Phase II: Round 5 and 6 - Call for Uplifting Information

Phase II: round 6

 This week I'm on a quest for uplifting news. 

O.K..... Breathe.....1/2 way, Phase II (Taxol - Herceptin)

I wish were truly a "the glass is half full" person.  I am trying. 

Today is actually the 7th round so now just over ½ way. 5 more.

There has been a break in my updates because after the 5th round I was feeling pretty down and pretty tired of feeling sick and tired.  I started writing something that went like this ...

I don't know if it’s finally the crappy economy spearing its ugly sperm-like head into our nice little Austin "bubble" or what, but it just seems like not-so-good things are happening, to many people that I know....and of course, me.

Just in the past 4 months, I've witnessed 8 people who I've worked closely with, get laid off.  We've had 2 deaths in our "knit family" and 2 child illnesses requiring several days off from school and work.....

I then realized that this started to sound a bit negative like the Phase I round 3 which i had to send in 2 parts (part one was going downhill and then part 2 was the more uplifting part) which made my sweet friend and co-worker Linda almost cry... Somehow (my fault) she only got the first part.  So anyway, I began to re-think, and tried to figure what I could do outside of crying and bringing other people down to help time pass and keep me going. So, I ended up writing somewhat of a sports thank you article/idea about how supportive my running groups have been, created myself a blog page online (partly) (ballotablerecords.blogspot.com) and I reserved myself a plot in cyberspace called BallotableRecords.com. Neither of which have any information on them yet. A Couple photos.  So, maybe soon I’ll be able to blog instead of email. . I’m working on getting this idea/article in the local Fit magazine, but if that doesn’t work, or even if it does, I will eventually post that somewhere in cyberspace.    I'm working on teaching myself how to design a webpage for my new lot, but that could take a while.  Hey, my grandparents, used to do crossword puzzles for hours, simply "to keep their minds sharp" and,I think to help time pass.  I am absolutely useless at those, so maybe this will help me.  I also got to go out to see Richie’s band play twice, which was great and got to go out to a nice dinner with Richie. 

I was able to ride my bike for 2 hrs and 15 minutes on Saturday and felt pretty good, although I was pretty worn out on Sunday.   I haven’t missed a Tuesday morning run and that is one of my goals.     My kids are great. VERY cute and loveable. My boy tells me he loves me, and at times, he even “likes my face”.

On the cancer end of things, it seems that the tumor continues to shrink.  I’m having some trouble with random side effects from the chemo including stomach problems, tingling in toes, literal “curling” of my nails, the sensation of my toenails wanting to fall off and strange little sores in the creases in my ears.   Again, most of these things I’ve experienced before in some part of my life or another, except the curling of the fingernails. But that’s not too bad, just ugly.  The mouth pain comes and goes. Oh yea, and I’m scheduled this week to go to a Menopause clinic to deal with the symptoms of THAT (caused by the chemo).   That should be fun.  I’ll be glad to forward any of that information to those of you over 50! 

I’ve begun my search for plastic surgeons and have started mentally preparing for the inevitable.  I’m almost looking forward to it in several ways.  At that point, I will be much closer to the light, or better put, the “flying colors” that I’m pacing myself toward.  And, I will not have to work for a while which will be good. 

Even though I didn’t ever finish the Call for Uplifting Information email, please feel free to respond to this email with something good that you have seen or experienced recently.  I would like that.

Emily Howell

2/1/11