So, before chemo #4 (the last of the hardest stuff) could be played out in it’s normal Tuesday scheduling slot -things got a bit, well, all over the place! A few weeks ago my lovely onc Dr. G had suggested heading to a “research hospital” to get a second opinion for the potential of a future breast surgery. I feel certain Dr. G was trying to open up my horizons. I greatly appreciate this.

Time goes on and I check with my insurance Milwaukee or Madison – I have the option. Ok. Well, it just so happens that I have this incredible friend in Jeanine Patten-Coble, founder of Little Pink of Houses of Hope (www.littlepink.org) an incredible nonprofit. Incredible. Anyway – I remembered when Jeanine came to visit my town last year she had mentioned this outstanding surgeon. The surgeon had left Duke and landed right here at UW-Madison! Jeanine had said, she felt so strongly that she would come to UW-Madison from NC just to see her! Fast-Forward to Tuesday of this week (7/7/15 – a historical date for me, this was my first NED PETSCAN I had ever had in 2011).

The hubs and I packed up the car for a little trip to meet Dr. W and I have to say, it wasn’t a wasted trip. Walking through the halls, gave me so much promise and hope. For once, the hubs was out of place with that luscious head of hair! Ha. Yep – bald, scarved, hatted, we all RULED. Refreshing to “fit in”. The meeting with Dr. W went incredible. She will be presenting my case to a board by next Tuesday. We will see what types of recommendations will follow. I am anxious.

With the hope and excitement of Tuesday settling in, the promise of one last hard treatment was ready for Weds. Remember this is my lifetime supply of these lovely drugs. NEVER AGAIN! Would the clotted port work? I know some drugs they don’t like to put in a vein because of the toxicity. Will Dr. G work with UW? Will I need 12 more weeks of hard chemo? Will the plan change? Will radiation be needed? Is this chemo working? How do we know? Oh, oh, the questions I have. Soooo= trying to lift my feet right now.

I am going to try to ride out the roid rage from chemo. I am going to try to cross some items off my list. All my awesome friends who have dropped of meals, drove my kids around, taken care of my family, loved my family. I sure would like to pull myself out of bed and see you all! I feel as though this first half of summer and the debilitating chemo has kept me hidden away. I miss your beautiful faces. Walks with friends, tea or coffee on the deck, book club, family trips to the lake with our kiddos, family trips to Sunset beach with our kiddos, movie Tuesdays!, or sometimes just sending our kids to the park and binge watching something. together! Oh – how I have missed you all.

Until then – thank you for everything. I am blessed and my family is blessed with some incredible people around us. We are forever grateful.