Challenge Accepted: July 18, 2011

Sunday 7/17/11

Today Matt went to Grand Sport Speedway. The high temperatures meant that I would stay home and if I had the energy I would drive out to see Matt on the track. Matt left the house very early in the morning and I woke up about 8 / 9 am. I had my morning medication and breakfast and felt pretty good. I got ready and on the way up had lunch. Armed with several drinks for Matt, I showed up at the track at about 12:30.

Today Matt did something different - he took 2 bikes the Ducati Xerox 999R and the Ducati HyperMotard. By the time I arrived Matt had already ridden several sessions in the morning on the Xerox 999R and had at least one session on the HyperMotard. Matt was having a great day despite the heat. I observed a classroom session that focused on trail-breaking.

For those who don't know when you attend a Motorcycle track day you sign up under the appropriate level (based on experience). The day is divided between track time and classroom time. While each school does things a little different the basic objective is to improve your riding. The track provides you with an environment to learn to handle your bike at high speeds with instruction. The main objective is becoming a better rider. I was able to spend a couple of hours at the track and saw Matt out on the track for a full session. I headed home after that. Matt stayed for a few more sessions then packed it up and also headed home. I helped Matt unpack once he was home. The evening was relaxed - both of us were tired from today's adventures.

Matt on the HyperMotard at Grand Sport Speedway

Matt again in turn 2 at Grand Sport Speedway

Self Portrait (half smile due to the hot weather)

Saturday 7/16/11

Today we had a visit from the Payne family - I can't believe how big Sophie is getting - she waves, she giggles and she says a few words which provide for a great deal of entertainment. I have said it before and will say it again, I have learned so much about people since being diagnosed. I have learned that there are certain people who make it their business to be amazing friends - especially in trying times. The Payne family has been amazing to us and their interest in my condition and our wellbeing has been nothing shy of fabulous. Matt and I have been very lucky in that we have had many supportive friends. :)

The rest of the day was very casual as Matt prepared for his upcoming day at the track (Sunday) and I recovered from Friday.

Friday 7/15/11

It isn't new news that I have gained weight throughout my treatment (at the latest count I am about 15 pounds heavier). While that may not sound like a lot it is enough to make a difference in my wardrobe. For several years I have been the same size - with very little fluctuation, therefore all my clothes are the same size and this means that most things in my closet do not fit me. I live in a very small house with a very small closet that I share with Matt so really it doesn't make any sense to have all these clothes that do not fit me in the closet. So today I cleaned up my closet. I went through everything in my closet: pants, shirts, dresses and jackets and either packed things away or put it aside for donation. After a morning or trying things on I wasn't able to complete the task by going through my dresser - so this clean up will have to go into next week. But at least I can now say that the things in my closet fit me and this makes getting dressed a lot easier.

This evening was about making new friends. I was invited to a "Jewelry Party" hosted by the Young Survival Coalition. I was able to get a few new pieces of jewelry :) and make some new friends (survivors and supporters of the organization). The group works to provide information / resources to young breast cancer patients. I had a great time at this event.

The link to their website is: http://www.youngsurvival.org/houston

Tonight there were 4 breast cancer survivors (myself included) and below is a picture of the 4 of us.

Breast Cancer Survivors
(left to right: Brenda, Me, Jo and Michelle)

Thursday 7/14/11

Back to the Plastic Surgeons' Office today. Things are looking very good and thanks to the work done by the Physicians Assistant (PA), I am healing nicely. After today's assessment she decided that we wouldn't add anymore saline to my tissue expanders at this time - she wants to make sure I heal properly. After a quick change in steri-strips and a follow up appointment scheduled for next week, I was on my way.

Stitches looking much better!

This evening I went for a walk with a neighbor Angela. We walked from the house to a bike trail nearby. The bike trail was active with families, walkers, runners and bikers. I didn't take my heart rate monitor so I am not sure exactly how far we walked but I think we covered a total of 3 - 3.5 miles. The temperature was very hot but there was a consistent breeze which made everything much more tolerable.

Matt was home by 10 pm and we were all happy to see him (Me and the dogs).

Wednesday 7/13/11

Today Matt left for a business trip. I am doing a lot better on my own but being home alone wears me out.

The good news is that I can dress myself now and this is a huge advantage!!

Monday 7/11/11

Today I had a MUGA Scan (Multiple Gated Acquisition) to assess my heart. One of the common side effects of chemo lies in heart function. I have never had heart issues and my medication has minimal side effects on the heart so I have made it this far without any tests of my heart. In my latest visit with my oncologist she requested this test instead of an EKG.

This test was wild, they attached a syringe to me, that I kept on the entire time I was awaiting my test. They extracted a vile of my blood and asked me to wait for 30 minutes while they "activated" my blood. I didn't know what that meant, but I patiently waited the 30 minutes. After 30 minutes they re-injected my blood into my body. The "activation" process they spoke of consists of making my blood radioactive. After re-injecting my blood they scan me and create a video of my heart. The scanner used for this test is very similar to that which was used for the CT Scan I had a few months ago, tubular shaped but with rotating panels that take the images. The challenge here was that I could not lift my arms above my head for the duration of the test, so the technician had to be creative.

I made it through the test with no problem and I imagine I will hear from my oncologist with the results if there are any concerns or if the test has to be redone.