Rockin out with Nana

Congratulations Christy

Click picture for larger view

The Rochester Business Journal annually recognizes a group of young leaders that has made an impressive contribution to the Rochester Community. Christy has been included in the group of 40 this year. What an accpomplishment!

Rock the Vote...another one

I discovered a great website and want you to be a part of it. Democrat and Chronicle is looking for the best photos of Rochester to be put in a full-color, hard-bound, coffee-table book.

I submitted some photos and would really appreciate you looking at them and voting. Everyone who submits a photo is eligible for some great prizes, and a discount on the book. The photos that get the most votes will be published in the book, so the book is truly the best of Rochester. Registration, voting, and submission are all free, so join me and help shape the Capture Rochester Project today!
Click on Jpalmiere below to see additional pictures for voting

Happy 1 Year Anniversary

Well today - July 13, 2008 is the one year anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis! It's been a whole year since I found out that I had breast cancer. And now I am cancer free!

It's hard to believe I am on the other side of that news - 1 year later!

I was told it would be a rough year, but that it was going to be a "glitch" in my life. And in all honesty, it was a tough year - but it already seems like just a glitch. Yah - I would rather never have to go through chemo again, or have another surgery, but.....as hard as those things were - I am truly thankful I was able to do them, to save my life and to give me new perspective on life. It's like I have a new chance - to do so much more!

I feel great - 1 year later! My hair is growing back wonderfully. The short cut is rather cute! It is very curly (coming from someone who had pin straight hair before this). I am working out 6 times per week - swimming 1 mile 3 times per week, running 3 miles 2-3 times per week and working out with my personal trainer 2 times per week. Working full time. Loving my family. Going on vacation. Life is good.

It just goes to show "you can't control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond to it". Once I got the news - I just focused on the tasks at hand, powered through, completed the treatment regimen, and here I am. Having a wonderfully, enjoyable summer! It actually feels weird to be on this side of the treatments, knowing where my mind/ emotions/body were last summer.

I have learned a lot about myself. I really am stronger than I thought. More positive than I thought. More spiritual than I thought. More emotional than I thought. And have stronger family and friends than I thought. So many people came out to support me. That was so incredibly empowering and emotionally uplifting!

As a result of all of this - I will continue to give back to the breast cancer / cancer community. It is my calling. It is my responsibility. It is my pleasure! It makes me whole. I give back because I can - because I am alive and because others gave back before me, that saved my life.

Enough for now - it is a good day today! I am so happy to be on this side of the treatment!

p.s. and I LOVE my new boobs!

Avon Walk - The Slideshow

Here is a quick slideshow I put together from the Avon Walk photos. Look close you might see a celebrity with Christy. The song to go with it is from the latest American Idol Winner, David Cook.

CJ's Wild Ride

This ia photo reenactment of CJ's latest attempt on pushing us over the edge. No I didn't take the time to run and get the camera.

CJ was playing outside and I went in to do something. I then went in garage to open the garage door. I started to do something when I heard....Daaaaadddyyyyy !! Not in a terrified manner. I turned, I looked and to my surprise there goes CJ being raised by the garage door. All that I saw were his PJ bottoms and green froggy rain boots heading to certain disaster. I proceed to act quickly and dive towards CJ (not easy to do in a garage full of toys, bikes and bounce houses. Typical of CJ, it did not phase him a bit. He just went for a ride on the garage door. He must have grabbed the handle of door just as I hit the button. So now we all know now that a garage door will lift an extra 30 lbs no problem. CJ and I had a long talk and we'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again....What can he do next ??

Jamie

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - DC 2008

It was such a fantastic weekend!
We walked 39.3 miles throughout Washington DC in 2 days! All to raise money for breast cancer research and support. It was such an incredible experience.

Christy's crew raised $45,000! The walk in DC raised $8.1 million and had around 4000 walkers.

More pix and stories to come -

Let's just say - I am so dedicated to finding a cure. I walked 18 miles on Saturday on terrible blisters on the balls of my feet despite a nurse urging me to stop walking. And another 13 miles on Sunday - in which I will now lose another toenail as a result.

But - I am proud. Very proud to have been so dedicated. And I am proud that I was able to do all of that so shortly after having fought the battle of my life. Just 1 and 1/2 month ago I finished radiation. Just 4 and 1/2 months ago I had a double mastectomy. And 5 months ago I finished 8 rounds of chemo!

