'Smoothie King' Felon!

Hi, Everyone!

I am so sorry I have not been good about updating my blog over this holiday!

Thank you for checking in with me! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year's Eve & new year.

Chemo #5 was really not that bad. PTL! Don't get me wrong, I am still not 100% and it can be hard to be way more tired all the time than I am used to.

I guess a lot of the times when people see me in public I have gobs of make-up on and my wig, but when I am out all dressed up in public like that I am actually feeling like 'something the cat dragged in', if not looking it - maybe I make having cancer look easy sometimes? I have been told that....But it's not easy....Days when I have the energy to just take a shower are good days...

Anyway, I really was bracing for the worst this time, but the worst day was the Saturday after chemo - I was a little achy & tired but not too bad - and the following two days were really not too bad; much better than expected. Sunday was great when Trudy came to help me, and 65 degree weather helped too....Monday I felt achy & tired for a little bit, when Sue & her son were visiting, but a berry smoothie and a walk down to the river with everyone helped me push through.

For chemo 5, I was a little achy and like I said, I am just generally tired a lot anyway, but chemo 5 was "do-able" and I worked through it, by the grace of God.

I am so grateful I have so many friends and family members helping me out; I am soooooo blessed!!!!

Thank you, all of you, for all your cards, texts, visits, help, e-mails and gifts at Christmas! You are all so thoughtful, sweet & kind to me. I could never go through chemo without all of you. It means more to me than you will ever know!

So, my friend Wendy gave me a 'Smoothie King' Gift card. Andrea was watching Eli & Paulie last night after we had gone to see 'Walking with the Dinosaurs.' After the movie I went to Wal-Mart then swung by 'Smoothie King' in Flemington. I was in Wal-Mart doing a "big shop" and by 7 p.m. was dragging and so happy to have found Smoothie King, I had never gone there before! So, after getting a couple 'Immunity Builder' smoothies, I had to turn left to go to Lambertville, but there was a no-left turn sign. So I had to go right first then turn around somehow and go back South on 202. Well, it was dark, and my head was foggy because of the chemo, and my truck was loaded-down in the cab AND in the back (the truck bed)  and that stuff back there was unsecured! I did not know what I was doing direction-wise, putting my left turn signal on and off again many times,  and little did I know Barney Fife and Andy were on my tail!  Well, I must have looked like I was DUI because after I finally  took a left into a parking lot in which to turn around and start going back towards Andrea's, there they were, the super bright red and blue flashing lights behind me! UGGH!

So I just rolled down my window. There were two very nice, cute, young cops! One was searching my loaded, beat-up old dented in pick-up with his bright flashlight (what a mess it was inside, I was so embarrassed!) The other was like, "Are you having trouble?" I explained I was just getting a smoothie and I wanted to turn around, that I was at Wal-Mart and I had bought all this stuff, and I was trying to get back going on 202 the other way. He asked me if I had bought anything good at Wal-Mart! I told him I was in the middle of chemo for breast cancer, and that my brain was a little discombobulated lately....He asked where I was headed. I gave him the long story about how I  had gone to the movies with my friend and our sons and that she had the boys and was watching them while I shopped, and that I was just getting a smoothie and trying to get back to Lambertville!  Then he asked for my license, registration, and insurance. I gave it to him. Of course my insurance card was not current!  He said to look for the current one  while he checked my license. So I did. He came back and asked me if I had any success locating the current insurance card, I was like, "I'm so sorry, the insurance card expired in September! I can't find the new one. But I am totally sober! I don't drink or do drugs!" He was like, "Hey, don't worry about your insurance card. Just get it taken care of tomorrow...my partner and I are on DUI duty tonight, so just be on your way" (Like I said,  I guess I really musta looked like I was DUI!!!!!!!) Anyway, God was watching out for me, because how often does that happen???? I was so happy! Then the cute cops even gave me the directions of how to get back on 202 South! Both were very sweet. God Bless the Flemington Police!

So that's what happens when you go to Smoothie King! Look out, if you get the 'Immunity Builder', it might be dangerous....you might want to just get the Tango Mango!

Next chemo Thursday, January 2nd - Cathy U. is taking me! Hugs & Love, Annie

Now here are some photos of Christmas Eve & Christmas & our holiday. This is why I am doing the chemo. To be around for many more years of fun with family & friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

5 Down 3 to Go!

Hi All!

