling good ready to get into life until my next treatment.

CANCER BOWL SUNDAY

The big game between the chemo and the alien this week. Let's all route for the chemo!!! Friday was tough. Nothing to eat until 3:00! My parents and my sister in law brought me and my brother Lou came later. Louass tried to stalk me and came to the procedure door and they told me my husband was here...Oh God. It really was the best sleep I ever can remember. I woke up refreshed. They looked at me a little weird. When I got back to recovery I asked for water and food...they threw me a piece of pound cake. Later, with much whining, I received a turkey sandwich and some soup. So the port is in ready to go for tomorrow. I'm all packed ready to work from my hospital bed. I will blog from there...thanks for all the cards..and if you didn't send me one yet get busy. I'm trying to break last spring's number.

Friday Morning

Today I go to the hospital for the port to start the chemo on Monday. I can't even have a cup of coffee or eat until after the procedure which is scheduled at noon. This is an outrage. Planning on having a shaving of the head party. Some martinis and an electric razor!The week was good. I bought a HP notebook so I can blog from the hospital and work. This week talked to 13 of my high school friends on one phone call organized through a conference call....that was a great experience...no one really changes, it was like we were all seventeen!

GROUNDHOG DAY

Well six more weeks of winter....and chemo. Today was the test for my heart to see if it was strong enough to withstand chemo. I couldn't withstand the morning yet alone the chemo. I get there and there is no signal for my blackberry. I could have died!! Then I was told a half hour for the test and when I got there I was told 3 hours.!! I had to lay still in this semi tube and all I could think of was lunch. I had some counseling sessions with 2 elderly woman in the waiting room giving them tips on the CAT scan routine. Suck it up ladies..you only have a few cancer cells ..I have an alien. On Friday I get the port put in my chest and Monday I start my chemo. I wanted to start on Saturday but they don't give chemo on weekends...guess no cancer grows on weekends..