I am very proud of my strength to be able to accomplish such an incredible challenge so soon after all of that!

My friend Ruth got me a pin from another walker that said "Blisters don't need chemo"! I had blisters - I had chemo! I walk because I can!

Thank you to all who supported me and donated to our cause! Together we will find a cure!

Here's the back of our Sunday T-shirt! People took pictures of our backs all day long!

DC or Bust

We are so close to being in the Top 10 fund raising teams for our walk this weekend!
We have raised over $40,000 to find a cure for breast cancer!

If you have not given yet - and can, please do so! 5 Days to Go!

Forecast looks like rain and more rain and maybe even some thunder! 39 miles in the rain! Camping in the rain! Now, that's dedication to finding a cure for breast cancer!

Please sponsor a walker today!

Click here to sponsor me

Christy's Crew on Youtube

Rochester Red Wings Game - Pluta Cancer Center

I am so excited!

On Sunday, May 11th - Mother's Day, there is a Rochester Red Wings Game that is sponsored by Pluta Cancer Center. The players will be wearing special pink jersey's in honor of breast cancer awareness and these jersey's will be auctioned off at the game with the proceeds going to Pluta Cancer Center.

Yesterday, the Pluta social worker, Sue Vetter, asked me if I would be interested in throwing out the FIRST PITCH at this very special game! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to do this! Given everything I had to go through in the past year - the people who work at Pluta made the process so much easier! I cannot speak more highly of the nurses, doctors and staff at Pluta. This is such an honor for me!

If you are in Rochester that day - please join in the fun and come to the game.

If you are out of town - there will be plenty of pictures and video to share!

Now - I am off to the ball diamond at the local park to practice pitching a baseball! I don't want to make a fool of myself!

Updates

There is so much less information for me to post these days on the status of my breast cancer treatments.

I am doing very well. I had follow-up appointments with my plastic surgeon, my chemo oncologist, and my radiation oncologist this past week.

I will meet with my radiation and chemo oncologists every six months right now to keep tabs on how I am doing. But all reports are great! My white blood cell counts are back up to a "normal" persons counts (4.4) - normal range is 4.5 - 8.o (or something around there). they won't give you chemo if the counts drop below 1.5. Mine never dropped that low. But - in Feb they tested my white cell count and it was only 2.5 (still well below normal). But, I guess it takes time to regenerate those white blood cells!

I am still taking Tamoxofin - this is an estrogen blocking drug that helps prevent recurrence of hormone receptive breast cancer. I will be on this for 5 years. I have very few side effects from this drug. Because it is an estrogen blocking drug - it blocks my body from producing estrogen so the side effects are the same as those of menopause. Basically - I am in menopause while on this drug. But- luckily, I don't have many menopause side effects like hot flashes or mood swings.

Now I just spend my time, working and training for my 39 mile walk that is in 2 weeks. I feel like a totally normal person with a busy walking schedule!

Note: this part may be TMI for some people - skip to next post if you don't want to read about nipples -

All reports are good from my plastic surgeon. I have healed well from surgery and now need to think about getting nipple put on my breasts. We decided we would discuss it more in the fall. I wanted to have the summer off and this is just not one of the highest priorities for me. It turns out this is a pretty simple procedure. It is done in my plastic's office operating room with local anesthesia. The trick is that I have to wear loose fitting shirts for 3 months so the nipple does not smoosh. This includes tanks, cami's and swimsuits. So - in the fall I will go back to visit her and decide what I will do from there.

OOO RAHH

I'll have more to add on this later, in the meantime, I just wanted to test how this picture looked online. For those who may not know, my nephew Matt enlisted in United States Marine Corps and left for Parris Island, SC this past January. He is currently embarked on the CRUCIPLE, which is the final test towards becoming a Marine. I borrowed this info below to explain better.

The culmination of recruit training is the Crucible, an intense field training exercise designed to build unit cohesion, reinforce core values, and complete the transformation from recruit to Marine. The Crucible is the defining moment of the recruit training experience. As a right of passage, the 45 Concepts and Issues Crucible is a 54-hour ordeal that tests the mettle of every recruit (and DI). The physical and mental challenges are intensified by sleep and food deprivation.

The Crucible focuses on six major field events and is augmented by eleven challenging Warrior Stations. Throughout this rapid paced exercise, emphasis is placed on the importance of teamwork in overcoming adversity
and adaptive problem solving. The teams of recruits, under the leadership of their drill instructor, succeed as a team. The experience pushes recruits to their limits and is a poignant culmination to the transformation process.

