"What's up?"...the sky

On a Good Day

Since my last blog in early June I completed my first month of "Chemo #5," Topotecan. It went like this; I was given an I.V. once a week for three weeks, and then one week of no drug, no visit to the doctor. Tomorrow I will return to the oncologist's office for the usual blood draw to check the white and red blood counts, among other blood components.

Most likely I will begin my second month of "Chemo #5" when I visit the doctor in the morning with my 'chemo buddies.' There has been no hair loss with this chemo and some fatigue, however my hands are dry and sensitive. Good ole 'hand and foot syndrome' has returned.

My life has been filled with researching known and unknown relatives and ancestors, truly an exciting activity. I feel like I'm the family historian and private investigator with only limited time to research, coordinate, and publish my discoveries. The one-page profiles and one-page individual timelines are being created, documents and photographs are being collected and scanned, in addition to creating my first YouTube movie. WOW!

Check it out: www.YouTube.com

Search with either my name, Michelle Leddel or my mother's name/name of the movie, "Miss Judy Jeannette."

So far, so good

Since my family had an extra 'firesuit' I was allowed to go into the 'hot pit' of the famous American Le Mans Series Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, last month. The 'hot' in the 'hot pit' means a race is taking place and special rules and precautions must be followed.

My nephew was one of the three drivers for the six-hour race and I really had fun 'hanging out' not only here in the 'hot pit' but in the bleachers as well. Notice the four tires I'm standing next to. Right! They are big and heavy and cost big bucks!

Cancer? It was so nice to be away from the cancer world while I was at the raceway. But now that I'm home, I'm back on my chemo therapy medication of I.V. Topotecan. I had some fatigue after my first treatment four days ago, but that was about all. Well, 'something' continues to go on with my hands and feet. In three days I will return to the doctor's office for the second of three once-a-week treatments this month.

After one week of no 'JoyJuice' (my term for I.V. chemotherapy), I will return to the same schedule of "three weeks on and one week off."

Weekly art therapy, writing group, and group therapy meetings for cancer survivors continues to bring me support, inspiration, and compassionate and meaningful experiences.

In addition to all that, my continuing genealogy research is now being transformed into individual timelines, one-page personal profiles with facts and photographs, and even a movie on YouTube honoring my mother. Search terms: Miss Judy Jeannette, Michelle Leddel

Get Set, Ready, Go! Chemo #5 begins tomorrow

Today, remembering...

Memorial Day 2010

The end of Chemo #3

Yesterday I received the last of six infusions of Chemo #3, aka, Doxil®. Awards! Congratulations! Good Work! and a BIG Thanks to my ChemoBuddy, Bruce.

But as I found out in one of my cancer survivor's group today from another person who received her second infusion of a chemotherapy drug, she too is wondering just what will the new side effects be. For some people, the side effects are cumulative, that is, they get worse with each additional infusion.

My swollen, tender feet and hands have peeled and gone back to normal and then returned to being red and swollen again. The redness in my torso has peeled and is red again. Broken skin around my breast. The red spots are increasing around my thighs. The skin around the joints (especially the knees and elbows) is raw and tender. The inside of my mouth was swollen for two weeks and then I developed an open sore. And that was after 5 infusions of Chemo #3.

WELLLL, yesterday, with the 6th infusion, I'm just wondering, what new sensations will my body harbor AND what old sensations/side effects will get worse?

BUT, as I try to tell myself in a loving manner, This is all to rid my body of the cancer in my abdominal area. There is going to be some discomfort, but HANG IN THERE!

Now, ready for this cancer survivors; After all the side effects, multiple medications, nausea, bad needle placement, some one says, "You look good!"

If they only REALLY knew!

Chemotherapy this week

This Thursday I'm scheduled to receive Doxil®, aka, Chemo #3. Bruce will be my ChemoBuddy, and he is by far, the most experienced ChemoBuddy I know. He is fun to talk with, a safe driver, a nice person, and a wonderful neighbor, all excellent qualities for future ChemoBuddies in training. One day he even brought a board game, but we never even opened the box.

There are so many people receiving chemotherapy these days, everyone can be ChemoBuddies. And just in case you can't drive someone, Phone ChemoBuddies are also needed. All you have to do is volunteer to call your family member/friend while the person is receiving the drug. Talk about movies, television programs, the weather, new clothes or old clothes, and vacations. You get the gist! Just ask...

note on image:

"Seasonal Still Life," work in progress

dried plants, fabric

about 7" x 7"