We moved into our new house yesterday!  Despite hiring movers, it was absolutely exhausting work.  But we’re 70% done unpacking and the house is amazing.  Its super quiet and serene…surrounded by trees with a lovely little view of downtown.  It will be SUCH a nice place to recover and heal.  It’s going to be really important for me to exercise once I start chemo and the neighborhood is ideal for a walk or run.

We meet with the plastic surgeon tomorrow to talk about reconstruction methods.  I’m not going to do anything until after all my chemo and radiation is done, but it’s good to have a consultation before my surgery.  Bon Voyage, Right Boobie!

As always, the generosity and positive thoughts everyone is sending my way is keeping me full of hope and positive energy.  I’ll share some fun pics soon!

Love, M

Hi friends and family.  Lots of good news the last few days.  Most important is we are confirmed for surgery first, then chemotherapy, then radiation.  I can’t tell you how much it helps to have a plan of attack.  Surgery is scheduled for the morning of May 17th at Swedish Hospital. I’ll stay overnight at the hospital and then be home on the 18th for about 6 weeks of recovery.  About 4 weeks after my surgery I’ll start chemotherapy (that schedule is yet to be determined).

I also just got an encouraging voicemail from the genetic scientist. I was tested for a gene mutation which would say whether the cancer is heredity (and therefore I’d be a bigger risk for reoccurring cancer).  He said everything looked “great”, so I’m hoping that means no mutation! I am not a mutant.  whew.

In other news, we’re moving to our new home this weekend, which I’m very excited about.  It’s a lovely spot in a gorgeous, quiet neighborhood….so the perfect place to recover from surgery.  Pictures of the house will follow in the next week or so.

Thanks, as always, for your thoughts, prayers, hugs, notes, etc.  It means the world.  Truly.

And I should be sure and give a shout out to my South Carolina family that they remembered to add hush puppies to my fave food.

love, M

Hi friends & family,

Today I’m feeling pretty weary.  I’m sick with another cold and have decided I’m done with this stupid cancer. Wouldn’t that be nice to just be able to walk away from stuff like this?  Anyhoo, I’ll be in better spirits tomorrow I’m sure.  Every day I find a little something that gives me that extra burst of energy.  Today I received a beautiful note and a glassy baby candle from a friend at work, Ann, who is another awesome cancer survivor.  And before Desmond’s bath tonight he was running back and forth naked as a blue jay and pretty much the cutest thing in the world.  So little things like notes and naked babies tend to help on days when I’d like to throw in the towel.

A little more serious blog then usual, but you all get to go on this wild ride with me – the ups and downs of this wacky roller coaster.

love, Michelle

My gorgeous friend Bonnie (who lives in Rome and is VERY stylish) put together this “look book” for me when I start treatment.  She even said she’d make me a scarf like the deer one – maybe a kitten or unicorn form?

Today I have a 6 hour clinic at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. I’m getting my 2nd opinion at SCCA. The nice thing is you meet the doctors and have an exam then the surgeon, oncologist and radiologist all meet together to come up with my treatment plan (instead of meeting with all those doctors at separate appointments). One of my best friends, Jen, works at SCCA so she’ll be able to join Brian and me for most of the day. Jen is a nutritionist, so she’ll also be putting together a special cancer diet for me.

Jen also warned me that SCCA is a teaching hospital, so I’ll be felt up by a lot of student doctors today. Man, cancer sucks. 😉

It will be interesting to see if I get the same treatment plan as Swedish. I will more than likely stick with Swedish because I love my docs there, but it’s always good to get a 2nd opinion.
Love, Michelle