So, his platoon left for the Cruciple at 2am Thursday morning and will finish Saturday morning. During that time, he will be allowed 8 hours sleep, no not in a row and maybe not even that much and he will be carrying 2.5 meals. Upon finishing, they will be treated to a feast fit for Warriors.


Aside from letter writing, Matt has been totally cut off from home during this 13 weeks. Next Friday is Graduation Day and along with his parents, grandparents, myself and other family members, we are taking the trip to South Carolina to celebrate. We're all looking forward to seeing what he has become.

Oh, the picture above is for a shirt that we all will all be wearing on Thursdays Family Day.

More to come later.

Jamie

Feeling Great!

I apologize, I have been a slacker when it comes to posting on this blog.
Thanks to the person who reminded me to update.

So here it goes!

It has been almost 3 weeks since I finished radiation. I feel totally fine. The burn that radiation left on my right collar bone is gone. I haven't been tired since the last week of radiation. And my hair is growing well!

We just had a fantastic family vacation to Sarasota, Florida. We were down there for a week. Spent time on the beach, in the pool and took the kids to Disney World for a day! We had a great time! But, traveling with a 2 and 1/2 year old and 4 and 1/2 year old really wears you out! Jamie and I need a vacation from our vacation! Adults only!

Here's a picture of Celia, myself and CJ. You can see all the hair that I have been able to re-grow! And the short do is kind of nice!
Jamie and the kids at the pool at Pop Century Resort in Disney World. They had a great time!

Side Effects

I am still done!
But, I did not escape radiation without any side effects. With only 3 treatments left to go (last Friday), I was still feeling great!

Well, this past week I was very tired (exhausted, actually) and I did develop a skin irritation on my right collar bone. They gave me special cream to help the itching of this skin irritation. That helps. Being able to not wear a bra (the strap rubs the area), also helps (something I never would have been able to get away with before)!

And I pushed my way through the tiredness. I continued to do my walk training (not without complaints) and managed to walk 10 miles this morning.

I do feel a lot less tired today - and I expect this will get better each day now since I have no more treatments. So, in light of everything, this is all so minor and I'M STILL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am done!
This morning was my last radiation treatment!
And, I got to ring the bell at Pluta again!

Only 3 more radiation to go!

After this morning's treatment -
Only 3 more to go! Next Wednesday is my last radiation treatment!
It's amazing. This radiation time has gone by so fast! Having it a apart of your daily routine makes it fly by - it's like getting coffee every morning (only it's out of the way, and I have to take my shirt off!). But.....you get the point. And no side effects at all. No tiredness. No skin irritations. No nothing.

My time is so limited these days with my daily trips to Pluta, my training program for the 39 mile Avon walk, work and the family, it will be really nice to get something off my plate!

Also - this is the last BIG milestone to complete in my quest to kick my cancer's ass! First chemo (check, done), then surgery (check, done), last radiation (check, almost done)! It's technically over, when radiation is over!

The rest of the drugs are just long term maintenance (tamoxofin, herceptin) - making sure my breast cancer never returns. Herceptin lasts a year and tamoxofin lasts for 5 years.

So -on Wednesday - I will be done with my cancer treatments, not just done with radiation! I never really put it into that perspective - as I have always just focused on doing it and plowing through. Well - I guess I am almost through! Wah Hoo

Christy

Successful Silpada Fundraiser

A few weeks ago - Christy's Crew held a fundraiser selling Silpada Jewelry.
This was a very special event. Not only did the profits of the event go to our Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, the hostess jewelry gifts went to Pluta Cancer Center where I get my cancer treatments.

The event was a huge success. We raised $900 for our Avon walk and purchased 29 pieces of jewelry ($1000 worth of jewelry) for Pluta Patients!

I wrapped all the boxes of jewelry and placed them into a basket to deliver to Pluta. Susan Vetter, the social worker at Pluta, will distribute this jewelry as a gift to patients who need a "pick-me-up" during their treatments. We are so excited to be able to brighten someones day with this small gift! It really does make you feel like you are making a difference in someones life!

I cannot thank Kristen Williams, our Silpada rep, enough for this generosity! And Shannon - Christy's Crew member for coordinating this fundraiser.

Here are some pix of the jewelry:

Uno's Fundraiser - Huge Success!