Chemo 5 was HARD and it stunk! My lovely, beautiful pal Andrea took me down though which made it an awesome day despite the difficulties...

I had to take 5 steroids last night and five this a.m. prior to the chemo, which made me especially anxious and crabby and on edge...... We got to the hospital right on time though - thanks to Andrea's amazing driving skills! She did great! But we didn't get home until 6 p.m. UGGH! It was a llllooonnnggg day! I feel really lousy right now.

The first thing the nurse gave me was a huge shot of Benadryl in my I.V. I guess to counteract anything I might be allergic to with the Taxol? Then in my I.V. Pepsid I guess to counteract heartburn??? The Benadryl made me very sleepy and super duper woozy....but I couldn't sleep because of the steroids so I just laid there for three hours while I got the chemo feeling woozy and trying to nap, but not being able to nap, and not feeling like doing any of the work I had brought.

Here are some pics for you....

Andrea and I and the great view of H.U.P.... 

 Cutie Patootie pregnant nurse.....

 

Nurse Bronwyn stickin' it to me!

                               

 Hospital volunteer, Maxine, very sweet woman!

   Andrea taking a nap on the windowsill!
MADE MY DAY to see this!
Andrea thanks for making me laugh!

 

Eleanor, scheduling secretary! She is such a big help! 

 

CHEMO 5 is FINI!

 

Thank you, Lord for getting me through this day!
Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and support!

 

Chemo 5 Postponed for a Bit....

Hi, Everybody!

 

My great pal Sue McCarty drive me down to Penn yesterday...Amy Chapman met us there....thank you girls so much for your support! Amy brought fruit, coffee, & cheese!

 

At the Hospital of Univ. of Penn - as I usually do - I met with the nurses to get my white blood count levels tested, and my vitals,  just to make sure it was ok for me to get the chemo - then got "in line" for my chemo. They were really backlogged because of last week's snow storm. So I waited with Sue & Amy for two and a half hours! Then I was told (kindly) that I would have to go home and come back on Wednesday. The reason being that this new chemo treatment takes 4 hours (!!!!) (not 1 1/2 like the last treatments) so if had started at 3:30 I wouldn't have been finished in time for their 7 p.m. closing....uggh....oh well, I believe everything happens for a reason...

One funny thing was, I had my Santa hat on when they told me I had to come back, and I wasn't very "Christmasy" as I bitched and moaned to the schedulers about not wanting to come in at 9:00 a.m on Wednesday and sit in three hours of rush hour traffic just to get there  by 9:00 a.m.- so they switched me to later on the morning...HO HO HO! I can be the squeaky wheel any time of the year, even at Christmastime!

 

So unfortunately I will be going back to Penn tomorrow, Wednesday, December18th.

  

The effects from this treatment, called Taxol, are only supposed to last for two days, but it's supposed to make me super achy (like I have the flu) and tired, but at least it's only for two days not 4or 5 like the last treatment. The effects will kick in about four days after I receive my treatment.

 

Okay that's all for now! I will post some more photos asap. Love, Annie

My Sister Praying for Me at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem...

Hey Everybody! I hope you are doing GREAT! Thank you for visiting my blog. When I see how many people have logged on and read, it makes me feel very loved and keeps me going too...

I had a really rough night last night. I barely got any sleep. I went in to school at noon. I'm pretty dragging right now, actually VERY dragging, I feel like complete crap, but, you know it could ALWAYS be A LOT worse so I am thankful for my many, many, many blessings...like the sleep I did get...and a million gazillion more blessings....

Including my sister Lisa. She actually did this for me: When she went on a recent trip to the Holy Land, Israel, she visited the Wailing wall, and she pushed her way  (just like a good Bauerlein girl!) to the front of the line and stuck a paper into the wall, and prayed for my complete healing. Wow, I am getting choked up as I write this. And I'm not on any meds. On the paper was a prayer request for me to be completely healed of cancer.

I think it's incredible that she was actually in Jerusalem and went to places where Jesus actually walked and talked! I am so overwhelmed by Lisa's love for me and for Jesus' love and care for me, of course!

Hugs to you all, and many blessings as you get ready for Christmas! Love, Annie

Chemo Four Stunk!

Hello, My Dearest Darlings!

