My Cancer Gave To Me............

Christmas Eve 2013…the anniversary of my taking my first oral chemo, Xeloda. I've officially been toxic for a year. Since September 2012, the five year anniversary of my first breast cancer surgery, the following has occurred:

To be poorly sung to the tune of the chorus of "On The First Day of Christmas My Cancer Gave to Meeeeee"

On the first day of Christmas my cancer gave to meeee:
1 needle biopsy  

1 Thoracic surgery  

20 golden chest x-rays

1 super fun Pet scan

5 boring cat scans

4 months of oral chemo (which didn’t work)

31 Paclitaxel IV’s

48 weekly blood draws

10 chiropractic adjustments
Oooonnnneee EMmm Rrrr IIIIIIIIIII  ....

1 tooth pulled

2 bone graftings

2 epidurals

4 nasal probes

Cheeeeeemo-induuuced menopaaauuuseeee....

Put on 10 pounds

Lost my hair and eye lashes

2 wigs were made (and never worn)

A-aaannnnd ooonneee sha-ving accident (behind my ear).

Now the other version of this song goes something like this:

On the first day of Christmas my cancer gave to meeee:

Several amazing doctors

Three terrific phlebotomists
Several shrunken tumors

Lots of well wishes
A trip to the Caribbean
Summer in the Hamptons
Friends getting married
Some even pregnant
Wonder Woman gear
Amazing blasts from the past
One fu-u-u-nd-rais-errrr (thanks, Amy!)

To-o-ns of love and support

One great razor

Aaannnd the courage to face all of life's challenges (knowing every one of you friends, family and readers are in my life!)

Take a breath.................

Happy Holidays, Everyone! 

Love! Joy! Thanks! Peace! and Health in 2014!!!!

Jingle Bels

Exec. Producer Paul Faulhaber with Trish Goddard cheering me on!

Thanks, Annie!

Looking back from the start...

When it all began, thoracic surgery at Lenox Hill, November 2012. It sucked.

46th b'day party after recovering from oral chemo (Xeloda) hell, 1/12/13

First IV treatment, May 2013. F-U-Cancer!

Chopping hair off  on the 1st day hair fell out,
exactly three weeks to the day of 1st treatment.

Chemo chic a la Janet Wadell!

On a mission with Sandy to cover new bald spots.

This chemo chicK's got super powers. 

Warren Haynes and Boston Pops cover the Grateful Dead 
at Tanglewood on our 2 year dating anniversary. 

2nd time (probably last) since I'm 15 on a horse.

At the best farm wedding in Hudson, NY

Growing hair in the all the wrong places with Lady G.

Flying High (not really)

With Kid Rocks!

Gettin' fat at Sammy's Romanian

Chilly in Philly

Halloween W69th St.

Flying high. Really. First time parasailing. 

Turks and Caicos sunset cruise.

Beautiful sculpture, "Infinity" dedicated to me 
by my sister-in-law Harumi Osawa

Momma Me-a on Christmas Day!!

Healing. Always.