The Uno's fundraiser this week was a huge success! Thanks to all who participated! This fundraiser is a lot of fun for Christy's Crew.

We made around $600 from the total of around $3000 dinner and lunch sales! And this was during inclement weather!

We sold $100 worth of pink ribbons, Jamie's chocolate, donations, etc.

In addition, we held a 50/50 raffle. Of which the winner donated his winning back to the Crew! The winner of the 50/50 raffle was Kiran Chava - he works with me at Coopervision. So, that raffle generated $372! Thanks Kiran for putting the winnings back to our cause!

Here are some pix from the event: check out the Christy's Crew blog

Uno Fundraiser - All Day today

Christy's Crew is holding their 2nd Fundraiser at Uno's Victor location today. Come brave the snowy weather for lunch or dinner this evening. If it turns really ugly, don't sweat it, we'll have more events you can take part in another time. Or you can have someone drive over to pick up takeout.

The picture above is the shirts we'll be selling tonight and available while they last. This is our Jr. Crew shirt. We have adults sizes too with a quote on the back.

Click here for the Coupon, you'll need

Over halfway done with Radiation!

Had my 15th of 28 radiation treatments today! Over halfway done and no side effects so far. Only 2 and 1/2 weeks to go.

It has really been uneventful. Which is good - uneventful is very good!

Valentine's Surprise

On Valentine's Day - I got a surprise.
Jamie delivered roses, balloons and these stuffed animal monkeys to my office! I have never had a delivery to my office before! I was shocked!

He was in kahootz with Alice (Christy's Crew member and Coopervision co-worker). He called her on her cell phone, in the middle of our meeting. I gave her a nasty look - like your cell is ringing, turn it off! She answered it and then left the room mid sentence! I was actually a little annoyed with her! I was thinking - "Damn you - we're busy we need to get this done!" Then she returns with Jamie right behind her! I had to laugh! And quickly forgave, Alice.
The two monkeys represent Celia and CJ ! Clever! 3 roses - one from each of them and 3 balloons - one from each!

So sweet - and all I got them was candy! Celia got Belle chocolates. CJ got Superman chocolates. And Jamie got a bag full of Starbursts, Mike n Ike's etc....he loves that sugar candy stuff!

On top of it all - I also got a Silpada bracelet that I was eying at our Silpada fundraiser for Christy's Crew Last Saturday. I think I am being spoiled!

2nd Week Radiation Done!

Another 5 radiation treatments completed! Still feeling fine with no skin irritations or tired side effects! Yeah! So far, so good!

I did learn this week that my white blood cell count is still on the low side. This worried me for about a day - until I went back to Pluta the next day and talked to my chemo nurse. I told her my count (2.5) and she thought that was not very low. She also said - it takes a while to get the white cells back up from all the chemo. And that radiation can also affect the white cell counts. So - my white cells aren't as high as a person who has not had chemo, but they are not any where near as low as when I was on chemo. Nothing to worry about. Just the normal process, I guess!

1st week of radiation done!

1 week down - 4 and 1/2 to go!
That was simple. So far, so good. Getting radiation first thing in the morning is just a simple part of my daily routine. I drive to Pluta, change into a hospital gown, lay on a table for 5ish minutes, the machine makes some noise, then I leave, get changed, drive to work and the day has begun. I do it all again the next day.

Busy Christy's Crew weekend ahead!

Smilin' through it all

Here is a sampling of the many faces and hairstyles of Christy over the past 8 months.

My Hair

OK -
so I know everyone keeps asking about my hair (at least those who don't see me everyday). So, here it is. It is about 1/2 inch long and filling in pretty well. It's still straight and baby soft. And - the worst part- it's REALLY gray! I mean REALLY gray! It's hereditary - I got my first gray hair when I was 16, and have been full-out coloring my hair since I was in my late 20s.

I've been dying to just wear my hair out and about, but it is so gray, I couldn't stand it. All I could see was this old person in the mirror! So, today, I went to my hairdresser (for the first time in 6 months!) and got my hair colored. I am so happy I did!

When CJ and Celia walked in the door tonight - CJ said "Mommy, your hair looks pretty!".............I asked Jamie if he put CJ up to that - and he siad no, he came up with it on his very own. So, I know it must be 100 times better now that it is brown again!

I am very excited to have it continue to grow - It looks fine now, but I would like more hair. At least the hair I now have is brown! Thank God for hair colors! Most women don't know how much gray they really have, I got a chance to know, and let's just say "not knowing is much better!".