Thank you again for caring. I am soooooooooooooooo sorry it took me so long to get this blog post out! Please forgive me....like I said, Chemo # 4 STUNK!

Here's why.....

It kicked me in the butt - hard. No mercy. Fatigue, super duper wicked sore throat, ear ache, allergic reaction rash to one of the drugs, "Neulasta" on arms, neck, and to top it all off ulcers on tongue!

But there are many great things that come from hardship....

Like....I am making so many new friends and getting closer to my old friends....
Like, my Angel Friends and Fabulous Family are really helping me get through this...
Like, when I count my blessings I cannot stop....
Like, I am much more aware of the suffering of others....when I compare mine to theirs, I am so ashamed.

My sister Lisa came for a whole day after Thanksgiving! Do you know what she did? She cleaned, cooked, brought me soup, yogurt, snacks for Eli, fresh fruit, frozen fruit for smoothies, the best provolone cheese on Earth..."good bread" as my dad used to call it and she helped me FOLD LAUNDRY and fill out medical forms. She's a social worker, she has her MSW, so she is really great at knowing how to help people without making them feel bad...she was awesome! She is the oldest of the seven sisters but she is a real fox as you can see here! She is also just a great person....THANKS, LEES!

 

Lisa's hubby is a great doctor, but he does pottery on the side...

look at these bowls he made and gave me.

Thank you Dr. Joe, there is NOTHING like eating out of one of your bowls!

While Lisa was here my great friend Shay (my pastor's wife) and her daughter Jade stopped by to give me a hug. Aren't they beautiful!? Look at those smiles! Now if this duo can't cheer someone up, then there is something wrong! (They did cheer me up!) (And I looked like crap and they told me I looked "beautiful" - now that's the kinda friend I love!) 

My great friend Lydia made me these beautiful hats to keep my head warm!

  

                  Aren't they cozy? I love them because she made them just for me!

Another kind friend, Sheri, also shopped for these cute hats for me! Such a sweetie!

Aren't they stylish? Thanks, Sheri!

 

And my sister Gretchen and her husband sent me this hat and another one....which I love! Thank you my dear sister & friends!

 

                   I am so blessed that people care

about my cold, bald pate!

Plus my angel girls at school have been bringing me cool smoothies, Chai tea, coffee, fruit, salads, DVDs for Eli.....I feel very taken care of when I go in to work....and my long-term sub Erica is THE BEST and also my kindergarten volunteer aide Paige is fabulous and fun and we all have fun with the kindergarten cuties, even as half the time I am in pain or coughing or trying to swallow my pills or drinking a smoothie or tea to ease my painful throat...and many, many other friends have come with broccoli rabe, hands to do dishes, to watch Eli, to bring wood for the fire, send me 'Smoothie King' gift cards...on and on and on...I feel so supported and loved....
and extremely blessed!

My next chemo is Monday, December 16th - that day I also see the plastic surgeon who will do my reconstruction and the OBGYN surgeon who will take out my ovaries. Then I get the chemo! Barrels of fun!

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
May each of you be blessed for your love, care, and prayers...Hugs to you all....Annie

Half the Way There! A Day of Surprises!

Hi, Everyone! Thank you for caring enough to read my blog...

Chemo #4 went well thank you to my dear (and gorgeous!) friend Donna Liccardi who drove me down to H.U.P. and brought me yummy FRUIT and my other just-as-gorgeous friend & college roommate Lizzie Farley who hung with us and brought yummy sustenance in the form of more "deelish" fruit and guacamole and chips!

                                                     DONNA & LIZ
                       I call this one "Two Blondes With Boots in Waiting Room"

DONNA & ME & WIG in drs. office

 

                                   First I got my blood drawn and vitals taken
                                    (by Jennifer here....so darn stinkin' cute! I can't stand it!)  

Then I met with Robin to check my white blood count.....

 ...which was "Good..." that meant I could "get the chemo"...BUT - there was a mysterious itchy rash on my arms, chest, and upper back.... which called for the

"BIG GUN" who came in the form of "Dr. Fox"
very well-known Penn oncologist! (FAMOUS!)

