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