Here's the photos (not my best pictures but they will have to do):

Before:
After:

1st Radiation Treatment

February 4, 2008 = first of 28 radiation treatments.

It went fine. My appointment is at 8am every day. I was in my car by 8:20am. I didn't feel anything. It's like getting an XRay. I just lay there and the machine "radiates".
I was at work by 9am and that's with a stop at Rite Aid. (I fell on some black ice in the parking lot at Pluta while I was leaving and got a boo boo on my thumb. I needed to get neosporin and band aids. You would think that after living in Rochester for 15 years, I would know better than to not wear my boots outside in the winter!)

Potential side effectsof radiation: skin rashes / burning (over time, most people don't get bad burns, just irritation after a few weeks) and tiredness (again, cumulative - my doc said it would feel like I spent the day in the sun - nothing like chemo tired).

So - I am expecting that this process will go smoothly. Just 27 more times! Like groundhog day - every day!

Ramping up for the last leg of treatment

Radiation!
I have spent the past week prepping for radiation. It's amazing how much prep work goes into radiation. Technology is so good - they can radiate only my breast and axillary lymph area without it affecting any of my other organs. To do so, requires a lot of prep.

First, I had a breast area cat scan for them to determine where my heart, lungs, etc are in relation to the area they will be radiating. Then, I went to the "simulation" room at Pluta where they used the cat scan and radiation / Xray equipment to mark the exact areas on the machine and my body where I will be radiated. This helps so that the machines are set to my exact measurements each and every time I go for radiation. Lastly, I went to lay under the actual radiation machine, ensuring the measurement and markings are correct, the machine is set and more Xrays were taken.

None of this was painful. I was just surprised at the prep work involved! Radiation is an individualized process that is an exact science.

So - Monday begins my 28 sessions of radiation - 8am every day at Pluta, M-F! I should be done on March 12, 2008. The sessions last about 15 min each day.

First Week Back to Work

I am in process of completing my first week back at work! And it felt GREAT to be back! I have felt fine and it's good to have the entire household get back to some normal routines. I was out of work for 6 weeks with this surgery and even though it seemed like a lifetime while going through the surgery recovery, looking back it seems like just yesterday I went out for surgery!

It has been a busy week. Not only have I had work, I have had to squeeze in my walk training and a lot of doctor appointments getting ready for radiation.

But - Ruth, Alice and I have been doing our walk training together at lunch time. We even brought our Logility consultant, Michele, with us one day, in replace of eating lunch out. We just ate while we worked (who doesn't?).

More Christy's Crew Fundraisers

These 3 fundraisers will probably be our only fundraisers this spring before the walk. With the training schedule (leading up to walking 39 miles) we have very little time any more to fund raise. Luckily - at least half of our money is already raised for the walk.

These are the last 3 fundraisers:

1) February 9, Saturday at Iron Butterfly - Silpada Party (click on this link for more details)
All proceeds from the party go to Christy's Crew and the hostess gifts of jewelry will be donated to patients at Pluta Cancer Center. Ordering on-line is also available. So please pass the word! It's for a great cause - and Silpada is GREAT jewelry!
2) February 12, Tuesday at Super Suppers
See previous post.
3) February 26, Tuesday at Chicago Uno's Grill - Victor, NY by Eastview Mall
Second Uno's fundraiser - the first was a smashing success! Click here for more details and a coupon to print and bring with you to Uno's!

Lastly, I have already met my $1800 goal for my Avon Walk Goal. Other members of the Christy's Crew have not me their goal, yet. All the money goes to a wonderful cause - Breast Cancer support and research (the more money made, the more chances we have of finding a cure!). If you want to donate to our cause you can do it many ways.
1) Send a check payable to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer to
Christy Palmiere
c/o Christy's Crew
PO Box 116
Victor, NY 14564
We will then apply your donation to a Christy's Crew walker who needs the money to meet their $1800 goal.

2) Click on this link Christy's Crew webiste
Scroll down, on the right hand side lists all the walkers walk pages.
Click on any of these walkers and it will take you to their Avon Walk page
Once there, click on the pink "Click here to support me" and follow the directions
All donations will be made on-line via credit card with this process.
OR
Just click on one of these walker links below and follow above directions:
Specific walkers that could use your help: Alice (Heim - friend from Kodak and now Coopervision), Janelle (Allen - friend and neighbor), Kristin S. (Sumner - Freind from Kodak), Michelle (friend and neighbor), Sandra (Sandy Lane) - friend from Kodak, Jackie (Bense - friend from Kodak), Traci (Wenzel - Kristin Williams cousin).