 

DR. FOX

 

He sat with his reddened face in his hands for about 10 seconds. I was worried.....so I said, "Are you okay?" and he said, "I'm thinking..." (LOVE THAT!) After about 20 seconds he said, "It's the Neulasta shot....the rash is being caused by the Neulasta shot....your body is having a reaction to it....so you should get your chemo, but no Neulasta shot afterwards..."  he continued "BUT now your next chemo will be pushed back to THREE weeks, because the Neulasta shot boosts your white blood cell count, and now your body will have to do that on its own."

HOW SMART IS THIS MAN????????
So body, get to work and you guys please all get to work praying for my body...that my white count goes up on its own and that I don't get any high temp. or infection or fever...need to really avoid that now....

 

Okay so then I got the chemo......such sweet nurses, all of them...
okay so I look like a dork in my wig, whatever...
(and unfortunately for me, goofy faces don't help the cause...)

 

Thumbs Up for Chemo (HA HA!)
Note sarcasm here.....

 

And just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, right when I got home, I was alone...it was so quiet...too quiet for noisy old me! Then I heard a knock at the door. It was my friend from up the way, Victoria, wearing the cutest Sherpa hat with a Mohawk tassel thingy on top and bearing a crateful of healthy tangerines! So what could we do but don our Sherpa hats together and pose for this silly picture!

 

 

Victoria & Me

 

My great friend Sara watched Eli today and she's sending me photos so check back again, if you want, to see a photo of Eli and his friend Samantha (Sara's daughter) ...plus Sara made me this awesome homemade applesauce...and I promise a photo of that yummy stuff too plus one of her cute face!

 

Love to All, Annie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Count Your Blessings!

Chemo #3 continues to wreak havoc on my body, mind, and spirit. But God is with me all the way and HE WILL GET ME THROUGH THIS! My friends and family are also right here with me fighting this battle alongside of me, so I know I am not alone! AND THEY WILL GET ME THROUGH THIS TOO!


"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings." (Psalm 61:1-4)

                                            MY TWO ANGELS, SHAY & SUE
                             
Shay & Sue came over last night and help me so much. They made me smoothies and a yummy healthy dinner with quinoa and kale and they did laundry, dishes, and played with Eli, and cleaned and put so much laundry away it wasn't even funny!

My other two amazing friends Laura & Marlin took Eli the whole day so I could sleep. The exhaustion is so bad, I dropped Eli off at Laura's and barely made it home. Got straight into bed and slept from  1-5. When I woke up I was still just as tired as when I went to sleep but thank God Shay & Sue came in the nick of time and helped us at home.

The side-effects for me are, like I said, exhaustion, a very sore mouth, itchy skin, "thrush" in back of throat, ulcers on tongue...let's just say it isn't pretty.

But can you imagine worse things? I can. How about going through this with no health insurance, losing your house to chemo, having no support network, having no hospital, just a clinic to go to only to be told there is no medicine for you...no clean drinking water, no food, no job, no car, no house, no electricity, bombs flying over your house, soldiers knocking on your door looking for your Bible, rats or cockroaches crawling through your home, being a slave, being in a "re-education camp" if you say something against your government,...every time I think about such things I am ashamed to complain. Ashamed. Yes, this is hard, but when compared to other's plights this is cake. Many would trade places with me in a heartbeat to get an easier ride than the misery they are undergoing.

So if you're having a bad day, count your blessings and think of others and you'll snap out if it pretty quick...Love, Annie

PS Chemo #4 is tomorrow at 11:30 at Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. My friend Donna is taking me, and most likely my friends Liz, Di, and Amy are meeting us there...they are all blonde! So we will have a blonde party! Whatever that is...

Uggghhhhh......Chemo # 3

                     Chemo # 3 is definitely kicking my sorry ass but...

"I'll be back!"

(You all know I will!)

 

Been dealing with excessive fatigue, super duper sore throat, "thrush" (painful white spots in mouth) and depression, low-self esteem, feelings of loneliness...sick of being bald....I have a newfound respect for cancer survivors...that is FOR SURE!

 

I am getting my next chemo on Monday, November 25th...."Can't wait!" HA HA!

I am   totally dreading it....well not dreading getting it but dreading what is to come after.....

 

What's hard is you forget, while you are going through all the crappy side effects of chemo, that you WILL bounce back again...and be your old self again...your brain just somehow makes you think you will always be this tired.....and feel this bad....

 

               But I have so many blessings to count....Here are TWO! Keep reading...

