Chemo #6 / Update on my Mom

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I woke up this morning and had to paint my eyebrows on with Anastasia's eye brow kit.  I don't know why I got so upset but I started to cry.  Then when I wiped away my tears along came most of my eye lashes.  Ugh!  I was just starting to get use to my bald head now I have to get use to my new face.  I would put on fake lashes but when you undergo chemotherapy your skin does not renew itself and is ultra sensitive.  If I did put on the lashes I would be afraid it might take my skin with it.  So I am experimenting with make up to try and make myself feel and look "normal".  I got it totally wrong today when I tried the darker color for my eyebrows.  I looked like a clown and my mom agreed with me.  Slowly I am learning how to apply my new brows and liner.

I had chemo round 6 today.  My friend Ruth Schneider was so kind to drop me off and my friend Lyndsey stopped by when she was out and about and brought me back home.  My oncologist cut my Benedryl dose in half this time so I wasn't as nauseous as I was last week.  When I got home I was sawing logs until around 9 p.m. This made me stay up all night watching TV because couldn't fall back asleep until 4 a.m.  This made it extremely hard for me to get up at 6 a.m. to watch my sister's kids.

Friday, August 5, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend EMILY GARDELS!

Today was my last day watching the kids.  I decided it was time for me to focus on my health and getting better.  I am not the same energetic person I use to be before chemotherapy.  I require more sleep and small tasks like getting meals ready, doing laundry and making beds makes me exhausted, throw in five kids for 10 hours a day and I am beat.  I will go back in January or February when my chemo, radiation and final surgery are complete.  I have to wait an entire month after radiation to have my final surgery to remove the expanders and put in implants.  So we were thinking after the New Year I will have my new Ta Ta's.  It will be a 3-4 week recovery as well.

My mom made her final decision today.  Her team of doctors are:

Dr. James Reilly
Methodist
General Surgeon

Dr. Marie Montag
Cosmetic Surgeon
Aesthetic Surgical Images

Click here to learn more about my mom's procedure.  We won't know if she will need chemotherapy or radiation until after they operate.  We are still waiting on the pathology reports to get a stage of cancer and her surgery will be scheduled 2-3 weeks from Friday.  I will post as soon as I know.  Please keep my mom in your prayers to give her the much needed strength to get through the double mastectomy and pray she will not need chemotherapy or radiation.

My mom is hanging in there and has a sense of humor about this whole situation.  You almost need to have a sense of humor to get through times like these.

Thank you to:
Emmy and Nolan Reilly for the hand bag and Christmas ornament!

Jim and Mary Czyz for the delicious Red Velvet Cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes

Marilyn Johnson and Mel for the gift card to Up Stream.  It is one of our favorite restaurants!

My cousin Leah and Aunt Linde for the cleaning lady.  It is so nice to come home to a clean house and I didn't have to do any of the cleaning!  =)

Thank you to all our family and friends who have been there for us.  We are looking forward to PARTY for POTTEBAUM on Saturday, August 13th.  I will have a sneak peek for you on Tuesday at some of the raffle items.

Ta Ta's Fun Ride Video

Thank you Team Beer City and to everyone who showed their support.  This is NOT my best shoot as I didn't want to bring all my camera gear.  Thank you to Jessica Marx and Stephanie Phillips for your pictures!  Fantastic work ladies!


Here is a video shot during RAGBRAI.  Thanks for riding for me TEAM BEER CITY!!!  Thanks for the shout out Weasel! =)

Chemo #5 Good News / Bad News

Today I feel good! I had my 5th cycle of chemo yesterday and I am told I will have minimal side effects. Good thing I had a driver because to administer the new chemo (toxil) they had to give me 50 ml of Benedryl. This made me nauseous and really tired the entire time.

My former boss and his wife Bob and Teresa Bednar were going to take me but Steve arrived in Omaha and wanted to take me. My friend Lyndsey Foster came and and sat with me. She is a nurse so she was really good to have with me. I kept feeling like I was going to blow chunks and pass out. She asked if I was craving anything to eat so I could get something in my stomach. The last time I ate was at 10:30 a.m. and it was now 1:30 p.m. So I definately needed something. The first thing that popped in my head was a Snickers bar. Lyndsey ran down to the vending machine and served it to me on a plate. Now that is service! After 2 bites I immediately started to feel better. I just needed some sugar in my system. As Steve pointed out "Snickers really satisfies!".

I recieved good news from Dr. Thome' I am NOT HER2+!!! What this means is I will not have to do chemo for another year!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!! I did learn I was off a week and my last chemo session will be October 13th. I go in weekly so only 11 more treatments. Two weeks after my last chemo session I will have Five weeks of radiation everyday (Monday-Friday). They did say radiation will make me tired.

If you haven't heard my side of the family went in for genetic testing after they found out I had a mutation. My sister and dad tested negative while my mom tested positive. This required her to get a mammogram, MRI and a lumpectomy after they found two masses in her left breast. Those masses tested positive for cancer. Please keep my mother in your prayers as she will have a double mastectomy next month. They will know after they get the pathology reports and surgery her stage of cancer and any other steps to get rid of it completely. If you know my mom she has a good sense of humor and said she has always wanted a breast reduction. As I have said before....BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!  She is getting a second opinion today from Dr. Reilly and I will update her status on this blog and caringbridge.

Because my mom generously offered to watch the kids during my treatments, she will not be able to watch them now. So my sister is looking for a nanny (paid) Monday-Fridays, 7:15 am - 5:30 pm until the end of the year. If you or you know someone interested send them my way!  emily.pottebaum@yahoo.com or 402-213-7669.