Thanks so much for your help and generosity! Without having all the funds raised before me, I would not be looking at the "cancer free" prognosis that I have today! I am so incredibly grateful for the money and progress made in the fight against breast cancer! Together, we can help find a cure!

Christy

Christy's Crew Fundraiser

Our next Christy's Crew Fundraiser is on Tuesday, February 12 at 6:30pm at Super Suppers in Perinton , NY (across from Martin's).

If you have never done a Make n Take or Super Suppers before, you must try this! In my opinion - it is one of the best dinner ideas going! If you are a working Mom, like me, you have barely any time to put a decent dinner on the table - and aren't you sick of mac n cheese or pasta and sauce or grilled chicken and broccoli?..............

At Super Suppers - you can sign up under the Christy's Crew party and we will get 10% of the entire party. You pick from a menu, they have all the ingredients there and measured for you. all you have to do is put the ingredients together as the recipe calls for, bring it home, freeze it, pull it out when you want to eat it, heat it up and Voila' you have a meal! I just love it!

If you are a gourmet chef - these meals might not be to your liking. But, if you Can barely cook (like me) these meals are VERY good!

Here's the info to sign up!

Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is ready to make room in their freezers because the Super Suppers fundraiser is a go!! We have a few options we were given. A private party has been set up for February 12th at 6:30. You can register by:
1. Calling 223-4190
2. OR going to
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is ready to make room in their freezers because the Super Suppers fundraiser is a go!! We have a few options we were given. A private party has been set up for February 12th at 6:30. You can register by:
1. Calling 223-4190
2. OR going to http://www.ssperintonny.com/?gclid=CIfLmfKOjZECFQEMIgodXGBI_Q and go to the calendar and click on the Christy's Crew party
User ID - Christy
Password - Crew
For anyone who would like to participate in this fundraiser but can not make it to the party a walk in or pick up option during the day is available, so please email anyone who you think might be interested. When you register you will be asked to pick out the number of meals, full(4-6 serving) or half( 2-3 serving) portions, and also which meals(a minimum of 3 and up to 6). We are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine and appetizers and refreshments will be provided. If anyone is interested on Feb 6th they are having a tasting of February's menu for $5.00/person. Please email if you have any trouble signing up. Hope to see you there!!
Janelle Allen and go to the calendar and click on the Christy's Crew party
User ID - Christy
Password - Crew
For anyone who would like to participate in this fundraiser but can not make it to the party a walk in or pick up option during the day is available, so please email anyone who you think might be interested. When you register you will be asked to pick out the number of meals, full(4-6 serving) or half( 2-3 serving) portions, and also which meals(a minimum of 3 and up to 6). We are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine and appetizers and refreshments will be provided. If anyone is interested on Feb 6th they are having a tasting of February's menu for $5.00/person. Please email if you have any trouble signing up. Hope to see you there!!
Janelle Allen

Radiation Therapy

I guess I forgot to post this info:
I will start radiation therapy the first week in February. This will last for 5 and 1/2 weeks or 28 daily treatments (M-F). The radiation is very localized and in total will take about 15 minutes every day. No biggie - very few side effects - chances of skin burns and some tiredness. Most women I have talked to have very few, if any, side effects from radiation.

So - By mid-March I will be done! And I have already booked our family vacation to Florida the following week! I am sure we will all need that trip by then!

Compression Sleeve

Today I went and got my very own compression sleeve and gauntlet! What's that, you say? Well, it is a tight, spandex type sleeve that I wear over my right arm and hand to keep fluid flowing so that I do not end up with Lymphedema (swelling in the arm and hand).

I need to wear this sleeve for the entire time I am undergoing radiation therapy (5 and 1/2 weeks) all day. I can take it off at night.

Because I had my axillary lymph nodes removed (because cancer was found in 2 of them so they removed the rest during my mastectomy), I have a greater chance of getting Lymphedema. One of the functions of lymph nodes, besides protection from infection, is to keep fluid flowing throughout your body. When you have less lymph nodes, fluid can build up. In my case, this is in my right arm. Radiation, greatly increases my chances of lymphedema so the compression sleeve will help prevent lymphedema from occurring.

