Bad Hair Day, Bad Paw Day

We've had quite a day today at Chez Pelzek. My hair started shedding on Tuesday. Rather than go through seeing it all fall out, I decided to have my regular stylist, Deanna, buzz it all off. I'm going tomorrow morning for my wig fitting. Glamorous. Olivia says I have hair like Dad but my bandana is "stylish".

We had new bed delivered today and one of the delivery guys accidentally stepped on Quinn's paw. This resulted in a cracked claw and bleeding! This happened about 5 minutes before I was supposed to leave to get my new hair style. Fortunately, my mom and Steve (step-dad) were here picking up some old baby stuff for their rummage, so they stayed here with the delivery guys. Matt came home from work and came with me and the girls to the salon and Patsy took poor Quinn to the vet.

Now, we have our new bed, I have my new style and Quinn has four bandages on his paws due to infections in some of his claws and nail cut down. He has to wear his bandages until Friday and he's on antibiotics.

Pictures with my new hair to follow!!!!

Graduation Day

Olivia finished preschool today. Here are pictures of her with her teachers and her certificate that she earned. Olivia loved school and can't wait to start 4-K next year at the "big kids" (elementary) school.

Since I have an unconditional love for food, I should have known that my disinterest in it wouldn't last long. I actually feel pretty close to my "regular self".

You should also all know that I am now doing arm and shoulder weights (left arm only for now, the right arm is still getting the full motion back after having the port placed). I am using whopping 1 to 3 pound weights. I'm sure in no time I'll be back to my 15 - 30+ range.

Don't forget, the MRI article should be in the paper tomorrow. If it is and there is an on-line version, I'll add a link to this page.

Have a great Monday!

After my post on Thursday things got a little tougher. I feeling pretty sick on Thursday evening. I took one of the "super pills" (Zofran) at 7:30 and was snoozing by 8:00. After that I was taking the two pills whenever I could no matter what. That seemed to do the trick. I still didn't feel much like eating on Friday and Saturday, but ate significantly more last night. Otherwise, I've just been a little tired.

Now I'm just waiting for the hair! I'm not too worried about after the fact, because there will be several positive things about it. Sleeping a little later, never having to get my highlights re-done because the roots are showing, etc. It's the waiting that is getting to me!

Have a great Sunday!

One Down!

I'm now 1/6 done with the treaments! It took about 3 hours, 5 including the time spent in the lab and the waiting. So far I feel just fine. The girls are sleeping over at Grandma & Grandpa's (Dad & Patsy) and were soooo excited. Since we have a mini-vacation here we just took poor neglected Quinn (our dog) for a walk.

Just wanted to let you all know that things were going smoothly. Tomorrow I go back for a Neulasta shot to help with blood cell production. With that I will have been to Froedert every day this week. Good thing I've got a free parking pass.

The nurse said I've most likely got 10-14 days left with my hair - so enjoy the pictures!! I better wash all those scarves I've gotten from my friends.

Olivia with her sparkling apple juice at brunch. She said she didn't like it and could she please have milk instead.





Carina, "Where did you get these sweets? Can you bring me more?"

All dressed up for brunch

Stop the presses!

For those of you from the Milwaukee area that were looking in the newspaper today for the article - it wansn't there! I e-mailed the reporter this morning and she said that she was out sick most of last week, so it wasn't finished. She said she'd be working on it this week, so I think it will probably be in next Monday's Pulse section. Hopefully you'll be able to read it online as well. If so, I'll add it to the links on this page.

Have a great week everyone!

Get your newspapers!!

The port and I are living in harmony. There is still a little pain, but manageable with Advil and Tylenol. Unfortunately now my right arm has limited motion, but Gina the therapist said that will improve in a few days. I'm just glad I didn't start the treaments today. I can take the bandage off tomorrow, so I'll get to see how it looks.

I was interviewed last Monday by a writer from the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee paper) regarding the use of MRIs to detect breast cancer. The article will be in the Pulse section on Monday. A photographer even came to my therapy session on Wednesday to take a picure! Hopefully it's not one of the picures of me sweating as she's stretching me!

The 17th is the first day of treament, then they'll be every third week. That also happens to be my Dad's birthday. So, it was surgery for Amy's birthday and now the first chemotherpy treament for Dad. The good news is my birthday is Sunday. Since it is Mother's Day too I'm sure I'll have a day of leisure....or something. So, just in case that doesn't happen, I bought myself a pair of shoes yesterday.

No Hangover?

The port was placed today and the "yucky" incision cut and re-stiched. Everything went well and looks good. I was "awake" for the procedure but sluring when I did have my eyes open and talking. I have to say it was a very interesting experience and I wouldn't necessarily mind doing it again. It was like having 5 bottles of wine and waking up with no hangover. To give you an idea of how I feel, the discharge instructions included: 1) Do NOT make important decisions for 48 hours (signing contracts, wills, etc.) 2) Do NOT take part in activities requiring coordination or judgement for 24 hours (using lawn mowers, power tools, gas stove, food processors, etc.) 3) Go directly home and have a responsible adult available to help you.

I'm wondering if Matt qualifies as a "responsible adult"......

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday to walk in the rain and cool weather! We had a great time, including Olivia and Carina. It was great to see everyone.

I talked with the oncologist on Friday night and the port will be placed on Tuesday. The plastic surgeon will also "fix" the incision while I'm out. As a result, the chemo therapy treatments will not start on the 10th, but probably the following Thursdy, the 17th.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

My brother Nate and Matt's co-worker, Andy Benka. Are you guys brothers?

This is the other team picure. Looks like the photographer moved!

Our first team picure, in the rain. It looks like we didn't all fit in the picure. The other picure is Jeff Allen. He claims that he took place in last year's Stides Agains Breast Cancer Walk. He sacrificed the repeat this year to hang out with the rest of us.

The "Neighborhood Ladies" and Me with Pam Roble - the team leader for Sandy's Striders. Pam, thank you again for all your hard work!

Some picures from the walk....

Good News, Bad News

Hello Everyone,
Great news - our team has raised $2,845 so far for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on this Saturday. That puts our team in 6th place right now. The 5th place team is currently at $3,125. Thank you again to all that have donated!!!

I had an appointment with the plastic surgeon today. He is going to talk with the oncologist, but thinks that it would be best if we waited to start the chemo treatment because one of the incisions is "an open wound". Gross. He said that if Dr. Walker wanted to go ahead and do the port on Tuesday the 8th that was up to him. We'll have to see what he says.

The good news about the appointment is Dr. Whitfield (plastic surgeon) doesn't think (or did he say doesn't want?) to do more surgery to fix the incision. Hopefully it heals up on its own.

Hope you are all doing well. We'll see many of you on Saturday - it's supposed to be a nice day...as long as it's not 37 and raining!!