My sister Trudy & her hubby Scott came over yesterday to help us. WOWSIE did they ever help a lot! First they brought the most yummy homemade chicken soup, then they cleaned ( dusted, vacuumed, straightened, did dishes...) and cooked dinner, steam-cleaned rugs, washed, folded, put away laundry, kept Chippy company, drove Eli to his pal's, and.... Scott is a master woodworker and he fixed TWO pieces of furniture that needed some TLC! Oh yes and I forgot to mention.....all this while I napped like a total load for two hours.....Thanks you guys! You did much more than I wrote here....but my brain is kinda fried...and I can't remember every little thing...I know there was much more done.....But basically.....I can't believe you gave up one whole day of your life for us...that was so awesome of you!

God Bless & Night Night, All.....Love, Annie



Chemo #3 Photos n' Stuff...

Hi! Thank you all SO MUCH for caring about me enough to read my blog. I can't tell you how much your support means to me!

Okay so Chemo Day #3 started with my friend Rose bringing me some homemade vegetable soup and it WAS soooo yummy!!!!! (And IS all gone!) Thanks, Rose!

   So after I checked in, I had to give a small blood sample (with Carmen!) to check my white blood count was okay and then I got my vitals taken - both to make sure it was okay to get the chemo...

                    Then we waited to see Dr. Domcheck just to check in with her and see how everything was going....Sue and I monkied around again in Dr. Domcheck's office

                        waiting on this brilliant lady and charming person!
But no banana phone this time! Yes, we actually behaved this time!
(For the most part...)

 

I am SO BLESSED to be under Dr. Domcheck's care!!!!!!!
Not to sound disrespectful but she freakin' rocks!

She's an amazingly talented doctor with a dynamite personality
AND GREAT "bedside manner."
Plus she's really pretty (wearing no make-up...yea that pretty...)
and she has  super cool clothes esp. her black zip-up boots! 

  My good friend Amy came and Sue & I & Amy had fun catching up with each other.
We ate cheese and crackers, talked food & kids, and Amy brought the most amazing fruit salad! PLUS she brought a gift for Chip - her own brand of fresh roasted coffee! He loved it and so did I! I had to go off my daily black tea for Valley Green Coffee! Amy and her husband own Elcy's Café at 1 W. Glenside Avenue in Glenside, PA 19038 so check it out if you are in the area! And buy some of their awesome java!
(Only if you feel like it, I don't mean to sound so bossy..)

http://www.valleygreencoffee.com/
Seriously it is sooooooo great!!!

 

Then I got Chemo #3............. 

Getting the chemo with Nurse, Brawnwyn - she is the "I'm going to be a butterfly tomorrow butterfly" nurse! She's adorable!

 

I have to say while Amy was out making a phone call Sue and I whooped it up in Room 15 of the chemo ward or whatever you call it....and had a 5 minute really hard laugh at just stupid stuff. We needed that laugh!

There's' nothing like laughing until you cry and cannot talk....
Love you, Sue & Amy, so happy something as dumb as cancer could bring us back together!!!!



                               Amy & Sue                                           Just Amy

Look how pretty these girls are! So, Amy is Dutch and Sue is Irish, can't you tell???



               

Thank you, Sue, for driving to me and from chemo. It was such a pleasure to spend the entire day with you from 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m! Amy thanks for joining us, I hope you can come back again! My next chemo is on Monday, November 25th at 11:30 a.m. and my friend Donna is taking me and I can't wait! (I mean to spend time with Donna, not to get the chemo...)

As far as how I am feeling, I feel great today! I had a great day at school, just my trusty volunteer aide Paige and I. We had a joyful day with 14 amazing kindergartners and we laughed all day! She is just one of my many angels! I'm expecting to feel good again tomorrow and then I expect the chemo will start to kick in this Saturday and then last until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week...mostly fatigue....I am doing great with the nausea thanks to my sister Judy who is providing me with acupuncture...it is really helping with so many symptoms! I still have a sore throat but I have meds for that now and that stupid dry hacking cough is back but all in all today I feel very, very blessed.

 Psalm 146:5 says:   
"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God..."

Thank you, God for giving me this journey to travel on. It is hard but I know you are here with me every step of the way, as is my wonderful family and huge support network. Also, God, I am learning so much. Thank you for showing me new things about life every day....

Blessings and hugs to you all! Love, Annie