Here is some info on lymphedema
More on lymphedema with a picture of a compression sleeve

Exercise also helps prevent lymphedema and most people don't develop it. The compression sleeve and exercise are pro-active treatments to prevent occurrence.

I have to say, I am glad it is winter for this fun! The sleeve really is not uncomfortable, but it would look silly with a tank top and incredibly uncomfortable on a 90 degree day! It will keep me warm on these 10 degree days this winter!

I'm Free!

I saw Dr. Frankel today and she has removed my restrictions! I am healing well - all looks good! I need to keep working on my range of motion exercises. I get to drive, FINALLY! I get to start working out (slowly, being reasonable and smart). I get to go back to work on Monday January 28, 2008.

I am so excited about this news! I feel freed!

Yesterday, Dr. Caldwell (my mastectomy surgeon) said "Happy 2008 and your cancer free!" What a great statement to hear! I have been so busy focusing on recovering from this surgery, that I neglected to cherish the thought that I am now considered "cancer free"! Maybe this is because I still had recovering to do and I am still going to undergo radiation.

Radiation will begin the first week in February and will go for 5 and 1/2 weeks. Completion mid-March.

Click to Give

The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle).



This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

The Breast Cancer Site

Permanent Implants

Another surgery down! As of yesterday!
I had surgery yesterday morning to replace my expander implants with my permanent implants. This surgery was much more simple than the last surgery - by far! I went in at 5:45am yesterday morning and was home by 1pm yesterday. I feel fine. No real pain, even this morning. I am back to being chained to the recliner for 2 days - no real movements so that I can give the incisions time to heal! This time I will follow the instructions to the tee! I don't want to slip backward when I was starting move forward with recovery.

Kodak Donations to Christy's Crew Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Over the holiday's I received this gift from some of my Kodak friends. I worked with the organizer of this activity, Judy Bueg, during my last year of employment at Kodak. As with all the people I have worked with at Kodak, Judy is a wonderful friend! She has been keeping up on my blog and sending encouraging words during my entire treatment. Judy, tried to get Kodak to give a corporate donation to Christy's Crew, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She was unsuccessful in this endeavor (Kodak has very strict policies on philanthropic donations. I understand why - being a Fortune 500 company, they need to restrict and have rules on how they disperse cash otherwise everyone would ask them for donations.) This did not stop Judy! She contacted other Kodak friends of mine and generated this ground campaign to raise money for Christy's Crew Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She presented me with the money from the campaign before Christmas. They raised around $500 for donation's to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer!

This was a wonderful gift. It is really special to me - as it came from so many of my friends at Kodak that I have met throughout my entire career. I was the link between all these people as most of them had never met each other during their careers. Judy made the connections and got them all together to help raise money!

Everyone who leaves Kodak, moving on to retirement or other careers, always says that they really miss the people at Kodak. They are kind, generous people and we have always carried a special bond as we all worked hard to try to keep the company afloat amidst the film to digital transformation. This kindness has come through loud and clear in all the Kodakers that have donated to our Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, as well as provided me so much support during my treatments. I have received cards, emails, donations, gifts, lunches, etc from so many of my Kodak friends! I have even received emails from strangers that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, hearing about my blog from a fellow Kodakers!

Thank you Judy and the rest of my Kodak Friends!

Christy

Drain is Finally out!

Yeah! I finally got my last drain out today! Woo hoo! It's about time!
I have spent the past week and a half with my left arm in a sling, not moving it, doing NOTHING, in order to get the left side to stop draining blood. It wasn't draining a lot of blood, but enough that my doctor did not want to take the drain out. The past 2 days it was finally draining little enough for her to take the drain out this morning!

And, I anticipated this to hurt. When she took the right drain out - it hurt so bad! I was very surprised by how much it stung for a minute or two after she removed it - profanities came out of my mouth when she removed it! This time, it did not hurt at all. And I was even sweating - worried about how much it would hurt!

Now, this does NOT mean that I am to be back to running around - per Dr. Frankel. She still wants me to wear the sling and sleep on the recliner (this keeps me from tossing and turning at night - less stress on my pec muscles). but - I can now take a full shower or bath! How exciting!

I will be having surgery again on January 9 - next Wednesday. This surgery will be to replace the expander implants with the real / permanent implants. I was on the "rapid expansion" path so that I could start radiation as soon as possible. You cannot get radiation with the expanders. And normal expansion process takes 4-6 months.

That's all for now.